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The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castileby C. W. Gortner
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No one believed I was destined for greatness.
So begins Isabella's story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history's most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent/b>/b>
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No one believed I was destined for greatness.
So begins Isabella's story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history's most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent Columbus to discover a New World. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner envisages the turbulent early years of a woman whose mythic rise to power would go on to transform a monarchy, a nation, and the world.
Young Isabella is barely a teenager when she and her brother are taken from their mother's home to live under the watchful eye of their half-brother, King Enrique, and his sultry, conniving queen. There, Isabella is thrust into danger when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone Enrique. Suspected of treason and held captive, she treads a perilous path, torn between loyalties, until at age seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress of Castile, the largest kingdom in Spain. Plunged into a deadly conflict to secure her crown, she is determined to wed the one man she loves yet who is forbidden to her—Fernando, prince of Aragon.
As they unite their two realms under "one crown, one country, one faith," Isabella and Fernando face an impoverished Spain beset by enemies. With the future of her throne at stake, Isabella resists the zealous demands of the inquisitor Torquemada even as she is seduced by the dreams of an enigmatic navigator named Columbus. But when the Moors of the southern domain of Granada declare war, a violent, treacherous battle against an ancient adversary erupts, one that will test all of Isabella's resolve, her courage, and her tenacious belief in her destiny.
From the glorious palaces of Segovia to the battlefields of Granada and the intrigue-laden gardens of Seville, The Queen's Vow sweeps us into the tumultuous forging of a nation and the complex, fascinating heart of the woman who overcame all odds to become Isabella of Castile.
Editorial Reviews
"A beautifully crafted piece of historical fiction . . . Gortner's vivid details blend with his deeply intensive research to re-create Isabella and Castile in a way that the reader will find compelling and immersive, bringing not just the Queen but the whole nation to life."—RT Book Reviews
"A fascinating story . . . Through his creative and spellbinding storytelling, Gortner's readers come to know Isabella intimately in mind, heart and body as she lives through a tumultuous time, her intense longing to be the determiner of her own unique destiny."—Wichita Falls Times Record News
"A novel of triumph as Isabella vanquishes her enemies one by one . . . [She is] a very human and appealing character."—The Roanoke Times
"Politically charged, passionate . . . [a] well-researched, intriguing historical."—Bookreporter
From the Hardcover edition.
Product Details
- 9780345523969
- Publisher:
- Random House Publishing Group
- Publication date:
- 06/12/2012
- Pages:
- 400
- Sales rank:
- 1,034,998
- Product dimensions:
- 6.34(w) x 9.32(h) x 1.30(d)
Read an Excerpt
Gortner / THE QUEEN'S VOW
chapter one
Hold the reins firmly, Isabella. Don't let him sense your fear. If he does, he'll think he's in control and he'll try to throw you."
Perched atop the elegant black stallion, I nodded, gripping the reins. I could feel the taut leather through the weather-worn tips of my gloves. Belatedly I thought I should have let Beatriz's father, Don Pedro de Bobadilla, buy me the new gloves he had offered for my recent thirteenth birthday. Instead, pride—a sin I tried hard, but usually failed, to overcome—had refused to let me admit our penury by accepting the gift, though he lived with us and surely knew quite well how impoverished we were. Just as pride hadn't let me refuse my brother's challenge that it was time I learned to ride a proper horse.
So, here I sat, with old leather gloves that felt thin as silk to protect my hands, atop a magnificent animal. Though it was not a large horse it was still frightening; the creature shifted and pawed the ground as though it were ready to bolt at any moment, regardless of whether I could stay on or not.
Alfonso shook his head, leaning from his roan to pry my fingers further apart, so that the reins draped through them.
"Like that," he said. "Firm, but not so firm that you'll injure his mouth. And remember to sit straight when you canter and lean forward at a gallop. Canela isn't one of those stupid mules you and Beatriz ride. He's a purebred Arabian jennet, worthy of a caliph. He needs to know his rider is in charge at all times."
I straightened my spine, settling my buttocks on the embossed saddle. I felt light as a thistle. Though I was of an age when most girls begin to develop, I remained so flat and thin that my friend and lady-in-waiting Beatriz, Don Bobadilla's daughter, was constantly cajoling me to eat more. She eyed me now with concern, her significantly more curvaceous figure so gracefully erect upon her dappled gelding that it seemed she'd been riding one her entire life, her thick black hair coiled above her aquiline features under a fillet and veil.
She said to Alfonso, "I assume Your Highness has ensured this princely jennet of yours is properly broken. We wouldn't want anything untoward to happen to your sister."
"Of course he's broken. Don Chacón and I broke him ourselves. Isabella will be fine. Won't you, hermana?"
Even as I nodded, near-paralyzing doubt overcame me. How could I possibly be expected to show this beast that I was in charge? As if he sensed my thoughts, Canela pranced sideways. I let out a gasp, yanking at the reins. He came to a snorting halt, ears flattened, clearly displeased at the effort I'd exerted on his bit.
Alfonso winked at me. "See? She can handle him." He looked at Beatriz. "Do you need any assistance, my lady?" he asked, in a jocular tone that hinted at his years of verbal sparring with our castle custodian's headstrong only daughter.
"I can manage fine, thank you," said Beatriz tartly. "Indeed, Her Highness and I will both be fine as soon as we get a feel for these Moorish steeds of yours. Lest you forget, we have ridden before, even if our mounts were, as you say, only stupid mules."
Alfonso chuckled, pivoting on his roan with practiced ease for his mere ten years. His brilliant blue eyes glistened; his thick fair hair, shorn bluntly at his shoulders, enhanced his full, handsome face. "And lest you forget," he said, "I've been riding every day since I was five. It is experience that makes for good horsemanship."
"True," rumbled Alfonso's governor, Don Chacón, from his own massive horse. "The Infante Alfonso is already an accomplished equestrian. Riding is second nature to him."
"We don't doubt it," I interjected before Beatriz could respond. I forced out a smile. "I believe we're ready, brother. But, pray, not too fast."
Alfonso nudged his roan forward, leading the way out of Arévalo's enclosed inner courtyard, under the portcullis and through the main gates.
I shot a disapproving look at Beatriz.
Of course, this was all her doing. Bored by our daily regimen of lessons, prayer, and needlework, she had announced this morning that we must get some exercise, or we would turn into crones before our time. We'd been cooped up indoors too long, she said, which was true enough, winter having been particularly harsh this year. And when she asked our governess, Doña Clara, for permission, my aya had agreed because riding for us invariably consisted of taking the castle's elderly mules on a leisurely jaunt around the curtain wall surrounding the castle and its adjoining township for an hour before supper.
But after I changed into my riding clothes and went with Beatriz into the courtyard, I found Alfonso standing there with Don Chacón and two impressive stallions—gifts sent by our half brother, King Enrique. The black horse was for me, Alfonso said. His name was Canela.
I had suppressed my alarm as I mounted the stallion with the aid of a footstool. I was even more alarmed, however, when it became clear I was expected to ride astride, a la jineta, the way the Moors did, perched on the narrow leather saddle with the stirrups drawn up high—an unfamiliar and unsettling sensation.
"An odd name for a horse," I'd remarked, to disguise my apprehension. "Cinnamon is a light color, while this creature is black as night."
Canela tossed his mane and swiveled his exquisitely shaped head about to nip my leg. I did not think it a good augury for the afternoon.
"Beatriz," I now hissed as we rode out onto the plain, "why didn't you tell me? You know I dislike surprises."
"That's exactly why I didn't tell you," she hissed back. "If I had, you wouldn't have come. You'd have said we should read or sew or recite novenas. Say what you will, we have to have fun sometime."
"I hardly see how being thrown from a horse can be deemed fun."
"Bah. Just think of him as an overgrown dog. He's big, yes, but quite harmless."
"And how, pray, would you know?"
"Because Alfonso would never have let you ride Canela otherwise," said Beatriz, with a truculent toss of her head that revealed the immutable self-confidence that had made her my closest companion and confidante—though, as ever, I found myself caught between amusement and discomfort when confronted with her irreverent character.
We were three years apart, and antithetical in temperament. Beatriz acted as though the realm outside our gates was a vast unexplored place filled with potential adventure. Doña Clara said her reckless attitude was due to the fact that Beatriz's mother had died shortly after her birth; her father had raised her alone in Arévalo, without feminine supervision. Dark as I was fair, voluptuous as I was angular, Beatriz was also rebellious, unpredictable, and too outspoken for her own good. She even challenged the nuns at the Convento de las Agustinas where we went to take our lessons, driving poor Sor María to distraction with her endless questions. She was a loyal friend, and amusing as well, always quick to find mirth in what others did not; but she was also a constant headache for her elders and for Doña Clara, who'd tried in vain to teach Beatriz that well-bred ladies did not give in to random impulse whenever the urge overcame them.
