Russian Teacakes

Whether you call them Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Teacakes, they’re all the same delicate nut-based cookie!

I love the delicate buttery flavor of these cookies.  I don’t recall Mom ever making them but, my mother-in-law baked them every Christmas without fail and so do I.  I’ve made them with walnuts in place of pecans for a little different flavor.  

This recipe makes a lot of cookies, it can easily be halved!

This recipe comes from my well-used 1979 edition of Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.  I have made so many notes in this poor cookbook over the years that it is a little pathetic looking now.  I have a huge cookbook collection and when Bill asked what I would like for Christmas, naturally I said, “A cookbook!”  He just shakes his head and doesn’t get it!  I might add that not a one of my other cookbooks is in the horrible condition that this cookbook is in, thank goodness!

Do you make notes in your cookbooks or are they nice and neat?

RUSSIAN TEACAKES
Printable recipe
 
Ingredients: 
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cup finely chopped pecans
Confectioners sugar for rolling

Method: 
Heat oven to 400°.
Mix butter, ½ cup confectioners sugar,  and vanilla in large bowl.
Stir in flour, salt and nuts until dough holds together.
Shape dough into 1” inch balls.
Place about 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown.
Roll warm cookies in confectioners sugar.
Cool on wire racks.
Roll in sugar again.
Makes 8 dozen

ENJOY!

Be sure to enter my CSN Giveaway for a $35 gift certificate that I posted on December 17^th!

Also, check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Another CSN Giveaway and Jam Kolaczki!

Winter is just beginning here in the Midwest with our share of snow, ice and very cold weather with horrific wind chill readings. 

So many people around here love snowmobiling, skiing and even ice fishing.  I remember when I met Bill and he told me about his father going ice fishing.  I thought he was pulling my leg and I was waiting for the punch line.  In fact, his father ice fished quite often.  He had a home-made sled in which he placed a sterno heater to sit on to keep warm; along with an auger, an ice pick plus the usual fishing equipment.  That was paradise to my father-in-law!

My father-in-law loading up his sled to go ice fishing ~ Feb. 1974

Paradise to me is sunning on a beach and swimming in the warm ocean water at the Riviera Maya or in a nearby pool.  If I can’t be there, then second best is parked in my recliner at home, eating these Christmas cookies and watching TV.

Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso ~ Riviera Maya, Mexico

Speaking of TV, if you will be purchasing a new flat screen TV or should be lucky enough to receive one as a Christmas gift, you will be in need of a new TV stand and CSN stores is the place for you to shop for it!  Sean at CSN has kindly given me another wonderful opportunity for a giveaway for you good people.  Look at these great TV stands:    

CSN Stores has about everything you could imagine in their over 200 specialty online stores ~ an amazing array of products for you to choose from.  They have everything from wall art to lighting to au gratin dishes, furniture, baby items and even beds for your favorite cat or dog. 

Or maybe you’d like:

A Chicago Cubs inflatable chair

 or...

A new bed for your favorite cat

So after you browse around CSN and see what you would like to purchase, take a break and enjoy one or two of these cookies with a cup of coffee or tea, if you favor.  The dough for these kolaczki is what makes them irresistible. 

The kolaczki are filled with jam or preserves, such as peach, apricot, strawberry or pineapple.   I made some with apricot preserves and the remainder with blackberry preserves.  They are a very popular item in this area of “Chicagoland” and after making them yourself, you will see why.  They are delicious!

 

JAM Kolaczki

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, at room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups flour

Your favorite jam, I used apricot and blackberry

Confectioners sugar

Method:

Cream butter well.

Mix in cream cheese until smooth.

Gradually work in flour until a dough forms.

Gather in a ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Roll out chilled dough on floured surface 1/8” thickness.

Cut out circles with a 2” round cutter.

Dot center of each circle with about ¼ teaspoon jam.  Don’t use too much.

Place on greased cookie sheets, or sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper.

Bake until golden about 8-12 minutes.

Let cool for a minute or two.

Transfer to a wire rack.

Sprinkle lightly with confectioners sugar when cool.

Mmmm  Mmmmmm!!!!

Now, more about the great $35 gift certificate from CSN…

The $35 gift certificate does not include shipping costs but, you can use the gift certificate on ANY product from ANY one of the CSN sites.

Here are the rules for entering:

1. Leave a comment telling me you are a follower through Google Friend Connect (on the side bar of this blog) and tell me what you would like from CSN when you win the giveaway.

