#3932 - Soft Ginger Christmas Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup softened Parkay margarine
1 egg
1 TBSP water
1/4 cup Brer Rabbit baking molasses (green label)
1 cup white sugar + 2 TBSP white sugar + extra white sugar for sprinkling

Into a bowl sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt--set aside. In a mixer add Parkay and 1 cup white sugar--beat. Add egg--beat. Add the water and baking molasses--beat. Slowly add dry ingredients--beat (if batter gets too stiff for the mixer, remove bowl from mixer and stir with a wooden spoon). Place the 2 TBSP white sugar into a small bowl. Shape the dough into walnut sized balls and roll each of them into the bowl of white sugar, then place them 2" apart on greased cookie sheets. Spray Pam on the bottom of a drinking glass and flatten each dough ball. Sprinkle a little white sugar over the top of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees 8-10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet, then transfer them to paper towels to cool.

#3920 - German Red Cabbage

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter
5 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced green apples
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 onion (sliced; rings separated)

In a Dutch oven add butter, shredded cabbage, sliced onions, sliced apples, white sugar, water, vinegar, salt, pepper and ground cloves--cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to low and simmer (with tilted lid) for 2 hours (stirring mixture every 15-20 minutes).

#3720 - Layered Pumpkin Cheese Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

(this recipe is for Dec. 29th)

2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 - 9" ready-made graham cracker crust
1/2 cup Libby's canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch of ground cloves
a pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup Cool Whip (thawed)

In a mixer add cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla--beat. Add eggs--beat. Measure out 1 cup of the cream cheese batter and spread it on the bottom of the graham cracker crust, leaving remaining cream cheese batter in the mixer. Add the pumpkin to the mixer with the remaining cream cheese mixture--beat. Add cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg--beat. Spread the pumpkin batter into the crust. Bake at 325 degrees 35-40 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight. Spread thawed Cool Whip over the top before cutting and serving.

#3617 - Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can Libby's canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. vanilla
Domino's powdered sugar (optional)

In a bowl add pumpkin, eggs canola oil, water, vanilla and white sugar--mix well. In a separate bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger--whisk to mix. Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture while stirring--stir just until blended. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill each 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Optional: dust the tops of the cooled muffins with powdered sugar.

#3328 - Cinnamon Oatmeal Nut Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup raisins
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Crisco shortening
3 eggs
2 cups flour
2 cups Quaker quick oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
6 TBSP leftover raisin water (explained below)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place raisins in a saucepan and cover them with water--bring them to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cook the raisins for 5 minutes. Remove from heat--measure out 6 TBSP of the raisin water and save for later, then drain the rest of the water from the raisins. In a mixer add white sugar and Crisco--beat. Add eggs and reserved raisin water--beat. Add oats, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, allspice and ground cloves--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins and chopped nuts--stir to mix. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let them stand for 1 minute on the cookie sheets, then transfer them to paper towels using a spatula. Cool completely.

#3079 - Sour Cream Spice Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups Breakstone's sour cream
2 cups raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Put the raisins in a saucepan, cover them with water, bring to a boil and cook them for five minutes. Drain the raisins and set aside. In a mixer add white sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon and baking soda--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins and chopped nuts--stir to mix. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#3039 - Ginger Snap Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup King syrup molasses
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup raisins

In a saucepan add raisins--cover them with water, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes, then drain them. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add egg--beat. Add molasses--beat. Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves--beat. Add hot water--beat. Add flour--beat just until mixed. Remove from mixer--add drained raisins--stir just until mixed. Place cupcake liners in muffin tins--fill each 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes.

#2969 - Hope Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 orange (for the juice and zest)
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates (chopped into very small pieces)

In a saucepan add raisins--cover them with water, bring to a boil, boil them for 5 minutes, then drain them. In a mixer add Crisco, white sugar and eggs--beat. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and vanilla--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Peel the orange and squeeze out the juice--add orange juice to batter--beat. Grate just the outside of the orange peel (zest) and add it to the batter--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped almonds, drained raisins and chopped dates--stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#2936 - Oatmeal Walnut Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Quaker quick oats
1 cup boiling water
1/2 stick softened butter
2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar for sprinkling

In a saucepan add raisins--cover them with water, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside. In a bowl add oats and boiling water--stir until mixed, then let stand for 20 minutes. In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add cinnamon, ground cloves, baking soda and salt--beat. Add oatmeal--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins and chopped walnuts--stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 9 square cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Dust the whole top with powdered sugar before cutting and serving.

#2894 - Fancy Spice Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 1/4 cups sifted flour (measure before sifting)
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup lard
1 1/2 cups Brer rabbit lite baking molasses
1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

In a large bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground cloves and ground ginger--stir to mix. Add brown sugar--mix well. Add the softened butter and the lard--cut in with a pastry blender. Add molasses and vinegar--mix well until dough forms. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough overnight. The next day remove dough from refrigerator--roll out a small amount of dough at a time on to a floured counter to 1/8" thick. Keep remaining dough cold in the refrigerator until you need more--just take out what you need so the dough doesn't get warm. Cut the dough into cookies using fancy shaped cookie cutters. Place cookies on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

#2837 - Vanilla Pumpkin Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 9" Keebler ready-made graham cracker crust (or make your own)
2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup Libby's canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a dash of ground cloves
a dash of nutmeg

In a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg--beat until mixed, then beat on high speed until smooth. Pour batter into the graham cracker crust. Bake 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate until cold.

