20 December
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In appetizer, Gluten free, Holiday

TweetThis recipe appeared in a story in our 2016 Holiday Baking section: “Not the Usual Treats to Bake and Share,” by Durham food writer Matt Lardie. He wrote: Move over candied pecans, there’s a new favorite nut in town. Cashews are an addiction of mine – I add them to everything. Here I’ve taken the basic formula for candied pecans, switched in cashews, and tossed in a little Indian flavor. These nuts are still sweet with a healthy bit of salty savoriness to them. Do your best to not eat them all before you’ve packaged them up as gifts. Or don’t, I won’t tell! Note:Read More →

13 December
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In Dessert, Holiday

TweetThis story first appeared in our 2016 special Holiday Baking section, “A Grandfather’s Coconut Pie,” by Raleigh author Bridgette Lacy. She wrote: Papa liked his desserts sweet. This coconut pie is no exception. Enough said. I prefer using 1/2 cup sugar even though my Papa used 1 cup of sugar. I think it’s sweet enough with less sugar. Add a half teaspoon of vanilla extract to add a little bit more richness. Papa used Jiffy piecrust mix to make his piecrust. From “Sunday Dinner: a Savor the South Cookbook,” by Bridgette A. Lacy (UNC Press, 2015). 2 eggs 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 1 tablespoonRead More →

13 December
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In Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Holiday

Tweet“Every year when I pull out my collection of Christmas cookie recipes, it’s like shuffling through the pages of my life.” That was the opening sentece of Amy Galloway’s story, “A Recipe Box full of Christmas memories,” that appeared in the 2016 Holiday Baking section. To read about these Sand Tarts and the other cookies in Amy’s recipe box, go HERE. Cook’s note: When rolling thin, use only as much extra flour as needed to handle. The less used the better. 2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2Read More →

13 December
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In Chocolate, Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Holiday

Tweet “Every year when I pull out my collection of Christmas cookie recipes, it’s like shuffling through the pages of my life.” That was the opening sentece of Amy Galloway’s story, “A Recipe Box full of Christmas memories,” that appeared in the 2016 Holiday Baking section. To read about these Chocolate Snow Balls and the other cookies in Amy’s recipe box, go HERE. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1 package Hershey’s Kisses, foils and papers removed Powdered sugar Use mixer at medium speed to beat butter, sugar andRead More →

13 December
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In Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Holiday

TweetThese Rainbow Cookies are a classic Italian treat; the cake layers are meant to look like the Italian flag. These cookies as well as Pizelles were Mary Tully’s contributions to the annual holiday cookie exchange that she started in the 1970s. To read about Tully and her family continuing this tradition, go to “Raleigh woman’s holiday cookie exchange lives on,” which appeared in our 2016 Holiday Baking section. 8 ounces almond paste 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated white sugar 4 eggs, separated 2 cups all-purpose flour 6 to 8 drops red food coloring 6 to 8 drops green food coloringRead More →

13 December
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On
In Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Holiday

Tweet The Penniman family of Cary learns the rewards of baking and delivering 600 cookies as thank you gifts during the holidays. Lucky for us, Kim Penniman shared the recipe for her Snowflake Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies. To read the full story, which was published in the 2006 Holiday Baking special section, go HERE. 1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature 2 cups powdered sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 16 ounces mini chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use an electric mixer with a paddle to blend together butter, sugar and vanilla inRead More →