Make and Take, March 17, 2009

March Make and Take

March Make and Take was at my house this time. I made stuffed chicken breasts with sweet potato fries and shamrock pasta salad. For dessert we enjoyed strawberry cake and some of our Peanut Butter Cup cookies.


Our crafting started with making the Irish Coffee Ball recipe and then we packaged the balls with several packaging options. The leprechaun cookie cutter stuffed with balls was Pam's idea and darling! Our second cookie was from the Cast Sugar blog: (http://castsugar.blogspot.com/search/label/Cookies%2FBars) and we are here to tell you that they are delicious cookies! The mini-PB Cups are a delightful surprise! Once this dough was mixed up we rolled the dough into logs; enough for 2 logs each; wrapped them in wax paper; then cut 6"x12" sections of fun fabrics to wrap the dough in for future gifts. For now they will go into the freezer ready for gift giving!

Our little Gnome was surrounded with shamrocks and kept our meeting on track as we all enjoyed a hot cup of tea and Irish Soda Bread...yummers!

Irish Coffee Balls

Here is a cookie recipe that will have any respectable leprechaun kicking up his little feet just from the smell of them! Consume at your own risk and prepare to share with others!

3 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/3 cup Irish Whiskey
1/2 cup light corn syrup

In a large bowl, mix together crumbs, pecans and 1 cup sugar until combined. In a separate cup, dissolve the coffee granules in the Irish Whiskey and add to the crumb mixture; also add the corn syrup and mix until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in the remaining powder sugar to coat. Store in an airtight container.

Yields a wee bit over 4 dozen, and the flavors intensify over a couple days of storage!

ERIN GO BRAGH!

~ MJ
Copyright 2009 MJ's Table Talk