Pattycakes - i would love to know the recipe for those muffins!

Evamarie - good idea on the sauces! My family loves my marinara so i may jar up some of that!

jlynnw: :: HERE IS THE HEATH BAR Recipe:


1 c. brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour
6 to 8 Heath English Toffee Bars, crushed

Cream sugars and shortening. Add eggs and beat well. Mix soda, salt, flour and add to creamed mixture. Stir in candy. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F until lightly browned


I PULL THESE OUT A MIN. BEFORE THEY GET BROWN SO THEY ARE REAL MOIST, YET COOKED..YUMMY! ENJOY!

I also have a dynamite recipe for Mediterranean Tarts with sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, herbs and gruyere cheese. I got it from emeril way back in 2002 and it is always a hit. I'll send the recipe for the muffins later tonight.

Thank you jenscreativity! I can't wait to try them!

I am beginning to think along the lines of the savory now. Homemade pasta, marinara, crisp bread sticks, a salad dressing. Then there is chilli, cornbread, and crackers. That sounds so nice to give a meal to go home to during the busy holidays.

Looking forward to hearing more ideas.

I thought I'd ask the cookie platter experts....How long can cookies be on a platter before they start losing their individual flavor and start tasting all the same?

I'd love to individually wrap w/ saran wrap but that would take forever. Is there a quicker option?

I've been so inspired by this thread. Thanks so much!

Hi cms2 - I'm not sure if I am an expert - but I do make trays up all the time. I normally set all my frozen cookies out in one area & just fill one tray at a time. I get them from a mom and pop wholesale store. They have the nice tight lid.

I'd say you got a good several days before things start to lose their "zing". You may consider making smaller trays so they get eaten up fast enough. I do bag cut outs individually & give them in a nice gift box. If it's in your budget and you are JUST doing cut outs or other "baggable" cookies...you could get a foodsaver sealer. They aren't horribly expensive. Then, you could do a basket as well for a gift.

I'd love to hear others' opinions on the time frame/taste question...

When it come time for me to make up my cookie plates/platters/trays, that's when I pull my cookies out of the freezer, which is usually just a couple of days before Christmas. I set them all up, in size order, around my dining room table. Then I go around and do up 1 full plate/platter/tray at a time. Plastic wrap it, tie it with some curling ribbon, stick a gift tag on it and I'm good to go. Repeat. I do up between 20 and 30 plates every year and I've never had a complaint about stale or tasteless cookies. I try to use as many cookies in my plates as I can so that there aren't tons left over in my house (it's just me and Dad and we don't need all those cookies laying around). I usually get a several days out of them after they've thawed. If there's REALLY a lot left over, them I'll put together a container to leave out and pop the rest back in the freezer for later as they're still mostly frozen after I put my cookie plates together.

I made White Chocolate Truffle boxes for Christmas gifts in 2008. I just uploaded the pic in my photos...you welcome to take a look. I got the idea from the web.

jones5cm - Those boxes are sooo neat. I think they look great!

Thanks so much EvMarie; the photo was removed from my gallery so if you want to see them, they're pictured in my blog.

Hey jones5cm i wanted to see your truffle boxes as well but i wasn't able to find the photo on your blog?

sorry for taking so long to post the recipe. Here it is.

Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil, and Parmesan Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, room temp
1 cup buttermilk, room temp
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup sun-ripened tomatoes, chopped*
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus additional 1-2 Tbsp for garnish
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper into mixer bowl.
Lightly beat eggs and add to mixer bowl. Add buttermilk, melted butter, tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese. Mix on medium speed until just combined - do not overmix.
Scoop the batter into the muffin pan. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch.
Let muffins cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing. Serve warm or cool completely and store covered for 3 days.
* I always buy sun-ripened tomatoes. Moisture-wise, theyre a happy medium between tomatoes packed in oil and the completely dehydrated tomatoes that you have to recharge with hot water. You can eat these straight from the package If you have oil-packed tomatoes, drain the oil (the original recipe called for the reserved oil to supplement or replace the butter). If you use completely dry tomatoes, Id recharge them a bit to soften them.

Waiting for Land O Lakes butter to go on sale.... it's almost $4/lb even at walmart. I use a LOT of unsalted butter in my Christmas goodies & try to catch it at a decent price so I can buy in bulk and freeze. I also heard that sugar is going up to the hightest price in 30 yrs. What is going on??

Mmmmmm....all of these sound delish!! Thanks for the recipes that were posted as well.

Here's my list for now...but of course it may change several times.

Iced sugar cookies
Gingerbread men but maybe only gingersnaps I'm still undecided
White chocolate-Cranberry-Almond biscotti with one edge covered with dark chocolate....oh so yummy
Buckeyes (variations of white, milk and dark chocolate)
Baklava (greek family so its tradition)
Greek Bread (it's sweet and similar to hawaiian but has anis seeds for more depth)
Petit Fours- not sure what flavors yet...
Peanut Brittle
Cashew Brittle
Peppermint Bark
Special K Cookies (unfortunately these are not lower in calorie but man are they tasty! It's more like a peanut butter chewy bar with chocolate on top)
And of course all the "norms" Chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal rasin.

Not sure how I want to do my "cookie trays" this year but all the ideas have given me some much needed inspiration!

Happy Bakin' ya'll

I think there's another thread about butter, but I just bought some the other day at Aldi for $2.19/lb. They had both salted and unsalted and it was Grade AA.

Thanks pattycakes for posting the recipe for the muffins!

Everyone's baking list sound so yummy! I may have to borrow some ideas for my baskets.

Thanks Pattycakes55d for the sun-dried tomato, basil, parmesean muffin recipe. I am DEFINATELY going to try those

Happy Baking

Hannah Lass - you had me at gourmet rocky road - will you share that recipe?