Title: CHRISTMAS COOKIE BONANZA (22 VARIETIES) PART 1
 Categories: Cookies, Snacks, Christmas
      Yield: 3 servings
 
      2 c  Unsifted all-purpose flour
    1/4 c  Sugar
    1/4 ts Salt
    1/2 c  Butter, softened
 
  From McCall's magazine Dec 1991
  
  BASIC COOKIE MIX
  
  In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well.  With pastry
  blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse
  cornmeal.  Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator
  (mixture will keep for up to 8 weeks).  Bring to room temperature
  bofore using. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.
  
  ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES
  
  1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
  
  In large bowl of electric mixer, combine ingredients; at low speed,
  beat until mixture forms a dough.
  
  Divide dough into thirds.  Working with one third at a time, on
  lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thick; cut out
  with 3" cookie cutters.  Transfer to prepared baking sheets.  Bake 8
  min or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool; if
  desired, decorate with icing, candies and colored sugars.
  
  Makes 3 dozen.
  
  CANDY CANE COOKIES
  
  1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract red paste
  food color 1/2 c (2 1/2 oz) crushed peppermint candy red edible
  glitter
  
  Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
  
  In large bowl of electric mixer, comibine cookie mix, egg and
  vanilla. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.  Divide
  dough in half; remove one half from bowl.   With food paste, tint
  dough in bowl red; add candy. Mix well.
  
  On work surface, divide each half dough into 20 equal pieces; working
  with one piece at a time, roll dough into 8" rope.  Place a plain and
  red rope side by side; press together lightly and twist.  Place twist
  on prepared baking sheet; curve top to form cane.  Repeat with
  remaining dough. Bake cookies 10 to 12 min or until golden.  Sprinkle
  with glitter; transfer to wire rack to cool.
  
  Posted by Theresa Merkling.
 
 
      Title: CHRISTMAS COOKIE BONANZA PART 2
 Categories: Cookies, Snacks, Christmas
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      1    Recipe Basic Cookie Mix
      1 lg Egg
      1 ts Vanilla extract
      2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder
 
  CHECKERBOARD SQUARES
  
  melted chocolate or chocolate icing and white icing
  
  In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla.
  At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.  Divide dough in
  half; remove one half from bowl.  To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder;
  knead to mix well.
  
  On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of
  dough to 9x6" rectangle.  Using paper to lift dough, invert plain
  dough onto top of chocolate dough.  Remove paper from plain dough.
  Using long chef's knife, cut doughs lentghwise into 2" wide strips.
  Stack strips, removing waxed paper and alternating colors.  Cut stack
  lengthwise into three equal strips.  Stack strips so colors
  alternate; gently press stack so dough layers stick together.  Wrap
  stack in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.
  
  Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
  
  Remove plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into 1/4" slices.
  Place slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets; bake 8
  min or until golden.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.  With pastry bag
  and writing, decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and icing.
  
  Makes 4 dozen cookies.
  
  GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
  
  1 recipe basic cookie mix 1/3 c molasses 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp
  ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp
  grated nutmeg white icing red cinnamon candies
  
  Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
  
  In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie ingredients; at low
  speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.
  
  Divide dough into thirds.  Working with one third at a time, on
  lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8" thick; cut out with 3"
  cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.  Bake 8 min or
  until just beginning to brown.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.
  Decorate with icing and candies.
  
  Makes 3 dozen cookies.
  
  Posted by Theresa Merkling.
 
 
      Title: CHRISTMAS COOKIE BONANZA PART 3
 Categories: Cookies, Snacks, Christmas
      Yield: 42 servings
 
      1    Recipe Basic cookie mix
      2 lg Egg yolks
      1 tb Water
           Topping
    1/2 c  Packed light-brown sugar
    1/3 c  Dark corn syrup
    1/4 c  Butter
    1/4 c  Heavy cream
      2 c  Unsalted finely chopped
           -dry-roasted peanuts
     12 oz Semisweet chocolate
      3 tb Vegetable shortening
 
  CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PEANUT-BRITTLE FINGERS
  
  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 15 1/2x10 1/2x1" jelly-roll pan; line
  bottom and sides with sheet of aluminum foil.  Grease foil.
  
  In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and the
  water.  At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a  crumbly dough.
  Pat mixture over foil on bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 min or until
  dough is golden brown.  Remove pan from oven.
  
  Make peanut-brittle topping: In heavy med saucepan, combine brown
  sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream; over med heat, bring to
  boiling, stirring.  Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and
  mixture is smooth.  Stir in peanuts.
  
  Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan; bake  15
  min or until topping is brown and bubbly.  Remove pan from oven; cool
  cookies slightly.  Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from
  pan; cut crosswise into thirds.  Cut lengthwise into 14 strips;
  remove cookies from aluminum foil.  Cool cookie "fingers" completely
  on rack.
  
  Line another wire rack with waxed paper.  In top of double boiler
  over hot, not boiling, water, combine chocolate and shortening.  Over
  low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are
  melted and mixture is smooth.  Dip each cookie finger into chocolate
  mixture to cover halfway; place cookie on prepared rack to dry.
  
  Makes 42 cookies.
  
  LEMON LINZER COOKIES
  
  1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 lg egg 1 tsp grated lemon zest (colored
  part of peel) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 c seedless raspberry jam
  
  Confectioners' sugar for dusting
  
  Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets.
  
  In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg, lemon zest
  and lemon juice.  At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.
  
  Divide dough in half.  Working one half at a time, on lightly floured
  surface, with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8" thick;
  cut out with 3" round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the
  cookies. If desired, reroll dough centers for additional cookies.
  
  Transfer dough rounds and rings to prepared baking sheets.  Bake 8
  min or until cookies are golden; transfer to wire rack to cool
  completely.
  
  With 1 tsp jam each, cover flat sides of rounds.  Place a cookie
  ring, flat side down, on top of each filling-topped round.  Dust tops
  of cookies with confectioners' sugar.
  
  Makes 2 dozen cookies. Posted by Theresa Merkling.