Mama's Fixins

Gingersnaps

2011-10-11T21:55:00.001-04:00

Gingersnaps- Verne's grandma's recipe!

3/4 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. cloves

3/4 tsp. ginger

Combine shortening, sugar, eggs, and molasses. Mix well. Combine dry ingredients, stir well. Add to wet ingredients, and mix until all ingredients are combined. Shape dough into 48 balls; roll in sugar. Place cookies 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a 375 F preheated oven for 7-9 minutes. remove to cooling racks. Store in an airtight container.

2011-03-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

1 c apple cider
1/3 c vinegar
1/3 c sliced green onions
1/4 c vegetable oil
3 Tbls honey
2 Tbls steak sauce
1 1/2 tsp tarragon leaves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20
I minutes. Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breads in a baking dish. Cover and chill overnight. The next day, cook in oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

Banana Bread

2011-02-28T23:18:00.000-05:00

Banana Bread

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. mashed ripe banana (about 3)
1/3 c. plain, low-fat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly scoop flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl. Cream with a mixer until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture into dry mixture; beat at low speed, just until moistened. Pour batter into a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 f for 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely.

Pineapple Chicken

2011-02-09T18:43:00.001-05:00

This delicious and easy recipe was passed on to me by my friend, Judi.

Pineapple Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (20 oz. ) can unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained

2 Tbls. dijon-style mustard

pepper

paprika

Arrange chicken breasts in a crockpot. Sprinkle with paprika and pepper. Mix drained pineapple and dijon mustard together; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6 hours, or high 3-4.

Butterscotch Pudding

2011-01-29T13:25:00.004-05:00

1 c. light brown sugar, packed

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

4 c. half and half

5 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 c. butter, sliced

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk in half and half. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Be patient! Cook and stir two minutes more.

Remove from heat, and gradually whisk 1 cup of hot mixture into your egg yolks. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, and reduce heat, whisking slowly. Cook and whisk 2 minutes longer.

Remove from heat again, and whisk in butter and vanilla extract until well blended. Pour pudding into a large glass bowl. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate 4-5 hours until well chilled.

Banana- Blueberry Coffeecake

2011-01-29T11:04:00.001-05:00

*Banana- Blueberry Coffeecake*

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds to soften. Add sugar; beat until well combined. Add 3/4 cup of the flour; stir just until mixture resembles course crumbs. Reserve 3/4 cup.

Combine remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. Stir into remaining butter mixture. Combine eggs, mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Turn into a greased, 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake in a 375 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 9 servings.

Boerenkool (Farmer's Kale)

2010-11-30T17:51:00.005-05:00

My friend Darlene recently brought this old-fashioned Dutch dish to a church fellowship meal and I immediately fell in love with it. I asked her for the recipe, and she informed me that there wasn't one. However, she did give me a run down of the ingredients, and the basic "how-to".

I recently made it, but couldn't remember the name of it for the life of me. Here it is. With the name!

Several pounds of potatoes, peeled and diced

Large bunch of kale, chopped

1 lb. bacon

1 lb. kielbasa or Polish sausage

1 large onion, peeled and diced

Peel potatoes and cover them with water. Bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Alongside the potatoes, cover a huge bunch of chopped kale with water in a separate pot. Bring to a boil, drain; cover with water again, and cook until tender. (This prevents the kale from being bitter.)

In the meantime:

Saute 1 lb. bacon, save the drippings.

Saute the onion in the bacon drippings.

Slice 1 lb. kielbasa or Polish sausage into 1/4 inch slices. Fry in bacon grease along with onion.

When potatoes and kale are tender, drain them both and combine them. Drizzle bacon grease in and mash well. Crumble bacon and kielbasa into potato/kale mixture and stir well.

Serve very hot with a drizzle of vinegar, if desired.(It's very good this way!) Some also like gravy poured over their portion.

Meringue Mushrooms

2010-10-23T22:17:00.000-04:00

*Meringues*

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 cup. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Place egg whites in a grease-free bowl. Add cream of tartar, and mix on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar in, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until all sugar in incorporated, and stiff peaks form. Add in vanilla, beat 30 seconds longer. Fill a pastry bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe meringues onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, and bake for 90 minutes at 200 F. Remove cookie sheets to wire rack, and cool completely. Store meringues in an airtight container.

For mushrooms, hold pastry bag perpendicular to the cookie sheet, and pipe round circle, about 1- 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Release pressure, and drag tip off the side of the circle rather than straight up so as not to leave a peak. For the stems, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, and pipe straight up, about 1 inch. Release pressure, and lift.

After the meringues were baked and cooled, I melted 1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips. On the bottom of each mushroom cap, make an indentation with the end of an artist's brush where you'd like to attach the stem.

Place a small amount of melted chocolate onto the bottom of the mushroom cap. Attach the stem.

While holding the stem in place, feather the chocolate around the stem to the outside edge of the mushroom cap, creating "spores".

Place mushrooms on a baking sheet, and allow to dry.

Dust the mushrooms with cocoa powder, and enjoy.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-09-28T23:04:00.000-04:00

We love breakfast for supper, and these really hit the spot last night when it was cold and rainy.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c. all-purpose flour ( I used freshly ground soft winter wheat flour)
3 Tbls. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree ( I used fresh, cooked pumpkin )
1 egg
2 Tbls. vegetable oil
1 Tbls. vinegar

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin, egg, oil, and vinegar. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture until just combined.

Heat a lightly greased griddle over medium heat. Pour a 1/4 c. measuring cup full of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. When pancake is full of bubbles, and you think it needs flipped, wait another minute before doing so. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. These do take slightly longer to cook than traditional pancakes. Serve with real maple syrup.

Potato Salad

2010-06-10T07:10:00.003-04:00

2 1/2 pounds potatoes- red or white

1 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled

6 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 c. red onion, diced

1 cup mayonnaise

3 Tbls. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. ground mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Scrub potatoes, leaving skins on. Place whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with cool water, and cover. Bring to a boil. Remove lid and reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain well. Cut and quarter potatoes.

While potatoes are cooking, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, ground mustard and salt and pepper.

Add hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, and onion to the potatoes. Pour dressing over all, and stir well. Serve warm.

Refrigerate leftovers and serve cold.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Scones

2010-06-02T00:30:00.001-04:00

Scones:

2 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1 Tbls. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbls. lemon zest

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 oz. cream cheese, slightly softened

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 Tbls. honey

1/2 c. buttermilk or half and half

1 1/2 c. diced strawberries

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

Honey-Lemon Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbls. honey

2 + Tbls. fresh lemon juice (enough to make glaze a favorable consistency)

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and zest in a large bowl. Cut in butter and cream cheese with a pastry bender until crumbs are no larger than a pea.

In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk, vanilla, and honey. Make a well in the flour mixture, and pour the egg mixture in. Stir until just combined.

Toss diced strawberries with last 1/3 c. flour. Gently, stir berries into dough. Turn out on a lightly floured surface, and knead gently, taking care to keep the strawberries intact. Form into an 8 inch round. (DO NOT ROLL!)

Cut round into 8 even sections, as for a pie. Transfer scones to a parchment covered baking sheet, and bake at 400 F for 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove scones to a cooling rack.

Combine glaze ingredients, adding lemon juice slowly. Drizzle over cooled scones.

Coffee-Chocolate Chip Scones

2010-05-03T11:01:00.004-04:00

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

3 Tbls. natural cane sugar

1 Tbls. baking powder

1 stick COLD, unsalted butter

1/2 c. homemade yogurt

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. instant coffee granules

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Glaze:

2/3 c. powdered sugar

2-3 Tbls. brewed coffee plus 1 tsp. instant coffee granules

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Using a pastry blender, cut cold butter into mixture until there are no pieces bigger than a pea.

In a small bowl, combine egg, yogurt, vanilla, and instant coffee granules. The granules won't dissolve completely.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Add chocolate chips, and stir gently. (Your hands may be the best way to go at this point. )

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently, and pat forming dough into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut, as a pie, into 8 pieces. Place scones onto prepared baking sheet, being sure not to let them touch. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Combine all glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth. You may want to add a little more powdered sugar, depending on how thick you like your glaze.

