Bacon-wrapped Cocktail Sausages

During the holiday season, we have many occasions to serve appetizers. Here's a tasty number that is simple to prepare and a great addition to the appetizer buffet table.

• 1 package cocktail smoked sausage links (500 g or 1 pound)
• 1 lb bacon, any kind 
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, not packed  

1. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
2. Spray 9x13 inch oven-proof pan with cooking oil.
3. Open package of bacon and cut the entire slab into thirds.
4. Wrap a third of a slice of bacon around each cocktail sausage.
5. Place each bacon wrapped sausage in pan, crowding them together to fit in pan.
6. Spread brown sugar over entire surface.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, basting with 'drippings' several times to dissolve the sugar.
8. Cook until sugar is completely melted and bacon is thoroughly cooked.
9. Remove cocktail sausages to serving platter, using toothpicks to serve as appetizers.

Serves 10.

We enjoyed these tasty little morsels at our MGCC Christmas party over the weekend...along with so many other wonderful eats and treats.
  

 If you need an idea for a festive way to serve cheese...

...here's a simple one!

We have had a good time getting to know one another these past few years...

but at our Christmas party we realized that we don't know each other all that well after all.

We played a MGCC trivia game...

the object being to find someone in our group (or their spouse) 

who could answer to each of the statements.

It took awhile...

and we needed a few clues...

and eventually Kathy came up with all the correct answers.

I'll post the game below...

just in case you wish to get to know us a little better.

1.     I once fell into a manure pit. ~ Julie

2.     I drove a dump truck short distances for my dad before I started  school at age 5. ~ Harv (Bev)

3.    I played in a band at Disneyland.  ~ Kathy

4.     I fear water more than I fear heights. ~Anneliese

5.     I rode an Enduro bike with Jake brakes. ~ Marg

6.     I coached football. ~ John (Betty)

7.     I once had a sea lion come to visit me in my backyard on July 1^st…it swam up the drainage ditch. ~ Elmer (Judy)

8.     I once kayaked through the Cayes and jungles of Belize for over 2 weeks, camping each night. ~Bev

9.     The first job I took was assisting the town drunk hitchhike.  He told me that he would get a ride easier if he had kids with him. He paid me a few coins for standing with him.  ~Terry (Lovella)

10.   I ran a leg with the Olympic torch in the 1984 Olympics. ~Greg (Ellen)

11.   I had a blood transfusion at birth. ~ Betty

12.   My first car was a 4-door ‘47 Mercury flathead V8 with suicide doors and a honeymoon shifter 3-speed. ~ John (Marg)

13.   I weighed in at 13 pounds when I was born. ~Herb (Anneliese)

14.   I speak three languages and two dialects fluently. ~Tony (Charlotte)

15.   I was attacked by a snowflake eel while snorkeling in Hawaii. ~Judy

16.   I skipped the second grade and was always younger than my classmates. ~ Ellen

17.   I designed and made the prototype for fiberglass floats for Conair water planes. ~Vic (Julie)

18.   I used to play accordion. ~Scot (Kathy)

19.   I have travelled to 21 countries. ~Charlotte

20.  I was once the fastest runner of all the girls in my school and competed in the Provincial Games. ~Lovella

Who knew?

Enjoy the weekend...

and these last few days before Christmas!

Caramel Popcorn Twists

My sister Norma told me that I had to try this recipe, 'addictive' she said. Is that good I wondered. But I couldn't pass it up and decided to go for it. I bought a bag of popcorn twists and started cooking.
It is 'addictive' just like she said. Share with others and consume in small amounts (if you can), it's all good.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• I tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1- 175 g bag of popcorn twists.

Directions:

1. Pour popcorn twists into a large roaster pan and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, bring to boil butter, sugar, and syrup. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add baking soda, this will foam up and the mixture will thicken. Allow the foam to cook down slightly and remove from heat.
4. Add vanilla and stir.
5. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn twists and stir until well mixed.
6. Bake in a 225º oven for 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and pour in a large pan to cool.
8. When cool break apart and store in a covered container.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

The other day I was having coffee with Terry's aunt Wendy and she told me about the cookies she had brought to her cookie exchange. . .I just had to try making some like them, they sounded like they would be as pretty as they would taste.

