Rocky Mountain Lodge and Cabins

Black Friday Sales, Cyber Monday Sales

2011-11-08T07:56:00.002-07:00

Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins is offering some deep discounts for our Black Friday Sales and Cyber Monday Sales this year! While getting together with your family over the Thanksgiving holiday, put your thinking caps on and bring out your calendars and set your dates for your Colorado vacation next year.

Make your reservation for a Colorado Family Reunion, a destination wedding, a birthday or anniversary celebration and rent our 5 or 6 bedroom Colorado Lodge in 2012 and save 20% off your booking if you make your reservations from Black Friday thru Cyber Monday.

This was a highly successful special in 2010 and is being offered again in 2011. Don't miss out on your opportunity to save hundereds of dollars!
Details:

Discount is for the 5 or 6 bedroom Lodge only (not available for the Cabin, Cottage, or individual Bed and Breakfast rooms)
Reservations must be made on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, November 25th, 26th, 27th, or 28th, 2011 with a deposit paid at time of booking
Must ask for the special at time of booking
CALL 719-684-2521 to check availability and make reservations
May not applied to existing reservations
Discount not available for holidays or local events
May not be combined with other discounts or specials

See Rocky Mountain Lodge's Special page for other specials and discounts available.

MANITOU SPRINGS COFFIN RACES

2011-10-01T16:50:00.000-06:00

Manitou Springs Coffin Races (Emma Crawford Coffin Races) are a big deal in Manitou Springs and the Pikes Peak Area. They have been featured frequently on the Travel Channel.

See our Emma Crawford Coffin Races blog post from 2009 to find out more about who Emma Crawford was, and the coffin races themselves, which occur every Halloween weekend.

2011 Coffin Races are Saturday, October 29, 2011 on Manitou Avenue in Manitou Springs from 12:00pm - 3:00pm.

Need lodging during the Coffin Races? Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins is a perfect place for a Bed and Breakfast in Manitou Springs or Manitou Springs Cabin. Stay in our Colorado Cabin, our Colorado Vacation Cottage, or our Bed and Breakfast Inn near Manitou Springs.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe, Paula Deen Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2011-07-11T11:03:00.002-06:00

I went to visit my daughter in South Carolina last near, and since she was less than an hour from Savannah, Georgia, we spent a day in Savannah and just HAD to go to Paula Deen's restaurant for lunch. When we were there I just HAD to buy some of her cookbooks, along with a few other items as well. I made this Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe from one of the Paula Deen cookbooks I bought and it instantly became a HUGE hit. I've since made it many times for family events, holidays, pot lucks and parties, and it's always a hit, and rarely is any left over. Not only is it a great as a side dish, but it's a perfect cool dessert as well.

CLICK HERE for this wonderful Paula Deen Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe.

Chicken Enchiladas Recipe, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

2011-05-04T21:41:00.000-06:00

We love Mexican food in our family. My hubby is a big fan of authentic Mexican cuisine, Oaxacan cuisine in particular, and I am a fan of Tex-Mex cooking. In honor of Cinco de Mayo I am sharing one of our family's favorite Mexican recipes, a simple, easy chicken enchiladas recipe, or sour cream chicken enchiladas, or as my kids liked to call it when they were little "Cream Chile Enchiladas". It's super easy to make, and is pretty mild, unless you use hot green chilies. I typically use mild or medium green chilies, especially when making it for kids. Everyone loves it... enjoy!

4 cups cooked chicken, diced, chopped or shredded
2 cups sour cream
2 (10 3/4-oz) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies
4 cups Colby-Jack cheese, grated
10 medium sized flour tortillas
4 green onions, sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine chicken, soup, sour cream and green chilies. Spread a small amount in the bottom of a 9"x13" greased casserole dish.

Spread a heaping tablespoon across the center of a tortilla and top with a sprinkling of cheese. Roll up and place on sauce in casserole dish. Continue with remaining tortillas.

Spread remainder of chicken sauce over the top of tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with green onions if desired. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Serves 5-6.

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!

This recipe, and 349 others can be found in our cookbook "Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins Favorite Recipes" which can be purchased in our Gift Shop. Click Here to order your copy.

Basil Baby Carrots, Baby Carrot Recipe, How to cook Baby Carrots

2011-04-18T18:11:00.000-06:00

BASIL BABY CARROTS

I went to a friend's house for dinner a number of years ago and they made these carrots and they were so delicious, and my young kids at the time just loved them and gobbled them up. They're super easy to make, and absolutely delicious. And you know they're a winner when you can get your kids to love their veggies!

