Easy Rugelach

• 2 boxes refrigerated pie dough, (4 rounds)
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves or orange marmalade, pureed in food processor (or not, if you like lumps)
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins, opt.
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix both sugars, cinnamon, raisins and nuts together in a bowl.

Working with one round of dough at a time, spread 2 tbsp. of preserves on one round.  Then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling.  Lightly press into the dough.  Cut the circle with a pizza cutter into 12 equal wedges   – cutting into quarters and then each quarter into thirds.

Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge.  Place cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Mix egg and milk together for egg wash.

Bruch each cookie with egg wash.  Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Repeat with remaining rounds of dough.  You should be able to get 2 dozen cookies on one baking sheet.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

“We can own up to our wrongs – because we can’t hide them from God anyway.”

Butternut Kisses

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ground walnuts or pecans (or chopped fine, whichever you prefer)
• Milk chocolate candy kisses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.  Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in ground nuts.

Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 – 11 minutes or until set.  Turn tray after 7 minutes.

Press kiss in center of each cookie.  Cool on wire rack.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

(I made mine bigger than 1 inch so I didn’t get as many cookies.)

“Our greatest hope here below is help from God above.”

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is for anyone that likes cold cookies, my husband for one.  The cookie stays soft, but the chips are hard.  Now, you don’t have to put them in the frig, but I have to say, they are delicious that way.  Try it and see what you say.

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 (3.4-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped nuts, opt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar.  Beat in the pudding mix until blended.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and baking soda until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Using a cookie scoop, drop cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  Edges should be golden brown.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

“Our tendency to wander is matched by God’s willingness to pursue.”

Ina’s Pecan Squares

I made these for Thanksgiving this year and they were a big hit.  I must say though, they are sooooo delicious because they are sooooo rich.

It makes a huge pan of bars and will bubble over the edge of the pan, so be sure and put a piece of foil on the bottom rack of your oven.  I’m thinking next time I make them, I will divide the recipe between two 9 x 13″ baking pans.  That should keep them from bubbling over.  Or just make a half recipe and put in one pan.  Line your pan with foil so it is easier to take out of the pan and cut.

CRUST

• 1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

TOPPING

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 cup good honey
• 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I didn’t use)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (I didn’t use)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined.  Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 x 12 x 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside.  It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour.  Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned.  Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir.  Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the heavy cream and pecans.  Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.  Cut into bars and serve.

Makes 20 large squares.  (I made mine half that size and then cut some into bite size pieces.)

“He who has the Holy Spirit as his resource has already won the victory.”

Monster Cookies

These cookies contain oats, peanut butter and chocolate.  They are big in size, but can be made smaller.  The kids will gobble them up.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 3/4 tsp. light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups uncooked regular oats
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add peanut butter, corn syrup, and vanilla, beating until blended.  Stir together oats, soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well.  Stir in candy and chocolate chips.  (Dough will be stiff.)

Pack dough into a 1/4-cup measure.  Drop dough 4 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.  Lightly press each cookie into a 3 1/2-inch circle with fingertips.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes (centers of cookies will be slightly soft).  Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely (about 30 minutes).  Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

If you make the smaller cookies, I baked them less time (about 11 minutes).

“God’s grace is infinite love expressing itself through infinite goodness.”

Ultimate Ginger Cookie

This cookie is crisp on the outside, moist on the inside and filled with crystallized ginger.  One of my husband’s favorite cookies.  They are soooooo good!

• 4 1/2 cups (22 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 12 ounces chopped crystallized ginger
• granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Turn the mixer to low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute.  With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Using a 1 3/4-inch cookie scoop, drop your dough onto your granulated sugar and slightly flatten.  Turn over and sugar the other side.  Place cookie on your cookie sheet and bake for 13 minutes.  The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside.  Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a minte or two, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

“God’s work in us isn’t over when we receive Christ – it has just begun.”