Christmas

GingerBread Men

3 and 1/4 cups flour
1.2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulfered molasses
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 - 2 tsp milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325'
2. Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, and cloves
3. Cream butter and sugar. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth.
4. Scrape down bowl and add flour mixture, blend on low speed until just combined -- do not over mix!
5. Separate dough into 2 balls and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
6. On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4" thickness. With floured cookie cutters cut into shapes. Gather scraps and re-roll dough until all is used. Place on ungreased baking sheets about 1/2" apart.
7. Bake 9-11 minutes -- do not brown. Transfer to cool, flat surface and cool.

Preparing Icing:

1. Whisk sugar and milk until smooth but still liquid.
2. Add extra milk if seems dry.
3. Spoon icing into a pastry bag with small piping tip, or other icing dispenser.
4. Decorate as desired.

EggNog Cookies

2 and 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 and 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cups salted butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300'
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg
3. Mix well with wire whisk and set aside
4. Cream sugar and butter with electric mixer until forms a grainy paste
5. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth
6. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed just until combined -- do not over mix!
7. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets -- 1 " apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.
8. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown -- transfer to cool, flat surface immediately.

Melting Moments Cookies

1 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg yolk
3/4 c. brown sugar

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and flour.
3. Mix well and form into little balls, placing them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Press down with a fork.
5. Bake at 15 mintues at 375

Snickerdoodles

Mix together thoroughly:

1 cup soft margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs

Sift together and stir in:

2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll in mixture of 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. (use red and green sugar to make them look Christmasy.)

Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned.. but still soft. These cookies puff up at first, then flatten out with crinkled tops.

Temperature: 400 degrees

Time: Bake 8 - 10 minutes

5 dozen 2 inch cookies.

Hot Spiced Christmas Punch

3 cups Pineapple juice
4 cups cranberry juice
2 cups apple cider
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, studded with cloves
1 apple, cored and sliced Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan.
Add cinnamon sticks, orange studded with cloves, and one cored, sliced apple.
Simmer mixture for 4 hours. Serve hot.
Serves 12.
(Recipe may be doubled)

FUDGE RUM BALLS

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Fudge Cake Mix
1 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tbsp. rum extract
2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
Pecans or walnuts, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour 13x9x2 inch pan. Prepare, bake and cool cake following package directions. 2. Crumble cake into large bowl. Stir with fork until crumbs are fine and uniform in size. Add 1 cup nuts, rum extract, confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Stir until well blended. 3. Shape heaping tablespoonfuls mixture into balls. Garnish by rolling balls in finely chopped nuts. Press firmly to adhere nuts to balls. Makes 6 dozen. Tip: Substitute real rum for rum extract.

CINNAMON CANDY

3 c. white sugar
1 c. white Karo
1 c. water
1 tbsp. red food coloring
2 tsp. cinnamon oil
1 pair scissors

Combine first 3 ingredients. Cook until hard crack using candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring. Add in cinnamon oil, stirring well to mix. Pour into greased cookie sheet. When cool enough to touch, using scissors cut into bite-size pieces. Roll pieces in powdered sugar.

PECAN PRALINES

1 c. buttermilk
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. pecan halves
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. butter

Use large pot to prevent boil overs. Stir buttermilk, sugar, and baking soda together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Place pot on low to medium on stove and boil until mixture is in soft ball stage. Stir constantly. Mixture will turn light brownish. When soft ball stage is reached (it will form a soft ball when a half-teaspoon or so of the syrup is dropped into a cup of cold water), remove the pot from the heat. Add two cups of pecan halves, butter, and vanilla. Beat mixture briskly until it becomes glossy and starts to thicken. Quickly spoon it onto greased waxed paper making little patties. Let the candy cool completely before removing it from the paper.

People Puppy Chow

1 1/2 c. butter
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
9 c. Chex Cereal
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Melt together butter, choc. chips, and peanut butter over a medium-low heat. Pour Chex cereal into a really large pan or roasting pan. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir till well coated. Pour powdered sugar over this, and stir again gently till it is all covered in white. Cool in fridge.

NO BAKE CHRISTMAS WREATHS

1 stick margarine
30 lg. marshmallows
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tsp. green food coloring
3 1/2 c. corn flakes

Melt above in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Add to above: Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper from greased teaspoon. Shape each into small wreaths with greased fingers. Decorate with red hot candies and chill to set.

WHITE ROLLED CHRISTMAS COOKIES

1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. soda
1 c. butter (margarine may be used)
2 c. flour
1 egg, well beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract, if desired

Work like pie crust. Add: This dough can be rolled and rerolled as often as necessary for cutting desired shapes. Will not get tough. Frost with favorite powdered sugar icing and decorate.

*Also may be rolled in balls and pressed flat to 1/4 inch. Bake at 300 to 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

CHRISTMAS CRESCENTS

1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)
2 c. flour
2 c. chopped pecans
5 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar; add vanilla and water. Sift flour and salt, stir into mixture. Add pecans and mix well. Shape into size of walnut and shape into crescent. Bake slowly at 325 degrees about 20 minutes. While warm, roll into powdered sugar.

