It's back and better than ever, the 2007 version of our Christmas/Hanukkah wishes to you. This year features bread and tamales, both made from scratch with recipes from Germany and Honduras; as well as a Hanukkah brisket and Mom's Christmas cookies from Ohio. Here's hoping you enjoy these recipes, as provided by staffers of the Star-Tribune and Journal.

1 gallon apple cider

2 cups orange juice

2 cups pineapple juice

1 can frozen concentrate lemonade

Cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to taste

Mix all together and simmer for several hours to get the best flavor.

I made "German Raisin Braid" – that’s not really the right name, but I couldn’t come up with something better. 

I’m from Germany and this is an authentic recipe. It’s best topped with real butter, Nutella or jam, eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. The dough is very versatile – just leave out the raisins and shape it into rolls, rings, crescents, turnovers or fill with fruit, nuts or whatever.

5 tablespoons softened butter, not melted (real unsalted butter is always better)

1 cup lukewarm milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

3-1/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Put ingredients in bread machine (1.5 lbs setting) on dough-only cycle in order recommended by manufacturer.

Add 1 cup raisins, soaked in 2 teaspoons rum (or water, but hey, rum tastes much better), at the end of the kneading cycle. Most machines have a little beeper to tell you when.

Or knead thoroughly by hand and let rise 2 hours.

Form 3 (or more) strings and braid. Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Diagonally works best, because the braid gets huge.

Mix:

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon milk

1 pinch salt

1 pinch sugar

(salt & sugar are important to keep bread from turning black)

Brush braid with egg mix.

Sprinkle with ¼ sliced almonds if desired. Let rise 30 minutes in a warm place.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. It will get very brown (probably darker than most breads – crust is a good thing!). Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

 Ron Roth

1/2 box Rice Chex

1/2 box Corn Chex

1/2 box Wheat Chex

1/2 box Cheerios

1 small bag straight pretzels

1 large can mixed nuts

1 large can peanuts

2 cups cooking oil

1-1/2 cups garlic salt

1 cup Worcestershire sauce

 Place cereals, pretzels, and nuts in large roasting pan. Liberally add cooking oil while stirring mixture. Continue stirring and add Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt.  Cover and roast for 1 hour at 250 degrees.  Remove cover and roast at 250 for 4 more hours, stirring every 1/2 hour. Serve with beer. 

4-5 large tomatoes (cored, skinned & diced), can use 6-8 Roma tomatoes instead

1 medium red onion (diced-1cup)

1 clove garlic (diced)

1 bunch of cilantro (washed, drained, diced-1cup)

1 medium sized Jalapeno pepper (diced, use all including seeds)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice ( I use a real lime, cut in half & squeeze into mixture)

8 tortillas

Preheat oven to 450 (depending on oven- I bake on 425 to prevent from burning)

Cut tortillas into 8 pieces (cut into halves, then cut again until you have 8 pieces) You should end up with around 64 pieces. Lay onto greased baking pan. Bake 5 minutes, turn over & bake another 5 minutes. Remove from pan, cool & store in air-tight container

Combine remaining ingredients, mix, Let sit for 30 minutes in fridge to let ingredients mix together.

Presto, you're done. A nice light, but spicy snack perfect for any get together.

(Tortilla chips in airtight container and pico in fridge will last for 3 days).

For a variation, pick up tomato basil tortillas, or any of your favorite flavors.

Ok it’s really a cheese ball… For more than twenty years, a group of our family and friends would camp in Glendo every year on labor day.  Yes, it was a big gathering and we named ourselves the Glendo Beach Club. Through the years it has moved to Alcova so we are now the goofy people wearing Glendo Beach Club t-shirts at Alcova. Our senior member, Dorothy Craig brought this cheese ball and it became a tradition for all of our holiday tables.  Since it’s been two Christmas holidays since Dorothy passed, it seems fitting we share her famous GBC dip today.

