Holiday Baking

Each year my mother made these cookies as part of her Christmas baking and each year she searched her recipe box to find the recipe. Every time I look for the recipe (my favorite cookie) I think of the special Holiday seasons when I was a child and all of the fond memories from this special time of year. I hope that you enjoy these cookies as much as my family does.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 c butter flavored shortening

1/2 c peanut butter

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c white sugar

1 3/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

chocolate star candies or Hershey’s Kisses (wrappers removed)

Directions

• Cream together the shortening, peanut butter and sugars
• Add the egg and vanilla
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture
• Shape dough into balls the size of a walnut (or use tbsp cookie scoop)
• Roll each dough ball in sugar
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes
• Remove from oven
• Top each cookie with chocolate candy. Press firmly into center of cookie.
• Cookie will crack slightly

Hint: If the bottoms of your cookies begin to turn too brown, you may want to stack cookie sheets

(stacking two together to bake on). This will prevent bottoms from burning.

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Here are some more of our favorite Holiday recipes. Whether you are entertaining for a large crowd or a small group of those closest to you, these recipes are sure to become some of your favorites as well.

Easy Cheese Dip

Ingredients

1 lb Velveeta Cheese
1 can Green Chilies
1 small jar Chunky Salsa

Directions

• Use a small dip crock pot to heat and serve.
• Cut up cheese in small chunks.
• Pour in salsa & chilies – mix.
• Stir while melting – cook on low
• Serve with chips – great for parties.

Hint: if in a hurry – melt cheese in microwave add salsa
& chilies ~ pour in mini-crock and heat throughout.

Party Rye Pizzas

Ingredients

1 loaf party rye bread
1 lb. Velveeta Cheese
1 lb. Pork Sausage – HOT
Dash of Oregano
1 Tbsp. Catsup
Dab of Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of Garlic Salt

Directions

• Melt cheese.
• Cook sausage.
• Add to cheese and other ingredients.
• Spread on bread.
• Completely cool before storing.
• Store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze until needed.
• Heat in oven at 350° oven until bubbly and starting to turn brown on top – don’t over cook.

White Chili 

Ingredients

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

4 cups chopped, cooked chicken breasts
(you can use canned chicken)

2 medium chopped onions

6 cups chicken broth

2 cans (4oz cans) green chilies

3 (16oz) cans of Great Northern White Beans

2 green onions – sliced

3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese (12oz)

Spices

4 garlic cloves – minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano -crumbled

1 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper – cayenne pepper

Sour cream for garnish

Directions

• Place chicken in heavy large saucepan.
• Add water to cover & bring to simmer.
• Cook until tender – about 15 minutes.
• Drain and cool.
• Remove skin and cube chicken.
• Heat oil in same pan – medium heat.
• Add onions and sauté until translucent – about 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano and pepper – sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add undrained beans & broth – bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and add chicken and cheese – stir until cheese melts.
• Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Ladle chili into bowls.
• Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Baked Egg & Potato Casserole

Ingredients

Crust

1 lb frozen hash brown potatoes (can use ones with red & green peppers)

1 egg

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp flour

Directions

• Mix together – put in a round casserole dish (smooth, cover bottom & sides)
• Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

1 lb Pork sausage – cook and drain

1 lb Bacon – cut up (small pieces) and cook

Center

10 Eggs – beaten

2 cups Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Milk

• Mix well and add cooked sausage
• Pour into potato crust
• Bake at 325°for 40 minutes 
• TEST to see if egg is set, if not return to oven.
• Add 1 cup cheese & cooked bacon to top
• Cook for 5 minutes or until melted.

Garnish with salsa & sour cream.

Cream Cheese Rolls

Ingredients

2 tubes Crescent Rolls

2 (8oz) Cream Cheese

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 cup Sugar

1 Egg

Cinnamon & Sugar

Directions

• In 8 x10 pan lay 1 tube of crescent rolls, pinch seams.
• Mix cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla together.
• Put on top of crescent rolls.
• Lay the other tube of crescent rolls on top.
• Pinch seams.
• Beat eggs whites until frothy not stiff.
• Brush on top of crescent rolls.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
• Bake at 350° oven for 30 minutes.

Variation for individual rolls:

For Individual Rolls ~use same ingredients vary assembly.

• Mix cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla together.
• Open crescent rolls – fill with mixture pinch seams.
• Beat eggs whites till frothy not stiff. Brush on top of crescent roll.
• Continue to all rolls are completed.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
• Bake at 350° oven for 10-13 minutes.

Easy Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Ingredients

3 Cans Refrigerated Biscuits cut each biscuit into quarters

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

Topping

1 1/2 Sticks Margarine – Melted

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions

In a plastic bag, add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Shake biscuit quarters in sugar mixture until pieces are coated well.

Place half of the biscuit quarters in bundt or tube pan.

Mix Topping Mixture – pour half of it over the top of the biscuits in the pan.

Sprinkle with half of the nuts.

Repeat with remaining biscuits, topping, and nuts.

Bake in 350° oven for 45-50 minutes.

Let cool a few minutes and invert onto serving platter.

Let sit until bread loosens and drops onto platter.

Remove pan and serve.