I found this a couple years ago on this website - always wanted to try and finally did this year (2011) It's outstanding!

Reminds me of those little 'candies' sesame seed and honey type. But strangely enough, no honey in this. Now if someone will help out with how to pronounce this??? thanks!

 

Diana's Desserts - www.dianasdesserts.com
http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/1911/Recipe.cfm

Benne Cakes

Servings: 3 dozen
Comments:
Benne cakes are traditionally associated with the Deep South, where bennes – sesame seeds – are considered good luck. The recipe actually originated in West Africa, and is enjoyed the world over for its wonderful taste. Wafers and cookies made from benne are now a part of Kwanzaa ("first fruit" in Swahili), the African-American family festival that lasts from December 26 through January 1.

Serve these crunchy little cakes ( also called wafers) at your Kwanzaa parties and celebrations as a delicious appetizer before the meal.
Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (160 C) and lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and lemon juice. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and stir in the sesame seeds. Drop by the teaspoonful onto the prepared cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.

Makes 3 dozen Benne Cakes

Soft Chocolate Cookies

Made 2011 by Nan & Sophia
Recipe by Beth Struble
Servings: 33

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:
1. mix cream, butter & sugar. Add eggs one at a time. beat in vanilla.
2. combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. gradually add to creamy mixture
3. cover and refridgerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
4. Roll into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on parchment or ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
6. Move to wire racks, dust with powdered sugar.

Brickle Drop Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened.
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed llight brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1easpoon salt
3 eggs
3 1/2 cupsall purpose flour
 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/3 cups (8oz pkg) Heath Bit O Brickle toffee bits

1. Heat oven to 350F
2. Beat butter, granulated ugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl until blended.Add eggs, beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in toffee bits.
3. Drop by teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 0 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 6 dozen.

2011 Cookie Day Results

We had a great group of chefs stop by -
Connie
Vicki
Sami
Boug
Strange
Debbie
Ose
Cari
Kaitlin
Karlene
Nan
Sophia
Nikki
Marianne

Results somewhat in the order in which they were made:
1. Hungarian Kiefle - by Boug
2. Caramel slice - Strange & Sami
3. Hershey's Kiss Blossoms - Vicki
4. Chocolate Slices - Strange & Sami
5. Chocolate Krinkles - Connie
6. Lemon Lace - Boug
7. Spritz - Vicki
8. Leonard's Oatmeal - Connie
9. Caramel Pecan Tarts - Deb
10. Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip - Kaitlin & Cari
11. Pretzel Rolo Treat - Karlene
12. Brownie Nut Slices - Ose
13. Cheese cake slices - Ose
14. Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies - Sophia & Nan
15. Hot Chocolate Cookies - Nikki
16. Snickerdoodles - Vicki
16. Benne Cakes - Boug
17. Caramel Pecan Cookies - Sami
18. Glazed Apple Cookies - Sophia + Nan
19. Holiday Macaroons - Cari
20. Chocolate Chip with Pecans - Debbie
21. Brickle Drop Cookie - Kaitlin
22. Palmiers - Vicki
23. Russian Tea Cake - Debbie
24. Sugar Cookies - Cari
25. Spicy Nut Rugaleh- Boug
26. Peanut Butter Rolo Kisses - Sami
27. Lemon Cookies - Deb / Marianne
28. Meltaway Sugar balls - Kaitlin
29. Angie's Peppermint Surprise - Boug
30. Orange Delight Cookies - Kaitlin
31. Soft Chocolate Cookies - Sophia
32. Oatmeal Cranberry Peanut Butter - Nan
33. Baklava - Strange + Sami
34. Angie's Figgy Cookies - Sami
35. Tollhouse Original Chocolate Chip Cookie - Vicki
36. Hermits - Boug

37. Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - NIkki
38. Pastry Pillows (Kiefle variation) - Boug

Brownie Nut Slices - 2011 by Ose

BROWNIE NUT SLICES-

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Milk

¾ cup finely chopped walnuts

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla and salt; beat until combined, scraping sides occasionally. Beat in egg and chocolate until combined. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in separate bowl. Beat into the butter mixture as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon.

