The Night Before Christmas Cookies

For almost 30 years now, I have been the Christmas Cookie Queen.  As a young mother, I wanted an inexpensive way to celebrate family and friends at the holidays. 

I discovered that people began to look forward to my christmas goodie bags.  Folks often commented they were special because 'people just don't take the time anymore'.

We  usually get together on Christmas Eve, so everyone had goodies to nibble while assembling trikes with missing parts, trying to get the 4 yr old back in bed one more time, or something festive with the first cup of coffeeChristmas morning.

My food allergies now keep me from holiday baking, even for others.  So, this year, my gift to you will be all the well loved and dog-eared recipes of Christmases past.  You don't need to make all of these to create a well loved goodie bag, choose your favorites and rotate them year by year.

Merry Christmas to all!


Drinks:  Fill canning jars with drink mix and tie with a ribbon.

Christmas Capuccino
Spicy Winter Tea
A bottle of non-alcoholic apple cider is a great addition too, especially for families/kids.

Breads:  Using small loaf pans or muffin tins make perfect snack sized quick breads.

Pumpkin Bread
Other quick breads like Banana and Zucchini go over well too!

Candy: The holy trinity of Christmas in our family has long been fudge, caramel corn and brittle.

See's Fudge (really from See's!)
Microwave Caramel Corn
Microwave Peanut Brittle
Magic Wands

Cookies: Take the time to ice and decorate your cutouts.  It doesn't have to be fancy! 

Date Pinwheels (Date Nut Bars)
Gingerbread People
Natchez Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Shortbread Cutouts
Spritz

Snacks: By the handful.

Snack Mix
Puppy Chow

Spreads:  Can in smaller jars to spread the love as far as possible.  Any deep stockpot will work fine for boiling water canning.

Apple Jelly
Pumpkin Butter

Bringing Christmas dessert?  Try Jen's Pumpkin Pie.

Vegetables Even Kids Will Eat?  It's just not Christmas without Trees 'n Cheese.

Fruit juice jelly

I always loved apple jelly, but any 100% fruit juice/blend works.

4 C unsweetened apple juice
1/4 C lemon juice
1 1 3/4oz pkg powdered fruit pectin
4 1/2 C sugar

Pour juices into heavy pot.  Sprinkle with pectin and let stand for 1-2 minutes, stir to dissolve.  Bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.  Stir in sugar and return to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently.  Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle into half pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Process in boiling water for 5 minutes, remove jars and let cool until set.

Spritz cookies

You don't have to have a cookie press to make these buttery cookies.  Just drop dough by spoonfuls and flatten slightly with a spoon.  It's important to use butter, not spreads, and to keep the dough at room temperature if you are using a press.  If the dough seems too soft for a cookie dough, it's just right.  (Trust me, broken many a press forcing dough on a cold day!)

1 1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 t baking powder
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3 1/2 C flour

Beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and baking powder, beat until combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can, stir in the rest.

Force dough through cookie press onyo ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 about 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown.  Cool on wire rack.  Dip tops in icing, sprinkle with colored sugar while icing is still wet.


Powdered Sugar Icing

1 C powdered sugar
1/4 t vanilla
1 T milk, juice or water (I like lemon juice on spritz!)

Magic Wands

Don't think these are just for kids... the sweet and salty combination is highly addictive!

Pretzel Rods
Candyquik - candy coating

Melt coating according to package directions.  Dip pretzels, using a spoon to coat evenly if needed.  Set on waxed paper to cool.  If decorating with sprinkles, add them before the coating hardens.  After hardening, you can drizzle a little coating over the top - try drizzling white chocolate coating over a dark chocolate coated pretzel.  Yum.

Gingerbread Cutouts

If you are making more than one kind of cookie, make this dough first and refrigerate it while making the other kind.  Refrigeration makes the dough easier to handle.  Doubling the recipe gives you enough dough for a gingerbread house.

1/2 C shortening
1/2 C sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t ground ginger
1/2 baking soda
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 C molasses
1 egg
1 T vinegar
2 1/2 C flour

Beat shortening with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add all dry ingredients except flour and beat til combined.  Beat in molasses, egg and vinegar until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can, stirring in the rest.

Divide dough in half, cover and chill about 3 hours or until easy to handle.

Roll out the dough to a scant 1/2 inch for cutting.  Bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.


Decorate with store bought icings or:

Powdered Sugar Icing

1 C powdered sugar
1/4 t vanilla
1 T milk, juice, water (I use milk with shortbread, and lemon juice with gingerbread and spritz)

Mix all ingredients well. Add powdered sugar or liquid to desired consistency. A thin glaze works great for dipping cookies while a thicker consistency makes it spreadable.

Shortbread Cookie Cutouts

I always liked these buttery cutouts much better than sugar cookies.  Recipe can be doubled, tripled, whatever you can work with!

2 C flour
1 C powdered sugar
1 C butter, softened to room temperature

Mix thoroughly.  Roll to 1/2 inch, cut and bake at 350 til edges lightly browned.


Decorate with store bought icings or:

Powdered Sugar Icing

1 C powdered sugar
1/4 t vanilla
1 T milk, juice, water  (I use milk with shortbread, and lemon juice with gingerbread and spritz)

Mix all ingredients well.  Add powdered sugar or liquid to desired consistency.  A thin glaze works great for dipping cookies while a thicker consistency makes it spreadable.

Pumpkin Bread

I enjoy memories of my Mom making this bread for me to give to my teachers each year.  Can be made in a regular sized loaf pan, or divided into smaller pans - just shorten your baking time accordingly.

