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Sharon's Kitchen Ideas, Alexandria, KY (2025)

12/25/2024

Wishing you and your family a very merry and blessed Christmas.

12/24/2024

A Visit from St. Nicholas
by Clement Clarke Moore 1779 – 1863
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

12/23/2024

Check out these cute cookies that will really stand out on your dessert spread! 🍬🍪✨ Peppermint Meringue Wreath Cookies are the perfect festive touch for your holiday baking.
Peppermint Meringue Wreath Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies
2 egg whites, room temperature
1½ tsp (7 mL) cornstarch
1½ tsp (7 mL) white vinegar
⅓ cup (75 mL) sugar
¼ tsp (1 mL) peppermint extract
2 drops red food coloring
Decorations
1 cup (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 tsp (5 mL) vegetable shortening, divided
red licorice rope (optional)
2 tsp (10 mL) red colored sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 200ºF (100ºC). Cut a 10" (25-cm) piece of parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw fifteen 2¾" (7-cm) circles (see Cook's Tips). Turn the paper over and place it on the Large Sheet Pan. In a Classic Batter Bowl, beat the egg whites on the high speed of an electric hand mixer until they're very foamy, about 20 seconds. Add the cornstarch and vinegar, then continue to beat until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. (The tips of the peaks should curl down when the be**ers are lifted.)

While continuously beating the egg white mixture on high speed, gradually add the sugar in a very slow, steady stream. Add the peppermint extract and food coloring. Continue beating on high speed 3-4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture is glossy, and stiff peaks form. (The tips of the peaks should remain upright when the be**ers are lifted.)

Attach the open star tip to the large bag of the Decorating Bag Set; fill it with the meringue mixture. Pipe circles of meringue ¾" (2 cm) high onto the circles on the parchment paper. Sprinkle red decorating sugar over the meringues. Bake 1 hour-1½ hours, or until the meringues are dry. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringues in the oven; let stand 1 hour or overnight.

Place the chocolate morsels and shortening in the Small Micro-Cooker®. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 2-3 minutes, stirring after each 30-second interval until the morsels are melted and smooth. Dip the bottoms of the meringues in the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off. Return them to the parchment paper to set (about 30 minutes). Decorate the meringues with licorice rope, if desired. Store in an airtight container up to 7 days.

Yield:
15 servings of 1 cookie

Cook's Tips:
Dip the bottoms of the cookies in melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. Adding the small amount of shortening to the chocolate will allow the chocolate to set at room temperature. Chocolate-flavored almond bark can be substituted for chocolate morsels and shortening, if desired.

To draw perfect circles easily, trace around a Measure-All® Cup as a guide. Draw 15 circles in three rows of five circles each, spacing evenly.

For best results, bake the meringues on a cool, dry day. Baking meringues in high humidity makes them sticky.

12/22/2024

These look so beautiful! Use your favorite Sugar Cookie recipe, your favorite red and green cookies (yellow is also great), like Jolly Ranchers. The kids will be amazed. Bet they hold the cookies to their eyes and look through the color!!

Stained Glass Cookies

Ingredients
1 pkg (17.5 oz/496 g) sugar cookie mix (plus ingredients for cutout cookies)
5 red and/or green hard candies, crushed
Directions
Preheat the oven according to package directions. Place the Reversible Silicone Baking Mat on the Cookie Sheet and set aside.

Prepare and roll out the dough on a well-floured Pastry Mat according to package directions for cutout cookies, cutting out circles using the (3-in./7.5-cm) Biscuit Cutter. Gather dough scraps together and roll out again, if necessary. Cut out stars from the centers of the circles using a star-shaped cookie cutter.

Place the circles 1" (2.5 cm) apart on the Cookie Sheet. Bake 4-5 minutes or until the cookies start to become firm. Remove the pan from the oven; sprinkle the centers of cookies with crushed hard candies. Bake an additional 4-5 minutes or until the candies are melted and the edges of the cookies are light golden brown.

