Day 2 -Cranberry Cookies

Happy Sunday dear sweet friends!  It's time for Day 2 of the Twelve Days of Christmas!!

Since it's Sunday, I have another fun recipe that's going into my Family Favorite Recipe Cookbook to share with you.  Every December, before the Christmas baking begins, we start the month off by making these delicious Cranberry Cookies.  They are a family favorite and I hope they become a favorite of yours too!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt 
• 2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped 
• 
  
Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Beat in milk, orange juice and egg. Separately, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then blend well into the butter mixture.  Stir in the cranberries.  Drop dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove from sheet to continue cooling.

See you tomorrow night for day three!!

 Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!!

Kristii

Perfect for a cold winter's day

Happy Sunday sweet friends!  It's time to add another page in my "Make your Own" cookbook series.  and today I am going to share my Minestrone Soup recipe with you.  There is nothing that warms your heart during these cold winter days than a nice bowl of homemade soup!  Minestrone has become one of our favorites not only because it is good for you, but because it just plain tastes good!!

Garden Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup green beans, trimmed and chopped
2 stalks celery
3 carrots, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup shell pasta

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, green beans, celery and carrots and cook until they are soft.  Add zucchini, oregano, basil and salt and cook until zucchini softens.  Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in kidney beans and pasta and cook until pasta is tender.  Top each serving with Romano cheese.

Such a delicious and hearty meal and made even better when served with Garlic bread.  

Yields 6 servings.

Enjoy!

Kristii

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hi there sweet friends!  It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a few days away!  This fall has gone by so quickly and I'm sure those of you who are well acquainted with me, know that I'm ready to start putting out Christmas decorations and begin my Christmas baking!  I love everything about the Christmas season!!  Just so you know, I've already started on my 12 Days of Christmas posts and I can't wait to start sharing those with you!!  Since it's a little early to be in Christmas mode, however, I thought I would share one of my favorite fall recipes with you, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.    I make these cookies regularly throughout the fall season and my family just loves them!!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!!  This recipe will go in my own copy of my Family Favorites Cookbooks that I created over the summer break.  I still have a cookbook that is available in my Etsy store and I have plans for a new design coming in the next several days.  Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 c. pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Beat in eggs.  Stir in pumpkin and vanilla.  Blend in half the flour and add baking powder and spices.  Stir in the rest of the flour.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Thank you so much for stopping by!!! I hope you have a wonderful Monday!!
Kristii