The best Christmas Cookies EVER: Raspberry Filled Shortbread Cookies

So these are the best possible Christmas cookies ever. AND they are soooo easy and delicious! 

Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
2 sticks of butter + 2 tablespoons (softened) 
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon butter and nut flavoring

Filling:
Nutella hazelnut spread
Raspberry preserves 

Topping:
Dark chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add salt. Slowly incorporate flour a few teaspoons at a time. Add flavoring and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface and cut out with your favorite cookie cutters. Bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees. 

After cookies have cooled, spread the underside of one with the preserves or Nutella (your choice) and place another cookie over it to create a sandwich. After all of the cookies are filled, melt chocolate chips in the microwave and use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over the top. Viola! 

Ada Grey

Mocha Milk Shake

Y'all know I am a self-proclaimed coffee addict. I always make a huge pot in the morning and there is usually a little left when I leave the house for work. So I was trying to think of a way to use the cup or so that is always left when I get home after a long day. I finally found the perfect way to use cold left over coffee! This is the perfect after work treat at the end of a hard day. So here is the super easy recipe for a delicious shake!

Mocha Milk Shake:
3/4 cup of cold coffee
3 or 4 large scoops of vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tbsp caramel flavored coffee syrup

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with whipped cream and mini-chocolate chips! Makes 1 large shake or 2 small ones. 

-Ada Grey 

Irish Cream Brownies

Y'all I love my family dearly but sometimes you just need a drink to be able to deal with family gatherings. When you get 30 people with strong personalities, passive- aggressive tendencies and dry wits in one room and tell them to chat, sometimes you'll be amazed what comes out of their mouths. Since the law (and my parents) tend to frown upon putting a gin and tonic in a water bottle, I decided to make some Irish Cream brownies. The alcohol cooks out so that won't really take the edge off but the chocolate will. So lets make a toast to families. Here's to the ones we love and the ones who love to make us crazy. Cheers! 

Irish Cream Brownies:

1/2 cups of butter, melted

1 1/4 cups of sugar

1 cup of cocoa 

pinch of salt

1/2 cup Irish Cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 egg white

3/4 cups of all purpose flour

Mix melted butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until well combined. Stir in Irish Cream and eggs. Add flour and and mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Bake in greased pan at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until set.

Icing:

8 oz of cream cheese, softened

3 tbsp (or more if you want) of Irish Cream

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

6 oz of dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Mix the cream cheese, Irish Cream and sugar until smooth. Then add chopped chocolate and mix. 

After taking the brownies out of the oven, allow them to cool for a few minutes. While still barely warm, spread icing on brownies. (This way the chocolate kind of melts and swirls). Then enjoy with a delicious cup of coffee (with a little Bailey's)! 

-Ada Grey