CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 21 KRIS JOHNSON says her Rainbow Cookies recipe is a take on traditional Italian three-layered cookies. "ey have been a family favorite for many years," she said. "As an Army wife, I did quite a bit of entertaining during the holidays." To make the cookies look pretty, she would trim the edges off the sides and set them aside. at was her family's cue to fight for the "scraps." "Baggies of "scraps" made it into school lunches, and happy kids came home," she said. "When set out in a tiered serving plate, they make for a pretty display and add color to a variety plate of Christmas cookies. It is still a must-have recipe at Christmastime for my now grown children when they are home!" RAINBOW COOKIES 5 large eggs 1¼ cup all-purpose flour 1¼ cup granulated sugar 1½ cup butter, melted 2 ½ teaspoons almond extract 1 tablespoon grated orange peel Red, green and yellow food coloring 12-ounce jar seedless raspberry or blackberry jam (the original recipe called for apricot jam, but we liked the berry jams better) 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs and sugar together. Add flour and melted butter; mix well. Add almond extract and orange peel; mix well. Divide batter into three equal portions of a generous 1 cup each. Color one portion red, one green and one yellow by adding five drops of food coloring to each. Grease three 9-inch square pans and pour one portion of colored batter in each. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack. Warm a few spoonfuls of jam in the microwave to liquify. Assemble layers as follows: red layer on the bottom, spread with warmed jam, top with yellow layer, spread with jam, then green layer (warm additional jam as needed - do not spread jam on the green layer). Blend chocolate chips and oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt chocolate in microwave and stir until smooth. Spread chocolate on top layer. Let cool in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store in a tightly covered container. These freeze well and can be made a few weeks ahead of time.

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