2 Easy Christmas Goodies

This recipe really is simple. I was very surprised.

Cream Cheese Finger Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2C butter, softened
4oz cream cheese, softened
1tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4C all-purpose flour
1TBS sugar
dash salt
1C finely chopped pecans
confectioner's sugar

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in vanilla. In a different bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Stir in the pecans.
Shape tablespoonfuls into 2in logs. Place 2in apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 12-14min, until bottoms are lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners sugar; cool on wire racks.
Makes 2 dozen.



Don't let the two-step process and 3-ingredients fool you. This recipe can take close to 45 minutes to make! I was not prepared for that.... I thought it would be easy-peasy. Which it wasn't hard.... it just took a lot of time.

Besitos de Coco (AKA Coconut Smooches)

Ingredients:

about 1C grated coconut
1C water
1 1/2C dark brown sugar

Instructions:

Combine the water and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low (I would set it at medium) and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes like a hard ball or reaches 275. (This step could take a good 30 minutes or more!).
Add the coconut and continue cooking until no steam rises from the pot and the liquid has evaporated. Using a TBS, drop the coconut smooches onto a greased cookie sheet and let cool.