Holiday Sugar cookies

I've had this recipe since I was a young bride. It is a little different than your usual sugar cookie recipe, with the addition of nutmeg and the way the eggs are added. It makes wonderful crisp cookies which you can sprinkle with colored sugars only or ice. What a fun way to spend an afternoon with kids or grandkids. My kids all like these iced and still as grownups fight over the colors they want to use to ice them, but I love the crisp, nutmeg taste of them with sprinkles only.

• 2 Egg yolks




• 1/2 cup sugar




• 1 cup UNSALTED sweet butter, softened




• 1 cup sugar




• 2 Egg whites




• 1 teaspoon baking soda




• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar




• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg




• 1/4 teaspoon salt




• 1 teaspoon vanilla




• 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour(I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)

Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until thick and lemon colored, reserve. In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg whites(batter may look curdled). Mix in egg yolk mixture you reserved, baking soda, cream of tartar, nutmeg, salt and vanilla, gradually add flour. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or 2. The dough gets really hard if left overnight in the frig, but just put it out about an hour before you use it, to warm it a little and it is fine. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough on lightly floured pastry cloth or board to a scant 1/4 inch if using sprinkles and a heavier 1/4 inch if icing, so cookies won't break. Cut into shapes(Valentine hearts, Halloween shapes,Christmas) . Place on GREASED cookie sheets and sprinkle with colored sugars, if not icing. Bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks. If icing, put confectioners sugard in small bowls and add cream or milk to desired consistency(not too runny) and then color with food coloring or Wilton icing pastes/gels. Spread on cooled cookies and decorate with sugars, etc.

Oatmeal Bread- Makes 2or 3 laoves

There is nothing so satisfying as a slice of warm Oatmeal Bread on a cold winter's day with a bowl of homemade soup! This bread uses dark molasses so it is a nice dark brown color when finished with a warm, soft inside. So start kneading and enjoy!

• 2 packages dry yeast



• 1 cup warm water



• 1/4 cup dark molasses



• 1/2 teaspoon salt



• 1/2 cup unbleached flour



• 1 1/4 cups scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm



• 1/4 cup molasses or honey



• 1 Egg



• 2 teaspoons salt



• 2 cups unbleached flour( I use King Arthur or Pillsbury unbleached)



• 2 Tablespoons shortening



• 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats ( I use organic)



• 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour

First, I scald my milk and get it cooling. Then in a large bowl combine yeast, warm water, dark molasses, salt and 1/2 flour. Beat until smooth and let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes. Add Scalded milk, molasses or honey, egg, salt, 2 cups flour, shortening and oatmeal. Beat 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Gradually add about 3 1/4- 3 1/2 cups more flour. Form into a smooth ball, cover with bowl and let rest 10 minutes (see photo). Knead dough for 5 minutes on a flour covered pastry cloth and shape into 2 or 3 balls, cover with cloth and let rest 10 minutes more. Shape into 2 or 3 loaves and place in 2 standard loaf pans or 3 8x4 inch pans. The smaller ones are nice for gifts at Christmas or to share with friends and neighbors on a cold day. Cover and let rise in a warm place 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake on middle rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Banana Bread a la Food Processor

I acquired this yummy recipe from a class I took 25 years ago, when Cuisinart introduced their food processor. Very easy and quick to make, besides being delicious, it has been a staple in my recipe box ever since.

• 2 very ripe medium sized bananas, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 TBLS. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds or slightly chopped pecans(can toast the pecans too)
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached flour(I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine(I use butter) at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Fit processor with steel blade. Place bananas and lemon juice in work bowl and process until bananas are mashed, about 5 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the nuts, and all remaining ingredients to banana mixture. Process on/off 10 to 12 times, or until flour is moistened well. Do not overprocess. Batter should be slightly lumpy. Pour batter into greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 or 9x5 loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup nuts(chopped) over batter. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool bread 15 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack. Cut a warm piece, savor and enjoy!

Teenie's Cinnamon Rolls

These are the best cinnamon rolls ever and very easy to do!! I got this recipe when I was first married many years ago, from a dear friend of my grandmother's and have used it so much, I can't tell you. It starts with Pillsbury Hot Roll mix and ends gloriously.

• Follow the directions on a box of Pillsbury Hot Roll mix and add 1 teaspoon fast acting yeast and 1/4 cup sugar.





• Syrup- In a cast iron skillet, melt 4 TBLS. butter and add 3/4 cup packed brown sugar. Stir until dissolved. Remove from fire and stir in 1/4 cup water. Return to fire and stir till thick. Set aside to cool. You can do this first and then make dough, so it will be warm not hot.





• Knead dough on a flour sprinkled pastry cloth and roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the dough with softened butter and sprinkle with a mixture of 3/4 cup sugar mixed with 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll dough from long side and after a couple of turns, spread roll with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar agin(see photo). Finish rolling dough into long log. Take a paring knife and cut the log into 1 1/2 inch slices and place in skillet, on top of warm syrup. place the cut side down(see photo).Cover with damp cloth and let rise on stove until double, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, might need 5 more minutes at high altitude. Rolls should be nice and brown and firm to the touch. Invert onto a platter or cookie sheet, immediately after taking from the oven. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea or a cold glass of milk!!!