"We should have told Doña Clara the truth," I said, glancing at my hands. I was clenching the reins again and forced myself to loosen my grip. "I hardly think she'll find our gallivanting about on horses appropriate."
Beatriz pointed ahead. "Who cares about appropriate? Look around you!"
I did as she instructed, reluctantly.
The sun dipped toward the horizon, shedding a vibrant saffron glow over the bleached-bone sky. To our left Arévalo sat on its low hill, a dun-colored citadel with six towers and a crenellated keep, abutting the provincial market town bearing the same name. To our right wound the main road that led to Madrid, while all around us, stretching as far as my eyes could see, lay the open expanse of Castile—an endless land dotted with fields of barley and wheat, vegetable patches, and clusters of wind-twisted pine. The air was still, heady with the fragrance of resin and a whiff of melting snow that I always associated with the advent of spring.
"Isn't it spectacular?" breathed Beatriz, her eyes shining. I nodded, gazing upon the countryside that had been my home for almost as long as I could remember. I'd seen it many times before, of course, from Arévalo's keep and during our annual trips with Doña Clara to the neighboring town of Medina del Campo, where the biggest animal fair in Castile was held. But for a reason I could not have explained, today it looked different, like when one suddenly notices that time has transformed an oft-looked-at painting, darkening the colors to a new luster and deepening the contrast between light and shadow.
My practical nature assured me this was because I was seeing the land from higher up, perched on the back of Canela rather than on the mule I was used to. Still, tears pricked my eyes and, without warning, I had a sudden memory of an imposing sala filled with people in velvets and silks. The image faded as soon as it came, a phantom from the past, and when Alfonso waved to me from where he rode ahead with Don Chacón, I promptly forgot I sat upon an unfamiliar, potentially treacherous animal and jabbed my heels into its ribs.
Canela leapt forth, throwing me forward against his arched neck. I instinctively grabbed hold of his mane, lifting myself off the saddle and tensing my thighs. Canela responded with a satisfied snort. He quickened his pace, galloping past Alfonso, raising a whirlwind of ochre dust.
"Dios mío!" I heard Alfonso gasp as I tore past him. From the corner of my eye I saw Beatriz fast behind me, shouting to my brother and an astonished Don Chacón: "Years of experience, eh?"
I burst into laughter.
it felt marvelous, just what I imagined flying must be: to leave behind the cares of the classroom and studies, the chill flagstone of the castle and baskets of endless darning, the constant muttered worry over money and my mother's erratic health; to be free and revel in the sensation of the horse moving beneath me and the landscape of Castile.
When I came to a panting halt on a ridge overlooking the plain, my riding hood hung on its ribbons down my back, my light auburn hair tumbling loose from its braids. Sliding off Canela, I patted his lathered neck. He nuzzled my palm before he set himself to munching on brittle thornbushes sprouting between the rocks. I settled on a nearby pile of stones and watched Beatriz come plunging up the ridge. As she came to a stop, flushed from her exertions, I remarked, "You were right, after all. We did need the exercise."
"Exercise!" she gasped, slipping off her horse. "Are you aware that we just left His Highness and Chacón behind in a cloud of dust?"
I smiled. "Beatriz de Bobadilla, must everything be a contest with you?"
She put her hands on her hips. "When it comes to proving our worthiness, yes. If we don't take it upon ourselves, who will?"
"So it's our strength you wish to prove," I said. "Hmm. Explain this to me." Beatriz flopped beside me, gazing toward the ebbing sun. The sun fell slowly at this time of year in Castile, affording us a breathtaking vision of gold-rimmed clouds and violet-and-scarlet skies. The incipient evening wind caught at Beatriz's tangled black hair; her expressive eyes, so quick to show her every thought, turned wistful. "I want to prove we're as accomplished as any man and should therefore enjoy the same privileges."
I frowned. "Why would we ever want to do that?"
"So we can live as we see fit and not have to apologize for it, just as His Highness does."
"Alfonso doesn't live as he sees fit." I righted my hood, tucking its ribbons into my bodice. "In fact, he has considerably less freedom than you think. Save for today, I hardly see him anymore, so busy is he with his rounds of swordplay, archery, and jousting, not to mention his studies. He is a prince. He has many demands on his time."
She scowled. "Yes, important demands, not just learning to sew and churn butter and corral the sheep. If we could live as men, then we'd be free to roam the world undertaking noble quests, like a knight errant or the Maid of Orléans."
I concealed the unbidden excitement her words roused in me. I'd schooled myself to hide my feelings ever since my mother, Alfonso, and I had fled Valladolid that terrible night ten years earlier, for since then I had come to understand far better what had occurred. We were not so isolated in Arévalo that I failed to glean the occasional news that filtered over the meseta from the royal residences in Madrid, Segovia, and Val- ladolid; the subjects were gossiped about by our servants, easy to hear if one seemed not to listen. I knew that with Enrique's accession, the court had become a dangerous place for us, ruled by his favorites and his avaricious queen. I had never forgotten the palpable fear I'd felt that night of my father's death; the long ride across dark fields and forests, avoiding the main roads in case Enrique sent guards in our pursuit. The memory was branded in me, an indelible lesson that life's changes would occur whether or not we were prepared for them, and we must do our best to adapt, with a minimum of fuss.
"The Maid of Orléans was burned at the stake," I finally said. "Is that the grand end you'd have us aspire to, my friend?"
Beatriz sighed. "Of course not, it's a horrible death. But I'd like to think that, given the chance, we could lead armies in defense of our country as she did. As it stands, we're doomed before we've ever lived." She flung her arms wide. "It's the same thing day after day, week after week, month after dreary month! Is this how all gentlewomen are raised, I wonder? Are we so unintelligent our sole pleasures must be to entertain guests and please our future husbands, to learn how to smile between dinner courses without ever expressing an opinion? If so, we might as well forgo the marriage and childbearing parts altogether and proceed directly to old age and sainthood."
I regarded her. Beatriz always asked questions for which there were no easy answers, seeking to change that which had been ordained before we were born. It disconcerted me that lately I too had found myself asking similar questions, plagued by a similar restlessness, though I would never admit to it. I didn't like the impatience that overcame me when I looked to the future, because I knew that even I, a princess of Castile, must one day wed where I was told and settle for whatever life my husband saw fit to give me.
"It is neither tedious nor demeaning to marry, and care for a husband and children," I said. "Such has been a woman's lot since time began."
"You only recite what you've been told," she retorted. " 'Women breed and men provide.' What I ask is: Why? Why must we have only one path? Who said a woman can't take up the sword and cross, and march on Granada to vanquish the Moors? Who said we can't make our own decisions or manage our own affairs as well as any man?"
"It is not a question of who said it. It simply is."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, the Maid of Orléans didn't marry. She didn't scrub and sew and plan dowries. She donned a suit of armor and went to war for her dauphin."
"Who betrayed her to the English," I reminded her and paused. "Beatriz, the Maid was called upon to perform God's work. You cannot compare her destiny to ours. She was a holy vessel; she sacrificed herself for her country."
Beatriz made a rude snorting sound but I knew I'd scored an inarguable point in this argument we'd been engaged in since childhood. I remained outwardly unperturbed, as I invariably did when Beatriz pontificated, but as I imagined my vivacious friend clad in rusty armor, urging a company of lords to war for la patria, a sudden giggle escaped me.
"Now you laugh at me!" she cried.
"No, no." I choked back my mirth as best I could. "I was not. I was only thinking that had the Maid come your way, you'd have joined her without a moment's hesitation."
"Indeed, I would have." She leapt to her feet. "I'd have thrown my books and embroidery out the window and jumped on the first horse available. How wonderful it must be to do as you please, to fight for your country, to live with only the sky as your roof and the earth as your bed."
"You exaggerate, Beatriz. Crusades involve more hardship than history tells us."
"Perhaps, but at least we'd be doing something!"
I looked at her hands, clasped as if she were brandishing a weapon. "You could certainly wield a sword with those big paws of yours," I teased.
She stuck out her chin. "You're the princess, not me. You would wield the sword."
As if day had slipped without warning into night, cold overcame me. I shivered. "I don't think I could ever lead an army," I said, in a low voice. "It must be terrible to watch your countrymen cut down by your foes and to know your own death can happen at any moment. Nor"—I held up my hand, preempting Beatriz's protest—"do I think you should exalt the Maid of Orléans as an example for us to emulate. She fought for her prince only to suffer a cruel death. I'd not wish such a fate on anyone. Certainly, I do not wish it for myself. Boring as it may be to you, I'd rather wed and bear children, as is my duty."
