"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind... We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith." -- Margaret D. Nadauld

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Fa La La Festive

Christmas, Christmas time is here. Time to laugh and time for cheer.


Also, it's time to bake.


And bake.


And bake...


Oh, I love to bake!


I have certain traditional yummies that I make each and every December. If you're a family member, my neighbor, live in my ward, or live west of the Mississippi, you have probably tasted one of my treats. I love to share!!


The first -- and easiest -- cookie that I always bake is called Festive Christmas Cookie. Gah! I love them! This is another old family recipe that has been handed down from one of my Grandma's. (Was it Grandma Millie....?)


A lot of you have seen cookies that are similar to this particular cookie. I think they are called Russian Tea Cookies. They are close in texture and taste, but there are subtle differences between the two cookies. I have never made the Russian cookies, so I haven't been able to compare the recipes. I think they have chopped nuts in them though....I love nuts... I married one... live in a family of them...


The Festive Cookie also holds a special place in my heart for getting me through a tough time. I know... who knew a cookie could get someone through a tough time? Well, this one did!


I won't go into the long details of it, but back when Buttercup was a newborn and we had just moved to Portland, we were dirt poor. Buying all the ingredients needed to bake a batch of cookies seemed like a frivolous indulgence, but I still needed to bake. Baking is a cheap form of therapy for me and necessary for my mental well-being.


Enter Festive Christmas cookies. There are only 5 ingredients in them. No eggs. I used margarine instead of butter. They were affordable and I made them A LOT!! (I wonder if Max remembers this?)

Eventually we were able to afford eggs and chocolate chips and I could expand my repertoire of cookie treats. But each and every time I make these, I hearken back to those days and I'm glad that I had this recipe.

Festive Christmas Cookies
3/4 c shortening
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c butter, softened
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 c flour

Blend shortening, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour. Mix well.
Chill before rolling into balls. Place on cookie sheet and Bake 325* for 25 minutes.
Cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar. Store in air tight container until Santa comes to eat them!!


(Not the best photo... sorry!)

5 comments:

Roger and Barbara said...

Millie. And she taught me to bake them too! They are one of Papa's favorites.

Wees said...

Yep, it was Grandma Millie. Still my favorite Christmas cookie of all time. I could eat the whole batch myself.

I find Mom's comment above interesting because last year while on the phone with Dad, he told me not to use Grandma's recipe because it's not good and gave me Mom's recipe for "sandies" to use instead. (I didn't!) Go figure.

Yvonne said...

What a fun memory--I bet you enjoy making them every year ; )

(I make those same cookies AND I LOVE THEM.

thorkgal said...

I love grandma's. They made the best cookies ever.
Grandma V. use to make these cookies that had, a sugar stain glass window in the center... How? A mystery that you should solve for me.

Jill said...

So I'm sure my meager plate of white cookies don't even come close to Grandma Millie's...but my recipe comes from Grandpa Rollie! Tis the Season to be grateful that we live next to Martha Stewart herself!