Remove scones from the oven, and place on a cooling rack. You can place the parchment paper underneath to catch the dripping glaze. Let cool about 10 minutes before drizzling glaze over the tops.

Date-Nut Scones

2010-05-03T10:27:00.002-04:00

2 c. plus 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbls. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter

3/4 c. heavy cream

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 c. chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter, with a pastry blender or forks until the largest piece of butter is no larger than a pea.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla.

Combine the chopped dates and extra 1/4 c. of flour. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Add in flour covered dates and chopped walnuts. Stir until well combined. The batter will be lumpy! Don't worry, it's supposed to be this way.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands, and press the dough into a circle, about 1 inch thick. Cut circle into 8 even triangles, like a pie. Carefully transfer scones to parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving at least two inches between them. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and insides are set. Remove scones to a wire cooling rack, and cool for 15 minutes.

Carrot Salad

2010-04-26T11:15:00.003-04:00

slightly adapted from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions to use what I had in my cupboards

12 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1 Tbls. fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 c. raisins (optional-I left them out)

dressing:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 Tbls. plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbls. expeller-expressed flax oil

Mix all ingredients together and chill until serving. Tastes very good sprinkled with salt and pepper. Even for breakfast!

Bean and Barley Salad

2010-04-22T12:36:00.006-04:00

As found by Janelle Lee in the April/May 2010 issue of Taste of Home.

Obviously, you can use regular barley, and soak and cook your own beans rather than using canned if you prefer to do so.

Salad:

3/4 cup quick cooking barley

1 can (16 oz. ) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

1 large sweet red pepper, finely chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

3/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. pepper

Prepare barley according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in beans, corn, red pepper, onions, and cilantro.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Chill until serving.

Fresh -Squeezed Lemonade

2010-04-21T14:26:00.002-04:00

4 lemons

2/3-1 cup sugar

water

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add 2/3 cup to 1 cup sugar, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat.

Roll lemons on counter top to loosen juices. Cut in half, and squeeze juice into a 2 quart pitcher. Add simple syrup (sugar/water), and dilute with cold water to fill pitcher. Chill well before serving.

You could easily substitute limes for the lemons. You can also add strawberries, lavender, or mint!

Quinoa Taboule

2010-04-19T22:29:00.003-04:00

1 c. quinoa

1 c. chopped flat leaf parsley

4 chopped scallions

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add in 1 cup quinoa. Return to a boil, cover, with lid ajar, and cook on medium heat for 12 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Cool.

Toss all ingredients together. ( I like to eat it at this stage!) Chill for at least one hour to marry all of the flavors.

Savory Glazed Meatloaf

2010-04-19T09:33:00.004-04:00

I recently tried this recipe from Tracy at Beyond My Picket Fence. I like it better than any meatloaf I've ever had, and my family enjoyed it, too. I'm sharing it here with Tracy's permission.

Meatloaf:

1 pound ground meat

1 c. fresh bread crumbs

1 medium onion, chopped and sauteed

1 egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 teaspoons ground mustard

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 clove minced garlic

Glaze:

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground mustard

Combine meatloaf ingredients to make a moist mixture. Press into a greased loaf pan, and turn upside down into a pan lined with greased foil. Leave the pan over the loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and gently pour off any grease, and remove the pan from the loaf. Combine the glaze ingredients, mixing well.

Coat the meatloaf with glaze, and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.

Hard Boiled Eggs

2010-04-14T11:22:00.002-04:00

First, bring your water to a boil, then by carefully using a slotted spoon, drop the eggs down into the water. Set your timer for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the water for 5 minutes. Pour off the hot water and add COLD water to cover the eggs.

After a few minutes, pour off this water and add more cold water.

Chicken Cacciatore

2010-04-07T21:17:00.003-04:00

1/4 c. oil (vegetable, olive, coconut... you choose)

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 large green pepper, diced

1/2 c. mushrooms, sliced

2- 6 oz. cans tomato paste

2 c. water

1/2 tsp. thyme

2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

chicken

pasta

You can use whatever chicken you want... if you like pieces with skin, that will work, I used boneless skinless breasts because they were on sale.

In a large saute pan, heat oil. Cook chicken until done. Remove from pan. Saute vegetables. Add in tomato paste, water and spices. Add chicken back in. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Serve over pasta. ( I like rotini!)

Flour Tortillas

2010-03-27T11:08:00.005-04:00

I found this recipe at my dear friend jAne's blog.

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tsp. vegetable oil

3/4 c. warm milk

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Warm the milk and add the vegetable oil; pour over the flour mixture and stir well until mixture is a loose sticky ball. (This CAN be done in a stand mixer, if you prefer.) Place plastic wrap over the bowl, and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Divide dough into 8 sections (or more for smaller tortillas) and roll them into balls. Place on a

large plate so that none of the balls are touching, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the em rest for 10 minutes.

Take one ball at a time, careful to keep the others covered, and pat it into a 4 inch circle. Roll, on a floured board, until dough is paper thin.

Keep rolled out tortillas covered until ready to cook. ( I had my large griddle heated, and cooked two tortillas as I was rolling two more.) In a dry skillet, heated on high, cook each tortilla about 30 seconds on each side. They should start to bubble and turn brown in a few spots.

Keep tortillas covered, wrapped in a napkin or foil until ready to eat. (I kept my oven on warm, and placed them on the my pizza stone until they were all done.)

Easy White Bread (Great for Sandwiches!)

2010-03-18T15:18:00.004-04:00

Makes 2 loaves.

I know that wheat is better for you, but this bread is so delicious, and I always use organic flour, so I know it's better than what I can buy at the store. This is also great with a meal.

2 cups very warm water

4 Tbls. sugar

2 Tbls. yeast

4 Tbls. oil (coconut, vegetable, canola... your choice!)

2 tsp. kosher salt

5-6 cups organic, all-purpose unbleached flour

In a very large bowl, measure out 1 1/2 cups very warm water. Add kosher salt and oil. Stir to dissolve salt. In a measuring cup, measure out 1/2 cup very warm water. Add sugar and yeast. Give it a little stir and leave sit while you measure out the flour into a small bowl.

Add yeast mixture to the rest of the water in your large bowl. Add about 3 cups of flour, and stir gently. Continue adding flour, up to 5 cups at first. You'll eventually need to mix this with your hands. Some days I use a sixth cup of flour (if it's very humid), some days the bread is fine with five cups. Knead until all flour is incorporated, and you have a smooth, elastic dough; about 8 minutes.

Place about a teaspoon of oil (your choice) onto a clean counter. Spread it around. Cut your dough into two even pieces, and lay it on top of the oiled counter. Cover with a clean dish towel. Let rest about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, uncover the dough, flatten each piece with your hands, making a rectangle of dough. Fold in thirds, and flatten again. Fold in thirds the other direction, and place into well greased bread pans. Cover with the dish towel again, and let rise until peeking over the top of the pans. This rising time can vary depending on the temperature and humidity. Preheat oven to 350.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and pans, and place on cooling racks. After the bread is completely cool, store it in a plastic bag or an airtight container. It's wonderful fresh from the oven, but slices much better after it has cooled.

Oatmeal Banana Walnut Scones

2010-03-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Scones:

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. plus 1/2 c. oatmeal

3 Tbls. natural cane sugar

1 Tbls. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 very ripe bananas

1 cup buttermilk

5 Tbls. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg, beaten

Glaze:

3/4 c. confectioners sugar

2-3 Tbls. milk

1/8 tsp. vanilla

chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

Process one cup of the oatmeal in the food processor until it resembles flour. Mash the bananas.

In a large bowl, combine flour, processed oatmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or a fork until largest pieces of butter are the size of peas.

