Layered Lemon Dessert

Bernice Berntsen Pierson

Crust:

6 T. margarine or butter

1 c. flour

1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Put in a 9 X 13" pan. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool. Set aside, make filling.

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

Cream together until fluffy. Add 8 oz. cool whip. Chill.

Spread filling mixture on top of crust. Set aside, and make topping.

Topping:

2 c. sugar

1/3 c. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs

2 c. water

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 T. vinegar

Blend well on top of stove. Cook, stirring constantly over low heat for at least 1 minute or until thickened. Cool. Add 1 T. margarine and 1 tsp. lemon extract. Set aside to cool completely. Spread topping mixture over cream cheese filling. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Serve with cool whip on top and garnish with a strawberry.

Cream Puffs

Karen Sokol

This is a very special dessert that Charlie, Steve, Bob, and Jeff enjoy. They like them filled with chocolate pudding. My mother taught me to make them. Hayley learned to make them, but has never enjoyed all the stirring. . .I remember that my mother's favorite part to eat was the scooped out soft dough when we would fill them. She liked them best filled with whipped cream.

1 c. water

1/2 c. butter

1 c. flour

4 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat water and butter to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball (about 1 minute). Remove from heat. Beat in eggs thoroughly, 1 at a time.

Beat until smooth. Drop from spoon onto ungreased baking sheet into mounds 3" apart. Bake about 38 to 45 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and dry. Allow to cool slowly, away from drafts. Cut off tops with sharp knife. Scoop out soft dough. Fill with sweetened whipped cream or cooled chocolate pudding or custard filling. Replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar or fill with ice cream, serve with sauce. Serve immediately. Makes about 8 cream puffs.

Chocolate Cream Pudding

1 c. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. milk

2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz.) or 1/3 cups cocoa and 3 T. extra melted butter

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in milk and chocolate, broken into pieces or cocoa mixed in melted butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Gradually stir at least half of hot mixture into egg yolks. Then blend into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Blend in butter and vanilla. When cool, spoon into cream puffs.

Custard Filling

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. milk

4 egg yolks (or 2 eggs), beaten

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, flour, and salt in saucepan. Stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring until it boils. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir a little over half of mixture into egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture in saucepan. Bring just to boil. Cool and blend in vanilla. Fills 8 cream puffs.

Note: Jell-O Cook & Serve chocolate pudding is very convenient and good too.

Mexican Balls

Bernice Berntsen Pierson, she always made them at Christmas.

1/2 c. butter (real butter only)

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. flour

1 c. chopped pecans

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar in mixer. Add flour. Work in with hands, as it will seem quite dry. Add nuts and vanilla. Roll into balls, then in powdered sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Roll again in powdered sugar until well coated.

Lemon Bars

Karen Sokol

We made these for Christmas. They were my mother's favorite Christmas cookies. When I was teaching school at Orem Jr. High in 1975, Mother brought all the ingredients and pans to make Christmas cookies with her from Salt Lake. I took the day off, and we baked all our favorite Christmas cookies that one day. It was memorable and fun.

Crust:

1/2 c. butter

1 c. flour

1/4 c. powdered sugar

Mix together and pat in bottom of 8" square pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Put this together just before crust comes out of oven and pour over hot crust:

2 T. lemon juice

Grated lemon rind of 1 lemon

2 beaten eggs

1 c. granulated sugar

3 T. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Measure flour, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add eggs, juice, and rind--beat and pour over baked crust. Bake 325 degrees for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool. Sift powdered sugar on top. Cut into squares.

Christmas Gingerbread Cookies

Bernice Berntsen Pierson

3/4 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. molasses

1 egg

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Remove and let cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well. Then add spices, salt and flour. Mix well. Chill. Roll out on floured surface and use desired cookie cutter.

Bake 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Christmas Chocolate Spritz (Gun Cookies)

Bernice Berntsen Pierson

We always 5 times the recipe because they disappear quickly. It wouldn't be Christmas without these favorite cookies.

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

2 T. milk

2 c. Cake Flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted or 6 T. cocoa and an additional 2 T. melted butter

Cream all together in a mixer. Chill dough if you have time. Fill cookie gun and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Decorate and back for 6 to 7 minutes at 400 degrees.

Custard Pie

Bernice Berntsen Pierson

A favorite of Charlie's that she loved to make for him.

