Rolled Christmas Cookies

　　

    3/4 cups granulated sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

    2/3 cups butter

　　1 T. vanilla

　　1 egg

　　4 teaspoons milk

　　2 cups flour

　　1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　Cream together sugar, nutmeg, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Next, add egg and milk to creamed mixture. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and then blend the sifted ingredients with the creamed mixture. Divide dough in half and chill for 1 hour.

　　On a clean, flat, lightly floured surface, roll out sections of dough to about 1/8 inch. Cut into cookies with shaped cutters. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 6 to 9 minutes. Decorating can be done either before (for sprinkles, colored sugar) or after (for icing, frosting, piping) baking.

　　Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

　　Recipe courtesy of Beth Sansevere

　　Egg Nog

　　3 egg yolks

　　1/3 cup sugar

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　3 cups milk

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　2 egg whites

　　3 tablespoons sugar

　　1 teaspoon vanilla

　　Using a mixer, beat egg yolks, then gradually add 1/3 cup of sugar until dissolved. Add the salt and stir in the milk and cream. Add mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture reaches about 160 degrees F (or coats spoon), remove from heat, pour into glass bowl and set inside a refrigerator to chill.

　　Using a mixer, beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Then, gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form. Add to chilled mixture and whisk, mixing thoroughly.

　　Serves 6-8 people.

　　Holiday Chocolate-Candy Bars

　　2 1/4 cups flour

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　2 sticks butter (left out to soften)

　　3/4 cups sugar (granulated)

　　3/4 cups light or dark brown sugar

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　2 large eggs

　　Candy-covered chocolate morsels (large or small, about 1 12-oz. package)

　　Colored sugar

　　Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

　　Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. With a mixer, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time (you may want to crack them into a small bowl first—before adding to mixture—to avoid adding shell fragments to the dough). Beat well. Add flour mixture gradually and continue beating until flour mixture is mixed in thoroughly. Stir in candy-covered chocolate morsels by hand. Top with colored sugar (or other sprinkles, jimmies, etc.)

　　Spread dough into greased 15" x 10" jelly roll pan. Bake for 19-24 minutes or until golden brown.

　　Makes 3-4 dozen bars.

　　Hot Christmas Cider

　　2 quarts apple cider

　　1/2 cup brown sugar

　　Dash of salt

　　1 teaspoon dried ginger

　　1 teaspoon cloves

　　1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

　　1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

　　cinnamon sticks

　　Combine cider, sugar and salt in a saucepan. In a small piece of cheesecloth, combine spices, and tie off. Add spice packet to cider mixture, and slowly bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes. Remove spices.

　　Serve hot cider in mugs with cinnamon sticks.

　　Mom's Apple Pie

　　6-8 tart apples (medium to large)

　　1 1/2 cups sugar

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)

　　1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (or to taste)

　　Dash salt

　　3/4 cups flour

　　1 1/4 sticks of butter

　　Frozen pie crust (bottom only)

　　Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

　　To prepare filling, peel and thinly slice apples. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, spices and salt and toss with apples. Spoon filling into pie crust.

　　To prepare topping, mix butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cups flour in your hands to create crumbs. Distribute evenly over apple filling in pie crust.

　　Bake at 400 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

　　Recipe courtesy of Lisa Gordon

　　Figgy Pudding

　　Note: Figgy pudding is a bread-like pudding of English origin, not a custard as those used to American-style puddings might expect.

　　1 lb. fresh large black mission figs

　　3/4 cup milk

　　1 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)

　　1 cup sugar

　　2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

　　1/4 teaspoon ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon cloves

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　3 eggs

　　1/2 cup melted butter

　　1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

　　Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

　　With kitchen shears, remove stems from figs and cut into chunks. Generously grease the interior of a bread or pudding mold or a 2 quart oven-safe bowl and set aside.

　　Over medium to medium-low heat, combine figs and milk and gently simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft. Do not bring to a boil.

　　While figs are simmering, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. In a large bowl, beat together the egg and melted butter until frothy. Gradually add the bread crumbs and lemon zest, then add the fig mixture and combine.

　　Spoon batter into mold. Cover the mold and place it into a large shallow pan. Place pan in oven, then fill it about halfway with boiling water. Bake at 350 degress for 2.5 hours. Allow pudding to cool for 15-20 minutes before inverting to remove from mold. Cut, top with fresh whipped cream and serve.

　　Yields 8-10 servings.

　　Tom Thumb Christmas Cookies

　　1 cup butter

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　2 egg yolks

　　1 1/3 cup flour

　　1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

　　1 12 oz. jar strawberry, raspberry or other jelly

　　Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

　　Cream together butter and sugar.

　　Add egg yolks, flour and vanilla and combine.

　　Refrigerate for 1 hour.

　　Roll into walnut size balls. Press into the middle of each ball with your thumb. Fill the thumbprint with a red (strawberry/raspberry) jelly.

　　Refrigerate that for 1 hour.

　　Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

　　Courtesy of Mary "Cookie" Knoblock