Chocolate Peppermint Drop Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 farm fresh egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup hot coffee. . or water
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons crushed candy canes

1. Cream the butter with the sugar.
2. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat well.
3. In a small bowl, combine the hot coffee and the cocoa and stir until no lumps remain.
4. After it has completely cooled, add to the sugar mixture.
5. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture.
6. Add the chocolate chips and the crushed candy canes.
7. Drop by a small ice cream scoop onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for about 8 minutes for little cookies at 350. The shiny spot in the middle of the cookie should have gone dull. . .but don't wait longer than that to remove them from the oven.
9. Melt 1 cup each of chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
10. Put the melted chocolate in a zip loc bag or cake decorating bag and cut a small hole in the corner to squeeze the chocolate onto the cookie as shown.
11. Sprinkle a little bit of crushed candy cane on top of each cookie while the chocolate is still melted.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen small cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

When my children were young, during the Advent season, they could each pick there favorite Christmas cookie and bake with me. I found baking separately with them more helpful than having them all in the kitchen with me at the same time (it is my turn to crack the egg, how come she always gets too) and I think they did too, and it builds lasting positive memories for everyone. Our son usually picked this recipe. Now he would much rather just eat the cookies than help me bake them.

• 3/4 cup softened butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour sifted with
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• extra sugar to roll the cookies in

1. Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars well.
2. Add the egg and vanilla, beat again.
3. Add the flour mixture and mix well.
4. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Form round ball from about one inch.
6. Roll balls in sugar and place on un-greased baking sheets.
7. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. (I do 10).
8. When they come out of the oven, immediately place a chocolate kiss, rose bud or macaroon on top. They will melt and then when cooled completely they have become one with the cookie and stay in place.

HAPPY BAKING

Peppermint Pretties

This is one of those recipes that 'happened by mistake'...and has become an annual favorite.  We were served these tasty little peppermint morsels at a Christmas open-house many years ago.  The hostess kindly gave out the recipe. I thought I had copied it out wrong since the butter was missing...so I added half a cup of butter. The cookies were delightful and I have made them every Christmas since.  I later discovered that there really was no butter in the original version...but I'm sticking to my updated recipe.  Everything tastes better with butter.  Right?  These freeze well and taste great straight from the freezer.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Cream softened butter and sugar.
2. Add cream, egg and peppermint extract; beat until smooth.
3. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Chill dough for at least one hour.
5. Roll out to about 1/4" thick and cut with tiny cookie cutters.
6. Bake at 350°F for 5-6 or until bottoms begin to brown.
7. Drizzle with peppermint frosting. (For pale green icing add food colouring.)
8. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, if desired.

 Peppermint Frosting:

• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. Beat softened butter until smooth and creamy. 
2. Add powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract. Beat until smooth.
3. Add a little more milk if necessary in order to drizzle the icing.

Yield: 10 dozen 1 1/2" cookies.

*Tip ~ Put icing into a Ziploc bag, snip the corner and drizzle over the cookies.

Have you done any Christmas baking yet? 

PS From all of us to all of you who are celebrating Thanksgiving today...Happy Thanksgiving!

Fruitcake Scones

I like fruitcake, am I in the minority? I do have my favorite fruitcake though which I bake for Christmas. I also love the green glazed and red maraschino with nuts in these scones. A perfect addition to a Christmas brunch.

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1/4 cup glazed green cherries, diced
• 1/4 cup red maraschino cherries, diced
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup almonds, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until it's like coarse crumbs.
3. Fold fruits and nuts into the flour mixture until coated.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, cream, and extracts.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry just until blended.
6. Turn dough out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, knead just until dough comes together in a ball. 
7. Flatten dough into a pie shaped circle, approximately 1 inch in thickness and cut into 12 wedges or more depending on the size of pieces you want. 
8. Bake in a 400º oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned.
9. Serve plain with butter, cream cheese, or Devonshire cream. Or drizzle with icing and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Glazed Honey Cookies

Some of you may recognize this Christmas cookie. Our moms and grandmothers went to some work mixing up their large recipes of spiced and glazed cookies, but once they were done and stored away in a cool place, they kept for a long time. In fact, I find they taste better as they age and they do not take up freezer space. Although a recipe for honey cookies with a quick glaze method has already been posted, I'm sharing this one for variation (it does not have baking ammonia) and gives you the option of a boiled glaze. This recipe is cut in half already to make it more user friendly. It still makes 8 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups butter, room temp
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups sour cream
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground star anise
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves or allspice 

Glaze

• 2 cups sugar

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 egg whites

Method:

