Cookie Rose

2014-08-02T07:58:00.002-07:00

Audrey's Wedding

Audrey was my RN partner for the last few years that I worked at Hospice Buffalo, and we became quite close. Today she and her soul mate, Tony, will be married. As part of their wedding present, I volunteered to make some traditional Italian cookies for the reception. The photo above is of the sesame seed cookies made for this occasion. The other types made were traditional fig, chocolate spice balls, and Italian white knot. The recipes for all four can be found in earlier posts on this blog. I am sorry that I do not have a photo of the tray of fig, chocolate and white cookies. The picture that I took just didn't come out right. The reason that the sesame seed cookies are on a separate tray is that if they are served on the same plate as other cookies, they will get soggy and the taste experience will be minus the crispy texture that is so wonderful.

Hope that the weather holds out, as the ceremony and reception are outdoors! May Audrey and Tony share many years of wedded bliss.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

2013-03-31T06:08:00.000-07:00

These are easy to make and quite good. The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies and was obtained through Parade.com/cookie . Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until well blended. Form cookies using a small scoop and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten each cookie and make a criss-cross pattern with fork tines. Sprinkle with peanuts. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Resurrection Cookies/Easter Story Cookies

2013-03-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

This recipe was given to me by a friend who obtained it from www.annieshomepage.com which remains the source for this recipe. The recipe provided by my friend indicates that this is a great way to teach your children/grandchildren the real story of Easter. You will need:

1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
a plastic zipper bag
1 wooden spoon
scotch tape
Bible

Instructions:
These are to be made the evening before Easter. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Farenheit. Do this before you start to make the recipe. The oven needs to be at 300 degrees when you are ready to put the cookies in to "bake". You will see what this means later.

Place pecans in the plastic zipper bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read:
John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read: Joh 10:10 & 11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read: Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read:
Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read: Matthew 27:65-66

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read: John 16: 20 & 22

Go to bed.

On Easter morning/Resurrection Sunday, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow. On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read:
Matthew 28:1-9

Canine Cookie Rose

2012-01-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

Cookie Rose has expanded to include all things organic and good for dogs (and people too). My beloved dog, Rosco, has a condition for which my Vet has recommended a no grain/corn organic diet. Needless to say, that pretty much takes care of all processed foods. So I took to the kitchen and experimented.

For his dog food I use organic ground beef, chicken or turkey. Put a pound into a casserole dish and then mix in a can of organic pumpkin or sweet potato puree (organic pumpkin or sweet potato puree usually has nothing else in it and so is minimally processed). To this add about one cup of cooked organic rice (any variety you like) and again mix in well. The final addition is about a half to a full cup of whatever you have on hand or think that your dog would eat. I use organic green peas, sliced organic baby carrots, or organic cranberries (you can find these in food coops around the holidays and then freeze the individual packages for use all year). Then bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for no more than an hour. Peek at it after about 40 minutes and if all is bubbly, stir it up and see if it seems done. I have been giving Rosco about a cup twice a day (he's a large beagle/basset and who knows what else mix) and he loves it. His coat is shiny, his eyes bright, and his 9 year old body agile!

Once the Vet prescribed this way of eating for Rosco, it posed a problem for any kind of treat beyond organic marrow bones. Although there are many organic treats out there, I had trouble finding any that were grain free and affordable. So I took down from the shelf a cookbook that my good friend Nina gave me several Christmases ago that is a recipe book to cook organic dog biscuits. I found one that was grain free and modified it a bit.

It's nothing more than mixing together 2 cups of organic ground chicken, 2 cups of organic brown rice flour, 1 1/2 cups of pureed organic sweet potatoes or carrots, 2 organic eggs, and some organic cranberries. The original recipe calls for dried cranberries but I use the same organic cranberries as referenced above and they work fine. If you have no cranberries, I guess you could try organic blueberries. You mix all of this together to form a "dough", and I use the word loosely, for the mixture is very moist. It is moist to the point that I cannot see a way to roll it, so what I have been doing is putting a small amount on a floured surface, patting it down until smooth and even, then cutting out dog bones with various sized cookie cutters. Place them on a cookie tin lined with parchment paper and bake in a 375 degree oven 22 to 27 minutes, or until slightly brown and firm. After they are cooled, place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, since they have no preservatives and I am told would mold if left at room temperature. They are not crisp as traditional dog biscuits, but are very good.

