Cookies

No-Bake Bars

4 cups Cheerios
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups M&M's
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1½ cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine first 4 ingredients; set aside.
In saucepan, bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat.
Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.
Spread in greased 15x10" baking pan. Cool.
Cut into bars. Makes 15.

Nutty Cracker Delights
Yield 3-1/2 dozen

42 club crackers
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Cup slivered almonds

Place crackers in single layer in foil lined 15"x10" cake pan. In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar; bring to boil, stirring constantly.
Boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat; add vanilla.
Pour evenly over crackers; sprinkle with nuts.
Bake 350º for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Imemediately remove form pan, cutting between crackers if necessary, and cool on wire racks.
Store in airtight container.

Easy Crunch for Travelers
by Judy Carstens
This is one of my successful experiments. Del loves them. Makes 36

1 pkg white cake mix ( or other if desired as yellow and chocolate make a special cookie)
1 cup butter, softened, sometimes I use oil
2 eggs beaten
3 Cups rolled oats
1 tsp. BP, ½ tsp. soda
1/2 Cup walnuts, chopped

Mix all together. Chill. Roll in ball size of large walnut and flatten with a glass with sugar on the bottom. Put about ½" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375º 10-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on paper.
If you prefer a soft cookie, do not flatten as much. This one is crunchy.

Raisin Squares
Billie Heins Cozad 1962

1½ Cup White Sugar
¾ Cup butter, creamed with sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 Cup raisins, cooked
1 Cup hot raisin juice
2 Cups flour
1½ tsp. soda, 2 tsp. cinnamon
½ Cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix above together. Bake in shallow pan 15". Put a glaze of powdered sugar and water as soon as taken from the oven. Very moist.
Freezes well.

Simple cake mix cookies
Great when traveling makes 36.

1 package cake mix (chocolate is a favorite)
1 carton 8 oz. plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 Cup nuts or raisins, if desired

Preheat oven to 350º.
Mix cake mix and yogurt until smooth. Add any other ingredients desired.
Place rounded tsp. 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet
Bake 10-12 minutes. Cook for one minute. Store in tightly covered container.
This is a soft cookie.

Thumbprint
I made these on TV Cooking Show in 1955.

¾ Cup peanuts, ground
½ Cup shortening
½ Cup butter
½ Cup brown sugar
2 eggs, with yolks and whites separated
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Cups flour, 1/2 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar frosting

Sift together dry ingredients and stir in others using egg yolks only. Mix thoroughly. Roll dough into ball the size of a walnut. Beat egg whites with fork and roll each ball in egg whites and then in salted peanuts which are ground. Place 1" apart on cookie sheet and bake 5 minutes.
Take from oven and punch center with your thumb and continue baking 5 more minutes. Cool. Frost centers with colored frosting. I use Pink and Green at Christmas.

Ginger Cookies Gma J's
1956 She measured this recipe as she did all of her recipes she gave me through the years so I could make them. These and sugar cookies were always in here cookie jar.

1 cup white sugar
1 egg
¾ cup butter (she always used butter!)
1 tsp. each of ginger, cinnamon, soda, vanilla
4 Tbsp. molasses
2 cups flour, ½ tsp. salt

Mix together and make balls the size of a shooter marble. (Larger if you want a big cookie.) Roll in sugar and put on a cookie sheet. Do not flatten as they will spread. Bake in a 350º oven.

This is written as she wrote it. Self educated
4 years of school and then lots of experience
keeping a home for brothers, sisters, & father who farmed. Her mother died when when was 11 in rural Minnesota.

Chewy Pecan Sticks from Gma J
Another favorite from Gma In her own handwriting. A handful of this and a pinch of that were her instructions. She measured all these recipes for me.

