Cookie Ingredient Form

We created this cookie ingredient form a few years ago to help us tally the ingredients needed for our annual Christmas Cookie Bake-a-thon. You can download this form and change the types of cookies you want to make in the left column before you print your own copy. After printing, just fill in the recipe measurements. Add each column to calculate the total amount of ingredients needed. check out this Measurement & Conversion Chart

Check back after Christmas. I will remake this chart on an excel spreadsheet so the columns will total automatically.


Check out these recipes!
Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Spritz
Russian Teacakes
Rugelach
Toffy
Fantasy Fudge
Coconut Dream Bars
Pecan Pie Bars

Christmas Cutouts

1 cup margarine 1 tsp vanilla               1-1/2 cup sugar 3 eggs 3-1/2 cup flour 2 tsp cream of tarter 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt

Cream margarine and vanilla with mixer. Beat in sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beat continuously.  Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tarter together.
  Add dry ingredients gradually, mix well.  Wrap dough in plastic or wax paper and chill 3-4 hours.  On floured surface roll dough to 1/8 inch thick, cut shapes.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet  at 375 for 6-8 minutes.  Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet.

Cookie Icing
2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP milk

1 TBSP Karo

Food coloring

Mix well. Add enough milk to make spreadable, a little runny. Divide into bowls, add coloring. Apply with small knife or place in small squeeze bottles with fine tips.  To layer icing when decorating, allow first layer to set (dry) before adding next color.

We usually double this recipe and make a couple batches!

Submitted by Christie Hickman

Fresh Frozen Corn

1999, Tommy & Katie shuck corn

One of the earliest memories I have of Grandpa Ray is when he tried to see how long it would take me to realize that the bowl of corn had passed around our table for the second time. Recently I asked my father if he knew when our family started preparing corn and freezing it for the winter in this manner.
I'm not sure I got an answer but it was a way of preserving the very end of summer corn without canning it.
So, every year in my home we carry on the tradition. It's always so busy around the time school begins but we make it a point to try out the corn from various farms. When we find the best tasting then we purchase anywhere from 7 to 10 dozen.

1. You shuck the corn and rinse off the silk.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. You only need a few inches of water because the corn on top can be steamed. I cook about a dozen at a time.  Cover and bring it to a boil. Set the timer for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove the corn with long tongs and place on a large tray. Take the tray to the sink that has been cleaned, sanitized and filled with cold water and ice. Quickly immerse the corn in cold water for a couple minutes. Place corn back on tray.



3. Using a 9 x 13 cake pan, cut the corn from the cob with a sharp knife. Then scrape the cob with a butter knife to get the remaining corn. We picked up a Corn scrapper at an Amish store that saves a lot of time.














4. Measure 2 cups of corn per freezer bag. Push the air out before closing. Use permanent marker to date the bags before freezing.
















5. To prepare, thaw bag of corn.













6. Cook in skillet with a tablespoon of butter until all liquid has evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

Candied Yams

In the past our family poured the canned yams and liquid into a skillet, added some brown sugar then let it boil down. I think the purpose of simmering so long was to create a thick, syrupy sauce. But what we would end up with was mushy yams and runny sauce.
Last Thanksgiving (2010) I got a bright idea for the sweet potatoes. I thought about the sauce we make for sticky popcorn and decided to work with those ingredients plus corn starch for thickening.

1 large can sweet yams
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter

Drain and reserve yams juice from can. Add water until you have 1 cup of liquid. Add 1 Tbsp corn starch and stir until dissolved. In a skillet add butter and liquid, stir constantly over medium heat until thickened. Add corn syrup and brown sugar. Boil for 1 minute. Place canned yams in syrup and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until yams are hot in center. This dish will truly become a family favorite. Enjoy!

Autumn Apple Pie

This beautiful Autumn Apple Pie was featured in the Parade Magazine article, Pies Across America  yesterday.  Ironically, my Mom called today and asked me to stop by her house to pick up the rest of an apple pie she made yesterday. It's been a long time since I've had my Mom's pie and it was delicious! She said she diced the apples instead of slicing them this time. It made an interesting texture. I'm going to get her recipe and add the leafs.
 It will definitely be on our Thanksgiving table next week!

