Meemaw's Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies

photo courtesy of The Food Network

What do you do with all those little peppermint candies that Sonic so kindly puts in our bag of burgers? Well, if you're like me and have been saving them all year long, have I got a great recipe for you! From the Queen of Sweetness herself, Ms. Paula Deen... I trust her cause she's not skinny and she's a Meemaw, just like me!

Meemaw's Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies

from Paula Deen PRINT RECIPE

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup puffed rice cereal

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats

1 (8-ounce) package toffee bits

White chocolate, for dipping

15 peppermint hard candies, crushed, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat in the oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 small additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each one. Slowly beat in the rice cereal, coconut, and oats. Fold in the toffee bits and refrigerate the dough, covered, for 1 hour. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on 2 cookie sheets, leaving at least 1-inch of space around each drop. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate. Dip the cookies into the white chocolate and sprinkle crushed peppermint to decorate. Allow to cool or serve warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

photo courtesy of The Food Network

APPLE PEAR CIDER PRINT RECIPE

from Paula Deen

4 cups apple cider

4 cups pear juice or nectar

4 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 (2 1/2-inch) cinnamon sticks

4 whole cloves

4 black peppercorns

4 allspice berries

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let steep, off the heat, for at least 20 minutes. Reheat, and then strain and serve.