By Laura Del Monte

It’s Holiday time again and that means Christmas cookies. Every year I send in a couple of batches of Christmas cookies to the salon and often clients ask for the recipes. The most popular cookie recipes are below. (Note: My oven does not heat as hot as it should. The oven temp is what it should be in a normal oven.)

Chocolate Balls
This recipe was created from a conglomerate of several Italian Chocolate Ball recipes and a little creativity.

4 cups flour
1 – 2 cups sugar
1 c. cocoa
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 chocolate squares (unsweetened) or pouches
1 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
– 1 tsp black pepper

1 c. butter
4 oz cream cheese (room temp)
3 eggs
1/2 package chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
1 c. chopped walnuts
raisins (about 1 cup)Milk as needed (up to 1 c.)

Cream cream cheese, butter, sugar. Add eggs and melted chocolate squares (or pouches) and blend.

Mix dry ingredients. If too dense, add a milk a little at a time. (You may not need any, depending on size of eggs, etc.). Add nuts, chips, raisins. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at about 375 degrees for 12 – 16 minutes.

Cool.

Frosting: I don’t measure, but basically you want a thin enough consistency to dip the cookies, but not so think it pours all off. In a medium bowl put a few cups of confectionary sugar. Heat about cup of milk with a few teaspons butter in microwave. Add about 1 tsp vanilla. Pour a little milk mixture into sugar and blend. Keep adding as needed. If it gets too thin, add more sugar.

Dip top of cooled cookies into frosting. Place on wax paper.

Anna Toth’s Cookies
This recipe came from a friend of my Grandmother. I loved the cookies and begged for the recipe. Anna agreed, but told me I had to come to her house so she could show me how they were made. Here is her recipe.

Fillings -
Apricot (Can make a few days ahead and refrigerate.)- Cut up dried apricots, add approx. 1-2 cup sugar and water to cover (small pot). Simmer for several hours, mixing occasionally – cover on. (You may have to add more water.)

Nut – 1/2 c. firm brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 c. chopped nuts. (Blend in sour cream after blending other ingredients)

Dough

Blend:
1 c. sugar
4 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg dry yeast
1 c. sour cream

Cut into dry mixture 1 lb margarine (like making pie dough)
Make puddle in mixture, dump sour cream in middle, make puddle in sour cream and plop in 4 egg yolks (These are Anna’s words). With fingers mix yolks into sour cream, then mix into dough mixture. (Again, this is as Anna instructed. I use a wooden spoon. It looks like 3 circles – big dough mixture, center sour cream, center of that yolks – I don’t know if this really makes a difference, but this is how Anna insisted .)

When blended well, roll into 3 balls. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.

Use one ball of dough at a time – keep rest refrigerated until ready. Pinch of pieces of dough and roll into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into a circle on a surface of flour and sugar. (I mix about 1 cup flour to 2 tsp sugar.) In center of each circle place about 1/2 tsp filling.Fold over one side, then other as if your are making a wrap, with closure on bottom. Press each side so filling stays enclosed.

(I have tried rolling out large sections like pie dough and cutting circles, but cookies are tougher. Typically I cut a bunch of 1 inch pieces, roll them out at same time, fill and put on baking sheet. They are not at all perfect circles.)

Bake at 350 about 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. (Bottom should be golden brown or cookies will soften too much later and spoil.)Cool slightly and move to parchment paper or brown paper. Sprinkle with confectionary sugar.

In climates where season changes are less drastic, you can often get by with little change in your skincare routine. However, in climates like Western New York, subtle changes in your skincare routine can make drastic differences in the way your skin looks and feels.

With the cold weather comes indoor dry heat, often dehydrating the skin and making it feel tight and dry. Similar effects come from air conditioning in the summer. Your regular everyday moisturizer or night cream may just not cut it once the weather changes and you’re all toasty in your house with the heat blasting. You can try using a serum under your day or night moisturizers for a little boost or swapping out your light moisturizers in favor of thicker formulas. Sometimes simple changes to your routine, like adding an exfoliate and/or using a moisture mask once a week, can really help.

If your skin has a tendency to get that dry tight feeling as the outdoor weather cools, here are a fewPlantogen products we recommend. For a thorough skincare consultation book an appointment with one of our skincare specialist.

Purifying Cleanser: A creamy, gentle cleanser that helps dissolve and lift impurities without drying the skin. Cleans deep down to remove dirt, oil and make-up. Contains Manuka Honey, Chamomile extract and Vitamin E.

