Pfeffernusse!

makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c molasses
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/4 c shortening
• 1/4 c margarine
• 2 eggs
• 4 c flour
• 3/4 c white sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 1/2 t ground cardamom
• 1 t ground nutmeg
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1 t ground ginger
• 2 t anise extract
• 2 t ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t ground black pepper
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Stir together the molasses, honey, shortening, and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the eggs.
2. Combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, anise, cinnamon, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add the molasses mixture and stir until thoroughly combines. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Roll the dough into acorn-sized balls. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart.
4. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes. Move to a rack to cool. Dust cooled cookies with confectioners' sugar.

German Apple Cake

from my friend Michael

Serves: 24
 
Ingredients:
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cups apples – peeled, cored and diced
 
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9x13” cake pan.
• In a mixing bowl, beat oil and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well.
• Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Once cake is cool, serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or with a cream cheese frosting.