Christmas Treats
Harvest Helper Cookies
This is the favorite of that old Scotchman, Rob't. If you want to see moths fly out of his purse, start by baking him some of these.
Ingredients
1 Cup Shortening
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons sour milk
1 teaspoon soda
3 1/2 Cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 Cup chopped raw apple, peeled
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 cup dates
Cream shortening and sugar. Add 3 eggs all at one time. Cream again. Add molasses, vanilla. Add sour milk with soda dissolved in it. Sift flour, cinnamon and cloves. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in apples, nuts and dates. Drop by teaspoonsful on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees about 8-10 minutes.
The Condon Family Fruit Cake
Ingredients
2 lbs pitted dates
1 lb candied cherries
1 lb pecans
1 lb walnuts
1 lb candied pineapple
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
4 eggs
Leave the dates and cherries whole. Mix thoroughly with nuts and remainder of fruits. Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Beat eggs and add to flour mixture. Add to fruits so that fruits and nuts are well coated. Bake in loaf pans lined with foil well greased. Bake at 300 degrees 1 hr 15 minutes. This recipe makes 3 loaves.
My mother wrote in her notebook 1951 the costs for making her fruitcake: 2 boxes of dates@ 58 cents each; 3 candied pineapple @ 32 cents each; 2 bottle candied cherries @ 37 cents each; 2 lbs of walnuts @ 49 cents a pound; pecans @ $1.26 a pound. Compare that to todays prices.
In 1957 they added 2 packages of almonds and from then on had three kinds of nuts in the cake. They would soak a cheesecloth with a good brandy and wrap the fruit cake. The brandy would go through the cake and also helped to keep it moist. She later learned to freeze this cake successfully she would add a chopped apple to the ingredients to keep it moist.
Royal Cashew Brittle
We've been brittle fans since childhood.~~~This cashew version is extra good.
Ingredients
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup chopped raw cashews
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
Lightly grease cookie sheet, set aside. In a heavy medium sized saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring to 260 degrees F. (Hard ball stage) on candy thermometer. Stir in nuts and salt. Continue cooking stirring occasionally to prevent scorching to 290 degrees F. (hard crack stage) on candy thermometer. Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter, vanilla and baking soda. Pour onto cookie sheet. Let stand until just cool enough to handle. Working quickly, stretch brittle slightly with greased fingers to about 16x12 inch retangle. Cool completely. Break into pieces. Yields about 1 1/2 lbs. To store place in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers. Keeps in refrigerator up to 1 month.
Popcorn Balls
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup white corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp vanilla
Put sugar, syrup, water and butter with salt in a saucepan and cook, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring until syrup forms a brittle ball in cold water. (hard crack stage) Add vanilla and stir only enough to mix it in. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Shape into small balls.
