Special treats to share at Christmas

Christmas is coming, and we may not be fattening up a goose, but a whole lot of us are busy planning our annual cookie-making schedules.

Thanks to Everett cook and longtime Forum recipe-sharer Lavon Woodey, we have two new possibilities to plug into our plans. Both have been favorites at the Woodey household for a long time, since 1965 to be exact.

Lavon’s particularly high on the first recipe, walnut walkaways. You’ll notice it calls for yeast, but she says, “Easy! The dough is mixed but not set to rise,” and adds, “Everyone loves these any time of the year, not just over the holidays. A real winner in my book.”

Her second recipe, the unbeatables, is studded with dried apricots and crunchy walnuts and makes a sort of macaroon-like cookie.

Walnut walkaways

1package active dry yeast

1/4cup warm water

2cups flour

1/8teaspoon salt

3/4cup butter

1egg

1package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2cup sugar

1teaspoon prepared grated orange peel

1teaspoon prepared grated lemon peel

1/2cup finely chopped walnuts

Powdered sugar

Soften yeast in warm water. Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yeast mixture and egg; mix just until blended. Roll out dough, half at a time, on floured surface to a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Beat cream cheese, sugar and orange and lemon peel until light and fluffy. Spread half on each rectangle; sprinkle with walnuts. Starting with the 13-inch side, roll up jelly roll fashion. Place, seam-side down, on lightly greased cookie sheet. Cut each roll halfway through lengthwise. Bake at 375 degrees 20 to 25 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut diagonally into 1-inch slices. Makes about 24 cookies.

The unbeatables

2cups powdered sugar

1/2cup flour

1/2teaspoon baking powder

1/2cup (3 to 4) egg whites

2cups chopped walnuts

1/2cup dried chopped apricots

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder and egg whites. Add walnuts and apricots; mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto well-greased cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

Makes 36 cookies.

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The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Good Life section.