Easy Holiday Recipes

Delicious Holiday Food

Swiss Almond Cookies

INGREDIENTS
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2-½ cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
8 ounces slivered almonds, chopped
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar

Cream butter and sugar in medium bowl. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk, one at a time. Add rosewater, cinnamon and salt; beat well. Gradually stir in flour, blending well to make a stiff dough. Blend in 4 ounces of the chopped almonds, reserving the other for the top. Cover dough; chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Divide chilled dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 10-inches long; flatten slightly. Place ropes next to each other on work surface. Brush tops with egg white. Mix reserved almonds with 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle over dough. Transfer ropes to lightly greased cookie sheets and place 3-inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cut each rope on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Remove from cookie sheets to wire rack and cool completely.

Glazed Apple Cookies

Feature Box

Ingredients:

COOKIE

2 cups sifted unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup shortening
1-1/3 cups brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg, unbeaten
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup finely chopped unpared tart apples
1 cup raisins, chopped (optional)
¼ cup apple juice or milk

VANILLA GLAZE

1-½ cups confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
2-½ tablespoons light cream

Preheat oven to 375° F. Sift together flour and baking soda. Mix shortening, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and egg until well blended. Stir in half of flour mixture. Add nuts, apples and raisins. Blend in apple juice, then remaining flour mixture. Drop by tablespoons, 2-inches apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake approximately 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make vanilla glaze. Mix together all ingredients until well blended. Spread thinly over hot cookies.

Albany Cookies

3/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, beaten
1 pound confectioner's sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
Dash of salt
Walnuts, pecans or almonds
Colored sugar or sprinkles

Cream butter. Add eggs; mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill dough overnight.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Drop dough by ½ tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Place nut or sprinkle colored sugar on top. Bake until brown around the edges, about 7 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet about 2 minutes before removing.

Christmas Candy

1 pound (468 gms) white chocolate
1 cup small pretzels, broken into small pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped

Melt the chocolate. Stir the pretzels and pecans into chocolate and drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Handy edible gift suggestion.