A Coffee and Cookie Stop

 REINDEER BAR

A mid-morning stop at the Reinder Bar to celebrate National Cookie Day is a must!

A warm-up with a cup of hot Mexican Coffee pairs perfectly with cookies.  

Mexican Coffee

The recipe is from The San Antonio Tex-Mex Cookbook

A little Kalhua and cinnamon turn regular coffee into a fiesta in a cup

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 oz Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
• 1 cup fresh brewed coffee
• 1 tablespoon whipped cream
• A dash of cinnamon
• Garnish cinnamon sticks

Directions:

• Combine coffee liqueur and coffee
• Top with whipped cream
• Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon

Today, there were choices on the cookie tray. I picked a Mexican Wedding Cookie  also known as Snowball Cookie or Russian Tea Cake and a Dark Chocolate Kiss 

The recipe for the Russian Tea cookies was previously posted  https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-june-wedding.html  

Bake cookies at 350 degrees. 

This was a new recipe posted in Southern Living's December 2024 issue that I gave to the cook at the Reindeer Bar. The cookie is a brownie bite with a crunch. They were a hit, and the tray had to be replenished several times. 

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  2 cups flour
•  1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (Hershey Dark Chocolate was used) 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  32 unwrapped milk chocolate kisses 

Directions:

• In a small bowl, place jingle mix nonpareils. You will use the full bottle. 
• Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, extract, and half and half. Mix well. 
• Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture on low speed just to combine.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Flour hands and roll dough into 2-inch balls. Bake for 7 minutes. Add chocolate kisses, pressing slightly into the dough, and bake for 1 minute more. 
• Cool cookies on a wire rack.     

Grand Opening Reindeer Bar

GRAND OPENING

REINDEER BAR

Limited Run December 3-17th

The popular Reindeer Bar first appeared on Ever Ready in 2014, offering food and drink ideas for the holiday season. Its first featured food idea was a Laughing Cow cheese product turned into reindeer food. 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/12/reindeer-bar.html

Over the years, various holiday offerings with recipes have been shared. Several years ago the Reindeer Bar expanded its options with a drink and appetizer station, taco bar, and a salad and dessert station. 

For the next two weeks, Ever Ready will take you on an exploration of holiday treats, bringing back some of your favorites as well as introducing new recipes.

First off, we need to toast the return of the Reindeer Bar with an Amaretto Sour. 

Stopping at the Drink and Appetizer Station. 

The sweet almond notes of the Amaretto mix beautifully with the rich depth of the bourbon, creating a warm base for the cocktail that’s perfectly balanced with a bright zing of fresh lemon juice. If you lean towards a sweeter cocktail, you can add in an extra splash of maple or simple syrup. Or, my favorite, include a few dashes of bitters for extra aromatics. Garnish with a lemon zest and a Luxardo cherry or two, and this lovely cocktail will be ready to enjoy in minutes!

This classic Amaretto Sour recipe is easy to make and perfectly balanced with sweet, tart, and almondy flavors. The recipe is from gimmesomeoven.com   

and serves one.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 ounces amaretto liqueur
• 3/4 to 1-ounce bourbon
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or simple syrup (optional)
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Garnishes: lemon twist and Luxardo cherry  

Directions: 

• Dry shake. Combine the amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and  bitters in a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake vigorously (without ice) for 15 seconds.
• Add ice. Add a large handful of ice to the shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for 15 more seconds or until chilled.
• Serve. Strain into a cocktail glass over ice. Top with lemon twist and a Luxardo cherry. 

Cranberry Feta Pinwheels 

Cranberry Feta Pinwheels

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3-1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 pkg dried sweetened cranberries
• 2-3 tablespoons half and half
• 4 spinach tortillas (I used Mission brand garden spinach and herbs)

Directions:

• In a food processor, pulse feta cheese 3 times.
• Add feta cheese, cream cheese, herbs de Provence, onions, and half and half in a medium-sized bowl.
• Beat and stir in cranberries and walnuts by hand. 
• Divide and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly between four spinach tortillas.
• Roll tightly, wrap in clear plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.
• To serve, cut into approximately 12 slices.

UP NEXT 

DESSERT STATION 

This is a must-stop since tomorrow is National Cookie Day, and Ever Ready has a new cookie recipe to share. 

 

Mango Chutney Turkey Salad

Since our turkey was 21 lbs (we did send home leftovers with guests), we've enjoyed several turkey sandwiches. Now, it's time to turn my attention to another turkey option, Mango Chutney Turkey Salad.  

DID YOU KNOW that the condiment chutney is a combination of preserves and relish? It's made from various fruits and spices, with vinegar or sugar to help preserve it. Chutney is usually associated with Indian cuisine, but its sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors work well with recipes from many other cultures. It's found in most grocery stores and often accompanies curry dishes and various meats. You will also find it an ingredient in appetizers with cheese, side dishes, and even desserts. 

Major Grey's Chutney is a mango and tamarind chutney one of the best-selling in the United States. It is produced by the English company Crosse & Blackwell and is said to have been invented by a British army officer in the 1800s. 

This is not your standard deli-style turkey/chicken salad with mayo, celery, and sometimes chopped eggs. No, this is what you get when you go to lunch with the ladies at a Tea Room Restaurant. It did get a huge stamp of approval from my husband.
Plain Greek Yogurt can be substituted for the mayonnaise. This recipe can be easily doubled. Curry is a strong spice, so I recommend starting out small with a 1/4 teaspoon taste and then increasing as needed.
The curry and chutney are what make this salad really take center stage over traditional turkey/chicken salad.

Make the salad early in the day before serving rather than the night before.
The recipe is adapted from deepsouthdish.com and serves 4
Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked turkey or chicken, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 3 tablespoons green onion, chopped or 1/3 cup diced sweet onions
• Mayonnaise-use enough to moisten the salad 
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon curry
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 3 tablespoons mango chutney ( I tested with Major Grey's Chutney)
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans, walnuts or slivered almonds-reserve 1/4 cup
• 3/4 cup dried cran raisins (plump up in a cup of boiling water and drain) 
• 1/2 cup crisp apple, diced or 1/2 cup halved grapes
• Optional: 1 small can of water chestnuts, drained and diced 

Directions:

• Cut turkey or chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Mix chutney, mayonnaise, green onions, curry powder, and parsley flakes in a large bowl.
• Add in diced turkey or chicken, 1/2 cup of nuts, cran raisins, apples, and celery.
• Chill for several hours. 
• Options: Serve turkey salad on a bed of lettuce, adding nuts as a garnish, use as a filling for a croissant, or as an appetizer with the mixture placed in mini-phyllo cups.