Cookies - 1st Place Winner
Coconut-Cranberry Bars with Pecans
by Debbie Howard

Makes 36 bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups pecan halves
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350°. Line 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper - leave 2 in. overhanging.

2) Mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter in bowl, then press evenly into prepared pan or baking dish.

3) Stir together remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then gently spread over graham cracker crust.

4) Bake until edges are golden brown, 25 to 28 minutes. Using parchment overhang, lift and transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into 36 bars. Bars keep up to 3 days chilled in an airtight container.

Cookies - 2nd Place Winner
Sugar Cut Out Cookies
by Grandma Irene Spraur Bielenberg
Submitted by  Cheri Bielenberg

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Carnation Milk
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream together. Add 1 Tblsp. of orange zest.

Preheat oven to 400°. Cooking time: 8-10 minutes.

Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup coffee with milk

Cream together.

Cookies - 3rd Place Winner
Cranberry Walnut Swirls
by Earla Kasinger

Ingredients, pastry:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Ingredients, filling:

1/2 cup finely ground cranberries
1/2 cup finely ground walnuts
1 Tbsp. orange peel
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. milk

Pastry: In large mixing bowl combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, add to creamed mixture. Mix just until combined. Wrap and refrigerate dough about 1 hour for easier handling.

In small bowl combine cranberries, walnuts and orange peel, set aside.

In small bowl or cup combine brown sugar and milk, set aside.

On lightly floured pastry cloth roll dough to a 10 inch square. Spread with sugared milk. Sprinkle with cranberry mixture leaving about 1/2 inch edge at two opposite sides of dough. Roll up tightly, jelly roll fashion. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until firm, several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°, grease 2 large cookie sheets. Cut roll into 1/4 inch slices. Bake on top rack of oven 14 to 15 minutes until edges are slightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Candy - 1st Place Winner
Red Carmels
by Judy Gascho

 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 14 oz. can sweetened evaporated milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. anise extract or oil
1/2 tsp red color paste

Line a 9" pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil. In a heavy 3 qt. pan melt butter over low heat. Add sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (mixture scorches easily), until thermometer gets to 244°. It will take 15-20 minutes to reach that temp. Remove from heat. Add red color and anise oil. Stir to mix. Pour into prepared pan. Cool until firm. Lift out of pan. Remove foil. Cut and wrap.

 

 

 

Candy - 2nd Place Winner
Carmel Corn
by Donna Hostetler

6 qts. (24 cups) popped corn. Put in large roaster and place in 250° oven to keep warm.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp. salt

Boil above 4 ingredients in saucepan for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp. baking soda (this will foam up). Pour over warm popcorn. Blend well. Place in 250° oven for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Keep in airtight container.

Candy - 3rd Place Winner
Fours
by Patti Perkett, Inez Laramore (mom), Birdie Dunn (grandma)
Submitted by Patti Perkett

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dark Karo
1/2 lb. butter
2 cups thick whipping cream
1 lb. pecans or walnuts

Place sugars, Karo, butter and one cup of the cream in kettle (I use my cast iron). Bring to a boil and add remaining cup of cream slowly so boiling does not stop. Allow candy to brown a little, but prevent burning by stirring often. Cook until it forms a firm ball in cold water. (I use a small amount on a spoon and drop in small cup of cold water using my fingers to form the ball, this is how my mom showed me and my grandmother taught her.)

Remove from fire, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla, add the pecans or walnuts and stir. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan. Once firm you can cut them into small pieces and dip in melted dipping chocolate.