It’s easy to romanticize things from our past. With me, “remembering” is just code for thinking about food, but food that I’ve already eaten. Along with LEGOs, food was always at the top of my Christmas list. The holidays haven’t changed so much since those days. I have moved on from plastic spacemen and pirate ships, but that only means more room for Christmas sweets and meat.
When my sister and I arrived home in New Hampshire from Sunset Park, Brooklyn, we were greeted with hugs, kisses, and numerous tins of homemade cookies. I recognized most of the treats because they have been a staple in every Christmas at our household since even well before LEGOs, including sugar cookies cut into stockings and Christmas trees, rugelach, and meringues. There were also new cookies, like ‘Strippers’ and Mexican chocolate cookies.
My mom’s cookies will be forever linked to Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners. After a meal of ham or lamb or beef (and some potatoes and vegetables), a plate full of cookies and candy would always appear on the table. I would call it a Christmas miracle, but then I would probably have to go to church more often. Instead, let’s call it a Feingold family practice that I have come to take for granted.
My parents and sister usually cook the Christmas feast while I sit and stare at the food or my computer or the T.V. This year, after deciding to make a more concerted effort in the cooking process, I stirred a few onions and chopped some carrots. Then I was done. I came home, stirred some vegetables, and ate. I’m not sure which Jesus would approve of more, my laziness or the ‘Strippers.’
Although my mother still makes the cookies, she hasn’t made her chocolate candies in a few years. Her homemade chocolate candies are one of my all-time favorite holiday food traditions in our house. While I understand it’s a burden to drip melted chocolate in those tiny plastic molds, let it harden, drop some caramel or candy cane bits in, and drip some more chocolate on top – over and over again – all the while, making a huge mess that I always seemed to get away with not having to deal with, they’re really good.
Christmas is a time when I have access to the foods of my childhood – the foods that started my love affair with eating. My mom’s chocolates are one of them. And as my girlfriend pointed out, if I type this, they will come. My mom reads my posts.
I’ve wanted to include recipes on Fein Dining, and there is no better time than now. Here are my mother’s recipes for rugelach and “Cutouts.” I also included the recipe for Mexican Chocolate Cookies from Cooking Light.
Rugelach
1/2 lb unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups flour
Cream the butter and cream cheese together
Beat in the flour a little at a time.
Knead the dough lightly until all the flour is incorporated.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 2 portions
Raisin Nut Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1/4 cup sugar (for the top of the rugelach)
Strawberry/Raspberry/Apricot Filling:
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup strawberry, etc…jam
1/4 cup sugar (for the top of the rugelach)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Roll out one portion of dough in a circle that’s 1/16″ thick. With a knife, pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 16 wedges.
Spread filling onto the wedge. Roll up, starting at the wide edge.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the top.
“Cutouts” (Rolled Butter Cookies)
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs. cream or milk
1 Tbs. orange rind, grated fine
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
Preheat 400 degrees
Cream together softened butter, sugar in mixer
Add egg, cream, orange rind, and vanilla
Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda
Add gradually to the mixing bowl
If needed, chill in the refrigerator before placing on cookie sheets to firm up a bit
Roll out to desired thickness
Bake for 5-7 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets
Mexican Chocolate Cookies
5 ounces bittersweet (60 to 70 percent) chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place chocolate in a small glass bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper); stir with a whisk.
Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg; beat well. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until set. Remove from pans; cool completely on a wire rack.