Beatriz gave me a penetrating look. "Duty is for weaklings. Don't tell me you haven't questioned as well. You devoured that tale of the crusader kings in our library as if it were marzipan."
I forced out a laugh. "You truly are incorrigible."
At that moment, Alfonso and Don Chacón rode up, the governor looking most chagrined. "Your Highness, my lady de Bobadilla, you shouldn't have galloped off like that. You could have been hurt, or worse. Who knows what lies in wait on these lands at dusk?"
I heard the fear in his voice. Though King Enrique had seen fit to leave us be in Arévalo, isolated from court, his shadow was never far from our lives. The threat of abduction was a peril I'd long grown accustomed to, had in fact come to ignore. But Chacón was devoted to our protection and viewed any possibility of a threat as a serious matter.
"Forgive me," I told him. "I am at fault. I don't know what came over me."
"Whatever it was, I'm impressed," said Alfonso. "Who would have thought you'd be such an Amazon, sweet sister?"
"I, an Amazon? Surely not. I merely tested Canela's prowess. He did well, don't you think? He's much faster than his size would indicate."
Alfonso grinned. "He is. And yes, you did very well, indeed."
"And now we must be getting back," said Chacón. "Night is almost upon us. Come, we'll take the main road. And no galloping ahead this time, do I make myself clear?"
Back on our horses, Beatriz and I followed my brother and Chacón into the twilight. Beatriz opted not to act up, I noted with relief, riding demurely at my side. Yet as we neared Arévalo, streaks of coral inking the sky, I couldn't help but recall our conversation, and wonder, despite all efforts to the contrary, what it must feel like to be a man.
What People are saying about this
"A beautifully crafted piece of historical fiction . . . Gortner's vivid details blend with his deeply intensive research to re-create Isabella and Castile in a way that the reader will find compelling and immersive, bringing not just the Queen but the whole nation to life."—RT Book Reviews
"A fascinating story . . . Through his creative and spellbinding storytelling, Gortner's readers come to know Isabella intimately in mind, heart and body as she lives through a tumultuous time, her intense longing to be the determiner of her own unique destiny."—Wichita Falls Times Record News
"A novel of triumph as Isabella vanquishes her enemies one by one . . . [She is] a very human and appealing character."—The Roanoke Times
"Politically charged, passionate . . . [a] well-researched, intriguing historical."—Bookreporter
Meet the Author
C. W. Gortner's historical novels have garnered international praise and been translated into fourteen languages. He divides his time between Northern California and Antigua, Guatemala.
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The Queen's Vow starts with a bang and ends on an almost philosophical note that really put me in the year 1492, on the brink of uniting the world's hemispheres at long last. Oh, those middles. Especially as the narrative draws to a close, there are more and more patches of time that are reported in a not very engaging way. It seemed the author got exhausted by the incredible demands of the subject matter. If he had had the time two or three books would have given him, he could have covered all the material as vividly as he does in the beginning. I have a PhD in medieval Spanish, so the basic story is all too familiar to me, and I hoped this book could send me back in time to viscerally witness the events as they unfolded. Many scenes are very successful, but they're laced together with straight explanations that needed a little something extra. In particular, I would really have liked to see a lot more of Torquemada, the most controversial figure in a book full of controversial figures. He's portrayed as a ghoul who shows up at three different points to scare Isabella into setting up the Spanish Inquisition and expelling the Jews from her newly united Spain. I thought it was a missed opportunity to explore exactly what forces would make a person a proponent of such policies, but the character is so complex, he probably needs his own book anyway. It would also be really nice if more historians would point out for the general public that Spain was the last European country to establish such an inquisition. These institutions were already at work in every other European country. Of course, it lasted a lot longer after that in Spain, but that's another story. Isabel's female psychology seemed to be just out of reach of the author at times. When she says that she'd like to do all the things a man can do, it seemed like something a man would think a woman would say. Perhaps Isabel la Católica did indeed think women should have all the same advantages as men, but I suspect strongly that she would express it differently, or not at all, just putting on the armor and having done with it because of her obvious pragmatism. On a more technical note, I'd like to explain that the "don" title in Spanish works the same way as "sir" in English: it's used with the first name. Just as "Sir Elton" and "Sir Elton John" are correct but "Sir John" (in this case) would be an enormous gaffe, so "Don Antonio" and "Don Antonio de Nebrija" are fine, while "Don de Nebrija" is jarringly wrong. This is easy to get right and I hope more editors will get wind of this as more Spanish-themed manuscripts cross their desks. I was very excited about this book and enjoyed reading it, but I think my expectations might have been too high. So, love this book for the overwhelmingly iconic time it portrays and for the possibility it presents of getting inside the head of one of history's most interesting people. Love it because of the affection with which the author writes about Spain, which normally doesn't get much notice in historical fiction in English (except as a religious fanatic bad guy with lots of galleons to rob). Love it for the intense descriptions at the beginning of the book and the beautifully imagined personalities of Fernando of Aragon and Christopher Columbus. And hope that next time, the author doesn't take on quite so much material, because I think that is this book's main downfall.
It was well written, but kind of a let down-not exactly meeting the expectations set forth by ratings & reviews. Definatly worth readimg if you love history as I do, however I felt the author wasted half the book on Isabella's younger years than on her actual reign, marriage, accomplishments.....the actual fight to unite Spain under one monarchy was hastily done...... 3/5 stars from Tisha Sanders
Very much enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from Mr. Gortner! I had known virtually nothing of Isabella of Castille, so this fascinating glimpse into the world of the Spanish Royals was quite enlightening.
Holding a new novel by C.W. Gortner in your hands is like the excitement felt the night before a long awaited trip. The anticipation of embarking on a new literary adventure is tremendous, and once the novel has begun, each turn of the page is a moment to be savored... The Queen's Vow is no exception to this type of delight. From the first page of this enthralling novel, the reader is given a heartfelt introduction to one of histories most empowering women, Isabella of Castile. Her life was surrounded by chaos and the ever looming threat of danger, but had her destiny been known to the political leaders of her time, her life wold have been in even more peril. Since this was not the case, everyone, including Isabella, thought there was little use for her beyond that of a political marriage. But when a sudden turn of events puts her within reach of the crown, she must utilize her innate strength and wisdom in order to prove worthy of her natural right. Told in elegant prose, and steep in historical detail, The Queen's Vow illuminates the life of Isabella flawlessly. The three dimensional characters are vastly different, allowing the reader to form a unique connection with each one. In addition to this, like Gortner's other novels, it is amazing how each character can demand so much of the readers attention without ever taking away from the emphasis on the main character. There is no need for any foreknowledge of Isabella of Castile or the Spanish Inquisition in order to fully comprehend and immerse yourself within this book. In fact, even if you are well versed in these subjects, there is still so much to gain by reading this exceptional literary work. I highly recommend The Queen's Vow to anyone who takes pleasure in historical fiction while receiving a fascinating history lesson; it will no doubt hold a special place in your library.
I have read a lot of books about the Tudors and The Romanovs but have never delved into Spanish Royalty so this book was extra fascinating to me. This book was so well written I really enjoyed it and as I have said I love a historical fiction book that's makes me want to do more research. I also plan on reading Gortner's The Last Queen about Isabella's daughter Juana. I found this book so fascinating and I learned much about Spanish Royalty and how Spain was united. It was also fascinating to learn about Catherine of Aragon's mother since I have read so much Tudor historical fiction. This was my first book by, C.W. Gortner and will not be my last I plan on reading everything he has written because his writing is fabulous he kept me interested from beginning to end, this book never got dull and held me rapt it was hard to put down. I know this is Historical Fiction and Mr. Gortner has said he took a few liberties but I really want to think that Isabel didn't want to enforce the Spanish Inquisition I liked her I thought she was an amazingly strong woman especially considering her mother was a little well, crazy, maybe today she would be manic or bi-polar and be on meds but at that time in history there was no such thing. I liked the fact that she chose her own husband (even though there were a few liberties taken with their story) I thought they made a great power couple their styles of rule complemented each other very well. With the hints we got in this book about Juana's personality I am going to go right into reading The Last Queen while this one is fresh in my mind. 4 ½ Stars
I have to admit that I was drawn to this book by both the historical fiction as well as the beautiful dress that graced the cover. I've never read much about the Spanish royals, so this was an entirely new section of history for me to read about. Usually when it comes to history I can be a stickler for the facts, but in this case, there was no way for me to do that because I didn't really know this era or these royals, so I cannot attest to the historical accuracy, but I can say that it was a beautifully woven story that had me not wanting to put the book down. At times I hated that I had to go to work because I just wanted to know if Isabella was going to prevail over her half brother or if she was going to stay locked in her rooms a prisoner of his capricious wife. I think one of my favorite parts of this book was that Isabella and Ferdinando seemed to really be in love as opposed to most royals who have an arranged marriage and they make it work. Just looking at Enrique and his wife Johanna, who both had very different proclivities, but were forced to stay together for the worse of the realm. Gortner does an amazing job painting the trials and tribulations that Isabella and Ferdinando face as they struggle to make a united front and prove their right to rule. I was rooting for the two of them as I read, but I was also rooting for Isabella to find her own voice and for her to come into her own right as queen, and what a marvelous job she did. I will definitely be reading more for Gortner, who paints such a wonderful and enticing picture of history.
