1991 2nd Place: Oma's Almond Cookies Recipe

  
      Yield: 120 Servings
 
      2 c  Butter,softened
      2 c  Sugar
      2    Eggs
      1    Lemon,grated rind and
      4 c  All-purpose flour
      1 t  Baking powder
      1 pn salt
    1/2 lb Unblanched almonds,finely
           Ground (or),Grated
           Colored sugars,For Garnish
           Optional

Preparation time: 30 minutes Chilling time: 8 hours or overnight
Cooking time: 10 minutes

1. Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl of electric mixer. Beat
in eggs, one at a time. Beat in lemon rind and juice. Mix flour, baking
powder and salt. Stir flour mixture and ground almonds into butter
mixture to make a soft dough. Divide dough into quarters. Refrigerate
dough, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.

3. Roll out one dough portion on lightly floured pastry cloth with a
rolling pin covered with stocking or roll between sheets of lightly
floured wax paper to 1/8 -inch thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters.
Return dough to refrigerator if it gets too soft. Transfer to baking
sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Sprinkle with colored
sugar if desired.

4. Bake until very light brown at edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to
wire racks to cool. Store in a covered tin.

1991 3rd Place: Christmas Ginger Cookies
  
      1 c  butter or,Unsalted
           Margarine,softened
  1 1/4 c  Granulated sugar
      1    Egg
      2 T  Dark corn syrup
  1 1/2 T  orange rind,Grated
      1 T  Water
  3 1/4 c  All-purpose flour
      2 t  Baking soda
      2 t  Cinnamon
      1 T  ginger,Ground
    1/2 T  cloves,Ground
    1/4 T  Salt
 ICING ============================
      1    Egg white
      1 T  Almond extract
           Confectioners' sugar,as
           Needed,(about 2-4 cups)

1.  Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl with electric mixer.
Beat in egg until light.  Stir in corn syrup, orange rind and water.
Mix flour , baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.  Stir into
butter mixture to form a dough.  Divide dough in half.  Wrap in wax
paper and refrigerate overnight.

2.  Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Have lightly greased baking sheets ready.

3.  Roll out one piece of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface
or between sheets of floured wax paper to 1/8 -inch thickness.  Cut
into shapes with cookie cutters.  Place on baking sheets, leaving 2
inches between each cookie.  Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer to wire racks to cool.

4.  For icing, mix egg white and almond extract in small bowl until
frothy.  Stir in confectioners' sugar until mixture is a drizzling
consistency .  Drizzle over cookies.  Let stand until icing sets.
Store covered.

Note: This recipe uses raw egg white.  Cases of salmonella poisoning
have been traced to raw eggs, although this is rare and usually
associated with the yolks.