1. Beat butter, gradually adding sugar, then honey, eggs and sour cream, beating well after each addition.
2. Mix baking powder, soda and spices into some of the flour and add to wet ingredients
3. Continue adding flour 1 cup at a time (this can be done in a kitchen machine with a dough hook) until mixed thoroughly. Dough will be on the soft side, like a cookie batter.
4. Pat top smooth with spatula and refrigerate overnight or up to a few days.
5. Lightly grease and flour aluminum cookie sheets. Tilt cookie sheets and tap end to distribute the flour evenly.
6. Divide dough into quarters. Dust rolling mat or counter with flour. Taking one quarter portion at a time, using both hands, roll into a thick, 24 inch long roll, then cut into 1 inch slices and roll each slice into a ball.
7. Bake at 375° F for about 12 minutes on upper rack of oven - no lower than center of oven. Check bottom of cookie for light browning before taking out of oven. You don't want to over bake them but you also don't want the top to sink.
8. Cool on wire racks.

Glazing

1. Line cookie sheets with wax paper.
2. In a medium sized glass bowl, beat egg whites with hand mixer until almost stiff. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, between low and medium heat, bring sugar and water to boil, stirring often. When sugar has completely dissolved, liquid clears up and bubbles even while stirring, set timer to 3 minutes. Continue cooking at most one minute until you see only bubbles throughout, as you stir. Liquid should drip off the spoon like syrup. (soft ball stage)
4. With mixer on, slowly pour hot syrup into beaten egg whites and beat for about 3 - 4 minutes until thick and glossy when you lift the beater.
5. Now, be ready to work quickly without distractions, because the glaze can dry on you. Scoop some glaze up in your left hand fingers to coat bottom of cookie and hold it in place. Scoop some more with your right hand fingers and coat top, smoothing with index finger. Cover the entire cookie with a thin layer of glaze and slide onto wax paper, not touching other cookies.
6. Allow to dry on wax paper for several hours - may need to leave overnight if still tacky when you lift them.

Assessing glaze texture:  

I thought I'd show you the goal of what the glaze should look like. When it's cooked the right amount of time it goes on easy, and dries smoothly.

If the glaze is cooked too little it will be easy to coat, but take a long time to dry into a hard icing. If you have undercooked the glaze, you will notice that it does not thicken as you beat it with the egg white.  You may redeem it by adding a tablespoon of cornstarch and keep beating a few minutes more.

If the glaze is cooked too long, it will dry quickly as you are glazing the cookies. It may end up being  grainy, making it impossible to achieve that smooth finish. It helps to moisten your hands. The taste will still be good, just not as easy to work with. It may me easier to start again, cooking a minute less on your next try.

Raisin Apple Braids

These would make a nice gift for your neighbours. 

 Depending on the size you want, you can divide the dough to make 3 or 4 braids. I photographed them as Christmas gifts but of course you can make them any time of year and freeze the extras if you like. The recipe comes from the 1968 Pillsbury Bake Off Breads Cook Book.

• 6 1/2 - 7 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 eggs

Raisin Apple Filling

• 2 1/2 cups peeled, finely chopped apple
• 1 cup chopped raisins (I use sultanas. rinsed well through a sieve)
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (opt.)

1. In large mixer bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and dry yeast.
2. In 4 cup glass measuring cup, microwave milk and butter until milk is warm and butter has begun to melt. (or warm it in a saucepan on the stove)
3. Add warm milk to mixing bowl and mix on low
4. Add slightly beaten eggs and continue to mix until well moistened.
5. Mix for 3 minutes.
6. Change to dough hook and then add remaining flour to make a stiff dough.
7. Continue to mix or knead by hand for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
8. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top.
9. Cover and let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size. (I usually do this in the oven which I have warmed to 170 degrees and then turned off.)
10. Line 2 cookie sheets (with edges) with parchment paper.
11. Prepare Apple Raisin Filling: In saucepan, combine all filling ingredients except pecans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil at least 5 minutes, stirring frequently or until it thickens somewhat. Cool
12. Punch down dough and divide in half. (or into 3 sections)
13. Roll each section into a rectangle and place on cookie sheet.
14. Spread centre third of each rectangle with Raisin Apple Filling (see picture below).
15. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough diagonally at 1 inch intervals on both sides of filling.
16. Fold opposite strips of dough over filling, crossing in centre. (see picture below)
17. Seal ends of each braid.
18. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size.
19. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
20. Remove to racks and cool.
21. Ice and decorate as desired.

German Gingerbread Cookies

Ah! All I had to do was take a whiff of the spices that go into these cookies and I was transported into something that spelled Weihnachten! Leise Rieselt der Schnee may as well have been playing in the background. This is a recipe I stopped making once our kids got older, but it's fun to bring it back with little ones around again.  

