Chrisy's Cookin'

Chocolate Cream Cake

2011-10-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

My stake has a tradition of having a dinner for all the women in the stake before the annual Church Women's broadcast. this year, our ward was in charge of the food. We had homemade cakes for dessert. Someone brought a Raspberry Torte (actually 4 of them). Someone else brought Coconut Cream Cakes. Another lady brought 4 Black forest Cakes. And a Chef in our ward brought 8 cheese cakes. They were all different, and all beautiful and all delicious. I was asked to bring 4 chocolate cakes. They couldn't be from a mix. I made two with whipped cream filling and chocolate butter cream frosting and two with chocolate filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting. This is the recipe I used.

Sour Cream Chocolate Layer Cake

2 cups cake flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

¼ cup hot water

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Chopped Nuts

In large bowl of mixer, stir together flour, sugar, soda and salt. Add sour cream, butter and eggs. Beat at low speed just until blended. Then beat at medium speed w minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. At low speed stir in chocolate. Add water and beat at medium speed 2 minutes more, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 in layer cake pans. Bake in preheated 350° oven about 25 to 30 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on racks 10 minutes, then invert on racks, remove from pans. Turn layers top sides up and let cool. Cut rounded tops of cakes. Fill with Chocolate Cream Filling between layers. Frost with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Garnish with chopped nuts or chocolate sprinkes.

Chocolate Cream Filling

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

Dash of salt

1 cup milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

In small saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Gradually beat in milk with whisk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and beat in egg. Return to low heat for 30 seconds while beating. Add chocolate and beat until melted. Beat in vanilla. Remove from heat and place plastic wrap directly over top on filling to keep skin from forming. Chill. Stir before using.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (3 ounce) cream cheese, (softened)

2 tablespoons butter

2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled.

2 ½ cups unsifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

In small bowl of mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and smooth. Stir in chocolate and salt, add sugar alternately with half and half, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Stabilized Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

¼ cup cold water

3 cups heavy whipping cream

¾ cup powdered sugar

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Combine gelatin with water in a small saucepan. Let stand until thick. Over low heat, stir constantly until just dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (It should still be liquid). Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until slightly thick in a large mixing bowl. Turn mixer on low and gradually add the gelatin, then beat on high until the cream is thick.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

4 tablespoons cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons softened butter

2-3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cocoa and powdered sugar in missing bowl. Add softened butter, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Zucchini Bread

2011-09-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Charis called me yesterday looking for this recipe. I didn't know I hadn't posted it here.
When I was engaged, Emma made me a file of her favorite recipes. Many of them became my "go to" recipes as I learned to cook for my family. This is one of the recipes she gave me.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs well beaten

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup oil

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

½ tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix eggs, sugars, oil, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, zucchini and nuts. Let sit 20 minutes. Grease 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse

2011-02-17T12:34:00.000-08:00

When I was in college, I spent one semester living at the Sill Home Living Center on the University of Utah campus. It was the best experience I had while I was in college. I loved it. I lived there with my best friend, Sharon Hale. I learned a ton and had a lot of fun. Shortly after I lived there, they did away with the Home Living Center. Now it is just called, The Sterling W. Sill Building. One of Dallin's professors has her office in the building now. I think it is so sad. But I guess they think that the education we got there, is not neccessary in today's world.

A few months after we finished our semester there, all the girls that had lived there together, gathered for dinner. I was in charge of dessert. I made Chocolate Mousse. I never made it agian until Valentine's day this year. It was really good. Allan really liked it. I piped it into small heart shaped cups, I had made out of chocolate. They were quite pretty and delicious.

Chocolate Mousse

4 oz bar of high quality dark chocolate (Ghiradelli) Use 7 of the 8 squares (use last square as a garnish)

10 oz heavy whipping cream

¼ cup extra fine granulated sugar (not powdered) or just grind regular sugar in food processor

1 large egg white

1 tsp. almond extract

Break chocolate into small pieces and set aside

In a small saucepan, heat half of the cream until it begins to boil. Turn off heat, add the chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixtureinto a bowl set over a large bowl of ice water and add the rest of the cream and almond extract. Using a hand held electric whisk, beat the mixture to soft peaks. Remove the bowl fromg the iced water.

Separate egg white into a bowl (glass or metal)

Whisk the egg white with a handheld electric beater until stiff peaks form. Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whisking to a soft meringue.

Carefully fold the meringue through the chocolate mixture, then spoon into chilled serving glasses.

Or refrigerate and when cold, pipe into serving cups.

Chill before serving.

Cherry Cordial Popcorn

2011-02-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

We have two girls in our ward who were baptized last spring. They are both so cute. I just love them dearly. They were both born in our ward. Both their parents had been members of the church since they were in high school. But they hadn't attended in years. They were active in another church. Their family attended the open house of the Draper Temple. Nicole and Ashley were so excited by it that they convinced their parents to let them have the discussions. The whole family started coming to church. They will be going through the temple and being sealed at the end of the month. They are so happy. Lisa, the mom, is now my visiting teaching partner. I have never had such a committed partner. They are just an amazing family. I'm so excited for them.

Last week, they brought me some Cherry Cordial Popcorn for my birthday. It was so yummy, I decided I should figure out how to make it.

Cherry Cordial Popcorn

4 quarts popped corn

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Cherry flavoring oil (available at bakers supply stores like Baker's Cash & Carry)

red food coloring

semi sweet molding chocolate

white molding chocolate

Keep freshly-popped orn warm in large baking pan in 200 degree oven. Combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Bring to poil. stirring constantly. Cook to 250 degrees without stirring. Remove from heat. After boiling action ceases, add flavoring and color. Add soda and stir in quickly but thoroughly. Put warm popcorn in a large bowl. Pour syrup at once while foamy over warm popcorn. Mix gently to coat popcorn. Spread onto parchment paper and break into pieces.

Melt chocolate in microwave, one minute at a time at 30% power until barely melted. Drizzle over popcorn. Do the same with the white chocolate.

Chocolate M&M cookies

2011-02-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays. I like everything about it. (look at my Valentine Blog). I mostly like making Valentines for the people I love. Allan likes to take Valentine treats to work. Actually, he likes to take any kind of treats to work. I usually make him sugar cookies or waffle cookies at Valentines. But this year I found a new recipe. The recipe for these cookies is almost the same as the recipe for Rolo cookie (minus the Rolos). I think they are really cute and Allan likes them even better than Rolo cookies. I think he'll be taking some to work this year.

Chocolate M&M Cookies
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda

M&M's

2 Tablespoons sanding sugar (to roll dough in).

Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and cocoa. The dough will be very thick and sticky. Form into balls and roll in sanding sugar. Push 6-7 M&M's in the top of each ball of dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Tangy Cream Cheese Croissants

2010-11-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last month we went to Josh and Sarah in Maryland. They have a cute new baby boy and two other cute boys we were very anxious to see. Grandkids are the best! They live in a cute house in a beautiful part of the country. There is nothing quite like autumn in New England.

While we were there Sarah make ham and cheese sandwiches on Croissants. They had a delicious orange marmalade spread on them. I would never have thought to put these ingredients together, and if I had read the recipe, I don't think I ever would have made it because it sound so strange. But it was yummy. She used havarti cheese. Sarah said her mother had made it a few weeks earlier, when she was there when Benjamin was born.

Tangy Cream Cheese Croissants

8 oz cream cheese
4-6 oz apricot preserves
3-4 oz cool whip (small tub-use half of it)
ham slices cut in half
swiss or havarti or provalone cheese slices cut in half

Cream together cool whip, cream cheese and apricot preserve. Spread on croissants. Place ham and cheese in croissants.

Royal Icing

2010-11-03T11:16:00.001-07:00

Every year I make ghost cookies for Halloween. Last year I made them for all the Young Women in my ward. I usually take them to the ward Halloween party. It is about the only time I actually decorate cookies. Usually, I just put frosting on Valentine cookies. Occasionally, I make decorated Easter Egg cookies.

I started to take a cake decorating class when I was in college, but it didn't work in my schedule, so I quit after the first week. I have had a few lessons since then but really never got the hang of it.
A few years ago, I went to a class on decorating cookies. The woman made sugar cookies that were absolutely darling. But she only used royal icing to frost them with. Royal icing tastes awful. It is hard and makes the cookies crunchy. I don't think it is a very good combination. However, if you use it sparingly, you don't even notice that it is there and it makes the cookies much easier to frost with good frosting. I just use it to pipe around the edges of the cookies. I let it dry, then I usually use cream cheese frosting (that I have added a little milk to to make it a little runny) to float the frosting onto the cookie. It makes the frosting on the cookie look very smooth. After the cream cheese frosting has set up a little I use a tiny bit of royal frosting to add detail to the cookie. If I am decorating very much, I still just use cream cheese frosting because it tastes so much better, and I figure, what good is a cookie if you can't eat it?

Royal Icing

1 lb powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 Tablespoons meringue powder

3 ½ oz water

Beat 5-10 minutes until stiff

Almond Tulips

2010-09-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, my friends, Danette and Maryanne and I (and a few other people) took a cooking class at Thanksgiving Point. We learned to make several desserts that I have never made since (including cream puff swans). It was a lot of fun. I'd like to do it again sometime. We made gorgeous matching aprons to wear to the class. They were little cocktail dresses appliqued to a butcher apron. We were rather stunning. When the class was over we made our husbands matching cumber buns and bow ties. and had a dinner party.

These were one of the things we made in the class. They are delicious and make a bowl of ice cream a festive treat.

Almond Tulips

(Ice Cream Cookie Bowls)

2 cups egg whites (16-20 eggs)

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 ½ cups sliced almonds

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

1 cup water (plus a little if needed)

Heat cookie sheet in oven at 325° for 20 minutes.

Mix butter and water together. Beat egg whites (don’t whip-you don’t want them airy). Add sugar and cream of tartar until stabilized (about 4 minutes). Add all other ingredients. Mix for 6 minutes on low speed (should be the consistency of thin cake batter).

Heavily spray hot pan with PAM. Ladle and spread batter to about 6 inch circles (about ⅓ cup). Bake for 20 minutes at 325° until outside edge is golden brown. Immediately remove from hot cookie sheet and form bowl by draping over an upside down cup until hard.

Dipped Butter Drop Cookies

2010-07-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to decide what kind of cookies to make for Cuyler's Mission Farewell Party. I'm pretty sure I'll make necktie sugar cookies and Spanish CTR sugar cookies. I'll probably also make Bowtie cookies (because Cuyler wore bow ties for a long time, just like Dallin). I really like these cookies too. They are pretty and taste really good. However, the chocolate on them doesn't always set up well in the summer so I may not make them. Maybe I'll let Cuyler decide. I'll leave the nuts off some of them, since Cuyler is allergic to nuts.

Dipped Butter Drop Cookies

1 cup Butter

1 ½ cup sugar

2 T. Milk

2 eggs

1 t. Vanilla

2 ½ cup flour (maybe a little more)

½ t. Salt

½ t. Baking powder

Heat oven to 375º

Cream butter, sugar and milk until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto sprayed cookie sheets. (2 inches apart).

Bake 7-9 minutes. Let cool. When cool dip in melted dipping chocolate or melted chocolate chips then in sliced almonds or chopped pecans. Let cool at room temperature.

Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque

2010-03-02T09:17:00.001-08:00

A couple of years ago, Allan and I went to Zuppa's for dinner. I ordered the Lobster Bisque. I'm not a big lobster fan, but I loved the soup. I came home and tried to find a similar recipe. This is what I found. It's not lobster and I really don't remember if it is very much like the soup at Zuppa's. But, never the less, I really like it, too.

Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque

4 tablespoons butter

1 lb. Fresh crabmeat

1-2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (about ¾ - 1 cup)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

2-3 cloves, minced

Scant 1 cup flour

2 ½ cup clam-tomato juice (Clamato juice)

2 cups whipping cream

1/3-1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup bottled clam juice

3 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

¼ t. hot pepper sauce (optional)

¾ cup water

¼ cup lemon juice

Milk

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add crab meat, tomato, basil and garlic. Saute 2 minutes. Whisk in flour; stir 2 minutes. Whisk in clam-tomato juice and cream, ketchup, clam juice and Old Bay seasoning. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Cool soup slightly.

Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in water and lemon juice. Bring to simmer. Add enough milk to make it desired consistency. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve.

Berry Slush

2010-02-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

We served this slush at Josh and Sarah's wedding reception.
I got the recipe from a lady in our ward. At the Court of Honor for one of her sons, they served this slush. I think it is from the Lion House Christmas Cookbook.
When my older kids were scouts, everyone in our ward made a huge deal about Eagle Scout Courts of Honor. They were almost like a wedding reception. It was kind of crazy. Fortunately, that tradition changed. Now they are more like a normal Court of Honor, honoring several of the boys at the same time and with only slightly more fanfare. It's much better and much easier.

At the Court of Honor for one of the scouts many years ago they served this slush. It was delicious. It is very pretty as well.

