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 May your Holidays be warm from the inside out, and your hearts be
filled with the wonder of a child. Know that we are thinking of you
as you light your ovens, prepare sweets and feasts; and sit together
to eat and laugh with friends and family this season.
- Your LDN crew -
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Jim Youngquist
Gingerbread
“One of our Christmas traditions was the retelling of the story
about the Gingerbread Village.
“My mother was an ambitious, creative baker and cook, and one
Christmas season when I was 5 and my little brother was two, she
decided to stay up all night building a gingerbread village as a
surprise for us.
“She slavishly prepared everything, including a gingerbread house,
gingerbread Christmas trees, and gingerbread snowmen. She lovingly
decorated and frosted everything. She finished and finally went to
bed around 4 a.m.
“My little brother and I woke up the next morning very early to
interesting smells in the house, and were lured to this amazing
gingerbread scene. We were dazzled… and unrestrained. You can
imagine what happened next. The pieces which we did not take bites
from, we made sure to lick the frosting off of.
“My mother got up some time later to this scene of utter destruction
and desolation and cried for hours.
“I still have a yen for gingerbread around Christmas time!”
- Jim
Gingerbread
½ cup butter
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup light molasses (may substitute with dark corn syrup)
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter , brown sugar , molasses,
cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda together until the mixture
is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill
at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Roll out dough, and cut into squares or shapes for simple cookies.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cookies feels firm. Cookies may
be frosted with your favorite frosting recipe.
To make a gingerbread house, follow this recipe and these simple
instructions provided by the Food Network website. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gingerbread
house recipe.html
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Jan Youngquist
Never fail Sugar Cookies
“These light, crisp, sugar topped, rolled cookies were a family
favorite all the years I grew up. We never had a Christmas without
them, and we usually got them at other Holidays that had cookie
cutter shapes too Valentine hearts, St. Patrick’s Day clovers,
Easter bunnies.
“These cookies take a little time with all the rolling and cutting,
but the aroma once they start baking is just heavenly. So set up
some music and plan to spend some time reminiscing and enjoying an
afternoon of sweet fragrances. Get help if you can, someone
sprinkling sugar , someone packing (that’s the good job to get; they
get to eat the broken ones.)
“Growing up in Streator, my best friend Bridget lived two doors
down. Our mom’s coffee clutched and card clubbed together. Eva
Delheimer baked often for her big family of seven children. She had
the best recipes and liked to share them.
“These delicate cookies are great dipped in milk or coffee. I always
like to lightly burn a batch to caramelize the sugar s just for me.
No one else will usually touch them that way, so they're all mine.”
- Jan
Never fail Sugar Cookies
3 cups Flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups butter (cold)
3 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter as for pie crust till crumbly.
Add remaining ingredients and mix.
Divide into portions that you can roll out thin on a floured board.
Using cookie cutters, cut in any shape. Place on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with colored sugar .
Bake at 375 degrees till edges start to brown (watch closely as they
burn quickly after that)
Bake 10 – 12 min. Move immediately to a wire rack to cool. Then pack
in air tight containers. These keep well but can also be put in the
freezer up to a couple of months, if there are any left over.
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Karen Hargis
Biscotti
“I am trying to find a recipe for Biscotti that is similar to the
wonderful biscotti that Sharon Fak makes. I love her Biscotti! She
makes it every year and distributes large quantities to her friends.
Due to the timeliness of this publication I am not able to get her
recipe but will offer this version with the hope that when I make
it, it comes close to hers.”
- Karen
Biscotti
12 ounces Butter
1 ¾ cups White sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
6 cups All purpose flour
½ teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking powder
8 ounces of favorite chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one
at a time; beat until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Sift
together the flour, baking powder, and salt; add dry mixture to the
egg mixture along with the chopped nuts. Stir with a spoon and as
the dough comes together, Knead by hand.
Divide the dough into four parts. Roll each piece into a log about
15 inches long. Place logs onto cookie sheets, two logs to a sheet,
the long way. Flatten the logs out until they are about 3 inches
wide with a slight hump going down the middle. Bake for 25 to 30
minutes in the preheated oven, loaves should be firm. Cut the loaves
into diagonal slices ½ inch wide, place the slices onto the cookie
sheets and return to the oven. Toast on one side, then turn slices
over to do the other side. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes.
Makes about 30 pieces.
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Roy Logan
Eggless Milkless Butterless Cake
“This is a recipe from my Mother. It is my understanding that it
originated back during WW II when eggs, milk and butter were
rationed. This is a very heavy and dense cake. Some years my mother
made it with black walnuts which gave it a stronger taste. I
preferred the English walnuts myself.”
- Roy
Eggless Milkless Butterless Cake
2 cups Brown sugar
“Pinch” of salt
2 cups water
3 cups Raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 scant cup oil (vegetable or a favorite cooking oil)
Put all the above ingredients into a kettle and bring to a boil. Let
boil three minutes, then remove from heat and allow mixture to get
cold.
2 heaping teaspoons baking soda
¼ cup cold water
4 cups flour
1 good teaspoon baking powder
1 cup nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Add five ingredients above to cooked and cold mixture in the kettle.
Mix well and bake in a 9 X 13-inch pan one hour. Tooth pick test in
the center should come out clean.
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Dee Vandevender
Red Cake and Whipped Cream Frosting
Dee said that baking cookies at Christmas time was not something her
family made a point of doing. But, there was a Christmas tradition,
Red Cake was always the Christmas dessert at her family gatherings.
Red Cake
½ cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix vinegar and soda in a small cup and set aside. Cream shortening,
sugar , eggs and vanilla. Make a paste of cocoa and a little red
food coloring and add to creamed mixture. Then add rest of coloring.