Measure into a blender:

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. margarine, room temperature

2 c. milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

4 eggs

1½ tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. Bisquick

Blend for a full 3 minutes. (Don't cheat on the time or it won't work.)

Pour into a 9" pie plate. Sprinkle with nutmeg, and add 1/2-cup coconut.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful not to over bake or custard will be sticky.

Apple Pie

Karen Sokol, from the kitchen of Bernice Berntsen Pierson.

Grandma Kate taught my mother how to make pie. I have taught Hayley the same way my Mother taught me. A Berntsen slice of pie is 1/6 of a pie. A small piece is 1/8 of a pie. A large piece is 1/4 of a pie.

Apple Filling:

2 cans (15 oz each) pie apple slices or 6c. (2 lbs.) fresh apples, peeled and sliced

1½ c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 T. margarine

1/3 c. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c. juice

Pie Crust:

1 rounding c. or 1 1/3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 c. shortening

1/4 c. water

1 egg to glaze top crust

To prepare filling:

Drain pie apple slices, reserving juice. If you have enough, take out 1/4 c. juice from reserved juice to be used to thicken with cornstarch later. You can use any other apple juice if you don't have enough from the can. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, combine juice from apples with sugar. Bring to a boil. Add cinnamon, margarine, and cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c. juice SLOWLY so you don't get lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often until thick. Add apples, gently stir and fold in fruit. Bring mixture to a boil again and cook until thickened. Turn heat to low and keep warm while crust is prepared.

Note: If using fresh apples, cook until soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes covered with water. Reserve juice and follow recipe above.

To prepare pie crust:

Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add shortening and blend with fingers or pastry blender until flour mixture resembles small breadcrumbs. Add water slowly; mix gently with fingers to form a ball. Roll half of dough into well-floured surface, a little larger than a 9-inch pie plate. Fold in half and slip into pie plate. Fill pastry lined 9-inch pie plate with HOT filling. Top immediately with top crust. Flute edges. Whip whole egg in a bowl. Using fingertips, lightly spread beaten egg on top. Cover completely and evenly. Bake at 450 degrees for 14 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 9" pie.

Note: Single pie crusts bake at 425 degrees for about 7 minutes. Glass pie plates are preferred.

Pistachio Cake

Bernice Berntsen Pierson

1 Sour Cream White Cake Mix

Follow directions on package except use 4 eggs and add 1 small package pistachio instant pudding mix. Be sure and add extra flour for high altitude adjustment.

Pour into a greased and floured 13 X 9" pan.

Bake as directed on package. Cool.

Frosting:

1 carton (10 oz.) Cool Whip

1/2 pkg. pistachio instant pudding mix

Gently fold pudding mix into Cool Whip until blended. Frost top of cake. Refrigerate.

Light Fruit Cake

Mother made this fruit cake every holiday season as well. She got the recipe from her friend when we lived in Covina, CA. Some members of our family prefer it to the original. The two kinds are pretty served together. This recipe is easier to make, the candied fruit is left whole.

1 lb. butter

2 c. sugar

6 eggs, add one at a time

1 tsp. lemon extract

1 lb. (3 cups) golden raisins

1½ lb. red and green cherries

1/4 lb. green pineapple

1 lb. pecans

4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Take 1 cup flour and dredge with fruit, set aside. Mix remaining 3 cups four, salt, and baking powder together and set aside. Cream butter with sugar, adding the eggs one at a time in a mixer.

Mix in lemon extract. Fold in fruit. Grease and flour six half-loaf sized bread pans that have been lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake at 225 degrees for 1½ to 2 hours, until toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bernice Berntsen Pierson's original recipe, 1959.

Cream together in a mixer:

1 lb. butter or margarine

1 lb. brown sugar

1½ c. sugar

Beat in 4 eggs

Add:

1 T. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

6-7 c. flour

1 tsp. water

1-12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix well. Drop by Tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 375 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake.

Makes 6 dozen.

7 Layer Cookies

Bernice Berntsen Pierson

Another favorite at Christmastime. We usually double this recipe and use an 11 X 15" pan.

