Cosmopolitan with Finger Limes

One of my favorite drinks is a Cosmopolitan.  I usually make it with orange flavored vodka which gives it more aromatic qualities.  I made this one with the Australian Finger Limes I ordered in the mail from Stanley Farms.  The cool thing about finger limes is that the flesh inside looks like caviar size pearls.  The aroma is like lime but has a strange floral aspect.  Once in a while you can get purplish colored fruit and the inside pearls will be pink.

Some chefs are using these pearls on top of oysters, sushi, in drinks and desserts.

I used them to rim the Cosmo glass and also used the juice in the drink.  It made for a really nice variation.

Christmas Cookies!!!!

Apparently I was in the mood to make Christmas cookie this year. I've either been posessed by the Christmas spirit or I was avoiding my "from scratch gingerbread house" that remains unfinished. 

The first ones I did were what I call Peppermint Paddy Cookies.  It's a really soft chocolate cookie topped with peppermint icing and crushed starlight mints.  I also added a little red sugar on top.

The batter for these are really sticky and it is difficult to get the right size and get it off the spoon.  Good news is they turn out so soft and moist.

  Then I make a basic frosting with butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar and flavor it with a little peppermint extract.

Sprinkle with crushed starlight mints and red sugar and you're done!



Then I did some lemon coconut squares.

When they are a few minutes from being done pull them out and lay the sliced almonds on them in a flower pattern and put a large chocolate chip in the middle.  Warning!  This part does take some time.  Put back in the oven and finish baking.  When you take them out and are completely cooled, cut them into squares.

Then I did the Christmas Krispies.

These are just rice krispy treats but I color the marshmallow green and insted of rice krispies I use corn flakes.  Top with red hots or tic tacs and you've got Christmas Krispies!  They need time to set.  They tend to be a little more moist than the rice ones.

Then....Robert begged for sugar cookies, so...

Make the dough, and refridgerate at least an hour or two before you try to roll out the dough.

Cut your shapes and bake on a cookie sheet and let cool.

Make all the frosting colors you will need while the dough chills.  This is where I go ahead and put what I will need into piping bags too.

Decorate with the frosting and I added silver balls on the presents.

All done!!!  No sweat.  That only took 20 some hrs!  You can find great containers for xmas cookies at the dollar stores.  I found cute ones especially made for cookies and candies with xmas decorations on them.  Pack them all up in the containers with tissue papper/plastic wrap and give them to all your friends and family!

Merry Christmas Everyone!