Thanksgiving Noodles

My mother-in-law taught my husband how to make the much anticipated turkey stuffing over 25 years ago. The leftover broth from that recipe has been used to cook the Thanksgiving Noodles. Add a very large can of chicken broth to the turkey broth. Bring to a boil. Pour in 16 ounces of noodles. Follow package direction for time (8-10 minutes). Stir frequently over med heat. Turn off heat and cover. All of the liquid will be absorbed by the noodles so you won't have to drain them. Add parsley and pepper.

Sweet Potato Pie

Melissa Maggs, Thanksgiving 2010

makes 2 pies

 2    frozen pie crusts

1/4  cup butter, melted

 1    cup sugar

1/4  tsp. salt

 3    large eggs

 3    cups lightly packed, cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (bout 2 1/2 lb.)

 1    cup half and half

 3    Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4  tsp. ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 350. Stir together melted butter, 1 cup sugar, and next 2 ingredients in large bowl until mixture is well blended. Add sweet potatoes and next 4 ingredients, stirring well. Pour mixture into crusts. Shield crust edges with foil to prevent burning (can be removed a few min. early for desired browning). Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer pies to wire rack to cool completely (about 1 hour).

Turkey Stuffing

Corn bread, French bread, white bread, cubed and dried until hard (2 – 3 days)

16 oz mushrooms w/ juice

1 tsp sage

1 tsp salt

Pepper

1 large can chicken broth

Yellow food coloring

2 cups Celery, chopped

2 cups onion, chopped

1 whole large onion

Several whole cloves

Cook giblets, heart in chicken broth with stocks of celery and the onion left whole with cloves stuck in slits at root end. Add 1 – 2 drops of yellow food coloring. Simmer for 2 – 3 hours. Remove vegetables and giblets. Save broth.

Sauté’ celery and onions in butter until tender. Combine with bread, add mushrooms and seasoning. Add broth gradually until bread is moist and fluffy – not soupy. 
Use remaining broth for Thanksgiving Noodles.

Place a small amount of stuffing in and surrounding turkey for flavor. Bake remaining stuffing in prepared (Pam) casserole dish.

Cabbage Rolls

I have always loved Cabbage Rolls but thought it was too difficult to make. We've had this head of cabbage for a while and decided to give it a try. As I was getting the ingredients out of the fridge Richard announced that Ina Garten was making Cabbage Rolls on Barefoot Contessa. After our lesson from Ina, Richard and I worked together and created a new family favorite.

SAUCE
1 large onion, chopped
1 TBSP butter
24 oz tomato sauce
14-15 oz can diced tomato
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
Saute' onion in butter until translucent. Add all other ingredients. Simmer low while getting cabbage and filling ready.


FILLING
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup rice, uncooked
1 small onion, minced
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 cup sauce (from above)
Lightly mix all of these ingredients together. Place 1 cup of sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish to prevent burning.

CABBAGE - 1 large head (3 lbs)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the core from cabbage and par boil for 3 minutes Insert a large meat fork in top to remove cabbage from water. Tilt the cabbage over pot to drain hot water. Pry 12-14 whole leaves from cabbage. Immerse in water again if necessary.

Cut the hard center vein from each leaf in a V shape about 2-3 inches long. Place a spoonful of filling right in front of the V. First, fold the V part over the filling, tucking it under. Next fold each side over. Then roll up the rest of the leaf, place in dish seam side down. Continue filling all leafs. Slice a few 1/2 inch wedges from the remaining cabbage head and place in between rolls. Pour remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Next time we are going to cook in the crock pot.

