These recipes came from different relatives whose families were serving in the US Armed Forces in different countries.
CEREAL CHRISTMAS WREATH OR TREES - Auntie M
2 T margarine
24 large or 2 cups miniature marshmallow
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon green food coloring
3 cups cereal, ay kind
red hot candies or M&Ms
In a large saucepan, heat butter and marshmallows over low heat, stirring until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and green food coloring. Stir in the cereal until well-coated
Using about 1/2 cup of mixture and working quickly shape warm mixture into trees or wreaths on wax paper.
For ornaments press candies onto trees and wreaths
CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUE COOKIES - Auntie M
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
2 cups mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 300°
Grease baking sheets.
Beat egg white, salt and cream of tarter to soft peaks. Gradually sugar until peaks are stiff.
Gently fold in chocolate, a little at a time. Drop by tablespoon onto baking sheets.
Bake 20-23 minutes or until crisp and dry. Let stand 2 minutes, remove from pan to wire racks and cool completely
MINCEMEAT COOKIES - Aunt Jackie
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
pinch of salt
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup prepared mincemeat
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together; set aside.
Cream shortening.
Beat in sugar, vanilla and eggs.
Add in the dry ingredients.
Fold in walnuts and mincemeat.
Drop by the spoonful on to cookie sheets about 2" apart. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
ITALIAN STRUFOLI - Uncle Joe
This has been handed down thru generations. You make a tower of these honey covered balls. Also called strufalli, scalilli and spalini.
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2-1/2 cups flour
16 oz honey
1 T vanilla
4 T bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
colored sprinkles
oil for deep frying
powdered sugar
Beat eggs until they have tripled in volume. Add baking powder.
Gradually add flour, use only enough flour to create a dough that is slightly sticky.
Divide dough into 4 sections.
On a floured surface, roll each section into a rope about the width of your index finger and 12" long.
Cut the ropes into 1" pieces.
Toss the pieces with enough flour to dust them lightly and shake off excess flour.
Heat oil to 375° for deep frying.
Fry cookies, a few handfuls at a time, until they puff up and are golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
In large pan, warm honey with vanilla.
Dip deep-fried cookies into hot honey; stir to coat all over. Cool slightly then stir in chocolate, nuts, and multi-colored jimmies. Place on plate and shape into pyramid, (shape with wet hands). Sprinkle with powdered sugar
FATTIGMAND - Aunt M
Also known as Poor Men, they are a
crispy delicate deep-fried cookies.
3 egg yolks
3 T whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla (can use Brandy)
3 T sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
oil for deep-frying
powdered sugar
In a large bowl, beat eggs, whipping cream, and vanilla until blended. Beat in sugar.
Gradually add flour, making a stiff dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough, 1/16" thick. Cut dough into 4" x 2" diamonds.
Cut a slit, lengthwise, in center of each diamond. Pull one end through the slit to make a "twist" or "bow" out of the dough.
Heat oil to 375° in a deep pan.
Fry twists about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
When cool, dust with powdered sugar
SWEDISH CREAM WAFERS - Uncle El
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups flour
sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
food coloring
Combine the butter and whipping cream.
Add the flour.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°.
On a floured board, roll out 1/3 of the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 1-1/2 inch round cookie cutter. Place lots of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Coat cookies with the sugar on both sides. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheets. Prick each round with a fork about 4 times. Bake 7 to 9 minutes.
Let cookies.
Make the filling by beating the remaining 1/4 cup of butter, the powdered sugar, egg yolk and vanilla together. Tint with food coloring, if desired.
When cookies have cooled make sandwiches by placing some filling between two cookies
HAWAIIAN MOOD COOKIES - Gramma
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 ounce regular cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained
Preheat oven to 350º.
Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Spread coconut on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 15 seconds; set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together. Cream in the sugar. Add eggs.
Gradually add dry ingredients.
Stir in pineapple, cherries, and coconut. Drop by the spoonful onto cookie sheets about 2" apart. Bake about 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
LEMON COOKIES - Aunt Gail
1 box of lemon cake mix
1 container of cool whip
1 egg
2 cups of powered sugar
Mix dry cake mix, egg, and cool whip together by hand. Mix well. Drop a rounded teaspoonful into powered sugar, roll in a ball. bake 350º for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool and serve
PINEAPPLE FILLED CREAM CHEESE DELIGHTS - Gramma
filling
1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 T cornstarch
1 T butter
1 cup water
cookie
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon soda
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1, 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
Making the filling:
Combine crushed pineapple with juice, sugar, cornstarch, butter and water in saucepan. Cook, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
Make the cookies:
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar; set aside. Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, lemon juice and lemon peel.
Add dry ingredients.
Cover and chill for 15-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º.
Lightly grease baking sheet.
Use a fourth of the dough at a time, keeping the remainder refrigerated. Roll to 1/8 inch thick on a flour surface.
Cut into 2 inch rounds.
Place half of the rounds on baking sheet. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center of cookies. Cover cookies with the remaining cookie rounds and seal the edges. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely. Make icing: Sift powdered sugar. Cream in the butter. Add vanilla and orange juice concentrate. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar; if too thick, add more orange juice. Drizzle over cooled cookies
ORANGE SLICE COOKIE MIX IN A JAR - Aunt M
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
1-3/4 cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1-1/2 cups Orange Slice Candies, cut into 1/3" pieces (10 ounce package)
Mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. Layer ingredients in order given in a quart sized wide mouth canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place. Add the orange candies last. It will be a tight fit. Use scissors to cut a 9 inch-diameter circle from fabric of your choice. Center fabric circle over lid and secure with a rubber band. Tie on a raffia or ribbon bow to cover the rubber band. Attach a card with the following directions:
Orange Slice Cookies
Remove orange slice candy from jar. Set aside. Empty remaining cookie mix into large mixing bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly blend mix. Add 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened at room temperature. Add 1 egg slightly beaten and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until completely blended. You may need to finish mixing with your hands. Mix in orange slice candy. Shape into large sized balls.place 2 inches apart on sprayed baking sheets. Bake at 375º for 12 to 14 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling.
AMISH SUGAR COOKIE - Diabetic - Jackie
1/2 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Margarine
1/3 cup oil
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Lemon or Almond extract
2 tbsp Water
2 1/4 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp Salt
Place sugars, margarine and oil in a large mixing bowl and mix at medium speed until creamy. Add egg, vanilla, extract and water mixing at medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl before and after adding these ingredients. Stir remaining ingredients together to blend well and add to creamy mixture and mix at medium speed to blend. Form dough into 24 balls, using 1 tablespoon dough per ball. Place balls on greased cookie sheets. Press balls down evenly to 1/2" with the back of a tablespoon dipped in water.
Bake at 375º. for 12 to 14 minutes, or until cookies are browned on the bottom and lightly browned around the edges. Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature
BENYA - Uncle Pete
1 package dry active yeast
1 cup warm water
pinch sugar
10 bananas, soft
3 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
zest of 1 orange
pinch of salt
Add yeast and sugar to warm water.
Cover and let stand to start rising process. Mash bananas with yeast mixture.
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, sugar, orange zest and salt. Once thoroughly combined cover and refrigerate overnight. Mixture will rise and triple in size.
Heat oil.
Drop by the spoonful and fry until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
CHRISTMAS