In a smaller bowl, combine the beaten egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add alternately with mashed bananas to the dry ingredients, mixing after each addition. Stir in additional 1/2 c. oatmeal.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead into a ball. Pat into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut circle into eight equal triangles. Carefully transfer scones to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove scones to a wire cooling rack. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla together. Drizzle over scones and immediately sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Cranberry Orange Scones

2010-03-04T18:41:00.004-05:00

Scones:

2 c. plus 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

3 Tbls. sugar

1 1/2 Tbls. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbls. grated orange zest

1 stick unsalted butter

2 eggs

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. homemade yogurt

1/4 tsp. orange extract

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbls. milk, for egg wash

2 Tbls. natural cane sugar

Glaze:

3/4 c. confectioners sugar

4 tsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Cut in butter, with a pastry blender or forks until the largest piece of butter is no larger than a pea.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, yogurt, and orange extract.

Combine the dried cranberries and extra 1/4 c. of flour. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Add in flour covered cranberries. Stir until well combined. The batter will be lumpy! Don't worry, it's supposed to be this way.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands, and press the dough into a circle, about 1 inch thick. Cut circle into 8 even triangles, like a pie. Carefully transfer scones to parchment paper line baking sheet, leaving at least two inches between them.

Beat an egg with 1 Tbls. milk and brush tops of scones with egg wash mixture. Sprinkle with 2 Tbls. natural cane sugar.

Bake for 20- 25 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and insides are set. Remove scones to a wire cooling rack, and cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk confectioners sugar and orange juice together and drizzle over scones.

Cherry Almond Scones

2010-03-04T18:16:00.006-05:00

Scones:

2 c. plus 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

3 Tbls. sugar

1 1/2 Tbls. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter

2 eggs

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 tsp. pure almond extract

1/2 c. homemade yogurt

1/2 c. dried tart cherries

Glaze:

3/4 c. confectioners sugar

2-3 Tbls. milk

1/8 tsp. pure almond extract

1/3 c. slivered almonds, toasted

In a separate smaller bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, yogurt, and almond extract.

Combine the dried tart cherries and extra 1/4 c. of flour. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Add in flour covered cherries. Stir until well combined. The batter will be lumpy! Don't worry, it's supposed to be this way.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands, and press the dough into a circle, about 1 inch thick. Cut circle into 8 even triangles, like a pie. Carefully transfer scones to parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving at least two inches between them. Bake for 20- 25 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and insides are set. Remove scones to a wire cooling rack, and cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk together the confectioners sugar, milk, and almond extract. Drizzle over scones and sprinkle with slivered almonds.

If desired, mix another 3/4 c. confectioners sugar, and 2-3 Tbls. maraschino cherry juice, and drizzle over the top.

Hungarian Nut Roll

2010-02-23T08:38:00.003-05:00

Dough:

1 cake yeast or 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

2 Tbls. warm milk

3 c. flour

1/4 c. salty butter

6 egg yolks

1 c. sour cream

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbls. powdered sugar

Filling:

3 c. ground nuts- pecans or walnuts are perfect or poppy seeds (use MUCH less!)

1 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbls. melted butter

Dissolve yeast in 2 Tbls. warm milk- set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut butter in with a pastry blender as for pie dough. Mix egg yolks, sour cream, and yeast mixture. Add to dry ingredient mixture. Knead for 2-3 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Divide dough into four pieces. Roll each piece out thin (1/8") on lightly floured surface. Spread filling over pastry. Roll, (not too tightly) folding in edges as you go.

Place nut rolls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.

These freeze well, too.

Chocolate and Coffee Cream Cheese Buttercream

2010-02-13T15:26:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Jennifer for the inspiration!

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

5 Tbls. hot water

1 Tbls. instant coffee

4 tsp. cocoa powder

8 c. powdered sugar

In a small bowl, combine hot water and instant coffee. Set aside. (Alternately, you can use 5 Tablespoons of very strong coffee.)

In a large bowl combine butter and cream cheese. Mix until light and fluffy. Add in cocoa powder. Mix well. Slowly add in powdered sugar and coffee, beating well after each addition.

Makes enough to ice 24 large or 48 mini cupcakes.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

2010-01-30T00:03:00.004-05:00

My friend Sherri shared this recipe with me, and we all enjoyed it. (adapted from allrecipes.com)

2 heads cauliflower - washed and separated into pieces

1 lb carrots - peeled and quartered

2 large onions - quartered

4-6 garlic cloves or to taste

Preheat oven to 425. In roasting pan, drizzle veggies with small amount of olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until toasted and tender, about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally so veggies do not burn.

Transfer veggies to stock pot.

Add:

6 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

Bring to a simmer and cook 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Puree with an immersion blender in the pot or in batches in a blender.

Stir in 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 and heat through.

Yummy topped with grated Parmesan and served with a loaf of crusty bread.

Pink Coconut Ice

2010-01-26T14:20:00.002-05:00

Whip up a batch of these simple confections to serve your coconut- loving Valentine.

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

5 cups confectioner's sugar

5 cups shredded coconut

pink food coloring (optional)

Line an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with parchment or waxed paper. In a large bowl, combine milk, and confectioner's sugar. Stir in coconut. Mix until well combined, and a stiff mixture is achieved. Divide mixture in half. Press half of mixture into lined baking pan. Gently roll a drinking glass back and forth to smooth it out. Gently knead in a few drops of food coloring to the second half of mixture. Press it on top of first layer. Roll again with drinking glass. Cover well and chill. After several hours or overnight, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch squares.

Can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole

2010-01-16T21:32:00.004-05:00

In a saucepan combine :

1 c. wild rice, 1 Tbls. butter, and 2 c. water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 50 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Meanwhile, saute:

1 large diced onion with 2 Tbls. butter. Set aside. In the same pan, cook 1 lb. mild pork sausage.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, sausage, onions, and 1 c. diced celery, 1- 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, and 1 green pepper, diced. Stir in 1 can cream of mushroom soup.

Place mixture in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 F, uncovered for one hour.

Loaded Potato Soup

2010-01-16T21:20:00.004-05:00

In a large pot, boil 2 1/2 lbs. diced red potatoes for 10 minutes.

In another pot, combine:

1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup

16 oz. chicken broth

4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated

8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed

1 c. milk

Stir constantly until cheese is melted. Add in 4c. whole milk. Whisk in 2 Tbls. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, and 1/2 tsp. garlic salt.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring very often. Drain boiled potatoes, and add to mixture. Simmer 15 minutes more, stirring often.

Serve with diced green onions, and crumbled bacon.

Chocolate Orange Macaroons

2010-01-09T11:50:00.003-05:00

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl combine,

2 c. sweetened flaked coconut

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. fresh orange zest

1/8 tsp. salt

Stir in:

2 egg whites

2 Tbls. melted butter

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/8 tsp. orange extract

Fold in:

1/3 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Gently roll 24 balls of dough. Place 2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack.

Cool before serving.

Creamy Sausage, Potato, and Pepper Soup

2009-12-30T21:32:00.003-05:00

Autumn recently had lunch at a friend's home and came home to tell me about the delicious soup that was served. She asked the friend for the recipe, but all the friend could give her was a list of possible ingredients, since she hadn't made it herself. I set out to make a version that would please Autumn, and ended up with a keeper.

In a large pot, saute:

2 Tbls. butter

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

and 1 large red pepper, diced

Set aside.

Brown 1 lb. bulk pork sausage. Drain grease.

Add in 2 quarts chicken broth.

Add sauteed vegetables back to the pot along with 6 cups potatoes, peeled and diced.

Add 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or skillet, melt 4 Tbls. butter. Add 1/2 c. flour. Cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup, and bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup American cheese,and salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Slowly add 1/4 to 1/3 c. potato flakes. Stir until thickened.

Panko Chicken

2009-12-10T23:27:00.001-05:00

boneless chicken breasts, or tenders

milk

Panko

If using breast, cut into tenders. Soak tenders in milk, coat with Panko crumbs. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 375 F for 15 minutes.