sabella of Castille is a historical figure that I would think most people are familiar with. If, of course, you paid attention in history class. She is an intriguing person because she did what other women of her time weren't allowed to do: She took her fate into her own hands. In this novel, C.W. explores the life of Isabella, from childhood to adult. Her father died when she was very young. As the kings sister, she grew up knowing what her life might behold. She had no real political desires of her own. However as fate would have it, she was destined to rule. She stood up to those who would resign her to a life not of her choosing. She married for love and ruled a kingdom. C.W. Gortner has written a highly entertaining novel about Isabella's life. The book begins when she is a young girl who is brought to court after many years away to celebrate the birth of her brother's heir. She's not accustomed to all the finery, the intrigue, the scandal, and the backstabbing. However it's at this court she meets Fernando, prince of Aragon, the one she is not only destined to rule with but also to unite their kingdoms . They have an instant connection but it seems for a time, fate has other plans. Their road to be together is paved by war and scandal. Isabella has to deal with her brother, King Enrique, who wants to marry her off to secure his kingdom. Defying him is an act of treason. This novel has many ups and downs. It's a fascinating and emotional journey about one of the most famous queens in history. Gortner brings to light fascinating details that help seal Isabella's historical legacy. This is a book I would recommend to all you history lovers out there.
I love this author and this book met all expectations!
The Queen's Vow was another great novel by C W Gartner! I have only one more of his books to read and already know I will anticipate the next.
This story while fictional gave me a historical references that made me want to learn more about this great queen and role in history. It's very well written and will keep you captivated from one great event to another. I was fascinated by the will and strength of the main character. The fact that she was real and these events happened made this book an adventure I couldn't wait to get back.
The book was exciting but some of the Spanish throws you off. I would recommend to historical fiction readers as well as CW. Gortner's other books. Not so much for Book club discussion though.
liked it!
Who knew that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of grade school lore shared such a passionate romance? Thanks to the imaginings of renowned historical fiction novelist, C.W. Gortner, the 15th century Spanish monarchs sizzle in The Queen's Vow. Gortner implicitly understands the underpinnings of the heart of a powerful woman. She's a military commander and a mother. She's a royal pawn and a supreme ruler. She's a wifely figurehead and her husband's equal, if not, superior. Isabella is a complicated contradiction and Gortner tenderly adds fascinating shades of light and dark to his depiction of her. But most of all, he makes her come alive on the page from a nubile maiden to Columbus' champion. Where the novel shines is in the loving, yet beleaguered, relationship between Ferdinand and Isabella. Surviving many attempts by her brother and his minions to marry her off to a Portuguese royal, Isabella outwits their schemes by uniting with the man of her own choosing. Through their holy vows, they are able to bring together the divided kingdoms of Castile and Aragon to form a fully united Spanish realm. But politics aside, the romance of their attraction is nothing short of poetic in Gortner's prose. Though we stood in a crowded hall for this first public meeting, witnessed by dozens of eyes and ears, it was as if Fernando and I were alone in our recognition that without each other, life could only be an incomprehensible labor. From their first impromptu dance as children in a garden in Segovia to the formation of their unshakable bond forged through decades on the throne, they never lose faith in each other. Despite Ferdinand's numerous infidelities and Isabella's proclivity to emasculate her husband in public, the two depend on the strength they find in their partnership. This sense of teamwork provides the resiliency that finally drives the Moors out of their country after the imposed threat of centuries of occupation. Their remarkable achievements are also tempered with vagrant obstructions concerning the religious rights of their subjects. Through harassment, intimidation and finally by decree, they order every Jewish person, who refuses to convert to Catholicism, to leave the country. This Inquisition is a stain on the reputation of an otherwise spectacular reign. While daring and adventurous throughout the book, Isabella meets her match when she comes face to face with Christopher Columbus. Her head is turned by the handsome, yet arrogant, navigator. Despite a bankrupt treasury mortgaged on her crown jewels, she is willing to invest in his daring mission to cross the Ocean Sea. Little does she know, the epic results her patronage will bring. Highlighting this momentous occasion, Gortner beautifully describes the historic nature of their illustrious meeting. What was it about this man, that he could rouse such emotion in me? I now believed he was indeed someone I'd been destined to meet, an act of fate I could neither resist nor evade. What Gortner does so brilliantly is dramatize a vast multitude of historical events into a compelling, riveting drama. Nearly 400 pages of battles and betrothals, plots and persecutions move at a brisk pace as seen through the eyes of the woman who experienced it all firsthand. It is a masterwork by a skilled craftsman to weave the fictional with the factual in such an entertaining way. It is a tale that will delight romantics and historians alike. Overall, make a vow to read this book.


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David Gilmour Plays Historic Show In PompeiiGilmour kicked off a two night stand in the ancient Roman city 1,937 years after it was destroyed by a massive volcanic eruption.
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour Pays Tribute to Prince's 'Purple Rain' Mid-SongNearly four-and-a-half minutes into "Comfortably Numb," Gilmour launched into "Purple Rain."
David Gilmour Performs 'Wish You Were Here' in Rare TV AppearanceIn his first television appearance in a decade, Gilmour revisited the Pink Floyd classic.
David Gilmour Sets Return to Pompeii for the First Time in 45 YearsIt marks Gilmour's first performance in the historic city since 1971.
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour Makes Return to Stage, Performs 'Wish You Were Here': WatchDavid Gilmour made a guest appearance during Bombay Bicycle Club's performance in London on Saturday (Dec. 13).
Despite Final Album, Unreleased Pink Floyd Material Could Still Surface"The Endless River" is likely the band's final statement, but an expanded "Animals" reissue may be in the cards.
Listen to a Snippet of Pink Floyd's First Album in 20 YearsThe Endless River will be released on Nov. 10.
Pink Floyd Exhibition In The WorksThe remaining members of Pink Floyd are collaborating one more time to create a giant exhibition of rarely seen memorabilia, which is being described as similar to "attending a Pink Floyd concert."
Man Claims To Be Pink Floyd's David Gilmour To Avoid Hospital Bill
Not Fade Away: Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon' Turns 40
New Apps, New Music From Members of Pink FloydA new technique to convert DVDs into smartphone apps has been created, and first on the development company's list is "David Gilmour In Concert," featuring Gilmour's concert at London's Royal Festival Hall in 2001.
Pink Floyd: Not Playing The Olympics (But Nick Mason Is)Sheeran fueled speculation that other members of the legendary group would when he told an Australian radio station that he was performing with Mason but "they're trying to get someone else" from the band to join them.

subset: commoncrawl


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An epic interview with the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer: From 'Cloud Atlas' to 'Jupiter Ascending'
[This page of the interview contains several spoilers]
They all dissolved into laughter, and Andy continued the story. "So now, by the time you get to the last one, you've gotten each of the hooks in each of the stories, one at a time, and then we get to the end, we set that last hook, Zachary gets his premonition, and then someone mentions Sonmi, and then Sonmi's door opens, and that's the first time we've deviated from the structure. She walks over to Jim Sturgess, and Jim Sturgess says, 'You've got a choice. You can either stay here, or you can come with me,' and that's like the only other time that we're talking to the audience. The first time is 'I have a disdain for tricksy gimmicks,' and then 'you can either stay here or you can come with us'. And then the movie kicks off."
One of the things that will help sell the film is the presence of Tom Hanks, which I assume also helped get the film funded. He's beautifully cast in the film, and it's a huge performance from him, or maybe I should say performances, since he plays characters in each of the six stories. When Sam Mendes was getting ready to make "American Beauty," one of the actors he wanted for Lester was Tom Hanks, but his agents got as far as the scene with Lester masturbating in the shower and passed on it, telling Mendes "this is not a Tom Hanks film." When Hanks met Mendes at the Oscars and heard about that, he immediately told his agency to send him challenging scripts in the future and to let him worry about what is or isn't a Tom Hanks film.
Lana seemed delighted by the story and said, "We owe Sam Mendes a present, then."
There are things Tom Hanks does in the film that we've never seen him do, and language we've never heard him use, and for some audiences, it will be a shock to see certain things happen.