Rachel's Peanut Butter Cookies

June 12th is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day. Enjoy this recipe from my cousin, Rachel Maggs

2 sticks parkay

1 cup Jiffy peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 medium eggs or 1/3 cup

1 tsp vanilla

2 ¾ cup sifted flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

Cream  together parkay and jiffy. Mix in b. sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients.  Form into balls. Press with fork, sprinkle sugar on top.  Bake at 375° for 9 ½ minutes.

Gingerbread

National Gingerbread Day is June 5th. My step-mother made Gingerbread with Sauce for my December birthday many years ago. Who knew the observance was in June!  I found this recipe in my mom's cookbook with notations Gramsy made; circling molasses and buttermilk and checking off ingredients in the second recipe. I love Gingerbread any time of the year.

Sauce over Gingerbread

In a saucepan WITHOUT heat, dissolve 1 TBSP cornstarch and 1 TBSP flour in 2 TBSP cold water until no lumps appear. (use a fork or small whisk) Then add:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp butter

1 1/4 cup water

Bring to a boil, stirring until thick. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp vanilla. 

Spoon over slices of Gingerbread. Top with whipped cream.

Perfect Iced Tea

June is Iced Tea Month. This recipe is a combination of Grandma Hickman’s method of making delicious iced tea and my mom’s little touch of clove. I tweaked the procedure a bit. You know how you're supposed to add tea bags to the cold water and heat until water barely comes to a boil? Well, there's been a time or two when I let it come to a full boil which resulted in a bitter tea. I had an epiphany and came up with this recipe. 

Bring a small saucepan 2 - 3 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and quickly add 5 teabags. Let steep for about 10 minutes, then add ¾ to 1 cup of sugar. Optional: sprinkle ground clove. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Continue to steep until pan is cool.

Remove teabags. Pour into a 2 quart pitcher, fill with water and ice to the top. 

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Bill & Becky clean strawberries, 2006

June is National Strawberry Month and you just have to try this recipe from Aunt Becky!

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp Karo Syrup

1-1/4 cup water

3 oz pkg strawberry jello

1 ½ - 2 quarts fresh strawberries

1 – 9 inch baked pie crust 

Wash and slice strawberries.  Place on paper towel to absorb water. Don’t put into pie crust until sauce is cooled.

Bake 1 pie crust and cool completely. Note: I tried the refrigerated Pillsbury brand this time and liked it much better than a frozen pie shell. I used my own 9 inch glass pie pan, fluted the edge, pierced the dough with a fork and baked according to directions until golden brown. It was very flaky and had great flavor. Out of curiosity we measured a 9 inch frozen pie shell and the very outer edges were barely 9 inches! No wonder I always had left over filling when using the frozen shell. But the best, of course, is to make my Never Fail Pie Crust from scratch.

In a saucepan bring water and cornstarch to a boil, stirring until clear. Remove from heat, add sugar, Karo syrup and Jello, stir until dissolved. Cool until warm, stirring frequently.

Place strawberries in the baked, cooled pie shell, pour sauce over strawberries.  Keep refrigerated. Serve with whipped cream.

Roger & Becky making strawberry jam, 2006

Try with fresh peaches and peach jello or any other fruit with matching jello.

Lemon Cheesecake

Sonny Anderson, Cooking For Real

Ingredients

• 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• 6 to 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced

Directions

Special Equipment: 9-inch springform pan Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a food processor blend crumbs and melted butter until moist, but not wet. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. In a large bowl, using an electric beater, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the lemon juice, until light and smooth. Slowly mix in eggs then pour into the prepared pan. Bake 55 minutes or until the center sets. Turn off oven and remove cake. In a medium bowl mix together sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Spread this over the top of the cheesecake and return to the warm oven for 30 minutes. Remove then let cool to room temperature before removing springform.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl toss together blueberries and sliced strawberries with remaining sugar.

To serve: slice cheesecake into wedges and garnish with fruit.

Irish Fluff, great for St. Patrick's Day Celebrations.

Also known as Watergate Salad

1 pkg instant pistachio pudding mix
1 pkg small marshmallows
1 can crushed pineapple(do not drain)
1 small tub whipped topping

In large mixing bowl combine dry pudding mix and pineapple with juice. Mix well,add marshmallows and whipped topping. Mix, then refrigerate for one hour. Serve. 

