Norwegian Lace Cookies

These pretty cookies are super easy to make and go well dipped in vanilla ice cream or served with tea. They have a delicious chewy caramel crunch and they come out as see-through cookies with a delicate lacy look (thus, the name).

Ingredients:

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 T. unsalted butter
3 T. honey
1 T. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup regular rolled oats

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil and grease. In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, honey, cream, salt, cloves, and ginger. Heat over medium heat until bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in flour and oats. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 4 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for about 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cook for 1 minute. The slip foil, along with cookies, onto a counter to cool completely. Peel cookies from foil.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Source: The Christmas Cookie Deck (Chronicle Books)

Best Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies Eer

Courtesy of Minnesota Mom over at her cooking blog Come for Coffee.

Whole Wheat Cranberry Nut Bread

Ever since my mom-in-law introduced me to this recipe, we make this bread every Christmas. We sometimes make mini loaves to share with neighbors and friends. The bread is tasty and healthy and makes for a nutritious breakfast when served with milk and a piece of fruit.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons canola oil
Hot water
1 egg, beaten
1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix dry ingredients together. Combine OJ, orange rind, oil, and enough hot water to make 3/4 cup liquid. Add to dry ingredients. Add honey and egg, and mix well. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Pour into loaf pan and bake at 325º for one hour. If you're using three mini loaf pans instead of one standard pan, cut cooking time in half and check bread by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, the bread's ready. Allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

German Crescent Cookies

My mom has been making these cookies (courtesy of her German grandmother) every Christmas for as long as I can remember, and they're always big hit. They freeze well and are the perfect addition to a cup of coffee or cocoa.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks)
2 cups of flour
2 cups of chopped pecans
5 tablespoons of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients except for powdered sugar. Divide dough up and roll into small crescents. Bake for 20 minutes at 325º (cookies should be a golden brown). Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar.

Baby Jesus Birthday Cake

1 cup of canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 small (or 1 large) jars of plum with tapioca baby food (this type of baby food has become increasingly more difficult to find, so we've successfully substituted other kinds of baby food with plum in it such as plum-apple as well as prune baby food.)

Optional: Add 1/2 cup raisins or dates and/or 1 cup chopped pecans. You can also dust the cake with powdered sugar.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix all the ingredients together.
3. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan.
4. Bake for 60-65 minutes.


We sing " Happy Birthday" to Jesus and enjoy this following Christmas Eve dinner. It's even better the next morning with a cup of coffee.