2
IT’S THE COOKIE, MR. PRESIDENT Published by: Library Tales Publishing, Inc. 244 5th Avenue, Suite Q222 New York, NY 10001 www.LibraryTalesPublishing.com Copyright © 2012 by Pamela Joy Mawyer Published by Library Tales Publishing, Inc., New York, New York No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Library Tales Publishing, Inc., 244 5th Avenue, Suite Q222,New York, NY, 10001, 1-800-754-5016, fax 917-463-0892. Trademarks: Library Tales Publishing, Library Tales, the Library Tales Publishing logo, It’s The Cookie, Mr. President and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of Library Tales Publishing, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department at 1-800-754-5016, or fax 917-4630892. For technical support, please visit www.LibraryTalesPublishing. com Library Tales Publishing also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Every content that appears in print is available in electronic books. ISBN-13: 978-0615695563 ISBN-10: 0615695566
3
Thanks to Joyce for selective taste. Thanks to Bryn for ever helping.
THIS BOOK WAS PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4
FOREWORD The cookie. Well known to mean “small cake”. At the same time, the cookie can mean “small segment of personal information”. In an interview I happened on with Mitt Romney as a Presidential candidate, certain things he said seemed really to accentuate those cookies in him. I then looked into quotes from U.S. Presidents, and I found that those cookies of theirs spoke a volume to me! So from each President I translated a small segment of personal information into a small cake - one cookie into another - and gathered together the whole batch in this book. The process was enlightening. Afterwards I had more to share than before. And I wish you and yours the same. Pamela Joy Mawyer
“All the baking in this book presumes oven is preheated for 10 minutes”
5
GEORGE WASHINGTON
“Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for, I have grown not only gray, but almost blind in the service of my country.”
FOR #1... A BITE FOR SORE EYES...
6
Mix together 6 tablespoons soft butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Sift in 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Stir in 1 cup finely grated raw carrot, 1 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup raisins. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet 2” apart, and bake at 325º about 12 minutes till set. Cool. For filling: mix together ¼ cup soft butter, ¼ cup shortening, 2-3/4 cups powdered sugar, and ¼ cup milk or enough to make a thick but spreadable icing, and sandwich cookies together with this. 7
JOHN ADAMS
“You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom!”
FOR #2... THANK YOU FOR PRESERVING! ... 8
Mix together 2/3 cup shortening, 1/3 cup white sugar, 2 egg yolks (beat whites slightly and set aside), ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Sift in 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour. Blend well. Shape into balls by rounded tablespoonfuls, and place 1” apart on greased cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of each, dab on egg white, and sprinkle liberally with white sugar. Bake at 350º about 15 minutes till set. Press thumb into each again (careful – hot!) to hollow a bit more. Cool, then from the tip of a teaspoon fill the thumbprints with preserves of your choice.
9
THOMAS JEFFERSON
“In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
FOR #3... FOUNDED ON THE TRADITIONAL, BUT BOULDER... 10
Mix together 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, pinch of salt, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon cloves. Rub in 4 tablespoons cold butter, and 4 tablespoons shortening till crumbly. Stir in 1 cup chopped dried apricots, and 2/3 cup brown sugar. Beat 1 egg slightly with 2 tablespoons brandy, and stir into flour mix. Add pinches of flour if needed just till dough does not stick to fingers. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 1� apart on greased cookie sheet, and bake at 375º about 15 minutes till golden. Store tightly covered in a cool place (not the fridge) a week or two before serving, to develop the spirit. 11
JAMES MADISON
“Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”
FOR #4... DISARMINGNESS NOTWITHSTANDING... 12
Mix together 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup molasses. Sift in 3-3/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Blend well, and chill 1 hour. Remove from fridge and let stand at room temperature till easily rolled. Sprinkling on as little extra flour as needed not to stick, roll dough 1/8” thick, and cut with a gingerbreadman cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet 1” apart. To decorate before baking, press decorations such as snips of gumdrops into dough. Bake at 350º about 10 minutes just till edges are browning. To decorate later, bake, cool completely, then frost and add features. 13
JAMES MONROE
“A little flattery will support a man through great fatigue.”
FOR #5... A LITTLE COLD FLAT-ERY... 14
Mix together 1 cup soft butter, 2 cups brown sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Sift in 3-1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir in 1 cup finely chopped pecans. Shape into 2 rolls, each 2” around, and chill at least 2 hours. With a sharp knife cut rolls into 1/4” slices, place on greased cookie sheet 2” apart, and bake at 375º 8 to 10 minutes till lightly browned.
