Lemon Sponge Tassies #ChristmasCookies

This post is part of #ChristmasCookies week 2019 event. I received product from Adams Extract and Millican Pecan to use in my recipes. I received no further compensation.

Welcome to Day one of Christmas Cookies week recipes and giveaway! This week our cookie loving blogger group will be sharing some of their favorite Christmas cookie recipes with you! Follow the hashtag, #ChristmasCookies on social media for dozens of delicious recipes and ideas. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!!

Today I’m sharing a new tassie recipe idea that I got from my cousin’s wife, Penny. Penny’s Lemon Sponge Pie is a holiday hit at their house so I thought why not try it as a cookie?
Lemon Sponge Tassies

Lemon Sponge Tassies deliver a burst of natural lemon flavor and cookie crust crust in every bite.

Tassies are really very easy to make. This cookie dough can also easily be changed to suit a variety of flavor combos and textures.

Candy Cane Tassies

Like these Candy Cane Tassies.

Or these Chocolate Brownie ones…

Lemon Sponge Tassies

Lemon Sponge Tassies
I started with a basic dough recipe of butter, cream cheese, sugar and flour. This dough gets divided into 24 individual balls and pressed into mini muffin tray compartments.
Next, mix the sponge batter and spoon into dough cups. Tip: gently fold whipped egg white into batter to keep the volume.
Bake and Enjoy!
Lemon Sponge Tassies

Lemon Sponge Tassies

5 from 3 votes
Servings 24

Ingredients
  

  • dough
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • sponge
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 each lemon, zest, juice and pulp
  • 1 each egg, separated
  • 1/2 tbsp butter
  • dash of salt
  • 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup milk

Instructions
 

  • Dough: Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add flour. Beat into smooth dough. Divide dough into 24 equal balls. Press into individual mini muffin tins. Smooth evenly on bottom and up sides.



  • Sponge: Cream together sugar, lemon, yolk. Add butter, salt, flour and milk.
  • In a separate bowl, eat egg white into stiff peaks. Fold beaten whites into batter. Spoon batter into prepared dough cups. Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes until cookie browns and inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Thank you to Ellen of Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting #ChristmasCookies Week! And a huge thank you to our sponsors Adams Extract and Millican Pecan for supporting the bloggers and events like Christmas Cookies Week.

Check out today’s cookie recipes:

Brown Sugar Christmas Cookies by Intelligent Domestications
Browned Butter Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting by Daily Dish Recipes
Chewy Hazelnut Oatmeal Cookies by Food Above Gold
Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti by Sweet Beginnings
Cinnamon Pecan Snowball Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
Cream Cheese Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Dark Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Eggnog Crackle Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
French Toast Snickerdoodles by Love and Confections
Gluten Free Hungarian Rugelach by Frugal & Fit
Iced Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies by Family Around the Table
Iced Molasses Cookies by Palatable Pastime
Kipplens AKA: Pecan Snow Balls by Hardly A Goddess
Lemon Sponge Tassies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Oatmeal Pecan Cookies by Creative Southern Home
Pecan Sandies by Everyday Eileen
Peppermint Madeleines by Books n’ Cooks
Raspberry Shortbread Cookies by Blogghetti
Salted Chocolate Pecan Cookies by Cookaholic Wife
Speculoos (Belgian Spice Cookies) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies by Red Cottage Chronicles

Flavors of Fall Millican Prize Package

Prize 1 – Millican Pecan Tower of Treats Gift Tins

Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800’s, Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba, TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is an 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An $80 value.

 

Adams Extract

Prize 2 – Adams Extract Prize Pack

Adams traces its beginnings back to Battle Creek, Michigan, when John A. Adams began making and selling his Green Plant Sarsaparilla extract, Adamur, in 1888. In 1905, he moved his family to Beeville, TX. At the time, most vanilla sold to pharmacies and was often labeled “Do not bake or freeze.” John A. Adams’ wife yearned for a flavoring that wouldn’t bake or freeze out. He announced that he could produce a better vanilla than the one his wife was currently using. Working with just $6.71 worth of materials on top of an old icebox, John A. Adams discovered the formula he wanted. To test this product, his wife whipped up a cake for the family to try. “John, this is the BEST flavoring I have ever used,” she announced. “Well, that’s old man Adams BEST,” he responded.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two (2) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #ChristmasCookies bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway and contest is open only to US residents. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookies posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Millican Pecan Company, and Adams Extracts and Flavorings for providing prizes.

Posted in #ChristmasCookieWeek, Christmas, cookies, What's For Dinner? | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie #CranberryWeek

  • Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie pairs fresh cranberries and cranberry juice with creamy yogurt and honey. Hemp hearts add extra protein too!

Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie

Cranberry season is here! Fresh cranberries are appearing in stores now. This week our group of cranberry loving bloggers will be sharing cranberry recipes from sweet to savory.

A week of recipes with cranberries in any form!

Thanks Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking for hosting our Festive Foodies event!

Breakfast can get boring. Eggs, pancakes, waffles are great but take time. Cold cereal? Oatmeal? Both good but can lose their appeal day after day.
Why not try a Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie?
Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie
I like to use vanilla yogurt in my smoothies for added flavor. Honey offsets the tartness of the fresh cranberries. A fee hemp heart seeds gives this already nutritious drink an added bonus.

Substitute soy milk and add extra ice or a banana instead of yogurt for dairy intolerance.
Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie

Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup cranberry juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
  • 2 tbsp hemp heart seeds
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 1/2 cups ice

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a blender. Puree.

It’s Cranberry Week! See all the other delicious cranberry recipes being shared today (and follow #cranberryweek to see even more):

Posted in #CranberryWeek, breakfast, cranberry, drink, What's For Dinner? | Tagged | 16 Comments

Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Brownies #CranberryWeek

Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Brownies add tart dried cranberries and crunchy pecans to easy brownies! One of dozens of recipes featured for #CranberryWeek 2019!
Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Brownies
Cranberry season is here! Fresh cranberries are appearing in stores now. This week our group of cranberry loving bloggers will be sharing cranberry recipes from sweet to savory.

A week of recipes with cranberries in any form!

Thanks Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking for hosting our Festive Foodies event!

Brownies are one of the easiest dessert snacks to make. One pan, quick bake and enjoy. Dried cranberries make a tasty addition. Add a few pecans for crunch and you get a delicious anytime snack.

Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Brownies
You can’t beat a warm brownie fresh out of the oven served with a glass of milk!

Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Brownies

Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Brownies

Servings 8 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and line a 5x7-inch casserole dish or 4x8-inch loaf with parchment paper.
  • Heat together chocolate, butter, sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until chocolate and butter melts and sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool for several minutes before adding to a small mixing bowl. Stir egg and vanilla into cooled chocolate mixture.
  • Whisk together flour and baking powder. Add to chocolate mixture. Stir in cranberries and pecans.
  • Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Spread out evenly. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes until brownies are set and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool pan on wire rack for about 15 minutes before removing brownies, still on paper from pan to finish cooling. Cut brownies into desired sizes.

Here’s more recipes for cranberry lovers!
It’s Cranberry Week! See all the other delicious cranberry recipes being shared today (and follow #cranberryweek to see even more):


Cranberry English Muffins
Cranberry English Muffins
Cranberry Bread Pudding
Cranberry Bread Pudding
Grape Cranberry sauce dishes
Cranberry Grape Sauce

Posted in #CranberryWeek, autumn, brownies, chocolate, Christmas, cranberry, dessert, snacks, What's For Dinner? | 2 Comments

Cooking For One Cookbook #Giveaway plus Fisherman’s Stew Recipe!

I’m so excited to share a copy of my new cookbook, Cooking For One, 100 Easy Recipes with 3 lucky winners! Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

cooking for one

Cooking For One is more than just recipes. I share my ideas for how to create a well equipped kitchen including essential pots, pans and tools. I’ll help you set up a well stocked pantry, buying tips and unique places to shop to save time and money.

Included is a two week meal plan guide with recipes from this book to get you started.
meal plan

In the book you will also find easy ingredient substitutions in my Variation Tips to add new dimensions to these recipes. Other tips include best storage, cooking methods and reheating tips.

Here’s an easy Fisherman’s Stew recipe to enjoy. This variation uses mussels instead of clams in the picture.

Fisherman's Stew

Fisherman's Stew

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 cups
Calories 487 kcal

Equipment

  • 3-quart saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup bottled clam juice can also use fish stock
  • 1/4 cup white cooking wine or Chardonnay
  • 6 each scrubbed littleneck clams can also use mussels
  • 4 ounces cod, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/4 pound small, raw shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 each large plum tomato, skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme can also use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh spinach
  • 1/4 cup fresh arugula

Instructions
 

  • Heat a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Drizzle in oil and heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic, saute until translucent, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in clam juice and wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add clams and cod to the pot, and boil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling for 3 minutes or until clams open and the fish is opaque.
  • Add the shrimp, tomatoes, thyme, salt, spinach, and arugula to the pot and simmer over medium heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until greens are gently wilted and shrimp are opaque. If using fresh thyme sprigs, remove from pan.
Keyword seafood, soup, stew

Like seafood?

Try my award winning World Food Championships Recipe Smoky Chipotle Oysters with Zucchini Tomatillo Salsa Verde

cookbook giveaway

Enter Today to one of 3 copies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in cookbooks, giveaway, seafood, What's For Dinner? | 2 Comments