Dutch Heritage and Christmas Baking

My goal for this week is to do at least one item of Christmas baking every day and freeze it all so that by the end of the week I have a collection of goodies ready to be passed out to neighbors and friends.

I'll try to share some of the recipes with you if I stay on top of that as well this week (goal #2?).

So to begin, I pulled out a family recipe from the Dutch side of my heritage. My grandparents grew up in Holland but met and married after they both immigrated to Canada, making my mom a 1st generation North American. She carried over some of the Dutch recipes into our family and almost every Christmas she (with my dad's help) still makes Boter Letters which is made out a dough that you have to roll out nine times!! Anyway all that to say that I went with an easier family recipe--one that my mom would often make for our after school snack when we were kids.

Boter Koek (Butter Cake)

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

1 egg (beaten)

1/4 lb (1 stick) butter--melted

1 tsp almond extract

**Save a little of the beaten egg** Mix all ingredients with spoon. Place in one 8" round or square cake pan. Spread the saved egg on top. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or till lightly browned.

My Grandfather (right) and his brothers in Holland. See the wooden shoes?

My Grandmother (left) and some friends skating in the canals in Holland