Gingersnaps

Gingersnaps- Verne's grandma's recipe!

3/4 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. cloves

3/4 tsp. ginger

Combine shortening, sugar, eggs, and molasses. Mix well. Combine dry ingredients, stir well. Add to wet ingredients, and mix until all ingredients are combined. Shape dough into 48 balls; roll in sugar. Place cookies 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a 375 F preheated oven for 7-9 minutes. remove to cooling racks. Store in an airtight container.

Meringue Mushrooms

*Meringues*

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 cup. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Place egg whites in a grease-free bowl. Add cream of tartar, and mix on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar in, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until all sugar in incorporated, and stiff peaks form. Add in vanilla, beat 30 seconds longer. Fill a pastry bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe meringues onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, and bake for 90 minutes at 200 F. Remove cookie sheets to wire rack, and cool completely. Store meringues in an airtight container.

For mushrooms, hold pastry bag perpendicular to the cookie sheet, and pipe round circle, about 1- 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Release pressure, and drag tip off the side of the circle rather than straight up so as not to leave a peak. For the stems, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, and pipe straight up, about 1 inch. Release pressure, and lift.

After the meringues were baked and cooled, I melted 1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips. On the bottom of each mushroom cap, make an indentation with the end of an artist's brush where you'd like to attach the stem.

Place a small amount of melted chocolate onto the bottom of the mushroom cap. Attach the stem.

While holding the stem in place, feather the chocolate around the stem to the outside edge of the mushroom cap, creating "spores".

Place mushrooms on a baking sheet, and allow to dry.

Dust the mushrooms with cocoa powder, and enjoy.

Chocolate Orange Macaroons

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl combine,

2 c. sweetened flaked coconut

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. fresh orange zest

1/8 tsp. salt

Stir in:

2 egg whites

2 Tbls. melted butter

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/8 tsp. orange extract

Fold in:

1/3 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Gently roll 24 balls of dough. Place 2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack.

Cool before serving.

Chocolate Biscotti

1/2 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. chocolate chips

Grease a cookie sheet.

Beat butter. Add sugar, cocoa, and baking powder. Mix well. Beat in eggs. Beat in flour. Mix in chocolate chips.

Shape dough into 2 9 inch long rolls. Flatten slightly until about 2 inches wide.

Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes. Cool for one hour on cookie sheet.

Using a serrated knife, cut loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices on their sides on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 F for 8 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for an additional 7-9 minutes. Cool.

Wafer Wedding Cookies

Wafer:

1 c. butter or margarine

2 c. flour

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

Mix butter, flour, and cream. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll dough to 1/8 thickness on floured board. Cut in 1/2 inch rounds. Transfer to wax paper heavily sprinkled with sugar. Coat both sides. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and prick all over with the tines if a fork. Bake 7-9 minutes or until slightly puffy.

Filling:

1/4 c butter

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. If desired tint, pink, green, or any color to match your wedding or special occasion.

Strawberry Pinwheels

Strawberry Pinwheels
recipe from Sarah at Short Stop

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves
1/2 chopped almonds, optional

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt and beat on low speed until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. On a generously floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness to make a large rectangle. Trim off edges to make perfect rectangular shape. Cut into 2-inch squares with pizza cutter, making as many rows as the rectangle will allow. (I made 6 rows across, 5 rows down).

On each square, cut from each corner to 1/4 inch from center. Spread with 1/4 teaspoon jam. Bring every other point to center and press together to form pinwheel. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling racks. Cool completely.

Shortbread Cookies

1 stick butter, softened
1 stick Land O' Lakes margarine, softened
1/2 c + 2 T sugar
2 1/2 c all purpose flour

Cream butter, margarine and sugar. Add flour and mix well. Mixture will be crumbly.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well.

Preheat oven to 325 F. On a floured surface ( I use part powdered sugar so as not to make the dough tough), roll dough out to 1/8" thick. Cut shapes.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 7 minutes, sprinkle with granulated sugar and return to oven for anther 6-7 minutes. Cookies should be very lightly brown.

These are fragile, so handle them with care when removing from baking sheets and packaging them.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons)
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar; divided
  
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for rolling in
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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced by half. Add 1 stick butter; stir until melted.
   
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream remaining stick butter and 1 cup sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer. Mix in egg and lemon butter. Mix until pale, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla and 2 teaspoons zest. Mix in flour mixture and poppy seeds.
3. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest and 1 tsp. poppy seeds. Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll them in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each with the flat end of a glass dipped in sugar mixture until 1/4 inch thick.
4. Bake until just browned around bottom edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2004

Rugelach

Roll out pie crust into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Spread with seedless raspberry jam.

Top with a mixture of finely diced dried apricots, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Cut circle into wedges, and roll from wide side to the tip. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 F.

Luscious Lemon Bars

Autumn has been reading cookbook after cookbook from the library. She made these lemon bars from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition. They were luscious indeed!

