Surprise Meringues

Surprise Meringues Spring on the farm usually means eggs – lots of eggs.

But my chickens have reached the age of retirement (either that or they are still on strike for better working conditions!) and slowed down their egg production drastically. I’m thankful that our friend Martha has kept us well supplied.

It just wouldn’t be spring without homemade angel food cake, lots of puddings and custards, and of course – meringues!

Since Dagmar is gone for the week at Teen Pact Iowa – I spent some time this morning perusing her new Taste of Home Cookbook. (Shhh! Please don’t tell!)

While I absolutely love my go-to chocolate meringue recipe – I found a new one that sounded promising.

I made one recipe and divided it in half so I could try two variations. The first with chocolate chips and nuts, the second with a hidden chocolate kiss.

Oh my! Both were wonderful!

Surprise Meringues

3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Place egg whites in a large bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt; beat on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at at time until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 6 minutes.

Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 250 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes or until firm to the touch. Turn oven off; leave meringues in the oven for 1 – 1/2 hours. Remove to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Variation : Meringue Kisses – Omit the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop the meringues by tablespoonful on parchment lined baking sheets. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each one and cover with meringue. Bake at 375degress for 30-35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove immediately to a wire rack.

The original recipe said they would make 4 dozen cookies – but I just made mine bigger and got 2 dozen.

They were still only 57 calories a cookie! 🙂

Now that’s a guilt free cookie!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.

Chocolate Kissed Snowballs

I love these cookies.

Really love them.

I love them so much that I can’t stop eating them.

But since I’ve jumped in the “bottomless pit of Christmas goodies” with both feet – I figured I might as well make these too! 🙂

A sweet friend and co-worker first served me some of these goodies way back in the olden days when we were both still in college. She brought them into work one cold December day and I was hooked! (Bless you Miss Donna!)

They often make it into our Christmas line-up and on our Christmas treat plates. They do freeze well – but are divine fresh from the oven when the chocolate inside is gooey and hot! <drooling>

These are perfect on a cold snowy day!

Chocolate Kissed Snowballs

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans (I have substituted almonds)
5 ounce bag of Hershey Kisses (unwrapped)
powdered sugar for coating

Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add the flour, salt, and pecans. Mix well.

Shape about 1 teaspoon of dough around each candy kiss and put on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes. Don’t let them get too brown!

Remove from the oven and place cookies on cooling racks. While still slightly warm, roll in powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

I’ll linked this post up with Tuesdays at the Table over at All the Small Stuff and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday over at At The Well.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

I love finding a bargain!

I was shopping with the girls in our local Pamida when I saw two grocery carts full of “reduced for quick sale” items – including several bags of dark chocolate Hershey kisses. I grabbed all there were for just $1 a bag!

A good buy like that deserves to be rewarded – so we made these traditional – and so yummy Peanut butter cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses (with wrappers removed)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

Beat peanut butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Cream together.

Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat into the peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in the additional granulated sugar before placing on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!