Elta Zahn's Ginger Cookies

Notes:
 
(1) Grandma used Brer Rabbit molasses (yellow or green label) which I can't find, so use Grandma's Molasses (yellow).  

(2) Think the cookies roll out easier if 9 cups flour is used instead of 8.

(3)  Recipe can be cut in half as full recipe makes a huge batch (1/2 batch makes about 27 -    3" round cookies -- or less if you make gingerbread boys/girls)

(4) Don't even think about making these without an electric mixer, although apparently Grandma did.)


Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups New Orleans molasses (see Note above)
2 large eggs, well beaten
8-9 cups all-purpose flour (directions said sift before measuring)
1 Tbsp. ground ginger (mix into the flour)
3 tsp. baking soda (mix into the flour)
2/3 cup buttermilk
Additional 1 tsp baking soda (stir into the buttermilk)
Additional granulated sugar for sprinkling on top of the cookies (think this helps keep them soft, plus this is how I remember Grandma used to do it)

Directions: 

(1)   In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening.
(2)  Add in the sugar and continue beating at med-high speed.
(3)  Add molasses, blending at low speed.
(4)  Add in eggs to mix well.
(5)  To the mixing bowl, slowly, and alternately, add in and mix dry ingredients (flour/ginger/baking soda mixture) and wet ingredients (buttermilk/ baking soda mixture).  Do this in about 4-5 additions, mixing and scraping bowl thoroughly between dry and wet ingredients until all is mixed in.  Dough should be stiff.
(6)  Chill at least several hours, or overnight.
(7)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
(8)  On a well-floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out portions of dough to about 1/4" thick.  Cut with cookie cutter.  Gently transfer to a cookie sheet (I usually brush off extra flour on top and bottom of cookie in the process).  
(9) If round cookies, I sprinkle granulated sugar on top before baking.  If other shapes, like gingerbread boys/girls/house where they might be frosted or iced, I do not.
 (10) Bake for 8 minutes, check, then add an extra minute, if needed -- 9 minutes is usually good for round cookies.
(11)  Cool and enjoy!  Cookies can be frozen and thawed later -- remember Grandma used to keep these in the freezer and take them out when we visited!




 

Buckeye Balls

(Recipe from Connie Gaspar of Malone, NY)

Tourtiere

A favorite recipe from my mother-in-law, Margaret Guthrie.  Traditionally served at Christmas-time.  I love the blend of spices and the way the house smells when it is cooking.  For years I thought this was an old family recipe -- and I guess now it is, but I learned many years later that it was not, and I think, originally from Bon Apetit magazine.   Anyway, it is so good, and has been a Guthrie tradition for longer than I have been in the family!

Filling Ingredients:

2 cups chopped onion

1-1/2 ground sirloin

1- 14 oz. can whole tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped celery leaves

1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp each nutmeg, mace, ground pepper, ground cloves

2 tsp cornstarch

1 chicken bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Filling Directions:

Brown meat, onion, garlic.  Add tomatoes and break up.  Add celery, salt, thyme, nutmeg, mace, cloves, ground pepper.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes (**) until most of moisture has evaporated and mixture is quite dry.  Dissolve cornstarch in bouillon and stir into meat.  Cook until mixture thickens (about 2 minutes). Add chopped parsley. Set aside and roll out cough for crust. 

**  Make Dough while the meat cooks (there is a top and bottom crust).  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  

Dough Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. cold butter (original ingredients said chilled oleo)

6 Tbsp. cold shortening

1/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten (for brushing on the crust before baking)

Dough Directions:

Mix together flour and salt.  Cut shortening and butter into flour mixture until butter is pea-sized.  Add ice water slowly and mix with fork until dough holds mostly together.  Gather dough into plastic wrap and refrigerate until the meat mixture is cooked and ready to be used as filling.  When ready, divide the dough in half.  On a floured surface, roll out the dough for the bottom crust.  Gently line the pie plate with the rolled out dough.  Roll out the other half of the dough.  Fill the the bottom crust in the pie plate with all of the meat mixture.  Cover with the rolled out top half of dough.  Trim excess dough around edges, press the top edge of the dough to the bottom  dough,  I roll the edges of the dough under first, then crimp decoratively.  Brush crust with 1 beaten egg. Cut slits in the top decoratively to vent.  

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  

Serves 8.

Hand-Dipped Homemade Chocolates

This recipe is a special Christmas confection.  It was given to me by my mother-in-law, Margaret Guthrie, and is originally from the Ogdensburg Home Bureau.  Everyone seems to have their favorite flavors.  Ours are cherry, maple, orange, raspberry, strawberry and butter rum.  Allow at least 2  hours to do steps 5, 6 and 7. 


Ingredients:

4.5 - 5 cups chocolate chips/broken chocolate bars (I use combination of semi-sweet and bittersweet)

2 lb. confections sugar

1/2 lb. sweet unsalted butter

1/4 bar paraffin wax, grated -- I use a box grater. (Gulf Brand is good -- available in the canning department or in some craft stores -- check for FDA approval)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Strawberry

Directions: (My notes on time say:  3 hours for steps 1-5 and also allow 2 1/2 hours to do steps 5,6 and 7 -- leave plenty of time no matter how you do the steps, especially with  times in the refrigerator/freezer, which makes it much easier)

(1) Mix together sugar, butter and sweetened condensed milk; mix well.

