Almond Crescents

 

A classic holiday favorite, these cookies also make a welcome gift. Butter

is essential to the exquisite texture and flavor; we don't recommend

substituting margarine.

 

Yields: about 6 dozen cookies

Work Time: 45 minutes plus chilling and cooling

Total Time: 45 minutes plus chilling and cooling plus 20 minutes baking time

per batch

 

? 1 cup blanched almonds

? 1/4 teaspoon salt

? 1/2 cup granulated sugar

? 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

? 2 cups all-purpose flour

? 1 teaspoon almond extract

? 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

? 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place almonds in 9" by 9" metal baking

pan. Bake almonds 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Cool completely.

Turn off oven.

2. In food processor with knife blade attached, blend almonds with salt and

1/4 cup granulated sugar until almonds are very finely ground.

3. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and remaining 1/4 cup

granulated sugar until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber

spatula. Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy, about 3

minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour, almond extract,

vanilla, and ground-almond mixture until blended. Divide dough in half; wrap

each with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is firm enough

to handle. (Or, place dough in freezer 30 minutes.)

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Working with half of dough at a time, with

lightly floured hands, shape dough by rounded teaspoons into 2" by 1/2"

crescents. Place crescents, about 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake cookies 20 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Transfer

cookies to wire rack. Immediately sprinkle confectioners' sugar through

sieve over cookies until well coated; cool completely.

5. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container,

placing waxed paper between layers if necessary.

Each cookie: About 55 calories, 1 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 4 g total fat

(2 g saturated), 7 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium.

Amish Friendship Bread.

 

 

Day 1  -  Receive starter - Keep covered, do not refrigerate

Day 2  -  Stir

Day 3  -  Stir

Day 4  -  Stir

Day 5  -  Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk  (keep covered)

Day 6  -  Stir

Day 7  -  Stir

Day 8  -  Do nothing

Day 9  -  Do nothing

Day 10 - Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour

 

Remove 1 cup of batter and divide into three containers ( 1/3 cup in each

one). These are the new starters to give away or keep. This is Day 1 for the

starters.

 

To the remaining batter add 1 cup of oil, 1 pkg vanilla pudding mix, ½ cup

sugar, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 cups

flour.

 

Topping:  4 tsp cinnamon

                   ½ cup sugar

                   Mix well

 

Makes 2 loaves of lots of muffins (2 doz per batch). Fill pans or muffin

tins ½ full, add some topping and swirl with a knife. Add remaining batter,

swirl some more and finish with the rest of the topping.

 

Bake at 350-degrees for 40-45 minutes for loaves

                                           

20-25 minutes for muffins.