Eating on Jitneys

This is long overdue, but things have been busy. I made these Christmas cookies last weekend, but, despite the fact that I keep eating them as a dessert to my breakfast, there are still a ton of them left so I really don’t think it’s too late.

Even just a year ago I thought that Russian Teacakes were something that just my extended family made. Same with Thumbprint cookies. I don’t know where I was. I mean, how did I somehow miss the cookie tin in every single childhood friends’ house that probably was filled to the brim with every American childs’ favorite fucking Christmas cookies: Russian Tea Cakes? It’s not that it ruins the cookies, knowing they weren’t especially special to my family, but it does make me realize there might be more than just one recipe for them. However, Christmas makes me crave tradition like nothing else. And what’s more traditional than a Betty Crocker recipe? For Christmas cookies that your mom made? Right?? So I used that one, and here’s a picture:

Next came the Thumbprint Cookies: also a mistaken family secret. As a kid, I used to only like these without jam in the middle. I would eat them before my mom had put the jam in the center for…I have no idea what reason. Jam in cookies is so good!

Thumbprint Cookies
(adapted from Betty Crocker by my mom)

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
jelly or jam

heat over to 350 degrees.
mix thoroughly butter, shortening, sugar, egg york and vanilla. work in flour and salt until dough hold together. shape dough by teaspoonfuls into 1-inch balls.

beat egg white slightly.
dip each ball into egg white; roll in nuts.
place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet; press thumb deeply into center of each.

bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. immediately removed from baking sheet. cool.
fill thumbprints with jelly or jam (raspberry is best)

I also made these Swedish Christmas Cookies because I wanted to make something I had never tried before, in addition to the two family staples.

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My friend Emily sent me this cool link that I thought I should share…

Foodpairing

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