The History of Aprons

Note, medium is size 14-16!

Do you remember making aprons in Home Economics? I don't think the students really knew the purpose an apron served. So many things have changed over the years. The saddest thing for me is that we are no longer teaching the art of sewing in our "home ec" program. Someone at the state level decided that sewing was not a skill that students needed. I am so tired of trying to defend the importance of this part of our department and have conceded. But I do want to share the following verse that has been around for years and you may recognize it.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. 

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.  

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.. 

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.  After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. 

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. 

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. 

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. 

Hot Cocoa Mix

1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer

2 cups powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

3 + ½ cups non-fat powdered dry milk

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Blend with whisk or use a flour sifter until finely blended. Store in an airtight container.

Use 1/3 cup in a mug, pour in hot water, and stir. Add mini marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream.

Sharon's Pimento Cheese Spread

I just love having my mom living in Ellet now. She is such a good cook and I've been able to get some of her recipes written along with much needed guidance. A couple months ago she made Pimento Cheese Spread and I fell in love with it. I would take a sandwich to school for lunch and zap it in the microwave for 10 or 20 seconds just to take the chill off it. Yum! She made it again last week and this time she wrote down the ingredients. Well...I tried to make it tonight and this is where I think I went wrong. First, I used finely shredded sharp cheddar instead of regular shredded. Second, I used Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise. Third, Mom said to drain the pimentos and I don't think I did that very well. Let's just say I think I need to follow this exactly next time to get a batch like Mom's.  

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Pinch of garlic powder

4 oz. jar of pimentos

In mixing bowl beat cream cheese, mayo and garlic powder until softened. Add cheddar cheese, mix until well blended.  Add well drained Pimentos, stir gently until blended.

Sticky Popcorn

  A Landon favorite

½ stick butter

¼ cup Karo syrup

¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1 large pan of popped corn, 3 quarts
(Tiny White brand)

1 cup peanuts or almonds

Heat together butter, karo and brown sugar in small sauce pan. Bring to rolling boil, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add vanilla, stir. Drizzle over popcorn & peanuts while stirring gently.

Apple and Pear Crisp

When I tasted this crisp I almost cried. It had a beautiful blend of pear and apple and the lemon gave it this freshness I had never experienced in food before. I took a dish to Dad before it cooled off.  

Submitted by Christie

4 pears, peel, core and cut into chunks

6 apples, peel, core and cut into chunks

1 orange (1 tsp zest and 2 Tbsp juice

1 lemon (1 tsp zest and 2 Tbsp juice

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

Topping:

1 ½ cup flour

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

½ tsp salt

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal

2 sticks cold butter, diced

Place cut fruit in large bowl, add zest and juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into 9x13 baking dish.

Topping: Combine all ingredients in bowl, using electric mixer until mixture becomes large crumbs. Sprinkle evenly and completely over fruit.

Bake at 350 for 50 – 60 minutes, until top is brown and fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.

Mom's Cookbooks

The Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking by Meta Given

My mom, Sharon Shockey, loves to look at cookbooks. She has a few, checks them out of the library and searches the web for recipes. But there are two cookbooks that are very special to her. Many years ago, when she married my father in 1957, Rebecca Landon Maggs gave her a set of cookbooks for a wedding present. Mom has said many times that she didn't know how to cook and that Gramsy taught her.  The reason these particular cookbooks are so special is because Gramsy went through the recipes and made notations in pencil. Over the years the binding came apart, the green covers fell off and were lost and several pages are missing. We had quite a time trying to find the title and author but I finally found this set on the Internet.  I scanned several recipes which include Gramsy's hand-written notes for Mom to follow.

