Here we are in the FACS (Family and Consumer Science) Room. at school WOW - what a treat! 4 kitchens - about 15 cooks. Whatta recipe for success this was! We divided into 4 groups and made 4 different kinds of Christmas Cookies. Here is Mr. Morton's group - making Turban Cookies. His Mom used to make these - they are his FAVORITE!
Here is Mrs. Morton's group. They made Jam Thumprints. They have nuts and jam - so not always the kids favorite - the the pretty jam does make for a pretty tray!
Judy made OUTRAGEOUS COOKIE BARS! The name is telling! You can't go wrong with condensed milk, nuts and chocolate now can you?
This group, with Mrs. Gorbaty, made SPRITZ. Anything is fun if you get to SHOOT DOUGH! 
Nina not so patiently (HE HE)waits for the results! WHile we did feast on our efforts for snack - she took a whole bunch of these back to her church where they are hosting INN FROM THE COLD for the entire month of December. I'm sure the homeless guys appreciated the sugar!
Here is the group anxious for SOMETHING! Not sure if this was before or after the baking. We also learned about forcing Hyacinth Bulbs during this meeting. Mostly we learned about Hyacinth ITCH - NO FUN! But - hope those bulbs are in a nice chilly place - I'll send out a reminder soon to tend them!
Here are our Recipes! HAPPY NEW YEAR
JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES Gretchen Morton
Yield: 2 dozen SMALL cookies – DOUBLE this one!
½ c butter - softened
¼ c brown sugar
1 egg - separated
1 t Vanilla
1 c flour
1 c finely chopped nuts
Prepared Jam (Betty Crocker calls for strawberry, Gretchen is partial to apricot)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Beat butter & sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix until smooth
3. Add Flour
4. Roll dough into 1” balls
5. Dip balls in egg white – then roll in nuts
6. Place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet
7. Press thumb in center of each cookie
8. Bake 10-12 minutes in a 375F oven, or until light brown
9. Cool
10. Fill depression with ¼ tsp. jam
11. Eat and enjoy
OUTRAGEOUS COOKIE BARS Judy Engel
½ c (1 stick) butter
1-½ c Graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk (yummy)
2 c (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
1 c flaked coconut
1 c chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Melt butter in 13 x 9 baking pan in oven
3. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter
4. Stir well & press into bottom of pan
5. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs
6. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts
7. Press firmly
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown
9. Cool completely
10. Eat until you can eat no more!
TURBAN COOKIES David Morton
½ c shortening
½ c sugar (plus ¼ c for coating balls)
½ c brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg
2 T milk
½ c peanut butter
½ t salt
1 t soda
1-¾ c flour
DIRECTIONS
1. Cream shortening and sugars together until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg, vanilla and milk.
3. Add peanut butter.
4. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt and soda together.
5. Add flour mixture gradually to creamed mixture.
6. Roll in 1” balls, and then roll them in sugar. Place on baking sheet.
7. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Meanwhile – unwrap enough kisses
(one for each cookie).
8. Add kisses to the middle of the cookies after removing them from baking sheet. BEWARE the kisses will become soft and stay that way until the cookies cool!!
9. Just TRY and make them last more than 2 days!
SPRITZ COOKIES Barbara Gorbaty
1 c butter
1 c white sugar
1 egg
2-2/3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
2 t vanilla extract
A few drops of food color
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. If possible, cover dough, and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Press dough out onto ungreased, chilled cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden at the edges. Remove from cookie sheets to cool.
4. These will be pretty – but NOT TOO pretty to eat! Enjoy!