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, soft
• 1/4 cup Crisco
• 1 1/4 cup honey
• 3 eggs
• 6 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons Lebkuchen or Spekulatius Gewuerz*
• 1 teaspoon ground star anise
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

* These gingerbread spices can be purchased (as a pkg) from a European Deli. In Chilliwack  you can find Abstwinder Lebkuchen Gewuerz at Hofstede's Country Barn, imported from Calgary. The spices are a combination of coriander, cinnamon, cloves,anise, nutmeg, star anise, fennel, cardamom. In Abbotsford you can find Lebkuchen Gewuerz at the Windmill Deli.

Method:

1. In mixing bowl cream butter and Crisco. Add eggs and honey, beating in well.
2. Stir in combined dry ingredients. Using a kitchen machine such as a Kitchen Aid with a hook attachment is helpful.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days to let flavors blend.
4. Preheat oven to 350° F and prepare baking sheets by greasing - or line with parchment paper.
5. Let dough sit at room temp for about 15 minutes. Divide into three parts.
6. Lightly dust work surface with flour and work dough into a flat round shape by turning and using the heel of your hand. Roll out, using a fine dusting of flour, to dinner plate size. About 1/3 inch thickness. Cut with desired cookie shapes. 
7. Bake for 9 minutes or until lightly browned underneath. Ice or decorate with Boiled Icing.
8. Store in airtight container in cool place. The cookies just get better as they age. 
9. Yield: 24 large gingerbread men plus approximately 20 regular sized cookies, such as star shapes.

Boiled sugar-meringue icing ( make 2 times for 4 dozen cookies)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg white

1. In a medium glass bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form when you lift beater. Set aside.
2. In saucepan, over low / medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil, while stirring.
3. Once it keeps boiling, even while stirring, set timer on 3 minutes.
4. Keep stirring, while liquid becomes totally bubbly, making sure sugar does not harden on sides of pot. Stir until it begins to feel slightly syrupy, about 2 - 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Slowly, pour into beaten egg white, while mixer is going. (I hold a hand mixer with my right hand and pour hot liquid with my left.) 
6. Beat for about 2 minutes, until glossy and stiff. Fill piping bag if you wish to outline, or spread by teaspoons onto cookies, using the back of the spoon to smooth. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles while wet. Allow to dry until hard. (several hours or overnight)

Hint: this icing can dry quickly, so cover any icing left in the bowl with a wet tea towel. If icing becomes slightly crusty, add a tsp of water and beat with mixer for a few seconds.

Butter Tarts

Before Christmas I love sitting down with my mom's book of 

hand written recipes to decide which ones I'll be making.

Every year without fail I make these butter tarts.

Each pretty pastry shell is filled with golden raisins

and topped with brown sugar buttery goodness.

Ingredients for filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup golden raisins, plumped

Method:

1. Beat very soft butter, brown sugar and egg together until creamy.
2. Add salt and vanilla.
3. Pour boiling water over raisins. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Drain well.
4. Do not add to filling. Once you have the pastry shells made, place raisins into each shell. This will keep them uniform.

Pastry: this is Lovella's favorite pastry recipe that came from our friend Dorothy, but you can use your favourite pastry recipe. 

• 5 cups flour
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pound lard
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• water

Method for Pastry:

1. Measure flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a large bowl.
2. Cut in cold lard until you lard is broken up into pea sized pieces.
3. In a glass measuring cup beat 1 egg well. Add vinegar and then enough cold water to make 1 cup.
4. Pour water mixture over flour mixture and stir, incorporating all the dry ingredients. Use your hands to pull the dough together into a ball. 
5. Sprinkle some flour on your counter or pastry mat. Roll out 1/3 of the dough fairly thin. Using a cup or fluted cookie cutter, but out rounds and place into lightly greased tart tins.
6. To ensure that each tart gets the approximately the same amount of raisins, I spoon the raisins into the bottom of each unbaked shell. (About 5-8 raisins, depending on the size of your shells.
7. Pour the butter tart filling over each raisin filled shell.
8. Bake at 375º for 18-20 minutes. Let rest in pan for 5 minutes then remove to cooling rack.

This filling recipe makes 2 dozen tarts. I often double or triple the recipe as they freeze well for several months. You will have left over pastry. Shape into discs or line a pie plate or two. Wrap well and freeze.

