Granny Shubert's Christmas Candies

As the Thanksgiving feast fades into our memory of another year our memories of sweet treats rise to the surface. NOW is the time to start thinking of the desserts you want to serve your friends and family during the Christmas holidays. I enjoy making cookies and candies to have on hand during that time.

Everyone seems to like these sweets that Granny Shubert used to make during the month of December. I don’t know where she got the recipes, but I have a recipe card for each of them written by her. I have copied them just as she wrote them. Maybe you’d like to give them a try and see if your family and friends like them as much as mine do.

She always claimed, as her children did, that she didn’t cook much; but, she always seemed to have trays of these around when we came home for the holidays. Remember them?

ORANGE BALLS

1 box vanilla wafers, crushed

1 stick oleo or butter, melted

1 box powdered confectioners’ sugar

1 small can orange juice (not diluted)

1 cup nuts, chopped very fine

Coconut (optional)

Mix all together except coconut and form very small balls. Roll in crushed coconut. Makes approximately 6 dozen. If dough becomes too dry to handle, add a few drops of water.

Keep in refrigerator or freezer. No cooking needed!

CHOCOLATE BALLS

1 box powdered confectioners’ sugar

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup crunchy peanut butter

1 small can Angel Flake coconut

2 sticks margarine or butter

1 package chocolate chips

¼ block paraffin

Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Melt 2 sticks of margarine, pour over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Shape into balls about ¾-inch in diameter. Melt margarine, chocolate chips and paraffin. Dip balls into chocolate mixture and place on waxed paper to harden.

BOURBON ROLL

1 box (1 pound 2 ounces) vanilla wafers, crushed

1 cup Eagle Brand milk

1 cup chopped candied cherries

1 cup chopped candied pineapple

1 cup coconut

1 pound chopped pecans

5 tablespoons bourbon

Mix all together and shape into 4 long rolls. Roll in powdered confectioners’ sugar and wrap in foil. Chill and cut or freeze.

Pictured in photo from left to right: Sue DeLozier Davis,

William Spence Davis, and Granny Marilee Davis Shubert

I KNOW we all love Maxine and her antics!

Grandma's Peanut Butter Cookies

A peanut butter cookie is one of the simple pleasures that all of us have enjoyed, either as a child or an adult. Whether Grandma used to make them for you or you discovered the sheer joy of making them yourself after you starting baking, they are addictive and super easy.

I remember my Grandma Gailey used to bake dozens of them for me and my siblings and cousins to take to school functions. She did this for many years. They were always a hit!

Here is her version.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring


Mix together with hands. (She said this was very important! However, I use a dough hook on my KitchenAid counter-top mixer.) Pinch off small amount; roll it into a ball and then flatten it.

Place on pan and make crisscross designs on top with fork. Bake in slow oven.

NOTE:
I think you should probably use an ungreased cookie sheet and place cookies 2-3 inches apart. Moisten fork with water each time you press tines into cookie dough. Cook at 325 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes or until done.

Chili and Cheese Burgers

There were lots of great food moments during my trip to North Carolina in October. My cousin, Linda Kay, and I flew to Raleigh-Durham where my daughter and two granddaughters picked us up, luggage in tow, and cheerfully listened to all of our complaints and tales of “high” adventure aboard American Flight 700.

It actually was a great flight. We had no complaints except for the fact that we felt confined and a little stiff and sore before the trip was over. The attendants were very nice and eager to make us comfortable; however, it was wasted effort as our 60+ legs were not cooperating!

Linda Kay, my daughter Gail, and I took off that Monday morning for the Outer Banks. The weather was gorgeous and we couldn’t wait to see the ocean spray!

We ate lunch at the “Country Kitchen” just outside of the little town of Bath, North Carolina on the Pamlico Sound. The food was as great as we had been told by a young woman working in the Traveler’s Center.

Linda Kay ordered Chicken Salad on Toast and she said it tasted wonderful. Gail and I ordered cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries. We had a laugh when I was asked by the waitress what I wanted on my burger. I said everything! That stumped her. Gail spoke up and said tomato, lettuce, onion, and mustard. I looked at her a little funny and she said (after the waitress left with our order) that in North Carolina when you say everything – they put everything on it, including chili. I said I didn’t want chili, but guess the waitress took me at my word. I got chili on my burger!

More on our adventures in North Carolina to come.

Photographs taken by Judy Shubert Copyright 2008