Pecan Pie a la Camelia Grill

This is the most mouth watering recipe for Pecan pie that I have ever tasted!! It comes from the Camelia Grill which is located in New Orleans. Luckily, it survived Katrina and is located in the old Garden District near Tulane University. When you order their pecan pie, they slather the Grill with butter and heat the pie up for you. Heavenly! My sister got the recipe from them many years ago and it is the only pecan pie recipe we use. Enjoy!

• 4 Eggs


• 1/4 teas. salt


• 1/4 cup melted butter


• 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup


• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar(I use and prefer light)


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell(pie crust) See my blog for recipe


• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs with a wire whisk or fork until completely mixed. Add salt, butter, syrup, sugar, and vanilla; mix well with whisk. Pour into pastry shell, sprinkle with pecans.( i break my pecans into pieces rather than chopping, like in a food processor. I like the pieces "chunkier"). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes on the middle rack.

Simple perfect pie crust (2 crusts)

Just like the one crust pie, the 2 crust pie just requires a few more ingredients.

• 2/3 cup butter flavor shortening




• 2 cups of flour( I prefer the King Arthur unbleached white or Pillsbury unbleached white)




• 1/4 teaspoon salt




• 2 Tbls. sugar (if sweet or fruit pie)




• scant 2/3 cup water

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the shortening and work it into the flour mixture until it resembles crumbles. add the water and form into a smooth, soft ball. You can add more water, a little at a time until it reaches the soft ball consistency.(Please see my 1 crust recipe for water explanation). Divide dough in half, saving 1/2 for the top crust or an additional bottom crust for another pie. Working with a rolling pin and pastry cloth sprinkled with flour, roll the crust out into a 1/8 inch thick circle to fit into an 8 or 9 inch pie pan(I prefer metal). the thickness should be so, that it doesn't get holes when you lift it. If you need more four on your pastry cloth, just add a little, as you work. Fit the crust into the bottom of the pie pan with crust draped over the edges. Working with crust on edges, form top rim by crimping the crust between fingers as you go around. Tear off excess dough as you work, to be used for cinnamon crust later. If baking before filling, you will need to take a fork and make 4 0r five impressions in the bottom crust and 3 or 4 at intervals arouind the side. This is so it will hold it's shape while baking.

CINNAMON CRUST- Take scraps and roll out again to a 1/8 inch thickness. Put on baking sheet or pizza pie pan. Spread with softened butter or margarine and sprinkle with a mixture of 1 cup sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon mixed together. Save cinnamon sugar mixture that is left in a container for another time. Bake with pie until crust is golden brown on top and bottom. Best snack ever!! My kids still love it as grownups!!

Simple, Perfect Pie Crust( 1 crust)

I've always been told that my pie crust is "to die for" and the best people have ever tasted The Secret to perfect pie crust is Enough water, particularly in drier climates, and butter flavor shortening. Dry crust that doesn't hold together well and form a nice, soft ball is not flaky to me but just dry. Too many bakers say water makes it tough, but I disagree.There are many kinds of pie crusts and we will learn several of them, but this is your basic, go-to single pie crust.

• 1/2 cup butter flavor shortening





• 1 1/2 cups flour (I prefer King Arthur unbleached white flour or Pillsbury unbleached white)





• pinch of salt





• 1 Tbls. sugar(if making a sweet or fruit pie)





• scant 1/2 cup water

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a Pastry fork, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles crumbles. Gradually add the water until a SOFT ball is formed, and all the flour crumbles are mixed in well. At this point, you can add a bit more water at a time, if needed. Using a rolling pin and a pastry cloth sprinkled with flour.(both available at grocery stores, cooking shops, wherever kitchen utensils are sold), roll the ball out into a flat and fairly thin circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Just thick enough so it won't get holes when lifted. If you need more flour on the pastry cloth, just add a little as you work. Take an 8 or 9 inch pie pan(I prefer metal), and fit pie crust down in the bottom and hanging over sides. Working around rim, form crust into ridge and crimp edges between your fingers as you work. If too much crust, and there will be, tear off excess and save for cinnamon crust(recipe to follow). You are now ready to fill and bake or in the case of cream pies, bake crust and fill later. If baking the crust first, take a fork and make 4 or 5 impressions in the bootom and 4 or 5 more around the sides. This is to hold the shape while baking the crust before filling. The recipe will give directions on which way to bake.

CINNAMON CRUST- Using the scraps from your pie crust, re-roll the dough out to the same 1/8 thickness. Put crust on baking sheet or pizza pan. Spread softened butter or margarine over the entire crust and then sprinkle with a mixture of 1 cup sugar mixed with 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Save the leftover cinnamon/sugar mixture in a little container to use later. Bake with pie or crust until golden brown both on the top and bottom. The best snack ever!!! My kids all still love it!!