Berry Slush

2 cups sugar

3½ cups water

1 10 oz. package frozen mixed berries (or raspberries)

1 cup orange juice

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained

¼ cup lemon juice

2 12 oz. cans 7-up (or more)

Combine sugar and water in saucepan and heat till sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in frozen berries. Add orange juice, crushed pineapple with juice, and a few drops of red food coloring, if desired. Pour into shallow pan (or gallon size zip-lock freezer bags) and freeze. Remove from freezer one hour before serving. Break up with fork till slushy. Fill punch cups two-thirds full with slush. Pour 7-up over. Or mix slush and 7-up in punch bowl. Makes 20 half-cup servings.

Easy Punch

2010-01-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

Jacci made this punch for our ward's Young Women of Excellence night a couple of month's ago. We served it for Thanksgiving and again for Christmas. We had cranberries floating in it for the holidays and it was very pretty. It is really easy and very refreshing. Add a little water if it is too strong for your taste.

Easy Punch

1 can frozen white grape juice

1 bottle Fresca

Pebbled Ice

Mix juice and Fresca together Pour over pebbled ice. Garnish with sliced fruit (limes, lemons, cranberries, etc) if desired.

Easy Pecan Logs

2009-12-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

Last year, I was asked to teach a class on making Pecan Logs in Relief Society. The pecan logs I usually make are kind of complicated and unless you really enjoy making candy or really love pecan logs, I don't think you will ever make them. So I came up with a much easier version. They aren't quite as good, but they are really delicious for the amount of work that goes in to them. Last night I taught the Young Women in my ward how to make them. They all loved them and had a great time making them.
I bought the instant fondant mix at Bakers Cash and Carry in Murray. I have never seen it anywhere else. I think they buy it in bulk and repackage it there. So, if you don't live in the Salt Lake area, it might be hard to find, thus making these Pecan Logs hard to make.

Easy Pecan Logs

1/2 cup instant fondant mix (available at Bakers Cash & Carry)
1 Tbsp. butter (softened)
1 teaspoon cream (maybe a little more)
2 drops real vanilla

3-4 ounces pre made caramel (Peter's brand is good, also available at Bakers Cash & Carry)
Pecan halves

Put first four ingredients in a small ziplock bag. Knead until smooth. It should be about the consistency of play dough. If it is too stiff add a few drops of cream until the right consistency is reached. If it is too runny, add a little fondant mix. Remove from the bag and roll into a rope about 1 inch thick and 4 or 5 inches long.

With a rolling pin, roll the caramel into a flat rectangle about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Place in the microwave for about 4 seconds.(on a piece of parchment paper) Press pecan halves into the caramel, round side up in rows. Leave about a half inch along the side without pecans. Let cool slightly. Wrap the caramel around the fondant rope overlapping to cover the part without pecans. press edge together. Store in fridge until about a half hour before serving. Slice and serve. It will go hard in the fridge and will crack when you try to slice it. So let it return to room temperature be slicing.

Grandma Martin's Fruit Salad

2009-11-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving at Allan's house, when he was growing up, was different than Thanksgiving at my house. Allan's mother would always have Turkey for dinner and a couple of different pies for dessert. She always had pumpkin pie and mincemeat pie (Allan's dad loves mincemeat). But other than that it was pretty much like her typical Sunday Dinner.
At my house, on the other hand, my mom put out everything. We never had anything that was really fancy. But the table was full of food. My mom opened a can of every kind of vegetable she had. There was always a plate of cheese. Lots of pumpkin pies. There were yams, and just about anything else my mom could find. And there was always fruit salad.
I think fruit salad must have been a Kendell thing. Because whenever we had Thanksgiving with my Aunts, there were always a couple of different bowls of the same fruit salad. Now when we celebrate Thanksgiving with my sisters, there are still always 2 or 3 bowls of the same fruit salad (with a few variations).But I still love fruit salad. I just don't think it is Thanksgiving without it.

Grandma Martin’s Fruit Salad

4-5 apples (different varieties) chopped
1-2 bananas sliced
Seeds of 1 pomegranate (optional)
Grapes cut in half
Any other fresh fruit you like (pears, strawberries, kiwi, etc.)
Chopped nuts (very optional)
1 can fruit cocktail (drain and reserve fluid)
1 can pineapple chunks or tidbits (drain and reserve fluid)
1 can mandarin oranges (drain and reserve fluid)
1/3 cup sugar (brown or white)
2 heaping Tablespoons corn starch
1 cup cream

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a pot, add fruit juices from canned fruit. Heat until thick and clear. Let cool.
Whip cream, fold in thickened fruit juice.
Gently fold into mixed fruits. Chill.

Funeral Potatoes

2009-11-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

In the past two days, both Charis & Rosalie have asked me for the recipe for funeral potatoes. I'm not sure why. Maybe they have been talking to each other. I just boil the potatoes for a couple of minutes before I grate them. They still need to be firm, not soft, or they will go mushy.

Funeral Potatoes

6 potatoes (or more)
3 green onions
2 cups medium cheddar cheese (grated)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups crushed cornflakes.

Boil and grate potatoes. Toss lightly with other ingredients (except corn flakes).
Place in 9x13 pan and sprinkle cornflakes on top.
Bake 30 minutes at 350º.

Baguette Crackers

2009-11-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

I serve these crackers with Artichoke Dip. They are good just to nibble on as well.

Baguette Crackers

1 -2 loaves Baguette bread
Good quality olive oil

Slice baguette into 1/4 inch slices. Brush both sides with olive oil.
Bake at 250º for about ½ hour. Increase heat to 350º. Continue baking for an additional 5 -10 minutes until golden brown (light). Watch carefully during the last few minutes to prevent from burning.

Artichoke Spinach Dip

2009-11-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

Whenever I make this, people comment on how yummy it is. However, it never seems to get gone. Maybe that's because I only ever serve it when there is a lot of other good food to eat, too. Maybe if it was the only thing that was served it would all get eaten. Who knows? At any rate, it is really good. We usually have it at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I serve it with baguette crackers.

Artichoke Heart Dip
(with Spinach)

8 oz. cream cheese softened
4 oz. parmesan cheese (pie wedge fresh)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small can chopped chilies
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (chopped)

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach (let thaw and then squeeze out the water) This is optional but delicious.

mix together and bake 20 minutes at 400º.
Serve with tortilla chips or Baguette Crackers

Peanut Brittle

2009-11-20T10:10:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, while we were at the park celebrating Cuyler's 16th birthday, Cuyler got really sick. He itched really bad. By the time we got home, he threw up, and couldn't see. He couldn't even walk to the car to take him to the hospital. Craig and Allan had to help him. We found out that he was having Anaphalactic Shock. He is allergic to all tree nuts. That pretty much rules out most of the candy that I make for the holidays from his diet. Consequently, a couple of years ago, I started making Peanut Brittle. He's not allergic to peanuts.
Allan really likes this recipe because it doesn't stick to your teeth as badly as some others do.

Peanut Brittle

1 cup light corn syrup
2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoon butter
2 cups raw peanuts
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water

1 heaping teaspoon baking soda

Put all the ingredients, except the peanuts and soda, in a deep sauce pan. Put on medium heat stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Now add the peanuts. Stirring at all times, take mixture to 285 (at our altitude). Remove form heat and stir in baking soda. Now pour out on a greased cookie sheet. Tip the cookie sheet to thin slightly (unless you like it thick, then don’t tip the cookie sheet). Let cool and break into bite sized pieces.

Divinity

2009-11-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

When I was little, my mom used to make divinity every Christmas. I thought it was the greatest candy in the world. Sometimes she put walnuts in it. Sometimes she put crushed candy canes in it. She aways put red or green food coloring in it to make it festive. Allan's mom made good divinity, too. I never got my mom's recipe. I don't think she actually had one, she never used a recipe for anything. I tried a few times to make it when I was first married, but it never worked. It was always either to runny or crystally.
Last year I found this recipe on the internet and it actually worked for me.

Divinity

Ingredients:
4 cups sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
3/4 cup cold water
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.
While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 253º F (at this altitude), carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in pecans.
Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice because the technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you're done. Cool the candies on racks completely. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Pecan Logs

2009-11-18T09:14:00.000-08:00

When Allan worked at Palmer & Wilding, his boss's wife gave me this recipe. She always layed the Pecans very neatly end to end and side by side on the cookie sheet. Her pecan logs were always beautiful. I, on the other hand, just use chopped pecans. It's easier, and I rarely give them as gifts. When you slice them up to serve them, you can't tell the difference. Pecan Logs are probably the hardest candy I ever make (other than turtles that are basically the same recipe). You really have to make tw different kinds of candy. The fondant center is a little tricky. Use a flat wooden spatula to beat it. They are delicious.

Pecan Logs

Centers:
3 cups sugar
1 T. light corn syrup
1 cup cream
dash salt
3 T. butter
1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla. Cook slowly, bring to boil. Cook to soft-firm ball stage(235º at this altitude on my thermometer). Pour out on a marble slab, add vanilla, beat until solid then knead until smooth. Divide into four pieces and roll into ropes. Wrap in plastic until ready to use.

Caramel:
8 to 12 oz. pecans
2 cups sugar
2 cups cream (1 + 1 cup)
¾cup dark corn syrup
½ cup butter
1 t. vanilla

Spray cookie sheet with PAM. Spread pecans (or cashews) on cookie sheet. Mix all ingredients except 1 cup cream and vanilla. Stir and cook to a boil. Slowly stir in one cup of cream so boil doesn’t stop. Cook slowly while stirring to firm ball (238º at this altitude on my thermometer). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over nuts. Let cool. Cut caramel into 4 strips. Wrap around fondant rolls.

Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-17T08:44:00.001-08:00

Margaret told me many years ago that the recipe on the Libby's pumpkin can was the best there was. I agree. Of all the recipes for a regular pumpkin pie, I have tried, it is the best. And I like regular pumpkin pie better than any other kinds.
Sometimes I make it with fresh pumpkin. I just cook the pumpkin in the microwave until it is soft, then put it through the blender until it is smooth. I think pumpkin pie made from fresh pumpkin is even better than pie made from canned pumpkin. However, it is runnier so you will need to cook it a little longer.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

4 eggs slightly beaten
1 29 oz can (3 cups) pumpkin
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cans (13 oz. each) evaporated milk (or 3 1/2 cups half and half)
2 9" unbaked pie shells

Preheat oven to 425. Combine ingredients in order. Divide evenly into shells. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of each pie comes out clean.

See's Fudge

2009-11-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Emma before I got married. One Christmas when Allan was on his mission, I went to Emma's house to make candy. We made all kinds of things. I took a big platter of it to Allan's family for Christmas. I don't remember what else we made. But they were all duly impressed, and consequently allowed me to marry into the family.
We made this fudge and molded it into hearts and dipped it in chocolate for Charis's wedding and for Valentines day. We are going to try Christmas Trees this year. If it works, I'll post a picture of them later.
When we had our neighborhood candy making class a few years ago, we experimented adding different things to the fudge after it had cooled slightly.

See's Fudge

1 large can evaporated milk
3 12 oz. packages chocolate chips
1/2 lb. margarine
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 t. vanilla
chopped nuts (optional)

Combine all ingredients, except milk and sugar in a bowl and set aside. Mix milk and sugar in a sauce pan. Cook for 7 minutes at a full rolling boil. Pour over other ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Refrigerate until firm.

Add in other ingredients after fudge has cooled to room temperature if desired.

Add ins:

Orange melts (chopped or slightly melted)
Mint Melt (chopped or slightly melted)
Dried Berries
Raisins
Skor toffee bits
White chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
Mini Marshmallows
Chopped Peanut Butter cups
Macadamia Nuts
Mini M&M's
Coconut
Crushed Candy Canes

Sugar Rosasted Almonds

2009-11-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

These are similar to the nuts that they sell from kiosks, in the malls, at Christmas time. They smell really good and are really good when they are warm. Even though they are better when they are warm, they are still yummy when they aren't.
Josh brought home a bottle of Cardamom from his mission in Finland. They use it in a bread called Pulla. It is a rather popular spice in Scandinavian countries. I had never had Cardamom before. I really like Cardamom. I put it in lots of things I put cinnamon in. It smells really good too. It's a little pricey but well worth it. If you've never tried it, do. It's one of my favorites!!!

Sugar Roasted Almonds

2 1/2 cups unblanched whole almonds (13 oz)
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds for 15 minutes on a baking sheet. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, almonds and spices. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar becomes golden and granular and almonds are completely coated and separated. Pour nuts onto cooling rack over a cookie sheet and separate.

Candy Making Tips

2009-11-11T10:17:00.000-08:00

After many years of making candy, I have learned a few things. I don't claim to be an expert. But I have come up with a few tips that work for me.

