Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Cookies

 

 

Glad you dropped by Red Couch Recipes!

 

My mother made a maraschino heart-shaped cake for my father one year for Valentine's Day, and ever since I always associate maraschino cherries with Valentine's Day.  So I put together this recipe for my children, and they loved them.  These cookies are like chocolate covered cherries in shortbread form. Their lovely color is derived from the maraschino cherries and juice.   My daughter Tati also took them for her church class as a treat and they loved them also, and I hope you love them too.  Now that is a whole lot of love -- but it is Valentine's season, isn't it?

 

 

 

 

Recipe for Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Cookies

 

1  cup softened butter (do not use margarine)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice

2 cups, plus 2 -3 tablespoons flour, as needed (see note)

Maraschino cherries from a 10-ounce jar -- chopped very finely with the juice squeezed out of the cherries -- squeeze first, then chop

Small amount milk or semi-sweet chocolatechips for drizzling (about 1/2 cup for drizzling)  -- I used milk chocolate chips.

 

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In medium mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the almond extract, then beat in the salt.  then add maraschino cherry juice.  On low speed, gradually beat in the flour, beginning with 2 cups of flour, and adding more flour, if necessary.  The dough should be able to be rolled out.  Roll out cookies to about 1/3 inch and cut with a cookie cutter. I used a small heart-shaped cookie cutter.   Bake at 325 for about 8 - 9 minutes.  Let cookies sit on baking sheet a few minutes, and then remove and cool on rack.  When cookies are cool, melt chocolate, and then drizzle on cookies. Let chocolate dry.  Yield:  2 dozen small cookies.   Now go on and serve them to a loved one.

 

Cookies waiting to be drizzled

 

 

 

Notse:  I live in a very dry, desert area; the amount of flour you use will vary.  For the drizzling of the chocolate, I just cut a small hole in the corner of a Zip-Loc bag.  I then put a small amount of chocolate in the bag and drizzled the chocolate over the cookies with a back and forth motion.

 

Cookie waiting for chocolate to dry

 

 

 

Hope you are baking something up special for your loved ones.

 

 

 

Just a little picture from the homefront....

This is the cat named Ruby that we rescued from the street a little less than a year ago.  He was sitting in the middle of the street.  I recently bought him a little house, AND HE LOVES IT!!  You know how you buy something for your pet, and they never use it...

 

 

 

 Thanks for dropping by the Couch.

Va Va Va Valentine's Tablescape

 

  

 

Dear Readers, welcome to my Va Va Va Valentine's Day Table!

 

 

I love Valentine's Day! My husband and I were married on February 12 many moons ago.  Our reception was Valentine-themed complete with white painted manzanita bushes and red hearts.   Jacqueline and I found these hear place mats at Home Goods recently.  They are woven out of paper!

 

 

It seems like a long time ago since we were married,  but in reality time has zoomed by.

 

 

The white heart plates are from Tai Pan Trading.

 

 

 

The napkins were also purchased at Home Goods.  I tied them with a little gingham ribbon.

 

 

The table is graced with King's Crown goblets and red goblets.

 

 

 

Here's a little side view of the table.  The red hob nail bowls were a find at Michael's a couple of years ago.  We use them all the time for baked casseroles.

 

 

 

Just another happy little look at the red bowls.

 

 

We brought out the silver for this table.  Of course we did, it is Valentine's Day.

 

 

A picture with the light streaming on the table.  The red on the table is that reflected from the glasses.

 

 

 

 

I have just returned from a week in Virginia where I spent time with my husband.  It was an early Anniversary visit.  So good to see him!  We made it to Colonial Village at Williamsburg, and I loved it! I may show a few photos later.   I have never experienced such courteous drivers, than those at Williamsburg.

   

Our son and son daughter-in-law, and their two girls live in Richmond while he is attending medical school.  We were able to go to their daughter Sydney's baby blessing.

 

Aivi, the big sister, is  helping her mom cook.  She was putting cooked pasta in cupcake wrappers.

 

 

Sydney is glad her big day is over.  She was in a swing and I couldn't get a shot that wasn't blurry.

 

 

 

And nearby Richmond  there is a famous Christmas Tree Shop Store that Kathleen has introduced many of us to.

 

 

 

 

I have to tell you that I was not able to find the bargains like Kathleen does.  I DID find Friendly Village plates there. 

 

 

Kathleen found them for one dollar, and  I found them for $3.99!   I didn't buy them.  She does have a way with bargains.  I think it is the kind of store that you need to shop often at.  I did find a few bargains that I lugged home in my carry-on --- arghh!!

 

 

Thank you to Kathleen for hosting Let's Dish where I am posting this tablescape as well as at Tablescape Thursday.

 

 

Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes!

 

Table Information:

 

Heart Placemats and Napkins:  Home Goods

White Heart Plates and White Chargers:  Tai Pan Trading

Flatware:  Damask Rose by Oneida, wedding present from my parents

King's Crown Stemware:  Ebay, present from Jacqueline

Red Goblets:  Costco present from Jacqueline and my sister Jean

Red Hob Nail bowls:  Michael's Arts and Crafts

 

 

 



Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Bars

Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes where I am sharing a delicious, moist little peanut butter bar with a cooked chocolate frosting.  This recipe makes a lot of bars and it whips up so quickly!  Sometimes this peanut butter cake is served with a peanut butter frosting, but I have a daughter who isn't fond of peanut butter frosting so I switched it up and made it with the cooked chocolate frosting, which I adore, that was served on my Groom's cake at my wedding.

 

Recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Bars

 

 

Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

 

 2 cups flour

2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan.  In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Combine the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove mixture from heat and stir in peanut butter and vegetable oil and mix until well blended.  Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients.  Combine the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla and stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.  Bake for 18 to 24 minutes.  Make the frosting below while the cake is baking and spread the frosting on the cake when the cake is still warm.

 

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients and Instructions

 

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 tablespoons milk

3-3/4 cups powdered sugar

 

Melt the butter, milk and cocoa together in a small sauce pan.  Remove from heat and mix in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Ice cake with frosting as soon as cake is out of the oven.  Wait until frosting sets before serving.

 

The Peanut Butter Cake recipe is from All Recipes and the Cooked Chocolate Frosting is a recipe that my mother-in-law Geniel has used for years.
 

 Hope you make this recipe!  Thanks for dropping by The Couch.