Hi Friends!  Happy Holidays!

I haven’t been posting much lately, since I got a new job as Taproom Manager at Holidaily Brewing Company, which I am loving!!  Do you know anybody who is gluten-free and wishes they could have a good craft beer?  Send them to Golden!  Holidaily uses real grains, millet and buckwheat, giving it superior gluten-free taste.  You would never know it’s gluten-free!!  I promise!

Anyway, back to the blog….I am going to try to squeeze some blog posts into my crazy busy life, simply because great ideas for easy meals are constantly popping into my head, and I want to share them with you!  My goal for 2018 is to get back to blogging, even if just once a week!  So, stay tuned!  And let me know what you think….have you been visiting and using my old recipes or are you ready for some new ones?  I miss you!

As you’re getting ready for holiday baking, I wanted to share one of my favorite cookie recipes, from Martha Stewart (slightly modified.) These are sure winners for a cookie exchange or a great gift for a teacher or friend.  Pure Christmas goodness!!

Happy Baking!

~  Gena

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 candy canes, crushed

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Add butter, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to a mixer and beat on medium-high until fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low, beat in egg until mixed, about 1 min. Add flour mixture and chocolate chips and beat on low just until combined.
• Using a spoon, place small balls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges look done.  Let cool on wire racks.
• For the glaze, stir together powdered sugar and enough cream to make a spreadable consistency.  Feel free to add a little more peppermint extract into the glaze.  Start with a very small amount.  (You can always add more.)
• Spread a thin layer of glaze on top of each cookie and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Enjoy!!