2. For an extra entry, follow this blog on the Facebook Networked Blogs (on the side bar of this blog) and leave a comment telling me you’ve done so.

3. This giveaway is open through midnight, CST, Monday, December 27^th.  The drawing will be by a random number generator on Tuesday, December 28^th and is open to US entrants only. 

Good luck and I hope you win!

Hawaiian Cookie Tarts

These Hawaiian Cookie Tarts are the perfect excuse for you and me to take a break from a busy day and relax and enjoy one with a steaming cup of coffee!

It’s interesting though that pineapple is neither an apple nor a pine and is not native to Hawaii as we usually think it is.   Pineapple is a native of South America and was named for its resemblance to a pine cone.  Although it was discovered 3 centuries earlier, the word “pineapple” did not appear in print until 1664.  Much later, tasting pineapple for the first time in Barbados in 1751, George Washington declared it his favorite tropical fruit.   

Then, around 1770, Captain James Cook introduced pineapple to Hawaii.  However, it wasn’t until the 1880’s that commercial cultivation began when steamships made transporting the luscious perishable fruit feasible. 

Coconut and pineapple ~ 2 of my favorite things!  These Hawaiian Cookie Tarts are down-right tropical because the flaky pastry shell is filled with a bit of pineapple preserves and a layer of gooey coconut dabbed on top of it all.  I usually only make them at Christmas time but they would be great any time!

Hawaiian Cookie Tarts

Pastry shell

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups flour

1 cup confectioners sugar

4 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, combine flour, 

1 cup confectioners sugar and cornstarch. 

Blend well.  Add butter and vanilla.

By hand, blend until a soft dough forms. 

Shape into 1” balls.

Place 1 ball in each miniature muffin cup. Press in bottom and up sides of each cup.

Filling

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple preserves

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 cups coconut

Confectioners sugar

Spoon 1 teaspoon of pineapple preserves into each cup.

In small bowl, combine sugar and egg. Using fork, blend well.

Stir in coconut until well coated with egg mixture.

Spoon 1 teaspoonful coconut mixture over pineapple preserves in each cup.

Bake at 350 degrees for 23-33 minutes, until crusts are very light golden brown.

To release tarts from cups, hold muffin pan upside down on an angle over wire rack.  Using a wooden spoon, firmly tap bottom of each cup till cookie releases.

Cool completely.

Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Makes 6 dozen

Printable recipe

Pam's note:  This is the tool (the top part) I use to mold the dough in the tart pan, a tart tamper:

They taste a bit like heaven, like Hawaii itself!

Mele Kalikimaka!

Be sure to enter my Tate’s Bake Shop giveaway that was posted on December 3^rd!

Also, check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Luscious Lemon Squares

I am not a big fan of chocolate so I hardly ever zero in on chocolate desserts.  When at a restaurant or a function, I go for the other desserts ~ pies, tarts, fresh fruit, ice cream, cheesecake and particularly lemon squares.  Oh, I love them!

These lemon squares have a great tender, rich crust that doesn’t crumble easily and a lemon filling that is really ‘super lemony.’   The recipe includes lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract.  It’s like sweet/tart lemon curd on a buttery shortbread crust.  The texture of the lemon filling is creamy and just a little gooey.  Wow!  Tangy and decadent!

Lemon squares are a great mix between sweet and tart and a perfect dessert or treat any time!

Baked!

Luscious Lemon Squares

Ingredients:

1½ sticks, plus 2 teaspoons butter, room temperature

1¾ cups plus 3 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup confectioners sugar, plus more for garnish

¼ cup cornstarch

¾ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/3 cups granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons lemon zest

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, strained

½ teaspoon lemon extract

¼ cup milk

Directions:

Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of butter.

Line with 1 sheet of parchment or waxed paper.

Butter the top of this sheet of paper with 1 teaspoon of the remaining butter.

Lay a second sheet of parchment or waxed paper crosswise over the first sheet. 

The parchment should be cut large enough so that the sides are even with the top of the baking dish.  This extra paper will be used as handles to help lift the lemon squares from the pan later.  Set pan aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1¾ cups of the flour, 2/3 cup of confectioners sugar, cornstarch, and ¾ teaspoon salt and mix thoroughly.

