Category Archives: Cookies/Cakes/Pies/Desserts

Easy Valentine Strudels

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1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dairy sour cream
3 tablespoons butter or margarine,melted
Cherry Filling (below)
Pink Glaze (below)

Cut butter into flour and salt with pastry blender. Stir in sour cream until a soft dough forms. Wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°. Divide dough into 3 parts. Roll 1 part dough into rectangle, 15 x 10 inches, on lightly floured cloth covered board. (Refrigerate remaining dough.)

Brush butter lengthwise over about 2/3 of rectangle. Gently spread 1/3 of the Cherry Filling over butter. Roll up tightly beginning with fruit side. Place on greased baking sheet, brining ends together to make a heart shape as pictures. Repeat with remaining 2 parts of dough.

Bake until light golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; drizzle with Pink Glaze. 3 Strudels.

*Do not use self-rising flour in this recipe.

Cherry Filling

Mix 1 jar (12 ounces) cherry preserves, 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 2 cups thinly sliced almonds and 1 cup golden raisins.

Pink Glaze

Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon butter of margarine, softened, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1 drop red food color.

©1976 by General Mills, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Candy Cane Cookies

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1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal flour*
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food color

Heat oven to 375°. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, confectioners’ sugar, egg and flavorings Blend food color into one half.

Shape 1 teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope. For smooth, even ropes, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board. Place rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Complete cookies one at a time. Place on ungreased baking sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane. Bake about 9 minutes or until set and very light brown. If you wish, mix 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture; remove from baking sheet. About 4 dozen cookies.

*If using self-rising flour, omit salt. If using instantized flour, stir 2 tablespoons milk into butter mixture.

©Copyright 1971 by General Mills, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Quick Holiday Fruitcake

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1 package of our date bar mix
2/3 cup hot water
3 eggs
1/4 cup Gold Medal flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 cup candied cherries
1 cup cut-up dried apricots
1/2 cup cut-up candied pineapple
Apple Jelly Glaze (below)

Heat oven to 325°. Grease and flour loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3 inches. Blend date filling from date bar mix package and hot water. Add crumbly mix, eggs, flour, baking powder and spices; mix thoroughly. Stir in nuts, cherries, apricots and pineapple. Spread mixture evenly in pan.

Bake about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil; refrigerate. Glaze cake just before serving.

Apple Jelly Glaze: Heat 1/4 cup apple or currant jelly over low heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Spoon over cake.

A refreshing topping for this fruitcake is Apricot Hard Sauce: Beat 1/4 cup soft butter until fluffy; gradually beat in 2 cups confectioners’ sugar. Stir in 1/4 cup preserves. Chill. About 1 cup.

©Copyright 1971 by General Mills, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Stained-Glass Cookies

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1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal Flour*
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
5 food colors

Mix throughly butter, confectioners’ sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour, soda, and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; color portions of one half with food colors. Cover dough; chill 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375°. Roll plain half of dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut the tree, star, ball or other decorative cookie cutters. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Roll colored doughs; cut out different shapes to fit on top of each plain cookie shape.

If you wish to hang the cookies on your Christmas tree, insert small piece of paper drinking straw through top of each cookie before baking. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown on edges. About 2 dozen cookies.

*If using self-rising flour, omit soda and cream of tartar.

For brightly colored cookies, use paste food color, available in most speciality stores.

©Copyright 1971 by General Mills, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Christmas Confections

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Cereal Christmas Trees

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
32 large or 3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon green food color
4 cups Cheerios cereal
Small gumdrops

In large saucepan, heat butter and marshmallows over low heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and food color. Fold in cereal until evenly coated.

On waxed paper, quickly shape warm mixture with buttered hands into Christmas tree shapes, using about 2/3 cup mixture for each place card-size tree or 1/4 cup mixture for each cookie-size tree. For ornaments, cut gumdrops into slices and press onto trees. 6 to 8 place card-sized tress or 16 to 20 cookie sized trees.

Cereal Christmas Balls: Shape mixture into balls, using about 1/2 cup mixture for each. Cut gumdrops into fourths and press onto balls. 8 balls.

Carameled Cereal

In top of double boiler over hot water, heat 28 vanilla caramels in 2 tablespoons water, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour caramel mixture over 5 cups Kix cereal; mix gently. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let stand until firm. About 3 dozen candies.

©Copyright 1971 by General Mills, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Eggnog and Holiday Raisin Cake

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1 1/4 cups shortening
1 1/4 cups honey
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 cups mixed diced candied fruits
2 cups candied pineapple pieces
2 cups raisins
2 cups golden raisins
1 cup halved candied cherries
2 cups broken pecans
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup brandy

Preheat oven to 250F. Place shortening and honey in mixing bowl and beat until creamy; beat eggs well and add to mixture; mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices; add to mixture and beat vigorously to mix thoroughly.

