1 1/2 c. oleo
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 beaten eggs
3 3/4 c. flour
2 1/4 t. soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
18 oz. Nestle chocolate chips (no substitutes)
Combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.  Cream together oleo, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs.  Gradually add in flour mixture.  When completely incorporated, add chocolate chips and gently mix.  Chill 30 minutes.  Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes at 350°.

4 c. flour
1 c. light brown sugar
1 lb. butter (no substitutes)

Mix flour and brown sugar to combine.  Beat in butter until completely mixed.  On a lightly floured surface, pat to 1/2” thickness.  Cut into desired shapes and bake 20-25 minutes at 325°.

Editor’s Note: This is from my Mom’s recipe box which Gail inherited and uses often. Each recipe comes with wonderful memories so it’s sort of a double treat!

2 sticks margarine, softened
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 c. Ghirardelli semi-sweet or dark chococolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts

Beat butter with mixer until creamy.  Beat in flour, sugar and salt.  Mixture will be crumbly.  Press 2 c. crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Reserve remaining crumb mixture.  Bake 10-12 min. at 350° or until edges are golden brown.  Combine 1 c. chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in small saucepan.  Warm over low heat, stirring just until chips are melted.  Stir in vanilla.  Spread over hot crust.  Stir nuts and remaining chocolate chips into reserved crumb mixture.  Sprinkle this over the chocolate filling.  Return to oven and bake 25-30 minutes or until center is set.  Cool in pan on wire rack.

Editor’s Note: How appropriate that the winner on Gail’s birthday is our travel buddy from Florida. The Albracht’s went a cruise with us once and we had a great time. Who knew that Mary was a baker! Let’s do it again soon friends! Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAIL!

December 12th
Nickerdoodles from Diane DePue, Brighton, MI
1 stick margarine, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 3/4 c. flour
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Roll dough into balls.  Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the 2 t. cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 400°, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets to cool on racks.
These snickerdoodles are aptly named because they are my son Nick’s favorite cookie.  He would rather have these for his birthday than cake!

December 11th
Banana Oatmeal Cookies from Cynthia Decker, Batesville, IN
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. mashed over-ripe bananas
2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. chopped pecans

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg & cinnamon. Set aside.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg.  Stir in vanilla and bananas.  Add flour mixture and mix well.  Stir in pecans.  Chill 2 hours.  Drop by teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10 min. at 350°.

December 10th
Sugar Cookies 

3 c. flour                                                                                         
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. sugar
pinch of salt
2 sticks butter
3 T. cream
1 t. vanilla
1 egg slightly beaten
 
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture looks like cornmeal.  In a separate bowl, mix cream, vanilla and beaten egg.  Add the two mixtures together; dough will be stiff.  Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. 
Bake at 400° for 5 to 6 minutes. Glaze or frost while warm.

Cook’s note: My favorite cookie recipe came out in the Salina Journal in 1960.  I’ve baked these for my family at Christmas, Valentine’s, St. Patrick, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving for the last 50 years. My family and friends really love these cookies.

Submitted by Marvelle Harris, Kincaid, KS

December 9th
Molasses Cookies

1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. shortening
1 c. molassas
1 c. water
5 c. of flour
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. of ginger
1 t. salt
4 t. soda
 
Cream shortening and sugar.  Add egg. Add molasses and the water. Mix thoroughly. Add flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and soda. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon in flour. Pat off flour and pat onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350° for about 9 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake.

Submitted by Lois Mann, Winterhaven, FL

December 8th
Praline Cookies

24 whole graham crackers
1 c. brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 c. margarine ( 1 stick)
1 c. chopped pecans

Grease a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 cookie pan with sides—Line bottom of pan with whole graham crackers.  Place brown sugar & margarine in sauce pan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat; when mixture has stopped bubbling, stir in nuts.  Spoon on or spread over crackers.  Bake in 350° oven for 10 minutes. Cool and cut apart.

Submitted by: Myrna Schroder (no hometown given)

December 7th
Oatmeal Cookies

4 c. shortening
4 c. brown sugar
4 c. white sugar
8 eggs
4 t. vanilla
6 c. flour
1 t. salt
4 t. baking soda
12 c. oatmeal
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (I add more)
1 c. coconut (optional)
4 lb. raisins
 
Cream shortening and sugars together.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.   Sift flour,
salt, and baking soda together.  Mix into shortening mixture.  Stir in remaining
ingredients.  Form into long roll about 2 inches around.  Wrap in plastic wrap and
then in aluminum foil.  Chill.  When ready to bake, slice 1/2 inch thick.  Place on
ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for approximately 10-12 min. at 350°.
This cookie dough will keep in refrigerator for about 3 weeks and you can bake
as needed.  You can also bake right away as a drop cookie in whatever size you desire. 

Cook’s Notes: My father, Ed Buckley, was a cook in the army during World War II and after he returned home, he continued his career as a cook.  He worked at Adcock’s Cafe in Jefferson City, MO, until it burnt on June 8, 1970.  One of the favorites at the restaurant was his oatmeal cookies.  This recipe was passed down to him from his mother.  They sold the cookies 3 for 25 cents. 

Test kitchen note: This recipe makes a LOT of cookies.  We cut it by 4 and it made about 5 dozen cookies.  Being testers at heart, we also used raisins in half the dough and chocolate chips in the other half - both disappeared quickly!

Submitted by Frances Buckley, Jefferson City, MO

December 6th
Brickle Bit Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix, pudding in mix
½ c. oil
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 c. angel flake coconut
1 c. chopped pecans
1 pkg. Heath Bits O’ Brickle candy (almond toffee bits)

Whisk oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Add cake mix, coconut, pecans and brickle bits.  Stir with spoon until combined.   Spoon drops onto parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake 12 minutes at 350°.  Cool on pan for 2 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Store in covered container.

Submitted by Agnes Faber, Gallipolis Ferry, WV