Did someone say cookie time?

Yes, the Westerberg household has a way different feel about it. This week also in another change as Daughter Nissa, who took a month off of her work, went back to her home in Virginia but she will be back for Christmas. I am trying to be a better organized person as I can’t yell “Larry, did you see my car keys” and lots of other things. I never was a “routine” person but I see the value of that in lots of things, including always checking the cat dish to see if there is any food the always hungry dog will eat when he is let in and have one place, maybe two at the most, of where to put shoes. My cell phone was often on the list also but we are working on plans to correct that. Also, I had lessons on cell phone GPS so I can make it beyond Cub or Walmart!

There are also lots of changes on daily routine. All the coffee beans got put in the freezer and the coffee maker all cleaned out and waiting for guests in the future that would be coffee drinkers. No more big bowls of ice cream for a bed time treat so I have a pretty good supply of that. I have a recipe for a yummy Polish cookie that uses ice cream so I will probably be making a lot of them for the holidays. Its going to be a while before I can watch Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune.

How can it be December already? We have not even gotten more than a small handful of snow and that all went away to show us that amazing green lawn color. I don’t pay attention to the weather people so maybe by the time you read this we will have buckets of snow. The cookie baking hormones are coming out of their nests. (Yes Father Dick, I know you have been praying for just such a thing). So I will start with the fruit cake for Father Dick and then work my way into what hits my fancy this year.

I have not gotten any big “I must try” things going this year so I am sure a number of the regulars will appear including Peanut Butter Blossoms and Mexican Tea Cake. Those are true markers of Christmas for me. I will not forget the chocolate either, both in cookie form and bomb form. I will be making a supply of the bombs and then Margaret and I are going to full crazy production line of them for her needs this Christmas. A good business also does on the spot taste testing so we keep our standards up.

In case you want to use up some vanilla ice cream or if you just want really good easy cookies, I will share the recipe for Kolaches. Please note that this is supposed to be the true Polish kind, not those bread dough things that the other “Polish” make and much more common. I was told this by a 100 percent Polish Person who has had his DNA checked out. Terry is the real deal!

Kolacky – Kolachkes – Kolaczki – Kolaches. A Polish Cookie Using a stand mixer, beat together 2 cups of soft butter and 1 pint of high quality vanilla ice cream. (it will appear to be curdly).Mix in 4 cups of regular flour and 2 Tablespoons of sugar. It will look like a soft dough. Divide into 4 pieces and wrap well and refrig. for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Take one piece at a time and on a lightly floured surface, roll out to about a 12×12 piece. Cut with a sharp knife into 3’’square pieces. (Don’t get your ruler out, it will work out)). Place 1 teaspoon of Solo apricot, raspberry or poppy seed filling in the center of each. Fold two opposite corners in so they overlap in the middle and seal with a drop of water in between. Place on a cold, ungreased baking pan 2” apart and bake until bottoms are golden brown, 11 to 14 minutes. Let cool for a minute or so, put on cooling racks and sprinkle with powdered sugar. It may all melt in and you can reapply a bit later. This recipe stores and keeps good. In addition to the “dough” cookies, there is also recipes using cream cheese instead of the ice cream. Google them and Happy Baking! Kolachkes are kind of like chips, you can’t just eat one.

SPELLING BEE

BY BEA WESTERBERG