16 ounces fat-free Philadelphia cream cheese

6 small pitted olives, finely diced

2.5 ounce package lean honey ham (smoked-chopped-pressed-cooked) cut into half-inch squares

2 green onions, finely diced

2 teaspoons Accent flavor enhancer (or suit to taste)

Scoop cream cheese into a bowl to soften while you dice up the rest of the ingredients. Add all the above and stir. Of course have a cracker because you just have to add enough Accent to make it taste good.  Scoop the dip into a sheet of saran wrap and form it into a ball.  Keep chilled until you serve it.  It tastes great with potato chips or Ritz crackers. But I like it best with Wheat Thins.  Hey, for you weight watchers, 2 tablespoons = 2 points. Glendo Beach Club, est. 1987.

2 cans chunky chili with beans

1 small can (4 ounces) diced green chiles

32 ounces Velveeta cheese

In crockpot, heat chili until warm and add green chiles and cheese. Stir occasionally until all is melted together. Serve with any corn chips.

5 pounds fresh (not corned) beef brisket

2 onions

4 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 cup water

1 cup chili sauce

1 can beer

Combine all the ingredients but the beer in a crock pot, with the meat on the bottom, fat side up. Cook on low for 10 hours. Add the beer after seven or eight hours. Enjoy.

 Christine Robinson

Tamales are the quintessential Spanish Christmas food. In Honduras, families gather together and spend a day or more preparing, making and cooking the corn-based food. The way I watched them prepared was much more complicated than the following recipe and requires more time and eons more patience. So for those who have an afternoon and want to try something different, these are fun to make, especially if you have help.

Depending where you are regionally, tamales are wrapped in either corn husks or banana leaves. Corn husks are easier to find in Wyoming. The following recipe is from "Joy of Cooking," slightly modified for my tastes and abilities.

Makes 30 tamales

Remove the outer husks from 10 ears of corn, or buy a package of corn husks at any grocery store.

Soak the leaves 5 minutes in hot water and drain.

Combine:

    2 cups fine ground cornmeal, preferably masa harina. There are flour bags that will say "Great for tamales"

    2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

    1 teaspoon salt

Cream in an electric mixer:   

    1/3 cup lard -- Crisco also works.

When it is very fluffy, beat the corn mixture in gradually, about two tablespoons at a time, until well combined. Slowly add, beating constantly:

1-1/2 cups meat or poultry stock

until the dough is slightly more pliable than play dough. It needs to be easy to spread but certainly not liquidy.

Open one of the corn husks and spread about 2 tablespoons of dough on the inside, middle of the husk, about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. When you are spreading the width, go all the way to the edge on one side and leave about half an inch on the other side. When you wrap the tamale you will see why part of the husk should be free of dough.

Have a filling ready:

    To make the filling, you can use a variety of things. I recommend chicken. Cook one whole breast of chicken, either velvet it or grill, and once thoroughly cooked, shred it with a fork.

Hondurans put green olives in their tamales, so you can add one cup of chopped green olives to the chicken. Buy a mole sauce, which may call for adding water or meat stock. Once the mole is ready, add enough sauce to cover the chicken and olives, stir and let it sit.

Once the dough is spread on the tamale, add a tablespoon or so of filling, fold the tamale sides over each other so the dough wraps the filling inside. Fold the ends in so it makes a square package and tie a thin piece of corn husk around the outside to secure the sides.

Fill a pot with water until it is one inch from the bottom of the steamer. Layer the tamales on the bottom of the steamer and secure the lid. Boil the water and lower the temperature to medium and allow the tamales to steam for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. You may need to check on the water in the steamer to make sure it did not all evaporate. The tamales will be finished when the husk easily peels away from the dough.

Tamales are best served fresh from the steamer, though they can be reheated. To reheat, you can resteam them for 1/2 an hour or simply put them in the microwave until they are hot again.

Tamales can also be frozen and eaten later.

The tamales will be small, and if you are serving a large number of people or would like them for the main course you may consider doubling the recipe.

1 can of cream of celery soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of mushrooms

1 can of chicken

1 can of green chilies

2 cups of dry rice

1-1/2 cups of water

1/2 to 1 cup of shredded cheese

Grease a large cake pan, combine all ingredients except cheese, mix well, top with cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Serves 3-4.

