THE BEST OF THE OPEN LINE BULLETIN

DECEMBER  PAGES 123456

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KRIS KRINGLES

½ cup margarine
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
20 to 25 maraschino cherries
20 to 25 chocolate bits

Cream sugar and margarine well. Add vanilla, flour and salt. Mix well. Stuff cherries with chocolate bits. Wrap each cherry in 1 teaspoon dough. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 to 25 minutes at 350°. Cool. Dip top of cookies in melted chocolate.

SNOW BALLS

Make regular chocolate cupcakes and cool. Frost with a mixture of the following:

1 package Knox Gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup light Karo Syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring to boil stirring constantly.

In a mixing bowl, combine the syrup, salt and vanilla. Add gelatin mixture and beat at a high speed. Let cool. Frost cupcakes and roll in coconut. Cupcakes can be filled with cream filling before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Mix 1½ cups powdered sugar, 6 ounces cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon butter or margarine and ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth. After frosting, spread chopped nuts over frosting.

CHEESE CUPCAKES

Mix 20 graham crackers, crushed, ½ stick butter or margarine, and ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Mix ½ pound cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ¼ cup sugar until creamy.

Using midget cupcake liners, put 1 heaping teaspoon graham cracker mix in the bottom and press down slightly. On top of the graham cracker mix, put 1 heaping teaspoon of the cheese mixture. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes.

FRUITCAKE SQUARES

6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups cut-up, mixed candied fruits or cut up gumdrops
1 cup dates, cut up
1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped
15-ounce can Eagle Brand Milk

Melt butter in 15½ by 10 ½ by 1 inch jelly roll pan. Melt in oven. Sprinkle on crumbs evenly. Sprinkle on coconut. Distribute candied fruit or gumdrops as evenly as possible over coconut. Sprinkle on nuts. Press mixture lightly with hands to level it in the pan. Pour milk over top evenly. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. (Approximately 50 squares.)

AUNT ESTHER'S NIBLET NUT MIX

Mix 2 tablespoons Kikkoman Soy Sauce with ½ stick butter. Coat one pound nuts with soy sauce mixture. Bake at 200° in a shallow pan for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

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CHOCOLATE CHIP PUDDING COOKIES

4 ounce package Jello instant chocolate pudding
1 cup Bisquick
¼ cup vegetable shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
4 tablespoons milk
Vanilla to taste
½ cup chocolate chips

Combine pudding mix and Bisquick in a bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and milk; blend well. Stir in chips. Drop dough by teaspoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes. Coconut can be substituted for chocolate chips.

PUMPKIN PIE SQUARES

1 cup sifted flour
½ cup quick oats
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup butter
1 can pumpkin (2 cups)
12½ ounce can evaporated milk
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup pecans
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons butter

Combine flour, rolled oats and ½ cup brown sugar with ½ cup butter. Put in mixing bowl and blend with electric mixer at low speed until crumbly. Press into ungreased 13 by 9 by 2 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt and spices in mixing bowl. Mix like pumpkin pie. Pour over baked bottom and bake 20 minutes more. Combine pecans, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture. Put back in oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Cool and cut in squares.

FUDGE

Cook 1/8 teaspoon salt, 2 sups sugar, 1 carton sour cream and 2 tablespoons cocoa or chocolate to soft ball stage. Add ½ cup nuts and beat until cool. Drop off tip of teaspoon.

BRANDY BARS

½ cup candied cherries
½ cup candied pineapple
½ cup mixed candied peels
½ cup currants
½ cup brandy

Cut up into fairly small size pieces. Cover with brandy. Put in air tight jar and let set at least 24 hours.

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
7/8 cup flour
1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup broken walnuts
Powdered sugar

Beat eggs until light. Add sugar. Gradually sift dry ingredients together and sift into egg mixture. Add nuts and then fruit and brandy mixture. Mix well. Pour into well buttered 10 by 15 inch cookie sheet. Spread in pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 325°. Cut into bars when cool. Roll in powdered sugar. Store in airtight containers.

LUSCIOUS APRICOT BARS

Cover 2/3 cup dried apricots (rinsed) with water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Chop and set aside. Mix with following using a fork until crumbly:

½ cup soft butter or margarine
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour

Heat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 by 8 by 2 inch pan. Pat into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, mix the following:

2 well beaten eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup flour

Mix in the order given. Add ½ cup chopped nuts and apricots. Spread over baked layer and bake another 30 minutes or until done.

