Christmas Butter Cookies

1 cup butter room temp.
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
4 cups flour

Cream butter, eggs and sugar. Add flour and baking powder. Place in fridge to chill.

Roll out onto floured surface to desired thickness. Cut into various holiday shapes. You can decorate before baking or decorate and frost after baking. I do both to keep everyone happy. :)

Bake on greased cookie sheet. DO NOT use sprays such as Pam. Bake at 400º for 8 to 9 minutes. Watch so they don't brown too much!

DO NOT use margarine or shortening in these cookies.

Coconut Peanut brittle

 2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
 1 cup butter
2 cups  Raw Peanuts
 1 tsp. baking soda
 2 cups  Raw Chip Coconut

Combine sugar, light corn syrup and water in a 3 quart saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, then add butter.
 Stir frequently until mixture reaches 230º (using a candy thermometer). Add raw peanuts and continue stirring until the temperature reaches 305º. Quickly remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Mix well and add raw coconut. Mix well and pour into two well-greased sheet pans. As it cools, stretch it thin by lifting and pulling from edges using 2 forks. Let cook and then break into pieces.  Makes 2 1/2 lbs.

**The recipe can be cut in half. Make sure your candy thermometer is accurate. To do so bring water to a boil, the thermometer should read 212º, if not, make adjustments in your reading.

Grandma K's Fricasee

Roll  cut up chicken in flour, fry in oil in frying pan till done, season with salt and pepper to taste.

In dutch oven place about 1 1/2 inches of water salted. Place chicken in and simmer for a bit. Add water to pan drippings as if making gravey, about 2 cups, and stir to get all the goodies off the bottom of the pan. ( no flour though). Pour this into the dutch oven with chicken.


MIX, 2 cups flour
1 t salt
2 Tbl. baking powder
4 clumps of shortening ( about 3/4 cup)
Slowly add milk, about one cup (not too wet, just moisten, the measurement is just a guess ) Dough will be stiff and moist.
Drop dumplings onto the chicken and water by spoonsfull. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Do not open or the dumplings will fall. They will be light and fluffy.

My family likes the chicken out of the pot. So putting the chicken in is not necessary. This is an old old recipe so the measurements are all a guess. Grandma cooked by sight not measurements. Best of luck. It is really a wonderful entree.

Peanut Butter

4 cups lightly roasted, unsalted peanuts
2 tsp. salt
1 T.  honey
3 T. canola oil

Place shelled peanuts in food processor and grind until it starts to come together. Then slowly add the oil, salt, and honey
You may not need 3 Tablespoons of oil. I found that the last time I made it 2 Tbl. was plenty. Depends on the peanuts. Grind until it becomes a smooth consistency, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Store in an air tight container in refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Pumpkin Spice cake

 HEAT oven to 350ºF

Grease 9 x 13 cake pan

You will need:
    1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
    1 cup  water
    1 cup canned pumpkin
    1/3 cup  oil
    3 eggs
    3/4 cup  chopped walnuts

 BEAT  ingredients in large bowl with mixer 2 min. or until well blended.Stir in nuts. (I left the walnuts out) Pour into greased 9 x 13 cake pan.

  BAKE 30 to 32 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.




Cream cheese Frosting:

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanillia
1/4 cup room temperature butter


Mix well and spread on cooled cake.