Aunt Eileens Christmas Butter Cookies Food

THE NEELYS' BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl.
• Put the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until fluffy and light, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly add the flour and salt mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together and is smooth. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Cut the dough into quarters, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9 by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften slightly. Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll out one of the dough quarters, (keeping the others refrigerated until you need them), on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies into the desired shapes, and then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the cookies with decorating sugar, if desired.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Bake the cookies until they are light brown around the edges and on the bottom, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool briefly on the sheets, and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

AUNT LISL'S BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Then mix in the eggs, brandy, salt, vanilla, and flour. Let rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough to 1/8- inch thick. Preheat oven to 350 degree. You can either use cookie cutters or use the point of a toothpick like a knife to cut out cookies in any shapes you want. Once the cookies have been cut out, gently place them on the baking sheet. Then either brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with nuts and raisins or brush with egg white and sprinkle with blue sugar. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a metal spatula to gentle remove each cookie from the baking sheet to a cooling rack or flat plate.

AUNT GISELE'S CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch jelly roll pan; set aside.
• Combine the butter, yolks, sugar, cinnamon and flour and mix until you form a cohesive ball of dough. Spread the dough onto the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile cook the almonds, sugar, butter, honey and milk, stirring on occasion, until the mixture is light golden.
• Remove baked dough; spread almonds mixture over the top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until dark golden. Cool and cut into squares or rectangles (be sure to cut the cookies before they turn too hard.)

AUNT ANNIE'S SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together.
• In a large bowl, fully cream margarine and sugar together.
• Add soured milk alternately with the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.
• Form dough into a ball, wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
• Cut the dough into quarters and roll out one quarter at a time (it rolls and cuts the best if it is chilled, so keep the remaining sections in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them).
• I use a pastry mat to cut my dough out on. I have never had a problem with the dough being sticky, but you can lightly flour your work surface, if necessary (beware that it might change the flavor a bit if you over flour).
• Transfer the cut out cookies to an ungreased baking sheet. I like to sprinkle a little sugar on the tops of them before baking. My children like to put sprinkles on top first. Or, you can leave them plain and put icing on afterwards. We have too big a sweet tooth here to eat them plain.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 7-9 minutes. Do not brown!
• Enjoy!

AUNT EILEEN'S SAUCE PAN BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Melt butter and chocolate in pan over low heat, stirring.
• Cool.
• Beat in vanilla and sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time, stir well.
• Sift flour and salt, add to chocolate.
• Gently stir in chocolate chips.
• Pour into 8x8x2 pan.
• Bake 25 minutes.