Dried Figs

I found these guys at the grocery store today while on a hunt for dried apples. They were located by the raisins, craisins, and other dried fruit. They were on sale, so I thought I would give them a try. I have never really ate figs, unless you count Fig Newtons. I was pleasantly surprised! They have a really complex taste and texture. The inside is full of tiny seeds, but so small they don't bother your teeth. There is a weird stumpy end that I just toss to the dogs. I am not sure how to use them in cooking, but they are fabulous for snacking. Ultra high in fiber. I would really suggest you try them! I bought ones that came in a resealable plastic pouch, Orchard Choice Brand Mission Figlets.

Maple Pecan Shortbread

These were super good. The recipe called for Grade B maple syrup and maple extract that was not available in Winona, so I had to use Grade A and vanilla extract instead. Also, they were suppose to be 2 inch rounds cut outs, I used a flower shape. My husband wondered how I got them in such a nice shape.....cookie cutter (duh). These are not on Martha's website. So, ya gotta buy the book!

ANZAC Biscuits

These were very good. Nice and chewy. I did not have Lyle's Golden Syrup, Hy-vee does carry it, but I didn't want to buy a huge jar of it for 2 tablespoons. So I used honey instead. If I make this cookie again, maybe I'll splurge for the Lyle's. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corp. No eggs, so good for those allergy folks. Check out the recipe on Martha's page.

Anise Drops

Johnny really loved these ones. He is a fan of the chewy cookie. They were super simple to make, and the anise extract gave it a real different flavor. Not one you would expect in a cookie. Since I did not use a pastry bag to pipe them into perfect buttons, they came out bigger than they were suppose to, and took longer to cook. They stuck to the parchment paper, so I allowed the later batches to cool directly onto the parchment paper. This prevent the sticking. My first time using anise extract. Also, on her web-site.

Amaretti Crisps

I really liked this one. John wasn't a fan, but he doesn't like the crispy cookies. I don't have pastry bags to pipe the dough through, so I just cut the tip off a zip-lock bag to pipe the ring shape. I am pretty sure it was my first time making a meringue type dough as well. Great learning experiences. It took a long time to get the egg white to fluff, I never realized that. I would like to make these again for a special occasion. This recipe is on Martha's site as well.

Almond Spice Wafers

These turned out fairly well. The recipe says to freeze the dough for 1.5 hours or overnight before slicing them. I tried slicing them after 1.5 hours, mistake. They came out too thick. I tried again after leaving them for a night, much better. I still don't think I sliced them thin enough. The spices reminded me of pumpkin pie, and the cookies went very well with morning coffee. This one is on her site. Right Here.

Raspberry Cream Sandwich

This is another one with the recipe printed on her web-site. Right here. Winona does not carry whole vanilla beans, so I had to omit that. I just used the highest quality vanilla extract I could find, Watkins brand, a company located right here in Winona! And, raspberries are also not available here, so I had to use frozen. I am thinking that is the reason why the cream filling turned out runnier than I would have liked. Sigh. I guess you have to live in a fabulous place like Miami or New York to have the correct ingredients. Tasty cookie, hubby loved it.