I have tried them! One recipe makes many small biscuits, and I usually make some small and some large. One recipe lasts Rosco about a month, with having one or two small ones a day.

So there you have it. This all may be a bit pricier than store bought food, but perhaps we will save in the long run from fewer trips to the Vet.

Good Soup!

2011-10-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

Fall is upon us. First snow fell in Western NY last night in the southern tier commonly referred to as the snow belt or ski area. Nights are brisk and clear, and days are warmer with blue skies, sunshine and white fluffy clouds.

It is just this time of year when thoughts may turn to a good soup, and there is nothing better than homemade soup. This year I am learning about "bone broth", its nutritional value and wonderful taste. Below are some ideas for both chicken and also beef soup.

For chicken soup I purchase a certified organic chicken, usually from the Green Heron Growers who set up shop each Saturday at the Williamsville Farmers Market. Although more expensive than store bought chicken, there is no fear in simmering these bones, for they have not a trace of anything synthetic, artificial or medicinal -- just lots of sunshine, lolling about on certified organic pastures, and lots of space to call their own. I first roast the chicken in the oven and have the legs and thighs for meals, keeping all bones for later use. When ready for soup, I remove the breast meat from the carcass and save it in the refrigerator, then place the carcass and bones from the legs and thighs in a pot with just enough water to cover all. If you use too much water, the broth will not gel when chilled, and the gel is a true sign that you have extracted all the wonderful nutritional benefits from the bones. Cover and simmer on the stove for hours and hours, until the water turns cloudy, for then and only then is it ready to be made into soup. Sometimes I start this process one day, and continue the simmer stage intermittently for the next day or so as time and circumstance permit, refrigerating the pot in between simmerings.

When the broth is thus ready, remove all bones from the pot, strain the broth to catch any small stray bones, place the broth in a clean pot and save the bones for later. Into the broth add vegetables of your choosing. I usually use the standard onions, carrots, celery, and then add whatever else I may have left over. For seasoning, I usually use fresh herbs such as parsley and dill which result in a wonderful taste when used together. Take the chicken breast meat that you saved earlier and cut or shred it into bite sized pieces and add it to the mix. Same with whatever meat you can pick from the bones. The last thing that I add is some type of green, such as baby spinach, chopped escarole, chopped kale, etc.

For beef soup the process is the same. I use beef soup bones, again purchased from Green Heron Growers, from cows 100% grass fed on organic pastures. I use about 4 bones per pot of soup. Leave the meat on the bones while you are simmering the bones, then remove and proceed as for chicken soup directions.

Enjoy!

Aunt Bessie's Chocolate Cake

2010-11-19T03:44:00.000-08:00

Cousin Willie turned 50 last summer and there was a big party for him with all kinds of delicious homemade food brought by various family members. Aunt Bessie brought this cake and it was the hit of the party. It is very easy to make. One of my friends has called it the best chocolate cake ever.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup cold milk
1 3.9 ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 8 ounce container Cool Whip (thawed)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium for 1 minute. Pour into greased pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, in a medium mixing bowl beat the milk and pudding for 2 minutes. Beat in the Cool Whip and spread over the cake.

