Baking at Christmas Time

I love making cookies, candy and bars at Christmas. One of the traditions we have in my family is where we have a day that we all get together and bake cookies. It's nice because we get to spend time together and eat some yummy sweets also. We make the deserts for a bake sale that my Grandma's church has. The money goes to a good cause. Here are some of my favorite Christmas recipes.

Santa's Stockings

Cookies

½ cup sugar
½ cup margarine or butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
10 to 12 drops red or green food color

Frosting

½ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons margarine or butter, softened
2 teaspoons milk

In large bowl, combine sugar, ½ cup margarine, vanilla and egg; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add food color; blend evenly into dough.* Divide dough in half; place each half on sheet of waxed paper. Shape each half into a log 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper; refrigerate ½ hour.

To create stocking shape, carefully mold each log into a slant "L" shape.** Rewrap; refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375 F. Cut dough into 1/8 - inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 F. for 5 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets; cool completely.

In small bowl, combine all frosting ingredients; beat until smooth. Frost as desired. Let stand until frosting is set. Store in loosely covered container.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Tips: *If desired, divide dough in half before adding food color so you can have red and green cookies. **The handle of a wooden spoon works well when shaping the cookie log into the "L" or stocking shape.

Chocolate Pecan Angels

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets. Combine chips, pecans and powdered sugar in medium bowl. Add egg white; mix well. Drop batter by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 11 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 1 minute. Remove cookies to wire racks; cool completely.

Make about 3 dozen cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup sugar
½ cup Peanut Butter
½ cup undiluted evaporated milk
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line large cookie sheets with foil.

In medium bowl, stir sugar and peanut butter until well blended. Stir in evaporated milk, chips and nuts until well mixed.

Drop batter by heaping teaspoons 1 ½ inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Spread batter evenly into 2-inch rounds.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on foil on wire racks. Peel foil from cookies.

Makes about 3 ½ dozen cookies

Microwave Cashew Crunch

1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup cashews or peanuts
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Microwave Directions: Line cookie sheet with foil; lightly butter foil. In 8-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar and corn syrup. Microwave on High for 4 minutes; stir. Add cashews; blend well. Microwave on High for 3 ½ to 4 ½ minutes or until mixture is light brown; stir in butter and vanilla. Microwave on High for 1 minute. Add baking soda; stir quickly to blend. Pour immediately onto buttered, foil-lined cookie sheet, spreading mixture quickly with wooden spoon. Cool 30 minutes; break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Makes about 15 ounces

Carmel Nut Candy Bars

8 ounces (about 30) caramels
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (12-ounce) can (2 ½ cups) peanuts

Lightly grease 8-inch square pan. In top of double boiler, combine caramels and milk. Cook over hot water until caramels are melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add margarine; mix well. Stir in powdered sugar; beat by hand until smooth. Stir in peanuts. With buttered fingers, press mixture in greased pan. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until firm; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Makes about 18 bars

Microwave Directions: Lightly grease 8-inch square pan. In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels and 1 tablespoon milk. Microwave on Medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until caramels are melted, stirring every 2 minutes. Continue as directed above.

Those are my five favorite desert recipes that we make at Christmas. I hope that you will enjoy them as much as do. Happy Holidays.