Lana asked, "You mean like slitting Hugh Grant's throat?"
Andy belly-laughed as he said, "Tom Hanks cuts Hugh Grant's throat open," which is perhaps one of the more disturbing things you can say as you belly laugh, but I know what he means. It's outrageous to see Hanks upend his image this completely.
Lana continued, "And to see that expression on his face of remorse and horror. I am in love with Tom Hanks. You're right, he is so intelligent, and he knows film as well as or better than any actor we have ever met. He watched just a tiny piece of the film when we were doing ADR, and he just intuitively knew so many things. 'Oh, I love that cut, and how you went from that to that, and that is incredible! And you're doing this cut and that cut because of this, and that's amazing.' He saw the shot of the critic being thrown off the balcony, and he was laughing. He was like, 'He fucking hits the floor! He doesn't hit the car!' And we were like, 'Yes! That's the point! He misses it! They always land on the car!'"
Hanks carries certain expectations with him when he's cast in a role, and for some audiences, they may not be prepared for what he does in "Cloud Atlas." I asked if part of the reason they cast him was specifically so they could play against that iconic weight he carries.
Tom answered, "The whole idea of him being the most relevant everyman actor since Jimmy Stewart invited even more this idea that the characters he's playing are having this very particular evolution, the idea that the best of us can come from the worst of us. He's an evil murderer, but there's this learning process, and meeting this girl once, twice, and then finally realizing he's going to have to change, and when he meets her in the '70s, there's that feeling that even though he's working for the, you know, the evil empire, maybe he can help her. Maybe he can do something better. And then he fails and he dies, and so he comes back as the writer, and do you remember the moment when he sees Halle Berry in the bar, and you think, 'Oh, there she is! Go! Go!' But he doesn't. He decides to do bad instead. He decides to do something very bad and kill the critic instead."
Tom stopped and fixed me with a pointed stare as he realized what he'd just said. "Well, I don't know how bad you can consider that to be."
Both of the Wachowskis started laughing at that, all of them looking at me, and finally Tom regained some composure and continued. "So he keeps going, and ultimately he meets her again in the far future, and he gets to really, really change. He gets to change perspective. He becomes this new being who sees the moral consequences of things. And the idea of having this person who slowly, complicatedly learns to be a better person be played by this particular actor that has such an iconic dimension to him that it's not like… him being the bad guy is so much more impressive because you don't know it that well. And at the same time, because he can pull it off so amazingly… he sort of embraced it, and he enjoyed getting to be evil, like when he's playing Dr. Goose, there's this potency of… you trust him to be decent… and once you find out that he's poisoning Ewing, it's shocking. You think because he's Tom Hanks, oh, he's this quirky doctor, and he's going to save him. How nice to have him around. He's going to protect him, like maybe protect him from the bad captain or something, and he's the horror. If it had been somebody we are used to seeing in ambiguous roles, you would have immediately projected it all differently."
Lana jumped in. "But you're right that the moment we started thinking about Tom Hanks, we got so excited by the idea of him doing these roles. Yet at the same time, we were wondering if he was the engineer behind the Tom Hanks image, you know? We were like, what if we send it to him and he's like, 'What? Are you insane? Why would you offer this to me? I would never do this.' So it was experimental. We knew it was something that would transcend the 'Tom Hanks movie' definition…"
Andy said, "And we didn't know him at all, so…"
Lana continued, "So we sent it with a note. 'Are you interested?' And he was like, 'Let's meet!' And we had our most insane meeting of all time…
I told them that I read about that meeting in the recent profile done on them in The New Yorker, and it reaffirmed for me that Hanks is one of the most genuine people in the business, someone who has reached a point where he does what he wants because it intrigues or challenges him, and because he's well aware of what he can do with his movie-star clout.
Tom agreed. "He really is like that. I know we said that before, but we went through so many meetings trying to cast this, so many meetings with actors, and it would always end with, 'Great. Let my people talk to your people.' And he was just like, 'I'm in. Let's go.' And he meant it. There was no call a few weeks later to duck out of it."


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HourlyMore than 30 hrs/week
Entry LevelI am looking for freelancers with the lowest rates
I am looking for a personal assistant with superb computer skills and who is 100% fluent in English. This person will need to be available from 3:00pm to 11:00pm GMT. Tasks will include doing online research, data mining and handling emails. This person should also be experienced using Microsoft Office or OpenOffice, be able to follow instructions clearly and pay attention to details. Additional graphic design, internet marketing or software experience a big plus.
Please include the term "best personal assistant" in your application in order to be considered.
About the Client
United States
Mckinney 10:23 AM
Jobs Posted
67% Hire Rate, 1 Open Job
Over $50,000
Total Spent
60 Hires, 0 Active
Avg Hourly Rate Paid
5,964 Hours


text:
Gwen Ifill talks to Pew Research Center's Andy Kohut, the Rothenberg Political Report's Stu Rothenberg and USA Today's Susan Page about the momentum leading into Election Day, plus historical trends that tend to signal which candidate will win a presidential election. Continue reading
According to one poll, less than 2 percent of Iowa voters are still undecided. In that state, the candidates have made 30 campaign visits and have barraged the air waves with ads. Hari Sreenivasan reports on how both campaigns are hoping that early voting, now begun, will improve overall turnout and give them a winning edge. Continue reading
A Pennsylvania judge blocked a law that will require voters to show government ID at the polls from taking effect until after the 2012 elections. Ray Suarez asks Republican Pa. state representative Daryl Metcalfe and Judith Browne-Dianis of Advancement Project if the law addresses voter fraud or merely disenfranchises voters. Continue reading
In other news Tuesday, the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court ordered a lower court judge to review his decision to uphold a voter ID law that could disenfranchise voters who don't have government IDs. Also, NATO leaders plan to scale back to joint operations with Afghan forces after an uptick of 'green on blue' attacks. Continue reading
For the first time in nearly 50 years, Libyans will go to the polls on Saturday to vote for a new parliamentary government. Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News reports on the excitement in that country, nine months after the fall of its last leader, Moammar Gadhafi. Continue reading
Ray Suarez talks to Margaret Warner about the changes President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto might bring to Mexico, and how he still needs to deal with governors accused of colluding with criminals. Continue reading
Across the country, voting rights activists including Rock the Vote have campaigned against a surge of state voter identification laws, requiring individuals to provide a photo ID before they cast a ballot. Gwen Ifill and guests discuss the latest move by a Wisconsin judge and the U.S. Justice Department blocking a Texas law. Continue reading
Republican presidential hopefuls in Iowa shifted into campaign overdrive Thursday for the final leg before next week's first-in-the-nation Caucuses. Jeffrey Brown weighs the state's significance in the nominating process with Richard Norton Smith of George Mason University and Jeff Stein of the State Historical Society of Iowa. Continue reading
Millions of potential voters may not be able to cast votes in 2012 after a dozen states put new restrictions in place this year. Gwen Ifill discusses the impact the new restrictions could have on the upcoming elections with New York University's Keesha Gaskins and Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation. Continue reading
The Tea Party burst on the scene as a new political force, but does it have staying power? Judy Woodruff discusses the movement's influence with The Pew Research Center's Andy Kohut and The New York Times' Kate Zernike. Continue reading


text:
Good tweeters for the price. Would recommend for most any application where more high end is needed as long as you're not pushing too much power to them.
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Los Angeles, CA
October 28, 2013
Good tweeters for the price. Would recommend for most any application where more high end is needed as long as you're not pushing too much power to them.
14 of 18 found this helpful
Dallas tx
April 14, 2015
These speakers are amazing I didn't expect to get so much clarity and Krisp sound from such a small size dome I recommend these speakers to anyone that's trying to upgrade from their factory speakers without having to add any crazy set up
11 of 14 found this helpful
Los Angeles, CA
August 2, 2014
I got these running separately off a four chan amp with some older midbass speakers i had lying around. They work nice and are crisp and clean. Before these I had some cheapies for $15 that crackled and broke up with higher volume but these are handling the power fine.
11 of 14 found this helpful
Dallas tx
April 13, 2015
These speakers are amazing I didn't expect to get so much clarity and Krisp sound from such a small size dome I recommend these speakers to anyone that's trying to upgrade from their factory speakers without having to add any crazy set up
8 of 11 found this helpful
Memphis tn
December 7, 2015
Product was easy to install and sound awsome! Highly recommend
1 of 1 found this helpful
Corner, AL
November 8, 2015
A lot of positive reviews about the NVX speakers, so I took a chance on some N series 5 1/4s. Liked them (very similar to Orion XTRs) so when I found these tweeters on sale I bought a couple pair and really really like them.
