Cranberry Pistachio Cookies and my 300th post!!!

We've gotten our first good taste of winter today. Although it's been bitterly cold here we didn't have snow until today. And I don't like it one bit. Ugh! The driving gets crazy around here and the stores get packed with people acting like they will be snowbound for weeks even if we only have 1 inch of snow on the ground. Anyone who has ever lived in Virginia knows how panicked people get around here. The only thing that I do enjoy is baking when I'm stuck inside the house. I was planning on making these as part of my Christmas cookie tray. I had a test run with these today and they are wonderful and easy, easy, easy!!! You can even add some green food coloring to make them look a bit more festive, too. The recipe comes from Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookies booklet. I'm still quite a bit shocked too that this is my 300th post! Who would have thought I would have 300 recipes to share?????

Just a reminder that my giveaway ends tomorrow night at midnight so please leave a comment on that post for a chance to win!!!

1 pouch (1lb. 5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

1 box (4 serving size) pistatchio instant pudding and pie filling mix

1/4 cup Gold Medal all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 eggs

1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, pudding mix and flour. Stir in butter and eggs until soft dough forms. Add nuts and cranberries; mix well.

Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press with fingers to slightly flatten.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Store cooled cookies tightly covered at room temperature.

*I HIGHLY recommend buying shelled pistachios. I used pistachios I had to shell myself...never again. I would also recommend using more cranberries than just 1/2 cup. I would use 1 cup next time.