Wrapping things up

Ah, seamless is the transition to 2015. Relatively seamless, I mean, I barely notice it happening. If it weren't for the plethora of "Happy New Year!" comments floating around in the ether, well, I might just continue on with my oblivion in peace. I suppose that "barely notice" may not be the exact term, as I am technically filled with raging excitement at the possibility of drinking champagne while attempting to clean up my life and start afresh, but I'm also technically pretty resigned and tired and don't really like champagne, so it all balances out. New years always start out so bittersweet, don't they? Technically.

So, if it has to be both bitter and sweet, let's try to swing sweet. Of course, I know many of you may scoff at the hopefulness of the resolution-making business, but I do think there is some good practice in it. I did, in fact, complete my 2 resolutions for 2014 so perhaps the hope isn't as misguided as it may at first seem. Consequently, I've 3 resolutions on the list and that's certainly better than nothing. There's also a pot of black-eyed peas stewing with a ham-bone in the slow cooker for luck (which is new to me, but black-eyed peas on New Year's Eve is an American thing...right?), the house has been re-organized, and I've melded together some odd things to make something tasty. Nothing like melding knicker knackers together so as to clean up life, am I right?

Let me tell you about my last experiment before I head off to the bar for some Jim Beam - I present to you Baked Item #2 a.k.a. sugar cookie cups! I find that the exclamation point is a necessary thing, as it adds happiness, similar to situations in which the word "snuggles!" must be shouted in order to convey the absolute joy behind the action. A few things. One is that this is a cookie dough spreads out a lot on its own and consequently needs the structure of the muffin tin to help maintain any shape. Second is that it is a very sweet dough and so pairs extremely well with the tartness of the cranberries. Third (and last) is that this dough needs to sit one night in the fridge - it's worth the wait when it turns into a chewy cookie with crisp edges. 

Seriously, these cookie cups are amazing and well-balanced in flavor. And although they're delicious on their own, grab a tub of vanilla ice cream and deposit a scoop into each cookie cup. Minds will be blown. 

Sugar Cookie Cups! with Cranberry and Chocolate Pecans

12-18 cookie cups
adapted from the FN

2 3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

16 TB cold unsalted butter (1 C), room temp

1 1/2 C white sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

4 TB milk 

~24 fresh cranberries

12-18 chocolate covered pecans (or chocolate chips or nuts)

The cookie recipe is rather simple, like most standard cookie recipes you've seen before. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the egg, almond extract, and milk. Finally, fold in the dry ingredients by hand, being careful not to over-beat the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let refrigerate overnight.

Assemble the cookies the next day. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Remove the dough from the refrigerator.

Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, divide up the dough and form the dough into spheres, 1-2 inches in diameter. Press 2-3 cranberries and 1-2 pieces of chocolate-covered pecans into each sphere of dough (or you can wrap the cranberries/nuts in the center) and reform the sphere. Then place 1 sphere into each paper muffin cup (they will spread out as they bake and fill the cup). 

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges are brown or when the cookie looks done in the middle - it will be puffed up a bit when you pull it out of the oven but will then deflate as it cools. Happy cookie cupping!