Cover and chill dough for 1 to 2 hours. Divide dough into three equal portions and shape into three 8 ½ inch rolls. Brush with milk; roll in walnuts. Wrap rolls in freezer paper. Store in freezer for up to 6 months. For easier slicing, let rolls of dough thaw in the refrigerator several hours or overnight.

To bake: Cut rolls into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375° oven about 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and cool. Makes 60.

Cheesecake Slices - 2011 by Ose

CHEESECAKE SLICES –

Coat the lemony cheesecake rolls in a graham-cracker-and-nut “crust” before slicing and baking.

¾ cup butter (no substitutes), softened

1 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup finely chopped pecans

¼ cup finely crushed graham crackers

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, orange peel, and vanilla; beat until combined, scraping sides occasionally. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Divide the dough in half. Cover and chill for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Shape each portion of dough into an 8-inch-long roll. Stir together nuts and graham crackers in a small bowl; place mixture on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll the dough rolls in mixture to coat evenly; press mixture lightly into the dough. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill for 2 to 24 hours.

Cut dough into ¼-inch-thick slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and cool. Makes 60.

2011 Tentative Schedule

Cookie 'Day' Schedule - tentatively

Hello all -
Here is a tentative schedule for Cookie Day - based on past episodes....

Friday December 2nd:
~4pm - Jump in vehicle & head south to the CDC (Cookie Day Central)
~4:30pm - get frustrated by lots of traffic, and sing bad songs loudly along the way
~7pm - rally up the troops at CDC - head out for some dinner - Mexican food 8:30pm - Organize ingredients in boxes/bins at CDC
9pm - start making refrigerated doughs
9:01pm - partake of adult beverages - ONLY a tablespoon!
11pm to midnite - head to bed.

Saturday December 3rd: (C-Day)

Feel Free to drop in and out all day long - go away, be enticed back ....

8am-ish - breakfast
9-10am Heat the Viking
start putting the doughs from last nite on sheets & baking them - 
Start making the old traditional recipes, new recipes, all the fun ones -
Bake!

12-1-ish - Lunch - Homemade Turkey Soup and sandwiches

Back to work -
General Jobs:
-Making doughs
-Dish Duty - wash up bowls, mixers, beaters as needed
-Oven Duty - watch the cookies & pull out as ready. REMINDER - do NOT use on bottom rack
-Cooling rack Duty - move cookies from Cooling racks into holding pans (usually Oven person can cover this
-Camera Duty - grab cameras and get photos of going on's

6pm-ish - grab some real food to eat - group consensus - more soup/sandwich or order Chinese??

Continue baking until we run out of steam - typically 11pm-ish

Sunday December 4th:
9am-ish - breakfast - out to eat at a restaurant (we've cooked enough!)
Finish any last minute baking - if necessary
Do final cookie distribution - sort into containers, divvy out

11am-ish head on home, trunks full of goodies, new recipes, and fun!

2011 Things to Bring

Camera
Recipe to make
*** special ingredients specific to recipe ***

Containers to take home cookies - please bring these. You'll need them. We need you to need them :)
*and please - TAKE HOME COOKIES! we end up with tons of them. more than half the fun is baking them...

Also: Container to bring home Turkey soup - in case Connie makes 12 gallons again. It is home made :)

Basic ingredients to throw into the mass production
-Flour
-Sugar
-Vanilla
-eggs

Apron
Hairnet
Relaxed and happy attitude

Options: Please label with PERMANENT MARKER any of your utensils you want back
Mixing bowls
Cookie sheets
spoons
mixers / KitchenAids
beaters (colored electrical tape works to label these - I have some if you need)

Sugarplums

Evan Sklar

Click a Star to Rate This Recipe

Read Reviews or Write Your Own

Makes 20-24 sugarplums| Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 15m

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 4 ounces dried figs
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons honey
• grated zest from 1 orange (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds to bring out their flavor. Remove from heat; cool. 
2. Combine the figs, cocoa, cinnamon, and almonds in a food processor, pulsing until peppercorn-size balls form. Add the honey, orange zest, and almond extract. Pulse 3 or 4 times more until well mixed.
3. Spread the sugar in a shallow dish. Form the sugarplums into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar.

