Italian Ricotta Cheese Cookies

This soft sweet cookie is delectably delicious! And yes, made with ricotta cheese! Who would have known? A must try...simply made :)

Italian Ricotta Cheese Cookies-Makes 72 Cookies

Ingredients
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
* 1 container (15 ounce size) ricotta cheese (2 cups)
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 3 tablespoons milk
* red and green sugar crystals (If making for holidays)

Directions/Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and margarine or butter until blended.
2. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, beat in ricotta, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat until dough forms.
4. Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft). With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. When cookies are cool, prepare icing: In small bowl, stir confectioners\' sugar and milk until smooth. With small metal spatula or knife, spread icing on cookies; sprinkle with red or green sugar crystals. Set cookies aside to allow icing to dry completely, about 1 hour.

Recipe from the website Cooking with Nonna

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
20 ounces pineapple rings in juice, sliced in half or tidbits
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs - separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 tbsp pineapple juice
Optional - 1 cup walnuts or pecans - chopped coarse

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter and brown sugar in a 13x9x3" baking pan (1/4 sheet) .
Arrange pineapple slices (or tidbits) in any pattern in pan and cover with walnuts (if using) and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, whip the eggs whites with 3/4 cups sugar to form a soft peak. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until light and creamy. Add the pineapple juice and mix slightly. Add the flour, baking powder and salt.
Now fold the whipped eggs whites into the flour mixture and pour onto the pineapple (walnut) covered baking pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and invert onto serving platter. Cool completely.

Notes:
Use two 9" pans instead of a 1/4 sheet pan.
Melt butter in microwave and add brown sugar.
Add cherries to pineapple pattern for additional colour.
Foodie Fran's Note: Turns out great in a bundt pan too!

Pastry