Ingredients,

Cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Filling
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring

1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)

For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.

Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

These are Beautiful and delicious! ! But make sure you use peppermint extract, NOT mint extract or peppermint flavor, be sure to crush the candy canes thoroughly to avoid chunks that are too big and hard on the teeth. Absolutely worth the effort!

What's your favorite kind of homemade cookie?  Share the recipe if you have it.

Snickerdoodles-

Ingredients-

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions -

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended.  Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in remaining flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Combine the 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.  Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.  Place balls of dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are beautifully golden.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Is 10:30 in the morning too early for turkey left overs?

I am going to so no. I am sitting here enjoying a whole plate of trimmings I surf blogs and read email.

Of course Roxy my hound agrees, she is right here with her chin resting on knee and just praying I plan to share.

For a full sit-down dinner with several guests, would you rather be the one cooking or do you prefer to just show up and eat?

 

I like to do both. I have enjoyed cooking for my family the first ten years Gerry and I were together but last year and this year I am really enjoying the holidays at my parents. It's a much more relaxed holiday to be the guest but maybe a little more satisfying to do the cooking and hard work.  It's been a nice break but I plan to go back to cooking next year.

Surprisingly 7-11 has a very nasty chicken salad sandwich. What the heck was I thinking? Thank goodness for mby little bag of Fritos or I'd be going hungry today.

What's been your worst experience at a restaurant?

I once had a mouse run across my table while I was eating at a Red Lobster. The waiter told me to keep watching it so he could get some thing to trap it in. EW! Then the hostess asked me if I wanted a new table. The crazy people thought I still wanted to eat there and expected me to still pay my bill.

Yeah, I don;t think so! I left with out paying a thing and a coupon for a free meal if I ever wanted to go back.

I made four dozen cup cakes for the Harvest Fest at my daughter's school tonight.

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Of course I made sure the Princess had at least one!

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Okay, maybe she had more than one.

Show us what you're snacking on.

Peanutbutterchex

This stuff is the bomb !