Cookie Exchange Memories
By Donna Godfrey
We did this every year when I was a child. How I looked forward to this! My
Grandma made Raisin filled cookies, my aunt often brought Mexican Wedding
Cookies, Another Aunt brought a rolled cookie with date filling, my mom made
old fashioned sand tarts that I helped decorate. A neighbor lady brought
Peanut Butter Blossoms with a candy kiss on top....I remember Cherry Winks,
Woopie Pies,Snickerdoodles,fruit cake drops....So Good! We kids would gather
in another room with hot chocolate and cookies and a table of craft stuff to
make a project for a nursing home. Usually my Aunt Emily was in charge of
that...we made Candy Trains one year,candy wreaths another,cards both
times....
The ladies would make crafts too....They decorated Sweetheart Soap to look
like a basket and put pearl feet on them...wonder if they still make
Sweetheart South...you could paint with gold model paint the decorations
around the edge, I remember. I made a lot of these as a teen. They often
made a toy to give someone....
Mennonite Traditions
You see as Mennonites we did not do Christmas Trees...way back
than...Christmas was a time to be together with friends,neighbors and
family. It was a time to give more than receive. I remember getting one toy
and one piece of clothing from my parents...grandma made us something and
than we always had a fruit basket from her...each grandchild...it was filled
with Oranges from Florida,Tangerines,nuts and store bought candy...what a
treat! From the Aunties we would get a snowflake cut out of netting,a box of
raisins with money on it and a candy cane that had been decorated. And
always a book. They had a wonderful tradition of getting us all a old
book...2 I really remember...The Wide Wide World which I want so much but
the price is too dear...mine was stolen....And my all time favorite
book."The Shepherd of the Hills" by Harold Bell Wright. I had a assignment
written on a index card with that one....I had to read it and tell Aunt
Emily how I saw the Thread of Salvation in that one. It is there! One year
they gave me a book called "The Little Mixer' by Lillian Nicholson
Shearon..my Copy is 1945.
Gratitude at the Holidays
But we did so much for others....it started Thanksgiving which is why I am
writing this...My Grandma believed in Gratitude and she expected us to be
grateful..She expected us to do things for
each other and anybody during the month of December. She expected a full
report on Christmas Day. The idea was that we were to do more for others
and think less of what "we wanted" for Christmas. So each Thanksgiving she
gave us a pocket sized notebook and we were to record what we did for
others. She would have verses written in the beginning of the book to
remind us Jesus wants us to give. Than every few days we would get a card
in the mail to remind us or a phone call to hear what we were doing.
I remember my mom would not take me to the firehouse in town and I wanted
to give them muffins I had baked. So grandma drove about 15 miles one way
to help me deliver them. She brought along some of her homemade candies to
go with them and a big pot of old fashioned hot chocolate. Than we stopped
and picked up a few toys and wrapped them for the whoever had or would lose
all they had in a fire. The firechief was so thankful and called later to
say that night a family lost all and he remembered that package in the
truck and gave it to the mother for her kids to have in the motel that
night.
So from than on she dropped off toys every grocery day.
This is the example I had in life and I am thankful for it. So use the
recipes I have sent for coffees and goodies and make some extra and drop
them by the firehouse,the place that changes your tires,your doctors office
or the breakroom of your grocery store.
COOKIE EXCHANGE PARTY
Share the gift of goodies and friendship by hosting this delightful
Christmas gathering that is tradition in our home. It takes a bit of
planning and friends who are willing or have time to bake (that's the hard
part in this day and age!), but is such fun!
First, you must decide how many friends you will invite to the party.
I tend to keep it small and intimate--never more than ten. (To simplify
these instructions, I will use ten as my example). Invite your ten friends
and ask them to choose what kind of cookie they are going to make.
Coordinating this will keep you from getting duplicates. Ask each of your
friends to make ten dozen of their cookie recipe. (If this just sounds
like too much, you can do 5 dozen--allowing each person to leave with 6 of
each of the different cookies.) Ask that each dozen (or half dozen) cookies
be packaged separately --don't forget to include the recipe. Each guest can
choose the packaging they would like to use--from simple bags with ribbons
to more elaborate tins or boxes. Just make sure they understand that they
will be bringing 10 individual packages of their cookie recipe --and will be
going home with 10 packages of different type cookies. Yummy!
As the hostess, you have many options for this little gathering. You
may ask each guest to bring an extra dozen of their cookie to have during
the party. You can serve different coffees or teas--don't forget big mugs
of ice-cold milk! Cookie overload? Then you might want to do a brunch with
each guest bringing a dish. I've done a pot of chili and asked my friends
to bring the fixin's and desserts. If you are crafty, you could also do a
"make-it & take-it" craft, decorate wrapping paper or work on your Christmas
Cards. Whatever you decide to do... have Christmas music playing and enjoy
your time together.
Cookie Recipes!
My grandma would add rum to them for Christmas...she added it when she
cooked the filling. The first is what many people make...the spiced ones are
so good with coffee and spiced tea!
Raisin Filled Cookies
Dough:
3/4 c. shortening
3 eggs
4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix together, roll out on floured table, cut into pieces.
Filling:
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. raisins
3 tbsp. corn starch
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
Mix, cook till thick and clear.
On one piece of dough place about a tsp. of filling. Cover with another
piece of dough, pressing edges together (opt. with fork).
Bake at 350°F for 20-35 min.
Spice/raisin filled cookies
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1 pinch salt
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
1 In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the 1/3 cup of sugar,
water, raisins, butter and pinch of salt. Bring ingredients to a boil, and
cook until thick, you should be able to see the bottom of the pan while
stirring when finished. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3 Sift together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt and baking
powder, set aside. In a medium bowl, cream shortening and sugar until
smooth. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, mix until
blended, then finally stir in the milk.
4 On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 to 1/8 inch
thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 inch circles. Place a teaspoon of filling onto the
center of half of the cookies. Cover with the other half of the cookies.
Press the edges together with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with sugar and
bake on unprepared cookie sheets for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
About the Author
Donna had the privilege of growing up in a Mennonite
family
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is
married and lives in Georgia. Donna has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
She also writes a Column called Cooking with Don, which you can
sign up for here
and another list called Sites for Learning
Cookie Recipes!
Spicy Cookies
Dainty Cookies
Chocolate Spots