Cut the remaining 1½ sticks of butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Transfer butter-flour mixture to the prepared baking dish and press into a 1/4-inch layer along the bottom and partly up the sides of the pan.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

While the crust is in the refrigerator, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

While the crust is baking, assemble the filling by combining eggs, granulated sugar, flour and lemon zest in a medium bowl.  Whisk until smooth.

Stir in lemon juice, milk, lemon extract and remaining pinch of salt; mix well.

When crust is done, remove from oven.

Stir the lemon mixture again; pour onto the warm crust.

Bake until filling is set, about 20 minutes. 

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lift the paper that lines the 2 longest sides of the baking dish and remove the bars from the pan by pulling up.

The entire dessert will come away from the pan easily.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares, cleaning knife after each cut.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

A Perfect lemony dessert!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway.

Texas Sheet Cake

This is an oldie but goodie cake and easy cake!  I imagine most of you have heard of it, maybe even baked it.  But ~ it is, without a doubt, a great chocolate cake.  And who doesn’t like chocolate?

Texas Sheet Cake is a rich, dense, moist chocolate cake that is a cross between a brownie and cake, covered in a fudgy frosting.  What may make this recipe a little different from most of them is the addition of cinnamon.  It pairs perfectly with chocolate and gives a wonderful flavor to the cake. 

Here’s some chocolate fun:

Reasons Why a Chocolate is Better Than a Man

• Chocolate’s not afraid to pull over and ask for directions.
• After telling your chocolate bar all your worries you can simply eat it.
• You can share chocolates with your best friend.
• A bar of chocolate doesn't bore you by constantly talking about football.
• Your mother will never disapprove of your choice of chocolate.
• Chocolate will never tell you that you’re “getting a little chubby.”
• No one's ever been jilted by a chocolate gateau

 

Reasons Why a Chocolate is Better Than a Woman

• Chocolate never keeps you waiting.
• Chocolate doesn't get jealous when you look at another chocolate bar.
• You never have to buy a box of chocolates for a box of chocolates.
• Chocolate doesn't talk incessantly while you're watching the football.
• It doesn't expect you to remember the anniversary of the first time you met.
• Chocolate never tries to chat up your best friend.
• Chocolate isn't looking for a long term commitment.

And on with the recipe:

Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter

1 cup water

4 tablespoons cocoa

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sour cream

Method:

Bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil.

Remove from heat.

Add flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.

Beat in soda, eggs, vanilla and sour cream.

Pour onto large greased cookie sheet with sides of jelly roll pan, 10 ½” X 15 ½.”

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

4 tablespoons cocoa

6 tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped pecans

1 box confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Bring butter, cocoa and milk to a boil.

Remove from heat and add nuts, sugar and vanilla.

Spread over hot cake immediately.

Cool and serve

Mmmmm, chocolate!!!

Lemon Texas Sheet Cake

The scent of lemon is in the air with this cake. It won’t make you pucker up but, it will be the perfect end to a meal!

At last, winter is over and it’s time to pull out the spring recipes! This one is just in time for Easter if you are looking for a delicious dessert.

Lemon Texas Cake puts a great spring twist on the conventional chocolate cake, Texas Sheet Cake.  I’m sure most of you are familiar with that cake but this lemon cake is just what we need this time of year as it starts to warm up a little!  It is a thin flat cake that can be put together quickly and baked quickly. 

I’m not sure how I came upon this recipe but like it just for the love of fruity cakes.  This cake is filled with lemon love in every single bite!  I love lemon flavored desserts and this one uses natural lemon juice.  None of the bottled stuff goes into this cake and it has even extra zing because of the grated lemon rind and lemon flavoring, topped with a great lemon frosting. 

Lemon Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoons salt

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup sour cream

1 cup butter

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (not the bottled stuff)

1 tablespoon lemon extract

Method:

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until blended.

Combine butter and next 4 ingredients in medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil.

Add to flour mixture, stirring well.

Pour into greased and floured 15-by-10-by-1-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Be careful not to overbake!

Cool in pan on wire rack.

Lemon Frosting

Ingredients:

2 (8-ounces) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter
4 cups confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Method:

With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until creamy and fluffy.

Gradually beat in sugar, then remaining ingredients.

Spread frosting on cake, if not spreading consistency, refrigerate for 30 minutes or so.

Garnish each serving of cake with a sprig of fresh mint and/or a small piece of lemon peel, if desired.

Makes 24 servings.

Lemon Texas Cake is for big-time lemon lovers!