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This is our sixth "Best Of the Open Line" Christmas edition. And again this year, we are proud to offer six pages of Christmas candies, cookies and cakes. Some of the recipes in this year's Christmas bulletin were not used on the air but were sent in last year and the year before. Good recipes keep well and in my files are some of the favorites of Iowa's finest cooks... the lady of the house. Thank you again for the support you have offered the Open Line in the past year and from our open Line family to your Open Line Family Happy Holidays!
CHRISTMAS FRUIT ROLLS
1 pound dates
1 large bag marshmallows
1 cup nut meats
1 pound graham crackers, crushed
1 small bottle each of red and
green maraschino cherries
1 cup whipping cream or 1 package
Dream Whip
1 three ounce package cream cheese
Reserve 1/3 pound graham crackers. Cut up marshmallows and cherries into fine pieces. Mix cream cheese with whipping cream or Dream Whip. Mix all ingredients and roll out in rolls. Roll in reserved graham crackers, chill and slice before serving.
MRS. CARNABAN'S FUDGE BARS
2/3 cup sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, unbeaten
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup salad oil
1 cup coarsely chopped nut meats
Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. In mixing bowl, slightly beat eggs and gradually stir in sugar. Add vanilla and oil and mix well. Stir in sifted ingredients. Add nut meats: Spread in ungreased shallow pan. Bake in 350° oven for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan and cut in squares to serve.
PUMPKIN COOKIES
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup dates or raisins
1 cup nut meats
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour
Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin. Mix well. Add dates or raisins, nutmeats and vanilla. Mix well. Sift soda, baking powder, cinnamon and flour, mixing well. Add to first mixture. Drop on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Size of cookie determines baking time. (Mrs. Alice Morley, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
FUDGE NOUGATS
2 cups sugar
½ cup margarine
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
¾ cup flour
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine sugar, margarine and milk and bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spread in well greased pan. Cool and cut.
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BOURBON BALLS
3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1½ cups chopped nuts
5 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons white Karo syrup
Combine ingredients. Roll in small balls and roll in powdered sugar. Makes 50 to 60 balls. Do not bake. Store in air tight containers.
SECRET CITY UNBAKED COOKIES
1 cup white syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2½ cups Rice Krispies
2½ cups Rice Chex
Heat syrup and sugar until it bubbles. Add peanut butter. Mix in Rice Krispies and Rice Chex. Cut in squares or drop by teaspoons on wax paper.
CANDY REESE CUPS
1 stick margarine
1 box powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 large package chocolate chips
½ stick paraffin wax
Mix butter, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Roll into small balls and chill. Melt wax in one pan and chocolate chips in another. Combine in one pan. Dip chilled peanut butter balls into wax mixture. Lay out on wax paper to set.
POTATO COCONUT FUDGE
1 medium size potato
½ pound sweet chocolate
squares
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ pound coconut
Boil potato and mash. Add butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and blend well. Stir in coconut. Let cool. Melt chocolate and pour over candy. When chocolate sets, cut in bars and wrap in plastic wrap.
DATE ROLL
½ pound graham crackers,
rolled fine
½ pound miniature marshmallows
½ pound dates, chopped fine
½ to ¾ cup orange
juice
Reserve ½ cup graham cracker crumbs. Mix remaining ingredients and form into roll. Roll in extra crumbs and freeze.
CHOCOLATE SNOWBALLS
1 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme
1 7 ounce package Angel Flake coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix and shape into any desired shape (1-inch balls, 2-inch long rolls or flat cookie size). Chill for two hours. Dip in mixture below.
1 package German sweet chocolate
¼ of 1 bar paraffin wax
Melt over hot water (Mrs. George Boess, Hawkeye, Iowa)
CARAMELO FUDGE
1 1/3 cups marshmallow creme
½ cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
¾ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 6 ounce package butterscotch
chips
½ teaspoon vanilla
2½ cups coarsely chopped
pecans
Cook marshmallow creme, evaporated milk, butter or margarine, sugar and salt over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook to full boil, then boil five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stir just until chips are melted. Pour into a buttered 8-inch square pan at once. Cool until set and then cut into 16 squares. (Mrs. Lula G. Miller, Dubuque, Iowa)
CANDY FOR MOLDS
In an electric mixer, combine 4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese and one stick margarine. Add flavoring and coloring and enough powdered sugar to make stiff batter. Form into ball, dip in granulated sugar and put in mold. Flatten out good and flip out. May be frozen.
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BOLOGNA CANDY
2 cups white sugar
1 cup milk
1 pound package dates
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup nut meats
Boil sugar and milk to a soft ball stage. Add dates and boil until it loosens from the pan. Beat and add coconut and nut meats. Work and roll in rolls. (Mrs. Joe Schultz, Waterloo, Iowa)
ROCK CANDY
1 pound sweet chocolate
1 stick butter
1 cup nut meats
small marshmallows
Melt chocolate and butter over warm water. Cool some and add nuts and marshmallows. Drop by spoonful on wax paper or pour into square pan. (Mrs. Willard Wilson, Richland Center, Wis.)
