Spice Molasses Cookies

  Spice-Molasses cookies. Doesn’t that sound good? I thought so, and on a cold cloudy day decided to try them. They are from an older edition called Southern Living Christmas Cookbook that Sue owns. The recipe calls for allspice, and as a sidebar talks a little about allspice. This is a spice I use in pumpkin pie all the time and also in my Lemon BBQ meatloaf. 

  This is the side bar: One spice fits all. Allspice tastes like a blend of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s actually a berry.

  The cookies are a snap type of cookie rather than an soft cookie. Since this is the type we prefer, everyone here liked them. Just be aware that they are not the cake, frosted type most people think of as Molasses cookies.

Spice-Molasses Cookies

This old fashioned cookie forms a crackled top as it bakes.

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

¼ cup molasses

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

  Additional sugar to dip the ball of dough in

 Beat shortening at medium speed of an electric mixer until fluffy, gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg and molasses, mix well.

  Combine flour and next 8 ingredients; mix well. Add one fourth of flour mixture at a time to creamed mixture, beating until smooth after each addition.

Cover and chill 1 hour.

  Shape dough into 1 inch ball, and roll in additional sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

  Bake at 375° for 9 to 11 minutes. (tops will crack.) Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 4 dozen

Turkey Noodle Poppy Seed Casserole

  This recipe from "Southern Living Big Book of Christmas Baking" is holiday comfort food.  You may have leftover turkey that would be perfect for this casserole.   You could make it now and freeze it for entertaining later.
The big size is just right for the buffet table and it is a long-time hit, the flavor is delicious and most folks will like it.  If you are planning on a crowd, make 2 big casseroles so you can replenish the buffet.  They give directions for preparing ahead, great for a busy hostess.

 We enjoyed it in individual casseroles too.

                    Turkey Noodle Poppy Seed Casserole

8     ounces  Egg Noodles , uncooked

½   cup  Onion -- chopped

¼   cup  Green Pepper -- chopped

¼   cup  Butter -- melted

3       tablespoons  Flour, All-purpose

3       cups  Milk

¼   cup  Parmesan Cheese -- grated

1      tablespoon  Poppy seeds

1      teaspoon  Salt

1/8  teaspoon  Ground Red Pepper

3      cups  Turkey -- cooked, diced (or home canned, drained)

4      ounces  Pimiento -- diced, drained

Cook noodles according to directions.  Drain well, set aside.

Cook onion and green pepper in butter over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until tender.  Add flour, stirring until smooth.  Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.  Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in noodles, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, poppyseeds and next 3 ingredients; add pimiento, and stir gently.

Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2" baking dish. Bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes. (For the individual casseroles, bake 20 -30 minutes instead). Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and bake, uncovered, 10 additional minutes.

To make ahead: The dish can be refrigerated up to 8 hours.  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking as directed.

To freeze:  To bake, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours.   Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking as directed.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 363 Calories; 17g Fat (42.0% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 106mg Cholesterol; 494mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat.

Ricotta Cheesecake

  For a change of pace Ricotta cheesecakes make a nice dessert. They are not as rich and calorie laden as all cream cheese. I have made them with a combination of both cheeses and with just ricotta. This recipe from the Southern Living Christmas cookbook uses just ricotta cheese. I don’t think it is as creamy as an all cream cheese, but it is good, and festive looking if you use orange slices to garnish it. 

  It calls for candied citron which I don’t use, just because we don’t like it. Otherwise I make it like the recipe. Watch the time while baking it and check before the time is up, it should be set in the middle, but not stiff or browning. The crust recipe is easy to make or you could use a crumb crust of your choosing.

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

¾ cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup butter

2 ½ cups ricotta cheese

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped candied citron

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons chopped almonds

  Garnishes: orange sections, orange rind strips

  Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. (I use my food processor). Press mixture into bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake at 475° for 5 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

  Combine ricotta, ½ cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons flour; beat at medium speed in electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and next 3 ingredients; beat 4 minutes. Stir in raisins, citron, and almonds.

Spoon mixture over crust.

  Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is set. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen; let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

  Remove sides of pan just before serving. Garnish, if desired. Yield: one 9 inch cheesecake.

Southern Living Big Book of Christmas Baking

The Southern Living Big Book of Christmas Baking was published in 1996.  I picked it up at the Big book sale in Des Moines last year, and was drawn in by the beautiful photos.  But I know that Southern Living recipes are always good, and always work…a big plus for me.  I hate, hate, hate to waste my time and expensive ingredients on a recipe that isn’t edible, or is even just fair.  I like cook books by folks who have good test kitchens.

This cook book isn’t a disappointment.  It’s 160 pages are full of cookies, beautiful reputation cakes, pies, Christmas breads, snacks, casseroles for family and holiday buffets, and gifts too.

I like to take along a loaf of homemade bread and some jam or preserves as a hostess gift over the holidays – everyone has so many sweets already.  This book had a whole chapter to choose from!  We had a hard time choosing just a week’s worth of recipes to share.  Well, maybe we'll revisit next year! 

Ricotta Cheesecake

Turkey Noodle Poppy Seed Casserole

Spicy Molasses Cookies

Tavern Bread

Crunchy Potato Bites

English Tea Squares

  English Tea Squares from the "Farm Journal Homemade Cookies” book may be English, I don’t really know, but they are tasty.  I had a little trouble wrestling the dough into the pan, but my fingers worked best to spread it out on the bottom.  I let it chill about 10 minutes while I measured out the jam, and spreading the jam went well.  I dropped the remaining dough on top with a size 60 scoop and then spread it carefully with a metal offset spatula.  Let them cool a little before cutting and sprinkling with powdered sugar.  I think any favorite jam would be very good in these, and any nuts would be delicious too.  This is a good recipe to make your own with what you have on hand.                  

                           English Tea Squares

     ¾    Cup  Butter

  1         Cup  Sugar (7 ounces)

  1         Large  Egg

  1         Teaspoon  Vanilla Extract

  2         Cups  Sifted All Purpose Flour (8 ounces)

     ¼    Teaspoon  Ground Allspice or Cinnamon

  1         Cup  Almonds -- chopped  (4 ounces)

     ½    Cup  Strawberry Jam

  3        Tablespoons  Powdered Sugar

Beat butter until light; add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla to blend well.  Stir in flour, allspice and nuts.

Spoon about half of mixture (about 13 ounces) into lightly greased 9" square pan.  Carefully spread strawberry jam over the top.  Top with remaining dough.

Bake in 350° 40-45 minutes, or until delicately browned.

Remove to cooling rack and sift powdered sugar over the top.  When cool, cut in 1 1/2" squares.

2011 Cost:  $5.11 with almonds, $3.41 with walnuts, or 15¢ or 10¢ respectively.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 117 Calories; 6g Fat (45.5% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 43mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Orange Snowballs

  I am again baking cookies from the Farm Journal Cookie Book. This recipe turned our well. I had thought it would be more like Mexican Wedding Cakes, but it is a softer cookie. I made the orange version of it, because I had an orange on hand. 

  I did feel the dough is too soft and added about ¼ cup more of flour to the recipe and chilled them overnight. Next time I am going to try using two and 1/4 cups of flour.

  If you dip them in powered sugar be sure they are cooler as they will have to be dipped twice if they are too warm.

Orange Snowballs

½ cup shortening or butter

⅔ cup sugar

2 tsp grated orange peel

1 egg

1 ¾ cup sifted flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon water

½ cup chopped nuts

Powdered sugar (for coating)

  Cream together butter, sugar and orange peel until light and fluffly. Add egg: beat until smooth.Sift together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice and water. Stir in nuts and chill dough.

  With floured hands, form dough into small balls and place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in moderate oven (350°F) 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.  Dip tops in powdered sugar when cool if desired.              Makes 3 ½ dozen.

Lemon Snowballs
 Use lemon peel and lemon juice instead of orange peel and orange juice.

Blessed Thanksgiving

Norman Rockwell's Wartime Thanksgiving

Late this summer, 3000 Iowa National Guard troops came home, within a month, mostly from Afghanistan.  It had been the largest deployment of Iowa troops since World War II.  All of us are happy to know ‘our’ soldiers, men and women, parents, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, family, are home this year for Thanksgiving.  

Molasses Wagon Wheels

 I always expect recipes from the “Farm Journal Homemade Cookies " cookbook to work – the same as any Farm Journal Cook Book.  These were no exception…a nice, flavorful, crunchy molasses cookie.  I let the dough set overnight in the refrigerator, and it was very easy to roll out and handle.   There is no egg in this recipe, not a mistake.

I made the icing as directed, and used my throw-away piping bag with a small-holed tip to pipe on the icing…I should have made a tad more.  If you have kids around, whatever age, they won’t last long.

These make you want to have some cowboy-design platters for serving!

                          Molasses Wagon Wheels

     1/2           Cup  Shortening

  1                Cup  Sugar

  1                Cup  Molasses -- dark

     1/2           Cup  Water

  4               Cups  Sifted All Purpose Flour

  1           Teaspoon  Baking Soda

  1 1/2      Teaspoons  Salt

  1 1/2      Teaspoons  Ground Ginger

     1/2      Teaspoon  Ground Cloves

     1/4      Teaspoon  Ground Nutmeg

     1/4      Teaspoon  Ground Allspice

     1/4           Cup  Sugar -- for topping

     1/2           Cup  Raisins -- about 66

                        Frosting

  1                Cup  Powdered Sugar

     1/4      Teaspoon  Salt

     1/2      Teaspoon  Vanilla Extract

  1         Tablespoon  Light Cream

Cream shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in molasses and water to mix thoroughly.

Stir together flour, soda, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and spices; stir into creamed mixture.  Chill several hours or overnight.

Roll dough to 1/4" thick.  Cut with a 3" round cutter or glass.  Sprinkle tops with sugar.  Place 1/4 to 1/2" apart on greased baking sheet. Press 3 raisins into center of each dough circle.

Bake at 350° for 12 minutes, until almost no imprint remains when toughed lightly with finger.  Remove from oven, but leave on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Blend frosting ingredients; when cookies are cool, make spokes of a wheel with icing piped on, and outline raisin center to simulate a wheel's hub.

22-24 cookies.

2011 Cost:   $3.14 or 15¢ each

Per Serving: 234 Calories; 5g Fat (19.1% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 46g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 234mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.

Honeyed Gingersnaps

  This recipe from the Farm Journal Homemade Cookies Cookbook is a little different in that it calls for Honey. Gingersnaps were a favorite of mine, so thought the rest of the family might enjoy these. Lyle thought they were quite good with a cup of coffee. 

  I didn’t get 4 dozen from the recipe, more like three and I would advise chilling the dough before dropping by spoonfuls as the dough was soft. Other than that they went over very well.

Honeyed Gingersnaps

⅔ cup sugar

¼ cup butter

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

½ cup honey

1 ½ cup flour

Sugar for topping (about ¼ cup)

  Combine ⅔ cup sugar,, butter, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until very fluffy. Blend in honey.  Add flour, a little at a time, and blend well. Chill till firm enough to drop and not stick to the spoon. I used a cookie scoop.

  Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 ½ “ apart unto lightly greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.

  Bake in moderate oven (350°) for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove at once from baking sheet to rack to cool. Makes about 4 dozen ( I got about 3 dozen)

Homemade Cookies from Farm Journal

Homemade Cookies published by the editors of Farm Journal in 1971 is a hard cover compilation of over 460 cookie recipes that were the best cookie recipes published in Farm Journal over the previous 20 years plus recipes from their test kitchens.  And there is the reason it’s an excellent recipe book…test kitchens.  These recipes all work!

 It contains every old favorite that Mom or Grandma may have made, sorted out by types of cookies.  If you want a bar cookie, drop cookie, rolled cookie, pressed cookie, homemade cookie mixes, cookies to make with the kids, it’s in there! 

One of the more unusual chapters contains recipes they developed for small cookies that tasted like pies - called pie-bars.  Have your pie and not feel guilty!  What could be better than that?   

When I was newly married, you could order these Farm Journal cook books from an order sheet…I think I have most of them from around that period.  The best, like this book, are edited by Nell B. Nichols.  Later cook books are not quite as good.  You can still get them at used book stores, book sales and online - I saw this one at a recent book sale for $2.99.  Farm Journal had such a large file of recipes they seldom published the same ones in different books. 
Check this post for some ideas on cookie baking equipment.

Try some recipes from this book to give you some ideas for holiday cookie trays.

Honeyed Gingersnaps

Molasses Wagon Wheels

Orange Snowballs

English Tea Cakes

Did they look at the calendar??

Heading for the hills....

On the Run...but not afraid of cars!
Turkeys on the road between Eldon and Cantril, Iowa today - did someone mention Thanksgiving?

How to ship cookies

  The Farm Journal Homemade Cookies cookbook has some helpful hints for baking and packing cookies. With so many of us having or knowing someone in the Service these days or having a student away at school, I thought some of these ideas would bear repeating.

  To pack cookies for mailing in tiptop condition you must take a few precautions.

One of the most basic is to choose the right type of cookies to ship. Thin, crisp cookies (refrigerator and rolled types) do not travel well. Soft drop, bar and fruit cookies however travel well. 

  Select a strong box and line the box with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Have plenty of filler on hand to use between layers of wrapped cookies. You can use shredded or crushed tissue paper, waxed paper or foil, Popped corn sometimes is used but might mold especially in overseas shipments. I have a friend who uses peanuts in the shell for packing. That way they have the peanuts to eat also. 

  Wrap two cookies back to back in plastic wrap. Tape shut. Put a layer of fill in bottom of box, Arrange wrapped cookies close together in neat rows to fill box with some of the filler between each layer. If sending more than one kind of cookie, put the heaviest ones in the bottom of the box.

  Spread layer of filler on top. Than lay folded paper napkins or paper towels on top. It should be so full that you have to exert light pressure to close it. It’s a good idea to write on the top and inside the name and address of the person to whom you are mailing the cookies. Wrap with heavy wrapping paper and tape securely. Stick on the clearly addressed label. Mark the box, Fragile-Handle with care and Perishable. 

  Be sure to send enough for your service person or student to share. Boxes of home baked goodies are so welcome and everyone will want one.

  

Tiger Butter

This holiday favorite was contributed to the cook booklet "Midwest Power Holiday 1993" by Dixie Hurst of Oskaloosa, Iowa.  It’s sure a simple, quick treat to take to that last minute work party or holiday get-together.  Melting candy bark and chocolate chips can be a little tricky.  Remember, when melting chocolate or baking bars, keep the mixture away from even a drop of water, and don't use oil or butter in the mixture, only shortening.  Don't overcook, as it will seize up and get grainy.  Less is more, in this case – less heat, that is.  A larger bowl helps it melt faster.  This is less expensive when you can buy the ingredients with holiday coupons or sales.  Keep the ingredients in a cool, dry place.
                               Tiger Butter

  1        pound  White Baking Bar -- Almond Bark

  12      fluid ounces  Peanut Butter

  12      ounces  Semisweet Chocolate Chips

  1        Tablespoon  Shortening -- optional

Melt baking bar and peanut butter following baking bar package instructions. (In microwave try 1 minute, then 15 second intervals, mixing well each time.  It took mine 1 minute 30 seconds.  If it has a few small lumps, you can let it set 15 seconds or so and then stir well.)  Don't overheat, it will seize up.  Spread on lined jelly roll pan. (Try it on Silpat on 1/2 sheet pan or parchment or waxed paper.)

Melt chocolate chips (I added 1 tablespoon of shortening - don't use anything else) and spread over bark mixture layer, swirl to get tiger markings.

Chill and break or cut into pieces.  (Make the pieces fairly small - this is rich).

Cost 2011: $ 5.17

Real Orange Cookies

  This is a perfect recipe to use large holiday oranges and nuts.  The recipe called for coconut or pecans, I used half of each.  I thinned a couple spoonful’s of powdered sugar with a little of the orange juice for a thin glaze, and left off the sugar on top.   If your kids get oranges in their socks, save that peel before they throw it away, zest it and stash it in the freezer.     

We enjoyed the tropical taste of these cake-like cookies contributed by Mrs. Larry Baldwin, Jessup, Iowa in the "Iowa Power Holiday Recipes 1993"  I dropped part of the recipe on a large half sheet, covered them and froze them, then rolled the parchment up and stashed them in a gallon freezer bag, to bake fresh in my toaster oven when I want them.

                           Real Orange Cookies

  1        Cup  Butter -- (2 sticks)

  1 ½    Cups  Sugar -- 10 ½  oz.

  2        Large  Eggs

  3        Tablespoons  Orange Rind -- grated

     ½    Cup  Orange Juice -- from 2 large oranges

  3        Cups  Flour, All-purpose -- 13 ½  oz.

     ½    Teaspoon  Baking Soda

     ½    Teaspoon  Salt

  1        Cup  Coconut -- flaked (or Chopped Pecans) 4 oz.

Cream sugar and shortening gradually.  Beat in eggs, orange rind, and juice.  Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture.

Add coconut or pecans.  Drop by teaspoonful’s (I used a size 100 scoop) onto greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart (I used parchment).  Sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired. (I didn’t, because I glazed them).

(No baking time or temperature was given in the recipe) so  I baked them at 350° for 11-12 minutes.

Yield:  "8 Dozen"
2011 Cost:  $3.34 or 4¢ each plain

Per Serving: 48 Calories; 2g Fat (42.9% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 10mg Cholesterol; 39mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Roxy's Potato Chip Cookies

I had first read about Potato Chip Cookies in a Cake Doctor Cook Book, and the author highly recommended them.  I had forgotten about them until I saw this recipe from Roxann Scofield, Sioux City, Iowa in the booklet "Iowa Power Holiday Recipes 1993.” 

If you don’t have an extra egg and need to make cookies, if you have leftover, stale potato chip crumbs, if you want a crunchy, sweet-salty shortbread cooky that my husband highly recommends, this is for you.   Your friends and family won’t guess what the secret ingredient is.

 I weighed my potato chip crumbs, just for you, so you don’t have to guess how much you need to make ¾ cup.   I put them in a quart-size freezer bag and rolled them with my rolling pin.   I used a size 100 scoop to portion the balls, but I rolled them by hand and baked for 11-12 minutes at 350° on parchment lined sheet.  I agree with Myrna, I only dip the tops of these cookies in the sugar so it doesn’t’ burn on the bottom and I like my “granny” fork to flatten them.   Let them ripen overnight at least, as you do for all shortbread.  These are best made ahead – how nice is that during the busy holidays.

                        Roxy's Potato Chip Cookies

  2          Sticks  Butter

     ½     cup  Sugar -- 3 1/2 ounces

  2          cups  Flour, All-purpose -- 9 ounces

     ¾     cup  Crushed Potato Chips -- 2 ounces

  1          teaspoon  Vanilla Extract

     ½     cup  Nuts -- chopped (2 ounces)

Mix all ingredients well, roll into small balls, dip in sugar, and flatten with a fork on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350°.

Yield:  "4 ½  Dozen"         
2011 Cost:  $3.25 or 7¢ per cookie

Per Serving: 68 Calories; 5g Fat (59.2% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 9mg Cholesterol; 41mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.