Intensive Firming Serum: An intensive firming serum with Green Tea (an antioxidant) and an active standardized botanical complex of plant extracts. This gel, used as a base, encourages the active ingredients in your moisturizer to be more readily absorbed in the skin.

Hydrating Moisturiser: An intensive hydrating moisturizer packed with plant extracts, vitamins and antioxidants in a liposomal solution to ensure target delivery to help diminish fine lines and reduce the signs of premature aging while relieving dryness. Skin feels softer, smoother and firmer.

Overnight Stress Repair: This salon favorite we refer to as a “facial in a jar”. This wonderful night time cream will renew and refresh your skin overnight. A rich cream with Manuka Honey, Lecithin, Chamomile extract, Vitamin C and Retnol help to improve the appearance of tired, stressed skin.

Gentle Facial Scrub: A gentle, foaming, exfoliating facial scrub, effective in sloughing dead skin cells to reveal a fresher, healthier looking skin. Increases cell renewal which in turn increases the efficiency of penetration of moisturizers applied after exfoliation, resulting in improved hydration of the skin’s surface.

Skin Bright Microdermabrasion Scrub: A gentle scrub with Vitamin C rich Kakadu Plum, Rice Starch, Licorice Root & fruit enzymes providing mild microdermabrasion and skin brightening properties.

Manuka Honey Mask: An antioxidant rich Manuka Honey Mask that soothes and hydrates the skin with a combination of select vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

On Friday October 1, Meet in the Center will be holding it’s 2nd annual OCTOBERcenterFEST event from 5PM to 9PM.

What’s going on at OCTOBERcenterFEST 2010?

Look for live Siberian Tigers brought to you by JNK’s Call of the Wild Rescue Sanctuary, a non for profit organization dedicated to rescuing exotic animals that have been abused, exploited and/or neglected.

Enjoy a free hayride with haywagon stops located in front of
Del Monte Hair System and Day Spa on Goodrich Road andYours Truly at the corner of Goodrich and Maple St.

Enter for a chance to win the Meet in the Center Basket with over $400 of gifts from your Meet in the Center Merchants. Simply visit each of our participating merchants to have your map (entry form) stamped. The drawing will take place at the end of the evening. (You do not have to be present to win.) While your getting your stamp, check out these great things to do.

VisitThe Bank of Akron and participate in an old-fashioned cake walk where you will have a chance to win a delicious cake or pie from local bakeries. Tickets will be sold throughout the event while cake walks will be held three times every hour.

AtClarence Center Child Care you’ll find face painting and a magic show for the kids. Look for grilled brats and kraut, Badding Brothers Farm Market, and the famous MEET IN THE CENTER Basket Auction and 50/50.

Clarence Center Coffee Company will have a live Jug Band and complimentary wine and beer tasting.

Stop byDel Monte Hair System & Day Spa for their Anti-Aging Skin Care Classes with a lucky participant winning a $50
Plantogen gift certificate in each class. While your there look forRachel Del Monte Arts and special jewelry vendors.

The Perfect Gift andGet Heeled will show you some hip fall fashions. While you’re there look for The Farmer’s Daughter Market featuring pies, candied apples, and some “furry friends”; book signings for “The Scariest Dream Ever and “over the Rainbow; delicious nuts from Bavarian Nut Company, a coloring contest, and Noah’s Ark childrens toys.

NovelTea and L’Altelier Culinary will be hosting a Pumpkin Bean Bag Toss for the kids. Their special menu to-go will feature chili in a bag while their dine-in menu will focus on a fall theme. Visit Joe’s Farm Market and have fun at the Mystery Basket Cook-Off while enjoying live music featuring John Brady.

Yours Truly will entertain you with Tom & Jerry cartoons on the big screen while you have an opportunity to do a self-portrait for The Faces of Buffalo. Check out Seasonal Sweets Preserves, Karyn’s Wine Totes, Applewood Hollow Hot Chocolate and watch for door prizes and a drawing.

Each Meet in the Center Merchant will also be hosting a special event.

5:30
Mystery Basket Cook-off at L’Atelier
6-8
Pet a Bunny! at The Perfect Gift
7-7:30
Magic Show at Clarence Center Child Care
Anti-Aging Skincare Class at Del Monte Hair System
8-8:30
Anti-Aging Skincare Class at Del Monte Hair System
8:30
Door Prize Draw – Peggy Karr Pumpkin Patch Bowl at Yours Truly
8:50
Live Chinese Auction raffle at Clarence Center Childcare. Tickets sold throughout the event

Additional parking will be available at the Zion Lutheran Church at 9535 Clarence Center Rd.