#SundaySupper White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Every year I make these cookies for my oldest son, Tommy. He loves them and I always change the recipe a bit and he does not mind. This year I wanted to add fresh cranberries and it turned out tasty!
When the teens were younger I would go through this whole ordeal of making cookies, watching Christmas movies, and having hot chocolate. We would then set out the cookies for Santa, not that I did not already have enough sweets, and then they would push off to bed.
Many things have changed now, such as we do our gifts on Christmas Eve. Though one tradition still remains and that is the white chocolate cranberry cookies. They just scream Christmas!
For a bit more spice you may add in some cinnamon and clove. It’s all up to you and your creative side 
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until fully combined; to aerate.
Melt butter completely in a microwave safe bowl. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, and melted butter. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Continue beating until batter is light and creamy. In increments, add in flour mixture, mixing after each addition.
Add in white chocolate chips and cranberries; mix well.
Roll the cookies into 1/2 balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. These cookies spread . You want to make sure to make the cookie balls small. Place a dozen to a sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
http://mooshujenne.com/white-chocolate-cranberry-cookies/Breakfast
- Eggs Benedict by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Holiday Cream Cheese Tea Ring by That Skinny Chick can Bake
- Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Appetizers & Snacks
- Chicken Liver Pate by Tora’s Real Food
- Bindaetteok {Mung Bean Pancakes}by Kimchi Mom
- Crab and Asparagus Soup by The Urban Mrs.
- Roasted Chestnuts by Curious Cuisiniere
Sides
- Potato Salad {Schwaebischer Kartoffelsalat} byGalactopdx
- Italian Orange Salad by Shockingly Delicious
- Sweet Potato Casserole by Magnolia Days
- Lightened up Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes by Real Nutrition
- Carrots au gratin by Juanitas Cocina
Main Dishes
- Char Siu Bao – Chinese Roast Pork Buns by
The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Christmas Eve Pizza & Martinis by The Webicurian
- Savory Crepe Cake by Vintage Kitchen Notes
- West Indian Curried Goat by The ROXX Box
- Pot Cheese and Potato Cheese Pierogies by
Cupcakes and Kale chips
- Seafood Gumbo and Grilled Oysters: A Louisiana Christmas
Tradition by the Catholic Foodie
- Mom’s Paella by Yummy Smells
- Portuguese inspired Chorizo Crown Pork Roast by
The Family Foodie
- Dorie’s Chicken in a Pot by Gotta Get Baked
- New Year’s Eve Buckwheat Noodles with Mochi by The Ninja Baker
- Crab Cakes for Christmas Eve by Daddy Knows Less
Desserts
- Pizzelles {Italian Wafer Cookies} by Chocolate Moosey
- Fudge by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
- Orange Refrigerator Rolls by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Crescent Cookies by Cookistry
- Christmas Stollen by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
- #GlutenFree Cookies for Santa by The Cooing Underwriter
- Pfeffernusse by The Foodie Army Wife
- Creme De Menthe Cake by I Run for Wine
- Panettone Bread Pudding by the Country Girl in the Village
- Spiced Gingerbread Gooey Butter Cake | A twist on a St. Louis
Favorite by Daily Dish Recipes
- Chocolate Gingerbread Layer Cake with Eggnog Cream Cheese by
Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
- Jamaican Christmas Pudding by Lovely Pantry
- White Chocolate Cranberry Santa Cookies by Mooshu Jenne
- Christmas Tree Cookies by Damn Delicious
- Old Fashioned Lady Fingers {Creamhorns} by The Meltaways
- Rose Milk Almond Falooda {Indian Dessert Drink} by
Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Drinks
- Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
- Cinnamon Infused Hot Chocolate with Southern Comfort Whipped
Cream by Mama Mommy Mom
- Mint Chocolate Cocoa by Mama’s Blissful Bites
Top Chef Episode 7 – Food & Wine Giveaway #TopChef
This is my a recap of Top Chef Episode 7. Recently, I have become addicted to this show. First off I have to say that Bart is my favorite and whom I am routing for. The amazing dishes he comes up with give a sense of home and spunk. I can not imagine being in his head. If I ever have the chance to come close to one of his restaurants I have made a promise to myself that I will stop in and enjoy the strangest combination on the menu.