Baked Oatmeal II

2009-12-03T14:58:00.002-05:00

This is now my preferred recipe. Less sugar, and tastes great!

Cream together:

2 Tbls. butter

3/8 c. sugar

2 eggs

Mix, and add to above:

3 c. oatmeal (NOT quick oats)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 c. milk

You may mix in fresh fruit before baking if you wish. To this recipe, I added 1/2 c. blueberries and 1/2 c. cranberries.

Pour all into a greased 9x 9 baking dish and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Serve with milk if desired.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2009-11-12T19:25:00.003-05:00

3 large sweet potatoes

4 Tbls. butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 Tbls. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ginger

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Rub potatoes with canola oil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until very tender.

Combine butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and spices. Slice potatoes, and slip out of skins. Mash. Combine butter/ cream cheese mixture with mashed potatoes, and serve hot.

Baked Scallops

2009-11-12T19:18:00.002-05:00

1 lb. bay scallops

4 Tbls. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

dash of cayenne pepper

freshly made bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a shallow baking dish.

Place scallops in baking dish. Combine butter, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle over scallops. Top with bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes.

Mediterranean Barley Salad

2009-11-11T22:36:00.004-05:00

I've had this salad bookmarked in my Bloglines for 6 months, and I finally got around to trying it. Heather from Beauty that Moves, gave her permission for me to share it here. It was delicious, and I can't wait to try the other recipes in the same post.

Dressing

2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1 Tbls Dijon or stoneground mustard
Pinch of sea salt
1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
1 Tbls umeboshi vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbls shallot if you like

Salad

5 cups water
2 cups hulled barley
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 bay leaves
2 Tbls chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried
1/3 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
1/3 cup drained capers (I rinse them too)
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup chopped green onions (scallions)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine all the ingredients for dressing and set aside.To make the salad, bring water to a boil. Add the barley, sea salt and bay leaves. Simmer for 1 hours, adding a little more water if needed. Cook until barley is tender, drain excess water if there is any. Let the grains cool, add the dressing and oregano, stir. Then add the other ingredients, combine gently. Chill, serve cold.

Baked Tilapia

2009-11-02T20:08:00.003-05:00

4- 4 oz. Tilapia fillets

2 tsp. coconut oil, melted

1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

lemon slices

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place Tilapia fillets in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle melted coconut oil over tops of fillets. Combine Old Bay seasoning and garlic salt. Sprinkle over fillets. Top with a lemon slice. Bake 10 -12 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Coconut Rice

2009-11-02T20:01:00.004-05:00

2 c. Jasmine rice

1 -14 oz. can organic coconut milk

2 1/4 c. water

1 tsp. coconut oil

Place all ingredients in covered saucepan. Bring to a boil, and immediately lower temperature to low, setting lid askew on pan, allowing some steam to escape. Simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Sourdough Croutons

2009-10-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

3-4 c. cubed sourdough bread

3 Tbls. olive oil

1 Tbls. butter, melted

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 F. Place bread cubes in a bowl; set aside. Combine olive oil, melted butter, garlic, thyme, and pepper. Drizzle over bread crumbs, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and toss to coat evenly. Arrange croutons on baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, turn with a spatula, and bake 10 minutes more. Cool.

Spiced Pumpkin Scones

2009-10-13T10:17:00.006-04:00

Scones

2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

3 Tbls. natural cane sugar

1 Tbls. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

6 Tbls. cold butter

1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, as it has spices added)

3 Tbls. homemade yogurt

1 large egg

1/4 tsp. orange extract

Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbls. milk

Spiced Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tbls. milk

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

pinch of ginger

pinch of cloves

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, yogurt, egg, and orange extract. Fold wet ingredients into dry. Form the dough into a ball.

Pat dough out on a floured surface, forming into a circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place scones on parchment covered baking sheet, and bake for 14- 16 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Prepare glaze. Drizzle over warm scones. Let cool. Prepare spiced glaze, and drizzle over cooled scones.

Ina Garten's Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream Frosting

2009-10-12T13:17:00.004-04:00

For the cake:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus extra for dusting

For the filling:

12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
Pinch kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the paper.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and stir to combine. Place the eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin, then slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Finish mixing the batter by hand with a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake the cake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched.

While the cake is baking, lay out a clean, thin cotton dish towel on a flat surface and sift the entire 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar evenly over it. (This will prevent the cake from sticking to the towel.) As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, loosen it around the edges and invert it squarely onto the prepared towel. Peel away the parchment paper. With a light touch, roll the warm cake and the towel together (don't press!) starting at the short end of the cake. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, confectioners' sugar, and cream together for about a minute, until light and fluffy. Stir in the crystallized ginger, and salt.

To assemble, carefully unroll the cake onto a board with the towel underneath. Spread the cake evenly with the filling. Reroll the cake in a spiral using the towel as a guide. Remove the towel and trim the ends to make a neat edge. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve sliced.

Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pasta

2009-09-26T18:17:00.005-04:00

As found on Anna's blog, Pleasant View Schoolhouse:

Prepare 1-2 pans of vegetables for roasting--carrots, red peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, etc.--by cutting them up and tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a single layer at 400 for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, and a half to a full container of ricotta cheese together, with a little minced parsley if you have it.

After the vegetables have roasted for 45 minutes, remove them from the oven and dollop your cheese mixture onto them in random blobs. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook up a pot of whole wheat penne or rigatoni. And if you need to use it up, you can crisp up 6-8 slices of bacon, then crumble.

To serve, plate the pasta, then scoop out a serving of vegetables with cheese. Top with crumbled bacon.

To her suggested vegetables, I added halved grape tomatoes and whole garlic cloves. I've also made up a pot of white rice and served the veggies over top of that rather than pasta and it is extremely delicious!

Zested Blueberry Scones

2009-09-01T23:48:00.006-04:00

2 c. flour

1/8 c. natural cane sugar

1 Tbls. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix above ingredients.

5 Tbls. butter

Cut into above mixture until crumbled well.

In a separate bowl, mix:

1 egg, beaten

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. blueberry yogurt

1/8 tsp. orange zest

Mix wet ingredients well, then add to dry ingredients. Knead lightly, adding flour if needed. Turn out onto floured surface, gently knead in :

1/2 c. frozen blueberries

Form into circle. Cut in 8 wedges. Place on greased or parchment covered cookie sheet.

Bake at 425 F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm, or cool and glaze with powdered sugar glaze, jam, or lemon curd.

Creamed Chipped Beef

2009-09-01T17:27:00.005-04:00

2 Tbls. butter

2 Tbls. flour

1 1/2 c. warm milk

1 - 8 Oz jar dried beef, rinsed and drained well, and cut into one inch pieces

pinch of cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Stir in beef and cayenne pepper. Heat through and serve over toast or biscuits.

Easy Wheat Bread

2009-08-29T15:30:00.002-04:00

1 Tbls. Honey

1 Tbls Brown Sugar

1 Tbls. Olive oil

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. hot tap water

2 Tbls. yeast

3 c. whole wheat flour

2 c. all purpose flour

Combine honey, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, and hot water. Add yeast. Sit a few minutes and let it proof.

Add flour, a little at a time, mixing well to incorporate. Turn out onto a well floured surface, kneading, adding more flour as necessary to make a smooth elastic dough. Place in a greased bowl. Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 12x15 inch rectangle. Starting at a short end, roll dough like a jelly roll. tucking ends under when finished. Place loaf onto a greased cookie sheet. Cut diagonal slits in top. Cover and let rise 30- 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F. For a softer crust, mix one egg and 2 Tbls. milk; beat with a fork, and brush over top of bread. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. For a crustier bread, do not apply egg wash. Half way through baking, spritz loaf lightly with water.

French Bread

2009-08-29T15:19:00.003-04:00

2 Tbls. sugar

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. hot tap water

5 cups flour

2 Tbls. yeast

Combine sugar, olive oil, salt, and hot water. Add yeast. Sit a few minutes and let it proof.

Yields two loaves.

