Till Morning Is Nigh (16 page)

Date Nut Bread

1 cup dates (chopped)	2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda	4 cups flour
2 cups boiling water	1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lard or shortening	2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cups sugar	1 cup chopped nuts

Pour boiling water over dates; let cool. Mix with all other ingredients and bake in greased pans at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. Makes 2 loaves—1 for home, 1 to give away.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup lard or shortening (part butter or margarine)	1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups sugar	teaspoon salt
2 eggs	2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour	2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, 1½ cups sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Sift flour and blend with cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; stir into mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. These cookies puff up at first, then flatten out.

Makes 6 dozen.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

cup lard or shortening	2 teaspoons vanilla
cup butter or margarine	3 cups flour
1 cup sugar	1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs	1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream shortening, butter, and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Mix in other dry ingredients. Roll out on floured surface to
-inch thickness or less. Cut into desired shapes, place on ungreased baking sheet, and decorate as desired. Bake at 350 degrees. Remove before browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Yield will depend upon size of the cookies, usually 6 to 7 dozen. For iced cookies, decorate after baked cookies have cooled.

Leisha Kelly
is the author of five popular historical fiction books, including
Julia’s Hope
,
Emma’s Gift
,
Katie’s Dream
,
Rorey’s Secret
, and
Rachel’s Prayer
. She is also the author of
Tahn
,
Return to Alastair
, and
The Scarlet Trefoil
. She has served many years on her local library board, continuing to bring good reads and educational opportunities to her community. Once a waitress, café manager, tutor, and EMT, Leisha is now a busy novelist and speaker who is active in the ministries of her church. She lives with her family in Clayton, Illinois.

For more information on Leisha and her books, go to
www.leishakelly.com
.

The books that started it all!

“...well-told stories of one family’s experience of
love, generosity, forgiveness, and faith.”
—
Publishers Weekly

Available wherever books are sold