I loved hearing everyone's favorites and memories yesterday. It is amazing how food can take us back in time and brings us comfort and joy. It also allows us to share those lovely memories of people gone from this earth.
We have always had some cookies that have been family favorites. I am listing the recipes for two of these - real basics - but we loved them. We have specialty cookies as well that are just huge for many family members. I try to still keep the memories and love of those alive, by making them from mom's recipes. Some cookies are a once a year thing - that is what makes them super special.
VANILLA ROLLED COOKIES
(mom's sugar cookies)
3 1/2 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C butter - softened
1 1/2 C sugar
2 - eggs - well beaten
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Sift flour and add baking powder and salt. Cream butter, add sugar gradually and continue to beat until light. Add eggs and blend thoroughly, add vanilla. Combine with dry ingredients - chill.
Roll out as thin as possible on a floured surface and cut with floured cookie cutters. OR form small balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass.
Bake 400* for 6 - 10 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen.
Mom always iced with powder sugar icing. IF making just sugar cookies, dampen the top with a dab of milk, then sprinkle with sugar - creates a hard sugar glaze on cookies.
I make these - but they still don't taste like mommas.
Some things just can't be replicated - it was the love I am sure!!!!
MOLASSES ROLLED COOKIES
(used for gingerbread men)
375*
1 C molasses, dark
1 C brown sugar
1 C butter or Crisco
1 Tbsp. baking soda
5-6 C flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg - beaten well
Combine molasses, sugar, Crisco or butter and soda in a heavy sauce [pan. Bring to a boil slowly for 5 minutes. Cool thoroughly. Mix and sift flour, salt and spices. Add well beaten egg to cooled mixture - THEN add the dry to a good consistency. Mix thoroughly and chill.
Roll out on a floured board - about 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutters. Bake 8-10 minutes
You can pierce a hole in the head before baking if you want to hang them!!!
Mom would decorate and cover with saran wrap and hang on the tree for everyone!
Want to hear something crazy. Mom passed in 2001, so 2000 was the last year she baked. I have one of those last gingerbread men wrapped in plastic in my hutch!!!!!!!!!
Expected by family are also the Spritz cookies and Springerle cookies - I make 2 batches of the Springerle every Christmas.
This year I am making Date/Nut bars for my brother (and me). He hasn't had those since before mom passed.
I may make Hermits too - they were always a favorite of mine.
If you would want the recipe for any of these, let me know.
I remember on cookie making days - the house would be so warm and smell so good. Mom made dozens and dozens of cookies and candies and small fruit/nut cakes for the holidays. She had containers hid all over the place. She would start right before Thanksgiving and go until Christmas.
I remember one year before Easter, I was going through a cabinet to find something for her (it was up high) and found a container of cookies she had forgotten about!!!! That was a good laugh.
I sure miss her baking and cooking. I try - but some things just never taste the same. I know memories have a way of tricking us - and that is cool. That is a good kind of trick!!!
Memories are wonderful - what a gift from our brain!!!!!
If there is something special - like an old recipe - you may need, let me know. I may just have it.
Do you have special cookie or candy memories or recipes that you still do every year?
Have a great day!!!!
Oh these recipes sound so good and easily interchangeable for dietary needs too! : ) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat must have been heavenly for your mom to always have iced sugar cookies all the time! Wow....I would have loved that!
Yesterday, Maebeme commented about shortbread cookies. Do you have a recipe for that? I wouldn't mind making those as I think my mom would love them made with stevia and almond flour etc, (me too!)
I've made the Springerle before and those are good. My dad always made anise cookies and I love the Italian seed cookies with sesame seeds. I do remember making iced sugar cookies at Christmas and Easter with my little girls, candy cane and wreath cookies too. Oh such wonderful memories, so why not do that now right? : )
Thank you sweet Cheryl for sharing these recipes, I must try some soon!!! It makes me happy to think of it! Hugs! ~Amelia
I am sure you - who has the knowledge = could interchange ingredients.
DeleteIt was such a joy to eat those cookies any time you went to visit. If you had walked in and she just met you - she would be trying to feed you, give you goodies and sweet tea!!!!! She had a need to feed everyone!
