Old-Fashioned Ginger Snaps March 18, 2008

Old-Fashioned Ginger Snaps

Old-fashioned ginger snap cookies, made with molasses, butter or margarine,
brown sugar, and spices.
INGREDIENTS:
2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup light molasses

PREPARATION:
Combine flour, soda, and spices in a bowl and set aside. Cream sugar and
margarine. Beat in egg and molasses until light and fluffy. Stir in flour
mixture just until blended. Chill for 2 hours or more.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place on
lightly greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball with
the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake about 8 to 10 minutes, until
set.
Makes 8 dozen cookies.

Red Velvet Cake Recipes December 25, 2007

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 ounce liquid red food color
3/4 cup water
1 pudding-type cake mix (white or yellow)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
4 tablespoons buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:

Heat oven to 325F.

Mix together cocoa powder, red food color, and a small amount of the water forming a paste. Add remaining ingredients except vinegar. Mix 2-3 minutes on medium speed until well blended. Add vinegar and blend completely. Pour batter into prepared 9″ x 13″ cake pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Fruitcake Recipe December 20, 2007

5 eggs

1/2 lb. butter

1 C. sugar

1 3/4 C. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 lb. candied cherries

1 lb. candied pineapple

4 C. chopped pecans

1 T. vanilla

1 T. lemon extract

Cut cherries into 4’s, cut pineapple into chunks. Cream butter and add

to sugar slowly. Beat eggs then add to sugar mixture; add flavorings to

sugar mixture. Sift flour, measure, then sift again with baking powder.

Place cut up fruit into flour mixture and stir fruit to coat it. After

coating fruit, gradually add fruit/flour mixture to sugar mixture until

all is combined. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.

Start fruitcakes in a cold oven set to 250F. Bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Makes 2 loaves.

“Because I hate fruitcake.”
- Bonnie Napier - When asked why we had not posted any fruitcake recipes this year.

Christmas Recipes - Ukrainian Christmas Honey Cookies December 13, 2007

UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS HONEY COOKIE RECIPE

They may be rolled out and cut into rounds, stars, or crescents.

Often they are hung on the lower branches of the Christmas tree as

treats for the younger children.

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup powdered sugar (icing)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 extra large eggs

1 cup honey

2 tablespoons chopped orange peel

1 egg beaten with a little water for glaze

20 blanched almonds (without peel)

coarse sugar crystals

Sift together flour, spices, sugar, and baking powder. Add eggs,

honey, and orange peel to make a stiff dough. On a floured work

surface, roll out dough about 1/2 inch thick. Cut shapes with cookie

cutter, place on nonstick baking sheet, and brush with glaze.

Place 1/2 almond in the middle of each, sprinkle with coarse sugar,

and bake in preheated 350 degrees oven until done, about 15 minutes.

Cool on racks. Store in tightly covered tins.

Merry Christmas Cookies December 5, 2007

Merry Christmas Cookies Recipe

The honey in this recipe makes these cookies melt in your

mouth.

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream vegetable shortening,

sugar, egg, honey, and lemon extract until light

and fluffy. Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt;

stir until well blended. Refrigerate dough at

least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease

cookie sheets. On a lightly floured board, roll

dough to 1/4-inch thick; cut into desired

shapes with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart

onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light

brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire

racks. When cool, frost with Milk-Frosting

and decorate as desireds.

Yields 5 dozen cookies.

MILK FROSTING

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar,

lemon extract, and enought milk to make

frosting easy to spread. Tint, if desired, with a

few drops of food coloring.

Almond Creme Spritz Cookies December 1, 2007

Almond Creme Spritz Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

Finely chopped almonds

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl

till well combined. Add sugar, almond extract, and

vanilla; beat till combined. Beat in flour. Cover and

chill dough for 30 minutes or till easily worked but

not too stiff.

Pack dough into a cookie press. Force dough through

press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with

almonds. Bake in a 375 F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes

or till edges of cookies are firm but not brown.

Remove cookies and cool on wire racks. Makes about 60.

Make-ahead tip: Cool cookies completely. In an

airtight or freezer container, arrange cookies in a

single layer; cover with a sheet of waxed paper.

Repeat layers, leaving enough air space to close

container easily. Freeze up to 1 month.

Nutrition facts per serving: 59 calories, 4 g total

fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 35 mg

sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein.

Daily Values: 3% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 0% calcium,

1% iron.