Witch Finger Cookies

Posted on October 16, 2010 by jgisvold

2 tablespoons red food coloring
30 blanched almonds
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. Using a small paintbrush, color one rounded half of each almond. Set aside to dry.
3. Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into fifteen pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.
7. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

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Today I was bored, and what do I do when I’m bored? I bake. I was looking at a bunch of Halloween recipes online and decided to try these witch finger cookies. Cause they looked so cute! If I remember right, witches would sometimes have green painted fingers in pictures or in movies. I just decided to make them red anyways and got red food coloring all over my hand while painting the almonds. Almonds are also a good treat. I should be eating those more instead of munching on chips all the time or rice cakes. Was thinking of making some pumpkin pie spiced almonds too!

Every year, I like to throw a Halloween party and usually we just end up pigging out on candy and chips. This year I think I may make a bunch of cookies or cupcakes instead. If you’re having a Halloween party like I am I suggest making these!

Weight Watchers Recipes | Overnight Apple Butter

Posted on October 16, 2010 by jgisvold

Nutritional Information: 16 Servings

Calories: 88.5, Fat: 0.3 g, Protein: 0.2 g, Carb: 24.5 g, Fiber: 2.2 g, Points + = 3pts

Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Preparation:Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or until apples are very tender.

Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a bowl; spoon one-third of apple mixture into sieve. Press mixture through sieve using the back of a spoon or ladle. Discard pulp. Repeat procedure with remaining apple mixture. Return apple mixture to slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, on high 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Spoon into a bowl; cover and chill up to a week.

Stovetop variation: Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 1 hour or until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally. Strain through a sieve as recipe instructs in Step 2. Return mixture to pan. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 132 (0.0% from fat)
Fat:0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)
Fiber:3.1g

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I did not make this recipe overnight, even though the recipe title says you can. The last time I tried making apple butter I ended up with burnt apple all over my pot. I think the recipe was wrong, because all it called for was apples. Either that or I didn’t use the right sized crock pot.


This makes your house smell amazing. Who doesn’t like the smell of apples and cinnamon cooking together? I could wear this as a perfume if I could. This week sometime, I might make some pancakes or waffles to put this on. Or just put it on some bagels with cream cheese.

Strawberries with Cream Cheese Filling

Posted on October 16, 2010 by jgisvold

32 fresh whole strawberries

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp almond extract

grated chocolate for garnish

Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each strawberry so that they stand upright, then cut each berry carefully into four wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms. Fan the wedges just slightly, but be careful not to break them. Set berries aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. Pipe filling into strawberries using a decorating bag with decorative tip. Grate chocolate over top to garnish.

Cover and chill until ready to serve.

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The first time I had these yummy strawberries was the day I tried on my wedding dress. My Mom had invited everyone that was going to be there when I tried on wedding dresses to a lunch before we went. Everybody loved them and thought they were really good. I recently had some friends over for dinner and decided to make them for every one, and they were a hit. I didn’t have any almond extract, but I did have some amerreto liquor, so I used that instead. You could probably use almost any type of liquor to add flavor to the cream cheese or any kind of extract that you wish. Anything would probably taste good with strawberries!