Yield:
about 12 cookies
12 servings of 1 cookie

12/22/2024

Dear Friends,
As of December 26, 2024, I will be closing the doors of my Pampered Chef Business. This is not really an easy decision, as I still love Pampered Chef products; however, I'm not so crazy about the many changes involved in the virtual party world. Not helping the matter was a computer crash that took most of my graphics and words used in parties.
I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting so very many of you through parties and fundraisers. I've totally enjoy being a consultant and have heavily stocked kitchen. I must admit, working on fundraisers was probably one of my favorite parts of the business. Helping others through a favorite product, OH YEAH!
I thank you for your business over the past 5 ½ years, and wish each you a happy and wonderful new year.
Please consider contacting my cousin and Pampered Chef Director, Paula Klare for future Pampered Chef needs. www.pamperedchef.biz/paulaklare
Once again, Thank you all, and God Bless,
Sharon

12/21/2024

We've splurged on these oatmeal cookies and made them for grownups by adding white chocolate, macadamia nuts and dried cranberries. We bet your kids will find them irresistible, too!

Cranberry Macadamia Oat Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 squares (1 ounce each) white chocolate for baking, coarsely chopped
1 jar (3.25 ounces) macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick oats
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. In Small Batter Bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. In Classic Batter Bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Using Food Chopper, coarsely chop white chocolate and nuts; transfer to Batter Bowl using Kitchen Scraper. Stir in oats and cranberries; mix well. Using Medium Scoop, drop 9 rounded scoops of dough, 2 inches apart, onto Rectangle Stone. (Cookies will spread while baking.) Flatten balls slightly. Bake 14-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on Baking Stone; remove to Stackable Cooling Rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container.

Yield:
About 3 dozen cookies servings

Cook's Tips:
You can substitute raisins or dried cherries, blueberries or mixed fruits for the cranberries, and almonds, pecans or walnuts for the macadamia nuts.

12/20/2024

I'm sure I've posted these before, like every Christmas season since Pampered Chef came out with the Boat Presses. But these little Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups would be the best for Santa's cookies and milk. I bet he would leave extra wonderful gifts with these to set his mood!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Oil for spraying pan
1 cup (250 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 mL) baking powder
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) butter (1 stick), room temperature
¼ cup (60 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
¼ cup (60 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Shell
½ cup (125 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ tbsp (7 mL) coconut oil
Filling
½ cup (125 mL) milk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray the Muffin Pan with oil using the Kitchen Spritzer.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is creamy.

Add the vanilla and egg to the sugar mixture and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture, beating until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and use the Medium Scoop to add a heaping scoop into each well of the pan.

Bake for 10–12 minutes and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes.

Use the round Boat Press to make a well in the cookies.

For the chocolate shell, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a 1-cup (250-mL) Silicone Prep Bowl for about 1 minute.

Use the Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush to brush the melted chocolate on the inside of each cookie cup and allow it to cool, or wait until the chocolate hardens.

Pour about 1 tbsp (15 mL) of milk into each cookie cup.

Yield:
12 servings

Cook's Tips:
If you’re using store-bought dough, divide the cookie dough into 12 even slices. Spray the Muffin Pan with oil using the Kitchen Spritzer. Distribute the cookie dough into the wells and bake for 15–17 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and lightly browned along the edges.

12/19/2024

Personally, I don't feel the need for the frosting on these cookies. A quick and easy recipe, because not all cookies must be laborious, right?

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies With Peanut Butter Icing

Prep 5 min
Cook 25 min
Ready in 30 min

Ingredients
Cookies
1 pkg (15.25 oz/432g) chocolate cake mix
½ cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ cup (125 mL) semisweet chocolate morsels
Frosting
½ cup (125 mL) creamy peanut butter
½ cup (125 mL) butter, softened (1 stick)
2 cups (500 mL) powdered sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) milk
Garnish
½ cup (125 mL) chopped peanuts, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (190°C).
Add all of the cookie ingredients to the bowl of the Deluxe Stand Mixer fitted with the scraper be**er. MIX for 45 seconds.
Use the Extra-Large Scoop to scoop 4-5 cookies onto a sheet pan; spacing 2” (5 cm) apart.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until tops crack slightly and don’t look wet. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
To prepare the frosting, add all of the frosting ingredients to the bowl of the Deluxe Stand Mixer. CREAM for 2 minutes and 50 seconds.
To assemble, spread frosting onto each cookie and top with chopped peanuts, if using.
Yield:
9 servings

Cook's Tips:
You can make cake mix cookies with any flavor of cake mix! Try vanilla, red velvet, or even confetti!

For best results, only cook one sheet pan at a time. If you bake multiple sheets, rotate your pans and swap racks for even cooking.

To make 18 smaller cookies, scoop 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the mix onto a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the tops crack slightly and don't look wet.

12/18/2024

Tis the Gingerbread Season, isn't it?
This easy recipe is fun to make and comes together in minutes.

