Pepparkakor and Christmas go hand in hand in our family.  I have been scared off from making them in the past because of how stiff the dough is and the massive quantity of cookies this recipe makes.  Instead of seeing that as a problem, this year I took it head on and saw it as a challenge.  How can I make this a more approachable recipe?  How can I make them taste as delicious as the ones from my childhood?   Can I roll them thin enough?

After MANY MANY MANY batches of Pepparkakor I landed on a recipe and a technique that created the perfect cookie.  And then I sandwiched some Eggnog Ice Cream between two of them…  I think I know what we're leaving out for Santa this year!

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

½ cup

Ljus Syrup

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup hot water (110 degrees)

4 cups flour

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add ljus syrup and egg yolks and mix until incorporated.  Measure hot water into a glass measuring cup and stir in baking soda.  Pour soda mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer and slowly mix in.

In a separate bowl, sift together remaining ingredients.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until the batter just comes together.

Divide dough into quarters and roll each section out on floured parchment paper until ¼ inch thick.  Stack rolled dough {with parchment still on the dough} on a cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove one sheet of dough at a time, cut one inch circles with a cookie cutter.  Bake 7-8 minutes.  Watch them very carefully as they will burn quickly.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes about 48 one-inch cookies.

This is the original recipe from Mr. Hedin's grandmother and great-grandmother.  I tweaked it.

Check out the other posts in this series…

5 Minute Gratitude Journal 

Pumpkin Pancakes for Thanksgiving Morning

Gratitude Star Garland

Hand Stamped Thank You Cards

A December 1st Party

Painted Wrapping Paper

Party Hat Trees

About Fresh Holiday Traditions…

I’m teaming up with my friends 

Melissa

, 

MJ

 and 

Jennifer

 to bring you eight fresh holiday DIYs. This is the last week of our weekly Christmas party.  I hope you've enjoyed it!

Yellow Batter Bowl

 ::  

Cuisinart

I just discovered the magic of the cheese ball.  I uncovered a recipe from 1978 that my mother had clipped and saved - then I tweaked it just a little to accommodate those of us who aren't living in 1978. This is a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving.  

3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese

1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup beer

1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a food processor, combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add worcestershire sauce, mustard, and beer, and pulse until well combined.  Roll into a ball-ish shape and refrigerate about one hour.  

Remove from refrigerator and shape into a smooth ball using parchment paper to guide it - and to keep your fingerprints off.   

Here are three reasons why I love a cheese ball ::  

1. You make it ahead.  So it's done before you need to serve it, just pull it out of the fridge and you're done.  You can also freeze it!  FREEZE!  That means, you can make one now.  Freeze that business.  Then pull it out an hour before you need to serve it.  You look fancy.  You are fancy.

2. It's crazy simple ingredients.  Ten bucks says you have them already.

3. It's retro.  We love retro.

This is the perfect alternative to a huge turkey if you only have a few people to serve.  Or, if you aren't hosting Thanksgiving and won't end up with leftovers, this is a great way to end up with a little turkey the next day.

Copper Mixing Bowl

 ::

 Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

 ::  

Meat Thermometer  

** GIVEAWAY CLOSED OCTOBER 1, 2013  **

My kids eat a lot of vegetables.  I know they could eat more, but compared to most kids, they eat a lot of vegetables.  I would guess about 90% of that is luck.  They like broccoli and asparagus and cucumbers.  And because I know they will eat so many things, I continually push the limits to get them to eat more vegetables and more healthy food.  Wheatberries are a legitimate 'pie in the sky' concept.

I adore wheatberries.  They are packed with nutrition and are super tasty and crunchy.  Wheatberries can be paired with almost anything as a salad - so I decided to give a little twist on a Greek salad and see what would happen.  My kids eat olives, they eat pickles, they eat cheese, they eat cucumbers - this didn't seem too far of a stretch.   They picked out what they wanted to eat and left the rest.  I call it a draw.  

Did you know that if you replaced one meal per day in your home with a salad it would translate to a 100 calorie a day reduction?  And think of all of the good things you are putting in your body!  I partnered with the

Whole Kids Foundation

to give you $50 in cash money {actually a gift card} to create your own salad.  

** Must be a friend of

Alexandra Hedin on Facebook

then,

** In the comments below,

tell me what your favorite salad is to make at home

and you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card to Whole Foods.  The winner will be announced next

Tuesday, October 1st

via Facebook!  I can't wait to see what you're making and to try it on my own children!  

1 cup wheatberries

3 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1/4 cup pickled bell peppers, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

4 ounces crumbled feta

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4-1/3 cup olive oil

salt

In a saucepan, bring water and wheatberries to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until water has evaporated {about one hour}.  Watch the pot carefully during the last ten minutes so the wheatberries don't scorch.  

Pour wheatberries into a bowl and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Toss everything together and let rest at least 30 minutes - but up to overnight.  Season with salt just before serving.  

Salad Servers

::  

Yellow Salad Bowl

Wusthof Knife from Sur la Table

I dig St. Patrick's Day.  It's such a fun and quirky day of the year to dye random things green and eat corned beef.  Plus it's the only time of year I buy Lucky Charms cereal.  My kids have eaten their weight in it already, so I almost didn't get to make these Lucky Charms Treats.  But I whisked away the box in time to rescue enough ingredients for a batch.  

If this is your first time making these, they are super easy.  I have tried them a variety of ways and have learned the best way to make them is with a combination of Rice Krispie cereal and Lucky Charms cereal.  Sadly, to get the best ratio of tiny charms marshmallows to cereal you have to rob most of the box of Lucky Charms which leaves cereal behind with no fun marshmallows.  My children were not humored.

Oh well.  

Grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan and set aside.  Mix together cereals + Lucky Charms marshmallows in a bowl.  In a 4 quart sauce pan over low heat, melt together butter and marshmallows, stirring often, until everything is melted.  Pour in cereal mixture and stir very gently until all of the cereal is coated in marshmallow.  Spread mixture into prepared pan and do not pat down.  Grease the tips of your fingers with butter and gently pat mixture into the corners. 

Let sit at least one hour.  Cut into squares and serve.  Delish.

3 cups Rice Krispie Cereal

3 cups Lucky Charms Cereal (marshmallows removed)

1 ½ cups Lucky Charms Marshmallows (cereal removed)

40 regular sized marshmallows (about 10 ounces)

¼ cup butter