Honey Cinnamon Spice Cookies - Medovniky

Honey Cinnamon Spice Cookies - Medovniky

Yesterday I decided to make my grandma's Honey Cinnamon Spice Cookies called in Slovakia Medovniky.

Christmas at grandma's wouldn't be Christmas without colorful Medovniky of different shapes and sizes.

Medovniky are cut-out cookies similar to Gingerbread cookies.

Over the years I made many versions of Spice Cookies.

For Christmas I stick to basic cut-out shapes and decorate them as I would sugar cookies.

PRINTABLE VERSION:

Ingredients:

• 3,5 cup Flour
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 5 Whole Cloves (finely crushed)
• 1 Eggs 

STEP 1: In a large bowl combine together flour, sugar, baking  soda, cinnamon and crushed cloves.

STEP 2: Add melted butter, honey and 3 eggs. Mix it well together till combined. You will get firm cookie dough.

STEP 3: Wrap the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap or put it into Ziploc bag. Leave it in the fridge overnight.

STEP 4: The next day preheat the oven to 400F.

STEP 5: Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/6" thickness.Cut out the cookies with cookie cutters.

STEP 6: Place the cut out cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 2" apart.

STEP 7: Bake the cookies for 8 minutes.

STEP 8: Meanwhile in a small bowl beat together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water.

STEP 9: After the cookies are done lightly brush them immediately with the egg mixture. This will give the cookies nice shine.

STEP 10: Move them onto cooling wire rack. Let them cool completely and then decorate anyway you like.

Honey Cinnamon Spice Cookies - Medovniky

Chocolate Cherry Cordial Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cordial Cookies

My youngest son reminded me this morning that Christmas is only 5 day away.

As usual I am running behind with all of my Christmas preparation. Usually my Christmas baking is done well before Christmas, but not this year.

The three week flu mid November sure caused a havoc with my holiday plans.

So I am trying to catch up as much as I can.

I baked few Christmas cookies during the weekend. One of them were Chocolate Cherry Cordial Cookies.

My husband loves Cherry Cordial candy so I decided to incorporate them into my cookies.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

PRINTABLE VERSION

Ingredients:

• 1,5 cup Flour
• 1/5 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/5 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Pkg. Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses
• 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
• 1Tbsp Cherry Extract or Kirsch Liqueur

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350F.

STEP 2: In a bowl combine together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside.

STEP 3: In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar. When the mixture is creamy beat in the egg.

STEP 4: Slowly mix in the flour mixture.

STEP 5: Shape dough into 1" balls. Place the balls onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart.

STEP 6: Make a small thumbprint into each cookie (I found that the cookies will have nicer shape after baked).

STEP 7: Bake for 10 minutes.

STEP 8: After you remove the cookies from the oven immediately press Cherry Cordial Kiss into center of each cookie.

STEP 9: Transfer cookies to cooling wire racks right after.

STEP 10: Put white chocolate chips and cherry extract into microwaveable bowl and melt the chocolate for 30 seconds or until melted, but not overdone.

STEP 11: Decorate the cookies with the cherry flavored white chocolate.

Chocolate Cherry Cordial Cookies

Grenadier March (Grenadiersky Pochod)

Grenadier March (Grenadiersky Pochod)

Cold winter nights mean hearty and stick-to-your-bones comfort dinner meals in my family.

Having two growing and always starving boys little dainty dinners don't go over well...

.......Especially when it's cold outside and the boys have been playing hockey or shoveling driveway.

Raising two boys our food budget is getting bigger and bigger every month so cheap....filling....yummy dishes are frequently on my menu.

I often get my ideas for cheap meals from my childhood in Slovakia.

Last night I made a dish that goes back to my years in boarding school....total comfort dish called GRENADIER MARCH.... super easy to make..... made under 30 minutes.....cheap....hearty & filling.

This recipe serves 4-6 portions and it's vegetarian friendly (just leave out the ham).

PRINTABLE VERSION 

Ingredients:

• 6 Potatoes (medium size)
• 400g Broad Egg Noodles
• 2 Onions
• 2 Tbsp Oil or Butter
• 1 Tbsp Hungarian Paprika (Sweet or Hot - your choice)
• 1 cup Ham or Smoked Sausage (chopped & optional for vegetarian version)
• Salt
• Pepper

STEP 1: Peel and cut the potatoes into small chunks. Cook them till soft, but not mushy.Drain and put aside.

STEP 2: Cook and drain the egg noodles. Put aside.

STEP 3: In a large skillet heat the oil or butter on high. Add finely chopped onions and saute them till translucent.

STEP 4: Add paprika and saute for about 1 minute while stirring.

STEP 5: Turn the heat down to medium. Add chopped ham into the mix. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

STEP 6: Add the potatoes and stir till well combined.

STEP 7: Add the noodles and repeat the process. Salt and pepper.

STEP 8: Turn the heat to high and brown the mixture little bit. Stir and serve.

Grenadier March (Grenadiersky Pochod)