I serve these carrots often at my house, but always at holidays with our Christmas Prime Rib or our Easter Cranberry-Burgundy Glazed Ham.

Enjoy!

2 lbs. baby carrots
water
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. dried basil flakes

Place baby carrots in a medium sized saucepan and cover with water. Cook on medium heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain water and add butter, brown sugar and basil. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.

Serves 6-8

This recipe, and 349 others can be found in our cookbook "Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins Favorite Recipes" which can be purchased in our Gift Shop. Click Here to order your copy.

Easter Recipes, Holiday Recipes

2011-04-14T20:49:00.004-06:00

I am a fanatic about food over the holidays, as I'm sure just about everyone else out there is as well. I go a bit nuts when it comes to food during the holidays, and Easter is no exception. I have a few favorite recipes that I ALWAYS make for Easter, and always like to try at least one or two new things as well. Here are some of our favorite Easter recipes, enjoy!

RESURRECTION ROLLS

We always make these in the morning, and did them when the kids were growing up. It was a great way to portray the "Easter story" and the true meaning of Easter, in a fun, delicious way. Now that my kids are grown up, they still want these for Easter.

CRANBERRY-BURGUNDY GLAZED HAM

I found this recipe in a cookbook many years ago and we all just LOVE the cranberry glaze. It's what makes the ham, in my opinion. And the glaze is also good served over cheesecake, blintzes, and a myriad of other things as well. It's absolutely delicious. We never have ham without this glaze anymore.

SCALLOPED PINEAPPLE CASSEROLE

A friend brought this to a pot luck I was hosting a number of years ago, and I absolutely fell in love with it and asked for the recipe. It goes great as a side dish to any meat dish, but goes best with ham. Every time I make this dish people are so amazed at how good it is. I've given away the recipe countless times after serving this dish with ham. It's a must as a side dish to ham in our house.

BASIL BABY CARROTS

Another recipe that I always serve with ham at Easter, and we have frequently throughout the year with other meats. They also go wonderfully with red meat.

TWICE BAKED POTATOES
I am a potato freak. I have not met a potato I haven't liked, you can mash 'em, bake 'em, fry 'em, scallop 'em, boil 'em, whatever, I'll eat them. And I LOVE twice baked potatoes. I don't really have a recipe for them, but I add all kinds of stuff to them. I bake my potatoes until they're done, let them cool slightly so you can handle them, then cup them in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the potato, leaving about 1/4-inch of potato by the skin so they'll have form. Put the inside in a mixing bowl and add anything you'd like. I add sour cream, butter, crisply fried and crumbled bacon, green onions, and cheddar cheese to mine. Then I spoon it back into the skins and bake them at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. These go fast around our house.

RASPBERRY RIBBON CHEESECAKE

I am a cheesecake fanatic. I always make at least 1 cheesecake (often times 2 or 3, if not more) for every holiday. This cheesecake has become one of my family's absolute favorites, and my daughters now make it themselves as well. One of my daughters is hosting Easter for our family this year, and my other daughter will be making this cheesecake. Easter is missing a vital part of the meal if this cheesecake is not served as one of the desserts.

CARROT CAKE LAMB CAKE

My Mom always made a pound cake in a lamb mold, frosted with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with coconut to make the lamb look like wool. We always loved this cake as kids. I did not continue in the tradition when my kids were growing up because I didn't have the lamb mold. I went on the hunt in the internet a few years ago and found that Nordic Ware still makes the same lamb mold and I bought one on the internet. I've been making it for my family for the past few years and it's a must now. I changed it from my Mom's pound cake to one of my favorites... Carrot Cake. One year I did a red velvet cake for the symbolism of the "blood of the lamb", representing the true meaning of Easter. My family thought it was a good idea, but preferred carrot cake instead. So I now make the lamb cake a carrot cake. I will post a link to my carrot cake recipe once I get it posted.

These are just a few of our favorite Easter recipes. There are a number of others, and I'll add those over time as well. Hopefully you can enjoy some of these, they truly are some of our favorites.

HAPPY EASTER! It's the TRUE meaning of Easter that gives us life and hope and the promise of eternity!

Rocky Mountain Lodge Kicks Gas, Free Gas

2011-03-31T16:33:00.001-06:00

ROCKY MOUNTAIN LODGE KICKS GAS!!!

Feeling ripped off at the gas station? Stay with us at Rocky Mountain Lodge in our our Colorado Bed and Breakfast Lodge for at least 2 nights and we'll take $25 off the cost of your stay to help fill your gas tank.

