VAM Christmas Cookies

Every Christmas, my grandpa would make DOZENS of these cookies. He was very secretive of this recipe... So I'm putting it online to share with my family. After digging through recipes, one of my aunts found a copy in his handwriting (photo to come). These are a type of Fruitcake Cookies. Anything in italics was not on the card, but based off of observations of the care he took to make the cookies.

• 3 ½ Cups Flour
• 1 Cup Shortening
• 2 Cups Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Buttermilk
• 1 ½ Cups Diced Pecans
• 1 Cup Candy Cherries (½ Green & ½ Red)
•  1 Cup Candy Pineapple
• 2 Cups Candied Dates

1. Mix everything together. 
2. Spoon dough into balls. Place whole pecan on center and press down. Place on greased cookie sheet. 
3.  Bake at 375°F for 12 minutes.

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

The secret is out in my ward that I cook. We recently had a change in my bishopric and the ward clerk’s wife was in charge of planning a FHE dinner the next night and needed some help with dessert. I was cornered into making a Texas Sheet Cake. I loved this dessert when I was on my mission. Here is a different version from one of the sisters in a ward I served in: Kelly's Texas Sheet Cake. Kelly (the sister, not me) is an amazing cook. I actually discovered this recipe days before I was asked to make a cake for FHE so I was already excited to have Texas Sheet Cake again. 

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Cake:

2 Cups Flour

2 Cups Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 Cup (2 sticks) Butter

4 tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Water

2 Eggs

½ Cup Buttermilk

1 tsp. Vanilla

1.      In a pan, mix butter, cocoa and water. Bring to a boil.

2.      Meanwhile mix flour, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl.

3.      Pour chocolate mixture over dry ingredients and stir together.

4.      Then add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

5.      Pour into large greased jellyroll pan. Bake at 350°F for ~20 minutes.

Frosting:

1 box (3 ½ Cups) Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Walnuts (Optional)

1 tsp. Vanilla

½ Cup Butter

4 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1/3 Cup Buttermilk

1.      Melt butter and add cocoa powder and buttermilk. Let boil.

2.      Add dry ingredients and thoroughly blend.

3.      Pour over cake after it comes out of the oven and it is still warm.