Taralucci (Joanne Schenk)

• 1/2 cup shortening

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 Tablespoon vanilla

• 5 eggs

• 5 cup flour

• 5  tsp baking powder

Cream shortening & sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while beating in. Add flour and baking powder to make a stiff dough. Roll finger thickness. You can make any shape you want: circles are what I remember. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Ice with powdered sugar mixed with water & dip in sprinkles.

** I substituted LEMON extract instead of the vanilla just for something different. They were good.

These cookies were always found at Nanna's house!!! She had her cookie tin in the drawer of the oven.

Aunty Mary's Icebox Cookies (Joanne Schenk)

• 1 1/2 cups shortening

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 tsp soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 5 cups flour

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup chopped nuts

Cream shortening, add sugar gradually, next add eggs, vanilla, salt & soda. and flour and nuts. Roll into rolls, wrap in waxed paper to refrigerate. Cut & bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes

Aunty Lola's Lemon Oatmeal Cookies (Joanne Schenk)

• 2/3 cup margarine

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

• 2/3 cup flour

• 1 1/2 cup quick oatmeal

Cream sugar, margarine & extract until fluffy. Add flour and oatmeal. Mix until blended. Chill. Roll into small balls and flatten with fork. Bake at 325 for 13 minutes. 

* we used to consider these the "healthy cookies" because they add no eggs (so lower cholesterol). I guess we weren't worried about sugar!! They came to the family later, but are so good.

Nanna's Sesame Seed Cookies (Christine Snodgrass)

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 1 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup Crisco

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1 tsp salt

Mix together thoroughly with HANDS (everything but 1/2 cup of flour) Roll out with the 1/2 cup of flour. Roll into finger sized pieces into sesame seeds. Make "S" shape (or straight but cut at angle) Un-greased cookie sheet. (chopped nuts can be added)

Bake at 350 approx. 10 minutes.

Sfinge Fritters (Josette Beach)

• Rhodes frozen bread (thawed) and cut into chunks (Nonna made her own dough of course, but we've simplified)

• Hot oil for frying

Options:

• Cinnamon and sugar (everyone loves these, especially the littles)

• Cheese stuffing (you start loving these the best when you get in your teens)

• Anchovy stuffing (when you're old, you like these... I guess I'm not old yet)

Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the chunks of dough in oil on medium low heat for about one minute, or until baked inside. Then place the balls onto a baking sheet covered in paper towels to let drain. If stuffing, add stuffing ingredients into bread before dropping chunks into hot oil.