Cream Cheese Ball

2 – 8 ounce packs cream cheese, room temperature

1 jar chipped beef, rinsed, pat dry

1 small onion, chopped

2 Tbsp Miracle Whip

2 squirts Worcestershire

1 – 2 Tbsp horseradish or fresh minced garlic

½ lb finely chopped English walnuts

With electric mixer combine cream cheese, beef and all ingredients

except walnuts. Form into ball, roll in chopped nuts. Refrigerate overnight. 

Cream Cheese Dip

~updated 1/1/2014

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This cake has become our favorite! It's so moist and rich. You won't believe how easy it is to make!

1 box Devil’s Food cake mix with pudding

2 large eggs

1 tsp almond extract

15 ounce can cherry pie filling
a pinch of love

Spray 9 x 13 cake pan with vegetable oil. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more.  Pour into prepared pan,  bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack while preparing glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

Bring to boil in sauce pan, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add 1 cup chocolate chips, stir until melted. Pour on top of warm cake.

Obtained from Kristi at Landon Reunion 2009

Debbie’s Vanilla Ice Cream

Roger, Christie, Grandpa Ray
making ice cream, circa 1962

Obtained from Aunt Becky

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp vanilla

2 cans Eagle Sweetened evaporated milk

1 pint whipping cream

¼ tsp salt

Put these ingredients in ice cream maker, then pour 7 cups whole milk until it reaches top of ladle. Follow directions for ice cream maker. Layer about a cup of rock salt with ice and repeat until reaching the top. Be careful when checking ice cream so the salt water doesn’t leak in accidentally.

Tommy at Grandpa Roger's, 1993

Soft Sugar Cookies

Jane Oakley's Soft Cookies

Pancakes

Roger's Meatloaf

February Observances

Bake For Family Fun Month - Cakes & Bars, Cookies, Pies
National Cherry Pie Month
National Pie Month - Never Fail Pie Crust
Chocolate Lovers Month
Hot Breakfast Month - Sausage Breakfast Pie, Oatmeal Breakfast
Potato Lovers Month- Cheese Potatoes, Potato Soup, Oven Potatoes, Ham & Potatoes
National Snack Food Month - Chex Mix
Canned Food Month

DAILY OBSERVANCES
Feb-3 Carrot Cake Day - Carrot Cake
Feb-4 Homemade Soup Day - Tri-Soup Supper
Feb-6 National Popcorn Day - Sticky Popcorn
Feb-7 Fettuccine Alfredo Day
Feb-12 Chocolate Day
Feb-13 National Tortellini Day
Feb-15 Burger Lovers Day
Feb-16 Almond Day
Feb-20 Cherry Pie Day
Feb-23 Banana Bread Day - Best Banana Loaf
Feb-24 Chili Day - Chili Mac
Feb-24 National Tortilla Chip Day

Aunt Alma's Crumb Cake

submitted by Ginger Santos
See earlier posting about the
Crumb Cake mystery

2 c sugar

2 c flour

1 c shortening

Crumble above mixture - save out 1 c as topping.

--------

Add 2 eggs to tensing crumbles in mixing bowl. Beat till smooth.

--------

 1 tsp baking soda

 1/2 tsp salt

   2 tsp nutmeg

   2 tsp cinnamon

  1 c sour milk (3 tsp vinegar)

Mix together, pour batter into buttered/floured pan. Sprinkle saved cup of crumbles on batter. Bake @ 375 35-40 min.

Thank you Ginger! This is the exact recipe Aunt Midge gave me last fall.   

January Observances

Bread Machine Bake Month - Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
International Coffee Gourmet Month - Home Cooking Rocks
National Fiber Focus Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Oatmeal Month - Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
National Soup Month - Family Soup Supper

DAILY OBSERVANCES
Jan-4 Spaghetti Day - Spaghetti Sauce
Jan-8 English Toffy Day - Toffy
Jan-11 Rhubarb Day
Jan-13 Dinner Out Day
Jan-18 Unsliced Bread Day
Jan-20 National Cheese Lovers Day
Jan-21 Granola Bar Day
Jan-27 Chocolate Cake Day
Jan-28 Blueberry Pancake Day
Jan-29 National Corn Chip Day