Not sure how many of you visit the blog Mennonite Girls Can Cook ~ they have awesome recipes over there to try.

Over the snowy weekend I made two of their cookie recipes ~ German Hazelnut Cookies and Peppermint Candy Biscotti

Peppermint Candy Biscotti, Peanut Brittle, German Hazelnut Cookies

The hazelnut cookies are a great shortbread like cookie with yummy chocolate. Very easy to make.

GERMAN HAZELNUT COOKIES
1 cup hazelnuts finely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour

Beat butter and sugar together until light.
Add egg yolk and vanilla.
Blend in flour and hazelnut.
Form into 1″ balls and make an indent on the center with a wooden spoon.

Bake on a greased baking sheet @ 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cookies should look light in color.

Fill the center with melted semi-sweet chocolate.

I’ve never made biscotti before, not so hard actually! Was quite easy ~ and they are VERY YUMMY INDEED! Am going to make more of these.

PEPPERMINT CANDY BISCOTTI
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup crushed peppermint candies
14 ounces vanilla candy coating (I used Raley’s White Chocolate Chunk Chips)
several drops red or pink food coloring (I didn’t use the food coloring, no need…very pretty without it)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
additional crushed peppermint candy to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Combine the soft butter and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Beat until creamy.
4. Add the eggs and continue beating until well mixed.
5. At low speed . ..add the dry ingredients and then the crushed candy.
6. Divide the dough into four pieces and with floured hands .. make each piece into a 9 by 1 1/2 inch log.
7. Place the logs 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet. (I put them on parchment paper…makes taking them off the cookie tin VERY EASY!)
8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the tops are cracked and they just begin to brown.
9. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes.
10. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F.
11. Carefully remove and slice each log into 1/2 inch slices with a serrated knife.
12. Arrange pieces back on the the cookie sheet cut side down.
13. Continue to bake for another 12 – 14 minutes turning once until light golden brown. and crisp on both sides. Remove to cool on wire racks.
14. Place candy coating in a saucepan and melt very slowly. Remove from heat.
15. Stir in food coloring and peppermint extract.
16. Dip each Biscotti part way into the warm coating and sprinkle with crushed candy canes and allow to set on a wire rack.

And last but not least…here is my Grandma McDonald’s Peanut Brittle recipe that my mom adapted to our high altitude (4500-4700 feet). Since it’s in the picture I’ll post the recipe again.

GRANDMA McDONALD’S PEANUT BRITTLE
Mix together in a large pot the following and bring the mixture to 240F (this is high altitude degrees)…250F for lowlanders.
3 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Water
1 Cup White Syrup

Add 1-1/2 pounds of Raw Peanuts and STIR CONSTANTLY to 290F (high altitude degrees)…300F for lowlanders, then take off heat.

NOTE!!!! Have a large lipped cookie tin (I use one that is about 22″ long) all buttered up ready for the next step.

Stir in:
1/4 tsp of salt
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Spread mixture onto the greased cookie tin and let cool. Break when cooled.