This is Bart Picture from Bravo
With that being said, I do not like Josie because I feel like she isn’t taking the opportunity seriously. It is not fair for her to still be there this far in the show when there is others that really show a concern in winning and trying with every inspiration in them. Many do not like Stefan, though I think he is hilarious and just abrupt. He knows what he wants and he makes pretty fabulous food. A bit arrogant but I feel he has the talents to be a bit arrogant.
While I will not give away whom won the quickfire or the elimination rounds I will say I like whom went and who won. I would like to see Bart in the contention but that is probably cause I favor every items he makes even if the judges do not approve. In the quickfire round they have to cook only with Reynolds aluminum foil and absolutely no cooking utensils or vessels. I was pretty impressed that Bart even made a strainer. In the elimination round, the chefs are whisked off to Remlinger Farms to cook with berries. Some of the combination were non-edible and others were fantastic! Kristen with the tayberry was a brilliant exposition of the berry. Bart’s Blackberry Soup with Salmon and Rhubarb Yogurt sounds amazing and like he says it would definitely pair better with crab in my mind then the salmon. If you have not had a chance to watch the show you must! My family and I have become addicted to this show. The show Top Chef Seattle is on Bravo on Wednesdays 10/9c (November 7th 2012 to March 6th 2013).
And… I get to offer you a chance to win a 12 month subscription to Food and Wine magazine! All you have to do is comment on this post and share either your favorite Holiday recipe or Top Chef challenge or moment. Winner will be selected on 12/26/2012.
Also, take a moment and visit to vote to Save a Chef on Last Chance Kitchen.
And a preview of next weeks episode!
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Bravo.
Panera Baked Potato Soup
Here is my review of Panera Baked Potato Soup.
Before heading out to my mom’s to have her join me for lunch at Panera, I took a look around the site to see what soups they offer. Of course I had too much fun with the Soup Scrambler game they have on the website. The site is great for looking up what you might like to eat before you arrive. See more here at Panera Bread. I am not a fan of being the one person holding up the line saying “Hmm… is this or that any good?” or “I am not sure what I want, what do you want?” to my guest whom is with me. I just try to avoid that all together; which makes me super happy when a website is well made and informative. Love the idea of walking in and just knowing what I would like to order.
In this case, I decided to try Panera Baked Potato soup which is generally one of my favorite soups. The Roasted Turkey and Cranberry panini also got my attention, so I picked up a Pick 2; which includes a bowl of soup and half of a sandwich. The soup was rich in flavor and all I needed to add was a hint of pepper. The soup had a good creamy texture with small pieces of soft potato. The carrots were tiny and barely noticeable which is a good thing when your talking potato soup. The bread that accompanied the soup was amazing! Here is a picture of my meal.
Baked Potato Soup and Roasted Turkey & Cranberry Panini
And my mother had the Broccoli Cheddar soup and a Tuna sandwich. She said the soup was delicious! Here is a picture of her meal.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Tuna Sandwich.
This was my first trip to Panera and I would definitely visit again! Hopefully, they will consider building one in Flower Mound/Highland Village area a bit closer to me.
FTC Disclosure: I was compensated for my meal and for my time to write this post by the DailyBuzz Food Tastemakers program; however, all opinions expressed above are my own.
Finnish Piparkakku Pomegranate – #FBCookieSwap
Today I’m participating in the 2nd Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, hosted by Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen! I am featuring my Finnish Piparkakku cookies.
The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap brings together food bloggers from around the world in celebration of all things scrumptious. The premise is this: sign up. Receive the addresses of three other food bloggers. Send each of them one dozen delicious homemade cookies. Receive three different boxes of scrumptious cookies from other bloggers. Eat them all yourself (or, you know, share. If you want. No judgement either way.) Post your cookie recipe on your blog. See everyone else’s cookie recipes. Salivate. Get lots of great ideas for next year’s cookie swap. Rinse and repeat.
This year #FBCookieSwap is partnering with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease.
I was lucky to have three very creative bloggers send me some delicious cookies.
Main Line Feast sent Toblerone Cookies that were very scrumptious! My oldest son said these were his favorite with lots of flavor.
A Chronic Venture baked Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies that my middle son insists he needs the recipe for. He loves pistachios!
AnnaDishes set us two sets of cookies, one a super soft sugar cookie and White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut cookies. Anna, how did you know I like cranberries?! I also added the lovely Christmas card to our display
Here is my recipe that I sent out to my three bloggers which are listed below the recipe with the cookies they shared with their three bloggers.
First, here is a picture of how the batter should look when mixed so that you know what the consistency should look like.
