Christmas Memories, Cookies, Candies, and Desserts.

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | Nov. 26 2005 | Carlo3b, Dad, Chef, Author

[A knight without armor]

Thank you for this. I needed this today.

I don't know if I'm on the ping list or not, if not or you lost me in the computer crash, please add me to your ping. Thank you.

[christie]

Italian Anise Cookies - yum! One of my favorites and you know how I love cookies!

[carlo3b]

1) baking small tubular not very sweet cookies

I will research this, but you may know that Italians are notorious for dunking everything in something.. I suspect these may be just a Almond cookie.. They are/were very popular, and not at all sweet..

2) her biscotti (she said bis-coy-ti) are unmatchable

I have dozens of Biscotti recipes, as a matter of fact we have at least one on this thread.. and one on my Thanksgiving thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1523903/posts

3) She used to make flat bread and sometimes with oregano, tomato paste and grated cheese, other times just sugar.

This could be a form of FOCACCIA.. They are as varied as pizza.. This sounds like another of the many tasty FOCACCIA recipes..

Focaccia With Tomato & Cheese

Easy Bread Machine recipe.

    * 1 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    * 1 cup Water
    * 1 large Egg
    * 1 teaspoon Sugar
    * 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    * 3 cups All-purpose Flour
    * 2 teaspoons Herbs to taste - ANY combo of Dill, Oregano, Basil, Rosemary
    * 1 package Yeast
    * 3 tablespoons Tomato paste (optional)
    * 1/2 cup Spicy spaghetti sauce (optional)
    * 1/4 cup Proscuitto --chopped (optional)
    * 1/2 cup Mozzarella --slivered (optional)
    * 1/4 cup Green onion --slivered (optional)
    * 1 clove garlic --crushed

Bread machine: Dough Setting
Special instructions: If dough is too sticky because of oil; add up to 1/2 cup flour by Tablespoons until you reach the correct consistency.
After the dough has completed the first rising, remove from bread machine and punch down. Cover on lightly floured board and allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Spray a 9x13x2 pan with Pam, or brush with olive oil. Briefly knead dough and spread into pan, using hands to achieve a "bumpy texture". Form a low ridge around the edge of the dough. Push dough into corners. The bumps and ridge will allow the topping to stay in place. Brush surface with olive oil. You can cover and allow to rise, and bake at this stage, or continue on for Tomato & Cheese topping.

Topping: Combine tomato paste and spaghetti sauce. Spread on dough. Combine remaining ingredients. Spread evenly over sauce. Press gently into dough. Cover & allow to rise til doubled. Preheat oven to 375. Bake 25 minutes. Slide out of pan onto cutting board. Cut into small pieces for appetizers or large wedges for dinner. This bread rose almost to the top of the 2" pan. It could be sliced in half for sandwich bread.

[carlo3b]

You are back where you belong.. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Artichoke & Potato Frittata 
    * 2 large Potatoes; peeled and thinly sliced
    * 2 tablespoons Chopped onion
    * 4 tablespoons Olive oil; divided
    * 1 package Cooked artichoke hearts
    * 4 Eggs beaten
    * Salt and pepper; to taste
    * 1/2 teaspoon Thyme

Rinse potatoes in water and pat dry. Mix with the onion. Fry slowly in the oil, turning often, until very reduced and tender -- about 30 minutes. Let the potato mixture cool a little, then toss with the artichokes, eggs and seasonings. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet, add the mixture and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Slide out onto a plate, reverse back into the pan and let brown for another 5 minutes. Serve lukewarm or cold, cut in wedges.

[carlo3b]

You are a part of this nonsense now, you can't point and laugh anymore.. :)

 Chocolate Cherry Kris Kringles

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 20 to 25 maraschino cherries
• 20 to 25 chocolate chips , plus 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F.
1) Cream sugar and margarine well.
2) Add vanilla, flour and salt. Mix well. Stuff each cherry with a chocolate chip, then wrap in 1 teaspoon dough.
3) Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool.
4) Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over low heat or in the microwave, and dip top of cookies in melted chocolate.

[carlo3b]

Here ya go...  I haven't slept in days... YeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  . LOL

ITALIAN LEMON BALL COOKIES

This is a fast and easy cookie. Just what you need to be munching on while waiting for the Anise cookie to bake.. :)

• 1/4 lb. butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. flavoring (lemon or etc.)
• 6 c. flour
• 8 tsp. baking powder
• 8 eggs


Mix first 3 ingredients. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

[Full Court]

That essay about your childhood home was excellent.

[carlo3b]

ITALIAN SESAME COOKIES

A staple on every Italian table at Christmas, for a good reason.. There are many variations to this cookie, I prefer this one because I love vinilla flavor.. These are the finest cookie I can think of to dunk into my morning coffee! Afternoon too! OK after dinner they are also great!

• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 3/4 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 cups sesame seeds for topping

Mix batter together and chill several hours or overnight. Roll pieces in shape like fingers, then roll in sesame seeds. Cook on ungreased pan at 350 degrees until light brown. Can double ingredients, if desired.

[bigsigh]

Thank you very much.

The small round cookies were not very sweet, nor do I remember almond. Maybe a touch of anesiette (sp). It's been so long. Thanx again.

[GOPJ]

Keep me on!!! Thanks for the ping.

[prairiebreeze]

Please keep me on the ping list Carlo. I'm looking forward to your threads!

[jellybean]

Behave, and come right home after work.. We will be watching the clock.. :)

HA! My mother used to tell me the same thing! ;)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"Daisy Cream..."

That's a great story. So where's the recipe? 8~)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Your threads are terrific. Thanks for posting them, Carlo.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Hey Carlo!

I have a couple of questions about the fruitcake recipe. When referring to "mixed spice", is that like pumpkin pie spice? I'm not familiar with it. Second, is golden syrup like dark Karo syrup? Are you referring to canned or candied cherries, and is a bundt pan acceptable to bake this cake in?

Personally, I would skip the dates, and add pineapple.

Oh yeah, add me to your cooking ping list please : )

[tubebender]

Oh Carlo! You have again rendered this old man to tears with your Holiday Thread's. Of course my First Wife has the Gaithers CD cued up and I can hear it through three doors loud and clear.

She is now up to 60 Dozen Cookies a week for the comp coffee bar at our son's business. The Tag Line to all his commercial is..."and my mothers home made cookies"

[carlo3b]

I loved your story of your wonderful grandparents and the special candy. If you would keep me posted on your progress when you take a stab at making it yourself.. I don't suspect that this is the same recipe, but I searched and fould this and thought it was interesting.. :)

Daisy's Cream Candy

• 3 pints sugar
• 1 pint boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 teaspoons cream or rich milk
• Pinch salt

1) Cook until forms a hard ball in cold water
2) Turn out on greased marble, flavor with vanilla or cinnamon
3) Pull until begins to look creamy; cut in pieces with scissors
4) Make cream icing, and when taken from fire add coconut and drop on wax paper.

[MinuteGal]

I have two of my favorite Christmas recipes in the FReeper Clinton Legacy Cookbook.

I say "favorite Christmas recipes" because they make great gifts. Not only are they lush to look at and taste good, they are sturdy, won't break up, and travel extremely well.

My recipe for Southern Whipping Cream Pound Cake was Elvis Presley's favorite cake. Make it in a bundt cake, put it on a lovely holiday give-away plate, wrap it beautifully in saran and ribbons and sparkly things and, wow!......it makes the perfect gift for neighbors, shut-ins, friends, relatives, grandma and yourself. Freezes perfectly, make it weeks ahead. You've never eaten a better pound cake.

Second is my Chocolate Toffee Bars. Melted chocolate chips poured over a crunchy cookie with no strong toffee taste. Great for chocoholics, teeny-boppers, cookie gourmets, hubby computer snacker (with milk) and yourself.

I love my freeper cookbook.....and I'll tell you, they make one of the greatest gifts you can think of.....trust me.

When you're sitting around that family circle opening presents, the whole party stops when the recipient opens the Clinton Legacy Cookbook. Everyone wants to read it right away. They grab it from each other!

The chuckles and ho, ho, ho's beat anything Santa can come up with.

Leni

[carlo3b]

I agree with you about the the candy story.. It only confirms to me that many of our fondest memories of our childhood are involving parents and food..

I am on a personal quest to encouraging more folks to play with their children in the kitchen.. Both moms and dads, and grandparents can create a memory today, or tomorrow in your beautiful little children lives.. These threads are really my crude attempt at that goal.. Thanks.. Carlo :)

Clear Almond Taffy

• 4 cupfuls sugar
• 1 cupful Crisco
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 1 cupful water
• 2 cupfuls almonds
• 1/2 teaspoonful almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoonful salt

1) Blanch, split, and bake almonds to golden brown.
2) Crisco a tin, and sprinkle almonds on it split side down.
3) Dissolve sugar and water together in saucepan, add Crisco, salt, and cream of tartar, and boil until when tested in cold water it will be brittle, or 300 degree F.
Add almond extract and pour over nuts.
When firm, cut in squares.
Sufficient for one large pan.

[carlo3b]

I love my freeper cookbook.....and I'll tell you, they make one of the greatest gifts you can think of.....trust me.
When you're sitting around that family circle opening presents, the whole party stops when the recipient opens the Clinton Legacy Cookbook. Everyone wants to read it right away. They grab it from each other!

Bless your pea picking heart.. I couldn't say it better myself.. WAIT, I think I did say it.. LOL . Thank you so much sweetie.. my heart is smilling.. :)