Orange Toffee Almond Sandies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons orange zest
2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups English toffee bits

Directions
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, add the butter, oil and the sugars. Using a hand-held mixer, beat until combined. Beat in the extracts. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in orange zest, almonds and toffee bits.

Drop by teaspoonfuls, 2-inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool before serving.

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Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Grilled Plums

Ingredients


Pound Cake:
Nonstick baking spray with flour
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 large eggs


Grilled Plums:
Nonstick, nonflammable cooking spray
12 ripe plums, pitted and thickly sliced
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Honey, for serving
Fresh mint, for garnish


Directions


For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch fluted tube pan or Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour .


In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese at medium-high speed with a mixer until creamy. Add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in the extract.


In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined. Add 2 eggs, beating until just combined. Repeat the procedure twice with the remaining flour mixture and eggs. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.


Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cover the cake with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning during last 10 minutes of baking, if necessary. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.


For the plums: Spray the grill rack with nonstick, nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat the grill to medium heat.


Brush the plum slices evenly with the melted butter. Grill the plums until just softened, 2 minutes per side.


Slice the cake and serve with grilled plums. Drizzle with honey and garnish with mint, if desired.

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Monogrammed Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Granulated sugar

Royal Icing, recipe follows

Directions

In a bowl, cream together the sugar and butter, then mix in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter; mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, then cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Divide the chilled dough in half and roll it out on a lightly floured pastry cloth to a 1/4-inch thickness. Lightly grease some baking sheets. Cut the dough with a floured cookie cutter; sprinkle with sugar. Transfer the cookies to the prepared sheets and bake for 9 minutes.

Royal Icing:

*3 egg whites

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Food coloring, optional

In a medium bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tarter. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase mixer speed to high, and beat 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture holds a peak. Cover with a damp cloth when not in use. Separate into bowls and add food coloring, if desired.

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