Best Oatmeal Cookies

Loretta Cochran shared this recipe on facebook.  Loretta is a great cook and says these are the best oatmeal cookie recipe ever. She makes a triple batch.

Best Oatmeal Cookies
1c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1T. molasses
1t. vanilla
1t. soda
Cream the above ingredents and then add
2 eggs mixing well
2c. flour
2c. oatmeal
nuts and choc. chips or you can leave them out.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 min.

Cold Cucumber Salad

• And here is one more...Cold Cucumber Salad by Paula Deen.  
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cold-cucumber-salad-recipe/index.html
• Some of the comments still stated that this went runny.  So it might work best to let the cucumbers set 4 hours like Barefoot Contessa did hers??
• 
  
• Cold Cucumber Salad

• 2 cucumbers
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Peel and slice the cucumbers and put them in a glass bowl. Sprinkle them with salt and vinegar. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Pour off the excess liquid and drain in colander for about 30 minutes to allow complete drainage. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill and pepper, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Sweet & Sour Cucumbers

Years ago I cut this recipe out of a newspaper.  It has been sitting by my computer since last summer....but I never remember to post it.  On Tuesday Steve & I met my sister, Janet and husband, Vaughn for dinner at Tucanos.   Janet and Steve share the same birthday and so we went to use their birthday coupons.  I really enjoyed the cucumber salad they serve.  I'm thinking this recipe is really similar.

Sweet & Sour Cucumbers
2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, with 3 inches of green tops (I think red onion would be good too)
2/3 c. rice vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
Combine all ingredients:  marinate for at least half an hour.  With a slotted spoon, serve as a salad or garnish.  Serves 4.

hmmmm......2 cucumber salad posts in December......I think I'm missing summer!!

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Yesterday I had on the Food Network  while I was tying a quilt. "Barefoot Contessa" made this Cucumber Salad which is very similar to my Favorite Cucumber Salad.  She however drained her cucumbers and yogurt for 4 hours.  This removes all the liquid that makes this salad go runny if you don't eat it all within an hour or so.  The secret is too marinate the cucumbers with about 1 1/2 T. salt which releases the liquid.  I'm so gonna try this with my recipe too.  But here is her recipe.  
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/creamy-cucumber-salad-recipe/index.html


Creamy Cucumber Salad

• 4 hothouse cucumbers, thinly sliced (3 to 4 pounds)
• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced in half rounds
• Kosher salt
• 4 cups (32 ounces) plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup minced fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Mix the cucumbers, red onions, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt in a bowl. Pour them into a colander and suspend it over a bowl. Wrap the bowl and colander with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to drain for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects in the bowl.

Pour the yogurt into a sieve lined with a paper towel and suspend it over another bowl. Wrap the bowl and sieve in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects in the second bowl.

When the cucumbers are ready, roll them up in paper towels or a kitchen towel and press the towel lightly to remove most of the liquid. Place the cucumbers and yogurt in a large bowl with the sour cream, vinegar, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Toss well and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and serve chilled.

Now I can't wait for summer again!!

Butterscotch Steamer

Well I enjoyed my Cocoa Maker a little too much.  I made up my Hot Chocolate on Christmas Morning and when I turned it on......nothing happened.  It totally quit me on Christmas Morning....thank goodness I have a microwave too.  But all is well now.....my warranty was good and I now have a brand new Cocoa Maker.  This is a recipe for one of my favorite drinks I make in it.

Butterscotch Steamer
2 c. milk
1 T. Butter
3 T. Brown Sugar
Top with whipped cream and serve.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Marcia called to tell me that the recipe in the cookbook is NOT the recipe she usually uses.   So here is the 'real' recipe.  Thanks, Marcia

Cranberry-Orange Bread
2 cups flour
3/4-1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1-1 1/2 cups coarsely cut cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts (Marcia don't add)
1 teaspoon-1 Tablespoon orange zest

Combine 1 beaten egg
3/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoon oil

Add to dry ingredients stir to moisten.

Bake in greased loaf pan, @ 350  for 50 mins or till done. 

Homemade Vanilla

Homemade Vanilla is the new craze....Here are a couple of alcohol free versions I want to try.

A good alcohol free substitute would be to make a vanilla syrup. It is a simple syrup made with vanilla beans. As follows:

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 Tb. corn syrup
12 vanilla beans (more for stronger flavor)

1.Bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Split and scrape the vanilla beans and add entire bean and scrapings to the saucepan.

2.Reduce the heat to medium-low.
3.Simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved, 6 to 8 minutes.
4.Let cool completely.
5.Transfer to an airtight container. Do not strain out the beans as they will add to the flavor over time
6.Refrigerate or store in a COOL dark place for several weeks.
To top off make a new batch or half batch and add to previously made vanilla syrup.

The more beans you use the stronger the flavor and it only gets better over time.
To make a thicker syrup increase cooking time.
To more easily pour syrup set container in a warm water bath til heated through.
You can also add vanilla beans to honey for a unique flavor.

This is an alcohol free recipe from a radio station. I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know how it compares.