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FRESH APPLE CAKE

½ cup shortening
2 eggs
1½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups flour
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts
3 cups fresh chopped apples

Cream sugar and shortening and add eggs. Combine with dry ingredients. Add nuts and apples. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes in two floured and greased 8-inch pans.

APPLE BRAN TEA BREAD

Combine 1 cup Nabisco 100% Bran or All Bran, 1 cup apple butter, ¼ cup orange juice and set aside and let stand.

2¼ cups sifted all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup melted and cooled butter or margarine
1 cup snipped pitted Dromedary Dates
3 well beaten eggs

Sift flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a large bowl. Add sugar, butter or margarine and dates to beaten eggs. Stir into bran mixture and mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in bran mixture. Stir just until combined. Turn into a 9 by 5 by 3 inch greased pan. Bake in a pre heated 325° oven for 1 ½ hours or until it tests done. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Turn out of pan to cool thoroughly. Wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight before slicing.

FROSTING FOR ROLLS AND YEAST BREADS

Cook 1 cup shortening (margarine), 1/3 cup flour and 1 cup milk or liquid of choice to stiff white sauce consistency. Add to 2 pounds powdered sugar. Will keep for quite a while in refrigerator.

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA NUT BREAD

1¾ cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup shortening
¾ cup peanut butter, crunchy or plain
½ cup nuts if plain peanut butter is used
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350°. Sift first four ingredients. Cream shortening and peanut butter. Add sugar gradually while creaming. Cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with bananas. Mix well, but do not beat. Spoon into greased loaf pan 8 by 4 by 3 inches. Bake one hour.

DARK FRUIT CAKE

2 pounds butter
2½ pounds dark brown sugar
1 cup Waconia Sorghum
1 cup whole milk
13 eggs, separated
½ cup orange juice
½ cup plum jam
2 pounds currants
2 pounds raisins
1 pound dates, chopped
1 pound citron, sliced
2 pounds pecans, chopped
3 pounds flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
Figs, candied cherries, orange or lemon peel and pineapple,
optional

Cream butter and sugar. Add sorghum, milk, jam and fruit juice. Beat egg yolks and add. Mix flour, soda, salt, baking powder and spices. Dredge fruits in flour and add nuts. Fold in fruits and nuts and flour. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake at 275° for 3 hours in paper-lined, regular sized loaf pans used in baking pound loaves of bread. Smaller pans can be used reducing baking time to just one hour.

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APPLE DATE DREAM CAKE

2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
2 slightly beaten eggs
21 ounce can apple pie filling
½ cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped nuts

Sift first six ingredients. Combine eggs, pie filling, cooking oil and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in dates and nuts. Bake in a 9 by 13 by 2 inch greased pan at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes.

APPLE OVER GINGER CAKE

½ cup margarine
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1½ cups thickly sliced apples, some unpeeled
1½ cups flour
¾ cup white sugar
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup water
1/3 cup light molasses
1/3 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
¼ cup chopped walnuts.

Melt margarine in a 9 inch round baking pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over melted margarine. Arrange apple slices and walnuts to suit. Make batter with remaining ingredients, pour over apples and walnuts and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

FRIED COOKIES

Mix 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 3 egg yolks slightly beaten, ½ cup thick sour cream and ¼ cup white wine or brandy. Make into a ball. Let rest a while. Roll out ¼ of the dough at a time. Cut out with pastry cutter into 3 by 2 or 4 by 2 inch pieces. Make a 1 inch slit in the middle of the dough area and pull one end through. Fry in deep fat about 3 minutes turning to brown on both sides. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

APPLE BARS

2½ cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening

Blend as for pie crust. Separate an egg and put egg yolk in measuring cup. Add milk to make 2/3 cup liquid. Add to first mixture. Use half of the pastry and roll to fit a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle 2/3 cup cereal flakes over dough in pan. Slice 8 to 10 apples and arrange over cereal. Mix 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Roll out remaining dough and put over top. Beat egg whites until stiff and brush over top crust. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until brown. Add powdered sugar frosting and spread over hot dish. Squeeze side together before baking.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT BARS

1½ cups sifted flour
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups flaked coconut

Combine first four ingredients. Work with pastry blender until crumbly. Pack evenly into an ungreased 9 by 13 by 2 inch pan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate pieces over crust while hot. Return to oven for 1 minute, just enough to soften chocolate. Remove from oven and spread chocolate evenly over crust. Beat eggs until thick and light colored. Beat sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour mixed with baking powder and salt. Add coconut. Spread evenly over chocolate layer. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool before cutting. Makes 3 dozen bars.

