The Sleeping Willow

These are a favorite holiday treat around here, and I hope they will be in your home too.  My youngest calls them “Santa Patties”, and for a nice change for Santa, we leave these out for him instead of cookies. 😉

What you will need:

• 28 ounces of Sweet and Condensed Milk (Two 14 ounce cans)
• 9 Cups of Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 Cup of Pure Peppermint Extract (Depending on minty you want them)
• 1 Package of Candy Coating, or two bags of chocolate chips (depending on what you want to dip them in)
• two tablespoons of shortening
• crushed candy canes for topping (optional)
• Red food coloring (optional)1. Pour your sweet and condensed milk into your Kitchen Aid or a big mixing bowl.
  2. Add your powdered sugar two cups at a time.
  3. Add your peppermint extract
  4. Blend until mixture resembles a dough like texture.
  5. Spoon out dough and roll into ball and then flatten into a disk onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.
  6. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 30 minutes to chill dough
  7. Once dough is chilled, put your chocolate or candy coating into a microwave safe bowl and melt down according to packaging instructions. I always add a tablespoon or two of shortening.
  8. If you are using a white chocolate, add a few drops of red coloring and stir until it is the shade of pink you are wanting.
  9. Using a fork, drop the dough rounds into the chocolate and flip over to get both sides, then place on your cookie sheet again.
  10. Sprinkle crushed candy cane over chocolate while it is still wet to help it stick to each patty.
  11. Freeze patties until chocolate covering is hard, then place in an air tight container for storage.
  12. I keep mine in the freezer until I am ready to package them for gift giving

  Now… wait until the kids are in bed and hoard a handful just for you to eat. 😉

One of my all time favorite desserts

You will need:

• 1 cup room temperature butter
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (best from juicer, but not a must) – In juicer I used two large lemons to get this amount.
• 2 tablespoons lemon pulp (from juicer- or if you do not have one grated lemon zest works)Preheat your oven for 350.  Prepare two pie pans with coconut oil (or butter spray for non-stick).  Blend two sticks of room temperature butter until it is creamy and whipped-like.
    Add your two cups of flour, one cup at a time and blend again.Add your 3/4 cup of powdered sugar and blend again.Scoop out of bowl with rubber spatula and spread into the bottom of both of your pans evenly. Then place in preheated oven for 18 minutes or until starting to brown.Put your 2 1/4 cups sugar in your mixing bowl.
  Add your four eggs to the sugar and blend. Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and blend. Cut your two large lemons and remove seeds.
  Juice all lemon halves in your juicer {Or hand squeeze them if you do not have a juicer}.Measure out 6 tablespoons of your fresh lemon juice into your mixture and blend.If you used a juicer, use two heaping tablespoons of your pulp (make sure there are not seeds in the pulp you scoop out) Or if you are not using a juicer, you can just grate your lemon peel and add a tablespoon instead. Blend again.Your crust should be just about done if not done already
  Then pour your lemon filling into each crust and bake for 20 minutes. Top with powdered sugar when done!  (I like mine brown around the edges and solid in the center).