Candy Making Tips

Always check your candy thermometer in boiling water to see what the boiling temperature of water is. Determine the difference between the temperature on your thermometer and 212 degrees (the temperature of boiling water at sea level). Then subtract that difference from the temperature that the recipe you are using calls for. The cooking temperature at higher altitudes is lower than it is at sea level (up to 10 degrees or more) and all thermometers are different. Most recipes are written for sea level. If you don't make the adjustment, your candy may be overdone. You may have to experiment.

Always use a heavy pan to make candy. Don't use a pan that has hot spots.

If the recipe calls for butter, use butter. Don't try to substitute margarine or another imitation butter.

Never, never, never scrape the sides of the pan as you pour it out. It can cause your candy to crystallize.

If there are sugar crystals on the side of the pan, wash them down with a wet pastry brush or wt cloth or paper towel a few minutes before the candy is done.

Butter and cream can both be frozen. When they are used in cooked item they work just fine. I haven't had great luck whipping previously frozen cream.

Candy gets very hot. Always use a wooden spoon with a long handle. Metal spoons can burn you and plastic mixing spoons will melt.

Always use high quality ingredients. Remember you candy will only be as good as what goes into it.

Always measure accurately. Remember that candy making is a science as well as an art. It involves chemical reactions and physical properties changing. Proportions matter.

Butter Toffee

2009-11-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving and Christmas are quickly approaching. At my house that means it's time to start making goodies. Partly for the holidays and partly for Festival of Trees. Every year, for about ten years, we've spent the Saturday and Monday after Thanksgiving making candy for the Festival of Trees. Sometimes Allan helps me. Sometimes one or two of my kids help me. Occasionally my sisters help and one year my niece, Liz, even came and helped me.
We usually make Toffee, Turtles, Mints and Popcorn balls. Sometimes I make Sugared Almonds.
This year we are going to try to make little chocolate covered Fudge Christmas Trees. Charis and I have made Hearts and Eggs several times for Valentines and Easter. But we've never tried Christmas Trees. I hope they work.
I got this recipe a long time ago from my sister in law, Kae. It has become a family favorite. Allan likes to take it to work to share.

Butter Toffee

1 lb. butter (not margarine)
2 cups sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
1/2 t. salt
6 T. hot water
1/2 - 3/4 cup sliced almonds (not the blanched kind)
8 oz. milk chocolate
chopped nuts (I like pecans)

In a large, heavy pan, combine all ingredients except chocolate and chopped nuts. Cook rapidly, stirring constantly until it reaches hard crack stage in a cup of cold water (about 20-25 minutes) it is 285 degrees at my altitude on my thermometer) It would be 292 degrees at sea level.
Pour without scraping into a large cookie sheet.
Break pieces of chocolate over top while still hot. When chocolate is melted, spread evenly, covering all toffee. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cool. Break into bite sized pieces.

Pop Corn Balls

2009-11-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe Allan got when he worked at the Church Office Building. I really like this recipe because most of the mess just gets wrapped up and thrown away. All you have to wash is the pan you cook the caramel in and the spoon. Just make sure you use brand new, unused paper grocery bags. We make these every year for the Festival of Trees.

Popcorn Balls

1 1/2 - 2 gallons popped popcorn (8 oz. unpopped)
1 large double strength paper grocery bag
1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 Tbsp. water
Pinch of baking soda

Place popped corn in the bottom of the bag. Bag shou be 1/4 - 1/3 full. Roll down edges of bag to inside, about 1 - 1 1/2 inches.

Melt butter in saucepan. Add corn syrup, then brown sugar and water. Mix and place on medium heat. Stir constantly; bring to a hard boil. Add pinch of baking soda, stir in thoroughly. Remove immediately from heat and pour caramel sauce over the popped corn while another ADULT person is shaking the bag (be careful not to pour the caramel on the other ADULT persons hands)! Close the bag at the top and keep shaking it. Then knead the bag with both hands. Form the caramel corn into balls by just using water on your hands, not butter. Throw the messy bag away.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-11-07T19:34:00.000-08:00

Rosalie called me and asked me to post this recipe.
Allan doesn't like anything made with peanut butter. However he loves peanut butter sandwiches. I don't really get it. But consequently, I rarely make these cookies anymore. I used to make them when I had little kids at home. Actually, I rarely make any cookies anymore.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Shape in 1 inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press with cookie press or bottom of glass, or crisscross with fork. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Pecan Cheesecake Pie

2009-11-06T15:35:00.000-08:00

Allan got this recipe off the bulletin board in the elevator of the Church Office Building when he was working as a custodian there. He worked there for about 4 years while he was going to college. He worked everyday from 5:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. Then he would go to school every morning at about 9:00. Most of the time, he went straight from school to work. The first year he worked at the Church Office Building, I worked at the Salt Lake School District Office, calling substitutes, from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. Sometimes my mom would come take care of Josh for a few minutes until I got home from work. Allan & I hardly ever saw each other that year. It was a busy time. But somehow we survived.
This pie has become the family favorite. I make it every Thanksgiving as well as other times during the year. I think almost everybody likes it. It is the perfect combination of traditional Pecan Pie and cheesecake.

Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Blend in blender until smooth:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt

Spread over unbaked pie shell
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Blend in blender:
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup or maple syrup or combination (I use any brand imitation maple pancake syrup
1 t. vanilla

Carefully pour over nuts. Decorate with pecan or walnut halves.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Allan's Black Bean Chili

2009-11-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

For several years I have made black bean chili for dinner on Halloween. My younger kids think it is a long standing tradition. However, I started doing it about the time Josh and Brad left on their missions. So to them it's not much of a tradition. They have been away from home most of the time I have been doing it.
Allan's office has a chili cook off every year for Halloween. It has to be an original recipe so we modified my original recipe that I got from a magazine a long time ago. I like it a lot better now. I usually make a big pot of chili, hoping all my grandkids will come eat some sometime on Halloween when they come to show me their costumes. Then we eat it for dinner several times during the next week. This year it actually worked because Sarah & Josh were here for Anna's wedding. The only grandchild I didn't see was cute little Owen. But maybe he can come next year when they live closer.

Allan's Halloween Black Bean Chili

3 T. margarine
2 large yellow onions and 1 purple onion, peeled and chopped
2 lbs. chuck roast
3/4 cup chili powder
3 T. Oregano
2 15 oz. cans crushed Italian tomatoes with juice
2 15 oz. cans crushed Mexican tomatoes with juice
2 cans Mexican style tomato sauce
1 can diced green chilies
2 cups beef stock
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 T. yellow cornmeal
12 16 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained, or 3 lbs dry black beans cooked, rinsed and drained.
2 green or red bell peppers, chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, minced
Shredded orange cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
1. In a crock pot cook roast for many hours, till tender and then shred with a fork.
2. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat margarine and saute onions, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden on the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Place shredded meat in a large stock pot. Salt meat, add onions to meat and stir in spices. Cook, stirring frequently, until spices turn meat and onions a rich, dark brown. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, beef stock, garlic and peppers. Mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Reduce heat and stir cornmeal to chili. Add beans and stir. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Ladle chili into bowls and top with cheese and sour cream.

Apple Cinnamon Cream Syrup

2009-10-31T16:21:00.001-07:00

This is the syrup we served with the pumpkin pancakes.

Apple Cinnamon Cream Syrup

1 cup apple juice
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup corn syrup
1 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup half and half (or evaporated milk)
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
3 Tablespoons butter

Combine sugars, apple juice, corn syrup, cinnamon and lemon juice in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add milk, almond flavoring and butter. cook a little longer on low heat to thicken.
Serve warm syrup over Pumpkin Pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-10-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

Josh and Sarah have been in town for a few days for Sarah's sister, Anna's wedding. Actually Sarah has been at her mothers helping with wedding plans for about a week. They were able to come spend the night here last night. We had breakfast this morning with all the kids that were able to come. We missed Brad and Kristen, Rosalie, Tom and Owen, and Craig and Dallin of course. We decided that since it was Halloween we would have Pumpkin pancakes with Apple Cinnamon cream syrup. They were very tasty! We also had apple juice with dry ice served from my big black cauldron. Later we made caramel apples. I think everybody had fun. The kids were all very cute in their Halloween costumes.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups milk (plus a little if needed)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons vinegar

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over mediou high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on bothe sides and serve hot with Maple Syrup or Apple Cinnamon Syrup

Raspberry Chipotle Meatballs

2009-10-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last week my sisters and our husbands had a party night at Mary's house. We brought finger food/appetizers to eat while we played games. I brought some meatballs in chipotle sauce. Everybody thought they were really good and wanted the recipe. Somehow I'm was a little embarrassed, because there really is no recipe. I just bought Costco meatballs and warmed them up and then poured Fisher & Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce from Costco over them and warmed them up some more (you can get it at other stores in smaller bottles).

Raspberry Chipotle Meatballs

Costco Meatballs (or you can make your own)
Fisher & Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

Warm the meatballs. Pour enough sauce over them to coat them and warm thoroughly.
Or, for a main course, Pour more sauce over the meatballs and serve over rice.

Cinnamon Rolls

2009-10-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Allan & I are going to visit Josh and Sarah in Colorado, probably for the last time. Josh has accepted a position in Baltimore so they will be moving early next year.

Allan likes to take sweet rolls to eat for breakfast (and to snack on) when we go on road trips. So I guess I'll be making some tomorrow.

If you roll the sweet rolls from both sides toward the middle (instead of just from one side) and then pinch the middle a little, you can make heart shaped sweet rolls. Then frost them with pink frosting. I think they are really cute that way.

Cinnamon Rolls

2 cups hot water (120º)
1 T. Sugar
2 T. yeast

½ cup sugar
½ cup oil
2 eggs
2 t. salt
6-7 cups flour

Softened margarine
Sugar or brown sugar
Cinnamon
raisins

Mix water 1 T sugar and yeast. Let sit till softened. Mix sugar, oil eggs and salt. Add 1 cup flour. Mix in yeast mixture. Add 5 cups of flour. Knead for a few minutes. Gradually add last cup of flour till you have a soft dough. Let rise. Punch down.

Roll into a rectangle. Spread with softened margarine. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Spread raisins if desired. Roll jelly roll style. Cut into one inch slices and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Let rise until double. Bake at 400º for about 10 -12 minutes until golden brown.

Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-10-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Today was General Conference. I always enjoy conference and it's not just because don't have to prepare a primary lesson or get up early to get ready for church (although those are nice perks). Somehow I always feel a little more motivated to try a little harder to be a little better at something or other or a lot of something or others.
Anyway, after conference, Naaman, Becky & CJ and Charis, Craig, Michael & Kendell came for dinner. I like my kids to come for dinner. It's fun to visit with all of them. I do wish, however, that the rest could have come, too. Oh well, maybe next time.
We had Chicken Cordon Bleu and Funeral Potatoes. Allan loves Chicken Cordon Bleu. I usually ask the butcher to tenderize the Chicken breasts for me. It doesn't cost anything and it makes preparing Chicken Cordon Blue kind of no big deal.
I decided this year that it was kind of fitting for us to have Chicken Cordon Bleu on conference Sunday when I remembered that the first time I ever had it, was when one of my room mates at the Sill Home Living Center at the U of U made it. Her name was Bernice Clark and she is Henry Eyring's step sister.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned and halved
8 thin slices cooked ham (baked or boiled ham slices may be used)
4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into fingers about 1½ inches long and ½ inches wide
Salt
Pepper
Thyme or rosemary (optional)
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
½ cup cornflake crumbs

Place each chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap, skinned side down, and pound with meat mallet to about ⅛” thickness.
On each ham slice place a finger of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with seasoning (if desired). Roll ham and cheese jelly-roll style, then roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and seal well (fasten with toothpicks if necessary). Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in cornflake crumbs. Turning to thoroughly coat each roll.
Place rolls in a 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 400º oven for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve with Cordon Bleu Sauce, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Cordon Bleu Sauce

1 can (10½ oz.) cream of chicken soup
½ cup sour cream
1 t. lemon juice

Blend ingredients and heat. Serve over chicken rolls, if desired.

Flemmings Chocolate Lava Cake

2009-09-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight we are going to Mary's house for dinner to celebrate Joie's, Claralyn's and Elaine's birthdays. I am supposed to bring dessert. I thought about bringing Chocolate Lava Cake because it is so good. But I decided against it because everybody always tells me how good the Chocolate Layer Cake at Costco is. It is way to big for my little family now. I decided this would be a good time to try it, when there will be more people to help us eat it. So that's what I'm getting. Besides that, candles won't melt in it. I hope it is good.

However, I decided to put the recipe for the Chocolate Lava Cake here anyway. I got the recipe from Studio Five on TV around Valentine's Day. It is pretty rich, so use little ramekins if you have them. Or you may want to share.

Flemmings Chocolate Lava Cake

1 lb. Butter
1 lb. Semi-sweet Chocolate
8 whole eggs
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. flour
2 tsp. vanilla

Cut butter and chocolate into small pieces. Heat on low heat in the microwave or over a double boiler until melted, stirring occasionally. While chocolate is melting, combine whole eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whip until slightly thick, about 5-6 minutes. Mix flour into sugar then pour into eggs and whip for 1 minute to blend. Lightly whip the chocolate and butter until smooth. Add to egg mixture. Add vanilla.
Pour into ramekins (sprayed with PAM or shortening and flour) to about a half inch from the top. Chill for 2-3 hours. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. (Center will be a bit giggly.) Remove cake from oven and cool for 1 minute or a little more. Place cup on serving plate, top down and remove ramekin. Serve with ice cream or Whipped Cream. Garnish with fresh fruit or chopped nuts.
Larger ramekins take a little longer to bake (not too much, you still want it runny in the middle).

Pumpkin Cake Roll

2009-09-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, Sarah asked if I would help make the refreshments for her little sisters wedding. I think it will be fun. I'm hoping Charis will help me a little (hint, hint). She is getting married the end of October. She wants to serve Pumpkin Cake Roll. I think it is a good choice for a fall wedding. It is pretty and yummy and it just feels Autumny to me. I got the recipe for it from Mary. If anybody has any great ideas on how to sort of garnish it to dress it up a little let me know.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Beat 6 eggs at high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add 2 cups sugar. Stir in 1⅓ cup *Libby's pumpkin and 2 tsp. lemon juice.

Sift together and fold into above mixture:
1½ cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg

Cover 2 15x10 inch jelly roll pans with foil and brush with oil (or spray with PAM). Divide batter evenly into 2 pans. Sprinkle each pan with 2 cup nuts. Bake at 375º for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle 2 dish towels with powdered sugar. Turn hot cake onto towel. Peel off foil. Fold one end of towel over cake and roll the cake up in the towel. Let cool completely. Unwrap cake and spread filling (recipe below). And roll back up. Chill. Slice and serve.

Filling:
2 tsp vanilla
1 8 Oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened)
1 stick butter (margarine)
1 lb. powdered sugar

*I've made this with Libby's pumpkin as well as with store house brands of pumpkin. Libby's pumpkin really does work much better!!

Cinnamon Cream Syrup

2009-09-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

This is the recipe for the syrup to go with the Cinnamon Oat Pancakes.

Cinnamon Cream Syrup

5 T butter
1 C heavy cream
3 T brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
½ t maple extract

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens slightly (3 to 4 minutes). Serve warm. Store in refrigerator. Reheat to serve with pancakes. Yield: 1 Cup

Cinnamon Oat Pancake Mix

2009-09-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

I've actually never made these pancakes. I forgot I had the recipe. My good friend Marianne invited us to breakfast several years ago. She served these pancakes with Cinnamon Cream Syrup. It was delicious. Marrianne, Dannette and I took a lot of cooking classes together, back in the day. Marianne is a great cook. It was always fun to things with her.

Cinnamon Oat Pancake Mix

4 C quick cooking oats
2 C whole wheat flour
2 C white flour
1 C nonfat dry milk
2 T. ground cinnamon
5 t baking powder
½ t. cream of tartar

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Yield: about 8 C of mix, enough for 4 batches of pancakes.

To make pancakes: in a mixing bowl, beat 2 eggs. Gradually beat in ⅓ cup vegatable oil. Alternately beat in 2 cup of pancake mix and 1 cup of water. Cook on a lightly greased skillet over med‑high heat.

Coconut Macaroons

2009-09-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

I used to walk home from school past Hale Bakery everyday. It always smelled so good. Sometimes I would stop and buy a hard roll or a cookie to eat on the way home. Hard rolls were 3 cents. Cookies were 3 cent or 5 cents, depending on the kind you got. When I was a junior in High School, I got a job working there. I worked at Hale Bakery for 6 years. I worked there all through college. I quit the week before Josh was born.
One of my favorite cookies they made were the coconut macaroons. They were sticky and good when they were fresh. But when they were a couple of days old, they were rock hard (not so good anymore).
This recipe is not the recipe they used at the bakery (they made about 100 dozen at a time). I actually like these lots better. But like the macaroons at the bakery, they are much better fresh. If you aren't going to eat them all soon, freeze them.

Coconut Macaroons

2 14 oz. bags of flaked coconut
1 large can sweetened condensed milk
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
¾ cup flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp almond extract

Chopped almonds (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drop by rounded tesaspoonful onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 325º or until edges are golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets at once.

Drizzle with melted chocolate after they cool if desired.
You can make the dough into balls by wetting your hands before rolling the balls. Water will help the dough not stick to your fingers

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

I remember when my kids were little, Emma made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. Everybody loved them. She was the cookie queen.But as her kids got older, I guess she stopped making them as much, because she told me a few years ago that Jordan didn't even know she knew how to make cookies.
I thought that Cuyler might be in the same boat. I thought that because I haven't made cookies in quite a while that he might not know that I once knew how to make Chocolate chip cookies too. However, yesterday, Cuyler asked if he could make some cookies. I told him he could if he would try a new recipe I had found for chocolate chip cookies. He was reluctant because he actually remembered that he likes my recipe (it's actually just the recipe on the Nestle's Chocolate Chip package with a little extra flour) and he wanted them. He finally agreed and made the new recipe. They were awful. My fault, not Cuyler's. I guess I'll just trust my tried & true recipe.
People sometimes ask me what the secret to making good cookies is. I really don't know. Except that you need to make them often enough that you get a feel for the right consistency of the dough. And I don't know how to learn that without a little practice and trial and error.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups butter
1 ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 ½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
5 cups flour (heaped a little)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips
chopped nuts (optional)

Mix sugars and margarine. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Blend in flour, soda and salt. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 9 minutes

Cubby Oatmeal Cookies

2009-09-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

I think that in Allan's opinion, there's not much better than a good oatmeal cookie and a tall glass of milk. I got this recipe many years ago when I was a Den Mother in Cub Scouts. It is in the Bear Cub Scout Handbook. I think the same recipe was on the back of the Quaker Oats canisters several years ago (I think they've changed it now). I used to make these cookies a lot when my kids were little. I don't make them as often now. I like to pack them full of stuff like coconut and nuts and raisins. But, some of my kids don't like raisins and Cuyler is allergic to nuts so if I'm in a nice mood, I make them without those things. Craisins are good in them, too.

Cubby Oatmeal Cookies

¾ cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oats (plus a little)
1 cup flour (plus a little)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon soda
Add raisins, nuts, coconut or chocolate chips if desired.
Beat margarine, sugars, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Add combined remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes

Tortellini Soup

2009-09-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Charis. She told me she got it from Sarah when they were room mates at BYU. However, I just looked on Sarah's recipe blog (the link is on my side bar) and her recipe is different. Maybe Charis just got the idea from Sarah. Neither Sarah nor Charis put chicken in it when they make it. But I like the chicken in it. It is really good and pretty easy to make. I sometimes use dried tortellini instead of the fresh, frozen kind.

Tortellini Soup

1 lb chicken
2 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 can mushrooms
1 cup slice carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg. frozen tortellini
Italian seasoning to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

Place chicken in pan. Cover with water and boil until chicken is done. Remove bones and cut chicken into chunks. Place back in chicken broth. Add carrots and celery. Cook until almost tender. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Add frozen tortellini and cook until the tortellini is done.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Cheese & Garlic Biscuits

2009-09-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Last night Cuyler had to work. So, Allan & I decided to go to Red Lobster for dinner. I think their food is pretty good but my very favorite thing they serve is their Cheese & Garlic Biscuits. They are really good.
A couple of years ago while we were visiting Josh & Sarah, Sarah was helping with a shower for one of her friends. She found this recipe for Red Lobster's biscuits. Now we can have them whenever we want (if I would only think about it).

Cheese & Garlic Biscuits

2 cups Bisquik
2/3 cup milk
½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup butter
½ t. garlic powder
1 t. dried parsley flakes
1 t. dried chopped chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 450º F
Stir together baking mix, milk and cheeses until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto and ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned.
Melt butter, and stir in garlic powder and parsley and chives. Brush over warm biscuits.

Death By Chocolate

2009-09-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...I just looked at the side bar of this blog and discovered that I have more dessert recipes on here than anything else. What does that say about me? I really don't make desserts that often. But, I think that when I do, I usually use a recipe. When I cook other things I often just make it up as I go. I just throw together things I have on hand and don't care too much if it turns out the same every time. If I'm going to waste the calories and the time to make a dessert, I want it to be worth the effort so I use a recipe.
Our Relief Society used to have a Christmas party every year. Each woman in the ward would submit a recipe and prepare it for the party. They would have the food at 3 or 4 different homes and we would go from home to home tasting all the food. At the end, they gave everyone a cookbook with all the recipes in them. This is a recipe that Brooke Anderson brought one year. Everybody loved it. It is really yummy! She said sometimes she uses Nutella to flavor the Cool Whip.

Death by Chocolate

Bake a 9x13 pan of brownies. Crumble when cool.

Make 2 3oz pkgs of chocolate pudding. You may use instant if desired. If you cook the pudding, cool before combining.

In a trifle bowl or glass dish layer;
½ pudding
½ brownies
1 8oz. Container of cool whip flavored with chocolate syrup

Sprinkle with 2 crushed SKOR toffee bars

layer:
½ pudding
½ brownies
1 8oz container of cool whip flavored with chocolate syrup

Decorate with chocolate curls or sprinkles

Refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

Homemade Noodles

2009-09-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I found a pasta machine at a yard sale. It was $5.00. Charis had asked me to look for one for her. So when I saw it, I offered the lady $4.00 and she took it. The next yard sale I went to had a pasta machine for $2.00. So naturally, I bought it, too. I already have one. I use it quite often. Sometimes, I think there is something wrong with my brain when I do things like buy a pasta machine that I don't need just because it is cheap. But I figured, one of my daughters in law just might need one. Who knows? So if one of you reads this, and wants it, let me know. Or I just might be calling you.
I remember my aunt making homemade noodles, when I was just a little girl. Somehow, I thought she did it because she couldn't afford real macaroni. My mom always made chicken noodle soup with macaroni. Allan always thought that was wierd. He grew up on egg noodles in soup. They didn't have to be homemade. But he always prefers homemade. It wasn't until I was old and married, that I realized how much better fresh homemade noodles are. I had always thought of them as poor man food. But, as I have said before, I have discovered that some of my favorite foods are poor man foods. However, I still am not a big fan of Beans and Hot Dogs or even Baked Beans.

Homemade Noodles

2 cups flour
1 t. salt
3 eggs
2 tbsp. milk

Mix flour and salt. Make a small dent in the flour. Add eggs. Mix until dough forms. Add milk if dough is too dry. Add a little flour if it is too sticky. Roll to desired thickness (less than 1/8 inch). Cut into strips ¼ to ½ inch wide. Cut strips to desired length. Or, use a pasta machine to form the noodles. Let dry for an hour before using the noodles or carefully separate the noodles and use them immediately.

Apple Stuff

2009-09-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

I do believe that some people call this apple crisp. But, in our house, it's always been just apple stuff. I got this recipe in my Jr. High cooking class. Allan loves this. It is a great way to get rid of apples that are getting old and are losing their crispness. It's even good the day after, warmed up in the microwave. And it makes the house smell divine! If we have a lot of people around, I will triple or quadruple the recipe and cook it in a 9" x 13" cake pan or a large dripper pan.

Apple Stuff

Part I
4 cups peeled and sliced apples
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

Part II
½ cup flour
½ cup oats
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter

Put part I in a pan (bread pan). Mix part II and put over part I. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Serves 6-8

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Taco Soup

2009-09-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

I really like Taco Soup. I don't make it very often because it makes way too much for our small household. This soup is really good on a cold day. And it is really good for parties. You can have people bring the things to put in the soup. Everybody can add the things they like. Allan hates cilantro, I love it. So with this soup, we're both happy.

Taco Soup

4-5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
1 onion
1 16 oz. can of chicken broth
1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 16 oz can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 carrots chopped
2 potatoes diced
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tsp. sugar
1½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Combine above ingredients for soup.