ANISE COOKIES

Beat 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 cups sifted flour and 1 tablespoon anise seed together. Drop from teaspoon well apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 300° for 15 minutes or until light yellow around the edges.

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HUNGARIAN COOKIES

1 pound butter
2 cups milk
3 yeast cakes
9 cups flour
8 eggs
2 tablespoons shortening
5 pounds sugar

Combine everything but the sugar, adding more flour if needed to make a soft dough. Allow to rise in refrigerator until double in bulk. Sugar is to be used when rolling dough out. Sprinkle sugar on rolling board instead of flour. Cut dough into little triangles.

For the filling bring ½ cup honey, ½ cup sugar and ½ cup whipping cream to boil. When boiling, add 2 eggs, mix well and then add one pound walnuts, ground fine. Remove from heat and put a teaspoon on each triangle. Fold into crescent shaped cookies. Bake at 400° until done, about 10 to 15 minutes.

KLUTCHENS

1 scant cup lard
1 cup sorghum
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons grocery store anise or 12 to 14 drops anise oil
2 teaspoons soda dissolved in a small amount of hot water
Flour to make a stiff dough

Roll in finger size rolls and refrigerate overnight. Then slice and bake at 350° until done.

CRACKED SUGAR COOKIE

2 cups sugar
½ cup butter
½ margarine, lard or shortening
2 cups flour
Dash of salt
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
½ teaspoon vanilla

Cream sugar, and shortening. Add egg yolks and cream some more. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Add flavoring and roil into small balls. Roll one side in sugar. Put on an ungreased cookie sheet unsugared side down. Bake at 300° for 20 minutes.

SELF FROSTING OATMEAL COOKIES

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1½ cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2½ cups quick oatmeal

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and shortening. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until very fluffy. Add sifted dry ingredients and beat well. Add oatmeal and mix well. Chill dough two hours or longer. Mold dough into balls the size of a walnut. Roll in coating made of the following:

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
½ cup finely chopped nuts

Mix together in a small bowl to make coating. Place coated cookies two inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 350°. Makes 4 to 5 dozen. Freezes well. (Mrs. L. J. Lund, Vinton, Iowa)

DROP DATE COOKIES

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped dates
½ cup hot water
1 cup chopped nuts
½ teaspoon salt

Pour hot water over dates. Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add dates, dry ingredients and nuts. Drop from spoon onto baking sheet. Allow for cookie to spread. Bake 15 minutes at 375°.

DROP DATE OATMEAL COOKIES

Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup lard or shortening, 2 eggs, 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon soda, 1¼ cup buttermilk, 2 cups oatmeal and 1½ cup dates or 1 cup dates and ½ cup nuts or raisins. Drop on greased and floured cookie sheets. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes.

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SOUTH AFRICAN FUDGE

1 can condensed milk
2 pounds sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter
½ pint milk

Put all ingredients in a big pot (larger than 3 quarts) and bring to boil. Boil to soft-ball stage, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until creamy. Pour into greased pan to set.

DIVINITY

2½ cups sugar
½ cup light Karo corn syrup
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnut or pecans, optional

Combine sugar, syrup, water and salt in heavy two quart sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to boil. Reduce heat and cook without stirring to 248°. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Beating constantly, slowly stir about ½ of syrup over egg whites. Meanwhile, cook remaining syrup to 272°. Beating constantly, pour hot syrup over first mixture about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating each time. Beat until mixture begins to lose gloss. Continue beating until small amount holds soft peak when dropped from spoon. Mix in vanilla and nuts. Drop by teaspoon on wax paper. Makes about 1¼ pounds.

BUTTERSCOTCH CANDY

¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup white Karo syrup

Bring to boil and cook to hard crack stage. Remove from heat and add 1 heaping tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir and pour immediately on buttered cookie sheet. Pour thin.

WHITE FUDGE

3 cups sugar
½ cup milk
1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon butter

Cook to soft ball stage. Remove from fire and let cool. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until creamy. Pour into well buttered pan.

BOSTON CREAM CANDY

3 cups sugar
1 cup white syrup
1 cup cream
1 cup pecan meats
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 squares unsweetened chocolate

Boil sugar, syrup and cream to soft-ball stage. Remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon. Beat in nutmeats and vanilla. Put in deep paper-lined tins. When cold, turn melted chocolate over top. Semi-sweet chocolate can also be used. Let stand several days before cutting.

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