I tried them years ago and it wasn't successful (looking). They tasted good - maybe Maebeme will share her recipe (once she gets settled in her new house).
About half of us love Springerle - the other half not so much. I do not like licorice - but I love me some anise cookies.
You need to make some fun cookies again!!!!!!
Hi Amelia,
DeleteCheckout powerhungry.com. She has a delicious recipe on there for almond flour shortbread cookies. Also you might want to check out 40aprons.com for an almond flour stuffing recipe. Both recipes are vegetarian. Cookie
Cookie, I'm going to look into those to send to my Sis who has Celiac's and is GF. Thank you!
DeleteHi everyone, on the last post, Maebeme posted how she makes her Shortbread cookies when I asked. : )
DeleteThank you Cookie!
DeleteCheryl, I have a good recipe for puffy cookies, I think they are Springerle, I don't put anise in but they still have that bend. (I'll have to double check my old cookie cookbook our girls and I used when they were little). Oh my heart!
For Christmas I always do the cut out iced sugar cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, pecan tassies and almond joy cookie bars. These were all cookies that my grandmother made as well. She loved Snickerdoodles and they are good but just not a favorite of mine. My grandmother and mother were amazing bakers as well and I miss those days.
ReplyDeleteMmmm those all sound good. Almond joy cookies would sure be a hit with me!!!!
DeleteYou know I don't think I have ever had a Snickerdoodle cookie. I don't remember mom making them and I haven't.
Days gone by.......
Buttertarts are another favorite here. I do have (if I find it in time) a gingerbread recipe that uses butterscotch pudding mix (not instant). I have made sugar cookies but I haven't the patience to ice them. I'm impressed with your mother's dedication!
ReplyDeleteGoing home to mom's always meant a batch of brownies for my son...at least until the time she used salt instead of sugar in the recipe. :)
Maebeme - could you share your shortbread cookie recipe sometime soon? Amelia was interested and so am I.
DeleteI like the icing part of them - it seems to let me think.
Mom was something - she was always baking or cooking something. That sounds interesting with the pudding mix!!!
Brownies are good too!
Thank you, Cheryl! My mom and grandmas were the BEST BAKERS EVER! The holidays were all about baking. With German roots, in addition to cookies, Kringle could be counted on, as well as other pastries. I wasn't a big sweets eater as a kid (I was weird), but it was a favorite time of year because I could join them in the warm, deliciously scented kitchen to help. Thumbprint cookies were a favorite, as were Snickerdoodles, probably because those were easy recipes to have a child help out with. There were also Pinwheel Cookies, Chocolate Snowflakes (some call them Crinkles), Date Nut Bars and more. When my older brother was in Vietnam, mom baked every week and we sent care packages to him. He assured her they were a hit, although I know now they must've been crumbs by the time they arrived.
ReplyDeleteHubs' family was big on Gingerbread cookies, homemade Fudge and Divinity, and Christmas Wreath breads. Pies, too, were made and popped in the freezer ahead of holidays.
Fruitcake isn't everyone's favorite, but in both homes (as we were growing up), it wouldn't have been the holidays without Fruitcake. As my kids were growing up I made it using dried fruit instead of candied fruit. Our sons also grew up with Pumpkin Bread, Date Nut Bread, Cranberry Bread and others that could be sliced and spread with butter for breakfasts. After years with mixed success--and it becoming harder to be on my feet in the kitchen for hours--I started buying rolled pie crust and mixes for cookies I could then improvise. There's NO shame in that; do what works best for you.
That said, like Amelia, I'd love a good shortbread recipe. I'd also love the recipe for the no-bake peanut butter crispy thinggies. Those are Hubs' favorites. No mixes available for them. And if you're baking challenged (again, NO shame in that) he does something each year so many people LOVE... dip pretzels, Oreo-type cookies, dried fruits, etc. in melted chocolate chips. You can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate... even butterscotch or peanut butter chips. I'm looking forward to everyone's faves, tips and recipes! --Elise
Oops, almost forgot... AZ shoppers might want to go to Basha's this week. ALL winter and summer squash + vine tomatoes are 98 cents lb., with digital coupons, pork chops, chicken drumsticks and thighs are 77 cents lb., Taylor Farms salad blends or kits are $1 ea. (limit 2), Land O' Frost deli shaved lunchmeat is $1.99 pkg., Grands biscuits are $2.49 ea. and Basha's corn tortillas are 99 cents ea. No coupon needed for Ocean Spray Cranberries (fresh) at 2/$5, cilantro, cucumbers and green onions at 2/$1 and Friday-Sunday lobster tails are $3.99 ea. sold in pkgs. of 2. No sale prices listed yet at Basha's or Safeway for turkeys but both will match lowest advertised prices elsewhere.
DeleteThere have always been certain cookies that i have always loved. Mom did the same when my brother was in the Navy. He was on ship a lot and then in Hawaii. He loved getting those boxes broken or not!!!!!
DeleteDivinity - oh I love that too. Mom made some great divinity. I have made it a couple times. Fudge is good too.
Oh heck, I like most holiday goodies!
Do whatever works with you! just enjoy!
Good deals
Kroger has them for .59/lb. (turkey) with digital coupon and other purchase.
I used to make fruit cake with dried fruit instead of that candied stuff. It was called "Fruity Cake" and it was *good*. I wonder if I can find the recipe anywhere here.... :)
DeleteMaryB
MaryB, it was a favorite of my sons, who didn't care for the candied fruit versions of Fruitcake. I'll see if I can unearth my recipe. If you find yours, please share it! Even folks who hate Fruitcake generally love it made with dried fruits. I also adapted my recipe for cookies, which we'd drizzle with powdered sugar glaze.
DeleteCheryl, we didn't really need anything, but Hubs was going to be out there anyway, so picked up the chicken (drumsticks), 2 bags of butter lettuce salads and 2 cans of corned beef hash. Total of $16.84 for groceries this week. --Elise
My mom made a fresh coconut cake every year, something I've never attempted. And she made an uncooked fruit cake that used crushed graham crackers. I've never made it but have her recipe. She died earlier this year at 100 years plus! I may attempt her fruit cake in her honor. My family's favorites for almost 50 years are pinwheel cookies that have a sour cream dough and a special recipe for dropped fudge that a co-worker gave me all those years ago. My DIL is the queen of iced sugar cookies - beautiful as well as tasty and special cranberry noels, too! Memories are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI would love the uncooked fruit cake - I saw a recipe years ago in a novel - and lost it. Maybe you could share!!!
DeleteCoconut cake sounds good.
So sorry for your loss of you mom. It sure is different when our momma's leave this world. Dad's too - but moms just kind of did all those special things! HUGS
The pinwheels sound tasty.
Yes mam, memories are the best!
Vickie, if you're so inclined, I'd love the recipes, too.
Delete--Elise
The Farmer's mother made the best fruitcake. It got to be quite expensive as the cost of the fruits and nuts rose. She's been gone eleven years so you can imagine how costly it would be now. We did order some from Collier Street Bakery in Texas and they were pretty good.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous day! I am waiting for the Farmer to finish his physical therapy. So far they seem to be doing more harm than good. Once he is finished we'll go to Costco to pick a prescription and then Rural King.
Glen loved fruitcake!!!!! I would always buy him a small one for him. Yep, it would be quite costly to make.
DeleteSorry the therapy isn't working. Happy shopping - enjoy this lovely day!
College of The Ozarks students make the BEST fruitcakes. Just like Granny used to. Cindy/WV
DeleteI always try something new every year so I don't really have a favorite, oh maybe I do! Mincemeat cookies, shortbread and fruitcake would be my favorites.
ReplyDelete*Elise, I have a friend who makes Kringle and Lefse. She is Norwegian.
*Cheryl, I would like to have those recipes, please.
*The most requested candy I make is the Crockpot Christmas Crack. Everybody seems to love that stuff.
I forgot to add my shortbread recipe I use, it came from a very good friend.
Delete*Scotch Shortbread Recipe
Cream 1 cup unsalted butter.
Sift together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and 1/4 teas salt
Blend the dry ingredients into the butter. Pat the stiff dough into an ungreased 9x9 pan, press edges down
Pierce with fork through the dough. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares while warm.
Mincemeat cookies sound good. I didn't like the pie so much - but do like the cookies - those would kind of be like hermits.
DeleteI will make sure you get those recipes!!!!!
Mmmmm Christmas Crack!
Thank you for the recipe!!!!!!! Sounds easy enough. What temp do you bake at?
I want to try these. Thanks
Opps! 325*.
DeleteLaurieS, thank you for the recipe. I think Kringle was a general European and Scandinavian thing at the holidays. They also baked Stolen and made Eclairs and Cream Puffs, which generally subbed for pies.
DeleteFunny story: my MIL was from the south and made the best Pecan Pie. One year, using her recipe (subbing pie dough rolls), I was all set to make it, but needed corn syrup. I asked the manager at the local store where the corn syrup was. Knew the guy well. He said, "Oh, I don't stock that anymore. It's so bad for you. Too processed."
I asked if he was familiar with Stevia and he sang its praises. "Well," I said, "that starts out as green leaves and becomes white granules. Hard to get more processed than that. And you can't use it to bake pecan pie."
I can be a pill. --Elise
Thank you LaurieS! I must try the shortbread...Maybe today. Yes, that sounds good. : )
DeleteYour mom's cookie which you saved reminded me of the auction after the Duchess of Windsor died. For those unfamiliar....The Duke of Windsor became King of England in 1936. He was besotted with Wallace Simpson, an American, twice divorced and ineligible to become queen. So he gave up the throne and they married in France and basically lay about wasting money the rest of their lives.
ReplyDeleteSo, in the auction was a tiny piece of their wedding cake which is a common token for attendants at a wedding. It is usually a fruit cake and is about 2 1/2 inches long by 1 inch wide and maybe a half inch thick. It sold for $29,900 in 1998. Which proves that folks are still good at wasting money!
Oh my goodness! That is some story. I knew the story about the ineligible queen and the divorces. (funny how things change!!!)
DeleteThat is a bunch of bucks for a tiny piece of OLD cake!
Yes indeedy - people do still waste good money!!!!!!
That story made me laugh, Rita. Thank you! --Elise
DeleteI come from a fractured family of not-great cooks. One grandmother never cooked and the other was bad (dried out turkey, chocolate chip cookies where the chips never returned to solid even if left in the cold---really weird, unappetizing food every holiday!) It became kind of a family joke and quite a relief when she finally quit cooking. My mom was better but she worked and never had time for baking. At some point, though, she did start making Russian Tea Cakes (also called snowballs or Mexican wedding cookies), I fell in love and she continued to make them for me until dementia claimed her. Unfortunately, one year she mixed up the flour and powdered sugar and used all flour! They were absolutely awful, but we never told her and she didn't seem to notice (dementia!) We threw them out without her knowing and I've been making them every year since then.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! I kind of had to chuckle while reading.
DeleteThat would be some memories! t least you had a lot of good years of Russian Tea Cakes! Bless her heart - she surely thought she was doing it right. Bless you all for not mentioning it to her. I bet you think of your momma every single time you make them and smile!!!!!!
Memories come in all forms!
The snowballs are my sons favorite, so I make them every year.
DeleteToo funny, Bobi. Thanks! :-D Elise
DeleteNow I want to bake cookies and I have way too much sewing to do!
ReplyDeleteI know - sounds good!
DeleteAll my grandmothers and mother and aunt were bakers and I've carried on the tradition with my children who are now adults. One year I made cookbooks of all the family recipes for them and my nieces and nephews. Christmas Crack (chocolate covered saltine toffee ) is a must, as are pecan tassies, almond bars, stuffed biscotti, gingerbread men, which are still being made with my great grandmother's cookie cutter, 2 ingredient fudge, tigerbutter fudge, no bake chocolate covered peanut butter bars which taste like peanut butter cups and many more. Paula Deen's ooey gooey butter cake usually makes a yearly appearance at Christmas, as does apple pecan pie and blackbottoms. Although there's very little I can partake of due to their histamine and gluten content I do enjoy doing this with and for my family
ReplyDeleteFor Thanksgiving we will have traditional turkey, which is still being grown right now on my friends farm, homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potatoe casserole, roasted brussel sprouts with hot honey drizzed on them, and the stuffing will be a grain free, gluten free recipe that I found on 40 aprons.com/ almond flour stuffing. It's so fabulous and the whole family loves it and I don't miss out on my favorite part of the meal, and a fresh vegetable platter, Instead of pumpkin, because it's too high in histamine for me, I will use butternut squash for my version of impossible "pumpkin" pie, homemade coconut icecream using coconut milk and coconut cream instead of dairy products, Amish apple strudel which is my sil's fav, hub's favorite carrot cake with cream cheese icing.
Well, I am hungry now! Wow, girl you got it going on. That is a lot of goodies and yummies for sure! You are a perfect example that things can be altered to what can be eaten.
DeleteSounds like you are going to be a busy bee in the next many weeks. PS - I use mom's metal cookie cutters to this day, as well as her cookbook.
Wow, Cookie! It all sounds delicious! --Elise
DeleteFantastic ideas, Cookie! I'm all over that almond flour stuffing!
DeleteI always loved cookie baking time at Christmas! Such good smells coming from the kitchen. Would you ladies please pray for my husband. He's not feeling well with low-grade fever, chills, aches, and sore throat. He did go to urgent care today. Strep test was negative. Other tests - flu & C*vd - will not be in until tomorrow or the next day. He's doing a lot of sleeping, which is really good. Also, please pray that I don't get whatever it is. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI will keep your husband in my prayers.
DeleteGod bless.
Praying, Wanita. Take good care of yourself. Hoping he's better very soon! --Elise
DeleteKeeping your hubby in prayer. Yes, sleep is good - it helps the body heal. Keep us informed.
DeleteWill be praying for your husband, Wanita. Some kind of flu has gone through my adult daughters' families lately.
DeleteThat is one treasured cookie in the hutch. Mama was not much of a cookie baker. We had fudge! She baked cakes and pies.
ReplyDeletePractical Parsimony above. When I was baking, pumpkin pies, maybe four or five every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I made pumpkin bread and chocolate pound cake. My children loved them all.
DeleteOne Christmas, my son asked me if I could bake pumpkin bread for all his teachers and coaches for Christmas. I was up early baking four for him to take to school. Then, midday, I delivered three more, piping hot all of them.
Yes, it is a treasured cookie for sure.
DeleteThat was very nice to make the teachers and coach pumpkin bread. I am sure they enjoyed it.
I think most kiddos have some memories of the goodies of holidays past!
(Little Penpen) definitely want to try those sugar cookies. My granddaughter and I watch baking shows together and we want to make cookies soon.
ReplyDeleteThey are just so good. That is neat that you both enjoy watching the cooking shows. It is a great bonding thing. Happy baking!!!
DeletePlease Read.You have a great post here, Have anyone here know Goji Berries... yes... I tried those too.For my health conditions, Those sweet, red berries seemed to help, but only during the time when I consumed them. I don't want to take a drug for the rest of my life, so why would I want to take a natural supplement everyday for the rest of my life (although Goji berries are very tasty and are highly nourishing). To me this was not a cure either (and I'm LOOKING for the CURE).
ReplyDeleteUp to that point, I hadn't found a cure. I felt like a young jumbled mess. I continued to have extreme pain, but continued on my path to healing. I started to focus on myself and not everyone else. When I was a young adult, I took on too much responsibility out of a sense of obligation. This was no longer healthy for me, so I resigned from all my projects and groups. Those days to come were the best [and worst] days. I took a lot of time off work, yet begun to feel so extremely exhausted. Many health professionals "diagnosed" me with adrenal fatigue & Hiv,Prostate Cancer so my situation was annoying then I keep searching for permanent cure online that's when I came to know of Dr jekawo herbal doctor hands whom god has blessed with ancestral powers and a gift to heal people with disease like .Cancers,Alzheimer's disease,HPV,Men & Women Infertility,Melanoma, Mesothelioma, Diabetes, Multiple myeloma, Parkinson's disease,Neuroendocrine tumors,Herpes, Hiv/Aids,Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,, chronic diarrhea, COPD, Hepatitis... So I made a purchase of his herbal medicines and I have been watching my health for 6 years now and I actually confirmed that his herbal medicines are a permanent cure and I'm so happy that I came to know of his herbal healings.You can contact Dr Jekawo herbal doctor Email: drjekawo@gmail.com if you went through exactly what I go through in terms of health conditions because to be honest there is more to learn about natural herbs than medical drugs.