Submitted by Brandy Cavanagh,

Elkhart County 4-H Fair News Release Mary Ann Lienhart Cross, CED Extension Educator Health & Human Sciences Purdue Extension Elkhart County 574-533-0554, lienhart@purdue.edu July 26, 2016 For immediate release Submitted by Brandy Cavanagh, bcavanag@purdue.edu Open Class Home & Family Arts Department Special Contest 33rd Annual Senior Citizen s Cookies held Tuesday, July 26, 2016 12 Exhibitors entered 24 entries First Place, Formed Cookie Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles Cherry Boyd, Culver 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup white sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional) 2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2-1/4 cups white flour In a small bowl, mix together: 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp. ground cinnamon In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds; beat in both sugars, cream of tartar, soda, salt and cayenne pepper, if using, scraping mixer bowl as you mix. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Chill dough for 1 hour or more until easy to handle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-1/4 balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place 2 apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and cracked. They will flatten a little. Do not overbake. Let rest on sheet for a minute or so before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Yields approximately 30, fudge-like cookies. Second Place, Formed Cookie Soft Molasses Cookies Barbara Jewett, Goshen

1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup molasses, lightly beaten 4 cups flour 2-1/4 tsp. baking soda 2-1/4 tsp ground ginger 1-1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon In bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and eggs. In another bowl, combine flour, salt, soda, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Blend thoroughly. Gradually mix flour mixture into creamed ingredients until dough is blended and smooth. Roll dough into 1-1/2 balls and dip tops in granulated sugar. Place 2 to 2-1/2 apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Do not overbake. Store in tightly covered container to maintain softness. Yields 3 dozen. Third Place, Formed Cookie Dipped Gingersnaps Sherry Berry, Middlebury 2 cups sugar 1-1/2 cups canola oil 1/2 cup molasses 4 cups flour 4 tsp. baking soda 3 tsp. ground ginger 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 2 pkgs. (12 oz. each) vanilla baking chips or 1 lb. white bulk chocolate 1/4 cup shortening Additional sugar In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses; blend. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 3/4 to 1 balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Melt chocolate and shortening together. (Brush crumbs off cookie before dipping). Dip the cookies halfway; shake off excess. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets to harden. Yields about 4-1/2 dozen.

Also participating in the formed cookies contest were: Carolynn Riddle, Goshen; Margaret Prough, Goshen; Esther Martin, Goshen; Nancy Gleim, Bristol; Lorraine Pflederer, Goshen; and Carol Anglemyer, Goshen. First Place, Bar Cookie Lemony Bars Esther Martin, Goshen Base: 1 cup flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 cups square rice cereal, crushed to equal 1/2 cup Topping:, beaten 3/4 cup sugar 2 T. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 4 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. grated lemon peel Powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 square pan. To prepare base, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and melted butter. Stir in cereal crumbs. Press mixture firmly into bottom of pan. Bake 12 minutes. For topping, combine all ingredients except powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. Pour over hot base. Return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until top is set but not browned. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars. Makes 24 bars. Second Place, Bar Cookies Date Oat Bars Carolynn Riddle, Goshen 1-3/4 cups chopped dates 1/2 cup water 2 T. brown sugar 1 tsp. grated orange peel 2 T. orange juice 1 tsp. lemon juice Crust: 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup cold butter 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup packed brown sugar In a small saucepan, combine dates, water, brown sugar and orange peel. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, about 4 minutes. Cook and stir 3 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Stir in orange and lemon juices. Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add oats, and brown sugar; mix well. Set aside one-half for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 pan. Drop date mixture by small spoonfuls onto crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture; press down gently. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yields 3 dozen. Third Place, Bar Cookies Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars Margaret Prough, Goshen Pastry: 1-3/4 cups flour 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cup cold butter 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water Filling: 4 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cup flour 1 cup butter, melted and cooled 4 tsp. vanilla extract 2-2/3 cups (16 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips 1-1/3 cups chopped pecans In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt and butter. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to fit bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan; press into pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling. In a large bowl, beat on high speed for 2 minutes, eggs, sugar and salt. Stir in flour, butter and vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour over pastry and sprinkle with pecans.

Cover loosely with foil. Place on a lower oven rack; bake 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer or until top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers. Also participating in bar cookies contest were: Jeanne Raska, Elkhart; Cherry Boyd, Culver; Carol Anglemyer, Goshen; and Barbara Jewett, Goshen. First Place, Drop Cookies Double Orange Cookies Carol Anglemyer, Goshen 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream 1 can (6 oz.) orange juice concentrate, thawed, divided 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 2 T. grated orange peel Frosting: 2-1/2 cups confectioners sugar 1 T. butter, softened 1 T. grated orange peel 3 T. orange juice concentrate In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add sour cream and eggs. Beat until well blended. Reserve 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate for frosting. Add the remaining concentrate with combined dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in orange peel. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheets and allow to cool on a wire rack before frosting. For frosting: combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Spread a small amount over each cookie. Yields about 7 dozen. Second Place, Drop Cookies Pineapple Cookies Lisa Sylvester, Goshen 1 cup brown sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 cup sugar 4 cups flour 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda Frosting: 1 cup shortening 3 T. pineapple juice 1 T. vanilla 3 cups powdered sugar Drain pineapple, reserving juice, and add vanilla. Set aside. Cream shortening with sugar and eggs. Add pineapple and mix by hand to blend. In another bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir flour mix into batter. Spoon on parchment paper on cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees to 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Makes 2-1/2 dozen. For frosting, combine all ingredients together, adding pineapple juice to desired spreading consistency. Third Place, Drop Cookies Pride of Iowa Cookies Lorraine Pflederer, Goshen 1 cup shortening (part butter) 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar, beaten 2-1/4 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 2 cups uncooked rolled oats 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup coconut 1 cup nuts and/or raisins 1 pkg. (12 oz.) chocolate chips Cream shortening and sugars. Add beaten eggs. Add flour, baking powder, salt, soda, and oats. Stir in vanilla, coconut, nuts/raisins, and chocolate chips. Roll dough into balls the size of a large walnut or use cookie scoop and flatten slightly with a fork, as these don t spread very much. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Also participating in the drop cookies contest were: Cherry Boyd, Culver; Margaret Prough, Goshen; Carolynn Riddle, Goshen; Barbara Jewett, Goshen; and Flo Helbling, Goshen. ### Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.