Christmas is just around the corner...

These are Old Family Recipes of My Children's Great Grandmother, Martha Emerson. She warmed our tummies with these Great Holiday Treats many a times over the years. I know that Gram Emerson would just love that others are enjoying her blessed gift for baking. God Bless Her Precious Soul.

Christmas Recipes:

1. Peanut Butter Fudge, 2. Molasses Cookies, 3. Pumpkin Cookies, 4. Sugar Cookies, 5. Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls.

Peanut Butter Fudge

1 Cup Butter
3 Cups Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Milk
3 and 3/4 Cups or More of Confectioner Sugar

In a bowl combine your butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir till creamy. Slowly add your confectioner sugar, try not to get the mixture too dry, if it does add your milk, stir till all are mix well. (Hint: using your hands to mix is usually the best way.) Spread a light coating of butter onto your pan, distribute mixture evenly and put in fridge. Cut into squares when mixture is firm. Store tightly in refrigerator.

Molasses Cookies

1 Cup Oleo
or Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Molasses
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Soda
2 Teaspoons Ginger
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
4 and 3/4 Cups Flour

In a bowl combine your oleo/or butter, molasses, sugar, egg and buttermilk. Mix well. Combine all your dry ingredients, stir well. Drop by Tablespoon on a well greased cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 mins.

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Grated Orange Peel
2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cups Raisins (Optional)
1/2 Cups Nuts (Optional)

In a bowl combine your shortening, sugar, pumpkin and orange peel. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Now stir in these ingredients if you are using raisins and/or nuts.
Drop dough by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown, about 8 to 10 mins. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and cool.

Spread with Light Brown Glaze. Recipe below.
1/4 cup butter
2 Cups Confectioner Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 to 2 Tablespoon Milk

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until delicate brown. Stir in confectioner sugar and vanilla. Stir in milk until smooth.

Sugar Cookies

1 Cup Shortening
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
1 Cup Sweet Milk
Dash of Salt
1 Teaspoon Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla and/or Nutmeg, Lemon
3 and 3/4 Cups Flour

In a bowl combine your shortening, sugar, eggs. Set aside.

In another bowl combine your Sweet Milk and Vinegar, let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Then combine all of the above ingredients, stir till all are mix well. Combine all your dry ingredients, stir well. Drop by Tablespoon on a well greased cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350degrees for 8 to 10 mins. or until the edges turn a golden brown. Decorate Accordingly when cooled.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

2 Sticks Paraffin Wax
2 bags of Chocolate Chips
3 Cups Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Stick Butter
2 or more Tablespoons Milk
Dash of Salt
3 and 3/4 or more Cups Confectioner Sugar

In a bowl combine your butter, vanilla, peanut butter, salt and milk. Stir well till all ingredients are creamy, Slowly add your Confectioner Sugar, (not too much you want this mixture to be able to roll into a ball, not too dry not too creamy.)

When you get the mixture mixed. Taste to see if it has that "melts in your mouth" sensation, if so it is ready to roll into small size balls. Set them aside onto wax paper or clear plastic wrap.

In a sauce pan place your 2 bars of paraffin wax, heat over low heat till slightly melted then add your chocolate chips, stir till both are melted completely, You will see a shine to the chocolate. 
2 Sticks Paraffin Wax your 2 bars of paraffin wax, heat over low heat till slightly melted then add your chocolate chips, stir till both are melted completely, You will see a shine to the chocolate.
In a sauce pan place your 2 bars of paraffin wax, heat over low heat till slightly melted then add your chocolate chips, stir till both are melted completely, You will see a shine to the chocolate.
Remove from heat.


Now this is where you have to work at a good pace...Drop each rolled ball mixture one at a time into the chocolate mixture, remove each ball with a wooden spoon. Make sure each ball gets a good chocolate coating on them. Set onto wax paper to cool. Store tightly in refrigerator.

*Note: You will not want to store these on top of each other. Unless you wrap them individually.