HARD CANDY (Christmas)
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
3/4 c. light corn syrup
Food coloring
Oil flavoring
Red - cinnamon
Blue - anise
Yellow - lemon or banana
Green - peppermint
Orange - orange

Cook sugar, water and corn syrup to 300 degrees (or until mixture makes a hard boil and strings when dropped into cold water). Add food coloring and oil flavoring of choice. Pour into a buttered platter and cool 5 minutes. Cut into pieces with scissors. Roll each piece in powdered sugar. (Note: If you let candy cool for entire 5 minutes, it will be too hard to cut.)

CHRISTMAS CANDY
2 lbs. white chocolate
1 c. creamy peanut butter
4 c. Cheerios
2 c. miniature marshmallows
2 c. peanuts

Melt chocolate. Add peanut butter. Add Cheerios, marshmallows and peanuts. Drop on wax paper lined cookie she

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter
2 egg yolks (save whites)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 egg whites, beaten
1-1 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts
1/2 c. red & green jelly

In large bowl combine first 5 ingredients on medium speed of mixer about 1 minute. Gradually add flour and blend at low speed until well mixed. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Dip dough balls into egg whites then nuts. Place on greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Make a deep impression in center of each cookie with fingertip.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove cookies from sheet. While still warm, fill centers with jelly. Allow jelly to set before storing cookies. Yield 3-4 dozen.

CHRISTMAS FUDGE

3 c. sugar
3/4 c. margarine
1 jar marshmallow creme
1/2 can evaporated milk (2/3 c.)
2 c. chocolate bits
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, margarine and milk. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate bits until melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 13"x9" pan. Let it cool. Cut into squares

Christmas Bonbons

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine; softened
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice
concentrate, thawed and undiluted
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots
3 tablespoons chopped almonds

Cream sugar and margarine, using an electric mixer set at
medium speed, until mixture is light and fluffy (about 5
minutes). Add juice concentrate, honey, orange rind,
vanilla, and egg; beat at medium speed until blended.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and allspice.
With mixer running at low speed, gradually add to orange
mixture. Stir in cranberries, raisins, apricots, and
almonds. Spoon batter evenly into 33 paper lined miniature
muffin pans. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly
browned. Cool in pans 3 minutes; remove from pans and cool
on wire rack.

Chocolate Dipped Orange Biscotti

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons orange zest
4 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 , Grease a
cookie sheet.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder,
baking soda, and salt. Beat in the egg and egg white, and
then mix in almonds and orange zest. Knead dough by hand
until mixture forms a smooth ball.
Roll the dough into a log about 10 inches long; place on
the prepared cookie sheet. Press down, or roll with a
rolling pin, until log is 6 inches wide.
Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. After baking,
cool on a rack. With a serrated knife, cut into 1 inch
slices. Place slices, cut side down, back onto the baking
sheet.
Return them to the oven for an additional 20 to 25
minutes; turning over half way through the baking.
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the
microwave oven. Allow chocolate to cool but not harden
before dipping one side of the biscotti into it. Place
cookies on wire racks, chocolate side up, until cool
and dry.

Mulled Cider
Serves 4-6
4 cups Apple cider
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon Clove
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
Heat the cider in a saucepan to a simmer (do not boil).
Remove from the heat. Add the cinnamon, lemon zest, clove
and nutmeg to a disposable paper coffee filter. Close the
filter and tie with string. Add to the warm cider and steep
for 5-7 minutes. Remove the filter. Serve warm.

Rock Candy

Spicy, cinnamon flavored hard candy. You can vary the flavor by substituting lemon, orange, or other oils.
These flavored oils can be found in candy making supply stores and drugstores.

1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 and 3/4 cups white sugar
1and 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 t cinnamon oil
1 t red food coloring
Roll the edges of two 16 inch square pieces of heavy duty
aluminum foil. Sprinkle the foil very generously with
confectioners' sugar.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the white sugar,
corn syrup, and water. Heat over medium-high heat,
stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring,
and boil until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees
Remove from heat.
Stir in the cinnamon oil and food coloring.
Pour onto the prepared foil, and allow to cool and harden.
Crack into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Toffee
1 sleeve saltines
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup sugar
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line jelly roll pan with foil. Arrange
saltines evenly on foil in pan.

Melt butter and sugar together in a saucepan. Pour butter and
sugar mixture evenly over saltines. Heat in oven for 8-10 mins.
until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and distribute chips
evenly over saltines. Wait a minute until they start to melt, then
spread the chocolate evenly across saltines. Refrigerate.

Peanut Butter Cups
1 cup peanut butter
1 package (about 10) crushed graham crackers
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups butter or margarine, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Combine peanut butter, graham crackers, powdered sugar and butter.
Press into 9 x 13 inch pan.
Melt chocolate chips and spread over peanut butter mixture. Allow to
harden. (Cut while still soft or layers will separate.)
Makes 3 dozen