Taco Grande

2009-08-15T00:17:00.005-04:00

Taco Grande

Ingredients:

8	(6-7 inch) flour tortillas, divided
1	pound lean ground beef
	taco seasoning mix

1	jar (16 ounces) salsa, divided

2	cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese blend, divided
1	green onion with top, sliced, divided
4	cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1/2	cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of round baking dish such as a quiche plate with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange four tortillas in bottom of baker, overlapping slightly.
In large (12-in.) skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking meat into small crumbles. Drain, if necessary. Add taco seasoning mix and water; cook according to package directions. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup of the salsa.
Spoon beef mixture evenly over tortillas in baker. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle half of the green onion over cheese. Top with remaining four tortillas, overlapping slightly and pressing down lightly. Spread remaining salsa over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onion.
Bake 28-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve with lettuce and sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings

Recipe adapted from Pampered Chef

Profiteroles

2009-08-15T00:10:00.002-04:00

1 cup milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons prepared coffee
Good vanilla ice cream (recommended: Haagen-Daazs), for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat until scalded. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the eggs and pulse until the eggs are incorporated into the dough and the mixture is thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/2 inches wide and 1-inch high onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have about 18 puffs. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 10 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape. Set aside to cool.

For the chocolate sauce, place the cream and chocolate chips in a bowl set over simmering water and stir just until the chocolate melts. Add the honey and coffee and stir until smooth. Set aside.

For serving, cut each profiterole in half crosswise, fill with a small scoop of ice cream, replace the top, and drizzle with slightly warm chocolate sauce.

Recipe from Ina Garten

Peach Cream Freeze

2009-08-12T09:46:00.005-04:00

1 22 oz. can peach pie filling

1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 can crushed pineapple

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. almond extract

8 oz. Cool Whip

Mix first 5 ingredients together with a hand mixer. Fold in Cool whip. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan, cover and freeze. Let sit out of freezer 5 minutes before serving for easier cutting.

Chocolate Biscotti

2009-08-02T09:12:00.003-04:00

1/2 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. chocolate chips

Grease a cookie sheet.

Beat butter. Add sugar, cocoa, and baking powder. Mix well. Beat in eggs. Beat in flour. Mix in chocolate chips.

Shape dough into 2 9 inch long rolls. Flatten slightly until about 2 inches wide.

Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes. Cool for one hour on cookie sheet.

Using a serrated knife, cut loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices on their sides on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 F for 8 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for an additional 7-9 minutes. Cool.

Wafer Wedding Cookies

2009-08-01T10:53:00.004-04:00

Wafer:

1 c. butter or margarine

2 c. flour

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

Mix butter, flour, and cream. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll dough to 1/8 thickness on floured board. Cut in 1/2 inch rounds. Transfer to wax paper heavily sprinkled with sugar. Coat both sides. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and prick all over with the tines if a fork. Bake 7-9 minutes or until slightly puffy.

Filling:

1/4 c butter

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. If desired tint, pink, green, or any color to match your wedding or special occasion.

Ham Barbeque Sandwiches

2009-08-01T10:47:00.002-04:00

This easy recipe is always a crowd pleaser!

2-3 lbs. cooked ham from the deli, shaved (Make sure you look for cooked ham or chipped ham if you live in PA!)

1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce

gingerale ( enough to refill the chili sauce bottle)

2 tsp. mustard

1 Tbls. vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

Combine all sauce ingredients in crock pot, slice ham and add to sauce. Cook on high for about 2 hours, or low for 4-6 hours. Serve on rolls of your choice.

Blackberry Jam

2009-07-23T00:23:00.002-04:00

8 cups blackberries

1/3 c. lemon juice

5 1/2 c. sugar

1 box powdered Sure Gel

1 T. butter

Wash berries. Place in a blender and puree.

Place puree in a heavy pot, and cook over med-high heat about 20 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat.

One cup at a time, run the cooked berries through a food mill to remove some seeds.

Make sure your jars are prepared: washed in hot soapy water. You can keep them hot until you are ready to use them by placing them in an oven preheated to 200 F.

Bring a small pot of water to boil; remove from heat. Add jar lids and rings. Let sit until ready to use. (They should still be hot!)

Measure 4 1/2 c. berries/juice back into heavy pot. Add Sure Gel and, lemon juice. Add 1 T. butter.

Measure the exact amount of sugar into separate bowl. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, on high heat, stirring constantly.

Stir in sugar quickly. Return to full boil. Boil 1 minute, exactly.

Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 " from tops. Cover with lids. Screw rings on. Hot water process for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 pints.

Jalapeno Jelly

2009-07-16T08:42:00.001-04:00

3/4 lb of jalapenos, cored and seeded
2 cups apple-cider vinegar
6 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin
3 drops of green food coloring (optional)

Wearing gloves, wash, seed, and core the jalapenos. Puree them in a food processor with 1 cup of vinegar. Pour into a medium sized pot. Add the other cup of vinegar and all the sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Add the pectin and let it rapidly boil for one minute. Remove from heat and skim the top if needed. If desired, you can add food coloring.

Ladle jelly into clean, warm canning jars leaving a 1/4″ head space. Wipe the rim of the jar and put on sterile lid. Screw on the top. Put in water bath for 10 minutes. Remove, let cool, and check for good seal.

Serve with crackers and/or cream cheese.

Recipe from Ball Blue Book

Strawberry Candies

2009-06-26T10:38:00.003-04:00

15 oz can Eagle Brand Milk

1 pound ground fine coconut

7 oz. almond paste

2 boxes Strawberry Jello (regular size)

4 oz. red sugar to roll berries in

strawberry stems

Mix Eagle Brand Milk, coconut, almond paste, and Jello. Refrigerate for one hour. Roll into small balls and shape like strawberries. Roll in red sugar. Insert strawberry stem.

Refrigerate in tins or Tupperware containers. This also freezes well.

Cream Cheese Mints

2009-06-25T23:53:00.001-04:00

otherwise known as : Wedding Mints

3 oz cream cheese at room temperature

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar peppermint oil, or other flavor of your choosing

granulated sugar

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Start with 4 drops of flavoring, and then carefully add flavoring and coloring as desired. Knead until consistency of pie dough. Add more powdered sugar if necessary. Take a small pinch and roll into a ball, and roll the ball in granulated sugar. Press into molds, and unmold at once onto waxed paper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freezer.

Grape Salad

2009-06-21T22:01:00.002-04:00

2 lbs. green grapes

2 lbs. red grapes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Wash and stem grapes.
Set aside.
Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla by hand until blended.
Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving bowl or a large rectangular baking dish.
For topping: Combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans.
Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Refrigerate overnight.

This recipe could easily be halved.

Strawberry Pinwheels

2009-06-11T08:51:00.002-04:00

Strawberry Pinwheels
recipe from Sarah at Short Stop

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves
1/2 chopped almonds, optional

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt and beat on low speed until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. On a generously floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness to make a large rectangle. Trim off edges to make perfect rectangular shape. Cut into 2-inch squares with pizza cutter, making as many rows as the rectangle will allow. (I made 6 rows across, 5 rows down).

On each square, cut from each corner to 1/4 inch from center. Spread with 1/4 teaspoon jam. Bring every other point to center and press together to form pinwheel. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling racks. Cool completely.

Paula Deen's Coconut Cake

2009-05-14T18:55:00.002-04:00

One 18 1/4-ounce package yellow pudding cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 ounces shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350*

Make cake by following directions on the package but substitute milk for the water. Divide and bake in three 9-inch round cake pans for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then remove from pans.

Stir together sour cream, sugar and coconut. Spread between slightly warm layers, piercing each layer as you stack them. Store cake in container in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. This allows cake to soak up moisture from the coconut.

On the third day, prepare icing for cake.

ICING

2 unbeaten egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons light corn syrup or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup cold water
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (I use clear vanilla to keep the icing white)
Additional coconut to top icing (about 1/2 cup )

Place all ingredients except vanilla and additional coconut in top of a double boiler, but do not place over heat. Beat for one minute with an electric hand mixer.

