Submitted by Berit Collings, with updates by Trish in Dec 2016

Melt 200 gr. margarine and let cool (this is about 1 3/4 sticks of marg, I use Land o’ Lakes)
Mix in:

1 cup sugar
1oo mL syrup (I use Caro corn syrup, you could use something higher end like Lyle’s Golden Syrup, there should be a 100mL measure on the side of your mom’s liquid measuring cup, otherwise 100mL is between 1/3 and a 1/2 cup)
2 eggs
2 tsp ground ginger & clover & cinnamon

Separately mix together 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda & 1 tsp baking powder.

Mix into the dry ingredients.

Then start to mix in more flour in 1/3 to 1/2 c scoops until the mixture doesn’t really stick to your fingers when you press on it. In total, you will need about an additional 1 3/4 cups flour.

Let sit in the fridge at least 3 hours, ideally overnight before you make the first batch. Roll out thinly, cut shapes and bake at 350 for about 6 mins. If the shapes are small and really thin and the oven hot, 5 mins.

Submitted by Berit Collings

Stir margarine, sugar and syrup well together but do NOT make it creamy. Add all nuts and flour, start with half, than add more until it can be rolled into 1 inch in diameter rolls. If they split in the middle just press the dough together evenly. Leave in fridge over night or until well cooled. Slice and bake in 350 degrees oven until light brown. The original recipe suggest 6 dl of flour. I have never been able to use that much so I always adjust it to temperature outside and what type of flour I use. The hard unbleached is the best.

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 tablespoons milk
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Collect ripe bananas.  Complain loudly to anyone who will listen that you husband does not eat the bananas before they go black.  Stir together flour, baking powder, soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and shortening with electric mixer until light, scraping sides of bowl often.  Add eggs one at a time, and the mil, beating until smooth after each addition.  Add flour mixture and banana alternately to creamed mixture, beating until smooth after each addition.  Fold in nuts.

Turn batter into lightly grease 8X4X2-inch loaf pan.  Bake in 350f over for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from pan, cool.  For easier slicing, wrap and store overnight (like anyone does that)

This time submitted by Dear Old Dad Soganich complete with comments and Caps.

1 CUP ICING SUGAR
1 LB. BUTTER (THIS IS FOR REAL, NO KIDDING)
3 1/4 CUPS FLOUR

MIX BUTTER AND FLOUR ADD ICING SUGAR MIX WELL. WHIP WITH ELECTRIC BEATER FOR 10 MINUTES. IT DOES REQUIRE THE FULL TEN MINUTES.

USE A TEASPOON OR SOUP SPOON TO DROP DOUGH ON COOKIE SHEET. THE DOUGH STIFFENS QUICKLY SO GENE DOES THIS PART QUICKLY.

THEN DIP A FORK IN WATER AND FLATTEN THE TOP OF THE COOKIE.

BAKE AT 425 DEGREES FOR 10 MINUTES. DECADENT AND TOO GOOD

LOVE DEAR OLE DAD

Submitted with comments by Mom Soganich

1 1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vinegar

bake in a 400 to 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes depending on whether you like them runny or firm. you may add nuts or raisins if you wish but germaine didn’t.

5 cups of flour
l 1b. shortening or 2 cups
1 teaspoon salt

in a measuring cup put 1 egg beaten, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and add water to make one cup.

pour liquid mixture spaced carefully in the flour and shortening mixture. the less that it is handled the flakier the pie crust.

i forgot to say that you cut the shortening into the flour mixture until the mixture is the size of peas. then u pour the liquid mixture in. I put depressions in circles around the bowl so that i can put the liquid mixture in equal proportions to the dry mixture. it works well .

This recipe comes from the lovely Tash Cox in Perth WA

200g digestive biscuits, broken into small pieces
100g pecans (roasted)
100g pistachio (roasted)
100g glace cherries
150g unsalted butter
1 tbs golden syrup
200g good quality dark chocolate
Cocoa to dust

Begin this recipe the day before

Line a 25 x 10cm slice tin with plastic wrap.Place biscuits, pecans, pistachios and cherries in a large bowl.Place the remaining ingredients, except the cocoa into a heatproof bowl, over a saucepan of gently simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts.Mix all the ingredients together and pack down will in the tin.Refrigerate overnight, then turn out.

Submitted by Berit Colling’s (Trish’s Mom).  These are a favorite at Christmas time when Berit brings them down.  There is always a fight between the Soganich and Kandler family about how many are delivered where.

Make pastry enough for 30 tarts and place pastry in tart forms.

I lbs of Tenderflake pastry lard makes 60 small pastry cups. Follow instructions on package.

Put aside in a cool place.

Make crust:

4 oz soft butter, NOT margarine

1 cup ground rice flour or almond flour or Cream of wheat works well.

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

5 drops of almond essence

In a bowl mix butter, flour, sugar and eggs together to a smooth paste. Add almond drops stir.

Put raspberry filling in each pastry cup, no more than what cover the bottom.  Add crust mixture, filling the pastry cups almost up to the rim.

Bake in 350 degree oven until golden brown, around 15 minutes.  All depends on the oven, the weather and condition of pastry.

Berit’s Notes:

Things to consider; the Rice flour in Patricia’s grandmothers recipe can not be purchase in North America.  It is coarser than the rice flour in stores here.   I have on occasion experimented with different flour seeking out something that gives the same results.

Almond or Cream of wheat are the best so far.

MINI CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKES (PAT JOYCE)

Courtesy of the Valentine family