Tightwad Tuesday Cookies and Pumpkin Savings

During the holiday season I like to have icebox cookies in the fridg for guest. This may not seem tightwaddy but being prepared for unexpected guest is very tightwaddy as it saves time and a run to the store. It also makes you look like a fabulous hostess!  These cookie rolls ( before baking) make great gifts.

My mom made these.

1 cup butter                                          -1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 egg                                                      -1 tsp baking soda

                        1 tsp. cream of tartar                              -1 tsp. vanilla

                                2 1/2  cups flour                                                       -1/2 cup broken walnut meats  

1tsp cream of tartar

-Cream butter and sugar, add beaten eggs, nut meats and vanilla. Sift cream of tartar and soda with flour. Mix all together and form into three rolls. Wrap in wax paper.

-Let stand overnight in icebox or cold place. Cut off in ¼ " slices and bake 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should be lightly brown but not the tops. Cool on a wire rack. These are great dipped in chocolate, frosted, or plain.

The dough can be stored in the fridg for a week and in the freezer for a month.

Variations on the basic recipe:

Butterscotch....replace white sugar with brown

Lemon... replace vanilla with 1tsp lemon extract

Almond....replace vanilla with 1tsp almond extract

Another variation on the above recipe...

2 Cups Soft Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar (packed)
4 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
5 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour
1 Teaspoon Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt (optional)
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Other recipes for Ice Box Cookies

Ginger Ice box cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
2½ teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening (part butter)
1 cup sugar
½ cup sorghum molasses
2 egg, unbeaten

Sift flour, measure and resift 3 times with soda, ginger and salt. Cream shortening, blend in sugar, add sorghum and eggs, and beat vigorously until smooth and fluffy. Then add flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Pack into a refrigerator freezing tray lined with waxed paper and chill until very firm; or shape in roll and wrap before chilling. Do not freeze. When ready to bake, slice â…›-inch thick, place on buttered cookie sheet, and bake in a moderate oven. (400° F.) for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. The dough may be kept in the refrigerator for several days, if well wrapped and sliced and baked as cookies are needed. Makes about 6½ dozen cookies

Date Nut Icebox Cookies

A great cookie for folks who like dates. Please don't omit the dates or substitute raisins.

• 1 cup shortening


• 1 cup sugar


• 1 cup brown sugar


• 3 eggs


• 3-½ cups flour


• 2 teaspoons baking soda


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 tablespoon cinnamon


• 1 cup chopped pecans


• 1 package (8 oz.) chopped dates

Use an electric mixer to cream the shortening, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour, soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Use a spoon to stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Stir in the pecans and dates. Shape the dough into four rolls about 2 inches in diameter and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to three days. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the dough into ¼-inch slices and arrange 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

Yields about 7 dozen cookies.

Another Tip that is tightwaddy! We buy pumpkins when they get down to under a buck a piece. I cut them open, scoop out the middles. (Save the seeds)Cut in quarters and bake upsidedown on a cookie sheet untill soft. You do not need to add oil. You can put a bit of water in the bottom of the sheet.

Then I process the pumpkin meat in my food processor ( or you can mash it), add a 1 cup sugar and 3TBS of pie spice for each pumpkin.

I freeze it in 3 cup measurements in freezer bags. 1 medium pumpkin is enough meat for 12 pies or 12 loaves of my pumpkin bread.

You can also freeze it plain with no sugar or spice. We like pumpkin served like acorn squash or yellow winter squash.

The seeds can be baked with your favorite combo of seasonings. Google for recipes. There are lots of variations out there. We like pepper and garlic.

We also save seeds from one pumpkin for planting. These are dryed and then stored in the freezer till spring.

When my kids were little we used the dried seeds to make pictures.

Go visit Mary for more fabulous Tightwad Tips!