Saturday, November 2, 2013

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 t. vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup butter and sugar.  Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoon;  flatten slightly.  Bake 15-20 minutes.

Frosting

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. cream cheese
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until creamy.  Add vanilla and cinnamon.  Spread over cooled cookies.  Enjoy!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Caramel Corn

Ingredients

2 bags Snyders Hull-less popcorn
1/2 c. Karo Syrup
2 c. brown sugar
2 sticks butter or margarine
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

In a large saucepan, bring to a boil the karo syrup, sugar and butter.  Once boiling, cook for 5 minutes.
Then add the vanilla, baking soda and salt.  The mixture will foam up.
Stir very well.
Place popcorn in a greased roaster pan.  Pour caramel mixture over the top and stir very well.
Bake at 250 for 1 hour, stirring well every 15 minutes.

Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dry ziti pasta (or really any kind of pasta would work- I actually used Penne pasta)
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef (season with pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and minced garlic)
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (I added a zucchini to my sauce just for more veggies!)
8 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 2 8x8 inch pans with non-stick cooking spray. Layer as follows in each pan: 1/4 of the ziti, 1/4 of the sauce, 4 slices of Provolone cheese, 1/2 of sour cream,  1/4 of ziti, 1/4 mozzarella cheese and 1/4 of sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

from sixsistersstuff.com

Flourless Chocolate Cake

A Christmas tradition and so, SO good.

Ingredients:
9 oz. butter (2 sticks, plus 2 T.)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 eggs, separated
1 C. plus 2 T. sugar
1/8 t. salt
1/3 c. cake flour (I've used almond flour instead as a gluten-free alternative)
1 c. toasted hazelnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.  Combine chocolate and butter and melt.  Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and salt.  Add melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir until smooth.
Sift flour ino this mixtur and stir until incorporated.
Fold in the hazelnuts.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour batter into prepared 9" spring form pan.  (spray with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper) and bake 45 min - 1 hour.  The top will have a few cracks when it's done.
Serve with fresh whipped cream an berries.  For extra fanciness, sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar and finely chopped chocolate.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

from thepioneerwoman.com

Ingredients:
1 whole onion, diced
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half
4 heads broccoli cut into florets
1 pinch nutmeg (I usually substitute garlic.)
3 cups grated cheese
small dash of salt to taste
black pepper
chicken broth if needed for thinning

Directions:
Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the onions.  Cook onions for 3-4 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over the top.  Stir to combine and cook for a minute or so, then pour in milk and half-and-half.  Add nutmeg (garlic), then add broccoli, salt and pepper.
Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until broccoli is tender.  Stir in cheese and allow to melt.
Taste seasonings and adjust is needed.  I usually use my immersion blender to puree completely.

Corn Fritters

This is an old family favorite from when I was growing up.  We always looked forward to the Monday after Easter because we knew we'd be having leftover ham and corn fritters drizzled with syrup.   So good!

Ingredients:
2 eggs, separated
1/2 c. milk
1 1/3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. paprika
1 can corn, drained (about 1 cup)

Beat 2 egg yolks until light.  Add milk, flour, baking powder, salt, paprika and corn.  Beat 2 egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.  Heat oil in a heavy skillet.  Drop spoonful of batter into hot oil.  Fry each side until golden brown.  Serve with leftover ham with syrup.

Brownies

from Hershey's

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 t. vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 13x9 pan.  Melt the butter.  Stir in sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition.  Add cocoa.  Beat until well blended.  Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat well.  Pour batter in pan.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Ham 'n' Cheese Quiche

from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

2 pastry shells (9 inches)
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
4 eggs
2 cups half and half cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Line unpricked pastry shells with a double thickness of foil.  Bake at 400 for 5 minutes.  Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer.

Divide ham, cheese and onion between the shells.  In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper.  Pour into shells.  Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.  Or cover edges with foil and bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

To use frozen quiche:  Completely thaw in the refrigerator.  Remorve from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking as directed.  Yield:  2 quiches (6 servings each).