Add butter milk, salt and flour alternately. Stir the soda and
vinegar mix, then add to cake batter; stir well. Pour into two eight
inch layer pans. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool, then split each cake
into two layers. Apply whipped cream frosting between layers and on
top.
- Dee
Whipped Cream Frosting
Combine and cook until thickened, then cool completely
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
Other ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter or oleo
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla. Keep mixer running
and add flour and milk mixture a little at a time, mixing well
between each addition.
Cake will keep in the refrigerator up to a week.
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Lisa Whitson
Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies
For busy families, this is a quick and simple cookie that tastes
great! The cake mix portion of the recipe can also be substituted
for other flavors such as chocolate cake mix with white chocolate
chips!
- Lisa
Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup butter , melted
1 cup chocolate chips
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
Add the melted butter into the cake mix and blend it evenly together
Fold in the chocolate chips
On a parchment lined baking sheet, scoop out even sized cookies
placing about one to two inches apart. They will spread a bit.
Bake for about 12 15 minutes or until they’re firm.
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Nila Smith
Dream Bars
“At Christmas time my mom pulled out all the stops on making cookies
and candies. There were certain “fancy” cookie recipes that were
saved only for the holidays. This recipe was one of those, and at
Christmas time my dad, sister, and I looked forward to the day that
she baked her special Dream Bars.”
- Nila
Dream Bars
Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
Preheat oven to 275 degrees
Mix thoroughly and pat firmly into a buttered 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake
for 10 minutes.
Topping:
3 eggs
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
Chopped pecans or walnuts
Chocolate chips (optional)
Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Mix all the topping ingredients together and spread evenly over pre
baked crust. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 20
minutes.
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Derek Hurley
Walnut Tea Squares
“This is an older recipe that belonged to my great grandmother Laura
Snyder. My mother tells me that every year at Christmas, my mother
and her brothers would help her make dozens of cookies, including
this recipe. After baking, they would take the cookies to neighbors
and various groups in the area. My mother says my grandma always
remembered to give a tray of these cookies to the people at LDC
(Lincoln Developmental Center). I think she knew that for the people
living there, these would likely be the only cookies they would get
at Christmas time.”
- Derek
Walnut Tea Squares
Start with the lower crust:
¾ cup butter , creamed well
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, well beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
Blend and bake in a 9x9 baking pan in moderate oven for 12 minutes
or until lightly browned.
Cover lower crust with this mixture:
1 1/2 cups brown Sugar
½ cup walnuts
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut, moistened with milk
Spread over crust and bake in moderate oven for twenty minutes.
Allow cooling time and cut into squares before serving.
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Angela Reiners
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
“This recipe is a favorite among my husband’s side of the family and
has also become one of my favorites. His mother, Ruth Reiners, loved
to bake especially during the holidays. She has been gone since
2004, but now every Christmas eve, my sister-in-law Betty Jo Lessen
makes the cookies for our family get-togethers and everyone is
reminded of Ruth’s baking.”
- Angela
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons baking soda (dissolved in sour cream)
2 eggs
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream sugar , butter, eggs and vanilla. Add other ingredients
alternately with mixer. Dough will be like play dough. Roll out to
between 1/4" and 1/8” thickness and cut out with shaped cookie
cutters. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. Ice and decorate when
cooled.
Makes 4 to 6 dozen.
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Lisa Ramlow
Grandma Cookies (Chocolate Crinkles)
“Grandma makes Chocolate Crinkles for Christmas AND every special
occasion that a grandchild would celebrate: birthdays, graduations,
recitals, etc. They have gone with many a grandchild on church choir
tours. They have been eaten from Texas to Rhode Island and every
state in between. Grandma always has cookies in the freezer in case
one of the grand kids stops by unannounced and needs a sweet treat.
Many have tried to make Chocolate Crinkles just like Grandma and
many have failed. The attempts are delicious and always eaten, but
no one will ever make 'Grandma Cookies' like Grandma.”
- Lisa
Grandma Cookies (Chocolate Crinkles)
½ cup vegetable oil
4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened bakers chocolate – melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar (set aside)
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar .
Blend one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla, mix.
Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill several
hours.
Drop by teaspoons into confectioners sugar . Roll in the powdered
sugar and shape into balls. Place 2" apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
DO NOT OVER BAKE. Makes 6 dozen cookies.
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Bobbie Snyder
Awesome Brownies
“My daughter and I have used this recipe several times and they
make really awesome brownies!!!”
- Bobbie
Awesome Brownies and frosting
Batter:
½ cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2
cup butter . Remove from heat, and stir in sugar , eggs and 1
teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt and
baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
For an added bonus, grab a jar of caramel (the kind for ice cream
works fine) and drizzle it over the top before baking or frost,
using recipe below:
Frosting:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Mix until smooth and spread over brownies while they are still warm.
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Teena Lowery
Peanut Butter Blossoms
“This is my favorite cookie recipe not only because these are the
best Peanut Butter Blossoms, but because my daughter Cady shared it
with me from her foods class at Mount Pulaski High School. I think
the key ingredient is the milk. The milk makes these cookies the
most moist peanut butter blossoms I have ever tasted. My daughter
also says a key is not over bake them....like I've been known to do.
Some peanut butter lovers also like to top these off with a
miniature Hershey's Peanut Butter Cup instead of a Hershey Kiss.
Enjoy, whatever your chocolate delight is!”
- Teena
Peanut Butter Blossoms
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag Hershey Kisses (set aside)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together butter, brown sugar , sugar , egg, milk and vanilla.
Add in the dry ingredients slowly (NOT the Hershey kisses).
Refrigerate the dough for a little bit, then roll into balls, and
roll balls in sugar .
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until they puff and crack (about 4
minutes) then remove from oven and press a Hershey kiss into the
center of each one and bake for another 2 minutes.
Blessings and Glad Tidings!
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