Oatmeal Scotchies, fudge can be last-minute gifts

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Are you off and running to get the last gifts wrapped? Take a few minutes to catch your breath and make a batch of oatmeal scotchies or a pan of peanut butter fudge. Can you think of a sweeter gift?

Oatmeal Scotchies 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange 3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked 1 12-ounce package butterscotch flavored morsels

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. In large mixer bowl, blend butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract or orange peel until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and butterscotch flavored morsels. Drop by measuring tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 8 minutes for chewier cookies; 9 to 10 minutes for crisper cookies. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

This fudge keeps soft and creamy. Small paper candy cups are suggested when packing candy trays and boxes for gifts. This recipe makes a 9-by-13-inch pan of candy. Keep the candy in a covered container to help retain texture.

Peanut Butter Fudge 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups light brown sugar

3/4 cup milk 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff 2 cups crunch peanut butter

In saucepan, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar and milk; mix well and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil at full boiling for 1 minute. Pour over the Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter; blend well. Spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan. The candy will lose the shiny appearance and begin to hold shape when it is ready to put into pan.

A roast of pork is one suggestion for the Christmas dinner after turkey at Thanksgiving and an abundance of chicken in between. With the pork, mashed potatoes, mashed squash and boiled onions is one suggestion. Hot rolls, pickles and cranberry sauce are also good go-withs. Apple pie is suggested for dessert, if dessert is needed. A baked Indian pudding may replace the pie, serving it with ice cream or milk as topping. Many homemakers hold dessert to later in the day to serve with coffee. Leftover roast pork makes good sandwiches — warmed in a pan with a bit of barbecue sauce over the pork as it heats makes a delicious sandwich.

Roast Pork 4 to 5 pounds pork rib roast Splinters from cloves of garlic Salt and pepper Marjoram

Place pork in a baking pan. Add salt and pepper to season plus slivers or splinters of a garlic clove inserted under the fat on the roast. Sprinkle marjoram over the roast for additional flavor, if desired. We sprinkle a bit of flour over the roast to give a crusty topping although most recipes do not call for this. Bake in a moderate oven, 350 F for 25 minutes per pound of meat. Pork should be well done.

A fruit salad is a good addition to the Christmas dinner. This salad was always served at Christmas on the farm, our donation being half of the orange found in our stocking on Christmas morning. The dressing was a cooked dressing made the day before to be ready to mix into the salad.

Fruit Salad 1 can pineapple, cut into pieces 2 or 3 apples, pared, cored, cut 1 small can sliced peaches 2 oranges, cut in pieces Maraschino cherries Canned pears Bananas

The fruit was prepared in a serving dish with the bananas and cut apples under the orange pieces. At serving time the cooked dressing was mixed into the fruit. (A salad like this today would have been called a hodge-podge.)

Fruit Salad Dressing 2 egg yolks, beaten

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup pineapple juice (from canned fruit)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cream, whipped

In double boiler, combine egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, pineapple juice and salt. Cook over hot water, stirring constantly until thickened. Set aside to cool. Just before serving salad, fold whipped cream into cooked, cooled dressing. Pass with salad or serve on salad.

The homemaker who gives a sigh of relief that all gifts are wrapped, delivered and the house ready for the Christmas festivities may enjoy making this crunchy coffee kuchen to serve warm with a cup of coffee as the rush of the seasons pre-holiday is lessening. Friends may be invited to share this treat or the kuchen may be taken to a shut-in as a special treat.

Crunchy Coffee Kuchen 1 cup unsifted all-prupose flour 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal 1 teaspoon instant coffee

2/3 cup milk 1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Add cereal. Measure 1/3 cup of the mixture; set aside. Add instant coffee to remaining flour mixture. Stir in milk and egg; blend thoroughly. Pour into greased and floured 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle reserved mixture on batter; then sprinkle with pecans. Bake in a moderate oven 350 F 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

Brownie Schrumpf of Orono has been the NEWS’ recipe columnist for 37 years.