Christmas Cookies And Then Some

Well, it's that time of year that the elf gets her fat arse in the kitchen and start making all those deliciously fattening, sweets for family and friends. The insanity began Friday. I mailed off my last Christmas gift to my buddy in Austin, then returned to my kitchen where all those little sugar plum fairies (just exactly what are sugar plums?? Or is it "sugared plums??") awaited for my arrival.

So my bloggy buds, today I'm going to show you how to make Mexican Bischochos. They are these little morsels of pure melt-in-your-mouth pleasure (not orgasmic, but pretty close!) Sorry, TMI, right??? They are a tradition in these parts and I've been making them for years. This is the only time of year I actually well go out and make a special trip to buy lard since it's not a staple in this house. Yes, my friends, it's made with lard and lots of butta!!! Also, due to the close proximity to the great state of New Mexico, state line just down the street from me, I also love the New Mexican version of "Biscochitos." They add anise seeds and pinon nuts. A couple of years ago, when my hubby and I were traveling to Ft. Collins, CO for a seminar, we passed through NM, necessary if we wanted to get to CO!! LOL Anyway, it was October and as we were north of Santa Fe, right off the Interstate, cars were pulled over and parked. I could see families in the wooded area, picnic settings, ladders and sheets of some sort on the ground around the trees. Turned out, they were pinon trees and the locals made a day of it by collecting the nuts from the trees. It looked wonderfully fun and if we weren't in a rush to get up to Ft. Collins, I think we would have done a little pinon nut picking!!

So here's the recipe, pictures and all!!

BISCOCHOS

1 LBS. lard

1 c. butter, (softened)

1 2/3 c. sugar

5 eggs

8 c. flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teasp. vanilla extract

*A little brandy or whiskey to moisten the mixture

*Sugar and cinnamon mixture to use for coating bottom of glass to press down on cookie to flatten

In a large bowl, cream lard and butter together. Add sugar and continue to cream together. Add eggs, one at a time, then cream in vanilla. In another bowl, sift flour and baking soda together. Slowly, add dry ingredients to cream mixture and then add brandy or whisky slowly to get a sticky consistency (not too sticky, but firm enough so dough can form a ball without it sticking to your hands). Mix together and take a 1/2 Tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet (I still like spraying it with Pam). Take the bottom of a small juice glass and press onto dough in bowl, then set it down on a plate of sugar and cinnamon mixture, pressing ball of dough to flatten. Always press glass bottom in sugar/cinnamon mixture before flattening every cookie. Bake at 350 for 10-12 mins. till browned. Take hot cookies and coat in bowl of sugar and cinnamon mixture. Makes many batches!

This is what it looks like once it's mixed. When adding the whiskey or brandy (I used whiskey...had a bottle left over from a couple of years ago), make sure the dough is a "hard" sticky...ok, I'll admit that's a "Georginaism!!" LOL Guess you have to be there!!


Leetle balls!!! Now many folks will put the dough through a cookies press, but after years of doing that and my carpel tunnel really pitching major fits when I did, I devised this version.

Dip glass in cinnamon sugar and flatten...



Big a-- bowl of cinnamon sugar...

Right out of the oven...reeeeely hot!!!

Into the the cinnomon sugar...twirl bowl carefully to coat cookies....

Coated cookies.

So, here is a sample of my Christmas tradition. Today, Mexican Wedding cookies!!! In Italy, they're called "Liar Cookies." Last year when I was in Austin, I told my grandsons and they wanted to know why they were called that...told them to eat one and see where the powdered sugar ended up...around the mouth and on their shirts!! They got a kick out that one and caught them many times sneaking a cookies here and there....I think they just wanted to be found-out! LOL


A random picture of a pot of pinto beans (BTW, the best pinto beans come from CO)!! Was making beans while making the cookies...was planning on making enchiladas, but at the end of the day, I was pooped and made Chilaqueles instead...Enchilada casserole. Here's an idea on how to take the bitterness out of red chile sauce, add some "Abuelita" hot chocolate. It comes in round blocks and I cut them up and add the segments, one-at-a-time till I get the flavour I want.

Hope you enjoyed reading about some of my beaner traditions. It's late and I need to get into the kitchen and continue with the Diaz Bake-Off. Take care and if I don't send you all Christmas salutations, have a very Merry Christmas. Love you all!! Peace out.