By Jane Kirby and Kay Chun,  December 2001

Hermits: Cookies, Bars or Squares

Hermits have a lot in common with good King Arthur Flour. They evolved in New England, they've been a classic for many years and they have great keeping qualities. Back in the day of the clipper ship, tins of long-keeping hermits accompanied many a sailor as he set out for the Orient or other exotic parts of the world.

In comparing old and new variations of hermit recipes, there are very few differences, so as a recipe, it appears to have worn well. Hermits themselves also improve with age, so make enough to weather and warm your winter.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar, white or brown (or a combination)
1 teaspoon salt
2 fresh eggs, well beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup dark, unsulphured molasses
4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup dried fruit such as raisins, currants or chopped apricots, which you've plumped in a cup of tea or water
1/2 cup chopped nuts or sunflower seeds or whatever you like that's crunchy and good for you (optional)

Preheat your oven according to the way you plan to shape the hermits: 375°F for cookies or 350°F for bars or squares.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the salt, eggs, buttermilk and molasses.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Stir in the fruit and nuts. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet.

For Hermit Cookies: Drop the dough by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. This will make about 6 dozen.

For Hermit Bars or Squares: Spread the dough in a large (13 x 18-inch) greased baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is firm. Cut while still warm.

Version 2: from  

 Hermit Bars Gourmet | September 1992

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Yield: Makes 24 cookies

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Hermit-Bars-12777#ixzz1fO2oDQWD

 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Hermit-Bars-12777#ixzz1fO2SijG6



In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, and the cloves. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the brown sugar, beat in the egg, and beat in the molasses. Add the flour mixture, beating the mixture until it is just combined, and stir in the raisins and the walnuts. Spread the mixture in a buttered and floured 13- by 9-inch baking pan and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes clean. Let the mixture cool completely in the pan on a rack and cut it into 24 bars.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Hermit-Bars-12777#ixzz1fO2KoYWL

 

RULES (Accords)

1. Make Cookies Small!! Everyone wants a taste of each, but not a meal of each.
If you get bored making so many cookies - ask someone for help

2. Use Parchment Paper under EVERYTHING (even pan cookies) Non-Stick sticks. If you don't want to scrub pans - use parchment

3. Don't get stressed out - try different jobs, washing dishes, watching the oven (it does tricks), moving cooled cookies to holding pans.
3a. We do need a designated Oven watcher. Cuts Waaaay down on burnt cookies...
and next year, we'll put a cushion on your stool.

4. The cookies don't have to be PERFECT. It gives them a homemade look and they still taste great

5. Pay attention to 'Hot Pan!!'

6. Someone has to clean the house later, please do your best to keep flour (and the rest of the ingredients) in the mixing bowl.

7. If you see a camera sitting around - take pictures with it


8. Don't forget to 'DING!'

Cathedral Window Fudge

1[12-oz] pkg. [2 cups] semisweet chocolate chips

1[16-oz] can Chocolate Frosting

2 cups multicolored minature marshmallows

1. Melt chocolate chips in large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in frosting. Fold in marshmallows. Let stand 15 minutes or until mixture is cool enough to handle.
2. Divide mixture in half. Pour mixture onto sheet of plastic wrap, scraping mixture from saucepan. Shape each half into 9x2-inch log. Wrap tightly in wax paper; refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
3. With thin sharp knife, cut log into1/2 inch long slices.

Brandy Balls

Brandy Balls from Favorite Cookie Recipes by Lou Seibert Pappas p 116

YIELD: 3.5 DOZEN NO BAKE

2 ½ cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (About 60 wafers or one 7.25oz box)

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 tbs. Unsweetened cocoa

¼ cup brandy

1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

3 tbs. Light corn syrup

powdered sugar

Place cookie crumbs, sugar, cocoa, brandy, pecans and corn syrup in a mixing bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Shape into round balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container for 1 day before serving. This will allow flavors to mingle. If using food processor, do wafers first, then add rest of ingredients, using whole nuts.

