Christmas Butter Food

CHRISTMAS BUTTER

Steps:

• Put your butter into a bowl. Really finely chop the cranberries and add to the bowl.
• Pick the thyme, rosemary and sage leaves, then chop, sweep and run your knife through the herb leaves until really finely chopped. Add to the butter with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
• Grate in the zest of your clementine and mix so the butter softens and everything is combined. Divide the butter roughly in half.
• Get your turkey and use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity just above the leg and work gently up toward the breastbone and towards the back so you create a large cavity.
• Pick up half of your butter and push it into the cavity you've created. Use your hands to push it through the skin right to the back so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side, then rub any leftover butter all over the outside of the bird to use it up.
• If you've got any herb stalks left over, put them in the cavity of the turkey for added flavour as it cooks.
• Cover the turkey in clingfilm and put in the fridge until you're ready to cook it the next day.

AUNT EILEEN'S CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using a hand beater. Beat in the egg and then the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Roll the dough into a log, on a work surface, wrap in parchment and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Put 2 cookie sheets in the refrigerator to chill as well.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Arrange 2 inches apart on the chilled cookie sheets and bake until lightly golden on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheets and put on a cooling rack to cool before serving.

CREAMY CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed, mix butter, sugar and vanilla just until blended.
• Add the egg and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix at low speed until well combined.
• Shape the dough into 3/4-inch balls. Arrange the balls 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork as you would a peanut butter cookie. Do this one time. To prevent the fork from sticking to the cookie dough;, dip it occasionally in confectioners' sugar. Sprinkle tops of the cookies with colored sanding sugar.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly colored around the edges. Let cookies cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHRISTMAS SPICE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients.
• Chill for at least 1 day.
• Serve at room temperate for easy spreading.

CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, beat in egg, lemon peel and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until well blended.
• Divide dough into 4 parts; flatten each part into 1/2-inch-thick round. Wrap each in waxed paper or plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Remove 1 round of dough at a time from refrigerator. Between sheets of floured waxed paper or plastic wrap, roll dough until 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters in various shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheets about 1 minute before removing to cooling rack. To make cookies for hanging, using a toothpick or end of plastic straw, carefully poke a hole in the top of each cookie while cookies are still hot. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before frosting.
• In medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and meringue powder. Stir in 5 teaspoons lemon juice and enough of the 4 to 5 tablespoons water to make a thin icing. Transfer 1/2 cup of the icing into small bowl; set aside. Using a flexible pastry brush, paint cookies to the edges with icing. Place on cooling rack to dry completely, about 30 minutes.
• Beat reserved icing with electric mixer on high speed 5 to 7 minutes or until peaks form. Place in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut a very small hole in the bottom of the bag with the plain white icing. Squeeze icing onto glazed cookies. Before icing dries, sprinkle with decorations, and tap off excess. Dry thoroughly on cooling rack. Thread cookies with narrow ribbon for hanging.