0 of 0 found this helpful
25 ft. of True Spec 16 Gauge EnvyFlex Speaker Wire
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Warning: The image depicted shows the resistance change when wiring multiple subwoofer terminals. Please refer to your subwoofer's owner's manual for the proper wiring of its terminals. Sonic Electronix, Inc. is not responsible for damage caused to your audio system or vehicle due to improper installation. Please call tech support at 1-877-289-7664 if you require additional assistance.
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A majority of the students in my class are hard working individuals. Many also having children which was amazing to me as they had the ability to balance out their lives to accommodate school. Every classroom of students has their ups and downs, but we became a family and always stick together in our studies and motivate each other to get through.
Student Body:
My school is very diverse as far as ethnic backgrounds. Everyone in the program has to be employed as an LPN which is one of the requirements for the program, so everyone in my class was working and had families they were juggling. We all worked together and were very courteous and respectful to one another.
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text:
Online store for Christmas products
This project was awarded to linkedstudio for $166 USD.Get free quotes for a project like this
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Project Budget$30 - $250 USD
Total Bids83
Project Description
I need an Online webstore, user friendly with features: SEO, add to cart, secure payment options (credit card and paypal) required, delivery options, registration and log-in of customers. The orders have to result in a printable invoice with the product details whenever an order is placed.
This is a Christmas online store. The DESIGN has to be in the Christmas spirit. There will be 8 main categories/product titles and in each category different products with photos, descriptions, prices. Available in English and French.
I need it this week.
My current website is: [url removed, login to view]
This is the domain that will be used.
Christmas Confectionery (21 products)
Nutcrackers (27 products)
Smokers (44 products)
Rotary Candle Holders/Pyramides (25 products)
Decoration Christmas tree (22 products)
Deco pine branches (4 products)
Candles and Incense (12 products)
Miscellaneous (4 products)
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They're part of the fabric of the holidays, and most of us would have it no other way.
Cookies! Cookies for parties, cookies for home. Cookies in our dreams.
And so we mix, we bake, we decorate. And we share.
That's what today's special cookie edition of Food is about.
During a blustery week in late October, 5 1/2 dozen of you shared your best cookies with us for our annual Holiday Cookie Contest. And now we share the best of those with you.
It was tough to decide, but in the end, we chose the cookies that had us saying "mm-mm," time and again. We hope they'll have you doing the same.
Happy baking!
- Food editor Nancy J. Stohs
More from the holiday cookie section:
- Winner: Practice makes perfect, award-winning cookie
- Vegan: Baker takes a vegan approach to cookies
- Need Cookies? One church sale offers 45,000 pieces
- Tips: The American Club's pastry chef says use best ingredients, precision
- Beauty: Some cookies deserve a second look
- PDF: Download the full-size cookie recipe page
Kringle Cutouts (Winner)
Makes about 3 dozen
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut in chunks
1 cup sour cream
Raspberry jam
Icing (see recipe)
In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add sour cream, first stirring and then kneading with your hands. Dough will be slightly sticky.
Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove dough from fridge and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Roll out on lightly floured surface to ¼- to ½-inch thickness, adding more flour, if needed if dough becomes too sticky. Cut out with 2-inch round (plain or scalloped-edge) cookie cutter.
Place dough circles about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Place a small amount (about ½ teaspoon) raspberry jam on center of circle. Fold in half and gently pat edges together to form a seam that is closed but not tightly sealed. Some edges will pull away slightly during cooking.
Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on racks.
Prepare icing. Pipe over cooled cookies decoratively using a pastry bag or a zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off.
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
In bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until smooth.
The blend of textures and happy marriage of flavors in both the dough and filling, combined with a very attractive appearance, made this cookie from Barbara A. Driscoll of West Allis a favorite of the judges, who awarded it second place.
Cranberry Orange Swirls (Second Place)
Makes 3 to 4 dozen
1 ¾ cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (6 ounces) dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup mild honey
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh orange zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Clear sugar glitter or coarse sugar granules for finish (optional)
Make pastry dough: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a food processor, pulse butter, cream cheese, sugar, yolk and vanilla until smooth, then add flour mixture and pulse until dough just forms a ball.
Halve dough and form each half into a roughly 6-by-2-inch rectangle. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 ½ hours.
Make filling: In clean food processor, purée dried cranberries, walnuts, honey, orange juice, zest and cinnamon until almost smooth.
Make logs: Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 10-by-8-inch rectangle (about 1/3 inch thick), long side facing you. Remove top sheet of wax paper and gently spread one-fourth of cranberry mixture over bottom half of dough, leaving a ¼-inch border. Using wax paper as an aid, roll dough, jellyroll style, halfway, enclosing cranberry mixture. Flip dough, with wax paper. Remove paper. Spread with one third of remaining cranberry mixture and roll in same manner, to form an S-shaped log.
Make another identical log with remaining piece of dough.
Chill logs, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 4 hours.
Bake cookies: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut logs crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and arrange slices about 2 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets. Bake until pastry is pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool. Sprinkle glitter or sugar on tops of cookies.
Notes: Unbaked logs can be chilled up to 3 days.
Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.
Susan Ciuffreda of Wauwatosa adapted a recipe in Family Circle to create these subtly lemony, delicate cakelike cookies that tied for third in our contest.
Lemon Ricotta Mini-Cakes (Third Place)
Makes about 4 dozen
2 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup ricotta cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
White sparkling sugar and/or pearlized sprinkles (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with vegetable oil spray or line with parchment or silicone baking mat.
In bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
In another bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar together until blended. Add egg, ricotta, lemon zest and the 2 teaspoons lemon juice, beating until combined. On low speed, add flour mixture and beat until blended.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven 14 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Tops will crack ever so slightly and still appear a bit moist. Let cool on sheets 3 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
To make glaze: Beat powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon milk together until well blended. Add more lemon juice or milk, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Dip tops of cookies into glaze. If desired, sprinkle desired amount of white sparkling sugar and/or pearlized sprinkles and set aside until glaze has hardened.
Kathy Lorum of Milwaukee created this recipe, which tied for third place, by adapting an "authentic" Mexican wedding cake recipe. The judges liked the flakiness and intense cinnamon flavor.
Cinnamon Dream Vanilla Creams (Third Place)
Makes about 3 dozen
Cinnamon tea (see recipe)
Toasted cinnamon (see recipe and note)
Vanilla cream filling (see recipe)
Cinnamon paste (see recipe)
Cinnamon sugar coating (see recipe)
1 1/3 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground store-bought cinnamon
½ cup solid vegetable shortening (I use butter-flavored Crisco)
Prepare cinnamon tea, toasted cinnamon, vanilla cream filling, cinnamon paste and cinnamon sugar coating.
To make pastry dough: In bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cinnamon. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or by using pulse option on food processor until crumbly. Gradually add 3 to 4 tablespoons cold cinnamon tea until dough holds together in a ball. Flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Roll out pastry dough to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured pastry canvas. Cut out 2-inch rounds and place on ungreased baking sheet. Pierce rounds with fork tines and bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and gently coat hot rounds in cinnamon-sugar coating. Cool on rack.
To assemble cookies, stir a small amount of the vanilla cream into the cinnamon paste (from 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup, according to your preference) until paste is thick but spreadable.
Spread a thin coating of vanilla cream on bottom side of one round. On a second round spread a thin coating of cinnamon paste. Press two rounds together.
Store layered between wax paper, loosely covered, in a cool dry location.
Note: The toasted cinnamon step may be eliminated by using store-bought cinnamon of the specified amounts called for in cinnamon paste and cinnamon-sugar recipes.
Cinnamon tea:
1 cup water
3 to 4 cinnamon sticks
In saucepan, bring water and cinnamon sticks to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to steep 30 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and refrigerate "tea" to use later for pastry.
Toasted cinnamon:
4 to 6 cinnamon sticks
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place 4 to 6 cinnamon sticks on oven-safe tray and toast 10 to 12 minutes until lightly toasted.
Cool and then pulverize in blender. Reserve 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons for cinnamon paste. (See recipe.) Reserve remaining pulverized toasted cinnamon for cinnamon-sugar coating. (See recipe.)
Vanilla cream filling:
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup half-and-half cream
1 vanilla bean, split
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place flour in a small saucepan. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Add split vanilla bean. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until very thick. Remove from heat and cool to cold, and discard vanilla bean.
In bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Continue beating while adding one spoonful of cooled paste at a time, mixing gradually until all vanilla paste is incorporated. Beat until very light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract.
Cinnamon paste:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon store-bought ground cinnamon or 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons pulverized toasted cinnamon (from recipe)
Melt butter in microwave. Stir in brown sugar until melted and stir in cinnamon. Cool.
Cinnamon-sugar coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon or remaining pulverized toasted cinnamon (from recipe)
Sift sugars and cinnamon into a shallow container and set aside.
