Cookie Jar Christmas Cookies

While looking for recipes the other day, I came across the "cookie jar christmas cookies" in one of my favorite cookbooks, Southern Plate by Christy Jordan, and after reading through it I realized that these were the same cookies I used to eat all the time around Christmas with my family! The way Christy describes them, their taste and look, is exactly as I remember. Those cookies bring back such good childhood memories and with Christmas just around corner I'd love to make these again. The following is an excerpt from that recipe page.

Cookie Jar Christmas
"Throughout my childhood, these were our must-have cookies for Christmas. Mama would make a huge batch so we all had plenty to decorate. She cut them in the shapes fo trees, stars, and reindeer, and each of us got our own sprinkles to go on top. They will be 'wet' right after icing and decorating; wait an hour or so and they will be dry enough to be stacked in a cookie jar. This cookie isn't very sweet on its own, which makes it altogether perfect once you add the icing. Mama always made three batches of icing for these cookies so she could have three different colors. She prefers to use squirt margarine in place of butter for easier blending."

Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
4 teaspoons milk
2 cups White Lily All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon softened butter or margarine
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla Extract
A few drops of food coloring

Ms. Millie's Best Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a classic southern side dish that can be seen at every barbecue, church luncheon, or family reunion. Coleslaw is made in so many different ways and styles that it's hard to have one universal recipe. This is a short narrative and recipe from one of my favorite southern cookbooks The Southern Plate by Christy Jordan describing her idea of the best coleslaw.

Ms. Millie's Best Coleslaw
"Miss Millie is my grandmother Lucille's oldest and dearest friend. I consider her an adopted grandmother myself. She is kindhearted and as loving as the day is long, always ready with a word of wisdom or encouragement to anyone who needs it. We love her slaw almost as much as we love her. Mama serves this whenever we have pulled pork barbecue alongside my grandmother's potato salad and everyone who has it always requests it whenever they come back."

1 medium head green cabbag, cored and shredded
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 cups Duke's Mayonnaise
3/4 cup Dixie Crystals Sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons celery sees
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Place the cabbage, carrots, green pepper, and onion in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together all the remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the vegetables and toss well to combine. Cover and refridgerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving for the flavors to blend.