½ Cup Crisco
1½ Cup cake flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. water

Blend Crisco, flour, sugar, salt until a fine meal. Stir in egg and water. Press in pan and bake 350º for 15 minutes. Mix:
2 eggs
1 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. B.P., ½ tsp. vanilla, ½ tsp. salt
1 Cup chopped pecans

Spread over baked pastry and bake 40 minutes in slow oven 300º

Gma's Sugar Cookies
Gma Johnson's 1955

1½ Cup sugar
1 Cup butter (she used real butter)
2 eggs
½ Cup sour cream
1 tsp. soda, 2 tsp. B.P., 1 tsp. lemon extract ( or vanilla)
3-4 cups flour

Roll, cut, and bake. 10-12 minutes 375º Makes 5 dozen

Gma's Sugar Cookies
sent to me 1957

1 Cup sugar, 1 Cup shortning, 1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. nutmeg

1½ Cup sifted flour roll cut and bake in 375º
oven

very good

This in her (Gma J's) handwriting and spelling. A great cook and baker.

She said, "very good", I said Excellent!

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Below is a copy of the original news article from the Eau Claire Leader featuring this cookie.

Overnight Cookies
"very good" says Gma

2 C brown sugar
½ C butter (yes she used butter)
3 egg well beaten
3 C flour
1 tsp salt, soda and cream of tarter
½ tsp. vanilla
½ C nutmeats
½ C chopped dates
Make into a roll place in ref cut and bake next morning.

The above is exactily as she wrote it.

A couple more recipes pictured
This time in her own handwriting on well used index cards. 1956

* Written to the right as cards were written. These are precious cards for me as Gma had to work hard to make them for me. Her recipes were all in her head and she only did "hands full of this and pinches of that" and "enough to sweeten or make the right consistency."
Each pinch and handful was measured so she could write it down for me.

Frosted Cookies*
½ cup shortening, 1½ C brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1/3C sour milk, 1 tsp soda, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp cinn. ½ t cloves ½ nutmeg 4 c flour 1 tsp vanilla drop from spoon and bake Frosting 1 tbls butter 1 tsp vanilla 1½ c powered sugar moisten with coffee*

Filled Fruit Cookies

1 c sugar ½ c shortening part butter 1 egg ½ c milk 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp cream of tarter 1 tsp soda ½ tsp salt 3½ c flour

fruit filling

1 c raisins 1 c dates 1 c figs 1c nuts ¾c water ½ c sugar 1 tsp flour 1 tsp lemon extract

boil let cool put tsp of fill on cookie cover with another cookie & bake

*Gma only had a 4th grade education in a small country school house.

At age 11, She stayed home and to help care for and raise her brother and sisters after mother died.
Father Gottlieb Bucholz worked the farm.

Ginger bars
16-20 servings

1 Cup shortening, 1 Cup sugar, 1 Cup water
2 eggs, ½ Cup molasses
2½ Cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. each soda, cinnamon
½ tsp. each ground gloves, ginger, salt
powdered sugar

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs; beat. Beat in water and molasses. Combine flour and dry ingredients; add to molasses mixture and mix. Spread into greased 15 X 10 X 1" pan.

Bake 350º for 20-22 minutes until done. Cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

Pecan Butter Balls
Another of Gma J's

1/2 C powdered sugar
1 C shortening half butter
2 C flour
1/2 C chopped pecans

Bake in slow oven (325º) roll in powdered sugar, while warm. (20 minutes baking time)

She didn't tell us to roll each one in a ball like a marble or in an oblong like a small bar shape. My mother did them both ways and she also colored them for Christmas with green and red food coloring. She also used peppermint and almond flavorings as well as vanilla which Gma never mentioned.

Apricot Chews 

Food chop fine 2 C dried apricots
Stir in 15 oz can condensed milk
Dump 1 C walnuts
2 C coconut
2 tsp. vanilla

Drop onto greased cookie sheet  or parchment paper

 Bake 10 minutes only.  350°   Try Apples, Peaches, Figs.

Very good, Nutritious, different.    3 ½ dozen.

Almond Drops
   No Bake from Kitchen Delights

 1 C sugar
½ C coconut oil
¼  C milk (coconut preferable)
3 T cocoa

Combine and boil over low heat 1 minute. 

Stir in ½ C Almond Butter
½ C Almonds, sliced
½ C dates
3 C Quick oats
½ C colored gumdrops 

Stir and drop by teaspoon  onto Wax Paper.

