Family Blending in the Kitchen
I have English ancestors, so sugar cookies were very much a part of our Christmas baking. My husband's ancestors are German so pfeffernusse cookies were very much a part of his families Christmas baking. We Americanized the name and called them peppernuts.
So for the last 46 years we have always made sugar cookies and pfeffernusse cookies for Christmas. We might add other cookie recipes but these two are our mainstays.
Our family recipe for sugar cookies:
1 1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 t grated orange peel
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs
8 t milk
4 cups flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, orange peel, vanilla
Add egg and beat until stiff
Stir in milk
Add dry ingredients, stir in and blend
Divide dough in half and chill 1 hour and then roll and cut
Bake on greased sheet at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes
Makes 5 dozen cookies
Our family recipe for pfeffernusse cookies:
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t mace
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t ground cloves
1 t allspice
3 t cinnamon
1/4 t liquid anise
1/8 t ground cardamon
5 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
Use a mixer to beat these two ingredients and then add the dry ingredients along with:
5-6 T black brewed coffee
1 cup ground almonds
Chill the dough for 1 hour and then roll in long logs, cut diagonally.
Bake on greased sheet for 20 minutes at 300 degrees.
Then roll in confectioners sugar
Makes about 16 dozen cookies
This year we initiated my youngest grandson Owen in the cookie tasting test. He likes the cut sugar cookies but I think he preferred the icing on the top. One of the other grandchildren caught him licking the icing off the knife and he did go home on a sugar high that night. A few days later we gave him a peppernut and he took a bite and hesitated and then finished it off. So I guess these cookie recipes will become part of his families baking at Christmas in about 20 some years.
It really isn't about the recipes so much as families coming together and doing things together. When we all come together there are many different personalities and likes and dislikes. We choose to celebrate each other, at times stir up one another to good works, mix things up by doing things a little different, and blend ourselves together as a family that not only loves each other but also likes each other.
Until next time remember most of life is everyday!
So for the last 46 years we have always made sugar cookies and pfeffernusse cookies for Christmas. We might add other cookie recipes but these two are our mainstays.
Our family recipe for sugar cookies:
1 1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 t grated orange peel
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs
8 t milk
4 cups flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, orange peel, vanilla
Add egg and beat until stiff
Stir in milk
Add dry ingredients, stir in and blend
Divide dough in half and chill 1 hour and then roll and cut
Bake on greased sheet at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes
Makes 5 dozen cookies
Our family recipe for pfeffernusse cookies:
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t mace
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t ground cloves
1 t allspice
3 t cinnamon
1/4 t liquid anise
1/8 t ground cardamon
5 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
Use a mixer to beat these two ingredients and then add the dry ingredients along with:
5-6 T black brewed coffee
1 cup ground almonds
Chill the dough for 1 hour and then roll in long logs, cut diagonally.
Bake on greased sheet for 20 minutes at 300 degrees.
Then roll in confectioners sugar
Makes about 16 dozen cookies
This year we initiated my youngest grandson Owen in the cookie tasting test. He likes the cut sugar cookies but I think he preferred the icing on the top. One of the other grandchildren caught him licking the icing off the knife and he did go home on a sugar high that night. A few days later we gave him a peppernut and he took a bite and hesitated and then finished it off. So I guess these cookie recipes will become part of his families baking at Christmas in about 20 some years.
It really isn't about the recipes so much as families coming together and doing things together. When we all come together there are many different personalities and likes and dislikes. We choose to celebrate each other, at times stir up one another to good works, mix things up by doing things a little different, and blend ourselves together as a family that not only loves each other but also likes each other.
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| FROM THE YOUNGEST GRANDSON TO |
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| TO THE OLDEST GRANDSON |
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| MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTERS |
Until next time remember most of life is everyday!
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