Cut the cookies out with any shape you would like. I think hearts show the love of the season. Lightly dust with water to remove flour if you feel the need to have them look perfect. See OXO’s adorable “Be a Good Cookie” spatula and the monies help with kids’ cancer.
Bake for 5 minutes and cool before you ice them.
Ice those bad boys and decorate with pomegranate.
Then bag them with cute gingerbread bags!
Ingredients
Instructions
Mix molasses, dark brown sugar, and spices in the bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment. Add in the stick and a half of butter and mix for about 1 minute. Add in flour and baking soda and while mixing add one egg. Let the dough rest in fridge over night. This will help enhance the spices. Roll the dough on floured table top and use any kind of cookie cutter you prefer. Place cookies on baking tray and bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees F. Let cool on rack before icing.
Mix half a bag of powdered sugar with three tablespoons of rum in the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add more coconut rum as needed until mixture becomes like a paste or glaze. Dip cookies in glaze or paint cookies with glaze with a brush. Add pomegranate and let dry.
http://mooshujenne.com/finnish-piparkakku-w-pomegranate/Please check out the recipes of bloggers that I sent cookies to!
Sweet Remedy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Valerie’s Kitchen Chocolate Pecan Truffle Cookies
NickStirs Pomegranate Butter Cookies
Thank you ladies it was a blast!
Assassin’s Creed 3
Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please visit Amazon.com to get your own copy of Assassin’s Creed 3, today’s Gold Box Deal of the Day! I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.
A little history on AC III:
Assassin’s Creed III is a sandbox style action-adventure video game that is developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the fifth main title in the Assassin’s Creed series, and is a direct sequel to Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Ubisoft has claimed that the game will be bigger than its previous installments, and will complete the story of Desmond Miles.
The game is set between 1753 and 1783, and focuses on a new ancestor, Ratonhnhaké:ton, who fought during the American Revolution.
Exploration is based on the Frontier, which is one and a half times larger than Rome in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. The cities of Boston and New York may also be explored.
Since there will be a lot more travel included within the game, the fast travel mechanic is making a return, which allows for quick travel from any location, as opposed to previous games. A whole new system of unlocking fast travel has been implemented, which is integrated into the game’s natural progress.
Desmond will use the upgraded Animus 3.01, and will find himself reliving “significant events.” The more synchronized Desmond becomes, the more the synchronization bar is filled, which can also be increased through replaying missions.
My son, which is 17, is a huge fan of the series. He could not wait for Assassin’s Creed 3 to release and we were definitely at the midnight release. He and I both love the story plot, especially with the added in historical sequencing. Though, we have one copy of the game it is so beloved in our home that a second copy would be great for my 15 year that, it seems at times, lives on his system; as you can see below.
Just wanted to let all you Assassin’s Creed fans and mom’s looking to get the game for cheap that Amazon will be running a gold box deal of the day and it will only be $33 . Here’s the link
Ohhh! And…
Clever Girls is also giving away 5 copies of AC3 on December 11th via Twitter to folks who RT the following:
Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day: Assassin’s Creed 3! To buy: http://clvr.li/AC3Gold - RT to enter to win a copy! #AC3Gold
Don’t forget to tweet or retweet for a chance to win!
Shepherd’s Hand Pies
Yes, I love pie! Oddly enough I prefer cherry or meat pies. These Shepherd’s Hand Pies feature shepherd’s pie in a handmade pie crust. The can be made with beef, chicken or just vegetarian. Creativity with this recipe is your friends. The more intricate the ingredients the richer the flavors. I make these with beef and onion as the flavors just fall together. For vegetarians mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, and corn make a pie. For the gravy just use cooked carrots and blend them in a blender with a bit of heavy whipping cream. They make a fantastic gravy that is full of color and nutrients. If your a chicken fan you can do chicken with a chicken gravy and matching vegetables. If you really want to jump out of the box you can use crawfish or crab meat to make a seafood rendition.
Hand pies are delicious fresh or they can be frozen to heat up later on another occasion. This makes them perfect for movie night or for weeknight TV shows you don’t want to miss; such as Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, Haven, Grimm, and Once Upon a Time. Hmm… did I leave one out? Oh! Of course our beloved The Walking Dead. Do have to say I have been waiting for them to kill off the annoying blonde and the governor. Just not a fan of nut jobs.
