Cookie Gift Baskets Tip & Recipe Blog

• 6 eggs

• 1 lb. flour

• 6 drops anise oil

• 1/2 lb. butter or shortening

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Beat 5 eggs with salt; add sugar; blend thoroughly.

Sift flour and baking powder; add to eggs and sugar mixture. Add anise oil (which may be purchased at the drugstore), softened butter or shortening; mix well. Knead until dough is smooth and manageable. Then roll dough into oblong loaf 5 inches broad and about 3/4 inch thick. Brush with 1 beaten egg; sprinkle with sugar; cut into 1 inch slices.

Place slices in greased baking pan; bake for 15 minutes in moderate oven, or until light brown.

Enough for 2 1/2 dozen slices. An unusual flavor!

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tangerines or oranges
• 2 peaches
• 1 cup strawberries or raspberries
• 1/4 cup blanched chopped almonds

Cook the orange juice, water, sugar, and cinnamon until a syrup is formed. Cool. Segment the tangerines or oranges; slice the peaches and berries. Combine in a bowl and pour syrup all over them. Chill 1 hour; sprinkle with the nuts and serve in sherbet cups.

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sifted flour
• ½ cup ground almonds
• 5 egg yolks                
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 ½ pounds cream cheese,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 egg whites

Mix together the crumbs, nuts and melted butter. Pack onto the bottom of a greased 10-inch spring form. Chill 30 minutes.

Beat together the cheese, 1 cup sugar and the salt. Add the flour and 1 egg yolk at a time, beating until very smooth. Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract and sour cream.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the remaining sugar until stiff but not dry; fold into the cheese mixture. Slowly pour into the prepared chilled spring-form. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 1¼ hours. Open the oven door and leave cake to cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven and finish cooling on a cake rack, then chill before removing the sides of the pan.

Serves 10-12