Chewy Pecan Diamonds, from Gael

The training leader at MSNBC.com, a woman named Bonnie Goren, brought these to my Christmas cookie exchange party on Dec. 14, 2008. They're delicious--chewy and sweet, and she cut them in perfect little diamonds.

Crust
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Topping
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups coarsely chopped pecans (about 14 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
for crust:Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides. Butter foil.

Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in processor. Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together. Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan.

Bake crust until set and light golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand while preparing topping. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

for topping:
Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour hot topping over warm crust.

Bake nut-topped crust until caramel is darker and bubbles thickly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool completely in pan (topping will harden).

Lift foil out of pan onto cutting board. Using heavy sharp knife, cut crust with nut topping into 1 1/2x1-inch diamonds.

(Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.)

Mrs. Murphy's Fruit Cake, a.k.a. the JFK recipe

Mrs. Murphy's Fruit Cake, a.k.a. the JFK recipe

Mom wrote: I was talking to Mrs. Murphy, Sue's mother, on the phone in 1963 when she told me she thought she had heard that John Kennedy -- the President -- had been shot! She and I were talking about this recipe while her radio or TV was on -- and of course the unbelievably sad news was true -- so this must have been 11/22/63. I had just returned from my first plane trip to Chicago for Uncle Henry McNeely's funeral.

Mom originally got the recipe in Dec. 1958. She and Dad made it in late 1974 or 1975 so recopied it then.

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups cold water
1 pound dates, cut up
1 pound raisins (and white raisins)
1/2 pound fruit mixture
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking soda dissolved in 1/2 c cold water
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 cup walnuts
1 cup brazil nuts
candied cherries

Boil first six ingredients 5-10 minutes. Cool. Add rest of ingredients. Bake 1 1/2 hour at 275 or test.

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Cute Christmas recipe, Mom thinks it's from Anne.

Melt 30 large marshmallows, 1/2 cup margarine. Add 1 t vanilla, 1 1/2 t green coloring

Measure 3 1/2 c corn flakes. Put syrup mixture into cornflakes. Drop by teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with red hots candy

Tom and Jerry batter, from Bernell

Tom and Jerry batter, from Bernell

Mom wrote: Bernell says this is very good. Mom never tried it herself. Dated 1-3-83.

12 eggs, separated
2 dashes salt
2 dashes cream of tartar
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla, generous
pinch allspice
pinch cinnamon

Beat whites and salt and cream of tartar until stiff. Beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and spices.

Beat yolks until stiff with salt and cream of tartar also.

Fold into beaten egg white and sugar mixture.

In cup, put 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 ounce rum, 1/2 ounce brandy. Fill with hot water or hot milk. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.

Citrus-Chocolate Jammers, from Gael

Citrus-Chocolate Jammers, from Gael

I took the winning recipe from the Star Tribune cookie contest and altered it slightly, substituting apricot-pineapple jam for marmalade. This was my contribution to the Christmas cookie swap I hosted in 2007, on my 40th birthday!

• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for chocolate dipping sauce
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 2 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough
• 1/4 c. apricot-pineapple jam, divided (use any flavor)
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk and orange zest. Reduce speed to low and add flour until just combined.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 11/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, re-rolling and re-cutting until all is used. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets.

Using your thumb, make a slight indentation in center of cookie and fill with 1/4 teaspoon orange marmalade. Bake approximately 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate, whisking in enough butter (1 tablespoon at a time, up to about 4 tablespoons) to make a good dipping consistency. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate and place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.

Thumbprint Cookies, from Anne

Thumbprint Cookies, from Anne

3 1/2-4 c flour
1-cup brown sugar
I cup shortening
1-cup butter or margarine
4 eggs SEPARATED –(only use the yellow in the cookies – save whites for later)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
finely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350.

Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, egg yolks and vanilla in mixer. Mix in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough into one inch balls.

Beat egg white and a little water slightly. Dip each ball into eggwhite and then roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Press thumb (or index finger – but then they'd be called "index-finger cookies") Press deep enough to form hole but notthrough to cookie sheet. Bake until lightly brown – about 10 minutes.
Remove from cookie sheet – when cool, fill with colored frosting. (Makes about 10 dozen cookies)