(2) Divide into dishes for flavoring and coloring -- I do 5 or 6 flavors.

(3)  Flavor with extracts -- you'll need 1 tsp. or more flavoring per bowl, to taste-- flavors to use: almond extract (for cherry flavor), maple extract, orange extract, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, raspberry extract, for butter rum -- use both butter and rum extracts.)

(4) Cover dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate dishes (an hour or more).

(5)  One-by-one, remove dishes from the refrigerator, and roll the candy mixture into about 1 inch diameter balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil (I label the foil with the flavors to keep track).  Stick a toothpick into each ball; set completed cookie sheet in freezer while finishing the rest. Repeat process with the rest of the dishes, keeping the bowls refrigerated until ready to roll into balls.  Freeze balls with toothpicks for at least 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate -- makes the dipping process easier. (Note:  This is a very messy step, you will need to wash your hands and utensils after each flavor.  Refreeze balls if they are too warm to work with.)  

(6)  Melt the chocolate/chocolate chips with the paraffin wax shavings in a double boiler; stirring until the wax is melted and the chocolate mixture is very smooth.

(7)  One flavor at a time, remove candy balls from the freezer and dip the candy in the melted chocolate holding the toothpick and quickly dipping and then swirling back and forth to get rid of extra chocolate before returning to the foil covered cookie sheet. Fill hole caused by toothpick with a dab of chocolate.  Repeat process for all flavors, returning dipped chocolates to the refrigerator. 

(8)  Put the dipped chocolates into individual white candy cups.

(9)  Keep chocolates in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)

These are the first Christmas cookies I make every year.  I usually make them just before I start writing Christmas cards and enjoy a few while I'm writing.  I've had this recipe for over 25 years -- as originally printed in a South Florida newspaper:

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter, softened (4 sticks)

8 Tbsp. confectioners sugar

4 c. all-purpose flour

4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. blanched almonds, toasted and ground

Additional confectioners sugar 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar.  Stir in flour, vanilla and almonds.  Dough should form a soft ball.  Shape into walnut sized balls (about an inch in diameter) and place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Press slightly with your thumb.  Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until slightly brown.  Let cool 5 minutes, then sift confectioners sugar over the top.  When completely cool, roll again in confectioners sugar. Makes 5- 6 dozen.

Favorite Chocolate Fudge

  
I'm not going to say that making fudge is tricky -- most of the time, the fudge will come out just the way you want it.  However, you have to be willing to work with it a little if it doesn't.  If you keep a few things in mind, this recipe can become a Christmas tradition, as it is in our family -- it is the best chocolate fudge!

(1) Atmospheric conditions --  try to cook this on a dry day!  You can make this recipe when it is cold or warm (using your candy thermometer as indicated in the recipe directions, Step 3), but probably should wait if it's a rainy day, humid, or low pressure (see Note at bottom of recipe).

(2)  This recipe requires a good candy thermometer (again, suggested temperatures are given in the directions, step 3),  and for consistent and best results, keep a glass of cold water next to your work area to check if the mixture has reached the soft-ball stage.  Change the water each time you perform the test so it is cold and fresh.  (What I am describing here is when you drop some of the hot mixture from a wooden spoon into the cold water.  If when you take the small piece out of the water,  it can be formed into a soft ball with your hands, then that is the result you want.  You may have to do this a few times as the mixture approaches the proper temperature.

(3) Here are some additional hints from 20+ years of making this recipe: 

Hint #1:  If you cook it too long it will turn hard when you test it in the water (hard ball stage) -- you do not want this, but may still be able to salvage the fudge by adding a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to the pot after the butter has melted, but before adding the vanilla extract and beating it.  In this case too, I would not wait for the mixture to cool to the recommended time or temperature -- I would do it right after the butter has melted. This has happened to me before, a couple of times -- and one time I actually broke off the end of a knife cutting into the fudge (it is still good to eat, just hard).

Hint #2:  If you do not cook it long enough and no matter how long you beat it, it does not turn from a hot fudge sauce consistency to something that will firm up, you can put it back into the pan and try reheating it to get the temperature up again.  In this case, I would also recommend adding a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to it while you are reheating it.  When you take it off the burner, you do not have to add more butter and vanilla (as you would have added them before), just let it sit and cool down again (20 minutes) and beat it again.  This time it will probably be a better consistency and will turn into fudge, or if the worse happens, you can always save it for hot fudge sauce -- although this worst case scenario has never happened to me. I did end up once with fudge the consistency of Tootsie Rolls, but don't remember the exact cause...it always tastes good at least!  