Apricot Health Bars

3/4 cup butter or coconut oil softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup diced, dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350° F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar; stir in egg and vanilla. Add oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt. Mix until well blended. Stir in apricots, walnuts and coconut. Spread dough evenly in a 12x8-inch baking pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then cut into bars. Makes about 2 dozen

Apricot Oat-Nut Snack Mix

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups oat bran
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cups walnut halves, broken
1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped or slivered
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup honey, melted
1 1/3 cup dried apricots, quartered (one 6-ounce bag)
3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven 325° F. In a large bowl, combine rolled oats and next six ingredients; toss well. Drizzle oil over mixture and toss until coated. Drizzle melted honey and continue tossing until coated, mixture should be clumpy. Divide mixture onto two cookie sheets, spreading evenly. In top third of oven, bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven; stir with wooden spoon, mixing thoroughly. Continue to bake 30 minutes more, stirring every 10 minutes. Return snack mix to bowl; add dried fruits. Toss gently and cool. Can be stored for two weeks in airtight containers or frozen up to two months. Makes 20 servings, approximately 265 calories per 1/2 cup serving, 7 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium and 4 grams dietary fiber.

Coconut Dream Bars

1 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup softened butter or margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Calumet Baking Powder
1 1/3 cups (about) Baker's Angel Flake Coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Add butter and
mix until well blended. Press into greased 9-inch square pan.
Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat eggs until thick and light in color. Gradually
beat in 3/4 cup brown sugar and continue beating until mixture
is light and fluffy. Mix 1/4 cup flour with the baking powder.
Fold into egg mixture. Mix in coconut, vanilla and nuts.
Spread over baked crust in pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer
or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars.

Makes about 2 dozen

This recipe created by Kraft Foods.

Here is a simple recipe for coconut macaroons

1 cup coconut flakes
2 Tbsp. warm water
1 whole egg
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. coconut oil (for greasing the cookie sheet)

Mix warm water and honey together. Add the coconut flakes. Beat in the egg. Mix thoroughly. Form into ball and drop it by spoonful on the well greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 degree Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes.

Approximate yield: 1 dozen

Coconut Treats 

1/8 cup chopped nuts (almonds or pecans are good) (optional)

2 teaspoons unsweetened coconut flakes; 4-5 teaspoons if you want to roll in coconut flakes

1 tablespoon Virgin coconut oil; melted or softened if hard

1 teaspoon ground flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon Stevia® (sweeten to taste)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon RealSalt®

Set the chopped nuts and 2-3 teaspoons of the coconut flakes aside, if rolling the coconut balls in the mixture.  Or you may combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Form the mixture into a shape similar to a flattened macaroon and freeze.  The ingredients freeze in about 5 minutes.  The coconut treat will pop right out of the bowl and you can eat it like a cookie.  Or you can divide the ingredients into two or three small balls.  Mix together the chopped nuts and remaining coconut flakes on a flat plate and roll the balls in the mixture; freeze for at least 5 minutes. 
From Tropical Traditions Recipes

Date Bars 

Easy date bars with optional chopped nuts. 
We made these often for years in the 60’s and 70’s.

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces finely chopped dried dates (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Into a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in chopped dates and the chopped pecans or walnuts, if using. Pour into greased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool; cut into bars.

Makes about 24 date bars
 

Date Squares

Delicious date squares, with chopped dates, oats, butter, and other ingredients.

 Date square recipe, a favorite. Editors note:  Grandma Johnson and Mom, Jean Haag baked these and I followed them for years. Del’s mother Ella Waltke Carstens always served these during the Christmas Holidays in the 50’s and 60’s.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• The Date Filling:
• 2 packages (16 ounces) chopped dates
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or maple extract

Combine filling ingredients in saucepan; simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is thick. Set aside to cool.

Mix flour, oats, sugar, butter, soda, and salt; press about half of mixture in a greased and floured 9 X 13-inch pan.

Spread filling over the oat layer.
Add remaining oat mixture and press down lightly with hands.
 Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. 

From Judy A. Carstens
Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine.

