1986 Winner: Butter Crisps Blueribbon Recipe

   
    3/4 c  Unsalted butter,at room
           Temperature
      1 c  Granulated sugar
      3    Egg yolks
  1 1/2 t  lemon rind,Grated
  1 1/2 t  Lemon juice
  1 1/2 t  Cherry liqueur,(Kirsch)
    1/8 t  Salt
      2 c  All-purpose flour
           Colored sugar crystals or
           Plain pearl sugar crystals

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon rind, lemon juice, cherry
liqueur and salt in large mixer bowl. Stir in the flour. Shape into
ball; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick on lightly
floured cloth-covered board. Cut into desired shapes. Place on greased
baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar crystals. Bake 10 minutes (cookies
should not brown). Cool on wire racks.

3. Store in airtight container 2 days to develop flavor. Cookies can be
stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 6 weeks or in
freezer up to 2 months.

Recipe from Debbie Vanni of Libertyville, Illinois. from the Chicago
Tribune annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie Contest December 4, 1986

1986 Winner: Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

  1 1/2 C Flour
    1/2 C Unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/4 T Salt
    1/4 T Baking powder
    1/4 T Baking soda
    1/2 C Butter (or margarine,)
           Softened
      1 C Sugar
      1    Egg
  1 1/2 t  Vanilla
     48    Maraschino cherries
           Frosting
      6 oz Semisweet chocolate chips
    1/2 C Sweetened condensed milk
           Cherry juice (4 to 5 tsp)

1. In bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking
soda. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and
vanilla to butter-sugar mixture and beat well. Gradually add dry
ingredients to butter-sugar mixture and beat until well blended.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and
push down center of each ball with thumb. Drain cherries and reserve
juice. Place 1 cherry in center of each indentation. Heat oven to 350
degrees.

3. For frosting, put chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in
small saucepan. Heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4 teaspoons cherry
juice.  If too thick, add more juice.

4. Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry. Spread to cover cherry.
Bake 10 minutes or until done. Do not overcook. Remove to wire rack and
cool.  The cookies freeze nicely.