December 5th
Cut-out Cookies

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
 
In a bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar and baking soda. Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream butter with the sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat well.  Add the flour mixture until well combined. Cover the bowl and chill overnight.

Use a floured surface and roll small batches of dough to desired thickness for cutting out cookies in desired shapes.
Bake for 8-10 min. at 350° or until lightly browned on the edges.  Transfer to wire rack until cooled.

Powdered Sugar Frosting
1 lb box powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
milk, added to desired consistency
Whip all ingredients to frosting consistency, frost and sprinkle cookies.
Let sit overnight to set and store in airtight containers layered with wax paper or
parchment paper.

*Cook’s Note: This recipe for cut out cookies has been in our family for over 60 years.  I remember doing these with my mother, with my children, and I even won “Best Cookies from Home” when my son was in Kuwait in 2005/2006. 

Submitted by Wendy Roberts, Watertown, WI

December 4th
Chocolate Mint Cookies

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2T. water         
2 c. semi-sweet choc. chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 t. baking soda        
1/2 t. salt         
3 (4.5 oz. each) pkgs. chocolate covered mints like Andes)

In a saucepan over med. heat, cook sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate chips until melted. Set aside to cool for 10 min. Pour chocolate mixture into large bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda & salt. Stir into chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls. Place 2″ apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 8-10 min. Remove from oven. Press one mint wafer into top of each cookie. Let sit for 1 min..  When mint is soft, swirl with back of a spoon to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint. 

Submitted by R.J. Peterson (no hometown given)

December 3rd
Old Fashion Sugar Cookies

1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. soda
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cream of tartar
4 c. flour
 
Cream oil, butter, and both sugars. Mix in eggs. Blend in salt, soda, vanilla, cream of tartar, and flour. Roll into balls and press them down lightly on greased cookie sheets with a glass tumbler dipped in sugar (colorful sugar is great for holidays). They are also good without the additional sugar topping. Bake about 10-12 minutes at 350°.

Submitted by Dottie Lensinboltz, Richmond, VA

Pizzelle

6 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 sticks margarine, melted
2 T. vanilla or anise
3 1/2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
Beat eggs adding sugar gradually. Beat until smooth. Add cooled melted margarine and vanilla or anise. Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Dough will be sticky enough to be dropped onto pizzelle iron by spoon.
   Serve plain or dusted with powdered sugar. While hot, shape into a cone or roll into a cylinder and fill with your favorite cream filling. Store in an airtight container.
Cook’s notes: The dough is placed in the center of the motif of a pizzelle iron which resembles a waffle iron. Some models (single cookie) are held over a hot stovetop burner, but electric models are more popular as 2-3 cookies may be pressed at one time on Teflon or easy-to-clean surfaces. The iron presses a pattern into both sides of the thin golden-brown cookie which has a crisp texture once it is cooled.

Submitted by: from Sharon Greve, Durango, CO

December 1st - 2011 Winner of The Country Register Christmas Cookie Countdown
These delicate orange sugar cookies, sent in by Ruth McBride of Delavan, WI, are decadently delicious.  Once you try them, they will be a regular in your Christmas baking repertoire!

Great Grandma’s Orange Cookies from Ruth K. McBride, Delavan, WI
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. orange juice
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1/4 t. salt
1 scant t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder

Cream together sugar, shortening and eggs.  Mix in sour cream and orange juice.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 350°.  Cool completely and ice.

Orange Icing
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 t. grated orange rind
2 T. orange juice
pinch of salt
4 c. powdered sugar

Mix well and frost cooled cookies. 

*Test kitchen note: I added a small amount of milk to the icing to get it to spreading consistency. 

Note: As the winner of our Cookie Countdown Ruth McBride will receive a bountiful gift basket compliments of The Country Register and our Wonderful Advertisers. Congratulations!!!

Coming Soon!!!

Please check back on December 1st for the 1st of 24 days of…

The Country Register Christmas Cookie Countdown

Our test kitchen is busy baking all of the recipes that have been sent in and we are frantically eating cookies and making notes so that we can vote on our favorites and put them in order with the winner on December 1st and 23 runner up recipes to be posted daily up until Christmas Eve. If you sent in a recipe come back daily to see if your recipe made  our 2011…

The Country Register Christmas Cookie Countdown

Come Celebrate Beck’s 14th year anniversary event  Oct 28th 9-6 and 29th 9-4. Have a piece of cake with us and help us to celebrate! In store specials,door prizes,refreshments,free gift with purchase- live dulcimer music with Ronnie McLain both days 11-2

1749 US Hwy 50 East
Bedford Indiana 47421

“Bittersweet Blessings Cabin Show” 

October 15th and  & 16th, 2011

If you are near Kokomo, Indiana you need to pack a Handwork project to work on, Put your favorite sweater & blankie in your car, then drive to 115 & 119 Kingston Road Kokomo, Indiana 46901 and join us for
     “The Bittersweet Blessings” Cabin Show
Saturday October 15th, 10am-6pm & Sunday October 16th, 11am-5pm…
Elizabeth & I have dressed the cabin for Fall…
There will be Hookers, Stitchers, Knitters, Crocheters & Spinners in the gardens and many Artisans will be selling their wares on the porches, decks, gardens and in our yards…Check out our Grapevine Tree Garden…and if you mention this Blog I’ll give you 10% off your Grapevine Purchase…
Plan on spending the day with us…
See you this weekend… 
Contact: Beth Notaro 765-236-1000 or Bethsmnstfolkart@aol.com or visit  www.picturetrail.com/Bethsmainstreetfolkart

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Cream shortening and sugar, add egg, vanilla and nuts. Blend. Stir in sifted, dry ingredients. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Substitute for nuts: 1/2 cup coconut, candied cherries, chocolate pieces or raisins.

From Mae’s Cookie Recipe Box compiled by Mae Taylor, Sharpsville, PA

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Cream shortening and sugar, add egg, vanilla and nuts. Blend. Stir in sifted, dry ingredients. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Substitute for nuts: 1/2 cup coconut, candied cherries, chocolate pieces or raisins.
From Mae’s Cookie Recipe Box compiled by Mae Taylor, Sharpsville, PA