Enjoy these holiday recipes contributed by LHS students.

Daryl Gichui

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Shortening (may substitute for butter)
1/3 Cup Margarine (may substitute for butter)
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Cups All purpose flower
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees
2. Mix sugars, margarine, shortening, egg and vanilla in mixing bowl
3. Stir remaining ingredients when the dough is creamy. Stir chocolate chips with a wooden/plastic spoon not to melt them.
4. Drop dough rounded teaspoonfuls at about 2 inches apart on non-greased cookie sheet/baking sheet
5. Bake until light brown 9-11 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pan
6. Enjoy.

Santana Garcia – Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 c. all-purpose flour

½ c. whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. Coarse salt

½ tsp. baking soda

¾ c. unsalted butter

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ c. mashed ripe banana

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

8 oz. semisweet chocolate

½ c. coarsely chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk together flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts.
5. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes.
7. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

“[I chose this recipe because] Its what my family makes every year, makes me think of home around the holiday season.”

Cassia Noah

INGREDIENTS

½ cup softened butter

¾ cup brown sugar

½ granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (10 ounce) package Andes mint baking chips

2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Blend butter, brown sugar, white granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until ingredients are mixed.
3. Add Andes Baking Chips and mix.
4. Add Flour and continue to mix until all ingredients are well blended together.
5. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes.
6. Spoon out approximately 1 oz of dough per cookie.
7. Form a ball and then slightly flatten.
8. Place on non-stick baking pans and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes.
9. Cool on pans for 2 minutes, then remove.

“This recipe makes me think about the holidays because when the holidays come around, I always start getting minty things all the time and a ton of deserts my family makes are chocolaty. This recipe has it’s share of chocolaty and minty flavors, so that’s why I like it. I chose this recipe because it’s one of my all time favorite things to make and I usually make these all the time during the holidays.”

Kasey Ewers – Hershey’s Kisses Peanut Butter Blossoms

INGERDIENTS

48 Hershey’s Kisses

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup additional granulated sugar for rolling (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar, if desired; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies.

“My Mom and I would make these every year for a family Christmas party when I was younger. Now, everyone lives too far away from each other to meet every year. Mom and I still make these for my immediate family.”

Melody

INGREDIENTS

Peanut Butter Cookies

1⁄2 cup butter

1⁄2 cup peanut butter

1⁄2 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1⁄4 cups sifted flour

3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375º.

Mix first six ingredients.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Mix well.

Roll into balls and press down with a fork dipped in sugar or flour.

Bake for 10-12 minutes on un-greased cookie sheet (I usually grease my cookie sheet anyway). Ovens vary so your baking time may be less. Just keep an eye on them.

“These cookies make me think of the holidays, because when I was younger my grandma always made them for Thanksgiving, and Christmas”.