OR, stay for at least 3 nights and we'll give you a $50 gift certificate to dine at a local restaurant.

Take the extra money and explore the area and see some of the beautiful attractions the Pikes Peak area has to offer, such as Pikes Peak (where America the Beautiful was written), Cave of the Winds, or Manitou Cliff Dwellings, for a few. Or put it towards a horseback ride thru the beautiful Garden of the Gods, or a thrilling jeep tour. Or spend some extra money on a dinner out at one of the fabulous local restaurants or splurge on a little extra shopping.

Whatever you decide to do, we'll help put a little more money back in your pocket over the next few months.

Click here to see the details of this special, and other specials and discounts we're currently offering.

Valid for stay thru December 22, 2011.

We'll see you soon!

Blueberry Strata, Blueberry Cheese Strata

2011-03-24T07:49:00.002-06:00

BLUEBERRY CHEESE STRATA

Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins' Recipe of the month for March 2011 is Blueberry Cheese Strata.

CLICK HERE for the recipe

This recipe, and 349 others can be found in our cookbook "Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins Favorite Recipes" which can be purchased in our Gift Shop. Click Here to order your copy.

Spring Fling Specials

2011-03-19T08:57:00.001-06:00

Take a little time to get away and recharge your batteries. For the months of March and April Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins is offering 3 different Spring Fling Specials to help you plan your Colorado getaway on a shoestring budget.

PRIVATE COTTAGE GETAWAY: Plan a couples getaway and stay with us in our Cottage during the months of March AND April for just $100 per night! A savings of up to $50 per night.

COLORADO BED AND BREAKFAST SPECIAL: If you live in Colorado and stay with us at least 2 nights during March or April you can take 20% off your stay in any room in our Bed and Breakfast Lodge during the months of March or April for stays of 2 nights or more.

BED AND BREAKFAST 3rd NIGHT FREE: Stay with us in any room in our Bed and Breakfast Lodge during the months of March or April for 2 nights at regular price and your 3rd night is FREE!

See our SPECIALS PAGE for details about these specials, and all the specials we have available.

Chocolate Truffles Recipe, Chocolate Rum Truffles Recipe

2011-02-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

February is the month of love, with Valentine's Day being celebrated this month. We often make chocolate desserts at our Colorado Springs Bed and Breakfast Inn during this month, and provide complimentary chocoalte truffles to our guests on Valentine's Day as well. Here is one of our Chocolate Truffle recipes, which can also be found in our cookbook, Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins' Favorite Recipes. You can purchase a copy of our cookbook here.

Enjoy this delightful chocolate!

CHOCOLATE RUM TRUFFLES

2 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. dark rum*
6 oz. dark sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

In a small, heavy pan, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and the chopped dark chocolate. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly mix the butter into the chocolate mixture. When the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth, pour it into a shallow bowl and seet aside to cool. Cover the bowl and chill in the refigerator for at least 2 hours, or until the mixture is firm enough to handle.

Sift the cocoa powder onto a large plate. Scoop up the chocolate mixture with a small cookie scoop or with a teaspoon and shape into balls. Roll each ball in the cocoa powder.

Store the truffles, covered, in the refrigerator. Let them stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

*Variation: Grand Marnier, Kahlua, or Orange Juice may be substituted for the rum.

Ice Festival in Cripple Creek

2011-02-10T08:04:00.001-07:00

Come out and enjoy the Ice Festival in Cripple Creek, Colorado this weekend!

The 4th Annual Cripple Creek Ice Festival 2011 is going to be held on February 11th - 13th, and 19th - 21st.

The Ice Festival will be featuring "Story Time," where ice carvers will incorporate their interpretation of classic literature into art.

Spectators that enjoy watching the ice carving are invited to watch sculptors wield chainsaws and carving tools to create their masterpieces. This family friendly event will have several activities for children and adults, including two ice mazes, an ice slide, a martini bar, and retail and food vendors on the street and in the heated event tent. Visitors are encouraged to visit both weekends, as sculptors will be carving throughout the two weeks and additional new ice sculptures will be carved for the second weekend. So put down that book, bundle up, and join us for this two-weekend event as we transform Bennett Avenue into a literary work of art!

Need lodging for the event? Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins has both our Colorado Cabin and Colorado Vacation Cottage available for rent February 11th thru 14th; and rooms in our Colorado Bed and Breakfast Lodge and our Colorado Vacation Cottage are available February 18th thru 21st.

Valentine's Day Specials

2011-01-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

Plan a romantic getaway for Valentine's Day and stay with us in our Bed and Breakfast Lodge over Valentines Day for at least 2 nights and receive complimentary chocolate truffles and roses.

