| It's
Time to Create Holiday Home-baked Sweets, Treats |
| Our best memories of Christmas are often triggered by smells.
|
| As soon as you smell a fresh-cut evergreen tree, or braid
fresh evergreens on the front porch, it suddenly "feels"
like Christmas. "The nose triggers a very powerful memory
system," said our ear, nose and throat doctor. "It
is just amazing, after all of the years go by, one simple
scent of Christmas cookies baking and you are back in your
mother's kitchen again." |
| On a crisp cold winter evening, you can smell a neighbor's
wood smoke from their fireplace as you get out of your car
in the driveway. It suddenly makes you want to rush in the
house the build a fire in your own fireplace. It is the same
with baking cookies. There are distinct smells of roasting
almonds, baking gingerbread, baking shortbreads, or even making
candied nuts or popcorn balls. |
| So, for this season, make some wonderful smells in your
kitchen with fresh-baked cookies for Christmas. It will make
a wonderful memory for your family, especially if you can
get everyone involved in helping bake in the kitchen. |
| Wedged between band concerts, holiday parties, and work
schedules, it is difficult to find time to bake. Holiday baking
is often a rare treat for the busy cook. Many cooks continue
to request annual leave each year to complete their baking
on time. |
| Whether you find time early in the morning, or late at night,
holiday baking will create a wonderful, homey, and delicious
smell that will enhance your holiday celebration. |
| |
| Almond
Chocolate
Cookies |
| 1 cup butter |
| 3/4 cup sugar |
| 2 egg whites |
| 1/4 tsp. almond extract |
| 1/2 tsp. salt |
| 3 cups chopped almonds, toasted |
| 3 cups flour, divided |
| 12-oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips |
| Toast almonds until lightly brown on a cookie sheet in a
350 degree oven, about 7 minutes. Cool and divide. Cream butter
and sugar in a large bowl, add egg whites, almond extract
and salt. Beat until smooth. Add 2 cups almonds and 1 cup
flour. Gradually add remaining flour until dough is stiff,
but not dry. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a log,
about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap,
and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees when
ready to bake. Unwrap logs, and slice about 1/4 inch thick,
place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake
8 to 10 minutes until golden. Remove to a rack to cool. While
cooling, melt chocolate chips, and dip 1/2 of each cookie
in melted chocolate then into remaining toasted almonds. Place
on waxed paper to dry, and store in an airtight container
in the refrigerator. |
| |
| Chocolate
Peanut Butter Fingers |
| 1/2 cup butter |
| 1/2 cup sugar |
| 1/2 cup brown sugar |
| 1 egg |
| 3/4 cup peanut butter (smooth) |
| 1/2 tsp. vanilla |
| 1 cup flour |
| 1/2 tsp. baking soda |
| Pinch salt |
| 1 cup uncooked oatmeal |
| 16-oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels |
| 1/2 cup powdered sugar |
| 3 Tbsp. whole milk, perhaps more |
| Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add egg and beat. Beat in 1/2 cup peanut butter and vanilla.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir dry ingredients
and oats into creamed mixture. Spread in a greased 9 x 13
inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle chocolate bits over the top. Let
stand 5 minutes. Spread the chocolate over the top of the
bars, as it will have melted. Combine powdered sugar, remaining
peanut butter (1/4 cup) and enough milk to make a thin icing.
Drizzle this over melted chocolate. Cool completely in the
pan. When cold, cut into bars. |
| |
| Homemade
Gingersnaps |
| 3/4 cup shortening |
| 1 cup sugar |
| 1/4 cup light molasses |
| 1 egg |
| 2 cups flour |
| 1/4 tsp. salt |
| 2 tsp. baking soda |
| 1 tsp. cinnamon |
| 1 tsp. cloves |
| 1 tsp. ginger |
| Sugar for rolling on cookies |
| Cream shortening and sugar together. Add molasses and egg
and beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and add. Mix
well. Roll into small balls. Dip them in sugar. Place them
2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake a 375 degrees
for 15 minutes. Cool or serve warm with ice cream. |
| |
| Chocolate
Coconut
Chews |
| 1 can sweetened condensed milk |
| 14-oz. shredded coconut |
| 2 cups chopped pecans |
| 1 lb. powdered sugar |
| 20 oz. semi-sweet chocolate |
| 1 Tbsp. solid shortening (Crisco) |
| Mix milk, coconut, pecans and sugar. |
| Chill at least 3 hours, or overnight. Form small balls and
chill again overnight, or at least 10 hours. |
| Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler. Drop balls
in and pick out with a fork, or pinchers. |
| Place on waxed paper and chill until cold. Keep covered
in refrigerator. |
| |
| Fruitcake
Cookies |
| 3/4 cup brown sugar |
| 1/4 cup butter |
| 2 eggs |
| 1/2 tsp. soda |
| 1 1/2 tsp. buttermilk |
| 1/8 cup sherry |
| 1 1/2 cup flour |
| 1/2 tsp. cinnamon |
| 1/4 tsp. nutmeg |
| 1/4 tsp. salt |
| 1/2 lb. candied cherries |
| 1/2 lb. dates, chopped |
| 1/2 lb. candied pineapple |
| 3 cups nuts, walnuts or pecans preferred |
| Inspect and cut fruit into small pieces. |
| Cream sugar and butter, then add eggs. |
| Mix soda in buttermilk, and add to cream mixture along with
the sherry. Sift flour and spices together, add fruit and
nuts. |
| Combine together with creamed mixture. |
| Place rounded teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake
at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until light brown. |
| Don't overbake. Cool and store covered in refrigerator. |
| |
| Buttery
Brown Sugar Shortbread |
| 1 cup butter |
| 3/4 cup brown sugar |
| 2 1/2 cups unsifted flour |
| Cream butter and sugar. Add the flour. |
| Beat at low speed, until combined. Form one-inch balls and
press gently with fork or cookie stamp. |
| Bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes on an ungreased
cookie sheet. Do not overbake. |
| Store in refrigerator. |
| |
| Chocolate
Marshmallow Fudge |
| 3 cups sugar |
| 1 cup evaporated milk (not condensed) |
| 1 pint jar Marshmallow Creme |
| 3/4 stick of butter or margarine |
| 12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips |
| 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) |
| Bring sugar, milk and butter to a boil. Cook to a medium
soft ball stage, 236 degrees, using a candy thermometer, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat. Immediately add the Marshmallow
Creme, chocolate chips and nuts. Stir until the Marshmallow
Creme and the chocolate chips are melted. Pour into a 9 x
13-inch buttered pan. Let cool and cut into squares. Makes
about 3 pounds of fudge. Always use a good quality brand of
sugar for this recipe, it makes a difference in the taste. |
| |
| Strawberry
Banana Split Gelatin Salad |
| (Editor's Note: In last month's Recipe Box the following
recipe was incorrectly published. Here is the correct version.) |
| 2 (3-oz.) pkgs. strawberry jello |
| 1 cup boiling water |
| 2 (10-oz.) pkgs. frozen sliced strawberries, thawed |
| 1 can (1 lb. 4 oz.) crushed pineapple (drained) |
| 3 medium bananas, mashed |
| 1 cup chopped walnuts |
| 1 cup sour cream |
| Mix Jello and water. Fold in the fruit and nuts. Spoon half
the mixture in a 9 x 9 inch pan or glass dish (I use a glass
dish). Refrigerate until firm, about 1/2 hour. |
| Spread sour cream on top. Then pour across the top the rest
of the jello/nuts/fruit. Refrigerate until set, and it is
ready to serve. Sometimes I top with freshly-sliced bananas
and chopped nuts, just for an extra decoration. |