Add condiments to soup buffet style:
Chopped boiled egg
cooked bacon (crumbled)
crushed corn chips
grated cheddar cheese
grated Monterrey jack cheese
chopped avocado
sour cream
chopped cilantro
garbanzo beans
salsa

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2009-09-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite whole wheat bread recipe. It isn't 100% whole wheat so it isn't too heavy. Allan loves hot bread when we have soup. The weather is starting to change so it will soon be soup season. There's not much better than hot soup and warm bread on a cold autumn day. I like to grind my wheat so it is nice and fresh.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

1½ cup milk
3 Tbsp. Yeast
1½ cup water
2 eggs
¾ cup honey
1½ Tbsp. Salt
⅓ cup butter or margarine
1½ cups whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
2½ cups whole wheat flour
2-3 cups all purpose flour

Heat milk, water, honey and butter to 120º. In mixer combine 3 cups flour, 1½ cup whole wheat flour, yeast, egg, salt and warmed milk mixture. Mix for 3 minutes on highest speed. Add whole wheat flour and 2 cups of white flour. Continue to add flour a little at a time until dough doesn’t stick to sides of bowl. Knead until dough is stiff and smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Divide into loaves (2-3) Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake in preheated 375º oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º and continue to bake 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Measurements

2009-09-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

When I was in Junior High, all the girls were required to take home economics. The boys were required to take shop. No boys were allowed in home ec. and no girls were allowed in shop. If for some reason a girl had to enter the shop or a boy had to enter the home ec. room for any reason, it was almost as embarrassing as if you had gone into the wrong bathroom.
My junior high cooking teacher, Miss Grotegut (yes that really was her name), insisted that before we could cook anything we had to memorize the measurement chart. We also had to learn a long list of cooking terms. Everybody whined and complained. But because it was required to cook, and we all wanted to cook, we did it. I have used that information more than anything else I learned in her class (maybe more than information I learned in a lot of other classes as well).
In college, my favorite teacher, Maurine Hegsted, taught us this rhyme.
"A pint's a pound the world around."
That has always stuck in my head.
Home ec. classes aren't required anymore. They are more or less just for fun. Consequently, I don't think my kids ever had to learn measurements. That's too bad. I am surprised at how often I am asked questions about measurements. For that reason, I'm including this list here.

Measurements

3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
2 Tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce
8 fluid ounces = 1 cup
16 fluid ounces = 1 pint
32 fluid ounces = 1 quart
16 Tablespoons = 1 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
4 cups = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
16 cups = 1 gallon
1 pint = 1 pound

1 pkg yeast = 1 Tablespoon

1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 Tablespoon = 15 ml
1 cup = 240 ml

Peach Muffins

2009-08-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

We had a bumper crop of peaches on our little tree this year. They weren't huge but there were a lot. I used them to make some of the muffins for Natalie's shower. Allan loves these.

Peach Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups white sugar
2 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs and sugar. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture, just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into paper lined muffin tins.
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Mini Quiche

2009-08-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

Charis's original plan was to buy ready made mini quiches for the shower. But when we went to buy them, we found out that Costco only sells them during the holidays. So she decided to make her own. The recipe called for Swiss or cheddar cheese but she used Monterrey Jack instead. They turned out really well. There were several left over and, because Craig doesn't like quiche, she sent them home with me. Cuyler ate them all.

Mini Quiche

1 (8 oz.) tube butterflake rolls
1 sm. pkg. breakfast sausage, cooked (or crumbled bacon)
4 oz. Swiss cheese grated or Cheddar or both
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. light cream
2 tbsp. green onion, minced

Grease 24 miniature muffin cups. Divide each roll into halves and press into a muffin cup to make a shell. Distribute sausage, cheese and onion evenly in shells.
Mix egg and cream with salt and pepper and put 1-2 teaspoons into each shell. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Dip for Fresh Fruit

2009-08-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Charis hosted her shower for Natalie on Saturday. I think everything went smoothly if you don't count the mirror falling off the bathroom wall and shattering all over the floor a half hour before the shower. Michael was in the shower at the time and was pretty scared. It was a very large mirror. Luckily nobody got hurt and it just added to the excitement of the day.
Charis served mini quiches, finger sandwiches, mini muffins and fresh fruit with dip. Everything was delicious. Natalie got some nice gifts and I think everybody had a good time.

Dip for Fresh Fruit

1 6oz container of light vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup light cool whip
zest of one orange
1/8 -1/4 t. grated ginger root
cinnamon (to taste)

fold yogurt and cool whip together. mix in other ingredients.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

2009-08-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Laurie Carruth several years ago. Everybody loves it. Unless I put it somewhere out of sight, it's gone before you know it. In our house there is a phenomenon called "spontaneous cookie combustion". It is when you open a package of cookies, and within minutes, they are all gone. Everybody claims they only ate one. Nobody knows where the rest went. They're just gone. This bread has been known to be the victim of this phenomenon.
The recipe calls for almond extract. I use imitation because Cuyler is allergic to the real stuff. I can't tell a huge difference. It's still yummy.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

3 eggs 1½ tsp. Salt
1⅛ cup oil 1½ tsp. Baking powder
2¼ cup sugar 1½ tsp. Butter extract
1½ cups milk 1½ tsp. Almond extract
3 cups flour 1½ Tbsp. Poppy seeds

Beat eggs, oil, sugar and milk, sift flour salt and baking powder together and mix into egg mixture. Add extracts and poppy seeds. Bake at 350º. For 50 minutes in 2 slightly greased medium loaf pans with waxed paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan. A double batch can make 5 medium loaves.

Glaze
¼ cup orange juice.
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp. each of butter, almond and vanilla extracts.
Mix well together. Spoon over bread pricked with holes, while still warm, allowing time to soak into bread.

Peaches & Cream Ice Cream

2009-08-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

My peaches are ripe. I love peach season. I love peaches. I love peaches and cream (or peaches and milk). I love peach ice cream. I don't love peach cobler. I love peach jam. I just plain love peaches.
Many years ago, Allan's office had a summer party. They had an ice cream making contest. This was the winning entry. The lemon ice cream we made came in second.
This is sooo good!

Peaches ‘n Cream Ice Cream

Juice of 2 lemons
9 ripe peaches mashed
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 pint half and half (or 1 can evaporated milk)
1 pint cream
1 pint milk

Blend and Freeze in an Ice Cream Freezer

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

2009-08-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Rosalie called me this morning to find out how to make Seven Layer Dip. It is pretty easy to make and it is always a winner. Wherever I go, if this is served, it is one of the first things gone.

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

Layer the following items in a 9x13 pan or serving tray:

2 cans refried beans (or bean dip)
3 mashed avocados mixed with 1 t. lemon juice
8 oz. sour cream mixed with 1 pkg. or less of Taco seasoning.
grated cheese
1 can chopped olives
1 bunch chopped green onions
chopped tomatoes.

Serve with lots of tortilla chips

Lasagna

2009-08-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Like I said in my last post, I'm a very lazy Lasagna maker. I never bother to layer the sauce and the cheeses. I just mix them all together and layer them with the cooked noodles. I can't tell the difference and I think it saves time.

Lasagna

Spaghetti sauce
1 16 oz container cottage cheese
1 lb. medium cheddar cheese (grated)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese (grated)
cooked lasagna noodles

Spray a large casserole dish with PAM. Make spaghetti sauce (recipe in previous post). Spread a small amount of sauce in casserole dish. cover with first layer of noodles. Mix cheeses with remaining sauce. Continue layering sauce alternating with noodles until the pan is full, ending with sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce

2009-08-24T10:20:00.001-07:00

Saturday, I picked a lot of tomatoes from our garden. I decided to make spaghetti using fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs. I've never done that before. Sunday was the Oquirrh Temple dedication, so we were done with church by 10:30. Therefore, I was able to spend the day cooking down my fresh tomatoes. Charis & Craig and their kids and Naaman & Becky and C.J. came for dinner Sunday afternoon. So, after working all day making the spaghetti sauce from scratch, the general consensus was that everybody likes the kind I normally make better. It is much easier and a lot less work. It is also much less creative. But, I'm willing to sacrifice labor and creativity for flavor. So much for "mama mia, that's Italian". I'm sticking with the Shillings mix.
I use my spaghetti sauce for lasagna, too. I'm a very lazy lasagna maker. I mix all the spaghetti sauce, meat and cheese together and then layer it with the cooked lasagna noodles. It works great.

Spaghetti Sauce

2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 can slice mushrooms
1 package Shillings Spaghetti sauce mix
1 lb. ground beef

Brown ground beef. Drain and rinse off excess grease. Add tomatoes. Drain mushrooms and add them to beef and tomatoes. Stir in Spaghetti sauce mix. Cook until thickened. Serve over cooked spaghetti.

Cheese Cake

2009-08-21T12:16:00.001-07:00

I think this is the best recipe for plain cheese cake that I have found. It is from Martha Stewart. It is really good with the blueberry topping I posted earlier. Our peaches are just about ready to pick. I may try to figure out some sort of peach topping for this.

Cheese Cake

PAM
6 T. butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 T. sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon

16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
16 oz. sour cream
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 12 t. finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Boiling water for roasting pan

Make crust. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cover bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Spray sides with PAM. Wrap exterior of pan (including Base with a sheet of aluminum foil. (make sure there are no holes).
Stir together butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Press mixture firmly into the bottom and 3 inches up sides of pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes While you make the filling.
Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. add sour cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat until well combined (do nor over mix). Pour into chilled crust.
Set spring form pan in a large, shallow roasting pan. Place in oven. Carefully ladle enough boiling water into roasting panto come halfway up sides of spring form pan. Bake until cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer roasting pan to a wire rack. Let cake cool in roasting pan 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake form roasting pan and refrigerator, uncovered, at least 8 hours or over night.
Run a knife around edge of cake, and unmold. Spoon desired topping over cake.

Easy Cheese Ball

2009-08-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

This is the recipe for Bouncing Baby Cheese balls. I just made them about 1 inch in diameter and piled them up.

Easy Cheese Balls

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1 bunch green onions, Chopped
l-2 Cloves garlic (minced)
sliced almonds

Mix Cream cheese, onions and garlic. Form into ball. Roll ball in sliced almonds. Refrigerate, till ready to serve. Serve with Crackers.

You can add some chopped pimento or chopped red pepper to make it look more festive (for Christmas)

Mini Cheesecake

2009-08-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

This is the recipe for the cheese cakes that we served at the baby shower. I used mini muffin tinns. You may need to trim the vanilla wafers to fit the muffin tins. I put 1 cherry on each. If you use regular muffin tins, you need more cherries.

Mini Cheese Cake

2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
¾ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 T. lemon juice
vanilla wafers
Let cheese rest at room temperature. Beat until smooth. Beat eggs. Add sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix thoroughly into cream cheese. Spoon into paper lined muffin tins with vanilla wafer in the bottom. Bake at 375º for 15 minutes. Top with fruit pie filling.

Absentee Baby Shower

2009-08-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

Josh & Sarah, and Rosalie & Tom, all moved out of state when they got married. Consequently, their babies have all been born out of state as well. When their first babies were due, neither of them had plans to come back home any time before the babies came. So, we decided to have a baby shower for them without them attending. We had people bring their gifts unwrapped and so we could all see what they were getting. Then we had them wrap them and make cards for them at the shower. we delivered the gifts when we went to see the babies. We also had a quilt on for people to work on.
All the food we served were baby themed. We had baby carrots, sweet little tomatoes, sweet peas, mini cheesecakes, sweetheart tarts, bouncing baby cheese balls, shrimp salad and Squirt.

Invitation

Josh and Sarah soon will have
A brand new bundle of joy.
The doctor tells them it will be
A bouncing baby boy.

or

Josh And Sarah soon will have
A brand new little one.
She will be a lot of work,
But also lots of fun.

Although they are so far away,
Their needs could not be greater.
We'll have a shower just for them.
You can visit with them later.

We know it may seem rather strange
That they will not attend.
But then again, you never know,
We could start a whole new trend.

Please bring your gift unwrapped
So that everyone can see
The kinds of things that they receive
For their brand new baby!

We'll wrap the presents at the shower.
You can bring paper, ribbon and bows.
Or we will have some you can use.
It could be quite fun -- who knows?

Then we'll send them in the U.S. Mail,
FedEx or U.P.S.
And hope they get them in plenty of time,
So their baby they can dress.

Double Shower

2009-08-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

2006 was the year of the weddings at our house. We had 4 kids get married in 8 months. Three of the weddings were in 2 months. In addition to our own kids that got married, we had several nieces and nephews get married, as well. It was a busy, crazy time. But it was a ton of fun. Because there was so much going on it was difficult to fit everything in. So as a result, Charis and Rosalie had a combined neighborhood wedding shower. and Rosalie and Kristen had a combined family shower. It worked out nicely, however, I wouldn't recommend a double shower if you have different guest lists. Everybody that was invited to the shower for Charis & Rosalie knew them both so things went very smoothly. Almost everyone at Rosalie and Kristen's shower knew them both, so things went well there too. It has been a lot of fun getting to know my children in law. They have added so much to our family.

Invitation

Rosalie's getting married.
Kristen will be, too.
They're both so excited.
They can't believe it's true.

Two beautiful brides.
Two handsome grooms.
Two wedding days.
Two honeymoons.

Two wedding cakes.
Two wedding gowns.
Two sets of rings.
Two different towns.

One bridal shower
For both to share.
We really hope
You can be there!

Firsts Shower

2009-08-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

This is a fun theme for a shower. Each guest is assigned a different "first". They are supposed to bring a gift for the couples first experiences together a married couple. You can just switch the names out on the invitation. Make sure to fill in the blank with a different first on each invitation.

Invitation

Adam and Lara are soon to be wed.
Brand new paths they are going to tread.
It's a whole now world, a world of firsts.
They are so excited, they are ready to burst.

