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Welcome to the third issue of the season for the Christmas-Cookies.com newsletter. Read on for new recipes, baking tips, new cookbook reviews, and more!

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View our past newsletters for more tips and recipes

• New Book: Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts
• New! Recipe Reviews at Christmas-Cookies.com
• Recipe: Pumpkin Pecan Pie Bars
• Baking Tip: Preparations for the best cookie baking
• This Week's Top 10 recipes
• Recipe: Cranberry Brownies

• Rate the recipe from 1 to 5 (5 being highest).
• Say whether you'd make the recipe again, or not
• Write a detailed review of the recipe, or offer suggestions for variations or improvements
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Please visit Christmas-Cookies.com today and rate the recipes you've tried so far! Your opinion is important to us, and will help those who have not yet tried the recipe.

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For all the cookies, cakes and pastries you'll be making, this 525-watt, 6-Qt. Stand Mixer will certainly come in handy this Christmas. Comes with attachments including a dough hook for making bread. Ten speeds!

Buy a selected appliance from KitchenAid, and you'll receive either a $5 or $20 rebate check. Offer expires 12/31/02. Click here for details.

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Cookie Cutter Advent Calendar (24-pc)

$24.95 Buy
This special calendar is designed to inspire a little baking as each day leading up to Dec. 25 offers a different shaped cutter behind each window, from Santa to stars, angels to snowmen. Kids will love finding a new shape every day. Included are recipes and decorating ideas.

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Exopat Baking Mat on Sale

$21.00 $14.95 Buy
This nonstick mat, often referred to as "Silpat," browns your cookies without burning and cleans up perfectly. Good for up to 3,000 uses!

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More Cookie-Baking Items on Sale!

Roshco Baker's Delight Cookie Sheets, Set of 2
Only $7.99 Buy

Cuisinart Hand Mixer with Bonus Bowl
$105.00 $69.95 Buy

Stackable Cooling Racks, Set of 3
$11.95 Buy

Oxo Good Grips 2-cup angled measuring cup
$9.99 $6.99 Buy

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This Week's Top-10 Recipes

1. Sugar Cookies
2. Fantasy Fudge
3. Pumpkin Roll
4. Whipped Shortbread
5. Cinnamon and Hazelnut
    Biscotti
6. Creme de Menthe Squares
7. Eggnog Fudge
8. Chewy Caramel Bars
9. Cathedral Windows
10. Potato Candy

Recipe: Pumpkin Pecan Pie Bars

For the crust:
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 (14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
powdered sugar

Make the crust:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup crumb mixture; set aside. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 10 x 15-inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes.

Make the filling:
In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread this mixture over the crust. In a small bowl, combine the reserved crumb mixture with the chopped pecans and sprinkle on top of the filling.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes 36-48 bars.

For more excellent cookie recipes like this one, get Christmas Cookies Are for Giving today!

Baking Tips: Preparations for cookie baking
Experienced bakers know that successful cookie-baking requires good preparation. Last minute, frantic baking often does not turn out as well as we hoped, but in these days of hectic holidays, that is all too likely to occur. Here are some tips to help you plan your baking for maximum results:

1. Set aside a specific time to bake your cookies. Plan a special day and time that you're going to do this, so that you can make arrangements for small children to be occupied (hint: let them help with one recipe - they won't have the patience or attention span for more than that) and you won't be bothered with other unexpected interruptions.
2. Select your recipes a day or two beforehand. Make sure you know exactly what you're making; this will help you with step #3.
3. Make a list of everything you need, and go shopping for the ingredients or equipment you're missing. This may seem obvious, but we've all experienced the horror of finding that there are no more eggs in the refrigerator after the butter and sugar are already creamed!
4. Read the recipe all the way through several hours before you plan to bake. This will aid with step #5.
5. Perform any advance preparations needed, such as taking the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator so that they will warm up to room temperature by the time you plan to start preparing the batter.
6. Before starting to bake, set out all the ingredients and equipment needed so that it will be at hand when you need it. You will save time if you're not constantly running back and forth to the pantry.
7. Read the recipe all the way through one more time. Make sure you understand the steps that need to be taken and the order in which they need to be performed.
8. Pre-heat your oven.
9. Relax! This is supposed to be fun. Put on some Christmas music and make yourself a cup of coffee. Don't rush through the process. Make it a special time, and an opportunity to unwind a bit during the hectic holiday season.

For more great tips on holiday baking, get the book Christmas Cookies Are for Giving now!

Recipe: Cranberry Brownies

For the base:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh cranberries

For the topping:
2/3 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
4 tablespoons margarine, at room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (1-ounce) square semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 7x10-inch cake pan. In a saucepan over low heat, stir together the butter, cocoa, and sugar until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the 1-1/4 cups flour and 2 eggs. Stir in the cranberries, then spread the mixture in the prepared pan. To make the topping, stir together the sour cream, granulates sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, margarine, 1 egg, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then spread over the chocolate base. Using a cheese grater, grate the chocolate over the base and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool thoroughly, then cut into squares. Makes 12.

Antique and Vintage Cookie Cutters from eBay

Martha Stewart Christmas Cookie Baking Supplies

Kid's Cookie Decorating Kit

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