Holiday

3 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. grated nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
8 T. unsalted butter, softened plus 1 T. for frosting
2/3 c. Grandma’s molasses
1 egg
1 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 T. milk
1/4 t. vanilla extract

Cream together butter and sugar, until fluffy. Add molasses. In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Slowly blend into butter mixture. Wrap dough in saran wrap and refrigerate for two hours (up to one week).

Roll dough to about 1/4″ inch thick. Using your favorite cookies cutters, like a gingerbread man, cut out cookies or make a house (need to at least double the recipe for a house). Bake in oven pre-heated to 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. butter, softened
1 1/2 T. milk
1/4 t. vanilla extract

Blend thoroughly. Works best in an icing tube, but a knife will be fine, too.

Groceries:
flour
egg
salt
baking soda
ground ginger
ground cinnamon
grated nutmeg
ground cloves
dark brown sugar
unsalted butter
Grandma’s molasses
powdered sugar
milk
vanilla extract

Approximate Cost: $6.75

2 sticks butter
2 eggs
2 T. molasses
2 t. vanilla
1/3 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
5 c. flour
18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, add eggs, molasses, vanilla and water in mixer. Sift together dry ingredients (sugars, powder, soda, salt and flour). Mix moist with dry ingredients well in mixer. Add chips and stir a couple of times through. Rolls into 1″ balls and cook at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or until light brown.

Grocery List:
butter
eggs
molasses
vanilla
water
sugar
brown sugar
baking powder
baking soda
salt
flour
semi-sweet chocolate chips

Approximate Cost: $6.25

1/2 c. unsalted butter
30 large marshmallows (3 cups)
1 1/2 t. green food coloring
1 t. vanilla extract
4 c. cornflakes
2 T. cinnamon red hots
non-stick spray

Coat a large stock pot with non-stick spray. Melt butter over low heat. Add in marshmallows and melt them over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and add in food coloring and vanilla.

Add in cornflakes and stir constantly until blended. With lightly greased fingers or a tablespoon, arrange cornflakes mixture into a small donut shape–a wreath with a hole in the center–on waxed paper. Before they cool, decorate with red hots (4-5 each wreath). May also attach red hots with a small dab of icing (from the Christmas sugar cookie recipe on the post below).

Grocery List:
unsalted butter
marshmallows
green food coloring
vanilla extract
cornflakes
cinnamon red hots
non-stick spray

Approximate Cost: $4.35

1/2 c. butter
4 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
4 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cloves
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. crushed cardamom (or 1/2 t. crushed black pepper)
1/2 c. crushed walnuts (or almonds)
1/2 c. mixed candied fruit (or candied ginger)
16 oz. can frozen OJ (not diluted)
granulated sugar

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and beat. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, powder, soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and walnuts) and add to batter. Chill for 6 hours.

Roll 1/2 ” thick. Cut each cookie 1″ and rolls into round balls. Wrap in cellophane and freeze overnight. Dip one side into thawed OJ, then into sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Best if kept in a container for about a week before sharing, as the flavor improves with age. Slice an apple to put into the container to keep the cookies softer.

Grocery List:
butter
brown sugar
eggs
sifted flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
cloves
nutmeg
crushed cardamom
walnuts (alternate choice: almonds)
mixed candied fruit (alternate choice: candied ginger)
frozen OJ
granulated sugar

Approximate Cost: $8.65

3 eggs
2 sticks margarine
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla plus 1/2 t. vanilla for frosting
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. butter, melted
3 T. milk

With mixer, cream together margarine and sugar until fluffy. Slowly add in eggs, one at a time. When blended completely, add in vanilla. Sift together flour salt and baking powder. Slowly add it to margarine mixture. Cover with saran wrap and chill for one hour.

Roll 1/4 of the dough about 1/4 inch thick on a dusted flour surface. Cut out with floured cookie cutters. Bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Cool.

Icing:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 t. butter, melted
3 T. milk
1/2 t. vanilla

Blend completely. Separate into divided bowls. Leave one white. Add 2-3 drops food coloring to make the whole palette of color choices. Also you may use gum drops, red hots and other candies to decorate. Be creative! Most of all, have fun!

Grocery List:
eggs
margarine
sugar
vanilla
baking powder
salt
flour
powdered sugar
butter
milk

Approximate Cost: $5.98