4 cans creamed soup (2 New England Clam Chowder, 1 Cream of Potato, 1 Cream of Shrimp)

2 soup cans whole milk

2 cups diced celery

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 package salad shrimp, thawed and drained

Saute celery in butter until almost tender. Whisk soup and milk together in crockpot. Stir in celery and corn. Cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, stir in shrimp and continue cooking. If it's too thick, stir in a little more milk but you want it to be thick like chowder. Serves 4 generously; can be easily doubled but use large crockpot.

We have this on Christmas Eve with oyster crackers.

1 cup buttermilk

1 box French Vanilla pudding

Mix in medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add:

16 ounces Cool Whip

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 package Fudge-Striped cookies

This is a recipe that is often made for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a recipe that's not really a recipe, and more like stuff, hence the name. It's at least three generations old now.

2 12-ounce containers Cool Whip

24 ounce container cottage cheese (any variety, lowfat, fat-free, regular)

3 10-ounce cans fruit cocktail

1 12-ounce can crushed or diced pineapple

1 4-ounce box cherry Jello

Drain juice from cans of fruit cocktail and pineapple; mix with 7-up to make favorite virgin cocktail.

Throw everything else together in large container, like a big salad bowl. Mix thoroughly with spoon. For best results, refrigerate overnight.

I serve this as a side dish at holiday dinners, although my husband insists it's a dessert.

4 to 6 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter, cut in small pieces

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg

Mix apples, 1 cup of sugar and cinnamon; place in a greased 8-inch baking dish. Dot with the 1 tablespoon of butter.

Combine topping ingredients; stir until blended then pour over apples. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature   

1/2 sup sugar

1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

48 chocolate kiss candies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar; beating until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into creamed mixture until well mixed.

Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place balls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven; press a chocolate kiss candy into the center of each cookie. Return to oven and bake another 2 minutes or until cookies are light brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Reporter 

½ cup of soft butter

2 Tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 cup of flour

1 cup of finely chopped pecans

Mix ingredients with hands; shape dough into 1 inch balls place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet

Bake at preheated 325 for 20-25 minutes – not brown

Cool on pan 10 minutes and then roll in confectioner sugar; let them sit and roll again in confectioner sugar.

Reporter 

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring

1 cup chopped pecans, divided

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and cream cheese until well blended. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture is blended and will form a smooth dough. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. NOTE: Mixture may be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll into small balls (approximately 24 one-inch balls) and press into the bottoms and sides of ungreased 1-1/2-inch tart pans or mini-muffin pans to make a shallow shell. Use floured fingers to press dough evenly against bottom and up sides of each muffin cup

Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top of dough in muffin or tart tins; set aside.

2 cups (1 pound) firmly-packed light brown sugar

3 eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Dash salt

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In another bowl, mix together brown sugar, eggs, butter, salt, and vanilla.  Use a spoon to fill each of the crusts 2/3 full with the egg filling mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chopped pecans. Bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the pan, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. 

Reporter 

6 cups flour

1-1/2 cups soft butter (3 sticks)

1 teaspoon salt

Mix above ingredients (chop with fork) till coarse

Add:

3 eggs

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4-1/2 tablespoons buttermilk

1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Mix well and refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Dough is very easy to work with on floured surface

Roll out small amount at a time; use floured cookie cutters.   

Makes about 70 medium size cookies

Bake at 350 for 7 minutes

4 teaspoons soft butter

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-3 teaspoons buttermilk for spreadable consistency

 Nancy Ankeny

1 egg

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon oil

Powdered sugar

Heat oil in Fry Baby. Beat egg slightly, add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Heat rosette iron in hot fat; top off excess oil. Dip iron in batter until 2/3 covered. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Note: Be sure to stir batter each time. Makes about 18 cookies.

 Nancy Ankeny

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup heavy cream

4 eggs, separated (save whites)

1-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all but egg whites. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in last. Put 1 tablespoon of dough on hot krumkake iron.

