Isn't anyone starting to think about their Christmas cookie, dessert bars, pies or cakes? Anyone out there have any great recipes for the holidays? I love to bake and would love to have some new recipes!

Neapolitan Cookies from
(Can be Frozen)
1/2 Ib. of Almond Paste.(Can 8oz.)
1-cup margarine or butter (softened)
1 cup of sugar
4 egg yokes
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Almond extract
4 Egg whites
20 drops red food coloring
12 drops of green food coloring
1/4 cup of seedless raspberry jam
1/4-cup apricot preserves (only small jar necessary)
1-6 oz. pkg. Semi-sweet choc. Chip.

1. Preheat oven to 350° Grease bottom of three 13" x 9" x 2" baking pans. (I use 9x13 cookie sheets.) Line pans with waxed paper.Grease Paper.
2. Using a fork, break up almond paste into small pieces in a large bowl. Add butter, almond extract, sugar, and egg yolks and beat with electric mixer at medium speed- Beat mixture until light and fluffy. (5 min.)
3. With a wooden spoon, beat in flour until well combined.
4. In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. With wooden spoon, stir into almond mixture using a turning, folding motion.
5. Remove 1 1/2 cups of batter to med. Bowl: Stir in red food coloring until well blended- Turn into a prepared pan, spreading evenly. Add green food color to 1 1/2 cups of batter and turn into another pan.
Turn remaining batter into third pan.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Invert onto wire racks. Remove pans. Cool Completely.
7. Place green layer on large cookies sheet and spread Raspberry jam evenly over green layer; top with yellow layer, spread apricot preserves over yellow layer and top with pink layer. Layers should line up evenly.
8. Cover with plastic wrap. Set cutting board over layers with a heavy object on it Refrigerate overnight.
9. Next day; (in top of double boiler) melt chocolate chips. Spread over the top of layers and let dry. Trim edges with sharp knife. Cut in 1" square pieces.


**To make it easier: go to any dollar store and buy 3 small cookie sheets!

Thank you Boogie! I didn't think people baked anymore! I know I am a little early thinking about baking, but I start early and freeze some of the baked goods!

My hubby loves mint cookies dipped in chocolate.. I just make regular suger cookies but add a few teaspoons of mint flavoring and green coloring to it, use a small tree cookie cutter, then dip the bottoms of them into melted milk chocolate once they're done. He ate a whole dozen on his own last year.

The mint cookies dipped in chocolate sounds good! I have had some peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate. They were round little balls. Yummy. I need to try the sugar ones. Is there a trick to dipping them in the chocolate? It was just the bottom in chocolate....do you mean the whole flat bottom? Or half the cookie? Thanks, D

The flat bottom is what I usually dipped... my sister did the bottom half (like the tree's base and bottom 2 branches) but it made it rock a little wen you put it on a plate. I just did the backside of 'em.

I didnt bake them as long as regular sugar cookies, either.. Took them out about 2-4 minutes earlier so they were still a wee bit squishy, but held their shape so I could dip them.

They sound great too Kod! I love mint cookies! I will be baking these for x-mas too! Will they freeze well Kod?

I havent tried freezing them- Ubu eats them all before I can try...

but I don't think it would be a big problem...

it is (well was when my father was alive) to bake and make cookies platters as gifts for christmas... which i have (to some extent) taken over doing (to a less degree - at least for now while i have young babies at home!). cookies, fudge, white trash (white chocolate covering cereal, pretzles and nuts)... etc... and make enough for gifts, with leftovers with us for christmas and new years eve parties!

My family does the same thing Thena! We make fudge, cookies and dessert bars to make platters for family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. This year I hope to get a earlier start on them!

Speaking of fudge, does anyone have a good, quick, easy recipe for fudge. I never have any luck with it.....

Maybe someone on here can help me out with a recipe.

My mother used to have the recipe for banana-nut salad that was passed down from my great-grandmom. Unfortunately, she lost the notebook that it was kept in!!

Does anyone else know this recipe? Its our first christmas, and its a family tradition to always make it for the holidays. I wanted to keep that tradition with our new family....

I tried to make fudge once a few years ago.
I messed up horribly.
on a side note, though, it became an AWESOME fondue.

my sister said the best one she's found is actually from the side of a bottle of fluff.

I have a foolproof fudge recipe:

3 cups chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
dash of salt (I don't use salt)
! cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla

Put the condensed milk, choco chips and salt in a sauce pan over low heat. Keep stirring until the chips are melted. Take off stove and add vanilla. In an 8x8 or 9x9 pan line with waxed paper. Put fudge in the lined pan. Chill for 2 hours. Turn fudge unto a cutting board and peel off wax paper. cut in to squares and store loosely covered at room temperature.


I just made a double batch in a 9x13 pan with no nuts. If anyone is interested, I have another recipe for peanut butter fudge with a layer of chocolate on top. Happy cooking!

LOVESANTIQUES FUDGE:

12 oz. package chocolate chips
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Melt chocolate chips at medium high in microwave for 2-1/2 minutes. Stir until melted. Add peanut butter and condensed milk and blend. Microwave at medium high for 1-1/2 minutes. Add coconut and nuts. Pour into an 8" x 8" buttered dish. Cool....and cut.....and enjoy!!

sounds yummy lovesantiques! another one to add to my collection. Thank you very much!

you're welcome!!