Best Sugar Cookies

The best, most mouthwatering sugar cookies.  Usually I just scoop them onto the cookie sheet.  Today I will try  crushed candy canes in them. =)

1 1/4 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter flavored shortening
2 eggs
1/4 Cup light corn syrup or regular pancake syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 Cups all purpose flour (plus 4 Tbsp divided)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine sugar and shortening in large bowl.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs, syrup and vanilla.  Beat until fluffy.

3. Combine the 3 cups flour, baking powder,  baking soda and salt.  Add gradually to cream mixture at low speed.

*Here is where I scoop this deliciousness onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes usually. =)

For cookie cutters:

1. Divide dough into 4 quarters.  (If dough is too sticky or soft, wrap each quarter in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 1 hour.)

2.  Spread 1 Tbsp. flour on waxed paper place 1/4 of dough  on paper and flatten slightly.   Cover with another sheet of waxed paper and roll to 1/4 thickness.

Cut with floured cutters, transfer to cookie sheet, and bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 9 minutes.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen

The only way my kids will eat zucchini...sigh.

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

frosting

• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 209 | Total Fat: 8.6g | Cholesterol: < 1mg

Peach Cream Pie

Yummy peach pie I always make when I have fresh peaches. =)  Which is today!  Lucky me!!!!

Crust:
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter

Filling:
4 cups peaches, sliced
1 cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons AP flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream

Topping:
1/3 sugar
1/3 cup AP flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Crust:
Combine flour and salt.  Cut in butter until crumble.  Press into a 9 inch pie pan.

Filling:
Place peaches in a bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.  Combine flour, egg, banilla , salt and remaining sugar; fold in sour cream.  Stir into peaches; pour in to crust.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees.  Bake for 20 minutes

Topping:
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over the pie.  Return oven temp to 400 bake 15 more minutes.


YUM!!
(I don't necessarily use the crust part, but I have (I think) and it is good.)

Smoothie Pops!

Getting my kids (especially my youngest) to eat fruits and veggies is like pulling teeth, and then trying to replace them...

But he loves green!  So the smoothie pop was born.  It is just smoothies poured into popsicle molds and frozen.

The green is spinach.  Spinach is the most amazing good for you food; at least that's what they taught me in nutrition class 2,000 years ago.  So I take frozen spinach and blend it in a blender with everything and yes, it turns everything green.  Sometimes it tastes like grass, too, (but my youngest eats it anyway because it is green) but yesterday it did not taste like grass. Here's how:

1/2  bag of frozen spinach (12 oz.) (blend in blender with some water or milk until fine)
1 tub plain yogurt (32 oz.)
1/2 cup sugar
enough milk or water to blend easily.

Freeze in popsicle mold.

Voila!!  Nutrition for my little man!

Potato Casserole

I don't know that I've ever done this as written.  Always a variation, like ham or lunch meat instead of bolongna; never measured the peas, potatoes, or cheese.  Today, I didn't use the can of soup at all--just the milk and about a tbsp. of flour and some garlic salt and adobo powder and no sage.  But here's the recipe anyway, in all it's unvaried glory:

3 cups bologna, cubed
4 medium potatoes, sliced
10 oz. frozen peas
1 can cream of (mushroom, celery, or cheddar cheese)
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/2 tsp. sage
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Combine potatoes and meat in a 6 cup casserole dish.  Cook frozen peas, add soup, milk, onion and sage.  Bring to boil; stir in cheese.  Pour over meat & potatoes.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.


Pretty easy!

Best Banana Bread

I've used this recipe for years--so moist!!

3 or 4 ripe bananas
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup melted butter

Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes in sprayed loaf pan.  (I go 60.)  Makes one loaf.

*Last time I did this I added 1/3 to 1/2 cup dry cocoa, and put it in cupcake liners and called it cupcakes.  Kids loved it!

*Also you can add chocolate chips.

Crockpot Chicken--my fav!

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I have used 4-6 breasts, also thighs)
1 pkg. dry zesty Italian dressing mix
1 cup chicken broth
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Put chicken in Crockpot with 1 cup chicken broth.  Sprinkle zesty Italian dressing mix over the tip.  Cook 2 hours.  Remove chicken and cut it up.  With chicken aside, add cream cheese and cream of chicken soup to the Crockpot.  Cook until bubbling.  Add chicken.  Serve over noodles or baked potatoes.

Grandma Grandma's Pie Crust

1 1/2  C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 C. shortening
1/3 C. cold water (can cool with ice)

Cut shortening into flour and salt.  Add water.  Mix into balls.  Refrigerate 10 minutes.  Roll on floured board.

Resurrection Rolls for Easter

RESURRECTION ROLLS: (from beinglds.com)


(Each ingredient represents something used to prepare Christ's body for burial.)

refrigerated crescent rolls, separated into triangles (linen)

large marshmallows (Christ's body)

melted butter (anointing oil)

cinnamon & sugar (spices used to prepare the body for burial)

oven (tomb)

As you help your children assemble these rolls, teach them what each item symbolizes.

1.  Dip one marshmallow in the melted butter.  


Teach your children that people who loved Jesus lovingly cared for his body after he died.
They used special anointing oils and expensive spices to prepare his body for burial.  This was customary, but also a way for them to show reverence and love for their friend.

2.  Cover the buttered marshmallow in the spices.

 3.  Wrap the marshmallow in the crescent roll (representing the linen used to cover Christ in the tomb.)

4.  Seal all edges, although you might want to allow a small hole (near the top) for marshmallow to evaporate and to create a tomb shape.

 

5.  Place all of the rolls on a greased pan and cook in a pre-heated oven.


Close "the tomb" tight...and "wait three days"...actually 12-13 minutes!

