Holiday baking brings out best of family recipes

After a day of giving thanks, spending time with family members and missing terribly those who were not with us, we turn our attention now to Christmas -- my absolute favorite time of the year.

For those who know me well, they know I drag all of my Christmas decorations out on Veteran's Day weekend and start getting things ready. Now our children have been bit by the Christmas bug, and they enjoy helping with the decorating process. Lexie has become a master at hanging ornaments and having them hang with the correct side out, while Ross likes to tell us what we are doing wrong. Sound familiar?

Christmas always brings out the best in every cookie maker. The Southeast Missourian's cookie contest, the cookie sale at our church and cookie swaps are all taking place in the next few weeks. Deadline for the contest is 5 p.m. Friday.

I decided I needed to break open my own personal cookie recipe file and share a few of our favorites with you. As with any household with children, you have to have a few that they really like, so they are included too.

Lemon Crinkles

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon peel

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Granulated sugar, coarse if possible

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar, shortening and egg thoroughly; blend in lemon rind. Measure flour and blend with dry ingredients; Stir into sugar mixture. Roll into 1-inch balls; dip in granulated sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet 10 to 12 minutes, or less for softer cookies. Yields 3 dozen.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup mashed ripe banana, 2 to 3 medium bananas

1/2 cup chopped pecans or raisins

1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure flour into mixing bowl. Place all ingredients into same mixing bowl. Beat until well blended. Drop by teaspoonful 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Yields 4 dozen small cookies.

Cindy's Sugar Cookies

1 cup white sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 sticks margarine

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream together the sugars and margarine. Add oil, eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat well until combined. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Roll into balls and then roll in sugar and mash criss-cross fashion with the tines of a fork. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Orange Drop Cookies

2 cups Crisco solid shortening

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla

5 cups flour

1/3 to 1/2 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 grated orange rind

2 to 3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Yellow food coloring if desired, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, Crisco and eggs until creamed together. Add all remaining ingredients except cereal and mix well. Stir in cereal. Drop cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. When cookies are out of the oven and still hot, dip cookies in the glaze mixture and place on cookie rack to cool.

For the glaze:

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 grated orange rind

6 tablespoons orange juice

Hungry Man Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup shortening

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups oats

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together the sugars and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and powder and salt. Mix until well combined. Add in the oats, coconut and pecans. Drop on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, depending on size, being careful not to overbake.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter, not reduced fat

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix well and drop by teaspoonfuls on baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake about 5 to 10 minutes, checking to make sure not to overbake.

Gooey Butter Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix

Powdered sugar for dipping

Beat butter, vanilla, egg and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in dry cake mix. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Drop by teaspoonfuls in bowl of powdered sugar; roll into balls. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 4 dozen.

Magnificent Macaroons

4 (3 1/2 ounce) cans coconut

1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla (or almond flavoring if desired)

Candied fruit or nuts, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine ingredients. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on generously greased cookie pans. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan immediately to cooking rack. Cool and store in loosely covered container.

I cannot believe I am out of room again. I had many more recipes pulled to share with you, but will do that another time. If you have favorite cookies to share, please do so soon so we can get those shared with other readers.

One last recipe. I had a person ask me if I knew how to make cinnamon Christmas ornaments. This is the recipe I have always used. Remember this recipe is not for eating, it is for making decorations that smell wonderful.

Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

This recipe makes about 32 2-inch sized ornaments

1 (4 ounce) can cinnamon, about 1 cup

1 tablespoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup applesauce

2 tablespoons white school glue

1 drinking straw

Ribbon

In a medium bowl combine cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue; stir to combine. Work mixture with hands for 2 to 3 minutes or until dough is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Divide dough into 4 parts. Roll out each portion to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with 2-inch cookie cutters of desired shapes. Using a drinking straw, make a small hole in the top of each ornament. Place cutouts on wire racks; allow to dry at room temperature for several days, turning over once each day for more even drying. Insert ribbon through hole in each ornament; tie with a knot or bow. Do not eat; for decoration only.

I hope you have enjoyed a little peek inside my cookie recipe file. Until next week, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.