Wednesday, December 16, 2009

sweet (treat) memories


Original Price: $1 Copyright Date: 1965



This cookie cookbook is as old as me. I have very fond memories of it.



It belonged to my mother. She passed it on to me after I married and started spending time in the kitchen (and enjoying it). And, she used it every year at Christmas time (probably at other times too but I especially remember it at the holidays).

It's loaded with wonderful cookie tips ~ for storing, freezing, mailing. The front cover notes that it includes a bonus section ~ PLUS: COOKIER COOKIES FOR GOODIER GIVING. I love that.



I love the graphics in this book. They take me back to my days of childhood. Don't they look like they belong in a child's book?






I bake recipes from this cookbook each year during the Christmas season. Mom made notes next to the recipes that she used, usually indicating how many batches of each recipe to make - 2, 3, etc. Not sure if duplicate batches were required for gift giving or because of my 3 older brothers. I'll have to ask Mom.


On Saturday I made Coconut Crisps.




The household Quality Assurance Dept. was eager to give them proper testing. They passed with flying colors.


Do you have holiday recipes that have been passed down from family members that you make each year? If so, please share. I'd love to hear your stories.


7 comments:

Talitha said...

Cookie cookbooks are my absolute favorite. But our family holiday recipe is "Christmas Crack". Terrible name, but truly addictive. It's a layer of chopped nuts (my mom used walnuts), a layer of roca, and a layer of chocolate. The problem is... I can't make it properly! I try every year but I always end up with crispy/chewy roca instead of hard crack roca. One of these years, I will succeed! :-)

Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fig said...

You know...I don't! My mom makes a mean carrot cake that I am determined to learn. But I never have...just because she always does! I think I may have to just start our OWN tradition...

Sarah H. said...

Love the book! My mom has some cookbooks with similar graphics ... although not the freaky doll photo illustrations--yikes! But I love the vintage recipes.

I'm reading a book that I'll have to loan you. It's called "Elizabeth David's Christmas." She was sort of an English Julia Child (pre-Julia Child). All kinds of funny recipes for potted meats and things we would never eat ... but fascinating!

We are making gingerbread on Saturday. My boys love it.

Anonymous said...

yes, but i don't make them anymore. They call for LOADS of margarine. And, now I just can't bring myself to make them. Besides, when I do - I eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Jenni said...

Ugh. I really, really need to write a peppernut post. I think I even have photos. Maybe today. (Oh, and that's ugh to the writing a post, not the peppernuts!)

Anonymous said...

i'm oohing and ahhing over those images in your cookie cookbook.

i love them!!

i have a couple of vintage church recipe books, but like d said, sometimes i'm not too fond of the ingredients.

we each have a cookie in my family, but my grandmother's is her green almond, tree shaped christmas tree cookies, i LOVE THEM. she brought me a container of them the other day.

i have to get a new cookie press because the dough is too thick for the one i have.

happy cookie baking and if i don't make it back, have a very, merry Christmas!!

Jenny said...

That cookie cookbook is so cool! It looks like there is writing on one of the pages. Did your Mom make notes?

My grandmother made many cookies each year. She spent days and days making them and each family went home with a huge assortment. My favorite was her Hello Dollys (just rediscovered the correct name. I have searched for a Dolly Madison recipe with no luck...ha)! I'm hoping to make that a tradition. I would love to have my grandmother's recipes!

We have a huge Christmas meal around 1:00 p.m. then spend the day playing games, hanging out and snacking. Around 6:00 p.m., my FIL makes Oyster Stew. We then don't need to eat again until New Years.