Christmas Baking Book

Fantasy Fudge

Lightly grease 2 (13x9 inch) or 3 (9 inch square) pans.  Mix Margarine, sugar, and milk in heavy 4-5 quart Dutch oven; bring to full rolling boil on medium heat stirring constantly.  Continue boiling until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir in chocolate chips until melted.  Add remaining ingredients; mix well.  Pour into prepared pans.  Cool at room temperature; cut into 1” squares.

Makes 6 pounds

For easier cutting and cleaning, line pans with lightly greased foil.  Remove foil before cutting cooled fudge.

NOTE: Do not substitute sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk.

Hello Dolly Bars

 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Margarine or unsalted butter
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
1 cup Chocolate chips
1 cup Butterscotch chips
1 cup Shredded coconut
1 cup Chopped Pecans

1 Can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:

1.      Melt the margarine. Mix in graham cracker crumbs. Pat in a 9"x13" pan.

2.      Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the crumbs in order given, one upon the other.

3.      Drizzle the milk over all. Do NOT stir. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Cool and cut into 1” squares.

Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels 1 cup chopped nuts

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
GREASE 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Peanut Blossoms

1/2 cup Margarine
3/4 cup Creamy Peanut butter
1/3 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Packed brown sugar
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Granulated sugar
9 ounces Package Hershey's Kisses -- about 48

Cream shortening and peanut butter; add sugar and brown sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, blending thoroughly. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; bake at 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately place unwrapped Kiss on top of each cookie, pressing down so that cookie cracks around the edge. Remove from cookie sheet; cool.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Variation: Use Mint Hershey’s Kisses.

Peanut Brittle

·        1 Pound Raw Spanish Peanuts (preferably unsalted)

·        1 cup of light Karo Syrup

·        ½ cup water

·        2 cups sugar

·        3 Tbls REAL Butter

·        2 Tsp. Baking Soda

·        ¼ Tsp Salt

·        1 Tsp Vanilla

In 3 Quart pan, over medium high heat, mix Syrup, sugar, and water.  Cook until it forms a thin thread.  Add salt and peanuts, and cook to a medium amber color (just short of scorching). Turn off heat, mix in butter until melted, add vanilla, and stir in soda.

Pour quickly into buttered cookie sheet with sides DO NOT SMOOTH WITH SPOON.  Tilt pan so it will spread.  Work quickly as it sets up fast.  Break into pieces after cooled about 30 minutes.

TIP: Have everything ready and measured.  This goes fast once you start.  If you want candy thinner, use 2 cookie sheets, and have someone help spread 1 pan while you do the other.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup Margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoons baking soda
cinnamon and sugar mixed to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix together butter and sugar until smooth, then add eggs, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Stir in flour until well mixed. Roll into balls about 1" in diameter and roll in cinnamon and sugar to coat. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they are just barely browning.

Snowballs / Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup softened REAL butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1cup finely chopped Pecans

Powdered sugar

Preheat Oven to 350°F

In a large bowl combine ingredients on low speed of mixer about 1 minute. Blend well. Gradually add flour at low speed until just combined; stir in nuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls; place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until firm to the touch but not brown. Do not overbake. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool; re-roll in powdered sugar before serving.

Peanut Butter Cookies

·        1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·        3/4 teaspoon baking powder

·        1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·        1/2 teaspoon salt

·        1 large egg

·        1/2 cup sugar

·        1/2 cup margarine

·        1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

·        1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Cream butter with sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter, creaming after each addition until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture gradually. Beat until smooth. Drop mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time and about 2" apart on to an undressed baking sheet. Flatten with a fork 2 times to form a crisscross pattern on the cookie surface. Bake in a 350°F oven for 8-10 min. Remove from oven and cool.

Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

3 eggs, well beaten

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup Margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups oatmeal

Combine eggs, raisins, and vanilla and let stand for one hour, covered with plastic wrap. Cream together butter and sugars. Add flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda to sugar mixture. Mix well; blend in egg-raisin mixture and oatmeal. Dough will be stiff. Drop by heaping teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet or roll into small balls and flatten slightly on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown.

Oatmeal Coconut Delights

3 Eggs, well beaten

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Margarine slightly softened

1 Cup packed Brown Sugar

1 Cup White Sugar

2 ½ Cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups rolled oats

2 ½ cups coconut

1 ½ cups pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F

Cream (beat) together margarine and sugar.  Add flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to sugar mixture. Mix well.  Stir in oats, coconut and nuts.  Mix well.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

 Magic Reindeer Food

 In a small zipper food storage bag or empty shaker container, mix:

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red or green sugar crystals (for cake decorating)
1 Heart full of Christmas Hope

Be sure to take this magic food and sprinkle on the lawn,
On Christmas, Santa's reindeer travel miles before the dawn.
The smell of oats and glitter path will guide them on their way
And you'll wake up to Santa's gifts next morn on Christmas Day!

Before Christmas Eve, fold in the Christmas hope.  On Christmas Eve, before you go to bed, sprinkle the magic reindeer food on your lawn.  The sugar will sparkle in the moonlight for Santa to see.  The Reindeer will smell the oats, and want to stop for a snack.  Santa will feel the Christmas hope, and know your waiting for him.

Yield: 8 Reindeer

Thursday December 14, 2006
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