All Bed and Breakfast guests also enjoy our signature gourmet 3-course breakfast each morning as well.

See our specials page at our website for more Rocky Mountain lodging specials.

Potato Cheese Soup Recipe

2011-01-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

January is a cold month here in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and we love to eat a nice hardy soup to not only fill you up, but heat you up as well. Our family's favorite is my Potato Cheese Soup. You can find my Potato Cheese Soup Recipe on Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins' Recipe of the Month page.

Enjoy!

Manitou Springs Great Fruitcake Toss

2011-01-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again for the Manitou Springs Great Fruitcake Toss! This even is a popular local even that draws travelers from all over the country.

Not sure what to do with those leftover fruitcakes from Christmas? Come toss them, throw them, hurl them, catapult them, or whatever manner you want to get them from here to there!

Click here for more details

And while you're here enjoying the fruitcake toss, stay with us here at Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins in our Manitou Springs Bed and Breakfast Lodge and enjoy our signature 3-course breakfast in the morning before heading out... it'll keep you full till nearly dinner time (we won't be serving fruitcake).

Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins Top 10 Posts of 2010

2010-12-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

2010 has been a great and productive year, and we are expecting 2011 to be even bigger and better! Following are Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins' top 10 posts of 2010. Revisit them and enjoy!

And make your reservations to stay in our Bed and Breakfast Lodge, Cabin, Cottage, or Colorado Vacation Home for your upcoming Rocky Mountain vacation, honeymoon, romantic getaway, family reunion, wedding, or retreat!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Ideas for Family Reunions, Family Reunion Locations

2010-12-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

NOW is the time to plan your 2011 family reunion. Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins has great ideas for family reunions, and is the the perfect family reunion location!

We are located just 6 miles west of Colorado Springs, and 5 miles west of Manitou Springs, in the Ute Pass of the Rocky Mountains at Pikes Peak (where the song America the Beautiful was written), in the mountain community of Cascade, Colorado, we're "away from it all, yet close enough".

We can host up to 30 people at our facilities. Our Vacation Rental Lodge has 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, a large great room for group gatherings, a full kitchen, dining area, and is situated on 2+ acres with beautiful mountain views. It will sleep up to 17 people and can host up to 30 for your group gatherings. Our 2 bedroom Colorado Cabin can sleep up to 7 people, and our Colorado Cottage can sleep up 6 people.

There is a wealth of activities to do in the area, providing a great location for all ages. Some of the local attractions consist of:

Garden of the Gods
Pikes Peak Cog Railroad
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Cave of the Winds
Focus on the Family
Seven Falls
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
US Air Force Academy
North Pole & Santa's Workshop
Florissant Fossil Beds
Dinosaur Resource Center
Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center
Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine
Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
Royal Gorge Railroad
And many, many more

Some of the activities than can be enjoyed by both young and old are:

Hiking
Mountain Biking
Jeep Tours
Train Trips
Whitewater Rafting
Casino Gambling
Museums and Art Centers
Golfing
Fishing
Nature Tours
Rock Climbing
Fine Dining
Shopping

Summer and holidays are the best times for family reunions. We tend to book several months in advance for the summer months and holidays. Get with your family, look at your calendars, and check our availability calendar to see what dates we have available, or call us at 719-684-2521 and book your family reunion in Colorado today!

LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS LODGING SPECIALS

2010-12-20T15:21:00.002-07:00

Christmas is almost here, and for those last minute travelers, we have a great last minute Christmas lodging special for you.

Our Colorado Vacation Cottage will sleep up to 6 people, has a kitchen, fireplace, wireless internet, and Cable TV/DVD player. It's the perfect place for a couple wanting privacy for the holiday, or for a family on a budget.

The Cottage is available for Christmas and we're offering a last minute lodging deal for you. Rent the Cottage for 4 nights over this Christmas holiday, anytime between Dec. 23rd and 28th, and take $25 off per night, for a savings of up to $125.

Ask for the Cottage Christmas special and we'll discount the nightly rate from $150 to $125 per night.

12 Days of Cookies 2010

2010-12-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

This was our 2nd year featuring festive Christmas cookies. These are the cookies that were featured during our 12 Days of Cookies 2010. Enjoy!

Make sure to check out our 12 Days of Cookies for 2009 and more recipes throughout our blog and on our website's Recipe Pages.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY BAKING!

Christmas Mice, Christmas Mice Cookies

2010-12-12T18:21:00.002-07:00

Our 12 days of cookies is completed today with these adorable Christmas Mice Cookies. Kids and adults alike will love these fun cookies; enjoy!

