Every year I bake for the holidays. Since I'm a terrible cook, baking is my last stand and I make one hell of a last stand.
Last year I participated in the Great D-Kos Cookie Recipe Exchange and this year, I thought I'd try and get it started since I hadn't seen it posted yet.
First, let's start with my favorite recipe:
No Bakes
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
2/3 cup peanut butter
3 cups oats
In a medium saucepan, combine first 5 ingredients over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly (make sure the sugar doesn't start to crystalize).
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until dissolved then quickly stir in oats.
Spoon out quickly onto wax paper to cool in fridge.
And one from last year's author, Maggie Mae:
Santa's Whiskers
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup red candied cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add milk and vanilla and beat until combined. Remember to scrape sides of bowl occasionally through this process.
Add flour and beat until well mixed.
By hand, with a wooden spoon, stir in cherries and pecans.
Shape into three 7" logs. Roll in shredded coconut. Wrap and chill for several hours.
Cut into 1/4" thick slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1" apart. Bake about 12 minutes.
Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely.
Makes about 60 cookie.
I tried Santa's whiskers and they were easy to make and soft and yummy, however, they are sweet so make sure you have a glass of milk or a cup of coffee with them!!
In your holiday baking this year, please remember the children of Ivory Coast and avoid the big chocolate makers (Nestle, Hershey's, M&M Mars)
Chocolate comes from cocoa, and the cocoa supply is controlled by a small number of companies worldwide that are allowed to function with limited accountability. Hershey's and M&M/Mars alone control two-thirds of the $13 billion U.S. chocolate candy market. The result? An industry marred with child slavery, unsafe working conditions and a cycle of poverty with no end in sight for cocoa farmers. Chocolate companies are not held accountable for sourcing practices, and despite their knowledge about the travesties that occur on cocoa farms, they lack the will to change.
The U.S. chocolate industry has faced multiple deadlines requiring new protocol, and yet little has changed. Under pressure from Congress, in the Harken-Engel Protocol, the U.S. chocolate industry agreed to voluntarily take steps to end child slavery on cocoa farms by July of 2005. This deadline has since passed, and the chocolate industry has failed to comply with the terms of this agreement.
For a list of fair trade chocolate suppliers, you can try this diary.
Do not discount Fair Trade Chocolate from Africa (2+ / 0-)
This is the way to combat child labor while still supporting the local economies.
Below is a list of Fair Trade Chocolate Companies. They have passed the screening and review of the Fair Trade Federation and Co-op America's Green Business Network:
A World Away, Atlantic Beach, FL
904/247-4411, www.aworldaway.net
Alter Eco, San Francisco, CA
415/701-1212, www.altereco-usa.com
Ananse Village, Fort Bragg, CA
877/242-4467, www.anansevillage.com
Bean North Coffee Roasting Company,
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
867/667-4145, www.beannorth.com
Café Humana, Seattle, WA,
866/7-HUMANA, www.cafehumana.com
Dean’s Beans, Orange, MA, 800/325-3008,
www.deansbeans.com
Divine Chocolate USA, Washington, DC,
202/332-8913, www.divinechocolateusa.com
Equal Exchange, West Bridge, MA,
774/776-7333, www.equalexchange.com
Equita, Pittsburgh, PA
412/353-0109, www.shopequita.com
Fair World Gallery, West Des Moines, IA,
515/277-7550, www.fairworldgallery.com
Fair World Marketplace, DeWitt, NY
315/446-0326, www.fairworldmarketplace.com
Global Exchange Fair Trade Store,
San Francisco, CA 800/505-4410,
store.gxonlinestore.org
Grounds for Change , Poulsbo, WA,
800/796-6820, www.groundsforchange.com
Ithaca Fine Chocolates , Ithaca, NY,
607/257-7954, www.ithacafinechocolates.com
La Siembra Cooperative, Inc., Ottowa,
Ontario, Canada, 613/235-6122,
www.cocoacamino.com
Providence Coffee, Faribault, MN,
507/412-1733, www.providencecoffee.com
SERRV International, Madison, WI,
800/423-0071, www.serrv.org/divine
Shaman Chocolates, Soquel, CA,
877/990-3337, www.shamanchocolates.com
Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates,
San Luis Obispo, CA. 805/544-7759,
www.sweetearthchocolates.com
Yachana Gourmet, Batavia, NY.
716/343-4490, www.yachanagourmet.com