Cookie comrades

When Debbie Brandenburg met Joan Fedota 26 years ago, she was delivering a basket of homemade Christmas cookies to the Fedotas' house to welcome them to the neighborhood.

As the story goes, Joan couldn't believe that Debbie had baked so many varieties herself; she insisted they must have come from a bakery.

"I was a little taken aback," recalls Debbie, who threw down her baking mitt, figuratively speaking, and issued a friendly challenge.

"I told her, 'as a matter of fact I did, and next year maybe we should do this together so you can see,' " says Debbie.

Friendship blossomed, the story became legend, and they haven't missed a year yet.

When the first baking session rolled around, Debbie piled ingredients and equipment into a wheelbarrow and pushed them two doors down because Joan had a double oven.

The friends now live 60 miles apart: Debbie in Crete, Joan in Palatine. They alternate as hostess for the annual 12- to 13-hour session, baking 100 dozen of 15 to 20 types of cookies and candies.

"Day dawns, the coffee pot goes on and we generally start by 7 a.m.," says Joan.

Instead of a wheelbarrow, the traveling baker packs her car the night before with ingredients and equipment, hitting the road by 5:30 a.m. or so.

Over the years, the quantity and variety has grown so much that the women each prepare some of the dough in advance, and Debbie gets started on the almond joy and eggnog truffles so they are ready to be dunked in their coatings on cookie day.

All the ingredients needed for the day are laid out on a counter. The garage becomes a walk-in refrigerator, cold enough to chill dough that won't fit in the standard indoor appliance.

A sink full of hot, sudsy water is on tap all day for the onslaught of dirty dishes.

"It's almost like it is choreographed," says Joan, who calls Debbie the artistic one. "She not only gives you the cookies, she makes the basket they come in."

Debbie has kind words for her friend as well, noting that Joan's the organized one, maintaining the list of cookies and developing the grocery list.

When they lived across the street from each other in south suburban Matteson years ago, the women practically lived in each other's houses, often eating dinner together with their husbands and Joan's two children.

A former teacher, Debbie is now retired; Joan is the assistant dean at National Louis University in Chicago.

At the end of their baking marathon, the women have more than cookies to show for their effort.

"Think how much we've shared by talking all day, too," says Joan. Professional ideas, personal confidences and updates on family are sprinkled like colored sugar throughout the hours.

From their collection of much-tested recipes they give us several today.

But beware the multi-colored pinwheel cookies from Debbie: she confesses to letting some un-Christmasy language slip while making these little devils. The dough needs to chill twice for two hours each, so start early in the day, and grab a friend for help.

Think what sweet memories could be in the making.

Ribbon Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1½ cups sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup red candied cherries, diced

½ cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted

¼ cup pecans, chopped

¼ cup green candied cherries, diced

Line bottom and sides of 9-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil.

With an electric mixer, cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture and combine well.

Divide dough into thirds, about 1 cup each. Stir red cherries into one portion, distributing well; press into prepared pan. Add chocolate and pecans to another portion and combine well; press into pan over cherry layer. Add green cherries to remaining dough; stir well and press into pan over chocolate layer. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Invert pan and remove dough; cut in half lengthwise. Cut each section of dough crosswise into -inch slices. Place 1½ inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 54 cookies.

Nutrition values per serving: 85 calories, 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 1 g protein, 15 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium.

Chocolate Shortbread Logs

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1 tablespoon shortening

½ cup walnuts, finely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, mix flour, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until well blended. With your hands, pull off 1 rounded teaspoon and roll in hands into a 2-inch long log. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat for remaining dough, placing logs ½ inch apart. Bake 11-13 minutes, until firm but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool thoroughly.

Melt chocolate and shortening over hot water bath or in the microwave. Remove from heat. Dip ends of each cookie into chocolate and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle with walnuts. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Makes about 72 cookies.

Nutrition values per serving: 60 calories, 4 g fat ( 2.5 g saturated), 5 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 1 g protein, 5 mg cholesterol, 0 sodium.

Strawberry Cookies

7 drops green food coloring

½ cup slivered, blanched almonds

1 cup butter or margarine

½ cup powdered sugar

1½ ounces (half a 3-ounce box) strawberry gelatin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

Red and green decorating sugars

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, add water to green food coloring until desired color for "strawberry" stems. Add b almonds to the food coloring mixture and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

In a large bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, gelatin, vanilla, salt and flour, mixing well. Using about 2 generous teaspoons of dough, roll into ball, form into strawberry shape.

Roll the bottom of the strawberry in the red sugar and dab the top in the green sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheets and insert one of the green-colored almonds into the top for a stem. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or just until set. Do not brown. Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 50 cookies.

Nutrition values per serving: 70 calories, 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 6 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 1 g protein, 10 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium.

Do you know a cook?To suggest someone to beprofiled inthis column,send thecook's name,address andphonenumber toLauraBianchi c/o Cook of theWeek, Daily Herald Foodsection, P.O. Box 280,Arlington Heights, IL60006 or e-mail us atfood@dailyherald.com.