#2808 - Honey Ginger Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
1 TBSP ground ginger (less if you wish)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup Crisco shortening
1/4 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add shortening and butter--beat. Add 1 cup of the white sugar and egg--beat. Add vanilla, salt, ground cloves, baking soda and ginger--beat. Add honey--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Place the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar in a bowl--shape the batter into 1" balls. Roll each dough ball in the white sugar and place them on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cookies stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing.

#2690 - Buttermilk Spice Cake

(Aunt Faye [Herman] Minier)

2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1/3 cup lard or butter
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups sifted flour (measure before sifting)

In a mixer add brown sugar and lard/butter--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#2639 - Cream Cheese Carrot Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can sliced carrots (well drained)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
Filling: 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 egg; 1/4 cup white sugar

Filling: in a mixer add cream cheese, 1 egg and 1/4 cup white sugar--beat well and set aside. Batter: in a bowl add drained carrots--mash them with a potato masher until smooth. In a separate bowl add flour, 1 cup white sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg--stir to mix. Add 1 egg and canola oil to the mashed carrots--beat with a whisk until smooth. Pour the carrot mixture into the flour mixture--stir with a spoon just until mixed. Place cupcake liners in muffin tins. Fill each 1/3 full of batter, drop 1 TBSP of the cream mixture into the middle of the batter, then place more batter on top of each so they are 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

#2611 - Walnut Coffee Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines butter golden cake mix
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/4 cup water
3 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Open the cake mix--take out 2 TBSP of the cake mix and reserve it for later. In a mixer add remaining cake mix, sour cream, water and eggs--beat until mixed, then beat for 2 minutes. In a bowl add chopped walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves and the 2 TBSP reserved cake mix--stir until mixed. Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture over the batter. Pour the rest of the batter over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar mixture over the top. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#2508 - Pumpkin Raisin Mufins

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups Libby's pumpkin
3 eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup raisins
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
3 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups flour

In a saucepan add raisins--cover them with water, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes, then drain them. In a mixer add pumpkin, eggs, water and canola oil--beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, white sugar, salt and flour--beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Remove from mixer--add drained raisins--stir just until mixed. Place cupcake liners in muffin tins--fill each 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 23-28 minutes. If you want the muffins higher, bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

#2423 - Cutout Ginger Snaps

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Brer rabbit green label baking molasses
1/4 cup white sugar
3 TBSP Crisco shortening
1 TBSP milk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
powdered sugar for sprinkling

In a saucepan over medium heat add molasses--cook/stir until boiling. Remove from heat--add white sugar, Crisco and milk--stir until mixed. In a bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, ground cloves, cinnamon and ginger--stir until mixed. Pour the molasses mixture into the dry ingredients--stir until mixed. Refrigerate dough overnight. The next day take out a handful of dough. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on your counter and place the dough ball on the powdered sugar. Roll with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick (sprinkle some powdered sugar on top of dough also before rolling). Use cookie cutters to cut cookies. Carefully place each cutout on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (do a test cookie to figure out the time appropriate for your oven). Repeat until dough is depleted. Cool completely.

#2329 - Brown Sugar Beer Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup Crisco shortening
2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 cups regular beer (NOT lite)
1 cup chopped pecans OR walnuts
powdered sugar for sprinkling

Grease a 10" tube pan. Into a bowl sift the flour and add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg--stir. In a mixer add Crisco and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Remove 2 TBSP of the flour mixture for later, then add the rest of the flour mixture to the mixer with the brown sugar mixture--beat. Add beer--beat. In a separate bowl add the reserved 2 TBSP of flour mixture to the chopped nuts--stir to mix. Remove mixer bowl from mixer--add chopped nuts mixture--stir until mixed. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert it on to a cake plate. Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar before cutting and serving.

#2174 - No Butter No Milk No Egg Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 cups water
3 cups raisins
2/3 cup Crisco shortening
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. warm water

In a saucepan add Crisco, brown sugar, 2 cups water, raisins, salt--turn heat to medium, cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 3 minutes. Remove from heat--cool for 15 minutes. In a bowl add flour, ground cloves, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder--stir to mix. Add raisin mixture, vanilla and 3 tsp. warm water to flour mixture--stir until blended. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#2062 - Raisin Crinkle Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
3/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup Brer Rabbit green label baking molasses
1 cup raisins
white sugar for rolling

In a saucepan add raisins--cover with water, bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, then drain and cool. In a mixer add butter, egg, molasses and 1 cup white sugar--beat. Add baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins--stir with a wooden spoon. Place some white sugar in a bowl. Form dough into 1" balls--roll each ball in white sugar. Place them on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.