News-Journal from Mansfield, Ohio • 9

(Exciting, luie Jiip Jo Joreian cJancld 4 I 1 1 7 a 'A Mi i A 0 v. put-. -iii -iiy. tf Scandinavian Mandel Springcrle cookies have individual stories to tell, based on the design RECIPE: Early American seitlers' children held contests to see who could devise the most artful Ginger Cutouts. Your youngsters can revive this charming custom, and can add colorful decorations, too, if you supply frosting and decorating sticks.

imprinted by the bpnngcrle, Scandinavian ancestor of the American rolling pin. If you re lucky enough to have one in the family, your cookies will become special conversation pieces. Preheated 375-degre. Early American Maple Butter Drops 2 Butter Sandbakkls from Scandinavia ieuK" Use basic recipe Use basic recipe. 2 tablespoons sug' 2 eggs, beaten i4 teaspoon salt buHer 0d Sift dry inS-X Gradually blend ary Shape dough into balls abouf an inch in diameter or mold with a melon cutter.

Then roll balls in maple sugar. Maple sugar can be made by adding Vi teaspoon maple flavoring to cup granulated sugar and mixing until well blended. Bake on ungreased cooky sheet about 12 minutes. Recipe makes about 80 Buffer Drops. Early A merican Ginger Cutouts Buttered cooky sheet Preheated 350-degree oven variations.

Pat chilled dough info sandbafcfcl molds obout 'i-inch thick and place on cooky sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Coo on rack before removing from molds. Fill with butter frost' ing, whipped cream, andor custard mixture, any of which may be flavored with anise seeds, powdered cardamon, almond extract, andor chopped almonds. Fillings may be delicately tinted, if desired.

Onehalf the recipe makes about 40 molds of various shapes. Scandinavian Mandel Springerle Ungreased Cooky sheet Preheated 350-degree oven 2 cups sifted flour 1 cup (2 sticks) butter teaspoon cinnamon Vi cup sifted confectioners' sugar Vt teaspoon cardamon or anise seed 'A cup blanched almonds, chopped Sift flour, cinnamon and cardamon or anise together. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the sifted dry ingredients gradually and mix well. Blend in the almonds.

Chill dough two hours. Roll out dough to Ka-inch thickness with scant amount of flour. Using lightly floured springerle rolling pin, roll firmly on the dough to emboss the designs' Cut out the frames and place carefully on cooky sheet. Bake about 12 A .11 I 111 If 2V cups sifted (lour Vi teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ginger Vi teaspoon cinnamon Vt teaspoon cloves Vt teaspoon salt Vi cup (1 stick) butter cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed 3A cup dark molasses egg, beaten 1 teaspoon hot water 1 teaspoon vinegar Sift dry ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar.

Add molasses and egg, beating vntil smooth. Mix in sifted dry ingredients; then add water and vinegar and blend well. Chill dough two hours or over night. Roll out on' lightly floured board to Vt-inch thick-ness and cut with gingerbread man and animal cooky cutters. Place on cooky sheet and bake obout 15 minutes.

When cooled, decorate with various colored butter frostings, if desired. minures, or umn cooKies are ugnny yeuowea. Here's a ay to give family and holiday guests a treat as new and exciting as a Christmas trip to a foreign, land. It's as easy as starting with a basic butter cooky recipe, well known to good cooks round the globe. And the results are as pleasingly different (I I 3 4 -f, 5 7 to the palate as the sounds of "God Jul," "Vesele Vdnoce" and "Merry Christmas" are to the ear.

Your basic butter cooky recipe will give you a well-traveled variety of Christmas treats: Early American, Scandinavian, mid-European or all three, if you like. There are Maple Butter Drops (shown in the wooden bowl at upper left), Butter Sandbakkls (on the blue serving tray) and Kolackie cookies (on the tray at right). Whatever your choice, you can be sure these real butter holiday cookies will win praise at your house. Be sure to make plenty, and make them early. Their delicate flavor and texture grow more tempting through the preholiday weeks.

-r J7 Kolackie Cookies from Bohemia Use basic recipe. Roll out dough on lightly floured board to '4-inch thickness and cut with medium size biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased cooky sheet. Make small indentation in center. Place a spoonful of jam or a filling in it.

Bake about 15 minutes, or until golden. Thick prune, cherry, apricot or other desired jam, or a filling made by mixing equal parts of sour cream and jam may be used. Recipe makes about 40 Kolackie. Bohemian Butter Poppies Buttered cooky sheet Preheated 350-degree oven i 1 4.: 1 Vd cups sifted flour Vi teaspoon cinnamon 'J teaspoon cloves teaspoon baking powder cup currants Vi cup hot milk 1 cup poppy seeds Vi cup I stick) butter Vt cup sugar 2 ounces sweet chocolate, melted A Soak poppy seeds in hot milk. Cream butter and sugar then add melted chocolate, poppy seed-milk mixture and blend well.

Mix in sifted dry ingredients and currants. Drop from teaspoon onto buttered cooky sheet and bake about 15 minutes. Dust some with confectioners' sugar for contrast. Recipe makes about 3. dozen small cookies.

Bohemian cooks make plentiful use of poppy seed seasoning. You'll discover why when you taste these subtly flavored Butter Poppies, i..