Patti Jo Hermann's Favorite:

Grandma's Spritz Cookies

2 cups butter
1-½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4-½ cups flour
Dash of salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream together first four ingredients until smooth. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together and slowly add to butter mixture. Mix thoroughly, chill for about an hour and put into cookie press. Press onto cookie sheet. Decorate with colored sprinkles, red or green cherries cut in half, or other holiday cookie decorations. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Clean cookie sheets between each baking.

This recipe has been handed down for five generations!

Nancy Henke's Favorite:

Forgotten Kisses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
½ scant tsp. cream of tartar
¾ c. sugar
½ tsp. vanilla Red, green, or yellow food coloring if desired
1-½ c. miniature chocolate chips

Beat egg whites until frothy, add salt and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff. Slowly add sugar while beating, beat until glossy. Add vanilla, mix thoroughly. Then mix in chocolate chips. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Place in oven, turn off oven, let sit for five hours.

Teri Bennett's Favorite:

Almond Bark Cookies

2-½ lbs. almond bark
2 cups Trix cereal
1 lg. jar dry roasted peanuts or almonds
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups colored marshmallows

Melt almond bark in double boiler. Add all ingredients except marshmallows. Fold in marshmallows last. Drop from spoon onto waxed paper and let set.

Karin Miller's Favorite:

Grandma Ella's Sugar Cookies

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter

Mix the dry ingredients and blend in butter.

Mix and add the following to the above mixture.

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Refrigerate for 8 hours. Roll dough on floured surface. Use cutouts to make the cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Powdered Sugar Frosting

1T. butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. milk

Blend butter and powdered sugar. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Joni Danzl's Favorite:

Cranberry Orange Cookies

2-1/3 cups flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2-3 tsps. grated orange peel
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar in large bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and orange peel. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Carla Friedman's Favorite:

English Toffee

2 cups sugar
1 pound butter
2 T. warm water
¾ tsp. vanilla
2 cups crushed almonds
14-18 Hershey chocolate bars (plain)
9 x 13 cake pan

Layer nuts then chocolate bars. Do not overlap bars. Melt butter and sugar, boil, and then add water. Slow boil for 45 minutes until 300 degrees hard crack. Add vanilla, pour candy quickly over nuts and chocolate bars. Add layer of candy bars and remaining nuts. Cool before cracking.

Melia Liester's Favorite:

Gumdrop Cookies

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup flaked coconut (optional)
1 cup cut-up red and green gumdrops (not the spiced kind)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and almond extract; beat. Add flour. Stir in coconut and gumdrops. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes.

Amy Gohman's Favorite:

Christmas Mice

Take a maraschino cherry with a stem, and dip it in melted chocolate. Put it down on its side on waxed paper to set.

Take an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss and glue it with melted chocolate to the end opposite the stem (flat kiss bottom to bottom of cherry).

Almond slivers for ears. Add eyes and a nose with red frosting.

They really are cute, and would be a good Christmas project for kids!