Grandma's Sherry Cake

A really quick, simple recipe that is a Holiday favorite.

1 pkg yellow cake

1 large pkg instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

2 t nutmeg

3/4 c oil

1 c sherry

Mix all of the ingredients in mixer for 5 min. Bake in greased pan at 350ºF for 45 min. While cooking make mixture of 1 c powdered sugar and 1/4 c sherry. When you take the cake out of the oven and it is still hot poke small holes on the bottom of the cake with a skewer and pour the sherry/powder sugar mixture over the bottom. The mixture will go into the holes and be soaked up by the cake. Cool in pan 25 min or so then turn cake over on plate. Sift powder sugar on top for a garnish.

Ginger Spice Cookies

Ginger Spice Cookies courtesy of Bon Appétit 2000

These are my brother's favorite cookies. When he comes home from Singapore I always try to have a batch prepared just for him.

2c ap flour

2.5 t ground ginger

2 t baking soda

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground cloves

3/4 t salt

3/4 c chopped crystallized ginger

1 c (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 c vegetable shortening, room temp

1/4 c unsalted butter, room temp

1 large egg

1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

Sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.(Refrigeration is suggested but I never do it and they still turn out wonderfully)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Put a bunch of sugar in a bowl or plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4inch balls; roll insugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 min. Cool on sheets 1 min. 

--I have found that these cookies usually last up to one week if stored in an air tight container. Beware of overcooking. I always err on the side of underdone so they come out chewy rather than dry and crumbly. If done correctly these cookies should come out thicker and moist; not like a typical ginger snap.