Easy Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients
1 pkg (18 oz or 468 g) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
¾ cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour, plus additional as needed
2 tbsp (30 mL) molasses
¾ tsp (4 mL) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2 mL) ground ginger
⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) ground cloves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Crumble the cookie dough into the Classic Batter Bowl. Stir in the flour, molasses, and spices until well blended using the Mix 'N Scraper.
Divide the dough in half. Move the dough to a floured surface. Roll the dough out to ¼" (6 mm) thick. Lightly dip a cookie cutter in flour and cut out as many cookies as you can. Move the cookies onto a Cookie Sheet.
Repeat step 3 with the remaining dough half. Collect the dough scraps from both halves and repeat rolling and cutting.
Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven to a Stackable Cooling Rack and cool for 3 minutes. Use a spatula to move the cookies to a cooling rack.
Yield:
25 cookies

12/17/2024

I'm not a big fan of Cold Brew Coffee, however these could still be a big hit.
These buzzworthy cookies are a tasty way to use up leftover cold brew and repurpose used grounds.

Cold Brew Cookies

Ingredients
½ cup (125 mL) butter (1 stick)
½ cup (125 mL) peanut butter
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 mL) cold brew coffee
¼ cup (60 mL) used coffee grounds (see cook's tip)
¼ tsp (1 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1¾ cups (425 mL) flour
½ cup (125 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup (125 mL) peanut butter chips
Optional: Additional chocolate and peanut butter chips, flaky sea salt or kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Add the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of the Deluxe Stand Mixer. Set to CREAM for 2 minutes and 50 seconds. Press Start.
Add the egg, salt, vanilla, and cold brew to the bowl. Select MIX for 45 seconds. Press Start.
Add the coffee grounds, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Select MIX for 45 seconds. Press Start.
When 10 seconds remain on the timer, pause the mixer. Add the chocolate and peanut butter chips and resume mixing.
Use a Large Scoop to drop 6 cookies each onto 3 ungreased cookies sheets. Sprinkle with additional chocolate and peanut butter chips, if you’d like.
Bake until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned, about 18–20 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if you’d like. Cool for 3 minutes on the sheet pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Yield:
18 servings

Cook's Tips:
Use the left-over grounds from making your cold brew. Just squeeze out any excess moisture!

You can use regular brewed coffee to replace the cold brew in a pinch.

Sprinkle the flaky salt on after baking, so it doesn’t dissolve into the cookies.

You may notice a slight green color in the cookies if you make them ahead. It’s due to the chemical reaction between the baking soda and coffee. They’re still safe to eat.

12/16/2024

During COOKIE BAKING SEASON, do you hold a decorating party? Maybe with the kids/grandkids? Maybe this recipe for Cookie Icing will make it fun too! Sprinkles and Jimmies are always welcome ;)
No spreader needed for this icing! The icing spreads over the cookie quickly for easy and quick decorating.

All-Occasion Cookie Icing

Ingredients
¾ cup (175 mL) milk
½ cup (125 mL) plus 1 tbsp (15 mL) light corn syrup
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
10 cups (2.4 L) powdered sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) food coloring (measure carefully; using too much will affect the detail of the design)
Directions
For colorless icing, whisk the milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar; whisk until smooth. If the icing becomes too thick, add additional milk, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time.

Remove ½ cup (125 mL) of the icing and place it in a separate bowl. Add the food coloring. Fill a resealable plastic bag and cut a small piece off of the corner, and set aside.

Place the cookies on a Stackable Cooling Rack with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Using a Medium Scoop, place 1 level scoop of colorless icing onto the centers of the cookies (working with 12 cookies at a time). The icing will spread.

Immediately decorate the cookies using the colored icing with the following designs. (Icing sets within 3-4 hours.)

For a star design: Place 5 small dots of icing in an X pattern on each cookie. With a wooden pick, drag each dot from the center outwards 5 times to form stars.

For a peppermint design: Draw a large * with icing across entire cookie. With a wooden pick, start at center point of design and continuously drag in a swirl patter to form a pinwheel.

For the ornament design: Draw 3 horizontal lines with the icing across each cookie. With a wooden pick, drag across the lines, alternating in each direction.

Yield:
Makes enough to ice about 3 dozen cookies
servings

Cook's Tips:
Make ahead…decorate later!
Store undecorated cookes, covered, until you’re ready to decorate. Once decorated, store the cookies, covered, at room temperature. (Be sure icing has completely set before storing.)

Sharon's Kitchen Ideas

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12/16/2024

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