Alcohol Free Version:
2 vanilla beans
12 oz glycerin
4 oz warm water
Slit bean down middle and scrape downs seeds. Place both in glycerin and warm water. (softens pod) Place in dark place. Let sit for a month or so. Shake often.

Grape Syrup.....for Christmas Breakfast

Dad is coming for Breakfast on Christmas Morning.  It is so hard to find something he can eat these days.  Pancakes are about the only thing he asks for anymore.  So I am thinking this recipe will be the perfect way to perk up his pancakes on Christmas Morning.  Gonna give it a try.....
It says this is delicious served over ice cream or on pancakes.....his 2 favorites!!  hope he likes it!

Grape Syrup
1 1/4 c. grape juice
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn syrup
1 T. lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and skim off the foam.  Cool and store in the refrigerator.
Now that I have made this......Use a 4 qt. saucepan and boil for 4 minutes, while stirring.

OR for my second batch I did this:

place in 4 qt. saucepan:
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 heaping T. regular clear jel
whisk together and add:
1 1/2 c. grape juice
1/4 c. corn syrup
1 t. lemon juice
Cook over high heat stirring occasionally.  Once mixture reaches a full boil cook for 2 minutes while stirring.

Dad did really like this Grape Syrup on his Christmas Pancakes.  He took a bottle of it home with him.  I prefer the second recipe where I added the clear jel.  This was the perfect consistency for syrup.  I think I will try some other flavors too.  Dad really likes apricots and I have some apricot juice that would work perfect for this too!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

I needed to use up some bananas so I went online looking for a banana cookie recipe....after combining a few this is what I came up with......and we enjoyed them....hope you do too!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 c. flour (1/2 c. of this can be whole wheat flour)
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 over ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 c. quick oats
1 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semi-sweet mini chips
Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
Beat butter and gradually add the sugars, beat until light and fluffy.  Add egg, vanilla and bananas; mix until combined.  Add flour mixture; mix just until combined.  Fold in oats, and chips.
Drop onto lightly sprayed cookie sheet using a large cookie scoop.  Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.  Let cool on for 5 minutes and then move to cooling racks to finish cooling.

These are great just like this.....but for something extra special.
Drizzle them with an Almond Cream Cheese glaze.....YUM!
These freeze well too.

Cheesecake in a Jar

This fun idea came from my friend Paula of RWOP...

Cheesecake in a Jar

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 T. melted butter 
1/3 c. sugar
Filling
2 (8 oz. each) softened Neufchatel or original cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
Turn your slow cooker on high and cover. 

Mix crust and place in ½ pint canning jars; pat into bottom and up sides of jars.
Mix filling with electric mixer; pour into jars over crust.
Place open jars in crock pot and fill halfway up with boiling water.
Place lid on crock pot and cook 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.  When you lift the lid make sure you lift it away from you and don’t hold it over the crock pot or all that steamy liquid on the lid will fall into your cheesecake and make it mushy.
Remove and cool to room temperature.  Put a lid on each jar.  Chill for at least 4 hours.

Christmas Eve Jello Salad

I think Jello Salad on Christmas Eve is a must....because the grandkids will always eat Jello.  But it is Christmas so it needs to be a little bit fancy.....  I got this recipe from my sister, Kristen.

Christmas Eve Jello Salad
1 lg. box Vanilla or Lemon Cook n Serve Pudding
1 lg. box red or green Jello (I use one small box)
8 oz. whipped topping, thawed
Mix pudding as directed on the box, except; use WATER instead of milk (I use 2 whole eggs instead of 3 yolks).  Bring to a boil and stir in the Jello until completely dissolved.  Pour into a bowl and chill for 2 hours, until set.  Beat with hand mixer, beat in the whipped topping, pour into a pretty bowl and chill until serving time.

If you want to get really fancy.....I put 1/2 of this in a trifle dish.  Then mix up a box of Jello, using a little less water than the box calls for.  Pour this over the layer in the trifle dish and chill until set.  Once set up top it with  the remainder of the Jello Salad mixture.  Top that with more whipped topping if desired.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Yesterday I went to get all the goodies for our Christmas Eve project.  We always make some kind of decorated Christmas goodie with all the grandkids.  We have done Gingerbread houses, candy bar trains and  sugar cookies in the past. I really wanted to make CuTe LiTtle GiNgeRbrEaD PeOpLe.  I think Gingerbread Cookies are so fun to make but not everyone's favorite to eat..... so.....I decided I would try to make a tasty Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie.  So here is the recipe I came up with......

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla
4 eggs
5 1/2 c. flour (some extra for rolling them out)
3/4 to 1 c. cocoa
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
Cream together the butter and sugars, until fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs one at at time, beating after each one.
Sift together:  flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time, as the mixer mixes it in.  As soon as flour mixture disappears stop mixing. (Add more flour if dough is too sticky.) Place dough in covered bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.
Roll dough on floured surface to 3/8 inch thickness and cut into shapes.  Bake on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes.  Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet to cooling racks to finish cooling.  Frost with decorator's icing or royal icing.
I will be making these early and freezing them so that they will be ready to decorate on Christmas Eve.  I think  we are gonna have some CuTe LiTtLe ChOcoLaTe GiNgeRbrEaD PeOpLe!