Almond paste helps make these the "ideal sugar cookie," according to the judges, who awarded Susan Westcott of Mequon with an honorable mention.
Sugar Cookies (Honorable Mention)
Makes about 7 to 8 dozen, depending on size
½ cup almond paste (2/3 of an 8-ounce can)
4 egg yolks
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 ¾ cups flour
3 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assorted sprinkles and sugars for decorating
In bowl, beat almond paste and egg yolks until crumbly. Add butter, granulated sugar and salt; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate an hour or so or until easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough, portions at a time, to ¼-inch thickness and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place on parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheets and bake in preheated oven 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Let cool about 2 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely.
For frosting, mix powdered sugar with milk until desired consistency is reached. Add vanilla and, if desired, food coloring. Frost cookies and decorate as desired.
The judges were impressed with these delicate, light, crispy cookies and the great flavor they packed into their little package. They won Donna M. Guerrero of West Allis honorable mention.
Oatmeal Lace Cookies (Honorable Mention)
Makes 4 to 5 dozen
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup finely chopped nuts such as walnuts
Colored sugar crystals
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In bowl, mix together all ingredients in order except for the sugar crystals.
Line cookie sheet with foil, or use parchment paper; if using foil, coat first with vegetable oil spray.
Drop ½ measured teaspoon of mix 3 to 4 inches apart on foil. Sprinkle with colored sugar crystals (red or green for Christmas, for example).
Bake in preheated oven up to 10 minutes (start checking after 7). Let coolcompletely before you remove from foil.
This frosted recipe from Maria Schmitt of Wauwatosa will please cinnamon lovers.
Glazed Cinnamon Delights
Makes about 7 dozen
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
Glaze (see recipe)
Topping (see recipe)
Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla, salt and cinnamon; beat to combine. Gradually add flour, mixing until just incorporated.
Divide dough in half and shape into 12-inch-long logs about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. (Dough can remain in refrigerator overnight, if necessary.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice logs into ¼-inch-thick slices and space at least 1 ½ inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until very light golden on the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
Prepare Glaze and Topping.
Dip top of each cookie into the glaze and sprinkle with topping. Let sit until tops have set.
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
In medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until a thick glaze forms (add more milk or sugar as necessary).
2 heaping tablespoons sugar (see note)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
Note: I prefer sanding sugar for the sparkle.
Dates and coconut, a natural pairing, go crispy in this cookie that starts in a frying pan. It's from Emily L. Norris of New Berlin.
Frying Pan Date Cookies
Makes 4 to 5 dozen
1 package (8 ounces) chopped dates
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup nuts
Sweetened coconut (about 1 ½ cups)
In skillet, combine dates, sugar and eggs. Cook over low to medium-low heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently at first and then constantly, until mixture almost melts together. Stir in vanilla.
Remove from heat and stir in cereal and nuts, blending well. Let cool a couple of minutes.
Roll mixture into smallballs, then roll in coconut to coat all over.
Tester's note: Because the mixture is sticky, a small, spring-loaded scoop works well; scoop balls into the bowl of coconut and then coat by hand.
This recipe, from Carrie Merten of Menomonee Falls, is an adaption of a favorite macadamia nut recipe. One judge called it the cookie version of peppermint bark.
Candy Cane Lane Patties
Makes 4 dozen
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2/3 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 ½ ounces macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup vanilla chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts, vanilla chips and peppermint.
Drop by heaping teaspoon 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 to 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.
Orange adds a nice touch to the classic ginger cookie in this recipe from Candyce Gauthier of Wauwatosa.
Ginger Frosties
Makes about 3 dozen
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter, room temperature
2 egg whites
¼ cup molasses
1 ½ cups unbleached flour
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup crystallized ginger
Orange Zing Frosting (see recipe)
In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter with a hand mixer on low to medium speed until creamy. Add egg whites and mix, then add molasses and mix well. Add all remaining ingredients, except the crystallized ginger and frosting, and beat until just mixed. Stir in crystallized ginger. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in water to avoid stickiness (re-dip as needed). Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, remove and cool completely on wire racks. Meanwhile, prepare Orange Zing frosting.
When cookies are cool, frost and garnish with orange zest if desired.
Orange zing frosting:
1 ½ tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
4 to 6 teaspoons orange juice
In bowl, combine butter, sugar and zest; add enough orange juice to achieve desired consistency.
Rose Emanuele of Waukesha patterned this cookie after Danish almond tarts that her mother used to buy her from a neighborhood bakery.
Mini Almond Tarts
Makes about 3 dozen
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 ½ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs whites
¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 can (8 ounces) almond paste
Maraschino cherries, cut into small pieces
To make shells: In large bowl, mix butter and cream cheese together with a pastry blender.
In separate bowl, mix together flour, salt and sugar. Add to cheese mixture and blend together with pastry blender. Form dough into a ball and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut with round cookie cutter to fit into mini-cupcake tins.
Press circles into greased tins. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
To make filling: Beat egg whites in bowl, using electric mixer, until stiff but not dry, beating in powdered sugar a little at a time. Add almond extract.
Grate the almond paste on a cheese grater. Gently fold almond paste into egg whites.
Spoon filling into tart shells. Top with piece of cherry.
Bake in preheated oven about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into middle of tart comes out clean.
Raisins, walnuts and orange, ground together, make a delicious filling for these cookie cups from Elaine Mason of Oconomowoc.
Snowflake Orange Cups
Makes 36
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange extract
Filling (see recipe)
¼ cup melted white chocolate
Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Stir in egg, orange peel and extracts. Gradually add dry ingredients and stir until blended together.
Place a rounded teaspoon of dough into each greased muffin cup. Pat into cup, pressing so dough is even and goes to the top of the muffin cup and making a small indention in the center. If dough is sticky, dip fingers in water. Dough also can be chilled briefly so that it's easier to handle.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare filling.
Place ½ teaspoon filling into each cookie base
Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes or until edges of dough just start to turn brown. Remove individual cups to a rack to cool, loosening as needed with tip of a sharp knife.
Cool completely, then decorate by drizzling melted white chocolate over the top.
¾ cup raisins
¾ cup walnuts
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange peel
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Using a food processor, grind raisins and walnuts. (Cut larger raisins in half before grinding.) Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well.
"Prayer bars are my mom's recipe that has been a part of our Christmas celebrations for as long as I can remember," wrote Kim Parks of Cedarburg. "Now my own kids and nieces and nephews are requesting them as well. I'm sure they will continue to pass down into the kitchens of our family's future generations."
Prayer Bars
Makes about 40 (1 1/2-inch) bars
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup powdered sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut
Second Layer (see recipe)
10 ounces (about) chocolate (semi-sweet, dark or milk, your choice)
In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in cocoa and mix until smooth. Remove from heat. In bowl, combine powdered sugar and egg, stirring with a fork until smooth. Take a tablespoon of cocoa mixture and blend into egg mixture to temper egg, then add all of egg mixture to cocoa mixture and return pan to low heat. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth and shiny and reaches a temperature of 160 degrees, about 5 minutes. (See note.)
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
In separate bowl, mix nuts, cracker crumbs and coconut and add to cocoa mixture. Mix well and press into 13-by-9-inch pan and chill in fridge about 1 hour.
Prepare Second Layer and spread over first layer. Chill 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate (in double boiler or microwave); spread over second layer. Chill. Bring to room temperature before cutting.
Second layer:
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
3 tablespoons whipping cream
2 teaspoons cook-and-serve vanilla pudding powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in cream and pudding mix and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla and powdered sugar and blend well.
Note: Egg mixture must reach 160 degrees for safe consumption. If you lack a cooking thermometer, substitute a pasteurized egg.
Decorated in lovely shades of pastel, and looking rather Dr. Seuss-like, these sugar cookies from Gail Toerpe of Milwaukee tasted good, too.
Cookie Canes
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
2 scant teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting (see recipe)
Colored candies for decorating
In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
In large mixing bowl, using electric mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture and beat to incorporate. If mixture gets too thick for the mixer, finish blending by hand. Cover and chill dough 1 hour or longer.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Scoop out a small amount of dough and roll tightly and evenly into strip slightly larger in diameter than a pencil and about 3 ½ inches long (you'll use about 2 teaspoons dough for each). Gently bend the strip to form a "cane." Place canes about ¾ inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven about 8 to 10 minutes or until you see a tiny bit of brown on the bottoms. Do not bake until canes are brown on top.
Remove immediately to a rack to cool.
Prepare frosting. Frost cookies and decorate as desired.
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Scant teaspoon lemon extract
Food coloring
In a small bowl, blend sugar with 2 tablespoons milk and the extracts. Add more milk or cream, as needed. Frosting should be of easy spreading consistency. Separate into small bowls to color with food coloring.
