Holiday baking - I'm sharing recipes in exchange for help making them more healthy

Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 18:23

Am going thru my family recipes to make sure I have everything for next weeks bake off. Here's a couple favorites. All are family recipes, I don't know where they came from just that I grew up having them every holiday. Please feel free to substitue any flours, sugars, ect that your family uses. All I ask is that you share your substitutions and the results - I'm trying to "tweak" them to use wholesome and healthy ingredients such as sucant, whole grains, whole wheat, ect..... I use free range eggs, organic sour cream (lite when I can find it), sea salt, evaporated cane juice crystals, and other organic ingredients. I'd like to substitute half whole wheat pastry flour - what are your thoughts??

Old World Butterhorns

4 cups flour                                                                                         1 1/4 butter or margarine

1/2 tsp salt                                                                                           3 egg yolks slightly beaten

1oz or 1 envelope dry yeast                                                              1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

filling

1 cup sugar                                                                                         1/2 cup chopped nuts (any kind)

3 egg whites                                                                                        1 tsp vanilla

Sift flour and salt together. Add yeast and butter. Mix as for pie crust. Add yolks, sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Divide into 6 - 8 parts.  Sprinkle counter with powder sugar and roll each part into circle (I never measure, just roll them out about 1/4 inch thick). As dough is resting, beat egg whites and sugar until stiff. Fold in nuts and vanilla. Spread this on each circle. Cut circle into 8 wedges (a pizza cutter works awsome). Roll each wedge as for crescent roll. Place on greased cookie sheet (parchment paper works great for these). Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 min. Remove from pan at once.

Sour Cream Cookies (cut outs)

3/4 cup lard or shortening                                                                   1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cup sugar                                                                                      1 heaping tsp. baking soda

2 eggs                                                                                                      4 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp pure vanilla                                                                                    1 tsp salt

Beat lard (or shortening). Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine sour cream and baking soda and add to sugar mixture. Mix very well. Mix flour and salt with whisk then slowly add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Chill in covered bowl 2-3 hours or overnight. Roll out  on lightly floured board and cut as desired. place on greased cookie sheet adn bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes then transfer to rack. When cool, frost and decorate.

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter, softened                                                                              1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 cups flour                                                                                           dash salt

2/3 cup powder sugar

In large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. In seperate bowl, mix dry ingredients with wisk. Mix with butter until combined well. Chill in covered bowl 1 hour. Drop by rounded tsp full 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 300 for about 20 minutes or until set. Cool on cookie sheet 2-3 minutes then transfer to rack. Yield: about 4 dozen

Well, that's it for now. Hope you enjoy and again, if you "tweak" them to your family's usual ingredients, please let me know. Thanks so much

Michele

Hey...

Posted by quiverfullacres on Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 06:36 - Link

I just saw this but I wanted to give you some ideas that popped into my head okay.

Yes, use the whole wheat! I use all whole wheat but we are used to it. I love the pastry ww.

For shortening, I would substitute coconut oil. It gives the feeling and texture of shortening in my things I make it.