6.  Cook as instructed on crescent roll package.

(Usually 375 degrees for 13 minutes)

Tip:  I check near the end to make sure all of the marshmallow has evaporated before calling the children to check on "the third day." (You may need to wipe up excess mallow with a paper towel if it hasn't cooked off all the way.)

5.  Place all of the rolls on a greased pan and cook in a pre-heated oven.


Close "the tomb" tight...and "wait three days"...actually 12-13 minutes!

Original Favorite Cookies

I made these cookies in my early adulthood, and haven't made them forever.  But I include them because they were my favorites back then. =)

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 cups butter
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Delightful Raspberry Salad

Really, the name says it all!  Love this one!

P is for Pretzels

Tried these in Learning School for making Pretzels into the letter P.
They were quite yummy!!  But I didn't do the baking soda wash--just brushed them with butter and sprinkled with Kosher salt.


Original Recipe Yield 1 dozen pretzels

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan. Line 6 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place onto parchment covered baking sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Footnotes

• Editor's Note
• When forming the ropes, roll each one to about half the length you want, then set it aside while you roll the rest. By the time you get back to the first rope, it will have rested enough to roll further.
• A 3-foot long rope will make a pretzel approximately 8-inches in diameter. Plan on using one baking sheet for every two pretzels.

Five Minute Cake

From an Email Aunt A sent:

 

THE 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR ONE PERSON.......HOW NEAT

 

 

 

I'll send it to 2 people, then you send it to 2 people, and so on, and so on, and so on.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

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 (if using) and vanilla extract, 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 feel slightly more virtuous).

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!

I shared mine with my whole list cause if I'm gonna get fat you need to do it too!

Grandma R's Honey Candy

I wrote to an Aunt to see if she had a recipe for Grandma R's honey candy, and she sent this reply:
I make it all the time and Grandma R made it so many, many times, it seems she always had a batch of honey candy ready.  It is very easy to make, except the part that is tricky is getting it cooked to the right degree..

It is:    1 cup honey

          1 cup sugar

          1 cup cream
Stir together in a heavy cooking pan and  bring it to a boil and then turn the heat down.  It needs to cook kind of slowly, so it won't scorch.  Do not stir it while it cooks.  Continue cooking it  and test it every once in awhile by dropping a little into a dish, or a cup with cold water in it.  Keep cooking it until that "test" candy is almost brittle.  The candy sample almost "cracks" when it hits the water. If it isn't cooked long enough, then it is flat and soft and not right.  If it cooks too long, and is very hard and brittle, it will be impossible to pull it and make it  turn out right.

After it has cooked to that brittle stage, pour it into a buttered dripper pan  (like a cake pan) to cool.

When it is cool enough to handle, you butter your hands and then scoop the candy out of the pan and begin to pull it.  You keep pulling it until it is quite firm and holds it's shape and is not at all runny.  In fact you pull it until it is very stiff and too hard to pull any more.  Then you make it into a long rope and lay it out on the (buttered) counter.  Get the scissors and cut it up before it gets any harder.  That's it.  Just cut it into bite size pieces. 

The pioneers made this candy all the time, only they didn't have honey as much and they made it with molasses.  I have done that, but it is not as good as honey candy.  It is an old family tradition recipe.   Good luck!  Hope it turns out good and you enjoy it.

Marla's Divine Apple Dip

I threw the word "divine" in there to make it stand out because this is the most awesome simple recipe ever!  It tastes like caramel heaven.

1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

All you gotta do is blend  this together and *magic*!  The best apple dip ever!

Sister Hinckley Bread

I loved Marjorie Pay Hinckley's book, Small and Simple things.  In it, she shares a whole wheat bread recipe, which, if done like written is amazing!!  But I  have altered it to go in my bread maker, and halved the recipe.
BREADMAKER
1 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 C. water
1/4 cups honey or sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
2 cups white flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup powdered milk

ORIGINAL RECIPE VARIATION--HALVED
Dissolve 1 package dry yeast in 1/4 Cup water with 1 1/2 tsp. honey or sugar.  Mix with
1 3/4 cup warm water, 3/4 cup powdered milk, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs beaten, 1/3 cup honey, 1 Tbsp. salt, 1/2 to 1 cup white flour, and about 5 cups whole wheat flour.
Knead in bread mixer about 10 minutes.  Let rise until doubled.  Divide into 3 small loaves.  Knead and shape.  Let rise in greased pans.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Reduce to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

ORIGINAL RECIPE (from my notes)
Dissolve 2 pkg dry yeast in 1/2 cup water with 1/2 Tbsp. honey or sugar.  Mix with 3 1/2 cups warm water, 1 1/2 cups dry powdered milk, 1 cup oil, 4 eggs beaten,
3/4 cup honey, 2 Tbsp. salt, 1 or 2 cups white flour, about 10 cups whole wheat flour.
Knead and let rise until doubled.  Divide into 6 small loaves.  Knead and shape.  Let rise in greesed pans.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Reduce to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour.
Thank you, Sister Hinckley for sharing this bread recipe and so much else!  We love and miss you!

Peanutbutter Playdough (Edible)

My kids love this because it is so yummy!

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix peanut butter and Karo syrup together in a large mixing bowl.  Mix powdered sugar and dry milk together in another bowl.  Mix all ingredients together with a spoon.  Knead with hands and have fun!

(When I did this one today, it was a little wet, so I added more dry milk; it worked)

New Favorite Playdough Recipe--very soft

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tbls. vegetable oil

food coloring (I used 4 drops)

Just dump all the ingredients into your pot and give them a good stir.  Enlist some small help if possible – they will think you are magic.