CARROT CANDY
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup cooked mashed carrots
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat syrup, add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add butter, salt and mashed carrots. Boil until ball gets firm in cold water. Pour into greased pan and cut in squares. (Springville, Iowa)
CITRUS BON-BONS
3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons candied cherries,
cut in small pieces
1 cup finely chopped nuts or coconut
or both
Mix all ingredients together and form into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Store in covered container in refrigerator. This mixture will be quite dry, but if it will not hold together, add a few more drops of the orange or lemon juice at a time until holds together when rolled in a ball.
SALTED PEANUT CRISPS
1 cup shortening
1½ cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups salted peanuts, red skins
Drop 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten with glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. (Mrs. Elsie Carr, Caledonia, Illinois)
M & M COOKIES
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla
2¼ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups M & M chocolates
Cream sugar, shortening, eggs, and vanilla thoroughly. Put measured flour on wax paper. Mix in salt and soda and add to first mixture. Stir in ½ cup chocolates. Reserve remaining chocolates for decoration. With teaspoon, shape dough in 1 inch balls place on ungreased baking sheet. Decorate with reserved chocolates. Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 5 to 6 dozen.
GUM DROP COOKIES
4 eggs
2½ cups brown sugar
1 cup nut meats
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup gum drops
Beat eggs till light. Beat in sugar. Add flour and salt slowly gradually with nuts and cut up gum drops. Spread ¼ inch thick in greased pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Cut in strips and roll out in powdered sugar.
WHITE FUDGE
Melt ¼ pound butter and 10 marshmallows. In another pan bring 2 cups sugar and 1 small can of evaporated milk to a boil and boil for six minutes. Stir first mixture into boiled mixture. Add nuts and flavor.
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CHRISTMAS COOKIES
2 cups shortening
4 cups brown sugar
½ cup sour cream
2½ teaspoons soda
½ cup boiling hot water
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 pound mixed fruit
6 cups flour
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ cup nut meats
Mix soda and hot water. Sift flour with nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Cream shortening and sugar. Add sour cream and beaten eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Mix and shape into rolls and place in refrigerator till firm. Slice and bake at 375° for about 10 minutes. Stores well in covered jar. (Mrs. Joe Schultz, Waterloo, Iowa)
DATE LESKUCHEN
1 lemon
1 orange
1 pound dates, cut small
4 eggs
1 pound brown sugar
2 cups flour
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 cup chopped nuts
Grate the peel and extract the juice of orange and lemon and add to dates in a bowl and let stand at least 12 hours, covered. Next day, butter a 12X15 inch pan and preheat oven at 375°. Beat eggs until light and gradually beat in brown sugar. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into egg mixture. Then stir in date mixture and add nuts. Bake about 30 minutes. Cut into 1½ inch pieces. For thinner bars, use two pans. Top with Orange Frosting.
ORANGE FROSTING
Mix ½ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon butter or margarine and a pinch of salt. Beat in enough confectioner's sugar to make a spreading consistency (about 1½ cups). (Mrs. Donavan H. Shaw)
RUSSIAN TEA CAKE
1 cup butter or margarine
½ cup powdered sugar
2¼ cups sifted flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup chopped nuts
Powdered sugar
Cream butter or margarine and powdered sugar until light and fluffy as possible Add flour, salt, vanilla and chopped nuts. Shape into tiny balls. Bake at 375° for 14 to 17 minutes. Watch closely. Roll while warm in powdered sugar. Roll again when cool. Dough may be divided and colored with food color.
OVERSEAS RAISIN DROP COOKIES
2 cups raisins
1 cup water
1 teaspoon soda
2 cups white sugar
1 cup Crisco
3 well beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped nuts
Boil raisins and water for five minutes. When cool add sugar, soda and Crisco to water. Beat well. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift remaining ingredients and add to creamed mixture with raisins. Add ½ cup chopped nuts. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes on greased pan.
GRANDMA MARCH'S BROWN SUGAR COOKIES
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Beat brown sugar, shortening, eggs and vanilla together. Sift flour with soda and cream of tartar. Mix with sugar mixture. Form into balls size of walnuts. Put on greased cookie sheet leaving room for them to spread. Bake at 350°. Do not over bake. (Mrs. Mearl March, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
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LEMON COCONUT SQUARES
1½ cups sifted flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
2 eggs beaten
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1½ cups flaked or shredded
coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
Mix 1½ cups sifted flour, ½ cup sugar and butter together. Pat down in buttered pan (9 X 13 inch). Bake in slow oven (275°) for 10 minutes. The remaining ingredients are for the filling. Combine eggs, sugar, coconut, nuts, flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Spread on top of baked mixture. Bake 20 minutes in moderate oven (350°). While warm, frost with frosting made by combining 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine and juice of one lemon. Cut into squares. Makes 24 two inch squares.. (Mrs. Joann Courtney, Ellisville, Illinois)
PINEAPPLE CHOCOLATE SQUARES
¾ cup shortening
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans
2 one ounce squares unsweetened
chocolate, melted and cooled
1 8¾ ounce can (1 cup) crushed
pineapple, well drained
Cream first three ingredients until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Sift together the dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture. Divide batter. To one half add nuts and chocolate. Spread into greased 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Add pineapple to remaining batter. Spread carefully over chocolate mixture. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired. Cut squares. (Mrs. David Jingst, Warsaw, Illinois)
HAY STACKS
Melt 1 six-ounce package butterscotch chips over hot water. Add 1 cup salted peanuts and 1 can chow mein noodles. Drop by tablespoons on buttered cookie sheet.