Bear Claws

Bear Claws from Betty Crocker Red Spoon Collection p 31

400°F YIELD: about 1 ½ dozen cookies REFRIDGERATE

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup margarine or butter, softened

2 tbsp. shortening

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

About 3 tablespoons raspberry jam

About 3 tablespoons chopped nuts

About 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Mix gran sugar, margarine, shortening egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400°F. Roll dough into 12” square on lightly floured, cloth covered board. Cut into 3” squares. Spread about ½ tsp. jam down center of each square, sprinkle with about ½ tsp. nuts. Fold 1 edge of dough over filling; fold other edge over top. Place on greased cookie sheet. Make 4 or 5 cuts in 1 long side of each cookie; spread cuts slightly apart. Sprinkle each cookie with about ½ tsp. powdered sugar. Bake until light brown, about 6 minutes.

Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread 55-65 Min 350°F

– from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

3 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 cup milk

1 ¼ cups mashed bananas (2-3 medium)

1 egg

1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350F Grease bottom only of loaf pan 9x5x3 inches or 2 loaf pans, 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inches. Mix all ingredients; beat 30 seconds. Pour into pan(s). Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 9” loaf 65 to 70 minutes, 8” loaf 55 to 65 minutes; cool slightly. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. To store, wrap and refrigerate no longer than 1 week.

Almond Macaroons - Gluten Free

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe_details.asp?nutrition_id=51741052

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 2.0g
• Carbohydrates: 1.5g
• Calories: 24.5
• Protein: 0.8g 
• Fiber: 0.7g

Ingredients

1.5 cups Almond Milk
1.5 cups Soy Milk - Chocolate
1.5 cups sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 cups coconut - sweetened, flaked
1 cup slivered almonds

Directions

In 2 quart saucepan cook almond milk, soy milk and sugar until reduced to about 1 cup.
This is a sub for sweetened condensed milk.
Cool to room temperature, add 1/2 cup cocoa and lightly beaten egg and mix together
Add coconut and either slivered or sliced almonds.
Mix well, form small balls and flatten on cookie sheets lined with baking parchment.
Bake in 350F oven for about 10 minutes

Serving Size: makes 64 1" cookies

Number of Servings: 64

These turn out sticky and almost candy-like. Use wax paper between layers to avoid sticking together.

2010 Results

Here we go folks -
The official total for this year as follows: (name(s) refer to person making / baking them)
Sugar Plums - Strange
Carmel Slice - Sami / Boug
Pink Piggys  & Blue Piggys - Emme / Cari
Pinwheels - Kaitlin
Kiefel - Con / Vicki
Swiss Chocolate - Boug
Chocolate Cookie Slice - Sami / Emme
Chocolate Crinkle - Connie
Lime Fudge - Strange
Hershey Mini Kiss Blossoms - Sami
Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies - Con/Vic
Lemon Lace - Kaitlin/Strange
Speculaas - Boug
Apple Oatmeal Cookies - Kaitlin
Snickerdoodle - Vicki
Leonards Oatmeal - Sami
Bacon Chocolate Chip - Kaitlin
Cinnamon Oatmeal - Nikki
Itty Bitty Chocolate Chip Cookie - Kaitlin/Strange
Candy Cane Crisps - Strange / Sam
Mint Meltaways - Cari
Peppermint Patties - Arly
Carmel Pecan Cookies - Sami
Chip & Dip - Strange / Sami
Chocolate Covered Cherry - Cari / Kaitlin
Yoda Chocolate Spritz - Kaitlin / Cari
Angie's Figgy Cookies & Angie's Treasures (surprise) cookies - Strange/Sam/Alli
American Sugar Cookies - Emme/Cari
Cinnamon Maple Rings - Kaitlin
David's Famous Chocolate Chips - Alf
Almond Galattes - Boug/Alf
Baklava - Strange & Sami
Heath Chip - Cari
Red Velvet - Emme, Cari
Mock Macaroons - Boug
Nut Rugaleh - Boug
Smore Bars - Boug
Sugar Cookies roll out - Vicki
Marshmallow Treats - Cari
Chocolate Delice - Strange/Emme
Carmel Pecan Tarts - Boug/Sami/Strange