Cherry Nuggets

2010-06-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Recently while searching for a new and different cookie to make for a co-worker's baby shower, I came upon this recipe and decided to try it. Not only is it easy, fast and "no fuss", it produces delicious little morsels that also are very lovely to behold. Because of this, I decided to not only post this recipe, but also to add it to my repertoire for Christmas baking. One of the baby shower attendees suggested making some with red cherries and some with green cherries, which would make a colorful seasonal display at Christmas. The original recipe indicated that the yield would be 48 cookies, however, I must have made them a little bigger, as my yield was only about 35 or 36. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup finely chopped nuts
24 maraschino cherries, halved

Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the sugar, egg and almond extract and mix together until well-blended. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then stir into the creamed mixture. Chill the dough thoroughly.

When dough is thoroughly chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form the chilled dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the chopped nuts and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press a cherry half into the center of each cookie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 48 dainty cookies (less if a little larger).

Layered Raspberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-04-10T04:09:00.000-07:00

Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, it's more than good. It is superb! This recipe was on the paper insert of a 9" stainless steel cake pan (round) recently purchased at Podge, my very favorite kitchen store located in Clarence, NY. The pan was made for NORPRO, a company based in Everett, WA. Recognition for this recipe goes to them. For those of you on Weight Watchers -- beware! One tenth of this cake equals 17 points. That is about 2/3 of one's daily intake, or about 1/2 of your weekly extra points allowance. So you can have your cake and watch your weight too -- you just have to plan for it. Here goes.

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder

Heat half-and-half in a sauce pan until boiling. Add butter and then set aside. Mix sugar, vanilla and eggs; beat until light and fluffy. Mix together flour and baking powder then add to egg mixture. Add half-and-half mixture. Mix until batter is well blended. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured 9" round cake pan that has sides that are at least 2 inches high. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from pan. When it is sufficiently cool, divide cake into 2 layers. Spread cream cheese filling on top of bottom layer, then spread about 1 cup or less of the raspberry pie filling on top of that. Use enough so that it will be seen and tasted, but not enough so that it would run down the sides when the other layer of cake is placed on top of it. Place the other layer on top, then spread the remaining cream cheese filling on top and sides of cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or more for stiffer consistency)
2 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened and whipped
1 pint heavy cream, whipped
1 can raspberry pie filling

Add powdered sugar to cream cheese and whip slowly. Add whipped cream until fluffy.

The original recipe uses 1 pint fresh raspberries with 2 tsp. added sugar, but I thought that the pie filling would be better spread over the cream cheese filling. Yum!

Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-04-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

This was a cake that my mother made often, yet it always felt like a special treat. It is a four egg cake, somewhat dense, but moist and delicious. For some reason it reminds me of Spring, which is why I am posting it now.

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup shortening (I use butter)
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch oblong cake pan. Cream together shortening (or butter) and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and add a little at a time to creamed mixture, alternating with milk. Mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients:
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 small bag coconut

Cream together the cream cheese and butter until well blended and very creamy. Add vanilla and mix it in. Then gradually add the confectioners' sugar. When the cake is cool, frost with the cream cheese frosting and then sprinkle a small bag of coconut on top of the frosting.

Refrigerate any leftover cake.

Easter Bread

2010-03-26T03:44:00.000-07:00

This is another family recipe handed down for generations. There are many different ways to shape the loaves. My mother used to make beautiful long braids of the dough. My grandmother used to shape the dough into little Easter baskets with braided handles and then insert a colored boiled egg in the basket. I like to make small round loaves, and the following recipe makes 6. This bread is delicious, and even more so when toasted with butter.

Ingredients:
10 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup milk
3 packages dry yeast
8 eggs, beaten

