Wisdom From Grandma

These delicious date pinwheel cookies were one of Grandpa’s favorites. Although there are several steps to making the cookies and the recipe may look a bit complicated at first, these cookies are worth the extra effort.
To make the dough, you will need:
1/2 Cup of butter
1/2 Cup of brown sugar
1/2 Cup of granulated sugar
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Egg
2 Cups sifted flour
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon soda

Directions:
1. Mix the ingredients well.
2. Chill for one hour.
3. Divide your dough in half.
4. Roll the dough into two 8×10 rectangles.

To make the filling, you will need:
7 Ounces of pitted dates
1 Teaspoon of lemon peel
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/3 Cup of water
1 Cup of chopped pecans if you prefer nuts in your cookies

Directions for filling:
1. Simmer all filling ingredients for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Remove filling from heat.
3. Add pecans.
4. Allow filling to cool.

Directions for cookies:
1. Spread the date nut mixture on the two dough rectangles.
2. Roll each rectangle into a jelly roll.
3. Wrap the rolls separately.
4. Chill overnight.
5. Cut rolls into 1/8 inch slices.
6. Bake cookie slices on greased cookie sheets for 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Although this recipe is one of Grandma’s later creations, it is still a family favorite. This quantity of holiday punch will fill a standard size punch bowl.
Ingredients:
2 2 liter bottles of ginger ale
1 64 ounce carton of no pulp orange juice
1 64 ounce container of red fruit punch or red cranberry juice (The kids prefer fruit punch)

Directions:
Simply combine the ingredients in a punch bowl and enjoy. If you prefer a more festive look, you can freeze part of the red punch or cranberry juice in a jello mold ahead of time and add it to the bowl at the last minute. (Be careful so that you don’t splash punch everywhere!)

This recipe for Jewish pound cake was passed down to Grandma from her great-grandmother, who got it from her mother-in-law. Of course, the recipe has changed through the generations as more modern ingredients became available.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 pint sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cinnamon Mixture Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar together.
2. Add eggs to this mixture one at a time.
3. Sift together your dry ingredients.
4. Slowly add sour cream and your dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating the sour cream and the dry ingredients until they are all combined.
5. Add your vanilla.
6. Combine your cinnamon mixture ingredients in a separate bowl.
7. Grease your Angel food cake pan. Grandma also lined it with waxed paper.
8. Pour half of your cake mix into the pan.
9. Add half of your cinnamon mixture.
10. Carefully use a knife to mix the two together to create a marbelized effect.
11. Pour in the other half of your cake and cinnamon mixtures and then marbelize them.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes.
13. Allow the cake to cool thoroughly before serving.