Almost Swig Sugar Cookie Recipe - Volume 2

18 COOKIES

Ingredients

• dough:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup solid shortening ( I like Butter Flavor Crisco) or I also like canola oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar or powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• sugar for top of cookies
• frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoon sour cream
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons vanilla
• dash of salt
• 1 drop red food coloring
• 1-2 tablespoons milk**

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 convection or 350 regular bake.
2. Take butter out of refrigerator and microwave for about 15 seconds.
3. Place butter, shortening and cold sour cream in a mixing bowl.
4. Mix for about one minute.
5. Add sugar and almond extract, mix until smooth.
6. Add all dry ingredients at once.
7. Mix just until flour disappears and the mixture comes together in a ball of dough, about 1 minute on very low speed.
8. Spray the cookie scoop with a little cooking spray.
9. Scoop the dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. I use a 2 inch scoop. A 2 inch scoop will produce a cookie similar in size to the Swig cookie. If you don't have a cookie scoop, use an ice cream scoop or roll the dough into a ball about the size of a golf ball. It is best to use a scoop and overfill it a bit to get the desired jagged edge.
10. Place about 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl.
11. Spray the bottom of a flat glass with cooking spray.
12. Flatten one cookie a bit then dip the glass in sugar.
13. Press the bottom of the glass against the cookie. Press the cookies so they are flattened a bit ( until the cookie dough just reaches the outside of the edge of the glass) twisting the glass as you press to produce a jagged edge.
14. I bake 8 cookies per tray. Continue until all cookies are flattened.
15. Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes on convection or about 12-15 minutes regular bake or until edges are lightly golden and cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
16. Remove from oven, let cool. Loosen the cookies from the cookie sheet after cooled a bit, or they will stick to the pan (even though it has been lightly greased).
17. Place the cookies in the fridge and chill.
18. Prepare the frosting:
19. Beat together the butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. When all ingredients are incorporated, add the drop of food coloring and a little milk if the frosting needs to be thinned.
20. Frost after the cookies are completely chilled.
21. Makes about 18 large cookies.

Notes

Tips and (surprise) a few more comments-The recipe looks a little long and maybe even complicated, but it's not. Once you get the hang of the technique for scooping and pressing, it takes less than a half hour to make and bake the entire batch.-If you want the cookies to taste more like the original Swig cookies make this adjustment to the dough: Omit the almond extract and reduce the sugar to a total of 3/4- 1 cup.I prefer the cookies to be sweeter, so I like 1 1/2 cups of sugar in the dough. 1 1/2 cups of sugar may sound like a lot, but consider traditional chocolate chip cookies have 1 1/2 to 2 cups of sugar to 2 1/4 cups of flour. The ratio here is 1 1/2 cups sugar to 4 1/2 cups flour.-This cookie measures about 3 3/4 to 4 inches across when finished baking.-The St. George Swig cookie is frosted with quite a thin layer of frosting. I prefer my frosting to be a bit thicker. If you want to frost the cookie with a thinner frosting, add about 3-4 tablespoons of milk to the frosting.-This cookie stays quite well in the fridge for about a week if kept in an air tight container. I frost the cooled cookies, then store them in the fridge. Once the frosting is set on the cookie, you may layer the cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper. This allows you to stack the cookies without taking up too much space in the refrigerator.-This cookie freezes well frosted or unfrosted.-If you are making this for a gathering where there will be other desserts, use a smaller cookie scoop and bake for less time.

Rosario’s Award Winning Salsa

Recipe from Rosario’s, San Antonio

5 medium ripe tomatoes
3 jalapeño peppers
1 medium garlic bud
salt

Charbroil the tomatoes, peppers and garlic until blackened all over, then blend. Add salt to taste. Sauce is best when vine ripened tomatoes are used.

BREAD CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS RECIPES

CHRISTMAS TREE SPINACH DIP BREADSTICKS

In today’s post: Learn how to turn refrigerated dough into an adorable Christmas tree with these spinach dipped stuffed breadsticks!

As you know, my favorite part about any holiday (after the meaningful stuff like family and togetherness, etc.) is the food. Actually, my favorite part of any given day just might be the food, but hey, to each her own. The Christmas season is especially fun because there are all sorts of opportunities for delicious little snacks that you generally don’t eat all year long. I mean, we’ve already gone through more cheeseballs in the past three weeks than we do for the entire rest of the year, and don’t even get me started on Lil’ Smokies! Anyway, I wanted to make a festive, but still easy, holiday snack you could take to any party, so I came up with these Christmas tree spinach dip breadsticks.

They start with a refrigerated pizza crust, the kind that comes in a tube, so they’re easy to make and take just over half an hour start to finish. And look how cute they turn out!

Need a hilarious game for your Christmas gift exchange? Check out the LEFT RIGHT game!

HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS TREE SPINACH DIP BREADSTICKS

Click here to download the printable recipe card.

Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars

Makes a 12x18 pan (serves 24-36)

Crust
1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined.  Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 2-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the edge like you would a pie crust . It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

Dixie’s Pecan Pie Cobbler

Ingredients

• 1 box refrigerated pie crust
• 2-1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 2-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 4 tsp. vanilla
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• cooking spray
• 2 cups pecan halves
• Vanilla Ice Cream for topping, (optional but highly recommended)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425º F. Lightly grease a 13" x 9" glass baking dish. Remove one pie crust from package and roll out to fit the baking dish. Trim edges.
2. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs. Whisk until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans.
3. Spoon half of filling into crust.
4. Remove the second crust from the package, and roll out to fit baking dish. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
5. Bake 14-16 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven.
6. Reduce oven temp. to 350º and carefully spoon remaining pecan filling over crust. Arrange the pecan halves over the top and bake 30 minutes or until the center is set. Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

If the cobbler has not set in the middle at the end of the recommended cooking time, cook it a little longer until it is set. Let cool a little before serving.

