Olive...the other cookies

Blockette and I were watching The Bonnie Hunt Show one afternoon, and one of the guests brought a reindeer. The reindeer's name was Olive. Olive, the other reindeer. You know, from the song Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. She was such a meanie. I think she was just jealous of Rudolph's nose. That was why she laughed, called him names, and would NOT let him play those reindeer games.

Blockette thought this was a hilarious play on words. She was literally rolling on the floor. Now, every time she hears the Rudolph song she asks me about Olive. "You remember her? She was not nice. Why is she so mean?" Then she starts laughing and continues to sing the rest of the song.

I couldn't help thinking about Olive, that bully of a reindeer, when I made these chocolate chip cookies. I wondered if the other chocolate chip cookies made fun of this one. It's not made with the usual margarine, shortening or butter. It has olive oil! Weird huh?
I found this recipe for olive oil chocolate chip cookies from Crepes of Wrath. I made these as a gift for my uncle at Christmas. While I haven't heard any reviews from him, I did test a few for quality control.

The cookie itself is much lighter in color than the buttery versions. While the cookies were baking I could smell the olive oil. Once the cookies had cooled, I couldn't taste or smell any traces of the oil. There was a very slight hint of toffee. I was expecting something a bit more overpowering. These cookies were tasty, but I still prefer the classic butter version. It was fun to try something new, but unless I get a specific request for them, I won't make them again.

Sugar Scrubs

These sugar scrubs were made for my mom as a Christmas present. The top one is a combination of the recipe from Our Best Bites for brown sugar scrub and Condo Blues' Kahlua scrub . The pink scrub on the bottom is also a recipe from Condo Blues. It's the candy canes that give it the lovely color.

The scrubs still need a bit of tweaking. I really wished the scrubs were more fragrant. I tried to find some essential peppermint or cinnamon oils to put into the mix, but they were all out at the stores by me. I'm going to keep looking. I think I'll have better luck after the holidays when crafting supplies aren't in as high demand.

Here are some things I learned in the scrub making process: Use mild, light or extra light olive oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil imparts too much of an olive-y smell. I do like the smell of olives and olive oil, it's just not something pleasant in a body scrub, at least in my opinion. I also discovered that you should avoid using regular brown sugar. It makes the scrub too mooshy. Domino sugar makes a neat granulated brown sugar that helps keep the grainy texture that is desired in a scrub.

Sweet and Spicy Sugar Scrub from Our Best Bites
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
Oil: olive oil*, almond oil, grape seed oil, apricot oil, jojoba, etc.
optional: a few drops of essential oil, such as cinnamon

*I use olive oil for my sugar scrubs, which does have a scent. If the smell bothers you, try a “light” olive oil which has a milder taste and smell. Or just use a different type of oil all together.

Combine everything but oil in a bowl and then add in oil and stir to combine. I suggest starting with just part of the oil and adding it until it’s the consistency you want it. Store in a container with a lid. I suggest keeping it in the fridge if you have left overs, it should last quite a while. Stop using it if it smells gross.

Kahlua sugar scrub from Condo Blues
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup granulated brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil (or any of the oils in the basic recipe)
6 drops of vanilla

Pour the granulated white sugar and brown sugar into a bowl and mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well blended. Pour the sugar mixture into a jar. Pour the liquid ingredients into sugar mix. But the lid on the jar and shake it to mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well blended.

Peppermint candy cane scrub from Condo Blues
1 cup granulated white sugar
6 candy canes/peppermint candy (approx ¼ cup), finely crushed into a powder
1/2 cup olive oil (or any of the oils in the basic recipe)
6 drops peppermint essential oil (optional)

Pour the granulated white sugar and crushed peppermint into the jar. But the lid on the jar and shake it to mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients into sugar mix. But the lid on the jar and shake it to mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well blended.

Diet Pepsi Nation

I think it goes without saying that Mrblocko and I are geeky geeks. We like to foster that geekiness in our ofspring. With that being said, you may or may not think it odd that we gave Blockette a huge map of the world for Christmas. It is currently hanging on the wall next to her bed. She absolutely loves it and asks a kajillion questions about it since we've hung it up.

The bottom of the poster has all the flags of the world on it as well. I'm not sure which she loves most, the map or the flags. Last night, Mrblocko was putting her to bed and she pointed at the picture of the South Korean Flag. "Look daddy, It's the Diet Pepsi flag!!!!"

Santa's Whiskers

Ok. This is the last of the Christmas cookies I made this year. Finally. I don't know about you but I am sick of writing and reading about sweets. I'm really jonesing for some veggies and stews to bring me out of my sugar induced stupor.

Anyhow...let's get this over with. Santa's whiskers are another one of those cookies I remember my mom making year after year. I think nearly all the cookies I make are shades of brown or white. The reddish pink is a nice festive contrast on a cookie plate.

I don't know where my mom got her recipe from. I've made a few minimal changes here and there to her recipe, because I prefer a moister chewier cookie. If you want a crisper cookie I've included instructions for that as well in the recipe below.

Santa's Whiskers
1c butter
1 c sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 c flour
3/4 c (10 oz jar) finely chopped maraschino cherries, juice reserved
3T reserved cherry juice
1/2 c finely chopped pecans
3/4 c flaked coconut (I used over a cup...I like lots of coconut.)

Cream butter and sugar. Blend in extract. Stir in flour, cherries and nuts. Add juice to make dough desired color and texture. I like a pink wet dough. It results in a softer cookie. If you like a more crunchy cookie, omit the juice, or bake the cookie for longer. Form the dough into 2 logs. Roll logs in coconut. Wrap logs in wax paper and chill overnight. Slice logs into 1/4 inch thick circles. (The thinner you cut these the more crisp they turn out.) Bake in an oven preheated to 375 F for 10-12 minutes depending on desired crispness.

