Sounds of the Season:If there is one song I loathe, it's Jingle Bells.
So let's get this foolishness out of our systems early, shall we?
The only versions of the song I own.
Because you should be metal enough to cut something like this at age 90.
~~~
Merry moods, Extra Geeky:
( cut for size )~~~
Kitchen Witch Corner:Baking season is upon us, and that means scads of cookies.
To make things easier, start with Mother Dough. This basic cookie dough will let you make six different kinds of cookies.
Mother Dough RecipeIngredients:
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in half the dry ingredients, then add what is remaining. Divide dough in half and wrap with plastic wrap until ready to use. This recipe makes enough for two batches of cookies, so we suggest that you always divide the dough in half and wrap each separately in plastic. Keep the other half refrigerated until you need it (it will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days).
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Decorated Cut Out Holiday Cookies
Makes 20 Cookies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Using a half portion of chilled Mother Dough, roll out on a lightly floured surface to π” thickness. Using a floured cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Transfer to a parchment-covered sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until ready to decorate with sprinkles, Royal Icing (recipe below) and candy.
Royal Icing:
Beat together on low speed 2 cups icing sugar, 2 tsp powdered egg white, 1 tsp lemon juice and 3 tbsp of warm water for one minute. Add more water if you’d like the icing to be thinner. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 more minutes until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Divide into small bowls and add food colouring.
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Jammie Sammie Cut-Outs
Makes 10 sandwich cookies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a half portion of Mother Dough roll out on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with a lightly floured 2-inch cookie cutter. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out centres from tops. Transfer to parchment-covered sheet pan leaving a 1-inch space between each one. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until ready to decorate with icing. Match up decorated tops and undecorated bottoms. Cover bottoms with a thin layer of seedless jam. Sandwich together and fill cut-out with jam.
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White Chocolate Cranberry Almond Cookies
Makes 20 cookies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix 1/4 cup of each: white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and almond slivers to a half portion of Mother Dough (you can add more to suit your taste). Drop 1 ½ tbsp of dough onto parchment-covered sheet pan, leaving 1 inch between each. Bake 8–10 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to rack.
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Sugar Coated Spice Cookies
Makes 20 cookies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a half portion of Mother Dough, add 1 tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp ground ginger. Stir in 1 tbsp molasses. Drop 1 ½ tbsp of dough onto parchment-covered sheet pan, leaving at least 1 ½-inch space between each one. Sprinkle each cookie with coarse sugar. Bake 8–10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to rack.
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Dulce de Leche Coconut Bars
Makes 40 squares
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Press a half portion of the Mother Dough evenly into greased, foil-lined 9 x 9 square pan. Chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Top cookie base with 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut. Heat a 450g jar of President’s Choice dulce de leche for 30 seconds in the microwave and pour over coconut-covered cookie base. Bake 25 minutes. Let squares cool completely in pan before serving, at least 2 hours. Cut squares using a serrated knife dipped in hot water after each cut.
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One Bite Chocolate thumbprints
Preheat oven to 350. Sift 1/4 c. cocoa powder into half of dough. Microwave 1 c. chocolate chips for 20 seconds, stir, microwave another 20 seconds. Stir until completely melted. Add to dough. Form into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar. place on parchment covered cookie sheet. Indent each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon. Bake 10 minutes, re-indent.Bake 15 more minutes. Cool. Cream 4 oz cream cheese with 2 TBSP powdered sugar. Top cookies with cream cheese and a dab of jam.
~~~
Story TimeAnd the last of the Gay Christmas Werewolf excerpts.
From "Miskatonic Mistletoe"
Collected in
Riding the Nightmare
For the month of December,
Riding the Nightmare is 15% off, only at the Square shop
SquareAmazonARE"Good night. We'll be in touch,” Paul promised and hung up. Dan watched him start hunting airfare deals on the net.
Dan turned on his own computer. Anything they knew, they could use in the battle. He learned of the Great Old Ones, the Star Spawn and the Old Ones. He read of how the Great Old Ones were almost beyond the scope of the human mind, but the Old Ones could be killed by beheading.
“Well fuck.” Dan looked up. It was rare for Paul to swear. “We're gonna shave it close, Furball. The only thing I can get us comes in at two-seventeen.”
Dan opened another window and hastily searched for Boston's sunset time on December 22nd. “Double fuck,” he corrected. “The sun sets at four- fifteen. If the plane is on time, and if our luggage doesn't get lost and if traffic isn't awful, we might make it back to Arkham in time to not maul Cian but scandalize the neighbors by changing on the lawn.”
“I'm guessing we aren't checking any luggage,” Paul said. “We'll be fine, pup.”
“That's what you say. You haven't been doing the homework I have. These things aren't just immortal, they're so far beyond what we can comprehend, we'll go crazy before we try to fight. And that's just the lesser servants.” He was shaking where he sat. “We're in so far over our heads. How can three werewolves and a half-sidhe save the world?”
Paul came to him and drew him to his feet, holding him tightly. “We can. We will. We have to, babe.” He kissed Dan. “Your lips are cold.”
“I'm cold. And I'll never be warm until this is over.” Dan caught the glance Paul gave him. “Don't look at me like that. I'm perfectly sane. I'm not going to be the guy who, by the end of the legend, is yelling 'Ia! Ia! Cthulhu f'htagn' just before he blows his brains out.”
Paul kissed him again. “Let's see if I can warm you up some. We'll set the waterbed to a nice ninety and break out the comforter.”
“And of course, body heat.” Dan managed a smile.
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