“I suppose that depends on what the other one says.” Betty held out the second note, which Mist immediately tore open.
“Tell me,” Betty urged, seeing the smile on Mist’s face spread even wider.
Mist turned back to the flowers and set the note in front of the arrangement so Betty could take a look.
See you in the spring...
“Now I understand,” Betty said. “He didn’t want you to feel pressured, so he set up two alternate messages.”
“Even though I gave him the painting of the hotel in the spring?”
Betty shook her head. “He set this up with Maisie before you gave him the painting.”
“So we each gave the other a hint about a possible visit earlier than next Christmas? Without knowing what the other was doing?”
“Apparently so,” Betty said.
“That’s...” Mist found herself at a loss for words.
“Sweet, Mist.” Betty filled in. “That’s very sweet.”
Mist sat down, looked at the flowers, at the note, and reached for the reservation book, flipping back through the last few pages. “It was a nice Christmas, Betty. Look at the guests we had this year: Clara, the Callahans, Michael, Lydia, Helen and Deirdre, and Simon and Belinda Myers, who wasn’t Belinda Myers at all.”
“As you said yourself, Mist, anyone could be anyone, or something like that.”
Mist nodded. “Yes. But you know what? Not any Christmas can be any Christmas. Each one is unique.”
“That certainly seems to be true,” Betty said. “I wonder what next Christmas will bring.”
“We’ll just have to see,” Mist said, smiling. “Yes, we’ll just have to see.”
Betty’s
Cookie Exchange Recipes
Glazed Cinnamon Nuts
Cranberry Orange Cookies
Swedish Dream Cookies
Pecan Cookies
Candy Cane Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Thumbprint Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Jumbles
Eggnog Cookies
Peppermint Candy Canes
Divinity Puffs
Snickerdoodles
Sharon’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Odessa’s Pumpkin Cookies
Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Snowball Cookies
Grandma’s Opera Fudge
Dutch Sour Cream Cookies
Soft Raisin Cookies
Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
Glazed Cinnamon Nuts (a family recipe)
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
Directions:
Boil sugar, water, cream of tartar and cinnamon to soft ball
stage (236˚F.)
Remove from heat.
Add butter and walnuts.
Stir until walnuts separate.
Place on wax paper to cool.
Cranberry-Orange Cookies (submitted by Kim McMahan Davis)
Makes approximately 45 small cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (4.7 ounces) dried cranberries
3/4 cup (5.3 ounces) granulated sugar
2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring (optional)
Red and white coarse sugar, for rolling
Directions:
Using a food processor, pulse the dried cranberries and sugar together until the cranberries are finely ground.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine.
Add the cold butter pieces and pulse to incorporate, until the mixture is the size of small peas. This can take about 20 pulses.
Whisk the orange juice, egg, orange extract, and food coloring (if using) in a small bowl.
Drizzle the orange juice mixture over the flour mixture in the food processor and pulse until a dough forms.
Place the dough in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Place 1/4 cup red coarse sugar and 1/4 cup white coarse sugar in a shallow bowl and mix. Set aside.
Scoop the cookie dough into 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch balls, then roll in the coarse sugar mixture. Place the sugar-coated dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 12 cookies to each sheet.
Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are just set the bottom of the cookies are barely golden. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Swedish Dream Cookies (Drömkakor) (submitted by Kathy Tucker)
Called dream cookies because they are light and airy, these melt in your mouth
Makes 40-45 cookies
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar
8 tablespoons, unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
1/3 cup corn oil
Directions:
Heat oven to 300˚F. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl and using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugars until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add oil and mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Using a tablespoon-size measuring spoon, divide dough into about 40 portions. Using your hands, shape the dough portions into balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies crack on top and are just set, 25-30 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before serving.
Pecan Cookies (submitted by Jan Harvey)
Ingredients:
2 cups butter (4 sticks)
1/2 cup sugar
4 scant cups of flour
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and roll into balls the size of a walnut. Bake at 375˚F for 15-20 minutes. While cookies are warm – roll in powdered sugar.
Candy Cane Brownies (submitted by Kim McMahan Davis)
Ingredients:
Brownies
3 sticks (1-1/2 cups) butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Garnish
Coarsely broken candy canes
Directions:
Brownies
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Whisk flour with the cocoa powder and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add salt and peppermint extract and mix well.
Gradually add in the cocoa and flour mixture and stir until completed incorporated.
Line a jelly roll pan (15-1/2"x10-1/2"x1") with parchment paper. Spritz the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Rest pan on a wire rack until completely cool before proceeding with frosting.
Frosting
> Mix the butter and confectioners' sugar together until butter is incorporated completely. Add the heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping well after each addition. Add the peppermint extract and whip for an additional 2 minutes.
Frost the brownies then cut into 2-inch squares.
