Christmas Cookies

Sarah and I have been making Sugar Cookies since she was a baby. That first Christmas when she was 3 1/2 months old, I put her in her baby carrier and placed her on the kitchen table as I mixed dough. I would hold dough up to her nose so she could sniff and I would talk to her as she stared at me wide-eyed and interested and smiling. Sarah was a cheerful, wakeful baby who hardly ever napped and very seldom cried. She took exactly two half-hour naps each day ... one at mid-morning and one at mid-afternoon. But I didn't care ... I was happy to see her chubby-cheeked smiles ... after all, the household chores got done ... the laundry got washed, the house was swept and dusted. the kitchen mopped, dinners were cooked on time and treats were baked, and Sarah was always clean and sweet smelling. I learned very early to engage Sarah in all my activities ... as I did chores I would place her in each room where she could see what I was doing and I talked to her as I worked and she never ever fussed.

As soon as she was old enough to hold a cookie cutter, she was helping me cut cookies and this is when she discovered that raw cookie dough was very yummy. I hope she has as many memories as I have of a happy child, covered in flour with cookie dough smeared around her mouth. And I hope that she will create the same happy memories for her children as I have for her and my mother did for me.

I learned the art of cookie making in my mother's kitchen. My sisters and I will carry the smells and tastes of that time with us.

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1. Cream butter, powdered sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract together until light and creamy.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and cream of tartar in a medium bowl, and add to creamed mixture.

3. Divide dough into two balls, flatten into discs and wrap each in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill for 2 - 3 hours.

4. Working with one disc at a time (leave the other in the fridge), roll out on a well floured board or marble board and cut into different shapes with cookie cutters. Place an inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.

5. Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 7 - 8 minutes until barely golden. If using a 350 degree oven, bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

6. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

7. Decorate, allow icing to cool dry completely (for several hours) before storing in an air tight container.

I don't really have a recipe for the icing that I use. I use about two cups of powdered sugar, a couple of teaspoons of cold water (always add one teaspoon) at a time until the glaze is soft enough to pipe but not runny. Spoon glaze into separate small bowls, depending on how many colors is used and remember to leave one portion uncolored. After coloring, I spoon the glaze into separate sandwich bags, snip a very tiny corner off each bag and use those as my piping bags. There is no need to buy fancy piping bags and all that.

The tradition is that Sarah cuts the first sugar cookie!

Cherry Almond Shortbread

2 cups butter (not margarine), softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/3 cups candied or dried cherries, diced

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

1. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add beaten egg and mix well. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add to butter mixture in three additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.

3. Add cherries and mix well. Divide dough into three equal portions. Shape each into 8-inch log. Wrap each log with waxed paper and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. When ready to bake, unwrap each log and slice into 1/3-inch slices. Arrange 2-inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Gently press 2 to 3 slivered almond into each cookie to form a pattern.

5. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until just golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

6. Store in tightly covered containers.

7. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Note: This recipe works well halved.

English Toffee

14 Tbsp. butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. cold water

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (6 oz) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup of finely ground, toasted almonds

1. Put butter, sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

2. Once mixture starts to boil, remove spoon and boil without stirring, for 10 - 15 minutes or until mixture reaches the 300 - 310 degrees on a candy thermometer ... this should be the brittle stage.

3. Remove from heat, and add vanilla and salt.

4. Pour into a well-buttered quarter sheet pan and spread to 1/4 inch. I just tilt the pan to get an even layer. Set aside and allow to cool.

5. When top of toffee is slightly firm, start making the chocolate topping. Over a double-boiler melt chocolate chips. Spoon evenly over toffee layer and spread until all the toffee surface is covered. Sprinkle ground almonds over the chocolate topping and set aside to cool completely.

6. When the chocolate top has hardened, remove from pan and break into pieces. Store in tightly covered container.

Note: This is a Paula Deen recipe that I modified. She mixed pecans into her toffee. I like the nuts ground and sprinkled on top of the chocolate ... that was more English to me.

Pecan Pie Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup cold butter or margarine, chopped into little pieces

1 egg

Finely grated rind of one lemon

For Topping:

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

Tbsp. whipping cream

4 cups, chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil and set aside.

2. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar. Cut and rub in the butter/margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Beat the egg and add to crumb mixture. Add lemon rind and blend until mixture just holds together.

4. Spoon the mixture into prepared pan. With floured fingertips, press into an even layer. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and chill for 10 minutes.

5. Bake the pastry crust for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, but keep the oven on while making the topping.

6. To make the topping, melt the butter, honey and both sugars in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil, without stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and pecans.

7. Pour pecan mixture over the crust (I actually spoon it over), and return to the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.

8. When cool, lift out of the pan using the edges of the foil. Place on a large plastic cutting board. Place a similar size plastic cutting board over the pecan cookies and flip over. Move the cutting board from the top of the cookie base. Remove the foil from the bottom of the crust. Place cutting board back over and flip the whole thing back over. Remove second cutting board and with a sharp knife cut into bars, squares or triangles.

9. Store in a tightly covered container.

10. Makes 3 -4 dozen bars.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 2/3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs or graham cracker crumbs

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter or margarine

6 to 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.

2. In a large saucepan melt peanut butter and butter together. Stir in crumb mixture, blending thoroughly.

3. Using a teaspoon form dough into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Place sheets in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow peanut balls to harden.

4. Melt 6 oz. of chocolate over double-boiler. Dip tops of peanut balls in the chocolate and return to cookie sheets to harden. Let peanut butter balls harden at room temperature or return to fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to harden the chocolate.

5. Use the other 6 oz. of chocolate if needed. Store the peanut butter balls in a tightly covered container.

6. Makes 7 to 8 dozen balls.

3.

Ginger Almond Slices

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks), softened

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sliced almonds

1. In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat sugar, margarine/butter, molasses, ginger, vanilla, baking powder, salt, eggs and 2 cups flour.

2. With wooden spoon, stir in almonds and remaining 2 cups flour and mix thoroughly. Dough will be very stiff.

3. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 10-inch by 3-inch by 1-in brick; wrap each brick with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or freeze until ready to use.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease large cookie sheets or use baking stones. Using a serrated knife, slice brick into scant 1/4-inch slices. Place slices, 1 inch apart, on cookie sheet.

5. Bake 10 - 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

6. Repeat until all cookies are done. Store cookies in tightly covered container.

7. Makes about 7 dozen cookies.

Note: I usually half the recipe and it doesn't affect the quality of the cookie. The full recipe makes for a lot of cookies!

Millionaire Shortbread

1 cup (2 sticks) butter/margarine, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups (12 oz. package) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.

2. In a mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. Mix in flour.

3. With floured hands, press dough mixture into prepared pan.

4. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

5. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with the condensed milk, stirring constantly until all the chips are melted. Stir in almond extract. Remove saucepan from heat.

6. Remove pan from oven when shortbread base is done. Using a fork poke holes all over the shortbread, and then pour chocolate fudge mixture over, spread evenly.

7. Cool on countertop and then place in refrigerator for 2 -3 hours to finish hardening. Remove from fridge and cut into small bars or squares.

8. Store covered at room temperature.

Note: Always pour the fudge over the shortbread cookie base while the cookie base is still hot. If you let the cookie base cool before pouring the fudge over, it doesn't stick to the base well and you will end up with cookies that separate from the fudge topping ... not good!

Snowball Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter/margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar for rolling

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter/margarine and sugar, and beat until creamy. Add vanilla and mix well.

3. Add flour and nuts and and beat until well mixed, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets (I used baking stones).

5. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove immediately. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.

6. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.