Tip: When decorating, I use toothpicks to put tiny frosting "polka dots" and use small butter knives for ease in creating the other designs.
"Every cloud has a silver lining and this shortbread cookie is it," wrote Marianne Baseheart of Milwaukee. The judges liked the melt-in-your-mouth quality of these lemony cookies.
Lemon Cloud Cookies
Makes about 4 1/2 dozen
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup cornstarch
1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup powdered sugar
Frosting (see recipe)
Assorted candies for decoration
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In bowl, cream butter. Add cornstarch, flour and powdered sugar. Cream all ingredients until dough has a wet appearance.
Drop by tablespoon onto foil-lined cooked sheet. (Or use parchment or silicone mat.) Bake in preheated oven 18 to 20 minutes.
Cool cookies on sheet, or slide the foil (or parchment or mat) to another surface to cool. (Cookies will be fragile; sliding them from the cookie sheet on one of these surfaces will make them easier to handle and less likely to crumble.)
Prepare frosting and frost cooled cookies. Adorn with decorative candies of your choice. (Baseheart used rolled fondant cut into tiny stars.)
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
Place all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
What a nice surprise - a cookie that tastes like a root beer float. Karyn Lane of New Berlin submitted this recipe.
Root Beer Bites
Makes 4 dozen
1 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon root beer extract
Sweet Butter Frosting (see recipe)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt to thoroughly blend. In a large bowl, beat butter to soften. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend well. Mix in egg yolks and root beer extract. Slowly add in dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
Roll dough into small balls, place on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheets and bake in preheated oven 10 to 13 minutes, depending on cookie size. Cool.
Prepare Sweet Butter Frosting and use to decorate tops of cookies.
Sweet butter frosting:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
In bowl, blend all ingredients until very smooth. Decorate cookies as desired.
Cindy Schwietzer of Muskego tailored these colorful cookies to her taste by adding pistachio nuts and rum flavoring.
Festive Ribbon Cookies
Makes about 8 dozen
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Green food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup very finely chopped pistachios
Red food coloring
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup very finely diced candied cherries
½ teaspoon rum extract
In bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add to butter mixture until blended.
Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Into one part, mix a few drops of green food coloring, the vanilla and chopped pistachios; into another part, mix a few drops of red food coloring, the almond extract and diced cherries; and into last part, mix the rum extract.
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pack cherry mixture evenly over the bottom. Then pack in the pistachio layer and finally, the rum layer. Cover well with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove cookie "loaf" from pan, Cut into thirds lengthwise and then cut crosswise into thin slices (about 1/8 inch thick). Place on ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes.
This variation on the thumbprint cookie was submitted by Jenna Merten of Menomonee Falls.
Rudolph's Nose Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 egg whites
1 cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup white chocolate chips
20 maraschino cherries (about)
In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Beat in water, egg yolks and vanilla. Gradually add flour; mix well. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip into egg white, then coat with pecans. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper on baking sheets. Using end of a wooden spoon handle, make a ½-inch indentation in center of each ball. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Press again into indentations with the spoon handle. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.
While cookies are still warm, place 2 or 3 white chocolate chips into the indentations. When the chocolate is melted, swirl it slightly with a knife tip to even out the chocolate inside the indentation. Cut each cherry in half and place one of the halves on top of the white chocolate on each cookie.
Kathy Maglio of Mequon adapted a cherry recipe from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook to create this marshmallowy-chocolaty delight. They can be made in a regular oven but work especially well in a convection oven.
Marshmallow Chocolate Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen
1 ½ cups flour
½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
In medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of each with end of a wooden spoon to create an indentation. Fill with one marshmallow or (for mallow lovers, two squished together).
Preheat convection oven to 340 degrees. (Or, preheat conventional oven to 350 degrees.)
Prepare frosting: In small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons milk. Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each marshmallow, spreading to cover. Frosting can be thinned with additional milk.(It may need rewarming in microwave, too.) Bake in preheated convection oven 5 to 6 minutes or in preheated conventional oven about 10 minutes.
This cookie is an old favorite, but the rendition delivered by Theresa Alioto was so superb the judges decided to recognize her for "best execution of a classic."
Russian Teacakes
Makes about 4 dozen 1-inch cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
½ cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped nuts (such as pecans)
In bowl, thoroughly mix butter, sugar and vanilla. In separate bowl, blend flour and salt; stir into butter mixture. Mix in nuts. Cover and chill an hour or longer.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.
Christine Felsch-Merten of Menomonee Falls adapted her favorite brownie recipe to create this chocolaty cookie, which she topped with white chocolate bits and edible gold glitter.
Snowy Chocolate Meltaways
Makes 4 dozen
2 2/3 cups chopped semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips, finely chopped (see note)
1 package Wilton edible gold glitter stars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, melt chopped chocolate and butter, stirring to prevent burning, until completely melted and smooth. (Or, melt in microwave.)
In a medium bowl, stir together eggs, sugar and vanilla.
Into a small bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
Add melted chocolate mixture to egg mixture and stir to combine well. Gradually add dry ingredients, folding them into dough. Once all the flour is mixed in, stir in the semisweet chocolate chips.
Scoop dough in 1-tablespoon portions onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are firm on the outside. Do not overbake. Decorate with chopped white chocolate and edible Wilton glitter stars right after they come out of the oven. Cool completely on baking sheets.
Note: A hand grinder works well to get the white chips to about the size of mini chocolate chips.
These very sweet cookies, a nice addition to any cookie tray, were submitted by Carrie Harris of Greenfield.
Verry Cherry Cordial Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen
1 ¾ cups flour
½ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 jar of maraschino cherries
Chocolate Topping (see recipe)
White Cherry Glaze (see recipe)
In medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch and salt. In another medium bowl, cream butter and sugar (with mixer or by hand). Beat in extract. Add flour mixture and mix until fully blended. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with oven rack in center position.
When dough has firmed up, form into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet at least 1 inch apart. With your finger, gently press down in center of dough to make a small well. Place one cherry in each well. At this point you may need to shape the dough around the cherry slightly.
Bake cookies in preheated oven 12 to 14 minutes or until edges start to turn brown. Let cookies cool at least 5 minutes.
While cookies cool, prepare Chocolate Topping and White Cherry Glaze.
Dip each cooled cookie upside down into chocolate topping. You may need to drag the cookie through to fully coat the top. Then take a spoon, dip it into a prepared bowl of white cherry glaze and drizzle back and forth across tops of cookies.
Let cookies stand at least 20 minutes for the chocolate and glaze to harden. Store in airtight container.
Chocolate topping:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon water (more as needed)
½ teaspoon almond extract
In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, cocoa, water and almond extract. Stir to combine and add extra water to thin if necessary.
White cherry glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon (about) milk
A couple of drops of almond extract
In bowl, combine powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon milk and the extract. Add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
This is really more candy than cookie, but the fig, chocolate and orange combination is addictive. It's an original recipe from Dana McCormick of Wauwatosa.
Fig Mocha Truffles
Makes 100 to 120 small truffles
1 2/3 cup finely chopped dried figs
½ cup honey
1/3 cup Cointreau
2 tablespoons water
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Mocha Ganache Mantle (see recipe)
Chocolate Covering (see recipe)
In saucepan, cook figs, honey and Cointreau over low heat until liquid is absorbed. Stirring continuously, add water and lemon juice, just enough to prevent sticking. Take off heat; stir vigorously until cool enough to handle.
With 1/8 teaspoon, form into small heaps on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
Prepare Mocha Ganache Mantle.
Using a small teaspoon or measuring spoon, drape ¼ to ½ teaspoon ganache over each fig center. Refrigerate until firm, or longer (up to overnight). Gently but quickly (so they don't melt) shape each ganache-covered lump into a ball, so that the center is mostly covered with ganache. Can refrigerate again here, or proceed directly to the last step.
Prepare Chocolate Covering.
With fork or little tongs, dip each ball into the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off, then return truffles to parchment-lined sheets until set and dry, about an hour.
Mocha ganache mantle:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons freshly ground coffee
9 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
In saucepan, heat cream and coffee together just until cream begins to bubble at edges. Remove from heat and strain through a coffee filter or paper towel; discard coffee grounds. Add chocolate, reheating cream if necessary to melt chocolate. Beat vigorously until well blended and beginning to thicken.
Chocolate covering:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Melt chocolates together in top of double boiler, blending well to combine.
A special thank you . . .
To our two guest judges for this year's cookie contest: Christine Evans of Whitefish Bay, last year's winner, and Lorraine Pagel, winner of our community judge competition, also of Whitefish Bay. Their thoughtful input was appreciated.