4 .UjnatilJi »t> , - •> i• • ' -- A-'- PAGE 1 JT-PLAINDE ALER - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31. ilM COOKIE CREATIONS Holiday gifts from the kitchen Cookies galore make Christmas glft-glvlng fun. As Christmas draws nearer, you're undoubtedly thinking of the perfect gifts to give a helpful neighbor, a co-worker, a favorite teach er or maybe the milkman. What could be more thoughtful than a gift right from your own kitchen? Cookies are great favorites at Christmas and this festive season gives you the chance to come up with some fancy creations for gifts. Glased fruitcake bars, orange chocolate balls or orange macaroons that you make yourself will add to anyone's Christmas feast. Arrange the cookies in clear plastic containers decorated with ribbon and you'll have some beautiful-looking pre sents that just happen to taste good, too. Orange fruitcake bars are Coots sportswear Dresses Sweaters Blouses Lingerie Jewelry w Shop Early for Best Selections! • . eneuieue 1315 N.RIVERSIDE DR. AAeHENRY, ILL. 385-0238 Daily 9 to 5:30 Saturday 9 to 5 a lighter, fresher-tasting version of the traditional fruitcake. Orange juice gives these bars a wonderfully re freshing flavor that eveyone will love. If there are any children in your home, you can re cruit their cookie-making services, too. Orange choco late balls require no baking so the children can pitch in to make these quick and easy cookies for gifts to their own • friends. The orange and chocolate combi nation is a favorite with youngsters of all ages. Orange and coconut com bine perfectly in orange ma caroon bars. Their satisfying flavor and fresh, moist tex ture will make them popular at snack time any time of year. Candied orange slices seem to be a tradition at Christmastime. They're re markably easy to make, yet always have a gourmet look. ORANGE FRUTCAKEBARS 1 can (6 oz.) frozen c o n c e n t r a t e d -- orange juice, thawed, undiluted lfe cup and % cup packed light brown sugar, divided 1 cup raisins 1 package (8 oz.) pitted dates, chopped 1 jar (1 lb.) mixed can died fruit, finely chopped cup soft butter or margarine 4 eggs 1 cup unsifted all-pur- pose flour % tsp. baking soda Vfc tsp. cinnamon Vt tsp. nutmeg Y« tsp. allspice Vt tsp. cloves 1 cup chopped nuts In medium saucepan com bine undiluted concentrated orange juice and Vi cup brown sugar. Stir over low heat until mixture comes to a boil Add raisins and dates, bring to a boil again. Re move from heat, stir in mixed candied fruit and set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and remaining two- thirds cup brown sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Blend in flour, baking soda, cin namon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Stir in «uts and fruit mixture. Turn into two waxed paper-lined 15x10x1- inch baking pans. Bake in 300 degrees F oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Frost with orange glaze. Cut into 3x1- inch bars. Garnish with halved candied cherries. Yield: 100 bars. ORANGE GLAZE life cups sifted confec tioners' sugar V4 cup orange juice 1 tbsp. soft butter or margarine In small bowl mix all ingredients until smooth. ORANGE MACAROON BARS % cup soft butter or margarine 1 cup sugar legg 1 tsp. grated orange rind 2 tbsp. frozen concen trated orange juice, thawed, undiluted 1 cup sifted all-pur pose flour 1 tsp. baking powder % tsp. salt 1 cup flaked coconut In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, orange rind and undilut ed, concentrated orange juice. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and coconut. Spread in greased 8x8x2- inch baking pan. Bake in 350 degrees F oven 40 to 50 min utes, or until cake tester in serted in center comes out clean. CooL Cut into 1 and one-fourth-inch squares. Yield: 36 bars. CANDIED ORANGE SLICES 6 oranges Water 1% cups packed dark brown sugar 2 cups water Granulated sugar « Place oranges in large saucepan or kettle. Cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes, or until peel is ten der. Drain and cooL Cut oranges in three-eighths- inch crosswise slices and cut slices in half. Place in bowl. In medium saucepan mix to gether brown sugar and water. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Boil, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Pour over orange slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight Remove orange slices from syrup and roll in granulated sugar. Place on rack to dry overnight Roll in sugar again just before packing in gift boxes. Yield: About 6 cups. Keep your nose tuned to the sweet scents of the season _ Any well-tuned nose can identify the smells of the holi day season with no trouble at all. There's the wonderfully fresh scent of pine and evergreen that fills the crisp air at the local nur sery or garden center which, once inside the house, suffuses it. There's the rich aroma of burning bayberry candles, of hot spiced punch or of fresh gingerbread cookies cooling on a rack--smells that are as famil iar as they are heart-warming. There's the warm, welcom ing atmosphere created by a crackling fire, which is sure to take the chill from anyone's spine. And, on Christmas Day, there are the sweet smells of pies baking or turkeys basting, of cranberries simmering or pota toes roasting, which awaken the nose to the good scents of the season. weatheimne shop Complete Needlework Supplies FOR THAT LADY ON YOUR LIST TRAYS - LUGGAGE RACKS CARDS & JEWELRY BOXES COASTERS - BELLS BELL PULL HARDWARE PILLOWS STITCHERY TOTE BAGS 1313 N. Riverside Drive McHenry, Illinoi OPEN DAILY 9TO5 Needlepoint •Crocheting Knitting Yarns • Crewel