Homemakers thinking about having friends and family members over for a holiday celebration are always looking for treats to make that will catch the eye of their guests.
This week’s recipes come from supplemental books to The Ideals Publications of the 1960s.
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Chocolate Cream Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine at room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tbsps. milk
Filling:
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 heaping tsp. cocoa
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Glaze
- 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
- 2 tbsps. butter or margarine
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter, a few pieces at a time, using a pastry blender or fork.
Stir in egg, vanilla and milk with a fork until dough holds together. Shape dough into a ball. Flatten dough slightly and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured board, roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter to cut out circles. Place circles on a 10x15 inch nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
Prepare filling while cookies are baking. Remove cookies from pan and place on wire rack to cool.
Spread filling onto the bottoms of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies.
To make the glaze melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water. Stir until blended.
Spread glaze on tops of cookies with a pastry brush. Place cookies on wire rack for 30 minutes or until glaze hardens. Makes 24 cookies.
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Easy Christmas Loaf
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tbsp. lard (or a light cooking margarine)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. cloves
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 cups flour
Combine the raisins, water, spices and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the baking soda and lard, stir then allow to cool.
Add the flour and mix well.
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 375 degrees F. for 40-50 minutes.
Cool on rack then remove from pan. Cool completely then wrap in foil and allow to sit at least 24 hours before serving.
If desired, a light coat of glaze may be applied to top of cake.
Note: this loaf was made regularly during war years and does not contain eggs.
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Oatmeal Date Cookies
- 1 pkg. oatmeal cookies
- 2 cups date puree
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Place a tbsp. of date puree on one cookie and top with another. Press down and use a knife to remove escaping dates. Continue until all cookies have been paired.
Make a glaze with the icing sugar, water and lemon juice. Use a pastry brush to coat the top of each cookie. Place on a large sheet of waxed paper until glaze hardens. Store in refrigerator.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