OLD FASHIONED SUGAR SQUARES
1 cup soft butter or margarine
1¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
¼ teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Cream butter with 1 cup of the sugar. Add eggs and beat until light. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk mixed with lemon juice. (You can use 2 tablespoons buttermilk in place of milk and lemon juice if desired). Mix well. Spread in buttered 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup sugar over top. Bake at 400° about 20 minutes. Cool and cut in squares. (Mrs. Clarence Krueger, Cresco, Iowa)
BANANA COOKIES
Scant 2/3 cup shortening or margarine
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup finely mashed ripe bananas
2 cups sifted flour
¼ teaspoon soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Cream shortening or margarine, vanilla and sugar until blended. Beat in eggs and salt. Add bananas. Stir in remaining dry ingredients. Drop on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° until light brown and spring back when touched. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar before baking. (Mrs. R. K. Andrews, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.)
INDIAN COOKIES
Melt 2 squares chocolate, 1 cup sugar, and ½ cup butter or oleo. Beat 2 eggs. Stir in slowly 1 cup flour and beat. Add ½ cup nuts. Add chocolate mixture and beat well. Spread on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. While cookie is still warm, spread with topping.
Melt 1½ squares chocolate and 1 tablespoon margarine. Stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar. Add 1½ teaspoons vanilla and ¼ cup hot water. Do not cut in squares for several hours. (Mrs. B. Hohnke, Des Moines, Iowa)
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CHRISTMAS CANDLE CAKE
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup buttermilk or sour
milk
½ cup thick strawberry jam
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup candied fruit
Cream shortening. Add sugar gradually and cream until fluffy. Add eggs. Sift dry ingredients together. Add alternately with buttermilk or sour milk to creamed mixture Blend in jam, chopped nuts and fruit. Pour into well greased and floured cupcake pans. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. When cool, frost with powdered sugar frosting. Decorate with spray or wreath of holly (tiny round of cherries for holly berries and pieces of green citron or gum drops for the leaves.) Insert small red candle in center of each before serving. (Mrs. Fred Schwendiman, Volga, Iowa)
DATE BREAD
1¾ cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup finely cut pitted dates
¾ cup firmly packed brown
sugar
¾ cup rolled oats, uncooked
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1¼ cuts buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup nut meats
Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Coat dates with 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture. Add dates, brown sugar, oats and lemon peel. Combine buttermilk, eggs and oil. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Pour batter into greased loaf pan (8½ x 4½ inches ) We at 375° for 55 to 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before removing from pan. Store overnight before serving.
HONEY APRICOT BREAD
2/3 cup dried apricots
1¼ cups scalded milk
2/3 cup Post grape nuts cereal
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2½ teaspoons Calumet baking
powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, well beaten
3 tablespoons melted shortening
¼ cup honey
Prepare apricots as directed on package. Cook only half as long as indicated. Drain and cool, then cut in fine pieces. Pour milk over cereal and let stand until cool. Sift flour with baking powder, salt and sugar. Add egg, shortening and honey to cereal mixture and mix well. Then add flour mixture and stir only enough to dampen flour. Stir in apricots. Pour into greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350° for about 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on rack. Wrap in wax paper and store several hours or overnight before slicing. (Mrs. J. W. Genz, Dubuque, Iowa)
BUCKET BREAD
Combine 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped dates, 2 cups boiling water and 2 teaspoons baking soda and let cool. Mix 1¾ cups granulated sugar, 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ to 2/3 cup chopped nuts and candied fruit if desired and set aside. Mix 2 tablespoons shortening, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 eggs together and then combine with raisin and date mixture. Add all at once to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour in well greased tin cans and bake at 235° at least one hour or till it tests done. (Mrs. Sam Carlock, Clinton, Iowa)
PINEAPPLE NUT BREAD
Beat 4 eggs and 2/3 cup sugar together. Stir in 2/3 cup melted fat. Add 4 cups sifted flour, 2 tablespoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 1½ cups chopped nuts and 2 cups crushed pineapple, undrained. Stir just enough to combine. Pour batter into two loaf pans. Bake at 350° for one hour.
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