Limpa Bread (or Swedish Rye Bread)

Swedish Rye Bread (Limpa)
 Ingredients

1 tablespoon yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup dark mollases
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups rye flour
2 3/4 cups white flour
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon anise seed

mix ingredients, knead, let rise, form into loaves
bake at 375 for 40 minutes

Spritz Cookies

Always a favorite at our house. A rookie mistake to note and avoid is to put the spritz on an ungreased baking sheet (this also means no parchment paper)--the butter will do the greasing for you....

Spritz Cookies: 

Ingredients

2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond (or peppermint) extract
red/green food coloring as desired

Instructions:

cream butter and sugar together
add eggs
add flour and salt
finally, add extract
place into cookie maker and "spritz"
bake at 350 for 8 min

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

 Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

 Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

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Swedish Coffee Cake

It can't be Christmas without thinking about our good Scandinavian ancestors who gave us so much to be proud of: lutefisk, strange stuffed sausages, and the almond in the rice pudding. Among these many attributes is the Swedish coffee cake which gives Christmas morning so much of its wild festivity!

Swedish Coffee Cake: 
Ingredients

2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages yeast
4 eggs
1 cup butter
9 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons cardamom
Mincemeat for filling OR raisins, crushed pineapple, and cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Note, for the smaller group, the recipe can be halved or even thirded (is that a word?). 

Christmas Spirit: Toffee Bars

It's the moment we've all been waiting for. The Turkey is gone, the pumpkin pie is (mostly) gone, and the Christmas carols are on in full force. The butter in the freezer is gently calling to us, and it's time to start baking.

Toffee Bars
Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yoke
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 chopped nuts

Instructions:

Cream butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Then add flour and salt.
Pat into jelly roll (11x15") pan
Bake at 325 for 15-20 min

Parmesan Chicken

The recipe for this one is written on a used piece of ordinary lined paper.  Humble origins for such a glorious meal. 

Parmesan Chicken: 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c margarine, melted

Instructions:

Line broiler or 15x11 pan with foil
Combine Parmesan, bread crumbs, oregano, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl
Roll chicken strips in margarine, then Parmesan mixture
Bake 400 for 20-25 minutes uncovered.

Serve with rice. 

Beef Stroganoff or Russian Beef

Beef Stroganoff: 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons bacon fat
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 pounds round steak
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Cut steak into 1" cubes.
Melt bacon fat, cook onions and garlic until soft.
Add meat, cook about 10 minutes until brown.
Add rest of ingredients except flour and water.
Lower temperature and cook about 2 hours.
During last ten minutes of cooking, mix flour and water and stir into mixture to thicken.
Serve over egg noodles.

Serves 8

Sidenote: this is a great one to toss in the slow-cooker and simmer during the day... Enjoy!