News and Features Editor
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| Christmas Tree Cut-outs |
Cut-out Cookies
Mix:
·
1
½ cups powdered sugar
·
1
cup butter
·
1
egg
·
1
teaspoon vanilla
·
½
teaspoon almond extract
Sift
then add:
·
2
½ cups flour
·
1
teaspoon baking soda
·
1
teaspoon cream of tartar
Wrap
dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Roll
out until ½ inch thick and use cut-outs for fun shapes.
Place
on greased pan and bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes.
Basic cookie frosting
Mix:
·
¼
cup soft butter
·
2
cups powdered sugar
·
1
teaspoon almond extract
·
1-2
tablespoons milk, add until semi thick consistency
Add
dye to the frosting for fun colors or add sprinkles to decorate the cookies.
Pinwheel Cookies (makes 5 dozen)
Date
Filling: Combine 1 ¼ cups (8 oz, package) cut dates, ½ cups sugar and ½ cups
water in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Be careful, once the filling starts to
thicken, it can quickly overcook and burn. Cool. Add ½ cup chopped nuts
(optional).
Sift
together:
·
2
cups sifted four
·
½
teaspoon baking soda
·
½
teaspoon salt
·
¼
teaspoon cinnamon
·
¼
teaspoon cloves
Cream
½ cup butter. Gradually add 1 cup packed brown sugar; cream well.
Add
1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla; cream well.
Blend
in dry ingredients.
Roll
out ½ of the dough on a floured surface in a 10x8 rectangle. Spread with half the
filling.
Roll
up, starting with 10 inch side. Wrap with wax paper.
Repeat
with other half of dough.
Refrigerate
both rolls for 2 hours.
Cut
into ¼ inch slices. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees
for 8 to 10 minutes.
Holiday Fudge (makes about 4
dozen squares)
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| Double Layer Holiday Fudge |
Butter
an 8-inch square pan
Put
into separate bowls:
·
1
cup butterscotch flavored chips
·
1
cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine
in 2¾-quart saucepan:
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¾
cup evaporated milk
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¼
cup butter or margarine
·
2¼
cups sugar
·
1¾
cups (7-ounce jar) marshmallow crème
Cook
over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, stir constantly; continue cooking
and stirring 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add
1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Immediately
add about one-half of hot mixture to butterscotch chips and stir until
completely melted. Pour into prepared pan.
Add
remaining hot mixture to chocolate chips and stir until completely melted.
Spread over top butterscotch layer in pan. Cool.
White Chocolate Party Mix
There
are many variations of this recipe; all the ingredients are optional and
definitely exchangeable.
Melt:
1 pound white chocolate chips
Gently
mix melted chocolate with:
·
3
cups rice Chex
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2
cups nuts (any-peanuts suggested)
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2
cups pretzels (small, wheel shaped)
·
3
cups of cheerios (original)
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1
cup mini M&M’s
Spread
on waxed sheet and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Store in a container.
Magic Cookie Bars (makes 36 bars)
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½
cup margarine or butter
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12
whole graham crackers
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1
(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT
evaporated milk)
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1
(3½-ounce) can flaked coconut
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| Magic Cookie Bars |
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1
cup chopped nuts
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for glass dish).
In
13x9-inch baking pan, melt margarine in oven. Sprinkle crumbs over margarine,
then pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs.
Top
evenly with remaining ingredients. Press down firmly.
Bake
25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars. Store
loosely covered at room temperature.
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