Recipe from Token Asian Friend (from Seriously, So Blessed!)

We have not tried these cookies, but heard about them from a link off Token Asian Friend's blog. Anyone brave enough to try this recipe? 

Bacon chocolate chip cookies from Never Bashful with Butter

(the story behind these cookies is an interesting read)

3/4 cup butter(It has been suggested that using 1 full cup of butter works best due to cookie dough dryness)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon hazelnut (or almond) extract

*Edit- It has been suggested that the almond flavouring may be overpowering to the flavour of the cookie, feel free to add this ingredient to taste*
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg (It has been suggested that using 2 eggs works best due to cookie dough dryness)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups bacon bits (if preferred, you can separate the dough into two parts and only make half of the dough into bacon cookies, in which case you’ll only want to use 1 cup bacon bits)

*An important note- Be sure to use real bacon bits, not Bacos *See large print at the bottom of this post*

Also, you can make your own bacon bits, just make sure you pat down the bacon chunks with paper towels to remove as much extra bacon grease as possible. *Edit* one of my readers made their own bacon bits and found out that apparently it takes about 2lbs of bacon to make 2 cups of bacon bits, just for future reference.

Directions-

preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Beat together the butter, sugars, flavouring and eggs until creamy. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir together. Dough will be slightly soft. If you want a cakier cookie, add another half cup of flour. Add in chocolate chips and bacon bits. Stir until well integrated. Place dough on a sheet of waxed paper and refrigerate at least an hour. Remove dough from fridge, pinch off 1 1/2 inch pieces of dough and roll into balls. Set dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough balls slightly with your fingers in the center.

Bake cookies for about 10 minutes, or until the dough starts to turn golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack while you ready the glaze.

Maple cinnamon glaze-

2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon maple extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon *edit- it has been suggested that 1 teaspoon may be a bit much, so go ahead and add to taste*
enough water to make a thick glaze (I used about 3 tablespoons)

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. If lumpy, use a whisk.

Spread a small amount of the glaze on the top of each cookie and top with a small piece of crisp cooked bacon.

Festive Tossed Salad

We made this for our Christmas brunch, and Hallie and Mike like it enough that they will definitely make it again. 

Festive Tossed Salad 

From Taste of Home 

With its unique medley of fruits and festive look, this salad is a holiday tradition at our house. Our three grown daughters have come to expect it. One forkful reminds us of all the things we can be thankful for. -Jauneen Hosking, Greenfield, Wisconsin

SERVINGS  8-10

CATEGORY Salads 

PREP 15 min. 

TOTAL 15 min. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil 
  
• 2 to 3 teaspoons poppy seeds 
  
• 10 cups torn romaine 
  
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese 
  
• 1 medium apple, chopped 
  
• 1 medium pear, chopped 
  
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries 
  
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped cashews 
  

DIRECTIONS      

    In a blender or food processor, combine the sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, onion and salt. Cover and process until blended. With blender running, gradually add oil. Add poppy seeds and blend. 
    In a salad bowl, combine the romaine, Swiss cheese, apple, pear and cranberries. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Add cashews; toss to coat. Serve immediately. 

Yield: 8-10 servings.   

Crushed-Peppermint Cheesecake

Mike baked this one from scratch, and it was a big hit at our brunch on Christmas day. 

Crushed-Peppermint Cheesecake 

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 hours to cool and chill

12 ounces creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, broken into pieces

3 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy

1. Place cookies in a heavy zip-lock plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour into a buttered 9-inch round springform pan and pour melted butter over crumbs; mix to coat, then press evenly over bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake in a 300° oven until crust is slightly darker and looks a bit dry, about 10 minutes (leave oven on).

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in flour, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan over baked crust.

3. Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan rim. Place pan on a wire rack and cool cheesecake completely in pan. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Run a knife around rim again, then release rim. If any liquid has pooled on surface of cheesecake, blot dry gently with a paper towel. 

4. Decorate top of cake with crushed peppermint candy, pressing it in gently with your hands.
Yield:  Makes 12 to 16 servings

CALORIES 356 (61% from fat); FAT 24g (sat 13g); CHOLESTEROL 108mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31g; SODIUM 373mg; PROTEIN 6.3g; FIBER 0.6g 

Sunset, DECEMBER 2004