Kruschiki/Chruściki – submitted by Kristi Kubiki, Director of Program  Support at Bridge of Hope National

Ingredients
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
½ tsp salt
¼ C melted butter
½ C sugar
2 C flour
Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Confectioners’ sugar (to top cookie with)

Day 1

Mix eggs, egg yolks and salt in large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and sugar. Gradually blend in flour until creamy. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2

Place ¼ of dough on floured work surface – sprinkle dough with flour to reduce stickiness. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness (try not to tear.) With pizza cutter, cut rolled dough into 5 inch strips at 1.5 inches wide. Make 2 inch long slit in the middle of the strip of dough – pull one end through the slit to make it twist (look like a bow tie). Place dough twists on floured cookie sheet. Use electric fry pan or deep fryer filled ¼ full with vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees. Place a few of the twists into the oil and fry until lightly brown on both sides (typically float to top when done.) Remove cookie twist from oil and place on paper towels for oil to absorb. Sprinkle cookie twists with confectioners sugar.

 

Eggnog – submitted by Tirzah Gibboney, Director
***This recipe uses RAW eggs***
Ingredients
6 eggs
1 C sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 Cups heavy cream
2 Cups milk
3 tsp rum extract (or 1 Cup Spiced Rum for an adult version)
Extra nutmeg for garnish
Directions
Beat eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes until well blended, should be somewhat frothy
Add nutmeg and beat.
Add extract(s) and beat.
Add cream a little bit at a time while beating.
Add milk a little bit at a time while beating.
(Add Spiced Rum if using and beat a little bit.)
Chill and serve with an extra sprinkle of nutmeg on top.
Nut Roll Cookies – submitted by Lauren Watkins, Board Chair
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese
2 stick butter
3 c flour
2 c crushed nuts
1 c sugar
1/3 c milk
powdered sugar
Directions
1. Cookie Dough: Mix cream cheese, butter and flour. Mix well, take a spoon full of dough and roll into a ball, after rolling dough into balls put in refrigerator to chill.
2. As dough is chilling make your filing.
3. Take your crushed nuts, sugar and milk and mix together well.
4. Roll your dough balls in powdered sugar and roll out. Drop some filling on the flattened dough and roll up. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when half cool

Twist Tree Bread – submitted by Tirzah Gibboney, Director

Ingredients

1/4 Cup shortening (or can substitute butter)
1 Cup buttermilk
1/4 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Cups flour plus additional 1 1/2 Cups flour, set aside
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 packet (2 1/4 tsps) of dry active yeast
1 egg
Butter
Red and/or Green colored sugar
1 1/2 Cups Powdered sugar
3-5 Tbsp milk or cream, to mix with powdered sugar for a glaze

Directions

  1. Heat the shortening, buttermilk and sugar in a small saucepan until the shortening is just melted and it reaches 115 degrees.
  2. Mix 1 1/2 C flour, salt, baking soda and yeast together in mixing bowl.
  3. Add the warm buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients, add one egg, and mix at low speed for 30 seconds and high speed for 3 minutes.
  4. Gradually add up to 1 1/2 C of the flour that was set aside, until the dough is able to be handled without being super sticky. Knead dough for 5 minutes on floured surface.
  5. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Divide the dough into 2 halves – each half will be enough dough to make 1 Tree. Roll each half out into a rectangle, about 14″x 8″. Spread a thin layer of butter on each rolled out rectangle. Sprinkle generously with colored sugar.
  7. Fold each rectangle long ways, so that when folded it is about 14″ x 4″.
  8. Cut each folded rectangle into about 14 1″ x 4″ strips.
  9. Twist the strips and arrange them into a Christmas Tree shape on a greased cookie sheet. There should be 2 Trees.
  10. Cover the twisted trees and let rise for one hour.
  11. Turn oven on to 375 degrees.
  12. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until just golden on top.
  13. While bread is still warm, mix powdered sugar and milk into a thin icing and drizzle over the trees.