Variety is the Spice

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The Recipe Corner - Almond Delights

Today's Thursday treat comes from WhimseyFish.  An artist with a range of talents. From large jewelry to tiny knitted sweaters. She has wonderful sense of color and texture which is well represented in her cooking.
Enjoy.

Almond Delights
Makes 50

The Cookie:
½ cup Slivered Almonds
1 cup Butter, softened
½ cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 cups Flour
Chocolate-Almond Filling

1. Bake the almonds for 5 minutes in a 350° oven until they are lightly browned. Let cool, finely chop and set aside.
2. Mix butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add almond extract, salt and flour. Mix well.
3. For each cookie half, roll a rounded ½ tsp. of dough into a ball the size of a marble. Place 1½ inches apart on an ungreased
baking sheet and bake in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes until firm, but not browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Put together 2 cookies with about ½ tsp. of the filling. Don’t skimp, as you want the frosting to ooze out the sides so the nuts have something to stick to.
5. Generously roll the exposed chocolate frosting edge in the chopped almonds.

Chocolate-Almond Filling:
2 tbs. Butter
2 tbs. Heavy Cream
3 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
½ tsp. Almond Extract
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar

1. Bring the butter and cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
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Tuesday Tinker - whimsyfish

whimsyfish poses a question we all might take a moment to ponder, "What is life without art?

Come browse her shop.

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT - On location with our next Tuesday Tinker

whimsyfish found a surprise in her pool one morning.

Winter Whites by whimsyfish

Our member, whimsyfish, created this Treasury for us.

View the clickable Treasury that takes you right to the shops represented here.

Tuesday Tinker - whimsyfish

A direct quote from whimsyfish, "I have been making things since I was a little girl. After a long career in the corporate world, I have decided to find my bliss again. I hope you like my creations as much as I enjoyed making them". 

Browse her shop.

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT - On location with our next Tuesday Tinker

whimsyfish likes to use found objects in her creation. She resides in New Hampshire where picturesque winter scenes are easily found. Perhaps thats why she got into collecting vintage bottle-brush trees. You can see some of them in this picture.

The Recipe Corner - Cornmeal Raspberry Cookies

Makes 40

The Cookie:

1 cup Butter, softened 

1 cup Sugar 

1 Egg

11⁄4 cup Flour 

1 cup Cornmeal

 1 tsp. Baking Powder

 1 tsp. Salt 

Raspberry Filling 

Confectioners' Sugar

1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric beater. Beat in egg, flour, cornmeal, baking powder and

        salt.

2. Transfer dough onto a floured surface and divide in half. With floured hands, shape each half into a block 

        7 inched long 11⁄2 inches wide and 11⁄2 inches high. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours 

         until well chilled.

3. Cut dough into 1/8 inch slices and arrange one inch apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with

        non-stick spray. The cookies will spread a bit. Bake in 350° oven for 8 minutes or until edges are 

        beginning to turn gold. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool.

4. Sandwich two cookies together with raspberry filling and sift confectioner's sugar over the tops.

Raspberry Filling:

2 cups Raspberry Jam 

2 tbs. Cornstarch

1. Place jam and cornstarch in a small pan. Cook, stirring, until the cornstarch is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Set aside to cool before using.

Enjoy this recipe compliments of Whimsy Fish. 

Check her holiday sweets book in her shop for other great cookie recipes: CD or PDF 

Tuesday Tinker - whimsyfish

whimsyfish lives in Stratham, NH, USA. A little artistry and a little whimsy goes into everything she makes, be it jewelry, knits or whatever takes her fancy. Pictured is one of her mini sweater Christmas tree ornaments.

Browse her shop.

Needful Things by Whimsyfish

Good Luck With That One by Whimsyfish