Monday, July 4, 2016

Filling that Christmas Box of Goodies for Your Fighting Lad

Many years ago, I happened upon one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my life. This may seem like an exaggeration, however, I am obviously really into baking, but I am also extremely into history!  Additionally, when I discovered this really cool item, I was baking for American soldiers every month (I did this for three years and my mom still does it to this days... it's been like 8 years!).

When looking through one of my mom's cookbooks, I found this paper...




It is from 1944 and was geared toward the families of all who were serving during WWII. I couldn't believe what I had found. I bonded with this paper. I know that that must sound silly, but I was doing the same thing for service men and women, as many did in 1944! I just found that really neat and I know that there are tons of you out there that are doing the same exact thing. So, I say well done!

Here is what the article states, before listing the recipes:

The cookies you bake for the serviceman's gift package should be the kind he's sure to like and the kind that keep and travel well.

Cookies that contain fruits and nuts are not practical unless they will arrive within three or four weeks.

If the cookies are on their way too long or if sent to hot or moist climates, the nuts are apt to become rancid and the fruit may cause the cookies to mold. Cookies that are very rich or tender are not recommended at all, because they will break and crumble in transit.

Honey and molasses cookies are among the good ones to keep in mind. They're always fine flavored and they keep well. You'll do well to include some of these especially if you need to economize on sugar.

Quite as important as selecting the right kind of cookies is their packing. Each cooky should be wrapped separately and the spaces between them should be filled with bits of crumpled up paper or small hard candies so they cannot move about in the package.



(My grandpa was 10 when this came out and now he is 82! I love them mentioning the rationing of sugar and how that was an important factor at the time. I do not often think of rationing anything in my life... if at all. History!! It is so great. Also, how fun that they spell cookie as cooky.)

Here are the recipes, in the same order as they are presented in the article:


















Surprisingly, I have yet to make any of these recipes... but I will make them all eventually! I hope that you try some out and that they are just as delicious as their history!













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