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Many, many women-and quite a few men-have fantastic cooking skills they learned from early childhood, as they trailed behind their mothers in the kitchen soaking up knowledge. Marlene Schollenberger of Bloomington isn't one of them. "My mother was a terrible cook," she says, "and couldn't do anything in the kitchen. I did learn a lot from my grandmother, though. Mom was one of those who came from a long line of good cooks, but who missed out on the talent," Marlene says with a chuckle. "Fortunately, I seem to have the knack. I certainly had the interest." At any rate, friends and relatives of the Corn Belt Electric Cooperative member are often beneficiaries other talent. "I enjoy trying all kinds of recipes, and I especially like all kinds of things I can make and freeze, but I like cookies the best," she says.
Marlene recalls that as a child in St. Louis she would watch her grandmother. About the time she turned five years old, she notes, she was literally up to her elbows in cookie making, rolling and cutting dough. "I like all kinds of cookies. I especially like the colorful, intricate ones that give me a real challenge, but that come out looking really pretty." Eventually, she entered some of her creations in the McLean County Fair. She took first place two years in a row. As her reputation spread, she became known as "the cookie lady," and decided to start a sideline business making and selling all kinds of holiday cookies. "My husband, Bob, is my chief cookie tester, as I experiment and adapt, she says. I get migraines if I eat too many sweets, but he doesn't. And my kids, Bryan and Michelle, were testers before they left home. They still expect to take some cookies back with them when they leave here after a visit." With her love for intricate designs, it follows that her interest would be piqued when she saw a fancy cookie in a magazine. "I called and asked how I could get a cutter to make a cookie like that," she says, "and I was told it didn't exist. I guess the cookie had been hand-cut. I decided I'd try to make one for what I call my snowflake cookie, and I finally got one made. It does a great job, but I've got to figure out a way to get it made in an affordable way before I can put it on the market. But it makes a beautiful cookie." With a stable of beautiful cookies and a card file full of delicious recipes, it seemed logical to collect all those recipes into a book and offer it for sale to cookie lovers everywhere. The result is "A Collection of Cookies by Marlene," a 68-page book packed with 120 recipes. Put on the market in late 1995, the book already is in its second printing. If you'd like to order the book which costs $ 15.00 including postage, you can contact Marlene at (309) 663-5420. Some recipes from her book are included here.
DECEMBER 1996 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING
TURTLE BUTTER PECAN BARS
Crust:
In a 3-quart bowl, combine crust ingredients and mix at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until particles are fine. Pat firmly into ungreased 13x9x2-inch pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over unbaked crust.
Caramel Layer:
Preheat oven to 350 °. Prepare caramel layer by combining brown sugar and butter in a heavy 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until entire surface of mixture begins to boil. Boil 1/2 to 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour caramel evenly over pecans and crust. Bake at center of oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until entire caramel layer is bubbly and crust is light golden brown. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chips. Let chips melt slightly (2 to 3 minutes) and slightly swirl them as they melt. Leave some whole for a marbled effect. Do not spread them. Cool completely and cut into bars.
TOFFEE BARS
2 C. all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350°. In large mixer bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and butter; mix until fine crumbs form. (A few large crumbs may remain). Press into ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans over crust. Prepare Toffee Topping and immediately drizzle over pecans and crust. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until topping is bubbly and golden. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle milk chocolate chips over top; press gently onto surface. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes about 3 dozen bars.
Toffee Topping:
In small saucepan, combine ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture come to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring 30 seconds; use immediately.
ORANGE-CRANBERRY COOKIES
1/2 stick (1/4 C.) unsalted
butter, at room temperature
Heat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugars, baking powder and baking soda until blended. Add egg, orange peel and concentrate and beat until pale. Beat in flour and salt just until blended, then stir in cranberries and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet(s) about 2 inches apart. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until light brown and set on top (cookies firm up as they cool). Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Makes 36.
Frosting:
Mix sugar, butter, concentrate and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth, spread on cooled cookies. Decorate with nuts.
OATMEAL BRICKLE COOKIES
3/4 cup butter flavor all-vegetable shortening
Heat oven to 375 °. Grease baking sheets with shortening. Place sheets of foil on counter top for cooling cookies. Combine shortening, brown sugar, egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in 3/4 C. brickie pieces and pecans. Form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip tops in remaining brickie pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with back of hand or spoon. Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown around edges. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to foil to cool completely. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.
