Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Book: The Sweet Dream

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

Icing Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp jam (optional for coloring and flavor)
• food coloring (optional)
• sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar, butter, and cream cheese and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until smooth.
2. Stir together flour and baking powder, add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly.
3. For cut-out cookies, chill dough. Roll out on a surface dusted with a mixture of 1/2 powdered sugar and 1/2 flour. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shape.
4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in 375F oven 8-10 minutes. Watch for the edges to barely begin to brown if you like a moist cookie. Cool on rack.
5. For Icing: Beat together powdered sugar, butter, milk, and flavorings. Tint with color or jam, if desired. (I used strawberry jam in the ones above). Add small amounts of milk and/or powdered sugar to get your desired consistency. 
6. Ice cookies and decorate.
7. Enjoy!

Chocolate Soda

Book: Rebel with a Donut

These chocolate sodas are from "Rebel with a Donut." Find them in Chapter 10. Emma's grandpa used to make them for her, and her grandma takes over after he passes away. My grandma used to make them for me when I visited her, and now my dad always makes them for my siblings, me, and all the grandkids. My dad didn't like that the grandpa in the book was dead (sorry, dad), but the grandmas needed to be single in the story.

Here's how to make the chocolate sodas from the book, if you'd like to try them yourselves. There are no given amounts, because you can add what you like to your taste. You can also find a video tutorial on my YouTube Shorts.

You'll need:

• Chocolate syrup
• Club Soda (best if chilled)
• Vanilla ice cream (or go crazy with chocolate, fudge swirled, or any other flavor)

To assemble:

1. Put chocolate syrup in bottom of glass. Add lots if you like chocolate.
2. Add club soda about halfway to two-thirds of the way up the glass. Stir. It will get foamy. Suck off the extra foam, if needed.
3. Add scoops of ice cream.
4. Enjoy! We like to use these special soda straws in ours. They're handy stainless-steel straws with a spoon built on the end. 

Cheery Cherry Rolls

 Book: The Dream Christmas

Bread ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 slightly beaten egg at room temperature
• 3 Tbsp dry instant milk
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp yeast
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 12-15 chopped maraschino cherries
• 2 Tbsp liquid from maraschino cherry bottle
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups bread flour

Filling ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Frosting ingredients:

• 2-3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2-3 Tbsp hot water
• Dash of maraschino cherry liquid for coloring
• A dash of almond flavoring or vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, combine warm water, egg, instant milk, sugar, yeast, oil, chopped cherries, cherry liquid, and salt. Add flour and knead into dough.
2. Let dough rise and expand. 1-2 hours. 
3. Assemble filling. Mix together brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and melted butter.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle. Approx...10x20 inches. 
5. Spread the filling on the dough, all the way to edges. Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 12 rolls.
6. Place in a greased 9x12 plan. Let rise for 30-45 minutes or place in refrigerator overnight to bake in morning.
7. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes, until slightly browned.
8. Prepare frosting to your taste. Spread over rolls. 

Sweet Romance Books & Food

Food and books pair like...well, coffee and donuts.

Here's a growing list of foods from my books. Click the food to be taken to a blog post of the recipe. I'll add on as I get time to make, photograph, and write them out. (I'm obviously not a food photographer or cookbook writer). Feel free to contact me and share your favorite recipes. 

CHEERY CHERRY ROLLS (The Dream Christmas)

CHOCOLATE SODA (Rebel with a Donut)

CREAM CHEESE SUGAR COOKIES (The Sweet Dream)