15
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
“America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy.”
FOR #6... BY AND LARGE DRIVING “A COOKIE” HOME... 16
Mix together 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup shortening, 3/4 cup white sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Sift in 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2-1/4 cups allpurpose flour. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups chopped chocolate covered malted milk ball candies, and 1-1/2 cups chopped marshmallow circus peanut candies. Scoop by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased cookie sheet, only 4 to 6 per sheet. Bake at 375ยบ about 10 minutes just till edges are golden. Cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.
17
ANDREW JACKSON
“I’ve got big shoes to fill.”
FOR #7... FIT TO BE TRIED... 18
Mix together 6 tablespoons soft butter, 6 tablespoons shortening, 1-1/4 cups white sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Sift in 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder. Blend well. With hands, mix in enough all purpose flour by the spoonful just till dough does not stick to fingers. Chill 1 hour. Then roll dough out to 1/8” thick, and cut into 2” rounds. Place half of the rounds on a greased cookie sheet, spoon a heaping 1/2 tablespoon of canned prune filling onto the center of each, and top with remaining rounds. Press and crimp tops and bottoms together with thumbs, to seal. Bake at 350º about 15 minutes till browning around edges. Cool before tasting - hotter inside than out!
19
MARTIN VAN BUREN
“The less government interferes with private pursuits, the better for general prosperity.”
FOR #8... HOME-MINTED... 20
Mix together 1 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon peppermint extract, 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup chopped pistachios, and 10 drops green food coloring. Chill dough 1 hour. Make rounded teaspoonfuls into balls, place on greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350ยบ 15 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on cookie sheet before removing.
21
WILLIAM HARRISON
“To Englishmen, life is a topic, not an activity.”
FOR #9... TO ENGLISHMEN A BISCUIT... 22
Sift together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Rub in 1/2 cup shortening. Stir in 1 beaten egg, and 1 tablespoon milk, and mix with hands into a smooth dough. Make into oval patties by rounded tablespoonfuls. Place on greased cookie sheet, dab tops with milk, sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds (about ½ cup in all), and bake at 375º about 15 minutes till edges are just browning.
23
JOHN TYLER
“Popularity, I have always thought, may aptly be compared to a coquette - the more you woo her, the more apt is she to elude your embrace.”
FOR #10... GETTING DATES MADE EASY... 24
Mix together ¼ cup cooled melted butter, 3 eggs, 1 cup white sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract till well blended. Sift in 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Blend well again. Stir in 2 cups chopped pitted dates, 1 cup flaked coconut, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Pour evenly into wellgreased 9” x 13” baking pan. Bake at 350º for 35 minutes. Dredge with 1/4 cup powdered sugar, let cool, and cut into bars.
25
JAMES POLK
“Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world.”
FOR #11... A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS... 26
In a saucepan over low heat melt together 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, and 1/2 cup honey. Remove from heat, and cool. Separately, mix together 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Add to honey-mix. Stir in 2-1/3 cups all purpose flour. Blend well. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2� apart on greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350º about 8 minutes till golden. Cool, then frost tops with 1 cup powdered sugar blended with 2 tablespoons milk.
27
ZACHARY TAYLOR
“We won’t be picking up any animals.”
FOR #12... THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO PICK UP ANIMALS... 28
Mix together 1/2 cup soft butter, 6 tablespoons white sugar, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Separately, sift together 1-1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Combine mixes well to form a soft dough. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate morsels, and 1/2 cup pecan pieces. Press dough evenly into bottom of greased 8� square baking pan. Bake at 350º 30 minutes. Remove from oven. In a saucepan over low heat melt 24 packaged caramels with 1 tablespoon milk, stirring till smooth. Remove from heat, spread evenly over warm cookie dough, then sprinkle with 3/4 cup more pecan pieces. Cool completely. In a saucepan over low heat again, melt 1/4 cup more chocolate morsels with 1 tablespoon shortening, stirring till smooth, and drizzle over cookie dough. Let stand till chocolate is set. Cut into squares. 29
MILLARD FILLMORE
“I know nothing but my country, my whole country, and nothing but my country.”
FOR #13... FROM GRASS ROOTS ... 30