Tea Cakes

2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups shortening
6 eggs
6 cups flour (unsifted)
2 teaspoons baking powder
vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix sugar and shortening. Add eggs one at a time, keep mixing. Add vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Add flour slowly. Mix well.

Roll and kneed until easy to work. It should be easily handled and not sticky.

Cook at 375F until golden brown.

P.163 Carter Cookbook

Pumpkin Granola Cookies

1 cup cooked shredded pumpkin (~ 3 cups raw)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick margarine
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 cup pecans

Mix sugar and margarine until fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin. Add baking soda and spices. Mix well. Add flour, oatmeal, raisins and pecans. The dough will be very stiff, don't try to use an electric mixer.

Drop large tablespoons of dough on cookie sheet. Flatten drops with back of spoon. The cookies will not spead much during baking.

Bake at 350 F for 15-25 minutes. Time will vary depending on consistency of pumpkin.

* I invented these cookies for daddy's birthday. November 2003 *

Oatmeal Cookies

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
3 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup raisins

Cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat the 2 eggs and mix into the mixture. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Sift together the flour, salt and soda. Mix in portions to the above mixture. Add the 3 cups of oatmeal - mix in portions. Add one cup of raisins.

Drop onto ungreased pan.

Bake at 350° F for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are brown.

Remove and cool for one minute. Use spatula to remove from cookie sheet unto wax paper. Cool long enough so that the cookie can be handled and store in can or plastic bag.

Mother Webb Cookies

1 cup butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time. Mix other ingredients together and stir into creamed mixture making a very stiff dough.

Roll in wax paper and store in refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake at 375 F.

Carter Family Cookbook

Macadamia-Oat Snowballs

1 cup butter or margarine softened

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 jar (3 1/2 oz) macadamia nuts
powdered sugar

Beat butter until soft and creamy; gradually add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Add vanilla and flour, mixing well. Stir in oats and chopped nuts. Shape into 1 inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 for 12 min.

Remove from pan; roll balls in powdered sugar, and cool on wire racks.

Makes 4 dozen.

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

4 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. cream of tartar
4 cups all purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°.
Lightly grease cookie sheet. Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs and vanilla. Add 2 cups flour, then soda, salt and cream of tartar. Add remaining 2 cups flour.

Drop generous tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet. Butter bottom of flat-bottomed glass. Dip glass bottom into sugar, flatten cookie dough.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly brown.

Makes 50 large or 100 small cookies.

*This cookie recipe is not actually our grandmother's recipe, it was clipped from the newspaper.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons sugar

Comine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat margarine with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Beat well. Stir in dry ingredients.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls (1 heaping tablespoon dough each), roll in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 1/2 in. apart.

Bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes until light brown and still puffed. After baking let stand 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes 24 3-inch cookies.

Nutrition information per cookie:
142 cal, 2 g pro., 21 g carbohydrates., 6 g fat, 11 mg chol, 118 mg sodium, 56 mg potassium.

Cranberry-Walnut Swirls

Makes 3 dozen
Prep: 15 min., Chill: 1 hr., Freeze 8 hrs.,
Bake: 15 min per batch

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 tablespoon grated orange rind

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Combine cranberries, walnuts and orange rind.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 10 inch square. Sprinkle with cranberry mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border on 2 opposite sides.

Roll up dough, jellyroll fashion, beginning at a bordered side. Cover and freeze 8 hours.

Cut roll into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place slices on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake on top oven rack at 375 F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Freeze up to 1 month, if desired.

P. 9 Southern Living Christmas Cookies 2003

Chocolate Macaroon Swirls

Makes 2 1/2 Dozen
Prep: 1 hr., Chill: 1 hr., Freeze: 1 hr.,
Bake: 11 min. per batch

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz. sweet baking chocolate, melted
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bow, stirring well Cover and chill coconut mixture.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; beat well. Add melted chocolate, beating well.

Combine 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; stir well. Add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended (dough will be stiff). Cover and chill 1 hour.

Roll chilled dough into a 15 x 8 inch rectangle between two sheets of wax paper. Spread coconut mixture evenly over dough. Cut dough in half crosswise. Beginning at short end, roll up each portion, jellyroll fashion, peeling wax paper from dough while rolling. Cover; freeze 1 hour.

Cut rolls into 1/2 inch thick slices; place on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350F for 10 to12 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

P. 29 Southern Living Christmas Cookies 2003

Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 sticks margarine
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 eggs
6 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 cup chopped pecans
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together the margarine, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat the 4 eggs and mix into the mixture. Add 4 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Sift together the flour, salt and soda. Add to the above mixture. Mix in 12 oz. chocolate chips and 1 cup pecans.

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes per batch.

Cheese Wafers

1/2 pound grated sharp cheddar (8 oz)
1/2 pound butter
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon red or
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and cheese; add salt, pepper and flour.

Press through cookie press or roll and cut.

Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Almond Cookies (China)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 lg egg, lightly beaten
36 whole blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease 2 cookie sheets.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Beat lard and sugar in mixer bowl until light. Add egg, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in almond and vanilla extracts. At low speed, gradually add dry ingredients, beating until blended.

