Where did November go? I've been in a frenzied blur of activity. I was hoping things would slow down a little in December...what could I have been thinking? This Saturday, Checkered Past will be open at my home shop - 10 am to 5 pm, and yes, I'll fire up the wood stove and heat the shed... I've got lots of handmade ornaments, fabric stars, felted ornies and painted wood mini signs. Also lots of princess pine wreaths that Michelle just made from her gatherings in the woods. And if you're looking for sleds or skiis, I've got many to choose from to dress up your abode for the winter months. The cute little sled pictured here has seen better days, I will agree...but don't you wish it could talk? The tales it could tell! I've donated this sled, wreath and handpainted sign to the Grace House Homeless Shelter for their annual fund raiser this Saturday night. You could go home with this little gem by bidding at their silent auction. If you're around, check it out at the Timberlake Lodge. So, this past week, I've been busily decorating not only my shop, but my house. I've got way too many decorations and have been going through bins and trying to keep things simple...which is so hard to do! Guess I'll put up another tree in the basement just for sister Janet's visit on Christmas Eve. Then next week I'll start baking. Over Thanksgiving I again made my husbands favorite holiday cookie, Pfeffernuse. It's a german cookie, and not one that I grew up with, so I've practiced for many years, and finally got it the way his mom used to make. The recipe I use is from the "German-Russian Pioneer Cook Book" from his hometown of Eureka, South Dakota. My tendency was to make them too small, but finally I got them about right...so they are about 2" across after baking. The other trick I found is immediately after they come out of the oven to shake them in a bag with powdered sugar...as opposed to rolling them in a bowl of powered sugar...I guess that's the way mother used to do it... So here is the recipe...by the way, it makes about 12 dozen, so you might want to divide it unless you're donating to the homeless!
PFEFFERNUSE
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup lard (I use butter)
1 cup black coffee
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda
1 cup honey
1 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. star anise (I used anise flavoring)
7 cups flour
Mix like any cookie. Make balls in palm of hand, flatten and bake at 350 (my oven needs 8 minutes). Frost or roll in powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
1 comment:
Kathy, you are missing the pepper. I will have to check my recipe to see how much goes in, hence the name pepper cookie in English. I remember she also used to dip the cookies in a mix of milk and powder sugar or honey and milk then coat with the powder sugar. As I have said I have not perfected it yet. I have an old faded hand written copy of the recipe and Mom's handwriting was always near impossible to read. I can't wait to compare the two recipeas. Thank you for posting the recipe. Ask Janet if she remembers about Mom dipping the cookies.
Thanks,
Ann
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