Cornbread.....

My friend, Sherri Walton brought me a bag of fresh ground cornmeal with this recipe.  I can't wait to try it!!

CORNBREAD
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. melted butter
Stir together the dry ingredients.  Beat eggs and add with milk to dry ingredients.  Stir just until combined.  Fold in melted butter.  Pour into sprayed 9x13.  Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Microwave Caramels.....aka: 6 or 7 Minute Caramels

Well I think I may have just found MY FAVORITE RECIPE for 2011!!!!
Are you ready for this????
5 ingredients and 6 or 7 minutes and you have the most delicious CARAMELS you have ever tasted!!!
If you love caramels like I do.....you won't want to miss out on this recipe.
I think Lacey will love this as much as I do!!   She has been asking to make caramels for a couple of months now, but we just haven't found an hour to make them.  In 15 minutes I made 2 batches of these!!

Here is the link to this recipe:
www.food.com/recipe/microwave-caramels-367414
There are lots of reviews with more ways to use this recipe so you may want to check it out!!

Microwave Caramels (7 Minute Caramels) or DOUBLE the recipe (14 Minute Caramels)
Combine in a 2 quart bowl (or larger):
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light Karo corn syrup
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
Microwave on high for 6 minutes - stirring every 2 minutes.
Pour into buttered 8 x 8 glass pan.  Cool. Cut. Wrap in waxed paper.
Store in air tight container.

NOTE:  when it says to microwave for 2 minutes.....I always push 2:22 instead of 2:00.....it is just what I do....  for the double batch = 3:33 minutes 4 times stirring every 3:33.

 Nov. 8, 2012
Today, I found this nifty idea on Facebook, for no mess caramel apples that I think this recipe would work great for....
Cut an apple in half, core it and hollow it making a nice sized cavity, pour the caramel into this cavity, when caramel has set up, cut into slices and serve.....

I also developed a Salted Caramel Cheesecake recipe using this recipe as part of the cheesecake.  It is a huge hit at my house.

Also today while teaching a Gifts from the Kitchen class I was sharing this recipe and a lady there asked if I thought this recipe could work to make turtles.....I am fairly certain that it would.....now I want to try it out.

One more tip for you.....my friend, was making these and she didn't have an 8x8 pan and so she decided to double the recipe to fill her 9x13 pan.  Well she didn't think about the fact that you would need to increase the cooking time.  Her caramels still tasted great but you had to lick them off the waxed paper.   Everytime I make these I end up making 2 batches because I want to use up the whole can of sweetened condensed milk.....So.....I think I am going to have to play with this recipe a little more, because it would be nice to double it and be done a little faster.

As you can see.....I use this recipe a lot........and.......I sure do love this recipe!!!  It just might be my favorite 2 years in a row!!!

April 26, 2013
Well I was making these last week and forgot and dumped in the whole can of sweetened condensed milk....so I had to double the recipe.   They turned out great!!!  I microwaved them about 3:33 then stirred them and did that 4 times (for a total of about 14 minutes).  I did drop some in a cup of cold water to test them just to make sure.  I am so happy to know I can do this and they will turn out!!!

4 in 1 Cookie Dough

This recipe came from Kraft.....shared with me by RWOP friend, Kirsten Shabaz....she makes 6 different holiday cookies with this recipe. Kirsten made:  Snowball Cookies (simply take a small piece of candy bar or chocolate chips and cover with this dough and bake;  Mint Candy Cane Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies, Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies, Pecan Tarts and the ever famous Sugar Cookie.   The cream cheese addition makes these cookies extra moist....as you can imagine!  And the possibilities are endless, add:  nuts, spices, extracts, chips or whatever you like.

4 in 1 Cookie Dough
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
Cream together:  cream cheese, butter, sugar & vanilla.
Add flour and baking soda, mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare and bake cookies in one of the following variations.

 VARIATIONS from Kraft

Prepare dough as directed, using one of the following flavor options:Mosaic Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into assorted shapes using 3-inch cookie cutters. Place on foil-covered baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with 1 tsp. crushed ring-shaped hard candies. Press gently into dough. Bake as directed. Makes about 3-1/2 doz. or 21 servings, two cookies each. Choco-Orange Cookies: Add 1 Tbsp. grated orange peel to dough. Shape into two 8x1-1/2-inch logs; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap logs; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 min. or until edges begin to brown. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle with 4 melted squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate; let stand until set. Makes 5 doz. or 30 servings, two cookies each. Spiced Cookies: Add 1 tsp. each ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg. Refrigerate 30 min. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon; set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into balls. Roll dough in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on baking sheets. Flatten to 1/4-inch thickness with bottom of glass dipped in the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until lightly browned. Makes about 3-1/2 doz. or 21 servings, two cookies each. Almond Crescents: Add 1/2 tsp. almond extract and 1 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Slivered Almonds to dough. Refrigerate 30 min. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape balls of dough into crescent shapes; place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on wire racks; sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. Makes 5 doz.