Sorry it took me so long busy week. Okay, my first picture on the forum, hope it works! CRANBERRY-ORANGE DELIGHTS This is the original recipe but I did make several modifications which are noted below the recipe. 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 2 Tbs orange juice 2 ½ cups all pupose flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 cups dried cranberries ½ cup chopped walnuts For glaze: ½ tsp grated orange zest 3 Tbs orange juice 1½ cups confectioners sugar DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, white and brown sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 Tbs. orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and walnuts, if using, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 1214 minutes in preheated oven until edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. For glaze: In small bowl whisk together ½ teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set. My modifications: Mixing method: I used the melted butter method for these instead of creaming the butter and sugars together. I simply beat or stir the cooled melted butter into the sugars. Cookie dough additions: I added 3-4 tablespoons of chopped glaceed oranges to the batter. Id just gotten some as a gift for Christmas (thats why I made orange cookies) and I thought they would add a nice orangey touch, as they have a rich orange flavor. Used pecans, not walnuts, and toasted them. Glaze additions: I made the glaze with creamed cheese (beat in about 2-3 tablespoons with the orange juice, zest and flavorings) to give it more thickness, creaminess and body, added about a teaspoon of orange flavoring to it, a tiny pinch of salt and just a touch of lemon juice (the lemon is not necessary, I just wanted a bit more tartness and to bring out the flavor). Baking: I found 375 too fast an oven and over-browned my first batch. 350 degrees worked much better for me. If I had to make these again, I would use a little bit less sugar and/or either fresh chopped cranberries or unsweetened dried ones, since I missed the tartness of the cranberry flavor and found the cookies a bit sweet.

Here you go Claire. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Shire House Cream Cheese Pie ============================ have had this recipe for 30 years. It was given to me by the owners of the Shire House Restaurant which was just outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan The restaurant has been gone for many years. The original recipe calls for poached pears but I have used strawberries as well as peaches and apricots and you could use blueberries or blackberries. 1 8 oz cream cheese 1 cup whipping cream 1 French Pie Crust (Pate Sucree) Honey sugar vanilla 6 poached pear halves (substitute other fruit) orange liqueur Apricot Preserves Poach Pears or apricots in 1 cup sugar to 2 cups water with 1 tablespoon of lemon added. Cook until tender and cool. Prepare and bake pie crust. Cool Whip cream cheese with 3 to 5 tablespoons of honey (to taste). Whip cream with sugar (again to taste) Add vanilla. Fold cream into cheese and add to cold pie crust. Decorate with pears and brush with orange liqueur.

I just read a FAQ at Land O'Lakes (butter) on this subject, and I agreed with them. I'm a food safety "freak". "Most cookie dough can be refrigerated or frozen. Place dough in airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator until it's just soft enough to use. To have future batches of cookies ready in minutes, drop dough on cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Remove dough from cookie sheets and place in resealable, plastic freezer bags. To bake, place frozen mounds of cookie dough on cookie sheet and follow recipe directions. Baking time may need to be increased. " BTW, if you have anyone inclined to eat raw (unbaked) cookie dough containing eggs, be sure to use powdered eggs, Egg Beaters, or other pasteurized egg products to prevent egg-related bacteria. Personally, I'll make the cookie dough and form the dough balls and freeze them as I have time, then bake later when needed. -Grainlady

Julie, lol! They are a little putzi, for sure, but I have a system for that kind of stuff and really enjoy the process. You can buy all kinds of cookie stencils at a craft store's bakery section but I purchase my 'accoutrements' on line. But, yes, it is very easy once you practice a few times on parchment. You can also ice the whole top with royal icing, let it harden, then use a stencil and a dab of edible luster on a brush. Elegant! The most important element is the cookie itself.