CHRISTMAS MICE COOKIES

24 double-stuffed Oreo cookies
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening
24 red maraschino cherries with stems, well drained
24 milk chocolate kisses
24 sliced almonds
1 small tube green decorative icing gel
1 small tube red decorative icing gel

Carefully twist cookies apart; set aside the halves with cream filling. Save plain halves for another use, or to eat later on (crush them to use in pie crusts instead of graham crackers).

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening on high for 1 minute, stir, and continue to heat, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip in melted chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss. Place on the cream filling of cookie, with cherry stem extending beyond cookie edge.

For ears, place slivered almonds between the cherry and kiss. Refrigerate until set. With green gel, pipe holly leaves on the cream. With red gel, pipe holly berries between leaves and pipe eyes on each chocolate kiss. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 24 mice.

We hope you've enjoyed our 2010 12 Days of Cookies. We'll be back next year with 12 new recipes. Don't forget to check out all our recipes here on our blog, as well as our website's recipe page.

Cream Cheese Cookies, Cream Cheese Finger Cookies

2010-12-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Day 11 of our 12 Days of Cookies features these melt in your mouth Cream Cheese Finger Cookies. Somewhat like Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Tea Cakes, but a little creamier and tangier because they're made with cream cheese. Enjoy!
CREAM CHEESE FINGER COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
Dash of salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans (dough will be crumbly).

Shape tablespoonfuls into 2-inch logs. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

TIP:

Refrigerate the dough until it is chilled for easier handling. if there is a high butter content in the dough, the heat from your hands can soften the butter, making it harder to shape. Dust your hands lightly with flour to prevent the dough from sticking.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies, Cocoa Hazelnut Slices

2010-12-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

Day 10 of our 12 Days of Cookies features Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies, or sometimes called Cocoa Hazelnut Slices. A little chocolate during the holidays is a must. If you love chocolate and hazelnuts, these are the cookies for you!

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT COOKIES
(Cocoa Hazelnut Slices)

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped, toasted, hazelnuts (filberts)
6 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp. shortening

In a large bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and cocoa powder until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour and the hazelnuts.

Divide dough in half. Shape each portion of dough into an 11-inch-long log. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill for 1 to 2 hours or until firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 375^. Cut logs into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or just until tops are firm to the touch. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

In a small saucepan combine chocolate and shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Generously drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

January Lodging Deals, January Lodging Specials

2010-12-10T06:50:00.000-07:00

$25 WEDNESDAYS IN JANUARY

The holidays are over and you're probably exhausted after all the parties, cooking, and family gatherings you've attended. Time to sneak away for a couple days to recharge your batteries and renew and refresh.

Come stay with us at Rocky Mountain Lodge & Cabins in our Colorado Bed and Breakfast Lodge and get away and take advantage of our January Lodging Deals and Specials.

Stay with us in our Manitou Room, Timberwolf Room, Ute Indian Trail Room, or Midland Room on a Tuesday and Wednesday in January and Wednesday is just $25!

See our Specials page for more details.

Plum Pudding, Plum Pudding Recipe

2010-12-10T06:36:00.000-07:00

PLUM PUDDING

Our recipe of the month on our webiste is Plum Pudding, a traditional English Christmas dessert. Click Here to see our Plum Pudding Recipe.

Linzer Cookies, Raspberry Linzer Bars

2010-12-09T21:03:00.001-07:00

Day 9 of our 12 Days of Cookies features Linzer Cookies, or as featured here, Raspberry Linzer Bars, which are a delicious delicacy deriving from the Linzertorte, which was first discovered in an Austrian abbey in 1653. An Austrian immigrant, a baker, introduced it to America in 1856. They have been a tradition and delicacy ever since. We are sharing a bar version of the famous cookies. Enjoy!

RASPBERRY LINZER BARS

1 1/3 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole almonds, ground
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350^. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg and lemon peel until blended. Mix in flour, almonds and cinnamon until well blended.

Press 2 cups dough onto bottom of prepared pan. Top evenly with preserves. Press remaining dough over preserves.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes 36 bars

Mocha Nut Balls taste of home

2010-12-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

Day 8 of our 12 Days of Cookies are for these delicious Mocha Nut Balls, which I got from a Taste of Home cookie book recently. They're addictive, you may want to consider making a double batch! Enjoy!

MOCHA NUT BALLS

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa and coffee granules; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until firm. Cool on pans for 1-2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar.

Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies