Christmas Recipes

4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 C sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
2 drops pink food coloring

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In heatproof bowl, combine egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. Place bowl over pan of simmering water. Whisk mixture constantly until sugar has dissolved and whites are warm to touch, about 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment.

Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla and food coloring; mix until combined. Transfer meringue to a 14" pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (#7). On a lined baking sheet, pipe a kiss that is 1 1/2" in diameter, spacing about 1" apart. Place in oven and bake until kisses have expanded slightly and the start to crack, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 175 degrees and bake until completely dry on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside, about 4 hours. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place up to 3 days.

3 egg yolks
1/3 C sugar
1 C light cream
1 T rum or bourbon

Beat egg yolks with sugar until lemon colored. Add cream and blend well. Cook, while stirring, over hot water until thick. Cool and add flavoring. Chill and serve over ice cream and/or sponge cake.

Baked 9-inch pie shell
1 ½ t unflavored gelatin
2 T cold water
¼ C sherry
1 C apricot preserves
Pinch of cinnamon
1 can peach halves, drained
½ C heavy cream, whipped
Pinch of salt
Toasted slivered almonds

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water to soften. Bring preserves to boil; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Then add sherry, salt and cinnamon. Chill mixture until it starts to thicken. Place peach halves in pie shell with cut sides down. Pour on cooled mixture. Refrigerate until firm. At serving time, garnish with whipped cream and top with slivered almonds.

1 1/8 t unflavored gelatin
¾ C sugar
2/3 C milk
1 t vanilla
1 pastry shell, baked
¼ C cold water
2 T cornstarch
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 ½ C whipping cream
1/8 t nutmeg

In a small bowl, soften gelatin in cold water, set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in a small amount of hot mixture int egg yolks. Return all to the pan; bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into pie shell. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

1 pkg. Cake mix
1 pkg. Raspberry gelatin
1 8 oz container of cool whip
2 C boiling water
1 pkg. Lime gelatin

Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Pour batter into 2 round pans. Bake as directed. Cool completely. Prick each layer with utility fork at ½ inch intervals. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over raspberry gelatin until dissolved. Pour over 1 layer of cake. Do the same with the lime gelatin. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Dip one layer in warm water for 10 seconds and invert on plate gently shaking to loosen. Spread layer with 1 cup of the topping. Do the other layer and frost with remaining topping. Refrigerate.

2 C cranberries
1 carton frozen sliced strawberries
3 C sugar
1 med. Orange, peeled and broken into sections
½ of 6 oz. Pkg. Pectin

In a large food grinder or food processor, coarsely grind cranberries and orange sections. Place in a Dutch oven or large kettle with strawberries and sugar. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the pectin. Quickly skim off the foam with a large metal spoon. Immediately pour into hot sterilized jars. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Yield: 5 half-pints.

Dough:
½ C milk
5 T butter
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 egg
¼ C sugar
½ t salt
¼ C warm water
2 ½ C flour

Filling:
¼ C butter
2 egg yolks
¼ C candied orange peel
¼ C sugar

Heat milk until a film shines on top, and then stir in sugar. Set aside until lukewarm in temperature. Sprinkle yeast over warm water and stir. Beat egg in a large bowl and stir in lukewarm milk mixture and yeast mixture. Beat in flour gradually and smoothly. Cover and store in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, make the filling. Grind the nuts and orange peel together, work in butter until soft then work in the sugar thoroughly. Add egg yolk, ground nuts and orange peel and set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator and dump on a heavily floured board. Knead until satiny smooth. Roll in a rectangle and cut into strips 4-inches wide. Spread strips with filling leaving a little plain dough along the edge. Roll each strip like a jellyroll. Start the rolling on the long side of the strip, and then braid the strips together. Place in a 10-inch tube pan that has been greased. Join the ends together. Let rise in a warm place until double in size. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and remove from pan.

1 C shortening
2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
½ C soured milk
3 ½ C flour
1 t soda
1 t salt
1 ½ C chopped pecans
2 C candied cherries, halved
2 C dates (chopped)

Mix shortening, sugar and eggs. Stir in milk and add dry ingredients. Stir in nuts, cherries and dates. Chill 1 hour. Drop rounded teaspoon of dough 2" apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly.

1 C butterscotch morsels
½ t vanilla
Slightly beaten egg white
1/3 C sweetened condensed milk
1/3 C chopped pecans
Pecan laves

Melt butterscotch morsels of hot (not boiling) water. Remove and stir in condensed milk and vanilla. Add chopped pecans and mix well. Chill until firm enough to handle. Form into 12-inch roll on waxed paper. Roll tightly in waxed paper to shape evenly. Unroll and mark surface length with tines of fork. Brush with egg whites. Press pecan halves into roll to completely cover surface. Wrap in waxed paper. Chill. Cut into ½ inch slices with sharp knife.

2 T butter
2 eggs
1 C brown sugar
5 T flour
1/8 t soda
1 C hopped nuts
1 t vanilla
Powdered sugar

Melt butter in a 9-inch square pan. Remove from heat and beat eggs slightly. Combine dry ingredients and stir them into the eggs. Add vanilla and nuts and pour the batter over the butter. Do not stir. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn out on racks and dust the bottom with sugar. Cut into bars.

4 eggs
2/3 C flour
½ t baking powder
1 t vanilla
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved
1 ½ C sugar
½ t salt
2 T butter, melted and cooled
5 C flaked coconut

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating consistently until thick and pale yellow. Stir together dry ingredients; fold into egg mixture. Stir in butter, vanilla and coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased and floured cookie sheets. Top with cherries. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 - 13 minutes.

1 C butter, softened
1 t vanilla
½ C powdered sugar
2 ½ C flour

Filling:
2 T cream cheese, softened
½ C powdered sugar
1 drop red food coloring
1 T milk
2 T crushed peppermint candy

Topping:
½ C powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, add vanilla. Stir in flour. Knead until well mixed. Reserve ½ C of dough; shape remaining dough into 1-inch balls. For filling, combine cream cheese and milk in a small bowl. Stir in sugar, candy and food coloring and mix well. Make a deep well in the center of each ball; fill with ¼ teaspoon filling. Use reserved dough to cover filling. Reshape if necessary into smooth balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes. Combine topping ingredients and roll cookies in mixture while still warm. Cool on wire racks. Yield about 4-dozen.

2 C powdered sugar
2/3 C sweetened condensed milk
3 C flaked coconut
1 C unsweetened cocoa
2 t vanilla

In a bowl combine sugar and cocoa. Add milk and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of coconut. Shape in 1" balls and roll in remaining coconut. (Refrigerate up to 1 month.)

¾ C butter
¼ C confectioners sugar
2 C flour
Candied cherries and confectioner's sugar
1 C ground almonds
¼ t salt
1 t vanilla

Cream butter until light and fluffy and blend in sugar. Add flour, almonds, salt and vanilla. Stir until dough is thoroughly blended. Use teaspoon of dough to roll around cherry. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. When cool, roll in confectioner's sugar.

This is a recipe that my mother-in-law gave to me. My husband has to have these every years, so the recipe got passed down to me to make for him.

3 - 4 C Pecan halves
C sugar
1/2 C water
½ t salt
1 t maple flavoring

Heat pecans at 350 degrees in oven for 15 minutes or microwave for a couple of minutes. Cook sugar, water and salt to softball stage (240 degrees). Add flavoring and nuts. Stir gently to coat and lift from syrup to buttered platter to cool and separate. (I just use wax paper.)

2 C white sugar
1/4 lb margarine
1/2 C milk
1/2 t salt

Cook together until sugar is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Add 3 C quick oats, 1C shredded coconut, 1 C chocolate bits, 1/2 C chopped nuts, 1 1/2 t vanilla. Stir until chocolate bits are melted. Then drop by teaspoon on wax paper until set. This is more like a candy than a cookie. Also butterscotch bits may be used.

HUNGARIAN KIFLI

6 C. flour
1 C. shortening
½ lb. butter
2 egg yolks
1 egg
Small can evaporated milk
Pkg. yeast

Crumble yeast into flour; work in shortening like pie dough. Add yolks and the egg and milk. Work with hands until dough pulls from side of bowl. Form into several large balls and chill. Roll out very thin on powdered sugar. Cut into small squares and add filling and shape. Make your own filling or use prepared filling from cans. Solo brand has all kinds. Bake at 350°on greased cookie sheet.

LIQUOR BALLS

½ lb. vanilla wafers
1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
½ C. seedless raisins, chopped
½ C. chopped dates
1 T. cocoa
¼ C. bourbon or rum
½ C. light corn syrup
Powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients (except powdered sugar). Roll into walnut size balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 36.

RASPBERRY JAM COOKIES

½ C. butter
2 egg whites
¼ C. sugar
½ C. sugar
1 ½ C. flour
1 t. vanilla
2 egg yolks
2 t. cinnamon
Raspberry jam

Chopped nuts Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and egg yolks and mix well. Roll out dough on cookie sheet. Spread with jam. Beat together until stiff egg whites, ½ C. sugar and vanilla. Spread this mixture over jam. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with nuts. Bake at 350°for 30 minutes. Cut into squares or oblongs.

YUM YUM'S

3 egg whites
1 T. vinegar
¼ t. salt

Beat all together until stiff. Gradually add 1 C. sugar, l t. vanilla and ½ t. almond flavoring and 1 small bag chocolate chips. Bake at 250°for 30 minutes.

ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES

1 C. butter
1/3 C. sugar
1 2/3 C. flour
2/3 C. chopped nuts
Powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, chopped nuts and mix. Roll dough and shape into crescents. Bake 350°for 12 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar. Makes 6-dozen.

BUTTER BALLS

1 C. butter
3 T. powdered sugar
1t. Vanilla
2 C. flour
1C. chopped nuts

Cream butter, add sugar and blend. Add vanilla, flour and the nuts. Shape into small balls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°for 20 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Makes about 3-dozen.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1/3 C. soft shortening (half butter)
1 C. flour
¼ C. brown sugar (packed)
¼ t. salt
1 egg yolk
1 egg white
½ t. vanilla
¾ C. finely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350°. Mix shortening, brown sugar, egg yolk and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dip-level-pour-method or by sifting. Blend flour and salt; stir in. Roll dough in small balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg white. Roll in nuts. Place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb gently into centers. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool. Fill holes with sparkling jelly or tinted confectioners sugar icing. Makes about 3-dozen cookies.

TURTLES

1 C. pecan halves
36 light caramels
½ C. semi sweet chocolate bits

Grease cookie sheet. Place 4 pecans together and put 1 caramel on top. Bake at 325°for 8 to 10 minutes. Flatten with spatula. Place chocolate bits on top.

PEANUT BUTTER BON BONS

2 C. peanut butter
2 sticks margarine
1 box powdered sugar
Blend together. Roll in balls and refrigerate over night. Melt in double boiler 3 packages of chocolate bits (butterscotch can be used also) and 1/3 bar wax. Dip balls in mixture and place on waxed paper.

BUTTER HORNS

1 ¾ C. butter
2 t. baking powder
4 C. flour
¼ t. salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
½ C. canned milk
1 t. lemon rind, grated

Sift flour and dry ingredients in fats. Add eggs, milk and rind. Roll in balls the size of walnut. Chill for at least 2 hours. Roll in powdered sugar, add filling and close. Bake in moderate oven 350°on greased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.

Filing:

½ lb. walnuts, chopped
½ C. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon, milk or apricot preserves - enough to moisten

NO COOK MINT PATTIES

1/3 C. light corn syrup
¼ C. butter (softened)
1 t. peppermint extract
4 C. sifted powdered sugar
2 drops red food coloring
2 drips green food coloring

In small mixing bowl, combine corn syrup, butter and peppermint extract, beat until well blended. Gradually add 2 C. of powdered sugar, beating well. Stir in as much of the remaining powdered sugar with a spoon. Turn onto surface lightly coated with powdered sugar. Knead in enough of the powdered sugar to make a stiff dough that is smooth. Divide dough into thirds. Using 1/3 of the dough, knead in red food coloring till evenly distributed. Same with green. Shape dough into ¾ inch balls. Place 2" apart on waxed paper. Press with tines of fork. Let dry several hours.