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I prefer Ghirardelli)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup chopped nuts -- pecans or walnuts, optional 

1/4 cup unsalted butter (4 Tablespoons or 1/2 stick)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Butter an 8x8" baking pan, or other plate to pour fudge onto for serving. In a large, heavy saucepan (of at least 3-3/4 cups capacity), combine sugar and cocoa.  Add salt and mix well.  Add milk and corn syrup; mix well.

2.  Start cooking over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.  Attach candy thermometer to the pot and increase heat to medium-high.  Continue stirring with the wooden spoon.  The sugar crystals on the side of the pot can impart a grainy texture to the fudge, so if you must scrape the side of the pot, do it with a separate spatula that is dipped in a little water first. I think this helps a bit.

3.  Using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (test for soft-ball stage in cold water, which will be approximately 236 degrees -- adjust to 234-236 during cold weather; 236-238 during warm weather). Remove the pan from the heat.

4.  Place the butter gently on the mixture in the saucepan and do not disturb.  Let sit for 20 minutes or until mixture reaches 110 degrees.

5  Add the vanilla (and chopped nuts, if desired).  Beat vigorously with the wooden spoon, periodically lifting spoonfuls of the mixture and letting them drop back into the fudge mixture and then continue beating.  This helps to make creamier fudge.  Beat until the mixture becomes very thick (not stiff) and just begins to lose its shine a little.

6.  Quickly spread the fudge in the buttered pan or plate and set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.

Notes:  Do not double this recipe.  Caution when cooking during humid, rainy weather or low pressure -- can cause "fudge disasters".  Try to cook on a dry day!

Pâté de Campagne

This is the recipe I used to make Pâté de Campagne this Thanksgiving.  Not an original recipe of mine, but an adaptation of this recipe -- Bon Appetit - January 2009  --  written by Molly Wizenberg, then a Cooking Life columnist for Bon Appetit, and also author of the blog,  Orangette.  For the pâté I made, I replaced chicken livers for about half of the ground pork, substituted pork loin for ham steak, and made just a few other minor changes. The end result tastes just like the pâté I remember making with my mother years ago -- our recipe then was from a Gourmet magazine (before the time of PC's and archived recipes), and was since lost.  Serve with toast points or baguettes. (Note: This recipe makes 2 terrines -- 1 regular size loaf  and one mini size loaf (perfect for giving as a gift).

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken livers, rinsed, trimmed and cut in 2-3 pieces each

1 lb. ground pork

2 boneless pork loin chops (about 3/4 lb.), cut into 1 inch cubes

10 pieces bacon, chopped (I used Oscar Meyer center cut)

Additional  bacon to line the pan (about 16 for regular loaf pan, plus about another 6-8 for mini-loaf pan)

2 large shallots, minced

4 med. garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup brandy or cognac

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts

This is what they look like before baking

Directions: 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(1) Process shallots and garlic in food processor until well minced. Place into a large bowl for mixing.

(2) In food processor, in small batches -- about 6 portions:    Process portion of chopped bacon until minced.  Then to it add portions of pork, ground pork and chicken livers (small portions each time).  Pulse to get texture that is not totally smooth, but make sure the pork loin chops are chopped up enough -- Country pâté is not meant to be a smooth pate, it is meant to have texture.   After each batch of meat is finished in the food processor, transfer it to the large bowl with the shallots and garlic.

(3) When all meat has been processed and added to the bowl, add the: salt, dried thyme, allspice, ground pepper, and eggs.  Mix together thoroughly. Add brandy (or cognac) and heavy cream; stir to mix thoroughly.  Mix in pistachio nuts.

(4) Line the loaf pans decoratively with bacon strips, saving some to cover the top of the loaves. This will be part of the finished product, so you want it to look good.

(5) Using a spatula, fill the bacon lined loaf pans with the pâté mixture.  Smooth down top with the spatula.  Line the tops with bacon strips to cover.

(6) Cover the pans tightly with aluminum foil.

(7) Place both pate loaf pans in a larger 13 x 9 x 2" baking pan. Place the large pan in the center of the preheated oven (350 degrees). Pour boiling water about an inch deep into the 13 x 9 x 2" pan -- so the loaf pans are baking in the water-filled pan.  Bake the smaller mini loaf pan for 2 hours, and the regular size loaf pan for 2 1/2 hours. Before removing pans from the oven, insert a ready-read thermometer into the center of each to check that the temperature in the middle is at least 170 degrees.

(8) Remove loaf pans from the oven and set on a rimmed baking sheet.  Cut some corrugated cardboard to fit the size of the top of each loaf pan.  Set fitted cardboard piece on top of the loaf pan. Place baking sheet with pans into the refrigerator.  On top of the cardboard covered tops, place cans of soup, etc to weigh down the pâté ( this will help create the proper texture and make it easier to cut.)  Refrigerate at least overnight.  

(9) When ready to serve, loosen the edges with a knife, then turn out onto a serving plate.  Cut into 1/2 inch slices to serve.  Serve with toast points or baguette slices.

(10) Re-wrap any leftovers very well with two layers of plastic wrap, and then place in a sealed zip-lock bag.  Keep refrigerated.  Can be made ahead.  Can be kept several days in the refrigerator.