Place over boiling water and cook, beating constantly, until frosting forms stiff peaks (about 7 minutes). Remove from boiling water.

Add vanilla and beat until it reaches spreading consistency (about 2 minutes).

Frost sides and then top of cake. Sprinkle with additional coconut.

Cover and store cake at room temperature.

Derby Pie

2009-05-01T10:34:00.002-04:00

Derby Pie

2 eggs
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. softened butter
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
9" unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Beat in flour, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in softened butter. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 55-60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean, and top is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Vanilla Yogurt

2009-04-30T18:03:00.003-04:00

Jan, a reader, emailed to ask me why this recipe wasn't on Mama's Fixins. Did I prefer the first recipe, or this one that I had posted at Unless the Lord. THIS is the one that I make several times a week for my own family. The other yogurt recipe is great, too, but my family prefers the sweeter, vanilla version. You could still make this version minus the sugar and vanilla to make it plain if you like.

Vanilla Yogurt

8 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 packet unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c plain yogurt

Preheat the crockpot on high. On the stovetop, combine milk, heavy cream, sugar, gelatin and vanilla in a large pot. Bring to 200 F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Place pot in a sink filled with ice water, stir constantly until milk mixture is 115 F. Spoon out 2 cups, and whisk in plain yogurt. Add all to crockpot, unplug, and cover with bath towels for insulation. Let sit for 8 hours. Uncover and refrigerate.

Beer Bread

2009-04-15T17:06:00.003-04:00

This bread is really a quick bread with no kneading, and no yeast. No Yeast? Yep... that's where the beer comes in.

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbls. baking powder

3 Tbls. sugar

12 ounce can or bottle of beer

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix all together. Pour into lightly sprayed bread pan. Melt 1/3 stick butter, and pour over the top. Bake for 40 minutes. Melt another 1/3 stick butter. Pour over top, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Melt the last 1/3 stick of butter, and pour over the top. Bake 5- 10 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Casserole

2009-04-08T19:50:00.005-04:00

I was trying to imitate Cracker Barrel's Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Skillet, and made this casserole up. The entire family was pleased with the results.

24 oz. frozen shredded-style hash brown potatoes

1 can cream of potato soup

1 c. sour cream

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

2 broccoli crowns, cut up

3 c. cooked chicken, cut or torn into bite size pieces

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1/2 c. milk

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

4 T. Melted butter

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sour cream, cream of potato soup, garlic salt and 1 c. cheddar cheese. Mix well. Place potato mixture into an 11 x 15 baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. If you have a smaller family, you can alternately use two smaller baking dishes, and freeze one when it's complete. Bake at 350 for one hour for the larger casserole, 40 minutes for the smaller.

In the meantime, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Drop broccoli crowns into the boiling water, and cook for 3 minutes. Drain well. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine cream of chicken and cream of celery soups with 1/2 c. milk. When hot, add 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Remove from heat.

After the potato portion of the casserole has baked, cover it with the chicken and broccoli. Pour soup/cheese mixture over all.

Top with Ritz cracker/ melted butter combination and bake an additional 30 minutes at 350.

Serves 8-10 with generous portions.

Sausage and Spinach Penne with Creamy Garlic Sauce

2009-03-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I get the urge to create something new, and pasta is always a hit. This time was no different.

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. bulk hot sausage

10 oz. cherry tomatoes

10 ounces fresh spinach

2 lb. penne pasta

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. butter

3 oz. 3 cheese blend (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano)

Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

In a large skillet, brown sausage and drain grease. Set meat aside.

Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile:

Add 2 T olive oil to skillet, and saute garlic. Rough chop spinach and add to skillet. Cook until wilted. Wash and half cherry tomatoes. Add to skillet. Cook about 3 minutes. Add 1 tsp. Kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes.

Drain pasta, and toss with sausage, and spinach/tomato mixture. Cover. Place skillet back on stove top over medium heat. Melt 1/4 c. butter, and whisk in 1/2 c heavy cream. Pour over pasta mixture. Toss well. Sprinkle with cheese blend and serve immediately.

Yogurt

2009-02-26T09:30:00.002-05:00

8 c whole milk

1/2 c. plain yogurt

3 Tbls. nonfat dry milk

Preheat crockpot on low.

Heat milk on stove top to 200 F, stirring constantly as not to burn. Place warmed milk in crockpot, and let cool to 115 F. Whisk in yogurt, and dry milk. Cover.

Unplug crockpot, and wrap in bath towels. Let rest for 8 hours.

Refrigerate. If desired, line colander with coffee filter, and set over a bowl. Spoon yogurt into colander, and let whey drain.

Raised Waffles

2009-02-13T20:50:00.005-05:00

*Raised Waffles*

In a large mixing bowl mix
1/2 c. water
and 1 T. yeast.

While the yeast is dissolving, melt
1 stick butter in
2 c. milk.
Let cool until comfortable to touch, so you don't kill the yeast.

When cool, add milk and butter mixture to yeast, along with:
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
2 c. whole wheat flour
and use a rotary beater to smooth the lumps out.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight.

In the morning, mix in
2 eggs
and 1/4 t. baking soda.

If you have to keep them warm for a few minutes before serving, slide waffles directly onto the oven rack with the oven turned on as low as possible. They'll stay crisp that way. Under no circumstances should you stack them or cover them on a platter!

Recipe originally found at Pleasant View Schoolhouse

Buffalo Wing Hot Dip

2009-02-01T23:31:00.002-05:00

2- 8 oz. pkgs. Cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce
1 c. bleu cheese dressing
3 c. cooked diced chicken
1 1/4 c. freshly shredded cheddar cheese (NOT the stuff in a bag)

Combine all ingredients, and mix well. Spread in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips, Ritz crackers, or celery sticks for dipping.

Apple Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Strata

2009-01-08T19:13:00.005-05:00

1 (1 pound) loaf cinnamon raisin bread, cubed
1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups diced, peeled apples
8 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 1/4 cups skim milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread cream cheese thinly over bread slices. Stack slices, and cut to cube the bread. Layer half the bread cubes in the baking dish. Place diced apples over first layer of bread cubes. Top with remaining bread cubes.

Combine eggs, half-and-half, milk, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour over all other ingredients. Cover and refrigerate over night, or at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Remove cover from strata, and place in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with more maple syrup.

Orange Cracker Dessert

2009-01-05T17:15:00.000-05:00

1/2 lb. Ritz crackers (crushed)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 6oz. can frozen orange juice (thawed)
2 small cans mandarin oranges (drained)
1 8oz. Cool Whip

Mix crackers with sugar and margarine. Press into a greased 9x13 pan, saving some crumbs for the topping. Mix the remaining ingredients together with a spoon. Spoon on top of the crust and sprinkle remaining crumbs over the top. Refrigerate.

Strawberry Banana Fruit Dip

2009-01-03T10:52:00.002-05:00

1- 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1- 7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
splash of V-8 Strawberry Banana Fruit Smoothie

Whip cream cheese. Mix in marshmallow creme. Add a splash of V-8. Mix well. Taste. You can adjust the amount of v-8 to your taste, but this should be a thick dip.

Schoolhouse Thai Beef and Rice

2009-01-03T10:30:00.004-05:00

Anna, from Pleasant View Schoolhouse generously allowed me to post this fabulous recipe here. It's mild and delicious. And oh, so easy!

•Schoolhouse Thai Beef and Rice•

In a large skillet, saute:
1 lb. ground round and
1 chopped onion.

When almost done, add:
2 minced garlic cloves
red pepper flakes to taste. I use about 1/2 t.
4 carrots, thinly sliced.

Add:
2 c. jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk, regular or light
enough water, to equal 4 cups of liquid total
1/4 c. tamari sauce.

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Serve with crushed dry-roasted peanuts, and a squeeze of lime. Cilantro, too, if you're a fan.

