CANDY BITES, COOKIE DOUGH PIZZA & PILGRIMS HATS!!!

On Fridays I am going to recycle past posting. This will give new followers a chance to see them and the older followers to find them once again

THANKSGIVING COOKIES

The cookies known as "Joe Froggers" were a favorite of the Mayflower voyagers and the generations that followed them. They were originally prepared by the families back home. Those who had baked the cookies usually cut their initials into each cookie as a fitting remembrance as the miles separated each family member. The "Joe Froggers" were stored in barrels on ship for sometimes several months. Even so, they were always soft and tasty. This is attributed to one ingredient to be found in the recipe. Can you guess what it is?* Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shortening
3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon salt
7 cups flour
2 cups dark molasses
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ginger
1/4 cup rum (more if desired)

DIRECTIONS:
Cream shortening and sugar until light. Dissolve salt in water and mix with rum. Add baking soda to molasses. Sift flour with spices. Add liquid ingredients alternately with flour mixture to creamed mixture. Stir well between additions. Dough should be sticky. Chill overnight. In the morning, flour board and rolling pin. Roll dough 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with cutter (each cookie should be the size of the inside of a coffee cup.) Bake in 375 degree oven from 10 to 12 minutes.
*(Did you guess correctly that the ingredient is rum?)

PILGRIM HAT COOKIES

Need a easy, no-bake Thanksgiving treat to bring to the class party?

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup vanilla frosting
7 drops yellow food coloring
32 miniature peanut butter cups
1 package fudge-striped cookie
32 mini orange Chiclets gum

DIRECTIONS:
Combine frosting and food coloring. Dip top of peanut butter cup in yellow frosting and position over center hole of cookie, forming the hatband and crown. Add gum as "buckle." Repeat with remaining cookies. Makes 32 cookies.
Recipe from Womans Day

CANDY BITES

INGREDIENTS:
78 1-inch paper candy cups
1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels, divided
1 2/3 cups * (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® SWIRLED™ Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Morsels
Whole roasted peanuts or pecan pieces (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup needed)
conversion calculator
DIRECTIONS:
PLACE candy cups on baking sheet.

PLACE 1 cup milk chocolate morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; knead. Microwave at 10- to 20-second intervals, kneading until smooth.

CUT small corner from bag and squeeze bag to pipe chocolate about 1/4-inch deep into about half of the candy cups. Place a peanut (if using SWIRLED Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Morsels) or a pecan (if using SWIRLED Milk Chocolate & Caramel Morsels) and 5 to 6 SWIRLED Morsels into the chocolate. Press down slightly. Melt remaining milk chocolate morsels in another plastic bag. Finish filling the remaining paper cups with melted chocolate, nuts and morsels.

REFRIGERATE for a few minutes to set chocolate. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

You may also use 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Nestle's swirled Milk Chocolate & Caramel Morsels.

NOTE: For another variation, try melting 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips and top with 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Nestle's swirled semi-sweet & white chocolate morsels. Substitute almond slices for nuts (about 1/4 cup needed).
Recipe from NESTLÉ®

COOKIE DOUGH PIZZA

Be thankful that a dessert this tasty is so easy to prepare

INGREDIENTS:
1 roll (16.5 oz)refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
Fall-colored decors or candy sprinkles
1/4 cup chocolate creamy ready-to-spread frosting (from 1-lb container), if desired

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; grease foil with shortening. Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices; arrange evenly in pan. With floured fingers, press slices to form crust.
Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows evenly over warm base. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows just begin to puff.
Use foil to lift crust from pan. Carefully remove foil from crust; place crust on serving platter or tray. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and decors.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle frosting over cookie pizza. Cut into wedges or squares.

Topping ideas:

Whipped cream
Chocolate whipped cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup toffee chips
M & M candies
Maraschino cherries
Gummy Bears
Gumdrops
Cake decorations
Miniature marshmallows
Chopped peanuts
Chocolate syrup

Cookie Dough Tips for a Perfect Recipe:

Unbaked cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen in an airtight container for up to 9 months. Thaw just until soft enough to handle.
Cookie dough too soft? Refrigerate it or add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is stiff enough to handle.
Cookie dough too dry? Mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk until dough holds together.
Food coloring can be added to softened cookie dough. Add the desired amount of food coloring to the dough; work it into the dough until the color is well blended. Shape them into a log. Wrap it tightly in plastic; refrigerate it until firm, about 3 hours.
Extra ingredients can be added to the cookie dough by breaking up the cookie dough in a large bowl. Add the desired ingredients for the recipe and mix well.