We're having a shower to help them prepare
For some of the first adventures they'll share.
Please bring a gift that will help get them through
Some of the things that to them are brand new.

Please bring something for their first _________.

First Shower Ideas

first breakfast
first lunch
first dinner
first snack
first time entertaining in laws
first time entertaining friends
first Family Home Evening
first game
first night
first chance to relax
first boring night at home
first date after the wedding/honeymoon
first fight
first emergency
first illness
first injury
first finals week
first garden
first home repair
first car repair
first car wash
first house cleaning
first kitchen
first bathroom
first home decoration
first picnic
first vacation
first camping trip
first holiday
Christmas
Halloween
Valentine's Day
Fourth of July
Easter
Thanksgiving

Orange Rolls

2009-08-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Margaret. These rolls are delicious. You have to plan ahead if you want to make them, because you have to refrigerate the dough before you roll it out (otherwise it will be to sticky to work with). And it takes several hours for it to rise. Don't add extra flour! The dough is supposed to be very soft and sticky.

Orange Rolls

Grease Muffin Tins.......Don’t add flour to recipe. This is a very gooey dough.

In a pan heat and melt one cube of margarine, 1 cup water, ½ cup sugar and 2 tsp. salt. Cool ...
And add 3 beaten eggs. In a large bowl put ¼ cup warm water. Sprinkle with 2 pkg (2 Tbsp) yeast. And 2 tsp. sugar. Combine yeast mixture and margarine mixture.Add 4½ cups flour. Let rise 1 hour. Punch down. Cover and chill overnight. 3-3½ hours before baking divide into 3 parts. Roll each part into a rectangle (about 12”x9”. Pour orange mix over. Roll like jelly roll. Cut into 12. Place cut side up on muffin tin. Let rise 3 hours. Bake at 400º for 8-10 minutes.

Orange mix
1 stick margarine, ½ cup sugar and 3-4 orange rinds (grated).

Glaze
juice of 1 orange and 1 16 oz box powdered sugar

Quiche

2009-08-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

Charis hasn't decided on a menu for Natalie's shower. But when we had the shower for Steven and Ashley we served Quiche, Orange rolls and some other sweet breads.

Quiche
from the Lion House Cookbook

1 9” pie shell

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss Cheese
6 slices of bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1/4 cup ham minced
2 green onions sliced
½ green (or red) pepper chopped
3 eggs beaten
1 cup cream
½ teaspoon lemon peel
½ teaspoon salt
¼ dry mustard

bake shell for 5 minutes At 425º.
Remove from oven. Arange cheese, bacon and ham in shell. Sprinkle with onion and green pepper. Mix eggs and cream and pour over top.
Bake at 325º for 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Wedding Shower Invitation

2009-08-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

My niece Natalie is getting married next month. Charis is hosting a shower for her in a couple of weeks. She came over last night to have me find an invitation for her. It seems that I am often in charge of the invitations for showers and things. I really should have all my invitations stored in one place on my computer. But alas, I don't so I had to search. I know these aren't recipes, but I decided if I put them all on my blog, I'll know where they are if someone asks. I'm just putting the ideas on, not the actual invitations. Charis is using an invitation that I made for a shower for my nephew a couple of years ago. She just switched the names.

Invitation

Ashley's getting married.
Stephen is the groom.
After that, they'll be off
To share their honeymoon.

Then they'll live together
With all the joy that marriage brings.
But, when they're starting out,
They will need a lot of different things.

They'll need towels & cups, pot & pans,
And pillows, spoons and such.
Some plates & sheets & baking stuff,
They really need so much.

They'll need things to clean the house with,
Food for Breakfast,Dinner & Lunch
So that is why, we're having
A Bridal Shower Brunch

We want to help them to prepare
And we want to have some fun.
We'd really like to see you.
We hope that you can come.

Orange Julius

2009-08-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

Long before there was Jamba Juice or anything similar, there was Orange Julius. There was an Orange Julius store in every mall. Now there is just one left in Salt Late. Orange Julius was delicious. Whenever we were shopping and were in a rather indulgent mood, we would dig 35 cents out of our purse and buy one. It was so refreshing. As I recall they used fresh squeezed orange juice. It also had a secret ingredient that was magically delicious. The employees of the store were sworn to secrecy and refused to divulge the secret. Margaret thought she had it figured out. She used Similac for the magic ingredient. But I think it may have just been powdered milk. Sometimes they had different flavors, like strawberry or mango. But the orange was always the best.

Orange Julius

8 - 10 ice cubes
1 12 oz can frozen orange juice (slightly thawed)
1½ cups milk
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 t. vanilla

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend on medium to high speed until ice cubes are completely chopped and the mixture is foamy.
Serve immediately.

Blueberry Topping

2009-08-18T08:46:00.001-07:00

I am amazed at how long fresh blueberries keep in the refrigerator. I am still using the blueberries we picked in Oregon. I froze some, but the ones I put in the fridge are still very good. Last night I made Blueberry Ice Cream Topping for dessert for FHE. We had it on vanilla ice cream. It was delicious.

Blueberry Topping

1 1/2 pints (3 cups) fresh blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 T. butter
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. cornstarch

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Add blueberries and cook until juices begin to be released from the berries and the sugar is dissolved. Serve warm over ice cream. or refrigerate and use for cheese cake topping

Peas & Tuna Fish

2009-08-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe that I grew up on. My mother served this often. She used canned peas and she served it over toast. Allan's mother occasionally made a similar dish without the peas. She served hers over biscuits. Consequently, that is how I serve it, now (over biscuits, not without the peas). Some of my kids really like this. Others don't particularly care for it. Whenever I serve it Allan asks me if we are broke. He calls it poor man food.

Peas and Tuna Fish

¼ cup margarine
½ cup flour
½ t. salt
3 cups milk
½ pkg. frozen peas
2 cans tuna fish (drained)

Melt margarine and mix with flour. Add salt. Add milk and cook until thickened. Add peas and tuna fish and heat until peas are thawed.
Serve over warm biscuits or toast.

Bowtie Cookies

2009-08-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

I really like these cookies because they are really easy to make (although a little messy). They look impressive (like you really know how to cook) and they taste really good. We made these for Charis and Craig's wedding.
A few years ago, Allan's mom found an old, large red velvet bow tie (quite ugly I might add) that I had made for Allan when we were dating. As I recall it was quite fashionable, for about a minute, 35 years ago. She gave it to Dallin and he loved it. He wore it to church for several weeks. He really liked the comments he got about it (none of them, very flattering). After a few weeks, he went to the store and bought a real bow tie (one that you tie). That was the kind he wore until he went on his mission. I think he would still wear them if he thought he could get away with it.
Because of Dallin's great fondness for bow ties, we served these cookies at his mission farewell party.

Butterfly Cookies/BowTie Cookies
Almond Twists

½ of a 17 ½ ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry
½ cup almond paste
1 egg
¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
¼ t. vanilla
½ t. almond extract
1 T. milk
Coarsely chopped sliced almonds (optional)

Let pastry stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or till easy to roll. On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry. Roll into a 14-inch square. Using a fluted pastry cutter or a pizza cutter, cut square in half.
For filling, in a small mixing bowl crumble the almond past. Add the egg and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed till well mixed.
Spread filling over on portion of pastry. Place remaining pastry half on top of filling. Using a fluted pastry wheel or a pizza cutter, cut dough into seven 14x1 inch strips. Then cut each strip crosswise into quarters. You should have 28 pieces. Twist each piece twice.
Place twist about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 400˚ oven for 12 to 15 minutes or till golden. Remove twists and cool on wire racks.
Meanwhile, for icing, in a small mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla almond extract and milk. Drizzle icing over twists. If desired, sprinkle with almonds.

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

2009-08-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

I got the recipe for these cookies from my friend, Danette. I really like these cookies. I usually make these in my heart shaped waffle iron. You can use a regular waffle iron as well. In fact, they probably work better that way. But they are cuter if you use a heart shaped one. I sold my regular waffle iron at a yard sale last year. I never used it for waffles (Allan likes Belgian Waffles better) and I forgot that I used it occasionally to make these cookies. Oh well. My heart shaped waffle iron is wearing out. Charis had one that she never used, so she gave it to me. My old one works better because the holes are deeper. These cookies are really cute for Valentine's day. They are a nice change from the traditional sugar cookies (but I like those, too).

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Melt together: 3 tbsp cocoa and ½Cup margarine or
2 sq Chocolate

mix in:
2 Eggs
¾ Cup sugar
Dash of salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup flour

Drop by tbsp onto waffle iron. Cook 1½ minutes Cool and frost then top with nuts.

*These cookies are really cute if you use a heart waffle iron.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-08-14T10:42:00.001-07:00

These are the kind of cookies that you either love or hate. If you love them, it is easy to eat too many because they taste good and you can pretend that they are sort of good for you (even though they probably aren't). Dallin loves these cookies.
When Josh & Brad were on their missions, I never sent them cookies. It was too expensive and by the time they would have received them they would have been hard and stale. But with Dallin being in California, I can send them to him every now & then. It only takes a couple of days for him to get them. These are his favorite cookies. He loves it when he gets some in the mail. He tells me that he is tempted to horde them but he usually shares them with his companions.
I got this recipe from a Marilyn Hanson, who I was in the Primay Presidency with in Emerson Ward. These cookies are cake like cookies, they are meant to be soft and fluffy so don't overbake them.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix:
1 cup sugar
½ cup oil
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Add and mix:

2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Add one bag of chocolate chips (6 oz.) Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375º

Shrimp Scampi

2009-08-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, the Priest leaders in our ward have a cooking night. They bring a lot of different kinds of food and let the boys imaginations run wild. They let them make anything they can think of using the ingredients they have on hand. They are supposedly trying to teach them how to get by on their missions. I actually like the idea. I think it is really good for the boys. But, how many missionaries do you know that just happen to have shrimp in their refrigerators? Hmmmm.
Anyway, this is what Cuyler and his group came up with one night. You can really add any kind of herbs that you want. It is very yummy!

Shrimp Scampi

2 lbs uncooked shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms.
dash of lemon juice

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Saute the garlic, onion and mushrooms in the butter until onions are transparent. Add shrimp. Cook just until shrimp is pink. Don't over cook the shrimp or it will be tough. Add lemon juice.

Ham & Cheese Rolls

2009-08-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

The first time I made these rolls was for a party for Josh's mission farewell. My friends, Marianne and Danette & I got together and made about 200 of them. We made them again when Brad went on his mission. I used to make these quite often for family parties. They are very easy to make and very easy to serve for a luncheon or wedding or other kind of party. They are good for dinner with a bowl of soup. They would be easy to take on a picnic. Everybody likes them. You can also use leftover turkey and cranberry sauce with cream cheese. But I much prefer ham and cheese. You can use any roll recipe for the bread.

Ham and Cheese Rolls

1 batch roll dough
thinly sliced ham
grated cheese (medium cheddar or Colby jack)
mustard
mayonaise

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with PAM.
Roll dough to a rectangle about ⅜ inch thick. Spread with mayo and mustard. Cover with sliced ham and grated cheese. Roll like jelly rolls. Slice into 1” slices and place, cut side up, on baking sheet, about 2” apart.
Let rise. Bake at 400º for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Store in refrigerator.

Red Velvet Cake

2009-08-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

When Allan was a little kid, he always asked for a red chocolate cake with blue frosting, for his birthday. His mother was a nice mother and always made it for him. At least that's what I understand. I, on the other hand, am not as nice of a wife. In 31 years of marriage, I have yet to make, this cake. Charis did make him one this year for his birthday. She apparently is a better daughter than I am a wife as well. She found a cake mix for Red Velvet Cake. I have never been able to find one. I actually think Allan is OK with the fact that I have neglected this ritual. He has never really complained. In fact he ususally asks for some different kind of cake for his birthday, now.
This is actually his mom's recipe.

Red Velvet Cake
(aka Red Chocolate Cake with Blue Frosting)

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 T. cocoa
1-2 oz red food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 t. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 t. vinegar
1 t. soda
1 t. vanilla

Cream shortening, eggs and sugar. Make a paste of cocoa and pat of the food coloring. Add paste and food coloring to creamed mixture. Sift flour & salt & soda together. Add flour and buttermilk alternately a little at a time. Add vinegar.
Bake in 2 8" pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Bottled Apple Pie Filling

2009-08-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

As a fund raiser, the scouts used to go to an apple orchard, way out in the middle of nowhere, to pick apples for the people in my sister, Emma's ward. When our children were little, Emma, Mary & I decided it would be fun to go out to the orchard with our kids and pick them ourselves. The apples cost $5.00 a bushel. The kids had fun picking the apples and playing in the orchard with their cousins and avoiding all the red ants. We would sit the babies in a box so they couldn't crawl around and get stung by the ants or get poked by the puncture weeds and cockle burrs. We picked a lot of apples. We continued doing this for a few years, until there was a fire in the orchard and they lost all their trees. They eventually replaced some of the trees. But most of the orchard was subdivided and homes were built there. It was a real adventure going to the orchard, partly at least, because it was sooooo far away. Several years later, we bought our house in Sandy and discovered that the orchard was just a couple of miles from our house. It really is a small world.
Emma had this recipe so we used some of the apples to make bottled apple pie filling. It makes delicious apple pies. It's a little work to bottle it (but not too much). But it is worth the effort when all you have to do is make the crust, open a bottle and bake it to get a genuine homemade apple pie.