Toffee Drops

Years ago my friend Debbi, who also happened to be my son's teacher at the time, shared this recipe with me. Our family loves these and it's made every Christmas by at least one of us.
It is a super simple easy recipe and can be put together quickly. What takes the longest is unwrapping the toffee pieces. This toffee used to come in a bar but I can't find those anymore.

• 16 pieces of toffee, I use Mackintosh's toffee.
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups Special K cereal, you can use rice crispies

1. Chop toffee pieces, add to cream and butter in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Melt in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds just until mixture is smooth. 
3. Stir into special k cereal and mix well.
4. Drop by spoonfuls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. You have to work quickly before the mixture hardens.
5. Let cool and store in a covered container in a cool place. Who am I kidding, I doubt they will make it that far.
6. Yield: 1 dozen

Angel Kisses (Alfajores)

This cookie has a ‘melt in your mouth’ kind of texture, like shortbread. The filling is cooked sweetened condensed milk, also known as dulce de leche, if purchased in a jar. The recipe came from a friendly neighbor, who invited me for coffee when I was a newly wed. I loved the cookies because the filling was just like what we used to spread on our bread when we lived in South America. I found out that they were quite a bit of work to make when I made them for our daughter’s first birthday, so I decided that they would be Christmas cookies and eventually we ended up calling them angel kisses, because we did not know the real name.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soft butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups cornstarch
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• flaked coconut

Method:

1. Put unopened can of sweetened condensed milk, standing up, in a pot of water, water coming up about 3/4 of the way. Bring water to boil and simmer for 11/2 hours. Add water if needed. Cool completely in fridge. Good if you can do this the day ahead. I like this method because the dulce tastes fresh and creamy. If you prefer, you can use 1 jar purchased Dulce de Leche. 
2. This cookie recipe has no liquids, so I find it is very important to use very soft butter, but not melted. I take it out of the fridge the night before. It also helps to use a large mixer that has a dough (hook) attachment.
3. Beat butter until very creamy. Beat in the yolks. 
4. Mix sugar and lemon rind, then add to creamed mixture, along with vanilla. 
5. Stir in cornstarch and combined other dry ingredients (using hook attachment if you have) until smooth. Shape into ball.
6. Taking about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll out on floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
7. Cut with small, round cookie cutter or tomato paste can. 
8. Place on floured cookie sheets and bake at 350° F for about 8 min. Do not over bake. Cookies should just be starting to get color on the underside, not on top. Cool.
9. Stick two cookies together with cooked sweetened condensed milk, spreading the sides (edges) as well and rolling them in coconut. 
10. Freeze to set. Store in air tight container in freezer and beware if someone in your family likes eating them frozen! Yields 4 dozen cookies 

Pfeffernuesse ~ Flashback Friday

Years later, so many things have changed.  When I looked at my last post in 2009, I realized that I made this with my sister. It's obvious that it's Flashback Friday again. Now I'm starting all over and introducing this wonderful recipe to my dear little grandaughters who visit regularly.  And today, you get to see them in action.  It brings so much laughter and joy into our lives to watch these young ones pronounce PFEFFERNUSSE!

Step One:

• 1 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon cardamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons /15 grams Neunerlei Lebkuchen Gewurz (this is a gingerbread spice purchased at a Delicatessen) I ordered them from the Edelweiss Delicatessen in Calgary this year, as no one else carried them in our town. 

1. Warm honey in microwave or stovetop and add sugar and spices.
2. Cool mixture to room temperature.

Step Two:

• 1 cup margarine
• 1/3 cup sour cream

1. Melt margarine and add sour cream.
2. Now add to cooled honey mixture.

Step Three:

• 6 cups flour (add up to 1/2 cup more if needed to make a heavy dough )
• 3 teaspoons baking soda

1. Sift together flour and baking soda and add the above honey mixture and mix well.
2. I blend flour and soda into an electric mixing bowl.
3. I usually use my kneading hook, as this dough is heavy. One time I broke my cookie beaters.
4. Place in fridge overnight to cool. 

Step Four:

1. To bake, grease cookie sheets
2. Roll dough into rolls (snakes) and slice.(thickness of your index finger)
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake for 9 minutes. Just slightly browned.
4. When baked, leave cookies on sheet 2 minutes, then remove from pan.

While Ivy, who will be four in February knows that first, we grease our hands, then follows my instructions to a tee, Joy on the other hand who will be two,  totally seizes every moment to enjoy laughter.  We've had lots of fun and I know we will be making several batches to give to the big cousins. I've enjoyed handing down some traditional recipes to the grandchildren.