Recipes

Aunt Em’s Crostata
(Czechoslovakian Pastry)

A nice treat for Christmas morning. In memory of Emily Heiss.

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
Dash of salt
1 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup milk (or more)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup grape jam
1/3 cup apricot jam
1/3 cup strawberry jam

In bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In separate bowl, combine eggs, milk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix well.

Knead gently on floured surface until smooth. If the dough is too dry, add a little more milk and knead again until firm and smooth. Set aside one-third of dough.

On floured surface, roll out remaining dough to 15" by 10" inch rectangle. Place on un-greased 15" by 10" cookie sheet. Spread each jam over one-third of dough. Use apricot jam for middle strip.

Roll remaining dough in 12" by 10" rectangle. Cut into 1" wide strips (for a more decorative look, use a scalloped edge cutter). Carefully place strips between each flavor of jam-topped dough. Then place remaining strips crosswise, forming a lattice look.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then use a sifter to sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 40 bars.

Holiday Peppermint Bark

2 cups (12-oz. package) white baking morsels
24 hard peppermint candies

Melt morsels in microwave (1-2 minutes) stirring occasionally. Crush the candies in a heavy plastic bag with a mallet or heavy object. Put in large mesh strainer and shake over melted morsels. Stir.

Spread to desired thickness on waxed papered pan and sprinkle with the remaining larger pieces of candy.

(Source: Nestle Toll House)

Peanut Butter Balls

Mix and chill:
3 lbs powdered sugar
2 lbs. peanut butter
1 lb. butter
Roll into walnut-sized balls

Melt in microwave:
2 pkgs chocolate chips (large)
3-5 tablespoons shortening
Dip balls into chocolate and let harden at room temperature on waxed paper.

Coconut Shortbread

1 cup butter
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1/4 cup sugar

Cream butter and sugar well. Add flour, coconut and extract. Mix well. Press in 9" by 15" jelly roll pan. If you have a decorative stamp, you can stamp in rows. Bake at 325 degrees about 30 minutes.

Cut in squares when hot from oven.

(Source: Rycraft family in Corvallis, OR)

Haselnuss Halbmonde (Hazelnut Halfmoons)

1 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup hazelnuts finely grated (in processor)
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Add nuts, flour, salt and vanilla and mix together well. (Add a little ice water if it does not seem to hold together.)

Pinch off small amounts (about a tablespoon) and roll gently into a crescent shape. Put onto cookie sheet 2" apart.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. Check carefully that they don't darken. Dust with powdered sugar or coat each end of the crescent with melted semi-sweet chocolate after cookies have cooled.

(Source: American Association of Teachers of German)

ADVENT | CAROLING | CRAFTS | RECIPES

Express Yourself

Discuss this content at the Positive Christian Woman Forum