Bottled Apple Pie Filling

4 1/2 cups sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 cup corn starch
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 t. salt
3 T. lemon juice
5 1/2 -6 lbs. peeled, cored and sliced apples.

In a large saucepan blend first 5 ingredients. Stir in 10 cups water. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add juice.
Pack apples into hot jars, leaving 1" headspace. Fill with hot syrup leaving 1/2" headspace. (Use a spatula to help distribute evenly). Adjust lids. PRocess in boiling water bath. Pints 15 minutes. Quarts 20 minutes.
Makes 6 quarts

Before serving, prepare pastry for a double crust pie. line pie plate. Add 1 qt filling. Dot with butter. Adjust top crust. cut slits and seal. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

Lime Slush

2009-08-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

I first got this recipe from my cousin, Wilma. I think she made it for Aunt Thelma and Uncle Glen's 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. Later it was submitted to one of the Karalee Ward BakeOff cookbooks by Jacci Timpson. It is very easy and very refreshing. When Charis got married, Craig wanted his mother's recipe for Lime Slush served at their wedding reception. It is very simlar to the one I had. It is very pretty (and tastes good too) if you add fresh raspberries to it.

Lime Slush

1 6 oz Frozen limeade
11 Cups water
3 Cups sugar
2 Quarts lemon lime carbonated beverage.
Lime Slices for garnish

Combine ingredients, except carbonated drink. Stir until sugar dissolves. Freeze until solid. Two hours before serving remove from freezer. Thaw to soften. Mash with potato masher. One hour before serving add carbonated drink. Garnish with Lime slices (and/or fresh raspberries).

Craig’s Lime Slush

1 12 oz can frozen limeade concentrate
6 cups water
3 cups sugar
Juice of 4 limes

1 2 liter bottle 7-up

Heat water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add lime juice and limeade concentrate. Stir until limeade is melted. Pour in 1 gallon Freezer Zipper bags. Freeze.
1-2 hours before serving, remove from freezer. Smash with potato masher. Pour 7-up over top.

Blueberry Filled Cookies

2009-08-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

Someday, my cute little grandson, Sam, will be a famous chef. He loves to help cook. He loves to play in his play kitchen. And he loves to play in my flour and sugar drawers. He finds cups or spoons and pours sugar in the flour and flour in the sugar (and on the floor as well). I figure it doesn't hurt anything too much. If I'm making something that needs sugar and no flour, I just reach to the back of the drawer. I figure a little sugar in the flour might even make things better, because I've heard it said that you should always put a little salt in something sweet and a little sugar in something savory. So it probably doesn't matter much.
When I was making these cookies, I just used the sugar with the flour mixed in to make the filling. So I didn't add any flour. I think the flour is really just a matter of taste. If you want a runnier filling you can leave it out entirely.

Blueberry Filled Cookies

Filling:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 t. flour
zest of one lemon

Mix flour and sugar in a saucepan. Add berries, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Cook for a minute or two.

Make your favorite sugar cookie dough (a recipe for mine is on this blog). Roll dough to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut into circles. Place circles of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment pater. Put about a teaspoon of filling (about 5-6 berries) on the center of each round. Moisten edges of dough. Place another circle of dough on top of the berries and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Frost with cream cheese frosting if desired.

Classic Blueberry Pie

2009-08-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

This is the pie we made at Rosalie's house using freshly picked Blueberries.

Blueberry Pie

Basic Pie Dough

Filling ingredients:
6 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries, rinsed and stems removed (if using frozen, defrost and drain first)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardomom
2 Tbsp butter (unsalted), cut into small pieces
Egg wash ingredients:
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

1 Prepare the crust. Roll out half of the dough to 1/8-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured work surface, about 13 inches in diameter. Fit the dough over a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch over the edge all around the pan.
2 Gently mix the blueberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, cardomom, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Transfer them to the bottom crust of the pie pan. Dot with butter pieces. Roll out remaining dough to the same size and thickness as the first. Place on top of the berry filling. Tuck the top dough over and under the edge of the bottom dough, and crimp the edges with your fingers. Heat oven to 425°F.
3 Whisk egg and milk together to make an egg wash.
4 Brush the top with egg wash. Score the pie on the top with 4 cuts (so steam can escape while cooking). Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven with a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking pan positioned on the lower rack to catch any filling that may bubble over. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more or until juices are bubbling and have thickened. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let cool completely before serving.

Basic Pie Crust

2009-08-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

I remember my mother making pie crust in a large bowl. She never measured anything. She never used any kind of tools (pastry blender, Knives, etc). She just used her fingers. She would make enough for 8 pies at a time and they always worked. I don't know how she did it. She only ever made pumpkin pies.
I think I got this recipe from my Junior High Home Ec. class at Roosevelt Jr. High. But I honestly don't remember. It has served me well for many years. I rarely double the recipe even if I am making a lot of pies.

Pie Crust

2 cups all purpose flour
2 t. salt
1 T. sugar (oprional)
2/3 cup shortening
7 T. cold water.

Mix flour and salt (and sugar). Using 2 knives or a pastry blender cut in shortening til it is the size of small peas. Using a fork, gradually mix in water (1 T. at a time). Form into 2 balls.
On a floured, smooth surface, roll one ball of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Fold dough in half and place in a 9" pie plate. Unfold. Gently press dough to fit pan (do not strech dough) Trim sides to fit the pan. Crimp edges if using pie dough for a single shell pie. Use other ball of dough for another pie or for the top crust of a double crust pie. Follow instructions in your pie recipe to bake.

Cream Puffs with Lemon Mousse and Blueberry Sauce

2009-08-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent the week in Portland Oregon, visiting Rosalie & Tom. It was great. We had a lot of fun. It was record breaking hot while we were there (106 in Portland). The beach was much cooler so we went to the ocean and played. We saw some tide pools with starfish and anemones.
One of my favorite things to do in Oregon is to go berry picking. Last year while we were there, we discovered a "you pick" blueberry farm just outside of Sandy, Oregon. It is owned by a cute old man. It is very overgrown so it kind of feels like you are picking blueberries in the wild. He only charges $1.00/pound. We picked 16 pounds in about an hour this year.
Watching little Owen reminded me of the book, "Blueberries for Sal". He loved the blueberries and would eat them by the handful.
The first year we went to Rosalie's we found a commercial farm and picked several different kinds of berries. when we returned to her house we spent the afternoon making all kinds of Jam. Last year when we returned we made a Blueberry pie. This year, we waited until the last day we were there to pick the berries so I just brought a lot of them home and am trying to find different things to make with them.
I found this idea at Martha Stewarts website. This is my version of her recipe. Allan loves cream puffs, lemon pie and blueberries. So this seemed like the perfect first choice. I was right. Allan loved these.

Cream Puffs with Lemon Mousse and Blueberry Sauce

For the Cream Puffs:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
4 eggs
Put butter, water, salt and sugar in small saucepan; stir over high heat until melted and liquid is boiling rapidly. Add flour at once; raise saucepan a few inches above heat. Stir briskly. Mixture will come away from sides of pan and form a ball in center.
Cook and stir 30 seconds more. Remove from heat. Break 1 egg into the paste; beat fast until smooth and fluffy. Repeat until all the eggs are used.
Drop by whatever size you want (1/4 cup) onto ungreased cookie sheet 3 inches apart. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until puffed and golden about 35 more minutes. Turn of oven and open the door slightly. Leave in oven until oven is cool. Cool away from drafts.

For the Blueberry Sauce:
2 cups (1 pint) blueberries
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Bring 1 cup blueberries, the water, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until most of the berries have burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add remaining cup blueberries, and crush lightly.

For the Lemon Mousse:
1 large egg, plus 3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
Pinch of salt
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup heavy cream

Whisk together egg, yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook until mixture is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of lemon curd, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Just before serving, Whip cream and fold into lemon mixture.

Cut tops of cream puffs, spoon Lemon Mousse into bottom half, top with Blueberries. Replace cream puff top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sloppy Joes (for a crowd)

2009-07-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

Every year for many many years Emerson Ward had a picnic at the park for a summer party. The menu was the same every year. The ward provided the sloppy joes and buns and home made root beer. Every thing else was pot luck. I really don't remember too many activities. I think everybody just talked while the kids played at the park. At first it was at Fairmont Park, but in later years, they held it at Sugarhouse Park. When Allan was in the Bishopric we helped make the sloppy joes. Evelyn Pruess gave us the recipe. When I make sloppy joes for my family I make them the same way only in much smaller quantity.

Sloppy Joes
(Emerson Ward for a crowd)

10 lbs. ground beef
3 cans chicken gumbo soup
3 onions (chopped)
1½ bottles ketchup

Brown hamburger, rinse off grease. Add onions, soup and ketchup. Simmer on low heat for an hour or so.

For my family I use:
2-3 lbs ground beef
1/2 - 1 onion
1 can chicken gumbo soup
enough ketchup to make it sloppy (about 1 cup).

Waikiki Meatballs

2009-07-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner quite often when my kids were growing up. It seems that with a large family, it's hard to find something that everybody likes. This was one that seamed to satisfy everyone. Before I got married, Emma gave me a recipe file box filled with some of her favorite recipes. This was one that she included from Mary.

Waikiki Meatballs

1½ lbs. ground beef
⅔ c. cracker crumbs
⅓ c. minced onion
1 egg
¼ t. ginger
¼ c. milk
1½ t. salt
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 can pineapple tidbits (drain, reserve juice)
1/3 c. vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
1/3 c. sliced onion

Mix meat, crumbs, chopped onion, egg, salt ginger and milk. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoons into meatballs. Spray frying pan with PAM. Brown and cook meatballs. Remove and keep warm. Pour excess fat from pan.

Mix cornstarch and sugar. Stir in reserved pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce until smooth. Pour into skillet. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir one minute Add meatballs, pineapple tidbits and green peppers and slice onions. Heat through. Serve over rice.

Caramel Corn Pops

2009-07-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

Before Josh got married he really hated these, in spite of the fact that they are delicious. They reminded him of packing peanuts (Styrofoam). But we continued to make them year after year. Last year when he was here with his family, for Christmas, we made them again. Everybody loved them (especially Sarah, Elijah and Sam). He tried them again and he too was hooked. I guess we all learn a multitude of good things from our spouses and children.
There is not a single thing in these that is good for you. I guess that's why they taste so good and are so hard to resist. They are like eating caramel covered air. Like eating caramel popcorn without the hulls getting stuck in your teeth. They are made form the imitation popcorn. I think it is made from corn starch. The stuff isn't that great until you cover it with buttery caramel. But then be prepared to eat it non stop til it's gone.
Elijah and Sam are here visiting us for a few days, so I think I'll make some tonight.
Elijah calls it Caramel Popcorn Foam

Caramel Corn Pop

1 lb. Butter
¼cup water
2 cups sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon dark Karo Syrup
1 20 oz. Pkg. “Barrel O’Fun” Corn pops Snacks

Mix first four ingredients in heavy pan. Cook on high to boiling. Then start timing. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, Mixture will smoke slightly and pull away from sides of pan. It should be a light caramel color. DO NOT OVER COOK!
Place corn pops in a large pan, pour mixture in and stir. Spread in a single layer on waxed paper to cool.

Cran-Crazy Cookies

2009-07-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Somehow I always feel a smidge less guilty when I eat these cookies rather than other cookies. It's easy to pretend that these are actually good for you because they are made from whole wheat flour. I got the recipe from the Better Homes & Gardens website. I actually really like these cookies and they are great for using food storage.

Cran-Crazy Cookies

Ingredients:
¾ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon or orange peel
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups chopped toasted pecans*
1 ½ cups dried cranberries (Craisins)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, lemon peel, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour. Stir in pecans and cranberries.
2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. Cool on cookie sheet on wire racks for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

*To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 5 to 10 minutes our until nuts are slightly golden brown. Stirring once or twice. Cool completely. Chop nuts and set aside.

Raisin Filled Cookies

2009-07-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

I love these cookies. Probably because they remind me of my childhood. These are one of the few cookies I remember my mom making when I was small. I rarely make them because they are a little labor intensive and Allan doesn't like them very much and I don't think my kids loved them either. But regardless of what they all think, these cookies are really good. Just ask any of my sisters.
This is an old fashioned cookie. Use basic sugar cookie dough for the cookie part.