3 C flour
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/8 t ginger or cloves
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
2 C sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 C canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 C walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease pan.  Mix dry ingredients with wire whisk until light and completely combined.  Combine oil and sugar, mix well.  Mix dry ingredients into wet.  Add eggs, pumpkin, nuts and mix well.  Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 55 minutes.

Snack Mix

2 T Worcestershire sauce
6 T butter
1 1/2 t seasoned salt
3/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
9 C cereal squares (mix 'em up!)
1 C mixed nuts
1 C pretzels
1 C cheese crackers, bite sized bagel chips, whatever you like

Heat oven to 250.  Melt butter in large roasting pan, stir in seasonings.  Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated.  Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Spread on paper towels to cool.  Store in airtight container.

Date Pinwheels (aka Date Nut Bars)

When Steve was a kid, his Mom made these great cookies at Christmas.  They were called 'date nut bars'.  I looked and looked and looked for similar recipes so I could add them to our Christmas cookie tradition.

Turns out they are actually called "Date Pinwheels" and are from the 'red & white cookbook', also known as the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

Filling:
1 8oz pkg pitted, whole dates, finely snipped (I cheat and buy the 'chopped' pkg!)
1/2 C water
1/3 C sugar
2 T lemon juice
1/2 t vanilla
(Optional - Steve thinks his Mom added walnuts to the filling - you can too!)

Cookie:
1/2 C shortening
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 egg
3 T milk
1 t vanilla
3 C all purpose flour

For filling, combine dates, water and the 1/3C sugar.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, cook and stir until thick (about 2 minutes).  Stir in lemon juice and the 1/2 t vanilla.  Set aside to cool.

Beat shortening and butter together on high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the remaining sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, beat until combined.  Beat in the egg, milk and remaining vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in remaining flour by hand.  Divide dough in half, cover and chill until easy to handle (at least an hour).

Roll half the dough in between pieces of waxed paper into a 12x10 inch rectangle.  Spread with half of the filling.  Roll up dough starting with a long side, moisten edge to seal.  Wrap and chill for 2-24 hours.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Grease cookie sheet.  Cut rolls* into 1/4 inch slices, place slices 1 inch apart on sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or edges are lightly brown.  Cool on wire rack.  Makes about 5 dozen.

*Jen's tip:  Use thread or dental floss to slice - knives will just make a mess! 
Use a 12 inch length of thread, place the center of the thread under the roll where you want to slice it.  Bring the ends up and over the top of the roll, quickly pull ends in opposite directions to tighten the loop - it will slice the dough as it tightens.

Spicy Winter Tea

Nothing better (or faster!) on a cold winter morning than this spicy tea.

1 1/4C orange drink mix
1C sweetened instant tea
1/2t ground cloves
1/2t ground allspice
1t ground cinnamon
.23oz package lemonade drink mix
3oz package apricot gelatin
sugar to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Store in airtight container.

To serve:
1/4C mix
1C hot water

Mix thoroughly and enjoy!

Christmas Cappuccino

This recipe can be adjusted proportionately.  A full recipe will fill a couple gallon zipper bags, and give everyone on your list a little taste of Christmas.

6C instant chocolate drink mix
16C dry milk
4C powdered sugar
3C instant coffee granules
15 oz jar flavored non-dairy creamer (family favorites are peppermint or hazelnut)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Store in airtight containers.

To serve:
1/3C mix
1C hot water

Mix thoroughly and enjoy!

Buffalo Wontons

Dave may have a more formal source for this recipe... but it's pretty straighforward!  We used 4 pieces of chicken to a package of 48 wontons and ended up with a little chicken left over. 

Boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Hot Sauce (We used Franks Red Hot - takes about 4-6 cups)
Wonton skins
Blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing

Put chicken breasts in a crock pot, cover with hot sauce, and cook until chicken falls apart.  Place chicken in a large bowl, shred into small pieces and let cool slightly.  Add sauce from the crockpot as needed to keep the chicken from being too dry.

Heat frying oil to 350-375.  While oil is heating, assemble the wontons.  Directions for filling/sealing wontons skins are on the package label.  We put chicken only in the wontons, but you could also add cheese.  When the oil comes to temperature, start frying in batches to a golden brown.

Serve with blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Pumpkin butter

1 29oz can pumpkin

2/3C apple juice (or cider)
1 1/2 C sugar
2t ground ginger
1/2t ground cloves
2t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon into clean jars to within 1/4 inch from the top, run a knife through to remove air bubbles. Wipe rims, cover with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 4 pint jars.

Wheat Free - Alternate Flours

There is a reason why wheat, rice, and corn are the world's most popular grains.  For those who have to avoid them, it can be a challenge to find adequate replacements.  For smaller uses like sauce thickening, each item can be used on it's own.  Usually, it takes a combination of alternate flours to get similar effects for larger quantities like in baking.  Here are some combinations I've found useful:


Jo's All Purpose Flour, from Food Allergy Survival Guide
(The flour I use to make Chapatis)


3C tapioca starch
2C bean flour
2C sorghum flour
1C arrowroot


All Purpose Flour, from Cooking Free

1 1/2C sorghum flour
1/2C bean flour
1 1/2C potato starch
1 C tapioca starch


Bread Flour, from Allergen Free Baking

1 1/2C buckwheat flour (not actually related to wheat!)
1 1/2C sorghum flour
2C tapioca starch
1C potato starch


Muffin Mix, from Cooking Free

4C potato starch
3 1/3C bean flour
1C sorghum flour
1C tapioca starch
2C sugar
4t gelatin powder
3 1/2t salt