1 cup chopped nuts

1 yellow cake mix

1 3-3/4 ounce instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup rum

1/4 pound butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup rum

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Mix cake ingredients together. Pour over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Drizzle glaze on top and sides. Let absorb.

Glaze: Melt butter. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in rum. Dust with powdered sugar.

This recipe was given to me by Georgia Glenn, a former Star-Tribune employee.

Readers of the Casper Star-Tribune, both print and online, extended family and more than 20 guests at Liz Roth's Saturday Christmas Cookie Exchange in Casper have provided a delightful assortment of cookie recipes.

In addition to the ones in the Dec. 12 Star-Tribune Enjoy! section, here are some bonus ones for you to try.

Enjoy!

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon extract

Add sugar to eggs, then add milk. Sift flour with salt. Stir into egg mixture and beat until smooth (about consistency of heavy cream). Add flavoring. Fry in hot oil in iron molds as directed. Makes approximately 45 to 50 Rosettes.

When cool, or before serving, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or cinnamon-sugar combination. In place of lemon extract, flavor with vanilla, brandy, anise or rum extract.

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon anise seed or extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup sugar

Beat eggs and sugar. Add butter, vanilla and anise. Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Batter will be stiff enough to be dropped by spoon. Spoon onto pizzelle iron and bake. Batter can be refrigerated to be used at a later time.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

1 egg white, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg and milk, beating until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined.

Divide dough in half. Add melted chocolate to half of dough, beating until combined. Wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

To other half of dough, add 2 tablespoons flour, egg yolk and crushed peppermint, beating until combined. Wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll chocolate dough into a 1/4-inch thick (12 by 9-inch) rectangle. Brush with lightly beaten egg white.

On a separate piece of floured parchment paper, roll out peppermint dough into a 1/4-inch thick (12 by 9-inch) rectangle. Place peppermint dough over chocolate dough, trimming edges to fit. Roll up dough, jellyroll fashion, beginning at long end, pressing edges to seal. Wrap dough in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place rounds 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, in batches, for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

1-1/2 cups butter, softened (not melted)

3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour

1-2/3 cups (1 package) white chcolate morsels

Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add flour gradually. Fold in morsels. Bake 1/4-inch balls at 375 for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar on hot cookie sheet. Cool.

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened

1/4 cup teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon maple flavoring, if desired

1 egg

1 egg, separated

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves split in half lengthwise

Frosting:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 cup powdered sugar (or more)

In medium bowl, cream brown sugar and 1/2 cup margarine. Add vanilla, maple flavoring, 1 whole egg, and 1 egg yolk; beat well. By hand, stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Refrigerate dough for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheets. Arrange pecan pieces into groups of 5 on prepared cookie sheets to resemble head and legs of turtle. Beat reserved egg white. Shape rounded teaspoonsful of dough into balls. Dip bottoms into egg white and press lightly onto pecans. Tips of pecans should show. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes or until ight golden brown around edges. (Do not overbake). Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips, milk and 1 tablespoon margarine over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar. If necessary, add additional powdered sugar for spreading consistency. Frost cookies. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

This can be used as a drop cookie, can be used in a cookie press or make into a roll and sliced.

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least one hour. Chill cookie sheets.

Preheat oven to 400. Press dough out onto ungreased, chilled cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven or until lightly golden at the edges. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

1 cup butter

12 ounces chocolate chips

2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 ounce Hershey bar, grated

2-1/2 cups blended oatmeal

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/2 cups chopped nuts

1/2 cup caramel pieces

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add chocolate chips, caramel pieces, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375.

1-1/2 cups dark molasses

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup cold water

1/3 cup shortening

7 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (16-ounce) package chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Lighlty grease one cookie sheet.

Mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Roll dough 1/4-inch thick on floured board. Cut with floured gingerbread cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool and decorate with frosting.

1 14-ounce bag soft caramels

10 ounce bag pretzel nuggets

12 ounces dark chocolate

2 cups chopped nuts

Melt caramel in double boiler. Dip nuggets and let cool. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Dip nuggets in chocolate and then sprinkle with chopped nuts. Let harden and enjoy.