Hot LemonAid (Green Smoothie Girl)

Hot LemonAid

INGREDIENTS:
• 4 cups hot (not boiling) water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey (raw is important)
• 1/2 piece (or more) fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped in small pieces
• 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar (raw is very important)
• Cayenne pepper to taste (cayenne strength varies widely, and "hotter" is more immune stimulating; make it as "hot" as your tastes will tolerate)

DIRECTIONS:
Blend all ingredients for 30-60 seconds, until smooth, in a high-speed blender. Drink 1 cup at the first sign of illness, and another cup every 2 hours or as desired. Do not re-heat Elixir after you make the batch; enzymes and immune-stimulating properties will be damaged. Drink it cold or at room temperature after your first serving. It will last 1 week in the fridge but can be frozen!

Autumn Lasagna

Ingredients:

• Olive oil for drizzling
• 1 ¼ lb. ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped, fresh sage leaves
• 12 lasagna noodles, cooked
• Creamy Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Sauce (recipe below)
• 4 cups fresh, baby spinach leaves
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

-Preheat the oven to 350, and have a 12”x10”x2” (roughly) baking dish on hand.

-Place a large, non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat, and add about 2 tablespoons worth of olive to the pan; once the oil gets hot, add the ground turkey into the pan, and break up the meat with a spatula or spoon; next, add in the Italian seasoning, the salt, pepper and the garlic, and stir to incorporate; cook the turkey for a few minutes until cooked through and no longer pink; remove from heat and stir in the fresh sage; set aside to slightly cool.

-To assemble the lasagna, begin by adding about 1 cup of the Butternut Squash Sauce to the bottom of the baking dish; next, add 4 of the cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, and then add another 2 cups of the sauce over top of the noodles; next, add about half of the cooked, ground turkey, followed by 2 cups of the baby spinach leaves, and drizzle lightly with some olive oil; next, sprinkle over about 1 cup worth of the mozzarella cheese; repeat the layering process by once again adding 4 lasagna noodles, 2 cups of sauce, the remainder of the ground turkey and the remaining 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, along with a drizzle of olive oil and another sprinkle of about 1 cup worth of the cheese; finish the lasagna by adding the remaining 4 lasagna noodles, and the remaining sauce over top; smooth out the sauce over the noodles, and finish the by sprinkling the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese over the top; add the remaining ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning over the cheese, and place the lasagna into the 350 degree oven to bake for roughy 30-35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden; serve while hot.

Creamy, Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 heads garlic, tops cut off
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 3 teaspoons salt, plus a pinch, divided use
• 4 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I used 4, 1lb. packages pre-cut squash)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock, warm
• 2 cups half and half, warm
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

(*This sauce can be made ahead if desired, and kept refrigerated.)

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

-Drizzle a little olive oil over the 3 heads of garlic, and sprinkle a couple of pinches of salt over top, as well; wrap each head of garlic tightly in foil, and place the heads directly onto the rack of the oven (on the side) to roast; once the garlic heads have roasted for about 10 minutes, toss together the cubed butternut squash with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning; turn the squash out onto the lined baking sheet, and place it into the oven next to the garlic heads, to roast along side for about 30-35 minutes, or until the squash is very tender (the total roasting time for the garlic will end up being about 40-45 minutes); once the squash is tender, remove from the oven, along with the heads of garlic, and allow the squash and garlic heads to cool slightly, so they can be handled; once slightly cooled, squeeze the cloves of garlic from the whole heads, and mash lightly with a fork (they should be very tender and sweet), and set aside; next, add about 1/3 of the roasted squash into the bowl of a food processor (you will work in about 3 batches), and process with about 1/3 of the roasted garlic, until smooth and pureed; turn the processed squash/garlic into a large pot, and repeat the pureeing process with the remaining squash/garlic and turn that out into the pot once pureed, as well.

-Place the pot with the pureed squash/garlic onto low heat, and add in the warm chicken stock and the warm half and half, and carefully whisk or stir to completely incorporate; next, add in the mascarpone cheese, the Parmesan and the remaining 3 teaspoons of salt, and once again stir/whisk to combine, until the mascarpone and Parmesan are blended in completely; remove the sauce from the heat and set aside until ready to use for the lasagna. (If making ahead, cool the sauce completely, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the lasagna, at which time you can gently re-heat it stove-top.)

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Cook and dice 2 C chicken

Add: 1/2 tsp of cilantro

1 bag of frozen corn

2 cans of white beans with the liquid and all

1 onion

1 can of fire roasted tomatoes

1/4 C Buffalo Wing Sauce

1 box chicken broth

celery salt

1 package of ranch dressing mix

Salt to taste.

Cook in instapot or crock pot and add 8 oz cream cheese.

Jalapeño Popper Wonton Cups

Prep time

10 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

30 mins

These Jalapeño Popper Wonton Cups are loaded with bacon, jalapeños, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and sour cream....all in a crispy wonton shell! The perfect party or game day appetizer!

Author:Cathy Trochelman

Serves:12

INGREDIENTS

• 12 wonton wrappers
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ½ c. sour cream
• 12 oz. bacon, cooked & crumbled (reserve 2 Tbsp.)
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (reserve 2 Tbsp.)
• 3-4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped (**for more spice, do not remove all the seeds)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup; bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
5. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, and chopped jalapeños.
6. Spoon filling into wonton cups, then sprinkle with reserved bacon and cheese.
7. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until wontons are golden brown and cheese is melted.