By Jodee Weiland

During the winter holidays, everyone looks forward to all the special treats usually associated with that time of year. Apple pies with cranberries and cranberry sauce are two that come to mind during the holidays for my family. Cranberries add such a unique flavor to any recipe and are well-loved by many, so why not use some of that homemade cranberry sauce in a frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt tastes good any time of year. I love both homemade cranberry sauce and frozen yogurt. That’s why I decided to find another tasty way to use some of that homemade cranberry sauce I love by making my Holiday Cranberry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt with it!

Some folks can’t even begin to imagine having turkey without cranberry sauce. Later, when making sandwiches with the leftover turkey, cranberry sauce will be added. I used to love doing that when I was a little girl growing up. Now that I have my own recipe for fresh homemade cranberry sauce and know how easy it is to make, I decided that the sweet tart taste in this side for turkey would be awesome in frozen yogurt as well. The pieces of cranberry from the cranberry sauce add a delicious taste and texture to this awesome frozen yogurt.

Holiday Cranberry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt 

• 2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup sugar (or the appropriate equivalent of non sugar sweetener)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 cup fresh homemade cranberry sauce (made with whole cranberries)
• Miniature dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts to sprinkle on top (optional)

Either make or use leftover fresh homemade cranberry sauce. Then blend together the yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and skim milk in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until the sugar is dissolved, about one to two minutes. Once done, blend the fresh homemade cranberry sauce into the yogurt mixture with the hand mixer on low for about one minute. Following the directions of your yogurt/ice cream maker, turn it on and slowly pour in the blended yogurt and cranberry sauce mixture. Once it is all in the yogurt maker, let the mixture thicken into your creamy yogurt as the machine works its magic, usually about thirty minutes. When ready, scoop the frozen yogurt into serving dishes, putting any leftover frozen yogurt into a freezer storage container and freeze for later.

My Holiday Cranberry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt is absolutely delicious with its rich sweet tart taste! Serve it with miniature dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts to sprinkle on top if desired, but it is delicious with or without these toppings. This would also be great served with a slice of my Apple Cranberry Walnut Pie or for those who don’t want walnuts, my Sweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie. However you decide to serve this delicious frozen yogurt, it is a wonderful dessert option for anyone, and your guests will love it. In fact, they will be asking for more. So if you’re looking for something that says “Happy Holiday” to your guests, this would be a great choice. So enjoy!

By Jodee Weiland

Shortbread cookies have always been a favorite for me, since I was a little girl and first saw the red plaid packaging on a shelf at the store. That packaging meant I would bite into a shortbread cookie that would just about melt in my mouth. I loved them! I recently decided that I would like to create a rich buttery shortbread cookie for my holiday table this year, so I did just that. The result was my Homemade Shortbread Cookies, and they are delicious!

I researched shortbread butter cookies and found that traditionally they are one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour. They also are actually considered biscuits. Now some people will make them with granulated sugar, some with powdered sugar, and some with a mixture of both. Today, many people will add vanilla and salt as well. The variations are unlimited. I decided to use powdered sugar in my recipe for the quality of smoothness it would add to my cookie. I changed my proportions from the traditional ones because of this. I also added vanilla because I feel it adds some additional flavor. Since I use unsalted butter, I  added a very small amount of sea salt. The result was a shortbread cookie that will be a flavorful delight for anyone who loves shortbread!

Homemade Shortbread Cookies (makes 55 to 60 cookies)

• 3 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to sprinkle across the top (two 9″ x 13″ baking dishes)

NOTE: This recipe may be divided in half in order to make one batch at a time.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In your electric mixer, first cream the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar to this mixture and blend it in thoroughly. Then beat in the vanilla gradually. Mix the flour and salt together and then gradually add it into the butter mixture while blending it all together in the electric mixer. You may have to blend the last of the flour mixture in using a wooden spoon at the end.

Divide the dough into two batches, and then with your fingers press it evenly across two 9″ x 13″ baking dishes. Using the tines of a fork, make a pattern of dots across the top of both batches. Then sprinkle lightly one tablespoon of granulated sugar across the entire top of both baking dishes.

Bake at 300 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Cut into approximately 1″ x 3″ strips using a sharp knife immediately after removing the baking dish from the oven. Leaving the strips in the baking dish, set the baking dishes on cooling racks for 30 minutes before removing the strips and placing them on a cooling rack to cool down completely.

My Homemade Shortbread Cookies are buttery melt in your mouth cookies that are absolutely delicious! This recipe will give you about 55 to 60 cookies depending on how you cut the strips. If you want less, divide the recipe in half easily. Two batches or one, this simple shortbread cookie recipe will make a wonderful addition to your holiday cookie selection. They are so good, you will probably make them more often than just the holidays, so enjoy!