Festive Butter Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, in a bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water and meringue powder; beat on low speed just until blended. Beat on high 4-5 minutes or until soft peaks form., Divide and tint icing with colors of your choice. Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture., Working quickly with one color at a time, pipe outlines on some of the cookies; fill centers with thinned icing of the same color. Let stand until set. , If desired, add designs or writing to cookies. Let stand at room temperature for several hours or until icing is completely firm. Store in airtight containers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease two medium loaf pans.
• In large bowl, mix first six ingredients, and beat on high speed for 5 minutes.
• Fold in flour, baking powder and salt, alternately with the milk.
• Pour into pans, and sprinkle almonds on top of each loaf.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until lightly browned and done.
• When loaves have cooled slightly, loosen edges, and turn out onto wire rack.
• Drizzle glaze over loaves.
• To make glaze, beat powdered sugar, water and extract together in a small bowl until smooth.
• If glaze is too thick, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water.
• Decorate with cherries.

Steps:

• Mix together the butter, parsley and red pepper strips.
• Wrap the red pepper butter up in foil, forming a cylinder shape. Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Cut the butter in half cm thick slices and serve.