 Brenda Ariosto, Casper

2-1/2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup shortening

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour, then measure. Add soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar. Sift into large bowl. Add shortening to flour mixture. Cut in with pastry blender or two knives until mixture looks like coarse meal. Mix egg, milk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and blend thoroughly. Do not add extra liquid.

Work dough into large ball with hands.

Divide dough into thirds. Roll each third on lightly floured surface until 1/4-inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool and ice, or sprinkle with sugar prior to baking.

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

3-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Sift all dry ingredients. Add alternating with sour cream to wet ingredients. Add vanilla. Spoon onto baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.

1/2 roll (16.5 ounce size) refrigerated sugar cookies

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Frosting:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

4 to 6 teaspoons lemon juice

Green food color

30 small candy canes

In a large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add flour; mix with hands until well blended. Shape dough into 10-inch log; wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350. Remove dough from freezer. Flatten dough down center with handle of wooden spoon. To form boot shape, with fingers, flatten one side of log until about 1-4-inch thick. Cut long into 3/8-inch thick slices; place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with fingers.

Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, butter and enough lemon juice for desired spreading consistency. In another small bowl, reserve 1/3 of frosting; add green food color and blend well. Place green frosting in resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off one small corner of bag.

Frost cookies with white frosting. Place small amount of white frosting along bottom edge of each cookie; attach candy canes to form "skate blades," breaking off portion of tip on curved end, if necessary. With green frosting, pipe laces and bows on skates. Makes 30 cookies.

1 stick butter

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 (14 oounce) pkg. caramels

1 pound bag large marshmallows

Rice Krispies cereal

Melt butter, milk and caramels together - cool slightly.

Dip marshmallows in caramel sauce and roll in Rice Krispies. Place on waxed paper to cool.

(From "Farm Journal Christmas Book," 1970)

Delicate texture, fresh lemon flavor

1 cup sifted flour

1/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar

1/2 cup butter

 3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, beaten until light and lemon colored

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Combine 1cup flour and 1/4 cup confectioners sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Pat mixture evenly into 9 by 9-inch pan.  Bake @ 350 degrees 15 minutes, cool.

Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour and baking powder. Add beaten eggs; blend throughly. Then add lemon juice, rind, and coconut. Spread this mixture on crust. 

Bake @ 350 degrees 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool. Sprinkle lightly with confectioner's sugar.  Makes 32, 2 by 1-inch bars.

5 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (or light cream cheese)

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and brown sugar; add flour and nuts and mix. Set aside 1 cup of mixture for topping. Press remainder in bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. In a bowl, blend granulated sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Add egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat well. Spread over bottom crust and sprinkle with reserved topping. Return to oven and bake 25 minutes more. Cool, then chilll and cut into triangles. Recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9 by 13-inch pan.

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice

1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 cup margarine

1 egg

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped almonds (toasted)

Drain pineapple well, reserve 1/2 cup juice. Beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, pineapple and reserved 1/2 cup juice. Combine remaining ingredients; blend into pineapple mixture.

Drop by heaping tablespoonsful onto greased cookie sheets. Shape with back of spoon. Bake in 350 oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

1/2 cup soft shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 cups moist mincemeat

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups quick or old-fashioned uncooked oats

Pecan halves for top of cookies

Preheat oven to 350.

Blend shortening and sugar until creamy.

Add egg and mincemeat, beat well.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture.

Mix well and stir in oats.

Drop from a teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes.

1/2 cup orange juice

1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Beat until smooth.

Brush each cookie after they have cooled with this mixture and press a pecan half on each one. Makes 4 dozen.

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup each milk chocolate and white vanilla baking chips

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars, beat in egg and sour cream, stir and add vanilla. Combine all dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 until set, about 12 to 14 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 packages (3.4 ounces each) lemon instant pudding mix

1/2 cup walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl, beat shortening at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs; beat until smooth.

In large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and pudding mix (dry); gradually add to shortening mixture, beating well. Add nuts, stir.

Drop teaspoonful of dough on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet; transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 5-1/2 dozen cookies.