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbls. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbls. all purpose flour
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup half and half, light cream, or milk
powdered sugar

1. In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake in a 350 F oven for 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium bowl stir together the eggs, granulated sugar, 3 Tbls. flour, lemon peel, lemon juice, and half and half. Pour filling over hot crust.

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over the top and cut into bars. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

This recipe is a family favorite, coming from my dad's mom. Beware! It makes a ton of cookies, but they freeze well. We never freeze them, as the disappear too quickly! They are wonderful iced, or left plain. Especially for very young children.

4 eggs
4 c. sugar
3 c. shortening
2 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
5 lbs. flour

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately. Mix well. At the end, you'll have to get your hands in there. THIS IS A LOT OF BATTER!

Roll cookies out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Bake at 400 F for 8-10 minutes.

Ice with Buttercream or Quick -Pour Fondant Icing

Lady Locks

This is the best cookie that you'll ever eat. IF you make it, that is. This is also the most time consuming cookie that you'll ever eat, but OH, is it ever worth it. And no, these are NOT the same as what you buy in the store. This, my friends, is a little taste of heaven.

Dough:
1 (1 lb. ) can Crisco
3 cups flour
2 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 Tbls. sugar
pinch of salt

In a large bowl, mix together flour, egg yolks, cold water, sugar and salt.








Roll out dough on a heavily floured board to a rectangle, 10 x 12 inches. The dough will be very sticky at this point, and it is difficult to work with.








Spread 1/3 of the can of Crisco on the dough.







It will look like this.








Fold one side over,










and then the other side, so that the dough is folded in thirds.





Now fold the dough in thirds the opposite way.




Place the dough on a heavily floured plate, and cover well with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.








After the half hour rest, roll your dough back out to another rectangle.




Spread another 1/3 of the can of Crisco. The dough is easier to work with now. Fold the same way, cover, and refrigerate again. Do this one more time with the final 1/3 of Crisco.



While your dough is resting, prepare your clothespins. The old fashioned kind without a spring. Wrap them in aluminum foil, and spray them with Pam.





After the third addition of Crisco, and letting it rest in the refrigerator for another half hour, cut the dough into thirds.



Cut each third into six pieces, making 18 pieces in all.













Keep the dough that is not being worked in the refrigerator. Roll out one piece of dough at a time. The dough must be very thin, about 1/8 of an inch. Cut dough in 3/4 inch wide strips.








Wrap each strip loosely around a clothespin, overlapping the dough slightly.







Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 425 F for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F, and bake 10 minutes longer.









Carefully remove shells from the clothespins. The shells are flaky and fragile, but so... good! Cool and fill.





Filling:
1 cup softened margarine
1 cup Crisco
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup COLD evaporated milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond flavoring
10 Tbls. Marshmallow creme

Beat margarine and Crisco. Add sugar and cold milk. Beat well. Add vanilla and almond flavorings. Beat.
Place filling into a pastry bag, and pipe into shells.



Dust with powdered sugar.











Mmmmm.....

Tassie Cups

These delicious little gems will disappear quickly. Flaky crust, filled with pecans, and brown sugar are a combination that is sure to please!

Crust:

1 cup margarine

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese

dash of salt

2 cups flour

Blend well with a pastry blender or a fork. Chill dough. Divide into 48 balls and press into greased mini-muffin tins, covering the sides and bottom.

Filling:

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup chopped pecans

dash of salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbls melted margarine

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

Mix altogether. Put filling in shells. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Remove from pans right away after taking them from the oven. Cool pans before moving again.

Gingerbread Men (or leaves)

Yes. Leaves. It's too early for gingerbread men at my house, so we made leaves today to celebrate the blustery weather.

1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbls. shortening or butter
1 Tbls. milk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter some cookie sheets.
Heat the molasses to boiling, then add the sugar, butter or shortening, and milk. Remove from heat. Mix the flour with the baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to the first mixture and blend well. Add a few tablespoons of water if necessary, so that the dough holds together and handles easily. Roll or pat out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake for 5-7 minutes. When cool, frost with confectioner's frosting and decorate with candies, or raisins, if desired.

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

Cookie:
1 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and almond extract. Mix well until creamy. Add flour. Shape into 1 inch balls. Make indents with your thumb. Fill the indent with 1/4 tsp. raspberry jam. Bake 14 minutes at 350 F. Cool 1 minute on sheet before transferring to wire rack.

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine. Slowly add 2-3 tsp water to thin glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Pizzelles

Don't be afraid by the quantities of the ingredients in this recipe. It makes a ton of cookies!
Pizzelles are Italian cookies. Have you ever tried the ones in the grocery store? They aren't HALF as good as these ones are. You must have a pizzelle iron to make them. Mine is a vintage avocado green.

Grandma brought it along when she came to live with us. Boy am I glad!

We make this recipe alot. Today, Collin was the pastry chef. He did a great job!

Pizzelles

1 dozen eggs
1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. anise oil (not extract!) You may have to buy this in the pharmacy.
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in sugar, anise oil, salt, flour, baking powder, and butter. Add 1 tsp. onto the hot pizzelle iron. Cookies should be very lightly browned. Remove from iron, and cool on wire rack.