Category: Recipes

Pineapple Nut Bars

Base:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter
Filling:
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts or almonds
1 tablespoon margarine or butter melted

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon run extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In medium bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar. With pastry blender or fork, cut in 1/2 cup margarine until crumbly. Press in bottom of ungreased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes.

In small bowl, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons milk, vanilla and egg; beat until smooth. Stir in pineapple. Spread over partially baked base. In small bowl combine coconut, nuts and 1 tablespoon melted margarine; sprinkle evenly over pineapple mixture. Return to oven and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until coconut is golden brown and filling appears set. Cool completely. In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients. Drizzle over bars. Refrigerate until serving time. 36 bars.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 TBS. milk
chocolate candy kisses

Mix thoroughly: shortening, egg, peanut butter, sugars, vanilla, and milk. Mix baking soda with flour and add. Shape into balls about the size of a walnut. Roll in sugar, bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place chocolate candy kiss on each cookie and press down. Bake 2 more minutes.

Kolaczki Cookies

5 or 6 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 lb. shortening
1 pkg. cake yeast
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks

Mix all dry ingredients and add shortening. Mix as for pie crust. Add egg yolks. Dissolve yeast in luke warm milk and add to mixture. Add vanilla. Let rise. Roll out dough and cut into small squares (2 sq. in) and put filling in middle (about 1/2 tsp.) of each. Pinch corners together. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Serves about 50 people, depending on how hungry they are.

FILLING:
1 can crushed pineapple (1 lb. 4 oz.)
1 cup sugar
3 tbls. corn starch

Bring everything to a boiling point. Stir constantly and cook slowly for about 5 minutes. Cool for a few hours before using.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

[Note: Cookies can spread too thin and get crispy if the butter is a little too soft. Try not to cream the butter excessively or bake the cookies too long.]

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups sifted unbleached flour
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces, finely chopped
Chocolate filling (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cream butter with salt and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar. Blend in flour, milk and chocolate. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. Make depression with thumb in center of each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes. Roll in confectioner’s sugar while still warm. Cool completely. Fill depression with chocolate filling. Allow filling to set completely before storing cookies.

Chocolate Filling:
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over hot water (or melt in microwave). Stir to blend. Cool slightly. Blend in corn syrup, water and vanilla. Fill cookies before chocolate cools and sets. Makes about 3 dozen.

This delicious recipe makes chocolate chip cookies that stay soft!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with pudding)

2 1/4 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 tspn. baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tspn. vanilla extract
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELLO brand vanilla INSTANT pudding and pie filling (NOT MIXED, JUST POWDER)
2 eggs
1 pkg. (12 oz.) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix flour with baking soda and set aside. Combine butter, the sugars, vanilla, and pudding mix in large mixer bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture, then stir in chips and nuts. (Batter will be stiff) Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls about two inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to ten minutes. Makes about seven dozen.

NOTE: You can use chocolate pudding for chocolate cookies, pistachio pudding and nuts, lots of potential combinations here.

Butterscotch Crowns

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bars
2 cups marshmallow cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. In bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough in prepared pan. Arrange chocolate bars, breaking to fit as needed. Spread with marshmallow cream. Top with remaining dough, pressing to form a layer. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

This recipe is one I learned growing up – my mother got it from her mother’s side of the family. This is a holiday favorite for us!

Butter Cookies (Spritz Cookies)

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 2/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsps. vanilla

Mix salt with flour and set aside. Mix together butter and sugar until creamy. Then, beat in the egg and stir in the vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, gradually, mixing to uniform consistency.

Press dough through a cookie press according to cookie press’s directions onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

For chocolate butter cookies, add 1/4 cup cocoa and 2 tblsps. milk to the butter mixture before adding flour.

Golden Almond Bars

Mix together on low speed of electric mixer:
1 yellow cake mix
1/3 cup margarine (softened)

Put aside 1/2 cup. Press remaining amount into bottom of greased 9X13 pan.

Combine:
1 cup ground or finely chopped almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
4 egg whites

Beat on high speed for 4 minutes. Spread over first layer.

To 1/2 cup mixture set aside, add 1/2 cup chopped almonds and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Candy Cane Cookies
(shortbread)

Mix:
1 cup shortening
1 cup sifted 10x sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift and Add:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add and swirl red food coloring. Form into canes and place on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes.

Note: For shortening, you may want to use butter or butter-flavor Crisco. Although regular Crisco keeps the cookies more white, the butter or butter-flavor Crisco adds a bit more flavor.

Glazed Apple Cookies

MAKES 3-4 DOZEN [Caution: If you are making a tray of assorted cookies and plan to cover it, do not put the apple cookies on the tray. The flavors might draw into the other cookies. Also, the apple cookie softens crisper cookies.]

Cookie Ingredients:
2 cups sifted unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/3 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg, unbeaten
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup finely chopped unpared tart apples
1 cup raisins, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup apple juice or milk

Vanilla Glaze:
1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 tablespoons light cream

Preheat oven to 400° F. Sift together flour and baking soda. Mix shortening, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and egg until well blended. Stir in half of flour mixture. Add nuts, apples and raisins. Blend in apple juice, then remaining flour mixture. Drop by tablespoons, 2-inches apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake approximately 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make vanilla glaze. Mix together all ingredients until well blended. Spread thinly over hot cookies.