Strange, Boug, Emme & Kaitlin got there Friday about 5:30 - headed out to dinner after unloading supplies at at a favorite Mexican Restaurant with Connie & Sami. (Vic had to work)
Back at the Ranch after dinner, we started on our refrigerator doughs and Strange did her Lime Fudge.
Headed to bed around Midnite to be ready for Saturday.
Saturday - did eggs, bacon and hash browns on the griddle - made the bacon for the bacon chip cookies.

Started baking and making new doughs.
Cari arrived with more supplies.
Throughout the day, various guest chef's arrived -
Vicki's friend Nikki -
Amy & Arli & Zana - Con's friend and her daughter & daughters friend.
Sami's friend Alli.
Family friend Alfie.

Most motivating was a tie between Sami / Kaitlin / Alfie.
Sami was totally up for this - kept us all cooking.
Kaitlin kept finding new and different recipes to try.
Alfie got there when we were all starting to tire & got us all going again.
Special Kudo's to the Anderson women - Con, Vic, Sami for the great job organizing and cleaning the house. Another successful year - lots of goodies and lots of fun.
Thanks everyone!!

WHAT TO BRING!

Recipe to make
*** special ingredients specific to recipe ***
Containers to take home cookies
*and please - TAKE HOME COOKIES! we end up with tons of them. more than half the fun is baking them...
Basic ingredients to throw into the mass production
-Flour
-Sugar
-Vanilla
-eggs

Apron
Hairnet
Relaxed & happy attitude

Options: Please label with PERMANENT MARKER any of your utensils you want back
Mixing bowls
Cookie sheets
spoons
mixers
beaters (colored electrical tape works to label these - I have some if you need)

Cookie 'Day' Schedule - tentatively

Hello all -
Here is a tentative schedule for Cookie Day - based on past episodes....

Friday December 10th:
~4pm - Jump in vehicle & head south to the CDC (Cookie Day Central)
~4:30pm - get frustrated by lots of traffic, and sing bad songs loudly along the way
~7pm - rally up the troops at CDC - head out for some dinner - possibly Mexican food?
8:30pm - Organize ingredients in boxes/bins at CDC
9pm - start making refrigerated doughs
9:01pm - partake of adult beverages - ONLY a tablespoon!
11pm to midnite - head to bed.

Saturday December 11th: (C-Day)
8am-ish - breakfast
9-10am Heat the Viking
start putting the doughs from last nite on sheets & baking them - 
Start making the old traditional recipes, new recipes, all the fun ones -
Bake!

12-1-ish - Lunch - Homemade Turkey Soup and or sandwiches

Back to work -
General Jobs:
-Making doughs
-Dish Duty - wash up bowls, mixers, beaters as needed
-Oven Duty - watch the cookies & pull out as ready. REMINDER - do NOT use on bottom rack
-Cooling rack Duty - move cookies from Cooling racks into holding pans (usually Oven person can cover this
-Camera Duty - grab cameras and get photos of going on's

6pm-ish - grab some real food to eat - group consensus - more soup/sandwich or order Chinese??

Continue baking until we run out of steam - typically 11pm-ish

Sunday December 12th:
9am-ish - breakfast
Finish any last minute baking - if necessary
Do final cookie distribution - sort into containers, divvy out

11am-ish head on home, trunks full of goodies, new recipes, and fun!
 

All-Fruit Mincemeat Cookies

We've made this twice. the mincemeat recipe makes enough for 4 batches of cookies! But one year, Vic was making the cookies (I had made the mincemeat) and she threw all of it (may only have been a half batch, so still twice as much as the recipe called for) into the cookie dough.
Turned out awesome! So, it can be done... can't remember if we added more flour or not to the cookies...
They were VERY moist. I remember that much.