Combine flour, salt and sugar in a very large bowl. Dissolve the Crisco in warm milk and let cool a bit while you proof the yeast in warm water and sugar (about 1/2 cup water and 1 Tblsp. sugar). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the beaten eggs, then the yeast, then the Crisco/milk mixture and work each into the dry ingredients with your hands before adding the next. Mix the dough and continue to add more warm or room temperature milk until the dough forms nicely. Knead until smooth and pliable. Grease the dough and the bowl and then place the dough back into the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel or two. Let the dough raise in a warm place until doubled.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces. I cut the dough in half, then each half in thirds. If you want each loaf to be exactly the same size, you can weigh the dough on a kitchen scale. It does help with the baking to have them exactly the same size, but it is not necessary. Form each piece into a round loaf. There is no way to describe how to do this. You sort of roll the dough on a flat surface and form it into a round shape as you roll it, and try to keep it as smooth as possible, otherwise when baked it will crumble when cut. Don't be discouraged if you don't get it right the first time. (First timers may want to try half a recipe and make only 3 loaves to start). Place rounds on a greased cookie sheet or you can use parchment paper if preferred. You can usually fit two rounds to a sheet. If you put three on a sheet they may stick together when raising again or when baking. Place the cookie sheets in a warm spot covered again with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and raise again.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat one egg and 1 Tblsp. water in a small bowl and brush top of each loaf until fully covered. This will give the bread a shiny brown appearance when baked. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, depending upon your oven. I need to leave the loaves in more than 20 minutes, keeping a close eye and setting my timer for an additional minute or two. You want to make sure that the middle gets baked, and for that to happen the outside of the bread will be very brown. You can tell if it is done by tapping on top of a loaf, and if it sounds kind of hollow, it's ready. For the first time you may want to cut one of the loaves in half and see if it is done before removing the others from the oven or turning the oven off. If it is not done, leave it in for a few more minutes.

The aroma while this bread is baking is magnificent, and you will be rewarded for your hard work by many "umm, umm, good" compliments and of course the taste of this delicious bread for yourself. While it is named "Easter Bread", it can be made and enjoyed all year long. Happy Easter!

Cut-Out Cookies

2010-02-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

This is the first posting of recipes from my beloved late Aunt Millie's collection. She typically made these at Christmas, but they can be made at other holidays or just for fun.

There are many recipes and many names for cookies that you roll and cut into different shapes, depending upon the season and your preference. This recipe makes very rich tasty cookies that can be made thin or thick to your liking. The frosting recipe that follows dries hard and shiny, and looks great. With Valentine's Day just around the corner and St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, I thought it best to post this, but promise that my next post will be devoted to Italian Easter bread.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, brought to room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (not imitation)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon salt
About 4 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour

Cream butter and sugar together until light. Add eggs and blend until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla, then the milk with the dissolved soda. In a separate bowl sift about 3 cups of flour with the cream of tartar and salt and add to the first mixture (bowl with butter, sugar, etc.). Add enough more flour to make a dough that may be easily rolled. I find it easiest at this point to use hands to mix the dough. You may chill the dough if desired, but if mixed properly, this step is not mandatory. If you do chill the dough, wrap it tightly in clear plastic wrap and put in an airtight plastic bag. You can store this in the refrigerator for a day or so if you want to make it ahead of time.

Roll dough in small amounts on a lightly-floured surface to desired thickness (if you make them too thick, they will lose their shape when baking). Use cookie cutters of your choice -- of course, for Valentine's Day there are all sizes of heart cutters, and for St. Patrick's Day the traditional shamrock. One idea is to use large heart cutters for Valentine's Day and then after frosting, with more icing write the name of your Valentine on the cookie. Place cut-out shapes on cookie sheets (I use parchment paper to line the sheets) and bake in a 400 degree oven for 8 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness. Mine usually take 8 minutes so set your timer to 8 and then go from there.

To decorate prior to baking, you can use colored sugar sprinkles as follows. Spread each cookie very lightly with egg white diluted with a little water and whipped to break up the white. Using a large spatula, lift each piece over a bowl or paper, and sprinkle with the different colors of sugar. Place on cookie sheet and proceed as above.

If you opt for a more traditional frosted cookie, the following spreads very smoothly and dries to a nice gloss. You can divide the frosting into several bowls, leave one white, and add your chosen food coloring to the others.

Frosting Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 cups of confectioners sugar
Food Coloring (optional)
Colored sugar and other decorating sprinkles (optional)

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add vanilla, then gradually beat in sugar until frosting stands in firm peaks. If desired, divide and add colors.

These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container. If given as gifts, do likewise, and put wax or parchment paper in between the layers. Enjoy and have fun being creative with the decorating!

Sesame Seed Cookies

2010-02-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

This is the last of the four traditional cookies made for Christmas and other special events throughout the year, such as weddings, graduations, etc. The other three have already been posted: Italian White; Fig; and Chocolate Spice Balls. This recipe makes a lot of cookies. I have never counted them, but they fill the top of a large dining room table. You may want to try making half a recipe to see if that is enough to meet your needs.

Ingredients:
5 lb. flour
2 lb. sugar
1 lb. Crisco
2 lb. lard
6 tblsp. baking powder
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
12 large eggs
Sesame seeds (a couple pounds)

Cut Crisco and lard into dry ingredients. In a separate bowl beat eggs and vanilla together, then add to the dry ingredients mixture. Mix with your hands to make a nice dough. Add a little milk if needed to make the dough go together.

To form cookies, pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a rope the width of a finger, about 1" wide. Roll the rope into the sesame seeds (see "how to prepare the sesame seeds" below). Cut into 2" pieces on the slant. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes until the bottoms are a nice tan color.

Preparing the sesame seeds: In a small bowl or pan pour some milk -- maybe one or two cups. Place the sesame seeds into the milk and add a little sugar -- about 1 tblsp. or so. When ready to roll cookies into the sesame seeds, drain some of the seeds through a small-holed sieve. Dump the damp seeds onto the table and roll each rope of dough into the seeds until thorougly covered. Drain and dump more seeds onto the table as needed.

Aunt Mil stressed that these cookies, when cool, must not be stored in plastic bags because the seeds will fall off. She used to store them in single layers in a large roasting pan with tin foil or wax paper in between each layer, but you can also store them in single layers in air tight plastic containers or tins. Aunt Mil only used a plastic baggie when making up boxes of cookies for gift-giving, because if the sesame seed cookies are left uncovered amid other cookies, they get soggy. However, they are usually eaten so quickly that bagging them is not really necessary.

Chocolate Spice Balls

2010-01-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

As with the Italian white knot cookies, there are many different recipes for Italian Chocolate Spice Balls. This one is by far the best that I have ever tasted, and has the "Angelo" seal of approval. Angelo is my brother's grandson. At the tender age of about 20 months, his Papa (my brother) gave him one of these cookies to eat. He stunned everyone when he commented "Um,mmm mmm, mmm mmm, mmm mmm!!!" So take it from Angelo -- these are the best.

Ingredients:
5 lb. flour
2 lb. sugar
1 lb. Crisco
3 Tblsp. cinnamon
1 Tblsp. allspice
4 Tblsp. baking powder
2 c. grape jelly
1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
4 c. brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dissolve the grape jelly, Crisco, sugar and cocoa in hot coffee over a medium heat and then set aside to cool. Combine flour, cinnamon, allspice and baking powder, then add the nuts. Add the cooled coffee mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with your hands until a dough forms. It is imperative that you wait for the coffee mixture to be completely cooled or you will have a very sticky mess and will not be able to proceed. (I tried once to add flour until I could roll the dough into balls and was able to proceed, but the cookies did not come out rounded -- they came out like flat pancakes. I think that any heat from the coffee mixture changes the composition of the flour mixture so that the final product is adversely affected.) Form into balls the size of a walnut and bake on greased cookie sheets for 8 minutes. Overbaking makes them very dry, so watch carefully. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.

Make frosting with powdered sugar and water -- not too thin or thick. Take a cookie in one hand; dip the other hand in frosting and "paint" a glaze all over the cookie. Place in a single layer on wax or parchment paper and allow to dry completely (overnight) before storing in air-tight containers. You will have to turn the cookies after a few hours or so in order for the glaze on the bottom to dry. Make sure that the frosting is totally dry before storing these cookies or they will get soggy when stored.

A lot of work, but well worth the effort!

We have one more of my favorite Italian Christmas Cookie recipes to go (sesame seed cookies) which I will post next month, and then on to Italian Easter Cookies and Bread!

Fig Cookies (AKA Cuccidati)

2009-12-07T08:47:00.001-08:00

With December upon us, it seems the time to post the recipe for fig cookies, which are customary in Italian families for Christmas as well as any other holiday or special occasion. Although they take a lot of time, they are well worth it. The first thing to do is make the filling.

Grind 2 lb. figs, 1 lb. dates, 1 lb. raisins (I use golden raisins), 2 oranges with the skin. Add to this mixture 1 c. chopped walnuts and a syrup make of 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups water (make the syrup in a pan on top of the stove, then cool before adding to the mixture -- add 2 shots of whiskey to the cooled mixture before adding it all to the ground mixture). This mixture should be made several days ahead to allow the flavors to blend. Keep it covered in the refrigerator utnil the day you make the cookies, then bring it to room temperature before using it.

To make the dough: Ingredients are as follows.
12 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Crisco
1/2 cup butter
2 Tblsp. pure vanilla extract
12 tsp. baking powder
6 eggs at room temperature
about 1 cup milk

Beat eggs and vanilla together. In a separate bowl cut the Crisco and butter into the dry ingredients. Add the egg/vanilla mixture and then add milk as needed to make a nice dough.

Roll out a small amount of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface, making a small rectangle. Place about a finger width of filling along the edge of the dough nearest to you, and then roll it away from you once. Cut the row away from the rest of the dough with a sharp knife. Roll the filled dough several times back and forth to make sure that the seam underneath is sealed. Cut cookies from the log you have just made, about 1 or 1 1/2" wide. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

For frosting: Mix together 1 lb. or so of powdered sugar with 1 Tblsp. melted butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and enough milk to make it frosting consistency -- not thick like frosting for a cake, but not as thin as a glaze. When frosting, use your fingers to "paint" the top of the cookie, then trim with multi-colored sprinkles or chopped nuts.

These cookies taste best when the dough is rolled fairly thin. You can sometimes purchase the filling already ground at a real Italian deli, but then you are not as sure as to the quality of the ingredients or the taste. If you have dough leftover, you can make white cookies shaped like those described in November's post.

Fig cookies look beautiful on a platter of mixed Christmas cookies. They are like little colorful logs and taste so good. One of the most meaningful compliments that I ever received was from an Italian woman who had eaten many a fig cookie in her life. She told me that these were the best that she had ever tasted!

As always, if you have any questions please either leave a comment or send an email to roserrr@aol.com and I will do my best to help. Merry Christmas to all from Cookie Rose!

Italian Christmas Cookies -- White Cookies

2009-11-01T04:36:00.000-08:00

Italian Christmas cookies are part of my history and heritage. As far back as I can remember my mother and aunt would start baking in November in preparation for holiday feasts and gift giving. There were wondrous aromas coming from the kitchen, and numerous old potato chip tins now full of little sweet cookies awaiting the time when they were to be enjoyed by all -- white cookies, fig cookies, chocolate cookies, seed cookies, "dead man's bones"..... . Of course, all of the children would sneak a few now and then, so that by holiday time, the tins weren't quite as full!

Recipes are easy to post, and I will start with the White Cookies. The technique takes some practice, and I would be happy to help in any way that I can. Just comment or send me an email at rroberts107@gmail.com with your specific problem or question.

There is some controversy as to the "correct" size for these cookies. Some like them large; some like them small. You will need to experiment to see what size suits you, and will need to adjust the baking time accordingly. They will taste the same no matter what size you make them. Not all Italian white cookies (often called Knot Cookies) are the same. Some are made with liquid vegetable oil and are much more like little cakes. Some are flavored with orange. This recipe, in my opinion, is the best and has been loved and enjoyed in my family for many generations by babies, adults and dogs.