8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING DECEMBER 1996
SPICY GINGERBREAD COOKIES
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
In large mixer bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, molasses, egg and lemon peel. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add all remaining cookie ingredients. Reduce speed to low. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. 1 to two minutes. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°. On well floured surface, roll out dough, one half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch to 4-inch cookie cutters. Place, 1 inch apart, on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. Remove immediately. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.
Frosting:
In small mixer bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, color frosting with food coloring. Decorate cookies with frosting.
CHRISTMAS BARS
1 C. all-purpose flour
Combine flour, brown sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in nuts. Reserve 1 C. of the nut mixture for topping. Press remaining nut mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. For filling, combine cream cheese, egg, granulated sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract; beat until smooth. Stir in chopped red and green cherries. Pour filling over the partially baked crust. Sprinkle with the reserved nut mixture. Bake in the 350° oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown and set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. If desired, decorate each piece with red and green maraschino cherries. Store in refrigerator. Makes 24.
Sandies
Cream butter and sugar; add water and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and pecans; chill 3 or 4 hours. Shape in balls or fingers. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in 325° oven about 20 minutes. Cool slightly; roll in confectioners' sugar. (I dip fingers in white and dark chocolate at each end and dip in finely chopped nuts.)
COLORED SUGAR THUMBPRINTS
2/3 C. butter
Beat butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat well. Add egg yolks and beat until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until easy to handle. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls of dough in colored coarse sugar; press sugar into dough. Form thumbprints and bake as directed. Place 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Press centers with your thumb. Bake in a 375° oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Just before serving, fill centers with Butter Frosting. Makes about 42.
Butter Frosting:
Beat butter and 1 1/2 C. sugar. Beat in milk. Beat in additional powdered sugar to make of piping consistency.
PUMPKIN NUT TARTS
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
In a medium mixer bowl, beat the 1/2 C. butter and the cream cheese with an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in flour. Divide dough into 24 balls, 1 inch in diameter, and press the dough evenly into bottom and up sides of twenty-four 1 3/4-inch muffin pans. Bake in a 325° oven for 10 minutes. Combine the 1/2 C. brown sugar, pumpkin, egg yolk, cream or milk, the 4 tsp. butter, rum flavoring, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into warm prebaked cups. Stir together nuts, remaining brown sugar, and remaining butter; sprinkle over pumpkin mixture. Bake in a 325° oven for 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Loosen and remove cups from pans. Serve warm or cool. Makes 24.
DECEMBER 1996 1 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 9
CHRISTMAS COOKIES
1C. butter Mix butter and sugar until creamy; stir in corn syrup, egg yolks and flour; mix well. Chill dough. Roll chilled dough into 1 -inch bolls; dip into egg whites and then roll in finely crushed nuts. Place on greased baking sheet; press red and green candied cherries into center. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Makes 4 dozen. EASY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 C. peanut butter Preheat oven 325°. Mix the four ingredients with a spoon until well mixed and waxy or sticky. Roll into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet and press slightly with a fork to flatten. Place about 1 inch apart. Cook 15 to 20 minutes. Should be light brown and be soft when taken from oven. (No flour or baking powder. Real good and so easy.) CHOCOLATE CHIP ALMOND COOKIES
1/2 C. shortening Beat shortening and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar and baking soda; beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour, chocolate pieces and nuts. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Makes about 60.
BLOND BROWNIES WITH BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING
1 C. sugar Heat oven to 350°. Grease 13x9-inch pan. In large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar and 1 /2 C. butter until light and fluffy. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and eggs; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Stir in 1/2 C. pecans. Spread in greased pan. Bake at 350° for 23 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Make 36 bars.
Frosting: Heat 2 T. butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until light golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar, 1 /4 tsp. vanilla and enough milk for desired spreading consistency; blend until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Arrange pecan halves over frosting. Cut into bars. CHRISTMAS WREATHS
1/4 C. butter Mix butter, shortening, 1 C. sugar, orange peel and eggs. Blend in flour. Shape dough in six 1/8-inch ropes. Tie in knot. Beat egg white until frothy and add 1 T. sugar. Brush tips of cookies with egg white. Press candied fruit around wreath. Bake at 350 ° for 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown.
10 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING DECEMBER 1996 |
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