cookies coming up!

viennese coffee balls-

2 cups crushed shortbread cookies (food processor)
1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped nuts (i used pecans)
2 tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee crystals or instant expresso powder
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 to 5 tbls brewed expresso or strong coffee (i used half coffee and half captain morgan spiced rum)
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar for rolling

1. combine dry indgedients, add liquid, using just enough to moisten.
2. form mixture into 1 to i 1/4 inch balls. roll balls generously into powdered sugar. let stand about one hour. before serving, roll again in powdered sugar, if desired.
makes about 30.

fudge filled toffee kisses-

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup english toffee bits or almond brickle chips
2/3 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup flaked coconut
additional sugar
additional pecan halves for decoration

1. in a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. beat in the oil, egg and vanilla. combine the flours, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to the creamed mixture. stir in the toffee bits, pecans and coconut. cut in half, cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in sugar. place 2 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet. using the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each.
3. bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned, cool on racks.

filling-

1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

in a heavy saucepan, melt ingredients together, stirring constantly, do not burn!!! when the mixture is thickened, turn off heat. plop a small spoonful onto each cookie, and top each with a pecan half. the fudge hardens enough to stack the cookies without them sticking together. makes about 5 dozen.

the original recipe from taste of home (karen barto) had you just stir the melted chocolate, condensed milk and vanilla together and put it on the cookies before baking. of course i didn't read that part until after i had baked the cookies. it worked out perfectly fine my way also ;)
these are some of the best cookies i have ever tasted in my life, enjoy!!!!

i changed to the beta blogger, and can't find any way to thank some of the comments by email. if you haven't heard from me, that's why. thanks!