One of the best things with being a reviewer is discovering new to us authors. One of those authors we recently discovered and had on the blog is Katharine Ashe. We had so much fun we had to have her back to share her favorite holiday recipe.
Warm thanks to my lovely hostesses for inviting me to join their holiday fun.
My favorite Christmas movie is It’s A Wonderful Life. With romance, true goodness, heartache, high drama, a nasty villain, abiding love, and the wonder of Christmas magic, it makes me laugh and weep with joy every year.
When it comes to Christmas books, I’ve never forgotten a marvelous story I read years ago, a novella set in the Regency era. In it, a war hero—scarred both inside and out—returns home for the holidays and falls for the girl who has always adored him. It was deliciously romantic. The trouble is, I cannot for the life of me remember the title or the name of the author! If anybody can fill in my awful memory blank, I’ll send you a signed copy of my SWEPT AWAY BY A KISS (featuring lots of yummy Christmas adventure, including a steamy mistletoe kiss).
And now for the recipe… My favorite holiday cookies are decadently elegant and fit perfectly into pretty little tins to give as gifts. I love secret identities; all the heroes of my books have them—just like these cookies: nobody realizes they’re made with Hershey’s Kisses! I usually make them while watching one of my favorite old Christmas movies and sipping a cup of creamy tea. Kids love to help with this recipe too.
Chocolate Kiss Dreams
1 cup butter (the recipe allows for margarine, but the flavor begs for butter!)
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa (the fancier the better, so I often splurge on a tin of imported Pernigotti cocoa from Williams-Sonoma)
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 bag Hershey’s Kisses, wrappers removed
Powdered sugar
Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Add pecans; beat until well blended. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour until firm enough to handle. Heat oven to 375˚F. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each chocolate Kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving if desired. Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies.
I am sorry, I can’t help you with the book title or author. But thank you for the guestpost, and the lovely recipe. Chocolate!
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you as well!