Anise Cookies

These Anise Rosettes were a cookie I remember my mom making year after year. I haven't made this cookie in a long time. After making them, I remember why they fell off the Christmas cookie rotation. They are excessively fussy.

First you make the dough then it has to chill overnight. Then you cut the dough into eighths and roll each piece into a log. The logs then get cut into smaller pieces and formed into a ring. The ring is then sliced to make a flower like shape. Next the dough is baked, and the baked cookies must sit to cool completely. Then you make icing and dip the completely cooled cookies into the icing. My mom always topped the cookies with with rainbow sprinkles which I thought was the best part of this cookie as a child. The final step of the cookie is to wait for the icing to set and dry. The last step seems to take forever.

It had been such a long time since I made these cookies had forgotten how much I liked these cookies. They are like a mildly licorice flavored light, airy, two bite size cake. It was nice to have the cookies again and take a stroll down memory lane, but I'm not sure if they will be something I make every year. Most likely I will make these every 2 years. That will be long enough for me to forget what a pain the butt they are to make.

Blockette really enjoyed helping out with these cookies. It was her job to add the sprinkles. She did a really great job and only got heavy handed with a few. The really cool thing about adding these little sprinkles is that the color runs a bit as the icing dries. This creates a streaky sort of tie dye look. Blockette got excited because the cookies turned into rainbows!!

The bad thing about these cookies, besides their fussiness, is that they have a short shelf life. You would think because these are such a moist cookie that they would dry out quickly. Nope, in fact, the exact opposite happens. They get overly moist and tend to stick together in a gooey mess. You can extend their life by a few days by freezing them. I forgot about that this time around. Hopefully I'll remember that for next time.

Anise Rosettes (makes about 3 dozen)
sift together:
3 c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

in a a separate bowl cream:
1/4 c shortening
1/2 c sugar

add: 3 eggs, beat into sugar mix until blended
add: 1 tsp anise extract
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 1/2 T lemon juice

Stir in 2 cups dry ingredients and blend well. Stir in remaining flour. Knead until well blended. (I was able to stir with a regular spoon) Chill dough overnight. Divide dough into 8 parts. Roll into 20 inch lengths and cut into about 5 inch lengths. Form 5 inch logs into small ring. Make slits on the ring half way through. Bake8-10 minutes in a preheated 350 F oven. allow cookies to cool. Dip completely cooled cookies in glaze and top with sprinkles if desired.

Glaze
3 c sifted powdered sugar
1/3 c hot milk

Combine ingredients until sugar is completely dissolved in milk.

Chocolate Crinkles

These used to be Mrblocko's favorite cookies until I made the Snickerdoodle truffles. Now I think they are at least tied for first. They are also my father-in-law's favorite cookie. Either way, they are another mandatory Christmas cookie. They taste kind of like a cakey brownie in cookie form. This is why they are my least favorite out of all the Christmas cookies I make. I prefer my brownies to be fudgy versus cakey.

The recipe is a very simple one, aside from needing to let the dough chill in the fridge overnight. If you are trying this cookie out for the first time, you might want to half the recipe. Or, as my uncle would say, "Make the full recipe and send half to him."

Chocolate Crinkles makes about 6 dozen
1/2 c veg oil
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c powdered sugar for rolling

Mix oil, chocolate and sugar. Blend in 1 egg at a time until all eggs are well incorporated. Add vanilla, stir. Add in in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Chill overnight. Preheat oven to 350 F. Drop spoonful of dough into powdered sugar. (small cookie scooper is the perfect size) Roll and shape into balls. place 2 inches apart on parchment. Bake 10-12 min.

Russian Tea Cakes

These are my all time favorite Christmas cookie. Whether you call them Russian Teacakes, Snowballs, Mexican wedding cakes, or Crack for People, they always say Christmas to me. Lots of people put their own spin on this classic cookie by adding things like orange zest or green tea. I like mine plain and simple. Why mess with perfection?

Here are a few tips when making these crumbly-in-your-mouth bits of heaven:
1. If your recipe says to roll in balls...it lies. You've got to press them into a ball shape. The heat from your hands melts the butter a little bit and keeps them roughly in a ball shape. If you attempt to roll the dough into a ball shape the whole thing will crumble in your hands and you will want to shoot yourself in the eye. Seriously, its not happy fun times.

2. Use a cookie sheet with a lip. These little cookies are very roly-poly. If you don't, and you get bumped, trip or your pan decides to bend in the heat of the oven, there will be casualties.

3. Be very gentle when rolling the baked cookies in powdered sugar. If you roll the cookies too soon they will most likely break and crumble with the lightest touch. I've found that waiting 3-4 minutes, after they come out of the oven, is a good time for me. You may need to adjust that time depending on the heat of your kitchen.

4. Don't be skimpy with the powdered sugar. These cookies do not have a lot of sugar on the inside so they benefit from the extra sugar on the outside. I like to roll mine at least three times. I'm of the mind set that if you can eat one of these cookies without making a mess down the front of your shirt, you didn't roll them in enough powdered sugar!

Russian Teacakes
1 c butter
1/2 c sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c finely chopped walnuts

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir flour and salt together. Add flour mix to butter mix. Stir to combine. Stir in nuts. Chill dough overnight. Preheat oven to 400F. Press into 1 inch balls. Bake 10 minutes or til set, but not brown. While cookies are still warm, roll in more powdered sugar. Cool and roll in powdered sugar again. Makes about 4 dozen.