The full recipe makes from 90 to 125 or so cookies, depending upon whether you make them small or large. I would suggest that you cut the recipe in half your first time. The amount of dough that the full recipe produces can be somewhat overwhelming.

Ingredients for a full recipe: 5 lb. flour; 2 lb. sugar; 1 lb. Crisco; 4 Tblsp.butter melted in 1 cup milk (let it cool); 3 heaping Tblsp. baking powder; 12 eggs brought to room temperature; 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract. For the frosting you will need butter, 1-2 lb. Brand Name powdered sugar (Domino or Jack Frost), a little milk, and more pure vanilla extract (see below for exact amounts).

I strongly recommend that you use only the best ingredients for the best results. For example, use Crisco, not a generic vegetable shortening; use butter, not margarine; use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Place dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) into a very large bowl. Blend them together. Cut Crisco into dry ingredients as when making pie crust until the Crisco in broken down into little pea-like balls. Make a well in the middle of this mixture. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and vanilla together with a whisk, pour into the well, and mix into the dry ingredients. Add the cooled butter and milk mixture and mix until a dough forms. To form cookies, grab a piece of dough about the size of a ping pong ball and roll it into a 5" or so rope about the thickness of your finger. Twist into a knot. Place on cookie sheet (on a large cookie sheet I put three across and either four or five down, depending upon how big I am making them that day). Bake 13 minutes or until they are tan colored on the bottom. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, melt 2 Tblsp. butter and place in a medium bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar, then a little milk, and keep alternating until you have frosting that is not too thick or thin. You don't want it to be like frosting you would frost a cake with, but you don't want it to be so thin that it's like a glaze -- somewhere in between. When cookies have completely cooled, take one cookie at a time in one hand, dip the other hand in the frosting, and "paint" a thin layer of frosting all over the cookie (not the bottom). Lay frosted cookies flat on wax paper or tin foil and allow to fully dry overnight before placing in air tight storage containers. If you have to layer them for storage, place wax paper or parchment paper in between layers. It is very important to fully dry these cookies after frosting them before storing them, or they will be soggy and will not taste right.

So there you have it. I was lucky in that I watched these cookies being made for years before I tried my hand at them myself, and once I did start making them, I had my Aunt Mil to critique my method. One of the best compliments that I have ever received in my life is when she told me that I finally "had the knack"!

Most importantly, relax, have fun with this, and remember --- "chi mangia bene, mangia Italiana" (he/she who eats well, eats Italian). If you want another Italian Christmas Cookie recipe before I am able to post it, please Comment or send me an email at rroberts107@gmail.com and I would be happy to oblige.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Hello from Cookie Rose!

2009-10-10T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hello to all cookie lovers of the world. Let me start by telling you how Cookie Rose came about. A friend's 4 year old daughter, also named Rose, dubbed me this name to differentiate me from other women in her life named Rose. Little Rose associated me with cookies because of the Italian Christmas cookies I delivered to her house last Christmas.

The Italian Christmas cookies are made from family recipes handed down for generations. I am now of the "older generation" in my family, and am keeping the tradition going along with some cousins who also make these cookies. The favorites are fig, sesame seed, white knot and chocolate spice balls. Baking these cookies has become for me a way to relax and find pleasure in the act of creating something beautiful that brings joy to others.

My last and favorite aunt died July 2008 and as a momento her daughter Barbara copied some of her recipes for all in the family who might be interested. In the spirit of, but not as energetic as "Julie and Julia," I intend to periodically make and then publish a recipe on this blog, and would welcome comments.

In addition to sharing recipes, another reason for creating this blog is for you to share your own special family recipes and food-related traditions.

And finally, although this may sound contradictory, fitness and a balanced diet has been my focus for most of this year and will continue to be for the rest of my life. Therefore, any comments or balanced recipes are welcome.

In keeping with my heritage, I would like to close with a saying that I heard or read somewhere: "Chi mangia bene, mangia Italiana." It means "He/she who eats well, eats Italian."
Rose