Sandy's Almond Joy

1 cup liquid coconut oil...can be melted by placing container in hot water (I Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut oil)

1 cup chopped almonds... may be soaked and chopped or soaked and dried for added nutritional benefit (see instructions below)

3/4 to 1 cup dried coconut... (I like the freeze dried from Tropical Traditions)

2-3 scoops Super Soy Sprout Powder...optional

Directions: Stir together the coconut oil, almonds and dried coconut (save about one third of it to sprinkle over the top) and soy sprout powder in a bowl and pour into an 8X8 pan. sprinkle the top with freeze-dried coconut.

Place level in the fridge to chill for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove and cut into bite size squares to serve. If it becomes too hardened and cracks when you attempt to cut it, just set out at room temperature until it cuts easily.

Store in the refrigerator.

Variations: Use Frontier Liquid Seasonings without alcohol to give the Almond Joys a different twist. Try a teaspoon or two of Vanilla, Maple, Lemon, Lime, Cinnamon, or Mint etc. add when you are mixing all of the ingredients together. or use some freshly squeezed lemon, lime or grapefruit juice to enhance a citrus flavor... WONDERFUL!!!!!

Almond Preparation: Soak almond overnight for 8 to 12 hours. I like to add Real Salt to the soaking water , using about one teaspoon per cup of nuts.

Chop in Food Processor Place on Teflex sheet (or parchment paper) and place in dehydrator to dry (about 4-6 hours)

I dehydrate these soaked almonds whole for snacks. 

Variation:   Place them in a bowl, stir in some Bragg's Liquid Aminos and a little Real Salt, then dry on the regular dehydrator sheets until crispy.

These little gems are melt-in-your-mouth-delicious! Perfect as a healthy Alkalarian snack, rich with vitamin E, soy protein, calcium, magnesium and lauric oil. Coconut oil has been shown to have anti fungal, and anti bacterial properties.

It's also a very versatile recipe that can be changed by adding a different flavoring each time you make it. 
(see variations) The coconut products used come from a great company called Wilderness Family Naturals and/or Tropical Traditions.  Tropical Traditions.com

donated by Sandy Kuntz

Peppermint Mana Delights

Mix together:
1 jar of Earth Essence clay
5 TBS. Super Soy Sprouts
1 TBS. Super Greens
1/3 cup Freeze Dried Coconut Flakes (set aside another additional 1/4 cup for later)
1/4 tsp. Peppermint Flavoring (non-alcoholic from Frontier)

Directions: Roll 1 tsp. of mixture into a small ball and roll in more coconut flakes Freeze for 1/2 hour.

Whenever you want a tasty treat or need a dose of clay, pull one from the freezer and enjoy.

Variations: Play with flavorings. You may want to try lemon or vanilla or your favorite non-alcoholic flavoring ... Have fun.

Fine Almond meal can be substituted for the Soy Sprouts or Super Greens if desired.

The SuperGreens gives a slightly strong flavor to the delights. They can be omitted for a creamier tasting treat.

By: Deborah Jenkins

These Mana delights are great to pop in your mouth after a meal, or just grab a few for a snack. They are alkalizing and energizing and would aid in improved digestion, with the Earth Essence Clay. Wilderness Family Farms freeze dried coconut  or Tropical Traditions adds just the right amount of natural sweetness. Great for sneaking good nutrition and alkalinity into kids. Our 2 year old grandson loves them!!

Peppermint Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unwrap and cut into 1/8-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

  Holiday Recipes

Chocolate Bark

4 T. (1/4 Cup) Virgin Coconut Oil
1-1.5 T. Cocoa Powder
2 oz. nuts (optional)
1/4 t. low-carb sweetener, such as stevia or xylitol

Melt the coconut oil to a liquid, add in cocoa powder and sweetener. Stir to combine and blend well.

Blend nuts into chocolate mixture. (optional)

Have chilled a metal bake ware lasagna or cake pan or pans in freezer for ten minutes or so. Remove from freezer and line with waxed paper. Then pour mixture into chilled pan and spread to desired thickness.

Pop it in refrigerator or freezer on level shelf and let it sit 10 minutes or so. It will harden quickly and breaks with a snap.

Date Coconut Balls