Anna says, "Feeds about 8 people generously." My thoughts? Which 8 people? We're a family of big eaters. I used 2 lb. ground round, 1 chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 3 cups jasmine rice, 2 cans coconut milk and enough water to make 6 cups liquid, and between 1/3 and 1/2 c. tamari sauce. It fed six of us, and there's enough left for someone's lunch. Granted, several of us had two plates, while one of us had three plates! Had my boys been home, it would have all gone, easily!

Corn Pudding...a sidedish, not dessert!

2008-12-31T09:12:00.002-05:00

2 cans whole kernel corn, with juice
2 cans cream style corn
1 stick margarine, sliced
1 cup sour cream
2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix

Into your crockpot, pour all cans of corn. Whisk in sour cream. Distribute pats of margarine, and add corn muffin mix. Mix well. Cover and place on high about 3 hours until pudding is set.

Chocolate Mug Cake

2008-12-20T23:48:00.000-05:00

CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

1 Coffee Mug
4 T. flour(that's plain flour, not self-rising)
4 T. sugar
2 T. cocoa
1 egg
3 T. milk
3 T. oil
3 T. choc. chips
Small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix
thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000
watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be
alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate, if desired.
EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any
time of the day or night!

Shortbread Cookies

2008-12-16T10:47:00.003-05:00

1 stick butter, softened
1 stick Land O' Lakes margarine, softened
1/2 c + 2 T sugar
2 1/2 c all purpose flour

Cream butter, margarine and sugar. Add flour and mix well. Mixture will be crumbly.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well.

Preheat oven to 325 F. On a floured surface ( I use part powdered sugar so as not to make the dough tough), roll dough out to 1/8" thick. Cut shapes.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 7 minutes, sprinkle with granulated sugar and return to oven for anther 6-7 minutes. Cookies should be very lightly brown.

These are fragile, so handle them with care when removing from baking sheets and packaging them.

Chocolate Apple Spice Cake

2008-12-10T09:44:00.002-05:00

Cream together:

3 eggs
1/2 c. water
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 sticks margarine

Sift together:

2 1/2 c. flour
3 T baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice

Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix well.

Fold in:

1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
2 1/2 c. chopped apple
1 T vanilla

Thoroughly grease and flour a bundt pan. Bake at 325 F for 60-75 minutes.

Orange Marmalade

2008-11-26T13:56:00.004-05:00

10 oranges
6 lemons
4 1/2 cups water
19 1/2 cups sugar
4 pouches liquid Certo pectin
1/4 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. butter

Wash and prepare jars. You can keep them warm in a 200 F oven until you're ready to use them.

Wash fruit. Remove only the colored part of the rinds from the oranges and lemons. Chop and place in a large stock pot. ( Hint: I did this for half of the fruit, and for the other half, I used the Pampered Chef Microplane to grate the rinds. It worked beautifully!) Add water and baking soda. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile,trim and discard the white pith from the fruit. Chop fruit taking care to remove any seeds, and saving juice. Add the juice and fruit to the rinds. Bring to another boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Measure out fruit and liquid, making sure you have 12 cups. Return to pot.
Add pectin and butter. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring.

Add sugar. Bring to a boil(this may take some time) and cook 1 minute, stirring and making sure sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, and let set for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle into clean, hot jars. Wipe rims of jars with clean rag. Place seals and rings on jar tops.

Place into a hot water bath and process for 10 minutes. Remove from bath and set on tea towels until cool. You should hear the lids popping. After several hours, test the lids by pressing on them. If they are sealed well, you won't be able to press down on the lid. If the lid moves down at all, you must refrigerate your marmalade and use it within 3 weeks.

This recipe yields 26 half pint jars, or 13 pints.

Red Lobster Rolls

2008-11-14T08:29:00.003-05:00

2 cups Bisquick
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese-grated
3/4 to 1 c milk

Topping:
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Mix cheese and Bisquick. Add milk. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 425. Brush topping on rolls when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Cheeseburger Soup

2008-11-14T08:19:00.003-05:00

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 c chopped onion
3/4 c diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 Tbls butter or margarine, divided
3 c chicken broth
4 c diced peeled potatoes
1/4 c flour
8 oz American cheese
1 1/2 c milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3 quart saucepan, brown beef. Drain and set aside.
In the same pan, saute 1 T butter with onion, celery, basil and parsley until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth and potatoes. Return meat back to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or skillet, melt the remaining butter. Add flour. Cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup, and bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Yields 2 1/4 quarts. (About 8 servings)

Bavarian Apple Torte

2008-10-30T08:41:00.006-04:00

1/2 c butter
1/3 c sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 c flour
2 – 8 oz pkg.cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
3 c thinly sliced apples
½ c sliced almonds

Base: Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Blend in flour. Spread dough on bottom of a greased 9 or 10” spring-form pan.
Filling: Beat softened cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pastry-lined pan.
Topping: Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Toss apples in sugar mix and arrange in orderly fashion. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 400F for 10 min. Reduce temp to 375F. Continue baking 45 min. Cool slightly before removing rim of pan.

recipe slightly adapted from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Apple and Tomato Chutney

2008-10-10T17:42:00.003-04:00

2 lb. apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 lb. tomatoes, sliced
3/4 lb. onions, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, skinned and chopped
4 oz. California raisins
4 oz. golden raisins
3/4 lb. Demerara sugar
1/2 oz. mustard seed, tied in muslin
1/2 oz. curry powder
1 level teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 oz. salt
30 oz. malt vinegar

Measure all apples, tomatoes, and onions AFTER they have been peeled and chopped!

Stew the apples in a very small quantity of water until tender. Put the apples, tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the raisins, sugar, spices, salt and vinegar into a large pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the consistency is thick and there is no free liquid. (This takes several hours!) Stir often, and keep a close eye so it does not burn.

Remove the muslin bag, placing chutney into hot, sterile jars. Cover. Turn over on the counter immediately for one hour. Turn right side up, and jars should seal in a short time. If they do not, refrigerate them.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

2008-10-10T17:07:00.002-04:00

Streusel:
¼ c brown sugar
¼ c sugar
¼ c flour
¼ c rolled oats
¼ c slivered almonds
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp butter

Cake:
1/2 c butter (room temp)
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp each: soda, salt
¼ tsp each: ginger, nutmeg
pinch cloves

Filling:
½ cup unsweetened applesauce

Combine streusel ingredients, cutting in the butter to make crumbs; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar and beat in eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Spoon 1/2 into greased 10”springform pan. Spread applesauce over batter.( I spread it, leaving a hole in the center because otherwise the cake looks like it’s not done in the middle once you slice it.) Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Spoon remaining batter evenly over streusel and then spread carefully. Top with remaining streusel. Bake at 350F for 50 - 55 min. or until cake tests done. Cool 10 min: remove outside ring.

Combine glaze ingredients: 1/2 c icing sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 Tbsp hot water
Drizzle over coffee cake.

I found this recipe at Mennonite Girls Can Co ok.

Ground Beef Casserole for the Crock Pot

2008-09-25T13:04:00.003-04:00

1 1/2 pounds ground meat
6-8 potatoes, washed and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 -14 1/2 oz. can green beans with juice
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

Crumble uncooked ground beef in the bottom of the crock pot. Add potatoes, onions, salt and pepper. Pour green beans over all. Spread soup over beans. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

2008-09-11T18:20:00.005-04:00

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons)
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar; divided
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for rolling in

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced by half. Add 1 stick butter; stir until melted.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream remaining stick butter and 1 cup sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer. Mix in egg and lemon butter. Mix until pale, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla and 2 teaspoons zest. Mix in flour mixture and poppy seeds.
Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest and 1 tsp. poppy seeds. Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll them in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each with the flat end of a glass dipped in sugar mixture until 1/4 inch thick.
Bake until just browned around bottom edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2004

♥ Hummus

2008-08-14T12:45:00.003-04:00

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 T. tahini
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 T. olive oil

Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid from the can. Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread.

