Pie Crust

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

This is my standard pie crust recipe.

2 1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c cookin oil
1/3 c cold milk

In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Pour oil and milk into a measuring cup (do not stir); add all at once to flour mixture. Stir lightly with a fork. Form 2 balls; flatten slightly with hands.

Cut waxed paper into 4 12" squares. Place each ball of dough between 2 squares of paper. Roll each ball of dough into a circle to edges of paper. (Dampen work surface with a little water to prevent paper from slipping.)

Peel off top papers and fit dough, paper side up, into 9" pie plates. (Or reserve one portion for use as a top crust.) Remove paper.

Makes one 9" double crust pastry or two 9" single crust pastries.

Pecan Pie

My favorite kind of pie! Mmmmmmmmm!

3 eggs
1 c corn syrup
2/3 c sugar
1/3 c margarine or butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c pecan halves
pastry for single crust pie

For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly til well mixed. Mix in corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in pecans.

Place in a pastry-lined 9" pie plate on the oven rack. Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie plate. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min.

Remove foil; bake for 20-25 min longer or til knife inserted near senter comes out clean. Cool pie on a wire rack. Cover and chill to store. Makes 8 servings.

Spritz

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

At Christmastime I like to color the dough with green food coloring and use the tree shaped disk on my cookie press. Then I sprinkle the cookies with tiny colored ball-shaped sprinkles before baking them.

1 1/2 c margarine or butter
3 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract, optional

Beat margarine with an electric mixer on med to high speed for 30 sec. Add 1 c of the flour, the sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat til thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour.

Force unchilled dough through a cookie press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 min or til edges are firm but not brown. Cool cookies on wire rack.

Makes about 7 dozen.

Gingersnaps

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. At Christmastime I like to dip half of each cooled gingersnap in melted white chocolate and let harden.

2 1/4 c flour
1 c packed brown sugar
3/4 c shortening OR cooking oil
1/4 c molasses
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 c sugar

In a mixing bowl combine about half the flour, the brown sugar, shortening, molasses, egg, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat with an electric mixer on med to high speed til thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 min or til set and tops are crackled. Cool cookies on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is my standard peanut butter cookie and Hershey kiss cookie recipe.

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c peanut butter
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together til combined. Add about half of the flour, all of the sugars, egg, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat til thoroughly mixed. Beat in remaining flour. Cover and chill dough for 1 hr.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten by criss-crossing with tines of a fork.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 min or til bottoms are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

For Hershey kiss cookies:

Follow above recipe but do not flatten cookies with a fork. Immediately after removing baked cookies from oven, place 1 Hershy kiss into center of each cookie.

Snickerdoodles

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It's one of Hubby's favorite cookies.

1/2 c margarine or butter (softened)
1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on med to high speed for 30 sec. Add about half the flour, 1 c sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat til thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Cover and chill 1 hr.

Shape into 1" balls. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 min or til edges are golden. Cool cookies on wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe. I usually double the recipe except for the chocolate chips.

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter, softened
2 1/2 c flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 c)

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on med to high speed for 30 sec. Add half the flour, all the brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Beat mixture til thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by Tbsp 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min or til edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Makes 3-4 dozen.