Sunday, December 15, 2013

Weekend Cooking; Happy Holidays!


I feel like I've been working in my kitchen all day long!  And I have.  I started my day making several dozen cut-out cookies for the reception of our Christmas play.  And I'm ending my evening making this coffee cake before I head to bed.  The cake baking while I'm typing has me feeling hungry!

Here is my stepmother's cut-out cookies recipe that I've used for years now.  Whip these up and decorate them with a small person.  I guarantee it will put you in the Christmas spirit.

Also I am NOT a fan of cooking with shortening and this time of the year is my one exception as I make many dozens of cookies for receptions and such and then  Janice and I make dozens of cookies for the kids at school so that many sticks of butter is not an option.

"Happy Day" Cut-outs ~{Diane's recipe}

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond
4 1/2 cups flour

Blend together and roll out on floured board.  Bake @ 350*.  That's it.  Easy Peasy.  That's all she wrote on the scrap of paper and I know how to put them together but of course you will add ingredients in increments after creaming together the sugar and the shortening.  I put the soda, salt, and flour together and add slowly to mixing bowl after that.  Decorate with icing and lots of red and green sprinkles!  One might ask why they are dubbed "happy day" cookies? Because this is my stepmother's idea of what to do on a rainy, snowy, quiet, or sunny day and that any day then would be made happier just because you are making cookies!  You knew that, right?

I made these bars this week when my husband needed treats for a Christmas Opening Night event.....Monster Magic Cookie Bars.  They tasted great and looked like one of the elves threw up-perfect holiday treat.  I did discover this great blog, Life and Kitchen, though while searching for the Christmas-looking recipe.

While browsing the internet this week I found this well-written article by Musing Mamma to be interesting and accurate.  Reading the article really made me wonder how we can get toy companies to make changes to be more representative of all children.

This post is linked to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking meme. Click her link to find many other food related posts.  I'm off to bed.

3 comments:

Beth F said...

Those monster magic bars remind me of a seven-layer bar cookie my mom used to make. Yum! I have many cookie recipe from my grandmothers with the same type of instructions: just an oven temperature!

Cecelia said...

A good sugar cookie recipe is always welcome - thanks for sharing yours! I too prefer not to bake with shortening, but sometimes those good old recipes don't turn out the same way if you don't use it!

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

Fun to have a recipe that is handed down!