May be stored in refrigerator for 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

Tahini

2008-08-14T12:39:00.002-04:00

1/2 cup sesame seeds
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place sesame seeds in a baking dish, and roast for 5-10 minutes. Do not let them brown. Cool for 20 minutes or so. In a food processor, add sesame seeds, and a small amount of olive oil to make a thin paste. Store in refrigerator or use immediately.

Oriental Salad

2008-08-14T12:33:00.006-04:00

3# bag of coleslaw mix, OR large head of Napa cabbage

Crunchies:
1 stick butter
2 pkgs. ramen noodles, with seasoning, broken into small pieces
2 T. sesame seeds
1 small pkg. almonds

Melt butter and brown all crunchy ingredients. Cool.

Dressing:
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 T. sesame oil
1/2 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. soy sauce

Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Cool.

Toss cabbage, crunchies, and dressing together just before serving.

Pork Fried Rice

2008-08-14T12:29:00.004-04:00

4-5 pork chops, cut into cubes
4 cups cooked rice
1 dozen eggs
4 onions, diced
2 cans mushrooms, drained

In a large skillet, brown pork and onions in butter until moisture evaporates. Beat eggs, and pour over pork and onions. Stir until thoroughly cooked. Add a small amount of vegetable oil to the skillet, and fry rice with other ingredients. You may need to do this in batches.

Hot Fudge Cake

2008-08-06T20:25:00.002-04:00

This is a wonderful cake-like pudding, with its own hot fudge sauce!

2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp.salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1 c. milk
1/4 c. shortening, melted
1 c. nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in milk and shortening. Add nuts. Spread in a 9 x 13 pan.

Combine:
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. baking cocoa

Sprinkle over cake mixture.

Pour:
3 c. hot water over entire batter. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Penne with Fresh Tomato Sauce

2008-08-05T12:16:00.004-04:00

I love making pasta with ingredients that I have on hand for an quick meal. This time it was Penne pasta, and garden fresh tomatoes.

1 pound box Penne pasta
3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced Use any variety you like from Big Boy to Roma, they're all delicious!
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
basil

Cook pasta according to package directions. In the meantime, in a large skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil and add the fresh pressed or minced garlic to it. Saute until soft. Add in diced tomatoes. Add 1 tsp basil, 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Drain the noodles, and toss with sauce. Serve with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese if desired.

Roasted Asparagus

2008-07-30T19:11:00.003-04:00

1 bunch asparagus
kosher salt
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Wash the asparagus. Snap off the hard ends. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. lay asparagus out on foil covered tray. Drizzle with olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Place in oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn asparagus making sure that all is covered lightly in oil. Bake 6 minutes more.

Cherry Pie

2008-07-30T16:23:00.005-04:00

Never Fail Pie Crust
4 Tbls Minute Tapioca
2 Tbls corn starch
1 cup sugar
2 cans (14.5 ounces) tart cherries, drained, NOT pie filling; Use 3 cans for a deep pie dish
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 Tbls butter

Prepare pie crust. Preheat oven to 425 F. In a bowl, combine cherries, tapioca, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, and almond.

Place bottom crust in pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 Tbls. flour. Pour cherry mixture into crust. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust, or lattice crust. Brush crust with milk, and sprinkle with sugar.

Place pie on middle rack in the oven, and bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

2008-07-28T12:10:00.002-04:00

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (15 oz.)
2 tablespoons roasted garlic
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin

Preparation: In a food processor, process beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano, and cumin until desired consistency. If hummus is too thick, simply add olive oil in small increments(1/2 teaspoon) until desired consistency.

Serve with pita chips or veggies.

Roasted Garlic

2008-07-28T12:01:00.004-04:00

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Peel away the outer layers of the skin on the garlic bulb, making sure to leave the skin around the individual cloves. Using a sharp knife, cut off about 1/2 inch from the top of the cloves.

Place the garlic, cut side up into a muffin tin. Drizzle with olive oil.

Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 -35 minutes.

Cool. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. Eat as is, or use in desired recipes!

Randi's Gyros

2008-07-28T11:42:00.004-04:00

Gyro Meat
1 cup minced onion
4 cloves minced garlic
2 pounds ground pork
4 TB. lemon juice
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin

Saute onion and garlic in a bit of oil until onion is transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients to the onion mixture and cook until the meat is browned.

Sauce:
8 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

Combine all sauce ingredients and chill until ready to use.

Basically, you put some meat, some sauce, and some lettuce, tomato, red onion, olives, sliced cucumber and banana peppers in a pita pocket and enjoy!

Thanks to Randi at i have to say... for allowing me to post her recipe here! It's a hit each time I make them.

Peach Pie

2008-07-26T23:54:00.010-04:00

Never Fail Pie Crust
5 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
2 Tbls. lemon juice
1 3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
2 1/2 Tbls. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbls. butter
2 Tbls. Minute tapioca

Prepare your peaches by placing them in a pot of boiling water for two minutes.

Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in a bath of VERY cold water for two minutes.

The skins should peel off easily at this point. With a paring knife, cut the peach into eighths, and pull the sections away from the stone.

Prepare pie crust. Sprinkle 1/2 Tbls . flour into bottom of pie plate. Put bottom crust into plate. Sprinkle with tapioca.

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

In a bowl, combine peaches, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cornstarch, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Toss until well mixed.

Pour into pie crust and dot with butter. Roll out pie dough, and cut it into long strips. Place them in a criss-cross fashion. You don't have to weave them, but it really isn't difficult. (Alternately, you can use a cookie cutter and cut shapes like the stars shown above, laying them on top of the pie filling.) Crimp edges.

Brush crust with milk, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F, and bake 40 minutes longer.

Cool before serving.

Homemade Pita Bread

2008-07-26T23:43:00.013-04:00

1 Tbls active dry yeast
1 Tbls. sugar or honey
1 1/2 c warm water
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
1 Tbls olive oil

Combine 1/2 c of the water with the sugar or honey and yeast. Let it stand for about 10 minutes, until it has a nice "head" on it.

Add the salt to the flour. Make a well in the flour mixture, and pour the yeast mixture into it. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Add the remaining cup of water, and mix well.

Turn mixture out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until an elastic dough is reached. Return dough to bowl, and add olive oil. Turn dough in oil so it is fully coated. Cover with a towel, and let sit for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until dough is double in size.

Punch the dough down, and divide into 12 portions. Shape into balls. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 500 F. Roll each portion of dough into a disc, about 6 inches in diameter.
Place the discs onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Let rest for 5 minutes. Place on lowest rack in oven and bake for 4 minutes.The discs should puff up during this time.

Flip the discs, and bake 2 minutes longer. Remove to a cooling rack, and cover with a clean tea towel. Cut in half to reveal the pocket. You may have to use a knife to separate the very edge of the pocket since it may have sealed when you cut it in half.

Store in a Ziploc bag for up to one week, or freeze for up to a month.

Farfalle with Asparagus and Zucchini

2008-07-26T23:35:00.004-04:00

12 oz Farfalle (Bowtie) pasta
1 1/2 c. asparagus, washed and sliced diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 c. zucchini, quartered and sliced
olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
kosher salt

Bring water to a boil, and cook Farfalle pasta 12 minutes until al dente. In the meantime, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add in asparagus, and zucchini. Increase heat to medium. Saute until tender crisp. Add 1 tsp. kosher salt.

Drain pasta, and toss with sauteed vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Orzo Salad

2008-07-22T18:47:00.004-04:00

I found this recipe at Carrie's blog, With All that I've Been Given. She graciously gave me the okay to share it with you here. This salad is light and delicious, and is wonderful all on its own as well as an accompaniment to any meal.

Orzo, in case you aren't familiar with it, is a small rice-shaped pasta.

4 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. orzo
1/3 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. diced Roma tomato
1/4 c. diced red onion
1 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper
red wine vinaigrette (recipe below)

Bring broth to a boil in a covered saucepan. Cook for 8-9 minutes until orzo is tender. Drain and cool. Toss the orzo with remaining ingredients.

red wine vinaigrette:

1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/8 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil

Mix ingredients well using a whisk or blender.