Gingerbread Cutouts

I usually make some kind of gingerbread cutout every year for the holidays, and I have one and only one recipe that I have been using for years. Not only does it taste amazing, but it's durable enough to handle being rolled out. I have tried other variations, but I always end up coming back to this one. And if you are familiar with Mexican pastries, than you will enjoy the taste of these. They taste exactly like Cochitos (the pig-shaped breads).

TIP: Don't have eggbeaters? 4 eggs will do.
TIP: Dust the flour off the cookies with a basting brush after they come out of the oven.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup margerine
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup egg beaters
3/4 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
milk & powdered sugar for glaze

1) Cream margerine and sugar.

2) Combine flour, baking soda & spices, then set aside.

3) Add egg beaters to margerine mixture. Mix well.

4) Stir flour mixture into margerine to make a stiff dough.

5) Cover dough and place in refrigerator. Chill for several hours or overnight.

6) Flour surface to roll out dough.

7) Roll out to 1 inch thickness.

8) Cut with desired cutters.

9) Bake at 350 F. for 8-10 minutes or until dark brown.

10) Cool on wire racks, when completely cool decorate as you wish.

Lime Christmas Tea Cookies

Hello everyone, guess who's back! My back is still bugging me, but not nearly as badly as it was a couple of months ago. I meant to come back sooner, but I spent most of last month taking care of my Mom who had a stay in the hospital and who I've been accompanying to her follow-ups with her doctors.

Now before I talk about this recipe, I would like to tell you a little bit about my holiday baking method. I love to make small or half batches of 9-12 items, because I feel that when it comes to holiday baking variety is key. I usually end up putting together 4-5 cookie boxes and a big platter to take with me to Christmas Breakfast. I feel with variety, you can make sure EVERYBODY finds something that they like, and I prefer it to just making multiple batches of only a couple of things. So there you go, not for everyone but for me it's worked amazingly well and kept me from being bored by what I bake.

Anyway, a little bit about these bad boys, they are delicious and oh so pretty. These work best if you use a larger tree-shaped cookie cutter, if you use one that is too small they will more than likely fall apart. They are very tart, so if tart isn't your thing you should probably share this with someone.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tsp. grated lime peel

1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
10-12 drops green food colouring
3/4 cup finely chopped pistachios

FROSTING
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. lime juice
green food coloring (optional)
green colored sugar sprinkles (optional)

1) In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lime juice, lime peel, and vanilla.

2) Gradually add flour and mix well.

3) Add green food colouring.

4) Stir in pistachios.

5) Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until easy to handle.

6) On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 in. thickness.

7) Cut with a 2 1/2 in. tree shaped cookie cutter.

8) Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 F. for 8-10 minutes or until set.

9) Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

10) In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and lime juice until smooth. Decorate cookies with frosting as desired and sprinkle with colored sugar. Store in the refrigerator.