1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. crushed graham crackers

1 c. flake coconut

6 oz. chocolate chips

6 oz. butterscotch chips, optional

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 c. chopped walnuts

In a 9 X 13" pan, melt butter in the preheated oven. Take out before it gets too hot. Add vanilla, sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over melted butter. Sprinkle coconut over crackers, then chocolate chips, then butterscotch chips if you are using them. Sprinkle 1/2 of the nuts next and then dribble the milk evenly. End with the last 1/2 chopped nuts on top of it all. Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool. Cut in squares.

Rolls

Karen Sokol

This is the #1 comfort food according to my brother, Steve. My mother made and sent Steve packages of rolls on his mission to the southern states. When it took longer than usual for them to arrive and they would be moldy. He was always grateful to get them. It has to be doubled at Thanksgiving time. Mother got this recipe from her cousin Nov. 22, 1945.

1½ c. milk

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. (1 cube) butter

2 tsp. salt

Scald in a saucepan. (I usually mix in a large glass bowl and warm in the microwave until butter is melted and sugar dissolves when stirred.)

Let cool and add:

3 eggs, well beaten

2 T. yeast, dissolved in 1/2 warm water

About 6 c. flour

Mix with a spoon until dough is soft, it will be sticky. (Add enough flour that it stays together and is not too sticky. Too much flour makes rolls tough.) Leave in bowl and let rise until doubled in size for about 1 hour.

Roll out on floured counter top so you have a rectangle like shape, about 5/8" thick. Cut into approximately 1½ " X 5" strips. Tie each strip into a knot and place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise until doubled in size again, about an hour. Bake 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until they just start to look golden in color.

Norwegian Yule Bread (Julekage)

Karen Sokol, from the kitchen of Bernice Berntsen Pierson.

My mother made this sweet bread for us to eat many Christmas mornings. She was happy to make it because her father was from Norway.

1/2 medium navel orange, unpeeled

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. boiling water

2 slices red or green pineapple and a few candied cherries, cut up, optional.

3½ c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1 T. yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1 tsp. sugar

1 c. milk

1/4 c. margarine

1 egg

Rinse orange, remove and discard seeds. Rough chop or process quickly in mini food processor. Set aside for later use. Combine 1/2 c. raisins with 1/2 c. boiling water, let stand 1 minute for raisins to soften, and then drain well. Turn raisins onto paper towel to absorb excess water. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. cardamom. Mix well. Set aside. Soften 1 T. yeast in 1/4 c. warm water with the 1 tsp. of sugar added. Set aside.

Heat but do not boil: l c. milk and 1/4 c. (4 T.) margarine. When cooled enough, add to the flour mixture. Add yeast mixture, and then add 1 egg.

Blend at low speed until moist and well mixed.

By hand, stir in softened 1/2 c. raisins, orange, and the candied fruit. Add more flour, if needed, to make a firm dough, probably 1/2 c. Turn onto a lightly floured counter and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover, let rise until doubled about 1½ hours.

Punch down dough. Shape into 1 round loaf. Place in buttered round 9" layer cake pan. Flatten dough slightly to spread it over the bottom of the pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double about 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cover last few minutes with foil if it gets too dark. Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. Frost completely.

My mother made a flower on top using almonds for pedals with a candied cherry for the center. Makes 1 round loaf.

Frosting:

3 T. margarine

1 T. milk

Dash salt

1½ c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat margarine and milk together until margarine melts. Remove from heat. Add dash of salt, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with hand mixer, adding more powdered sugar if needed to make thick frosting.

Ebelskivers

Karen Sokol, from the kitchen of Bernice Berntsen Pierson.

Scandinavian filled pancake my mother used to make for a special breakfast. She made them with applesauce and jam. The ebelskiver pan is the trick to making these.

1 c. buttermilk

1½ c. flour

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1½ tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. soda

Desired filling: applesauce, jam, chocolate or chocolate chips, fruit pie filling, cheese; cooked bacon, ham, or sausage

Beat egg yokes separately. Then add sugar, salt and milk. Mix well. Add flour, soda, baking powder, and then milk to the above. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold gently into mixture.

Heat an ebelskiver pan on the stove, putting a small amount of oil (about the size of a dime) in each cup. When hot, pour a small amount of batter in each hole, fill approximately half way. Place filling in each hole. Place a dab more batter on top. Cook until bubbly and the edges start to become solid, turn them over carefully with a toothpick. Cook opposite side about 1 or 2 more minutes until golden brown. Serve with butter or powdered sugar.