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Party guests share recipes

FOWLER — Every year, Theresa Kowalczyk makes sure guests to her annual Cookie Exchange Party bring a different cookie than other guests.

Details about her 12th annual party are Page 1A of today’s newspaper. Following are recipes for some of the cookies featured this year.

Pecan Pie Balls

Makes 24 balls

2 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

1 cup graham crackers, crushed

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4 cup bourbon, brandy or spiced rum (non-alcoholic version: use almond extract, rum extract or any other that may suit your taste — add water or juice to equal the 1/4 cup liquid amount if needed)

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 ounces dark chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional)

Combine first four ingredients in large bowl. Add maple syrup, bourbon (or non-alcoholic liquid) and vanilla. Use your hands to make sure all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

Form balls by scooping a tablespoon amount of mixture and rolling in hands to form balls. Place balls on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place cookie sheet in freezer for two hours. Tip: After all balls are frozen, roll again with slightly water-dampened hands to make them smoother.

Melt chocolate bark in a double boiler. For each cup of chips, add a tablespoon of shortening to melt with the chips.

Dip frozen balls into chocolate, then place back on parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet.

Sprinkle a few grains of coarse salt on balls before the chocolate sets. Refrigerate or freeze long enough for the chocolate to set. These can be served frozen.

— Theresa Kowalczyk, Fowler

Holiday Nut Horns

Makes 80 cookies

1 regular cake or 1 dry package of Yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

5 cups sifted flour

1 cups butter or oleo

1/2 cup Crisco shortening

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

3 egg yolks

1 can evaporated milk

Nut filling:

1 pounds ground walnuts (I use pecans and walnuts)

3 egg whites, beaten

1 teaspoons vanilla

1 cups sugar

1/2 to one can of evaporated milk to make mixture spreadable.

Sprinkle yeast into water, let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Sift flour, then measure and sift dry ingredients. Melt oleo and shortening together; cool.

Add sugar, salt, egg yolks and half can of milk. Beat well. Add remaining milk, and yeast, then add flour. Beat well. Work dough with hands until it pulls away from sides of bowl without sticking.

Chill overnight in refrigerator. Cover with towel.

Use powered sugar to roll dough instead of flour.

Roll five small balls of dough into 15-inch circles 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 16-inch pie shape wedges. Before cutting, spread with nut filling. Roll towards small end starting with large end. Place on greased cookie sheet, tips under. Let rise in warm place 30 minutes.

Bake 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes

— Shirley Brasko, Fowler

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

2/12 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup regular sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounces white chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars in a medium bowl for three minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add dry mixture in three equal parts until combined. Stir in chips and cranberries. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes until light brown. Cool on a wire rack.

— Jodi Barnett, Warren

Rum Balls

Makes 2 dozen balls

1 cup crushed vanilla wafers

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup run

Mix all together, Roll into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Store in sealed container up to five days before serving.

— Becky Alexander, Niles

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