Blend in fruits, nuts, and liquors. Line 10-inch tube pan with 2 thickness greased heavy brown paper. Pour batter into tube pan and place in shallow pan of water.

Bake in bottom half of oven 4 1/2 hours or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Yield: 36 thin slices.

Copyright© 1977 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Christmas-Cake Cookies

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2 pkg (8-oz size) pitted dates, coarsely chopped
3 colored candied pineapple slices (4 oz), cut in thick wedges
1 jar (4 oz) candied red cherries, quartered
1 can (4 oz) toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz pkg) whole Brazil nuts, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sherry
1 1/4 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg

1. In medium bowl, combine dates, pineapple, cherries, almonds, Brazil nuts, and sherry; mix well. Let stand at room temperature, 1 hour.

2. Sift flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy.

4. With spoon, stir in flour mixture until well combined; stir in fruit mixture.

5. Refrigerate, covered, 6 hours or overnight.

6. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

7. Drop dough by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. If desired, decorate with bits of candied peel.

8. Bake on middle rack of oven, 14 minutes, or just until golden brown. Remove cookies to wire rack; cool completely.

9. Store cookies in airtight container. (A slice of bread in container helps keep cookies moist. Replace bread often, to prevent mold.)

Makes about 5 to 6 dozen.

©Copyright 1973 by The McCall Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Steamed Holiday Pudding

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1 cup Gold Medal Flour*
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups raisins
2 cups currants
3/4 cup finely cut-up citron
1/2 cup each cut up candied orange and candied lemon peel
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 cups ground suet (1/2 pound)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup currant jelly
1/4 cup fruit juice

Grease well 2-quart ring mold or turk’s head mold. Measure flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg into large bowl. Stir in fruits, nuts and bread crumbs. Mix suet, brown sugar, eggs, jelly and fruit juice; stir into flour mixture. Pour into mold; cover with aluminum foil.

Place rack in Dutch oven and pour boiling water into pan to level of rack. Place mold on rack; cover Dutch oven. Keep water boiling over low heat to steam pudding 4 hours or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (If it is necessary to add water during steaming, life list and quickly add boiling water.)

Unmold; cut into slices and serve warm with your favorite hard sauce. 16 servings.

*If using self-rising flour, decrease soda to 1/2 teaspoon.

©Copyright 1971 by General Mills, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

White Fruitcake

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1 can (3 1/2 oz) flaked coconut
1 1/4 cups light raisins
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped candied cherries
1 2/4 cups cubed candied pineapple
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
1 cup dried currants
1 jar (8 oz) diced mixed candied fruit
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup coarsely chopped blanched almonds
2 3/4 cups sifted* all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
Dash salt
5 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice

1. Lightly oil 10-inch tube pan. Line bottom and sides with heavy brown wrapping paper; lightly oil paper.

2. In very large bowl, toss coconut, fruits, and nuts until well mixed. Sift 1/4 cup flour over them; toss, coating evenly.

3. Preheat oven to 275F. In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, cream butter until light. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

4. Add salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition; beat until very light and fluffy. At low speed, alternately blend in remaining flour (in fourths) and orange juice (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour.

5. Pour batter over fruit-nut mixture. With hands, mix until fruits and nuts are evenly distributed through batter.

6. Turn into prepared pan, packing lightly. Bake 3 hours, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

7. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan; peel off paper. Decorate as desired. Makes 7-pound cake.

*Sift before measuring.

©Copyright 1973 by The McCall Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Pie

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Graham Cracker Crust
1 cup packaged graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter or regular margarine, melted

Cream Cheese Filling
4 pkg (3-oz) soft cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin

Sour Cream Topping
1 1/2 cups dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Make Graham Cracker Crust: In medium bowl, with fork, lightly toss crumbs with butter, to mix well. With back of metal spoon, press to bottom and sides (not rim) of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate.

2. Preheat oven to 350F.

3. Make Pumpkin-Cheese Filling: In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, flour, peels, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, eggs, egg yolks, and pumpkin; beat at medium speed until smooth.

4. Turn into crust. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until center of pie seems firm when pie is gently shaken.

5. Meanwhile, make Sour Cream Topping: In small bowl, combine sour cream with sugar and vanilla; mix well.

6. Spread topping evenly over pie. Bake 10 minutes longer.

7. Let pie cook completely on wire rack – about 1 hour.

8 Refrigerate, overnight.

Make 8 servings.

©Copyright 1973 by The McCall Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.