Raisin Cookie Filling

Boil: 1 cup raisin in 3 cup water until plump (about 15 minutes)

In a bowl mix: 2 heaping Tablespoons corn starch with a little more that ½ cup sugar.
Add: enough water to make a paste ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Add paste to boiled raisins and cook until sauce is clear.

Place a tablespoon of raisin mixture in center of round sugar cookie dough. Place another circle on top and seal edges. Bake according to sugar cookie recipe.

Lion House Sugar Cookies

2009-07-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe. It has just the right amount of sweetness and the cookies can be soft or crisp depending on how thin you roll them and how long you bake them. I like soft sugar cookies so I usually roll them about 1/4 inch thick and bake them just until they loose the glossy shine of the dough (just until they start to turn golden on the bottom). I usually frost them with cream cheese frosting. They are great for Valentines Day, Halloween, Easter or whenever you're in the mood.

Lion House Sugar Cookies
1⅓ cup margarine
6½-7 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
5 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. Vanilla
¼ cup milk

Preheat oven to 400º. Cream margarine and sugar. Mix in eggs, vanilla and milk. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Roll 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut in desired shapes. Bake 7-8 minutes on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Remove from pans. Let cool and decorate with frosting and sprinkles, etc.

Fourth of July Jello

2009-07-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Mary first made this salad for my family in 1976. It was called Bicentennial Salad back then. It is a really pretty Jello Salad, and it tastes really good too. You can substitute green Jello for the Blue Jello and make it for Christmas (don't put the blueberries in). When Mary made it there was no such thing as blue Jello so she used red Jello for the blue layer. The blueberries make it go a dark blue color.

Fourth of July Jello
Or Christmas Jello*

1 3 oz. pkg. raspberry Jello
frozen raspberries or 2 pkg. fresh raspberries
1 3 oz . box berry blue Jello
frozen blueberries or 2 pkg. fresh blueberries
1 envelope plain knox gelatin
1 cup half & half or cream
1 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup chopped pecans

Layer 1:
Make raspberry Jello according to package directions. Add raspberries and pour into a 9x13 pan. Chill till mostly set.

Layer 2:
Dissolve plain gelatin in ½ cup cold water.
Heat half & half and sugar without boiling
Mix into gelatin mixture.
Add vanilla, cream cheese and nuts.
Mix until smooth
Gently pour over first layer and chill till mostly set.

Layer 3:
Make berry blue Jello according to package directions. Add blueberries and gently pour over layer two. Chill until completely set.

*for Christmas Jello, substitute Lime Jello for the berry blue Jello and eliminate the blueberries

Chicken Divan

2009-07-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

I think it was Margaret who introduced this recipe to my family. She brought Chicken Divan to a family party. My mom loved it and we had it quite often when I was a teenager. My mom would sometimes try to mix things up with it and alter the recipe. She would add rice or use different vegetables. But nothing was quite as good as the original. Just make sure you use real mayonnaise, not salad dressing. (Allan likes it moist and goopy).

Chicken Divan

4 chicken breasts
1 package frozen broccoli
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup each of bread crumbs and melt butter
lemon juice to taste

Simmer chicken breasts 2-3 hours. Take skin and bones off. Cook broccoli. Spray pan with PAM.. Line casserole dish with broccoli then chicken. Combine soup, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Pour sauce over all. Top with cheese and crisp bread crumbs that have been sauteed in butter. Bake 45minutes at 350°.

Snickerdoodles

2009-07-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

I think snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies. They are just simple cookies that are just simply delicious. I think they are a must with homemade ice cream. I rarely make ice cream without making snickerdoodles to go with it. MMMMMM!

Snickerdoodles

1 cup soft shortening (part butter)
1½ cup sugar
2¾ cups flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400º. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Measure flour by sifting. Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll in mixture of 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen 2" cookies

Spring Mill Corn Bread

2009-07-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

When Rosalie was just a baby we went to Indiana to visit my sister Claralyn and her family. They were living there while her husband taught at Indiana University. We took my mom and dad. It was a great trip. While we were there, we went to an old State Park that had a working pioneer stone mill. We bought a bag of the stone ground corn meal and took it home and made corn bread from the recipe on the package. It was delicious. But part of the reason it was so good was because of the course corn meal. I couldn't find it anywhere else. Sometimes, after my sister moved back to Utah, I would ask her or her kids to pick some up for me when they went back to visit in Indiana. A few years ago, I discovered Red Mill products in the grocery store. They have a whole line of flours and things. They have a corn meal that is very similar to the corn meal we got in Indiana.
When Rosalie moved to Portland, we discovered that the Red Mill factory is not far from her house. We have gone there a few times. It is a fun place to explore. They have all the things they sell in normal stores plus a whole lot more. Now I can make my favorite corn bread anytime I want. (You can make this corn bread with regular corn meal too, but I like the course ground a lot better).

Spring Mill Corn Bread

¾ cup course corn meal
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
½ cup sugar
1 egg
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk, eggs and shortening. Bake in a greased 9x9 pan for 20 minutes at 425º.

Pavlovas

2009-07-15T11:35:00.001-07:00

Brad also came home from his mission around this time of year. Brad's and Josh's missions overlapped for 1 year. Brad brought home the recipe for Pavlovas from Australia. Pavlovas are a crusty meringue type cookie/cake thing (depending on how big you make it).
It is very light. It is really good this time of year when there are a plethora of berries available.

Pavlovas

Ingredients: makes 36 small pavlovas
6 egg whites
2 c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2tsp. white vinegar
Assorted berries or other fruit
Whipped Cream
Preheat oven to 250. Beat egg whites until stiff and glossy. Combine sugar, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. Gradually beat into the egg whites. Beat until stiff. Add vinegar and fold gently. Spoon meringue onto parchment lined cookie sheet in small circles. Make a depression in the center. Bake for about 1/2 hour. They should start to look dried out. Turn oven off, open the door, and let sit for about 15 more minutes. Spoon sweetened whipped cream in the depressed centers, top with sliced fruit.

Pulla

2009-07-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

Today is the 32 year anniversary of when Allan came home from his mission. Which reminded me that Josh came home at about the same time of the year. Which reminded me of all the recipes that Josh brought home with him from Finland. None of them are very good (Rutabaga Casserole, Mammy) But he did introduce us to Pulla. Pulla is a Finnish Bread. Pulla is delicious! I think they usually braid it, but we make it into rolls. It is flavored with Cardamom. I had never used cardamom until Josh brought it home with him. Now it is one of my favorite spices.

Pulla

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 eggs, beaten
9 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons white sugar

DIRECTIONS
Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, 4 eggs, and enough flour to make a batter (approximately 2 cups). Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add about 3 cups of the flour and beat well; the dough should be smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the melted butter or margarine, and stir well. Beat again until the dough looks glossy. Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is stiff.
Turn out of bowl onto a floured surface, cover with an inverted mixing bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, and turn the dough to grease the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let rise again until almost doubled.
Turn out again on to a floured surface, and divide into 3 parts. Divide each third into 3 again. Roll each piece into a 12 to 16 inch strip. Braid 3 strips into a loaf. You should get 3 large braided loaves. Lift the braids onto greased baking sheets. Let rise for 20 minutes.
Brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottom burns easily.

Grandma Strong's Dinner Rolls

2009-07-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

Allan's mom has always made the best rolls. They are alway light and fluffy and very tastey! I asked her for her recipe shortly after we got married. Occasionally I get them just as light as hers. But she still is and always will be the pro! I really like these rolls. I always eat too many of them. Allan thinks they are as good as dessert when you have them with homemade strawberry jam. Yum!!

Rolls

2 cups hot water (120º)
1 T. Sugar
2 T. yeast

½ cup sugar
½ cup oil
2 eggs
2 t. salt
6-7 cups flour

Mix water 1 T sugar and yeast. Let sit till softened. Mix sugar, oil eggs and salt. Add 1 cup flour. Mix in yeast mixture. Add 5 cups of flour. Knead for a few minutes. Gradually add last cup of flour till you have a soft dough. Let rise. Punch down. Form into rolls. Dip in melted margarine. Bake at 400º for about 10-15 minutes.

Bratten's Clam Chowder

2009-07-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Bratten's was a restaurant on 4th South in Salt Lake when I was a kid. It was the only good seafood restaurant in town. It was here long before The Red Lobster or Market Street Grill. I don't know why they went out of business. Several of the people I went to High School worked there. I think I only ever went there once. I'm not sure if this is actually the recipe they used. But it tastes just the same and it is delicious.

Bratten’s Clam Chowder

1 qt. half and half
1 small onion (diced)
2 cups diced potatoes
¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cans minced clams
1cup diced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
¾ cups butter
1½ teaspoon salt

Precook potatoes, celery and carrots. Drain (and save juice) from the clams. Add to vegetables. Add enough water to cover. Simmer until tender. Melt butter and add flour. Blend. Add cream and cook until smooth and thickened. Add salt, sugar and vegetables. Add clam juice. Heat but do not boil.
Pour in bowls and sprinkle with Salad Supreme and parsley or chives

Lemon Ice Cream

2009-07-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe that has become a Martin Classic. It has just the right combination of tart and sweet. It is very refreshing on a hot summer day. Sometimes, when my kids were little, we made this ice cream in the winter and used snow from our yard to freeze it.
A lady named Bertha Stromberg in Emerson Ward made it once for a Relief Society Luncheon. She was very insistent that people give her credit for the recipe. So I'm giving her credit, even though she has probably been dead for years. Here's to you Bertha. Thanks for the recipe. We've enjoyed it for many, many years.

Lemon Ice Cream

2 qts whole milk
4 cups sugar
1 cup FRESH squeezed lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream
1 ½ tsp lemon extract

Combine all ingredients and freeze in an ice cream freezer.

Rollo Cookies

2009-07-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, several people in my neighborhood decided it would be fun to have a candy making class. Each week one of us would teach the rest of us how to make a different kind of candy. Bonnie Call decided that these cookies were close enough to candy (after all, they have Rollos in them). They are really good and the caramel in the middle is a pleasant surprise to the unexpecting.

Rollo Cookies

2 ½ cups flour 1 T sugar
2 eggs 4 oz white chocolate
¾ cups cocoa
1 cup chopped pecans 48 Rollo candies
1 t. soda
½ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 t. vanilla

Mix butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, cocoa, soda and ½ cup pecans. Roll 1 tablespoon of dough around a Rollo. Dip in sugar and remaining nuts. Bake at 375º for 7 -10 minutes or until cookie is cracked. Let sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

2009-07-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

This salad can be served for a main course or a side salad. It has a little bit of everything and is really yummy.

Spinach Salad

2 bunches of spinach (torn into bite size pieces) or spring green salad mix
1 head of lettuce (torn into bite size pieces)
1 purple onion (sliced)
3/4 lb. fresh mushrooms (sliced)
3/4 lb. Swiss cheese (grated)
1 C drained cottage cheese
1/2 C crumbled bacon
sugared almonds (see recipe below)
mandarin oranges
crasins
sliced strawberries
chopped mangoes
croutons

Toss all ingredients together (except onions). Use sliced onions as a garnish. Top with following dressing.

Poppy Seed Dressing

3/4 tsp poppy seeds
3/4 C oil
3/4 tsp grated onion
1/3 tsp mustard
1/2 C white vinegar
1/3 C sugar
3/4 tsp salt

Buzz in blender. Pour on salad right before serving

Sugared Almonds

1/2 cup sliced Almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 t. cinnamon (optional)

mix all ingredients in a pot. Cook while stirring constantly until the sugar crystallizes on the almonds. Dump on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet and separate the nuts from each other.

Macaroni and Tomatoes

2009-07-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

The other day I was emailing my sisters about the foods my mom used to cook. I think my older sisters remember her being a better cook than I do. I think that by the time I came along she had grown weary of cooking and just cooked the basics and simple dishes. I think at this point in my life, I'm becoming more and more like her. Anyway, one of the things that I remember her cooking is Macaroni and Tomatoes. We had it often for lunch or dinner. It was one of the things that I remembered with my sisters. I had not had it since I was a child and decided I would try it again. I just made enough for myself because I didn't think anyone else would like it. While I was making it, Michael came in and asked if he could try some. I gave him some. He ate it all and when he finished I asked how he liked it. He said, "It was delicious, Grandma". He was right, to my surprise, it was.

Macaroni & Tomatoes

Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 lb. Macaroni. Cook until tender. Drain. Add 1 can of stewed tomatoes. Add a pat of butter to each serving.

Picnic Cake

2009-07-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

I think my sister, Margaret, was the discoverer of this recipe. But since she introduced it to us it has become a Martin classic. Everybody loves it. No picnic is complete without it. But it's good anytime!

Picnic Cake

combine the following:
1 cup raisins (or 1 cup chopped dates)
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 teaspoon soda
Cream:
¾ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir in:
1 ¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add raisin mixture. Place in greased, floured pan. Top with ½ cup chocolate chips, ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup nuts.

Bake at 350º for 40 minutes.