Garnish each square with bits of broken candy canes right before serving.
Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies (submitted by Sue Doucette)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup good semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped dried sweet cherries
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening or butter
1/2 granulated sugar
1 egg
3 cups uncooked oatmeal or quick oatmeal (don’t use steel cut)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F.
Beat brown sugar, sugar, shortening or butter. Add water, beaten egg and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and orange zest and mix into the above mixture in small batches. Fold in chocolate chips and cherries.
Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop equal sized cookie dough balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes depending upon size of scoop.
Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy.
Option: substitute a little cinnamon for the orange zest.
Thumbprint Cookies (submitted by Jan Harvey)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 egg yolk (save white)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chopped walnuts
Directions:
Mix together shortening, butter egg yolk and vanilla.
Sift together flour and salt. Stir in shortening mixture.
Roll into 1 inch balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg white.
Roll in finely chopped walnuts.
Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes at 375˚F.
Remove from oven and place a candy cherry in center.
Return to oven and bake 8 minutes longer. Cool.
Gluten-free Chocolate Chunk Cookies (submitted by Kim McMahan Davis)
These cookies use whole grain flour, to boost the nutritional value...but they’re still delicious and make a satisfying dessert! Buckwheat is a gluten-free grain, despite its name. If you prefer, you can use brown rice flour instead or if gluten is not an issue, substitute equal amounts of white whole-wheat flour.
Ingredients:
1 cup (7.5 ounces) packed brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (make sure to use a gluten-free brand if necessary, or omit)
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups (9 ounces) Buckwheat flour (use the lightly spoon and level method if not using a scale)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces premium semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F.
Add brown sugar, canola oil, butter, honey, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a standing mixer. Beat on medium until well combined.
Add the egg and beat until thoroughly incorporated.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat on low speed until blended together.
Add the chocolate and mix by hand until just incorporated.
Place rounded tablespoon-sized pieces of cookie dough on a parchment-lines baking sheet. Sprinkle a bit of the Fleur de sel over each cookie, if desired.
Bake 8 to 11 minutes until the edges start to brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Makes about 24 cookies, depending on size.
Jumbles (submitted by Linda Smith)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup pecan halves
1 1/4 cups whole almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup + 2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375oF.
Place the nuts on cookie sheet. Bake them, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until they begin to have a toasted aroma. Do not bake until the almond skins begin to crack. Cool completely. Chop into very coarse pieces.
Cream the sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended.
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until incorporated.
In a large bowl, stir together the chocolate chips, raisins, pecans and almonds. Empty the batter into the bowl and mix together evenly with a large spoon or spatula.
Drop batter by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown – will still be somewhat soft inside.
Eggnog Cookies (Submitted by Frances Hampton)
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 Tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks)
*softened on counter 1 hour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/2 cup eggnog
Eggnog Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar (for thicker glaze use 2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract (this makes the glaze white and not brownish white if using regular vanilla extract.)
3 tablespoons eggnog
Directions:
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.
Using a mixer, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until combined. Do not overmix!
Add eggnog and mix 3 times with a spatula, until combined. Do not overmix!
Divide dough into 4 pieces, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375˚F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and eggnog until smooth. Set aside.
Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes.
Place cookie shapes onto prepared baking pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before icing and decorating. Once cookies are cooled, dip cookies into glaze and sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Place cookies on baking sheet to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. To speed up the setting time, place cookies in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes.
Peppermint Candy Canes (submitted by Jan Harvey)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted enriched flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoo
ns milk
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red food coloring
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F
Cream shortening and sugar. Blend in egg yolk and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients; add alternately with milk. Add peppermint extract: mix well.
Add red food coloring to 1/2 of dough. Chill. Shape into candy canes with alternate red and white cookie dough and shape into 5 inch rolled strips. Twist into canes.
Bake at 375˚F for about 10 minutes.
Divinity Puffs (submitted by Valerie Peterson)
Ingredients:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
Dash of salt
2 stiffly beaten egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Stir sugar into syrup, water and salt. Cook to dissolve sugar. Then boil to 240°F. Slowly pour 1/3rd of syrup over stiffly beaten egg whites, stirring constantly. Cook remaining syrup to a hard-boiled stage 265°F. Beat into egg white mixture. Continue beating. When mixture holds shape, add vanilla. Drop from teaspoon on waxed paper.
Snickerdoodles (submitted by Peggy Hyndman)
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1-1⁄2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3⁄4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions:
Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
Scoop 1 inch balls of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.
Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.
Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes at 375˚F. Remove from pan immediately.
Sharon's Chocolate Chip Cookies (submitted by Sharon Guagliardo)
Ingredients:
Silver Bells At Moonglow (The Moonglow Christmas Series Book 2) Page 9
