349135 Thu Dec 07 18:52:48 -0800 2006 4 31 Home Cooking 0 2079066 Thanks! Thu Dec 07 18:52:48 -0800 2006 13591 missem 1 2079483 don't know about 'best' but it's the one that starts the ball rolling in the kitchen becasue it's so fast, easy and delicious. Received by Mom at a cookie exchange years ago, named Jam Splits we think because they go together in a split second. Like a short, soft thumbprint but much faster. From mixing to eating in 1 hour. Sift together in a large bowl: 2 c fresh flour (if you don't bake very often, get a fresh bag) 1/2 t baking powder 1/2 tsp salt IF using unsalted butter 2/3 c sugar add: 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c) very soft butter and beat with a wooden spoon till it becomes sandy in texture. Add: one room temp unbeaten egg 2 t. vanilla and mix well till it starts to come together. Gather with your hand and knead lightly 3-4 times in the bowl, just till it is a mass. On a lightly floured board, pat dough into a ball and cut into 1/4's with a sharp knife. Dough will be very soft, but not sticky. Handle gently to avoid cracking. Quick and easy does it. One at a time, nudge each 1/4 into a 13" long roll and transfer to an ungreased sheet; place 2 per sheet, 4" apart. With your pinkie or a dowel, make an even well down the center of each log. Using about 1/2 c of stirred raspberry preserves total, scantly fill the wells. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, exchanging sheets top to bottom during the baking. Bake till the edges are firm but not yet browned. Remove from oven as soon as the ends show any browning. Cool on sheets on racks in a well-ventilated spot. When thoroughly cool, cut each log at 1" intervals into diagonal slices. Save the ends for a tea time treat and store the rest in tightly closing tins (use a piece of wax paper between tin and lid) for a week or more. Recipe makes about 40+ cookies. I almost always double the recipe. No chilling of dough needed at normal room temperatures. I tried fancying these up with choc drizzles one year, but they are really best just as they come from this recipe. Thu Dec 07 20:29:18 -0800 2006 2079066 11234 toodie jane 1 2080074 "Melting Moments" (makes about 36 cookies) 1 cup flour 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup powdered sugar 3/4 cup butter, softened You will be making some simple frosting for these, you'll need powdered sugar, milk, butter, maple flavoring. Walnut halves for the top of cookies Mix dry ingredients well, then mix in the softened butter well too. Roll into 1 inch balls, put on cookie sheet, flatten each cookie slightly (smack them lightly with a wooden spoon.) Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the edges are starting to brown. Cool. Now mix some powdered sugar and a bit of milk and butter and maple flavoring until you've got maple flavored frosting stiff enough to "hold" a walnut half. (A little maple flavoring goes a loong way, start slow!) Dab a generous dab of this frosting onto each cookie and place a half walnut into the frosting. Gorgeous little buttery confections. Thu Dec 07 22:51:08 -0800 2006 2079066 42470 blue room 1 2080499 These are classic Swedish ginger cookies. Put on Christmas music and roll, roll, roll the dough! :) Pepparkakor 1C brown sugar 1C butter 1C dark corn syrup 1t cinnamon 3/4t ginger 3/4t nutmeg 1/2t cloves 2 eggs, well beaten 1/4C cream 5C flour 1T baking soda 1/2t salt In heavy saucepan, boil sugar, butter & corn syrup for 5 minutes. As it cools to room temp, add spices, stirring to blend well. Once cooled, add eggs & cream. Sift together dry ingreds and add to mixture. Chill overnight. Let dough stand at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until easy to roll out. Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough very thin. Cut with cookie cutters; sprinkle with decorator’s sugar. Bake at 400 6-8 min. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container up to 1 week. Fri Dec 08 01:18:29 -0800 2006 2079066 11921 wyf4lyf 1 2081395 I'm afraid you won't get as much of a response, just because we had this really loooooooong thread not that long ago: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/335732 Lots to choose from! Fri Dec 08 14:00:51 -0800 2006 2079066 12813 Katie Nell