Roll dough into 1 1/4 in. balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with palm and brush lightly with beaten egg. Gently press almond in center of each cookie.

Bake 10 to 12 min., until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 3 dozen

Toscakakku (Tosca Cake)

Cake:
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract*
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), melted and cooled
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Butter and flour a 9 inch round cake pan with removable bottom.**

Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and lemon colored. Beat in the almond extract.

Sift the flour and the baking powder together and fold into the eggs, alternating with the melted butter and milk.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Topping: (prepare while cake is baking)***

4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the sugar, milk, flour and sliced almonds. Mix well and cook stirring over medium heat until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat.

Spread cake with the topping, increase the heat of the oven to 375 and return cake to the oven for 10 minutes or until topping is bubbling and golden brown.

Notes:

*This recipe is also very good using vanilla extract instead of almond.

**This cake is not too fragile, if you don't have a cake pan with a removable bottom, you can use a regular cake pan. After the cake is cooled, go around the edges of the cake with a knife and flip it out of the pan onto a plate or piece of foil. Don't worry, the almond topping will stay attached to the cake.

***I made this cake for Sami's birthday and it was very good. He said we should double the almond topping next time.

Recipe from: The Best of Finnish Cooking by Taimi Previdi, p. 197.

Rhubarb Pie

Crust
1 Stick margarine
1/2 cup sugar*
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling
4 cups rhubarb pieces (peeled)
1/2 cup sugar*
1 tablespoon potato starch
cinnamon
ginger
mint

Preheat oven to 400 F

Whip margerine and sugar. Add egg to mixture. Mix the baking powder with the flour, and add slowly to wet ingredinets. Pour/spread in pie dish, shaping dough into a piecrust.

Boil half of the rhubarb pieces with sugar until soft. Remove from heat and mix potato starch with 2 tablespoons water and add to filling. Add reserved rhubarb pieces to mixture and bring to boil. Remove from heat, add cinnamon, ginger and mint.

Pour filling into crust, brush with egg if desired. Bake for 20 mins at 400 F.

*1/2 sugar may be replaced with splenda. Or additional sugar may be added if a sweeter pie is desired.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups unsifted flour
3 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 large eggs
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 cups pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, eggs and oil. Add flour and spices gradually. Stir in pumpkin and nuts if desired.

Pour batter in greased and floured loaf pans. (Use wax paper for bottoms).

Bake at 325-350° F for about an hour.

Lemon Cheesecake

Crust:
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups graham cracker or cookie crumbs*
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
24 oz. cream cheese*
1 cup sour cream*
2 cups splenda or sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Lemon Curd:
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup splenda or sugar
2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits

* Lowfat or nonfat ingredients work well.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

CRUST: Lightly spray a (9-inch) springform pan or regular pie plate with cooking spray. Mix crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and crust is set. Cool on rack.

FILLING: In large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high, beat cream cheese and sour cream for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar or splenda. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until incorporated. Beat in zest and juice. Pour into crust. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until center is almost set, but still slightly jiggly. (Do not overbake, as it will firm as it cools). Let cool completely.

LEMON CURD: In the top of a double boiler, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, and sugar or sugar substitute over gently simmering water. Whisk until hot and frothy, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter and continue whisking for 7 minutes or until thickened and coats back of spoon. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.

Run a thin blade around the edge of the springform pan and remove sides. Transfer to a serving plate. Spread lemon curd over top. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Garnish with berries and zest, if desired. Cool cheesecake in refrigerator several hours or overnight before serving.

German Chocolate Cake

1 pkg bakers german sweet chocolate
2 sticks margarine (softened)
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
4 lg eggs (separated)
2 cups flour (sifted)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 350° F. Line 3 9-inch round cake pans with wax paper.

Melt chocolate and water together on very low heat. Mix flour, soda and salt. Beat margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time beating well after each addition until smooth. Stir in chocolate mix and vanilla. Add flour mix alternately with buttermilk. Beat egg whites separately until stiff peaks begin to form. Gently stir into batter.

Bake 30 min. Cool about 15 min. Remove from pans.

Ice with Chocolate Fudge Icing or Coconut-Pecan Frosting.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 dash salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecans

Reserve 1/2 cup peacns to sprinkle in bottom of tube pan. Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour and salt - stir well. Add vanilla. Add 1 cup peacns.

Bake at 325 F for 1 1/2 hours.

Chocolate Pound Cake

1/2 lb. butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup milk
4 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
5 large eggs

Cream sugar, shortening and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Sift flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder, add alternately with milk. Add vanilla.

Bake 1 hr. 20 min at 350 F.

May add 1 to 2 cups nuts (roll nuts in flour) if desired.

Frost with Cocoa Powder Icing.

Applesauce Cake

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup thick apple sauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup raisins
1 cup nuts

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices, and sift together three times. Work butter with spoon until creamy, add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until light and fluffy. Add egg, beat well. Add nuts and raisins. Add flour alternately with sauce, small amount at a time. Turn batter into a greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 F 1 hr and 15 min. Double spices for more flavor. Makes a small cake.