Jan 18
Tarrant FiglioCookies
These are a cookie-but in a salty satisfying peanut way. That makes them more for grown ups than for kids in my mind. I am in a peanut mood though, so that could be why. Also, youngest shouldn’t eat peanuts with her braces-though she ignores that in some cases-I think this is one. These are super quick and not too horribly time consuming for non bar cookies. It might go over well if you are looking for a Super Bowl Dessert Type snack…easy to eat…peanuts and beer…go for it!
Heat oven to 375°
Cream together:
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (packed in cup)
Stir in:
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Sift together:
3 cups sifted Gold Medal Flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
Mix together then add:
2 cups salted peanuts
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
From Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for Boys and Girls, 1957
Aug 31
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
Today was the younger set of children’s first day of school. I have a few pics that their father sent but no details yet. For the first time ever, I won’t see them at all on the first day. I have been trying not to think about that, after all I have them the rest of the first week of school. (YAY!)
First day of school always brings out the June Cleaver brain in me though. I always wanted that mythical milk and cookies after school but for some reason, my mother never baked on the first day of school. Hmmm wonder why that was…oh perhaps the other million things stay at home moms do on the first day of school?
In any case, I would like to pretend that had we had a “normal” first day of school (and believe me, this wouldn’t have happened even IF they were to come here right after school, even if some time machine made us the “normal” type of family) I would have made cookies for the first day.
Chocolate chip cookies because my youngest likes them best. We confusingly (to her) call them Toll House cookies at this house. She started middle school today. My tiny baby that I am sure I could still pop into the sling and wear all day started MIDDLE SCHOOL. Yes, I knew it was coming. But, I am the mother of toddlers and a few teenagers, not mom to a tween, some teens and young adults. How did that happen?
In any case, in honor of the youngest today, her favorite:
Nestle Toll House Cookies AKA Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened (actually, I use stick margarine)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 bag (12-oz. pkg.) Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla. Then add dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Drop spoon fulls on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes at 375. Let cool a tiny bit- a minute or two- before moving to wire rack. Tell children to watch fingers and not put into their mouth before cooling enough so they don’t roast their tongues on molten chocolate chip. Serve with milk.
Now, if it isn’t the first day of school, you can put the dough in a 9 x 13 pan and bake 20-25 minutes and have the much preferred BAR cookie. Ok, boy child and I (and every other sane parent who doesn’t live in a kitchen to do that 10 minute cookie dance) prefer bar cookies.
Dec 22
Tarrant FiglioCandy, Cookies, Recipes, retro food
These cookies are called Jim Bars in honor of the friend who got me hooked. The children love them. My partner doesn’t agree they are a cookie and tends to call them candy or fudge.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. peanut butter
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 c. (12 oz.) milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted.
Spray 9 x 9 in pan with Pam. Mix confectioners’ sugar, graham crackers, peanut butter and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Scrape into ungreased baking pan and press into even layer. Spread melted chocolate over top. Let sit 20 min and then slice into bars. Refrigerate until firm. Then cut again in the places you cut earlier.
Oct 17
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
These are quick and easy. They are delightful…and a perfect way to look like you were paying attention when you signed up to bring a cookie to the church social hour or the PTA coffee. They will be comforting…but a wee bit different… a wee bit trendy…they are so retro they are back. Parchment paper or waxed paper will make this easier, but don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand.
Pecan Confections
Beat 1 egg white to a stiff froth. Add gradually 1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon flour and 1/8 tsp salt. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake in slow oven, 300 F., for 15 min. Cool a little before removing from cookie sheet. Makes 2 dozen.
Mar 13
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
Do you need something insanely easy to represent your child’s heritage at school? My mother did once upon a time and I was sent to school with this super easy baked good. It didn’t do any good to protest that I really wanted something Cherokee. On the other hand, it did send me into a lifetime of loving the simplest dishes. No fussy towering chocolate thing for me…instead…give me a wedge of homely hot shortbread.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine (you can go with the full cup of either but the 1/2 and 1/2 is good)
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 275. Cream together butter, margarine and sugar. Add flour. Run in a heavy duty mixer for 5-10 minuts or knead by hand.
Pat into pie plate. Prick with fork. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into pie-shaped wedges and cool on a wire rack.
Dec 14
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
Be sure to join in on the Cookie Exchange organized by Cyndy of the Walking Faithfully blog.
Lots of cool cookie recipes!
Here is a quick one from me:
Thumbprint Cookies
1 c. sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 c. flour
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter
Allow butter and cream cheese to soften slightly before beginning. Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and flour. Chill for an hour or so. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Make a thumb-print indentation in center of ball. Fill hole with a tiny bit of jelly, jam or preserves (we used baby food spoons in a couple of little custard cups with about 2 Tbsp. of jam in each cup). Bake at 375°F for 10 min.
Dec 12
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
These classic cookies always photograph well for cookbooks I think. My children always pick them out based on the picture. I did the same as a child. Fortunately, they are also pretty tasty in addition to their pretty appearance. Keep in mind the dough should be refrigerated for a few hours before baking, so mix them up first thing in the morning. Then go on to the rest of your cookie baking for the day. (or holiday decorating)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. eat oven to 350ºF. Grease cookie sheet. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat. Shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
Dec 11
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
These are quick. These are easy. Perfect for the young ones who want to help but don’t have egg cracking skills and get flour and sugar all over the house. But, they give that “real cooking” experience that your refrigerated dough or mix does not.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
1 pkg (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350. Blend milk and peanut butter until smooth. Mix in crumbs and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2″ apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Makes 4 doz cookies.
Dec 06
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
These are the cookies that were always so pretty in cookbooks…but I never had luck making them as a child. Every year, I would choose them as one of the Christmas Cookies to make…and every few years my mother would let me give it a try. The best advice I have: use a HEAVY cookie sheet and be patient, only baking 6-9 at a time. Also, make sure your cookie sheet has cooled before putting the next batch on.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup brown sugar
Heat oven to 375. Blend flour and nuts. Bring corn syrup, shortening, and sugar to boil in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; gradually stir in flour and nuts. Drop by level teaspoonsful about 3″ apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 5 to 6 minutes; remove from oven and ALLOW TO STAND 5 min BEFORE removing from baking sheet. Makes about 4 doz. cookies.
Dec 05
Tarrant FiglioCookies, Recipes, retro food
I love these things…very late 1940s and 50s. They are festive and old timey. Best of all…they get better the longer they sit before you eat them. So, these are the ones to make early in the month for your Christmas and New Year’s parties.
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
11/2 cups broken pecans
2 cups candied cherries, halved
2 cups cut-up dates
Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs well. Stir in buttermilk. Blend dry ingredients, stir in. Stir in pecans, cherries, and dates. Chill at least 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough about 2″ apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Place a pecan half on each cookie if desired. Bake 8 to 10 min, until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly. Makes about 8 doz cookies.
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