Mincemeat - All-Fruit
YIELD: 8 cups

4 cups chopped unpeeled apples
2 cups raisins, chopped
1 cup snipped dried apricots
1 6-oz can (¾ cup) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
¾ cup water
¼ cup honey
1 tsp. Ground allspice
½ tsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Brandy

In 4.5qt Dutch oven stir together the apples, raisins, apricots, apple juice concentrate, water honey allspice and salt. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more or till liquid has nearly evaporated, stirring occasionally. Stir in the brandy. Cool. Store, covered in the refrigerator.

Mincemeat Drop Cookies
350°F YIELD: 6 dozen

1 cup margarine or butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. Baking powder
¼ tsp. Baking soda
2 cups All-Fruit Mincemeat (see recipe)
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a large mixing bowl beat the margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or till softened. Add half the flour to the margarine. Then add the sugar, eggs, baking powder and baking soda. Beat till thoroughly combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir in the All-Fruit Mincemeat and nuts.
Drop dough by rounded tsp. About 2” apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in a 350°F oven for 11 to 13 minutes or till lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minutes. Remove cookies; cool on wire racks.

Almond Galettes

1 8 oz can almond paste
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
Prep: 30 minutes Bake 7 – 9 minutes
1. lightly grease cookie sheet (or line with parchment)
2. Crumble Almond paste into Quisenart – pulse to smooth. Add butter and pulse to combine. Add sugar and ½ tsp. almond extract. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in flour. Divide dough in half.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough at a time to ¼ inch thickness, use ravioli cutter to cut into 2 inch squares. Place on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 375F oven until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, transfer to wire rack.
Makes about 36 (2 inch) cookies.

Angie’s Fig Cookies and Angie's Surprise

Got this from Angie Fischer, one of my good friends. Very mild, and addictive. There is a filling (with figs,) but it's too much work and we like them plain. Very yummy. Could also roll in candy sprinkles

NOTE: they do spread & flatten out. very buttery. Make into maybe 1" balls.
Remember if mixing in KitchenAid - do not put double recipe in at once. too much at once. Hold out part of the flour and hand mix in at end. Maybe try dough hook??

– xmas 2001
350°F Yield: LOTS!!

5 cups flour
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
sesame seeds – to roll in

Mix together to form the cookie dough. Dough should have a consistency a little firmer than bread dough. Roll dough into logs about the size of your middle finger, cut into 2” lengths. Roll in sesame seeds & place on UNGREASED cookie sheet Bake at 350°F until brown – about 15 minutes

Filling:
Candied cherries
Candied Mixed fruit
raisins
black pepper
fresh fig
walnuts

Put in grinder a little at a time, alternating the ingredients.
Add a little water for moisture.
Wrap in towel and refrigerate overnight.
Mix fig cookie dough.
Roll out flat, and put fig cookie mixture in. Fold dough over mixture.
Bake until golden (not dark) brown.

We have  never made the filling, but that is why they are called fig cookies.

Black Bottoms

I've made these in Mini Muffin pans, check after 20 min (toothpick) and use liners
30-35 min 350F

8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sugar
Chopped almonds

Mix cream cheese and egg in bowl. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat well. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside. Sift together flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and beat until well blended. Fill greased or lined muffin cups 1/3 full with the flour-cocoa batter. Top each with a heaping teaspoonful of cheese mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and chopped almonds. Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 12.

Butter Cookies by Cuzin Jane

Yea, I get the irony, butter cookies made from margarine.

Beat Together:
2 sticks margarine
1 cup sugar

Add:
2 egg yolks
Pinch of salt

Then add:
1 ½ tsp soda
1 ½ tsp lemon extract
2 ½ cups flour

Mix together. Form balls the size of walnuts. Dip top side in sugar. Press flat with fork. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

2006 by Cousin Jane

Bread - Swedish Bullar