Italian Chocolate Ball Cookies

A yummy cookie that's easy to make -- courtesy of Teri Peterson. Love them!

Italian Chocolate Ball Cookies

1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cups Butter, softened
3 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Cloves
1 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
3 cups Flour
2/3 cups Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 Baking Soda
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Chopped Walnuts
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1 cup Raisins

Glaze:

4 cups confectionary Sugar
1/2 cup Milk

Cream together the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Set aside.

In a medium bowl gently combine cloves, allspice, cinnamon, salt, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the sugar/egg mixture alternating with milk. Mix well and then fold in the walnuts, chocolate chips and raisins.

Roll cookie mixture into 1/2 - 1 inch balls. If cookie mixture is too sticky, add more flour. If too dry, add more milk as needed. 

Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes on greased cookie sheet. Cool. 

Mix together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over top of cookies. If chocolate glaze is desired, add 1/4 cup cocoa to glaze mixture.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Another holiday favorite. These are always the first to go and so pretty on a cookie platter. This recipe came to me from Teri Peterson. I always tripled this when making for cookie trays but I'm posting the recipe for a single batch ... 

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1/2 cup Butter
1/3 cup Peanut Butter (creamy)
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
Sugar for rolling

Cream the butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Roll into medium size balls and roll in sugar to coat. Bake at 325 degrees for 7 - 8 minutes and then press kisses into center of cookie and bake for 3 - 5 more minutes.

Note: These freeze well.

Amazing Raisin Cake

Years ago, a recipe came out in all the magazines for this cake. I'm sure it was put out by Hellman's Mayonnaise and Sun-Maid Raisins as I still have a magazine page torn out with the recipe and pictures ... It's one of those cakes that takes a little more effort than making up a mix from a box but it is SOOO worth it. It seems to me that I used to grate up some carrots if I had them and toss them into the batter probably because it reminded me so much of a rich, delightful carrot cake so keep that in mind ... 

Amazing Raisin Cake

3 cups unsifted Flour
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise
1/3 cup Milk
2 Eggs
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
3 cups chopped, peeled Apples
1 cup Sun-Maid Seedless Raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Walnuts

Grease and flour 2 (9") round baking pans. In large bowl with mixer at low speed, beat first 10 ingredients for 2 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in apples, raisins, and nuts. Pour into pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to rack and cool. Fill and frost with 2 cups whipped cream.

Jill's Christmas Cut-Out Cookies

I didn't realize that there were other cut-out recipes until I had Jill's. I'd always just had my mom's. So when I tasted Jill's that were thicker and softer, I was amazed ... and I love them! 

Jill's Christmas Cut-Outs

1/2 cup Margarine
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 3/4 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 - 3 Tbsp Milk

Mix first four ingredients and then gradually add dry ingredients. Add milk. Chill until firm.

Roll to 1/4" thickness on a floured surface. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 - 8 minutes on a greased cookie sheet. Cool and then frost with a buttercream frosting.

Congo Bars

This is one of Dave's all time favorite treats. His mom (Glennys) shared it many years ago and I passed it around to my friends as well. That was good thinking because somehow along the way I lost it. Recently Jill Wirth got in touch to see if I still had a copy because she couldn't find hers. I had to resort to the internet to find what I hoped was the same recipe, but luckily, Jill found her copy and sent it to me. All is right with the world now and I'm posting this so it doesn't go missing again! 

Congo Bars

2 3/4 cup Flour
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2/3 cup Margarine
2 cups packed Light Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1 cup Chopped Walnuts
1 6 oz package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt margarine. Add in brown sugar, stirring until well-blended. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add eggs,  one at a time, beating well after each one.

Add dry ingredients and mix until fully blended. Add in nuts and chips.

Pour into greased 13" x 9" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.

Barbie's Hot Sauce

Here's my twist on mom's old hot sauce recipe.  It's changed a lot over the years but I think this is my favorite combination of spices so far.  I've tweaked it until I'm sick of tweaking so this is the final version. Yummy over a Zweigels Red Hot with a few onions scattered on top. My dad would be in heaven!

Barbie's Hot Sauce

2 1/2 pounds Ground Beef
1 large Vidalia or Sweet Onion, chopped
6 cups Water
4-1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Thyme
1-1/2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
2 - 3 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Dry Mustard (I use Coleman's)


In a large pan (I use a soup pot) brown meat and break into small pieces. Add onions and cook until meat is fully cooked and onions are soft. Using an immersible blender or food processor, grind the meat and onions into a fine consistency. Add water and remaining ingredients. Stir to blend spices and bring to a slow simmer for about an hour with pot covered and then another hour uncovered. Stir frequently. Add more water if needed, but note that the water seems to cook down during the last hour.

Note:  We freeze leftover sauce in serving size portions using quart size freezer bags.

Gingerbread Men

These are the best gingerbread cookies EVER ... thanks to Jill Wirth for sharing!

Gingerbread Men

1 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 cup Molasses (dark)
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
5 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 - 3 tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream shortening and sugar and then beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar. Blend in dry ingredients. Chill 3 hours. Roll dough out to about 1/4" thick on lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes and placed on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 5 - 6 minutes. Cool slightly and remove to rack. Decorate as desired!

Old Sturbridge Lumberjack Cookies

This recipe was shared with me by Cheri Schwind -- but I've since learned it came from a cookbook published years ago by Old Sturbridge Village (one of my very favorite places on earth! How cool is that?) It makes my Top Ten Cookie List and is quick and easy to make. Great addition to those holiday cookie trays!

Old Sturbridge Lumberjack Cookies

Lumberjack Cookies (photo by ChangeableTable.com)

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1 cup shortening

2 eggs

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

Additional sugar for dipping ( raw or natural sugar adds a little extra texture and makes the baked cookies almost “glisten”)

Cream together sugar and shortening, then blend in eggs and molasses. Sift dry ingredients and stir in.  Chill dough if desired.

Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts.  (A small food scoop works great.) Roll in the additional sugar to coat. Place on baking sheets about 3” apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Note: A stand mixer or bread mixer (such as a Kitchenaid) comes in handy for this stiffer dough...

This recipe and picture were found online at http://changeabletable.com. I have adapted the instructions.