Speaking of Vampire Diaries, is anyone else tired of the poor Elena thing? I am. Let’s get on with it. Damon and Elena should be together. Let Tyler hook up with the wolf chic from Secret Circle, and the judgmental Stefan and Caroline should end up together. Maybe spin off some weird love relationship with Klaus and Bonnie as they will both soon hate the new professor in town.
Anywho! Back to the pies.
Ingredients
Instructions
Roll out pie crust on a large floured surface. Use biscuit cutter to cut the dough and set aside. Repeat until all dough is cut out. Place round crust cutout on floured surface and roll to spread out the circle. Set aside.
In a large skillet, place diced onion, garlic, olive oil, and beef in skillet. Heat to medium high heat. Add salt and pepper. Add in carrots and potato and cook until meat is done. Drain can of corn and add to skillet. Add in gravy and stir well. You may add the mixture to a bowl if you would like before adding in the gravy.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Fill rolled out crust circles with about a tablespoon and a half with dough and seal around edges with a fork. Continue until all the dough is used. Beat egg in small bowl and coat over crust. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until crust is a golden color.
Serve with mashed potatoes or by themselves as an appetizer.
http://mooshujenne.com/shepherds-hand-pies/No Shave November – Mustache Cookies
During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of mustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo’s, these men raise vital awareness and funds for men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives. For more information on Movember please check out the site. Below is a recipe for sugar cookies that I used on the No Shave November mustache cookies.
My teenage sons’ school, Media Arts Academy, all month have been raising awareness by not shaving. The girls at the school are wearing fake mo’s for $1 and raising money for the movement. To contribute to the fun I made over 150 mustache cookies and I thought I would share them will my readers.
Before they were iced.
After we iced them. After a few dozen we just started slapping icing on as it was getting pretty late and we were tired!
For the cookie recipe I used please visit Brown Eyed Baker and and for the icing please visit Bake 350.
I used Cookie Cutter Company’s mustache cookie cutter that can also be turned upside down and used to make a Mardi Gras mask. They are my go to place to order cookie cutters as I love metal cookie cutters. It is a pain to use plastic cookies cutters. They tend to stick to the dough making the cookie cutting process the worst ever. Currently, I have about eight of there cookie cutter with a growing collection. Before collecting the mother load of cutters it in my best interest to look for some type of cookie tackle box. Something to place the cutters and icing tips in to un-clutter my kitchen drawers. Do you have a sacred place that you store your cookie goodies in? If so, I would love to hear where you store them.
Fried Chicken Jalapeno Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo
Fried chicken jalapeno bacon fettuccine alfredo recipe is below but first a little story. Yesterday we went to see the final edition to the Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part II. I was not so sure how well it would match the book prior to watching the movie. The movie literally hit the nail on the head in comparison to the book. There was plenty rumors that movie is not as good as it’s predecessors. To be honest, it was one of my two favorites, the other being New Moon. If your a vampire or wolf fan let me know what you thought of the movie in the comments. No spoilers! No whining about sparkling vampires either 
On to the food! Below the food is the giveaway for Devo’s Jalapeno Fettuccine!
Big thank you to Devo Olive Oil for sending out a package of jalapeno fettuccine. It was absolutely delicious! The fettuccine is a perfect pair with my bacon alfredo sauce. I still cannot wait to try the pumpkin fettuccine and chocolate fettuccine. These are perfect for customized culinary gift baskets.
The jalapeno fettuccine has just enough kick to add the right spice to this meal. There is no burn for me although I can eat pretty spicy food. It was more like a tickle and I think that is just perfect for a pasta dish. The pasta would pair well with Cajun dishes featuring shrimp, crab, or crawfish.
Ingredients
Instructions
In large frying pan, heat oil to medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
In a small bowl, add eggs and beat. In a medium bowl add breadcrumbs. Dip chicken filet in egg and then toss in breadcrumbs covering the entire filet. Set aside on dish. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
Fry chicken for 2 to 3 minutes each side until cooked. Set cooked chicken in a casserole dish in the oven when done frying to keep warm. While chicken is frying you may start the sauce.
In a sauce pan or deep saute pan, add in bacon and cook on medium heat until it is crisp but not fully cooked. Add in onions and garlic and cook until onions are caramelized. Melt butter over bacon, onions, and garlic. Add in heavy whipping cream and cook on medium low heat for about 15 minutes until heavy whipping cream begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon; stirring frequently. Salt and pepper the sauce.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring water with one tablespoon olive oil to a boil. Salt the water.
The chicken should be finished frying and the pasta should be boiling. Go back to the sauce and add in Parmesan cheese little by little, stirring frequently, until all cheese is added. Turn sauce down to low.
Remove the noodles and drain. Plate noodles with one piece of fried chicken and top with alfredo sauce.
http://mooshujenne.com/fried-chicken-jalapeno-bacon-fettuccine-alfredo/Devo Olive Oil was please to offer one of my readers a chance to win and test out the jalapeno fettuccine I used in this recipe!
To enter the giveaway fill out the rafflecopter below.
*Disclosure: Devo Olive Oil is providing one package of jalapeno fettuccine. I was not reimbursed for writing this post and all opinions expressed are my own.
Tuscan Chicken
Everyone needs an easy weeknight dinner that you can pop into the oven and ignore while you work on everything else. Tuscan chicken is a simple oven dish. You may use fresh herbs to top it when cooking or if you get heartburn from them like I do, then no herbs is just fine too!
I prefer just fresh basil in mine. Some people like thyme, bay leaf, or rosemary. The taste of roasted tomatoes and the buttery flavor of the fingerling potatoes make a merry match.
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large baking dish, place chicken and two cans of fire roasted tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Cover with foil and place in oven. Cook for about an hour and a half until chicken is done.
In a additional small baker, add washed potatoes and top with butter. Make sure to place some butter under potatoes to keep from sticking. Add salt and pepper and cover with foil. Place in oven next to chicken or on another rack. Cook until potatoes are done. Usually done the same time as the chicken.
http://mooshujenne.com/tuscan-chicken/Honey Bacon Potato Pops
Today is our gathering of the communal table for Thanksgiving for the FN Dish on Food Network. Please take a moment when you are done reading this post to visit the other links below and enjoy other dishes at our communal table. To follow along on Twitter please use the hashtag #PullUpAChair. You may also join in by having a look at our communal table on Pinterest. My recipe for Honey Bacon Potato Pops is below.
Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness, family, and the season that prepares us for Christmas. Fall is my favorite season of the year! The trees change colors, everyone is cooking or baking, and the air is busy with cheer. The pumpkin, which is a super squash, decorates yards with a multitude of colors and scarecrows dance in the wind! Most of all, I love the Macy’s Day Parade! I love picking out my favorites and feeling like a kid again with my teenagers. It is very important to always have a bit of kid left in you.
I hope you will all #PullUpAChair and enjoy my appetizer recipe for Honey Bacon Potato Pops. These are perfect to munch on while waiting on the turkey. Please feel free to leave me a link in the comments to your favorite Thanksgiving dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Soak bacon in honey and wrap over potatoes. Secure bacon with toothpicks.
Bake until potatoes are tender and bacon is cooked. Pull them from the oven and remove toothpick; add lollipop stick. Careful not to break potato. Drizzle potatoes with honey and serve warm.
http://mooshujenne.com/honey-bacon-potato-pops/
Cocktails, Appetizers, Salads and Breads:
- Haute Apple Pie: Apple Jack
- Cooking With Books: Spiced Couscous and Walnut Salad
- Mooshu Jenne: Honey Bacon Potato Pops (pictured above)
- Food For My Family: Roasted Beet and Lacinato Kale Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
- Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Super Seeded Cornbread
Main:
Sides:
- Feed Me Phoebe: Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing With Hazelnuts and Cranberries
- Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chorizo, Cornbread and Tortilla Dressing
- Sweet Life: Apple Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
- And Love It, Too: Paleo Green Bean Casserole
- Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Sweet Spiced Winter Squash Casserole
- Red or Green?: Corn, Peppers and Onion Saute
- Simple Bites: Honey Pomegranate Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Virtually Homemade: Fresh Orange and Cranberry Sauce With Toasted Walnuts
- What’s Gaby Cooking: Sweet Potato Gratin
- The Heritage Cook: Cauliflower Gratin
- Creative Culinary: Creamy Mushroom Bake With Parmesan and Panko
- Bacon and Souffle: Spicy Carnival Squash
Desserts:
- I Am Baker: Pumpkin Bars in a Jar
- Add a Pinch: Caramel Pie
- Chez Us: Pumpkin Cheesecake With Chocolate Swirls
![Devo_Diva_Badge.1[1]](http://mooshujenne.com/images/devodivabadgesmall.png)
