Fritz Family Molasses Cookies

These cookies have been made for generations in my family.  This can be a finicky dough but it is worth it.

Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Cup Lard

1 Cup Sugar

3 Eggs, beaten

1 Tsp ginger

1 Tsp Cloves

1 Tsp Cinnamon

4 Tsp Baking Soda, separated  into 2 tsp each

1 Cup Molasses

1 Cup Boiling Water

5 Cups Flour, exact

1 Tsp Salt

Directions:

Melt lard and add remaining wet ingredients.  Add 2 teaspoons baking soda to the cup of the hot water. Dissolve thoroughly.

Mix dry ingredients, including the remaining 2 tsp baking soda.

Aternate wet and dry ingredients until totally mixed.

Divide dough into 4 equal portions.  Lay out 4 large piece of saran wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Place one portion of dough on each piece of plastic wrap and cover tightly.  Refrigerate the dough until cold.  Take out on dough portion at a time.  Generously flour countertop surface.  Roll the dough with a cold rolling pin that have been floured.  Dough should be just shy of 1/4" thick.  The rolling and cookie cutting process needs to happen fast, before the dough gets too sticky. If the dough gets too sticky, put in the freezer for 20 minutes and try again.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.  Watch closely.

Yeast Kranz

This was always baked on Christmas Eve to be enjoyed on Christmas morning.

• 1 pkg dry yeast

• ½ c. warm milk

• 3 T. sugar

• Mix together and set aside

• 1 c. soft butter

• ½ c warm milk

• 3 egg yolks

• Mix and add ½ tsp salt and 4 c. flour. Stir in yeast mixture

• Mix into ball, place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight

• Next day;

• Grease three round 8-9” pans

• Grind 1 pound walnuts

• Whip 3 egg whites and ½ c sugar until stiff, set aside to use as a wash before baking
  

• Divide dough into three parts.

• Roll each piece into a circle on floured surface. Spread ⅓ of mixture on dough, spread ground walnuts, sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.

• Roll up to make large crescent and place seam side down in greased pan

• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden.

• Mix powdered sugar and water to make glaze consistency, should be a white color, and pour over hot Kranz.

• Can be wrapped and frozen after completely cooled.

"Aunt Ethyle's Frosted Chocolate Cookies"

This was one of my mom's signature cookies. It comes from the Heritage Cookbook by the Junior League of Salt Lake City.


Cookies:
2.15 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sal
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocoalate, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 cup nuts, chopped

Frosting:
2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocoalate, melted
2 tablesppons butter
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. In another bowl, cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, cooled melted chocolate and sour cream. Now, add the flour mixture. Fold in nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool. to make frosting, melt chocolate and butter over very low heat. Stir in powdered sugar frosting and cream. Add more powdered sugar or cream to get desired consistency. Frost cooled cookies. Top each with a pecan half. Yield: 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Our Christmas Breakfast Casserole

I made this for the first time on Christmas day 2007. It was a hit and so easy and plan to make it for many more Christmas mornings.

Breakfast Casserole

Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package ground pork breakfast sausage
12 eggs
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can milk
1 Cup fresh sliced mushrooms, sauteed until brown
1 (32 ounce) package frozen potato rounds
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Stir in the sausage and mushrooms, and pour into the prepared baking dish. Mix in the frozen potato rounds.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Eggnog Pancakes

Eggnog Pancakes
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons
baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 eggs
3 cups eggnog* plus more to thin batter out
1/4 cup butter melted

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg if desired. In another bowl, beat eggs, eggnog and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown.