Mennonite Girls Can Cook (38 page)

D
uring the summer months, Scot and I enjoy camping and hiking. Often we will stop to take in the beauty of God’s creation. Whether we are on a mountaintop or walking along the lake shore, nature reflects God’s handiwork.

The earth is the Lord’s, and he delights in sharing it with us.

—
Kathy

............................ Yields 1 dozen sandwich cookies

• 1 cup / 250 ml butter
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml brown sugar
  
• 1¾ cup / 425 ml flour
  
• 3 teaspoons / 15 ml baking powder
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml salt
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml milk
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla
  
• 2½ cups / 625 ml quick rolled oats
  

1. Beat butter and brown sugar together until well creamed.
   
2. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until crumbly.
   
3. Add milk and vanilla; beat well.
   
4. Add quick oats and mix until well incorporated.
   
5. Use a spatula to pull dough into a ball in the center of the bowl.
   
6. Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes. This firms the dough, making it easier to roll out.
   
7. Sprinkle flour on surface. Roll chilled dough ¼-inch / .6-cm thick. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut out cookies, placing on ungreased cookie sheet.
   
8. Bake at 350° F / 175° C for 10 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom but still soft. Over-baking will cause them to become too crisp.
   
9. While cookies are baking make the date filling (recipe follows).
   

• ½ cup / 125 ml dates, chopped fine
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml brown sugar
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml boiling water
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml baking soda
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml vanilla
  

1. In a glass bowl, pour boiling water over brown sugar. Add dates.
   
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave another minute, until dates are very soft and pasty.
   
3. Add baking soda and vanilla. The soda will cause the mixture to foam up. Stir until the foaming stops.
   
4. While cookies are still warm, spread one cookie with warm date filling; cover with a second cookie to make a sandwich. These cookies freeze well.
   

—
Kathy

Kathy says

................................................

• 1 cup / 250 ml butter
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml golden or corn syrup
  
• ½ cup / 125 buttermilk
  
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml baking soda
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml cloves
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml cinnamon
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml ginger
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml nutmeg
  
• ¼ teaspoon / 1 ml black pepper
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml ground anise
  
• 6 cups / 1.5 L flour, divided
  

1. Cream butter and brown sugar; add eggs and mix well.
   
2. Add syrup and buttermilk to which the baking soda has been added.
   
3. Mix together 4½ cups / 1 L flour and all the spices; add to butter mixture. Mix well.
   
4. Continue adding flour to form a soft, pliable dough.
   
5. Refrigerate dough. When the dough is chilled, roll it into ½-inch / 1¼-cm thick ropes. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Chill or freeze until ready to bake.
   
6. With a sharp knife, cut ropes into
   -inch / 1-cm slices and place on cookie sheets.
   
7. Bake at 350° F / 175° C degrees for about 8 minutes.
   

—
Judy

Judy says

................................................Yields 4 dozen

• 2¾ cups / 675 ml flour
  
• 2 teaspoon / 20 ml baking powder
  
• ¾ cup / 175 ml sugar
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml cold butter, grated
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla
  
• Jam for filling
  
• Icing sugar for dusting
  

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
   
2. Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly add grated butter. Mix well.
   
3. Add eggs and vanilla.
   
4. Knead the mixture until the dough is smooth. Divide into 2 portions. Refrigerate for several hours. It’s important to have the dough chilled, as it is much easier to work with.
   
5. On a floured surface roll out the first batch of dough until it is very thin, less than ¼-inch / .6-cm. Use the round base cutter for the first batch. These will be the cookie bottoms. Keep the other batch in the fridge while cutting.
   
6. Remove the second batch of dough from fridge. Roll out and use your favorite cutters to make the designs for the cookie tops.
   
7. Bake at 375° F / 190° C for 4-5 minutes.
   
8. When cookies are baked and cooled, assemble them, using your favorite jam. Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam on the base. Cover with top cookie to create a sandwich effect. Freeze.
   
9. Just before serving, give the cookies a light dusting of icing sugar.
   

Tip:
Raspberry jam is our favorite filling.

Linzer cookie cutters are available at a delicatessen, and come with a base and several interchangeable cutout designs.

—
Marg

Marg says