Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Christmas Treats! ~ MMSC32

Merry Christmas everyone! This week we are sharing Treat Holders at the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge. I've been trying to reuse and recycle things I come across lately as well. So for this weeks project I altered an empty can of Spam. (I know... How weird is that?!) How many of you eat Spam? We haven't had it in years, but my youngest son wanted to know what spam was. So I bought some and fried it up for him to try. I'm pretty sure it's not the healthiest food around but needless to say, he loves it! And when you pop the top of the can, the inside is lined with a bright white plastic that cleans up very easily. The little frosted berries I embellished this tin with are leftovers that fell off of some Christmas stems I was using to decorate wreaths and Christmas trees with. They would have just been thrown away, so I decided to add them to my stash of crafting goodies. :)

Living in New Mexico, we have many, many traditional foods. The holidays are filled with so many delicious dishes to enjoy!!! An important ingredient in many of our dishes is Green Chile. The aroma of roasting Green Chile fills the air here in the Fall. Mmmm!!! So many people I know that have moved away from New Mexico always tell me how much they miss the foods that you can only find here. :) So I wanted to share a favorite traditional New Mexican cookie we love to make at our house for Christmas. Biscochitos are the official New Mexico State Cookie. I love them! I haven't had a chance to bake any yet this year, as my MIL has been in the hospital but, I just know you'll love these if you decide to give them at try. :)

Biscochitos
(A New Mexican Shortbread Cookie)

6 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 pound of LARD not shortening (VERY IMPORTANT no substitutions)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. ANISE SEED (this is what makes these SO GOOD!)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sweet table wine or orange juice (I use orange juice)
~~~~~~~~~~
*1/4 cup sugar
*1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream the lard with sugar and anise seed on medium speed. In a separate bowl. beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs to creamed mixture. Mix together well, adding wine to form a stiff-like dough, add more wine, if necessary.

Refrigerate dough overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand for a while, until dough is soft enough to roll. Divide dough in quarters and roll to about 1/16 to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until bottom of cookie is golden brown. Remove from oven. In a bowl mix together sugar and cinnamon. Drop baked cookies into sugar and cinnamon mixture and set aside to cool.\


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

HI Michelle!! WOW!! What a really clever gift container!! That is so perfect to store cookies in!! ;) Sounds like a yummy treat too!! Thanks for the recipe!! HUGS

Chris Olsen, Glowbug said...

What a beautiful treat container!! I just love all the dry embossing, the candy canes, the colors and the sweet image!! A perfect gift. Great job on the sketch and theme!!
hugs,
Chris

Carol Hurlock said...

Michelle this is so cool....a spam can. My younger son loves spam. I had to buy some for him as during his school break he is going to camp in the woods across the street from us and play survivor man...build a lean-to and all. Your cookies sound wonderful too...right from the lips to the hips with that lard...LOL

Hugs,
Carol

Carolyn said...

Who'd a thought that a spam can could look so beautiful. You are so creative, Michelle. I love the pretty color choices and the border. Fabulous embellishments too. Great gift idea. Thanks for sharing. I hope that you have a very beautiful, blessed and memorable Christmas this year!!!

Hugs,
Carolyn

Jane, at Thepaperaffair said...

Cute Spam Story, everyone needs to try Spam some time. Cute tin, loved the yellow and whites in the background and the embossing, so soft with sparks of red and who doesn't love chocolate Kisses, always a classic. Holiday Blessings to you, Jane

Anonymous said...

Hi Michelle! I've finally got a few extra minutes to visit my favorite blogs and of course I had to visit you! I loved Spam as a kid and I'm sure it's BAD for us but oh so good, LOL. Your creation is a delight for the eyes...the colors are so much fun! Have a wonderful Christmas friend!

Abby:)

cabio's craft corner said...

How beautiful Michelle. You did a fabulous container for the kisses. The cute embellishments you added are so Christmasy and texture looks so pretty too!
Hugs,
Cabio

Cheryl said...

Very clever Michelle, an empty can of Spam? Whodathunkit? LOL

Love all of your details, it's really unique!

Shazza said...

this looks great, must buy some Spam for the boys to try
x

Denise @ kc242 said...

Wow! What a cute and creative use of a spam container. Love all of your punched edges as well as your dp. What a lovely project. Who doesn't like hershey kisses! Wonderful through and through!

Dianne said...

WOW!! This is such a cute treat holder. The creativity for this is beyond words. Great project.

Lovely Linda said...

Hello Michelle - wow Spam has never looked so good! What a great way to recycle - this is just gorgeous! I love the nontraditional colours you have used, along with those punched edges - they are so effective!! Love all of the texture too - gorgeous! Your cookies sound YUMBLY!! I will have to check out the 'lard' thing - my DH would love these...so would everyone else! Thanks for sharing Michelle - you are always so innovative! Have a fabulous Christmas with your family - it is only 4 sleeps now for us....God bless you my friend! {{{hugs}}}

Priscilla said...

Hi Michelle,
Love your project.. the altered Spam can it so clever..you would die if you saw all the stuff I save to some day alter..LOL so many ideas, so little time..LOL Thank you so much for being a valued DT and I hope your MIL is doing better. I would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas this year. Enjoy your family and count your blessings :)
Priscilla

designsfromwithinbycharlotte said...

Michele, the details on this little treat box are gorgeous and I will never look at spam the same again!! It's just the perfect size for the hershey's kisses! Your recipe sounds really interesting so I will have to try it out after all the holiday preps are done!
TFS
Hugs,
Charlotte
XXX