Favorites of 2015!!!!!!!

Karla’s Favorite Recipes of 2015

#1 Winner!!!  I've made this alot this year!!  It definitely earned its #1 spot!!

3 Cheese Ziti     

Meat Sauce:

1 lb. mild sausage or hamburger or both 

1 T. minced Garlic

1 chopped Onion

28 oz.  tomato puree

16 oz. diced tomatoes

8 oz. tomato paste

1 t. marjoram

1 t. basil

1 t. oregano

1 T. Parsley

1 t. thyme

2 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

If desired add....chopped bell peppers or grated zucchini

1 lb. box Ziti noodles

2 c. grated mozzarella cheese (for topping)

Alfredo Sauce:

1/4 c. butter

1 8-oz cream cheese

1 t. garlic

1/2 pint whipping cream

1/3 c. parmesan cheese

Brown meat with 1 T. minced garlic and chopped onion. Drain fat. Add tomato ingredients, all. Add marjoram, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper (add peppers or zucchini, if desired). Simmer about 20 minutes.

 Meanwhile, cook Ziti noodles in water with a little olive oil and salt. Drain and rinse.

Alfredo Sauce:

In pan, melt butter, cream cheese, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Add whipping cream and parmesan cheese and heat thru over medium heat.

Put Ziti noodles in baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray.  Makes 2- 8x8 inch pans or 1-9x13 inch pan.  Cover noodles with Alfredo Sauce mixture, spoon meat sauce mixture on top, cover with mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake @350 for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling on top. (remove foil last 10 min.)

NOTE:  This is a great dish to put in the freezer.  I make one to eat & one to freeze.  I like to use foil pans in the freezer.  Cover with foil and be sure to label with the cooking directions.  Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and bake as directed above.  If frozen when baking it will take about 90 minutes to bake or more.  HINT:  Bake on a cookie sheet for more even baking and to catch any boil overs.  

Double Chocolate Z Muffins

My revised version........ Double Chocolate Z Muffins........because you must never speak the Z word or they won't eat them......and that would be sad because they eat these like crazy!!!!
Place in mixer bowl:
5 eggs
2/3 c. honey
1 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
2 t. vanilla
Mix well and add:
2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2/3 c. cocoa
3 1/3 c. flour
Mix well and add:
4 c. shredded zucchini
2 c. chocolate chips + some more for sprinkling on top
Mix and scoop into lined and sprayed muffin tins. Top each one with an additional sprinkle of chocolate chips.   Makes 36 muffins.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
NOTE:  This can be made in loaf pans too:  small loaf = 35 minutes  or  medium loaf = 45 minutes

My #1 Cookie for the year!!! 

Swig Cookies   (AKA: Kelsey's Wedding Cookies)        makes 4 dozen
6 c. flour

1 t. salt

½ t. baking soda

½ t. cream of tarter

1 c. butter, softened

¾ c. Vegetable Oil

1¼ c. sugar 

1 c. powdered sugar

2 T. water

2 eggs, room temp.

1 t. vanilla

Frosting:

½ c. butter, softened

1/3 c. sour cream

4 to 5 c. powdered sugar

1/4 t. salt

2 T. milk

1/4 t. vanilla 

Red Food Coloring or desired coloring

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, vegetable oil, sugar, powdered sugar for 2 minutes.  , and water. Add in eggs & vanilla .
Slowly add in flour mixture until combined. Use a medium sized cookie scoop and roll the dough into golf sized balls and place onto a non stick cookie sheet.
To give the cookies their signature rough edge, dip the bottom of a glass into sugar and press onto the cookie ball to flatten the cookie. You still want the cookie to be thicker so don't press them too thin.
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.   The cookies stay soft so do not over bake.
To make the frosting: Cream together butter, sour cream, and salt. Add the powdered sugar. Add in the milk to the desired consistency.  Tint icing.   Spread over cooled cookies and let the icing set up. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Best served cold. 

Note: I’ve made them with lemon frosting and I used 1 t. lemon extract for one and a half batches of frosting.  I placed a small scoop of frosting on each cookie and then spread it.  This was enough frosting for 2 batches of cookies. 

We went Huckleberry picking. It was suggested that I make a Huckleberry Kuchen.  I learned that Kuchen is the German name for cake. After a bit of research I came up with this revised recipe.  I topped it off with my own version of huckleberry sauce.  I think this is better than huckleberry pie!!

Huckleberry Kuchen with Huckleberry Sauce  (AKA:  Huckleberry Cake) 

Cake
Cream together until light & fluffy:
1/2 c. butter, room temp.
2 t. lemon zest (1 large lemon)
7/8 c. sugar
Mix in:
2 eggs, room temp.
1 t. vanilla
Whisk together: 
1 3/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
Add to batter a little at a time, alternating with 1/2 c. buttermilk.
Toss 2 c. huckleberries with 1/4 c. flour & fold into batter.
Spray a 9 x 9 glass baking dish.  Pour in the batter.  Sprinkle with 1-2 T. sugar.  Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes. 
Huckleberry Sauce
Place in sauce pan:
2 c. huckleberries
1/3 c. sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
Bring to boil and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.  Remove from heat. 
Mix together:
2 rounded T. Instant clear jel
2 T. sugar
Stir into berry mixture and stir in 1/2 c. water until desired consistency. 
Serve cake with ice cream and sauce.  Yummy!!!

Calico Baked Beans   
1 large can pork & beans or 2 small ones
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can butter beans, drained
1/2 lb. bacon, diced and cooked
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger (optional)
2 c, brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. salt
2 T. apple cider vinegar
Brown hamburger with onion...if adding hamburger.  Otherwise just dump it all in the crock pot on High for 4 hours.  OR  put it all in a greased casserole dish and bake it for 1 hour at 350.

Cole Slaw                 

1 head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
3/4 c. Best Foods mayonnaise
2 T. sour cream
2 T. grated  onion
2 T. sugar, or to taste
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. dry mustard
2 t. celery salt
1 t. salt

½ t. pepper
Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery salt, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; add more salt, pepper, or sugar if desired.

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 egg white
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) lemon yogurt
GLAZE:
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Spray a 10-in. fluted tube pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until blended. Slowly add eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla.
Toss blueberries with 2 tablespoons flour. In another bowl, mix the remaining flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beating after each addition just until combined. Fold in blueberry mixture.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing cake from pan to wire rack; cool completely.
In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Huckleberries.... a great substitute for the blueberries!!

Best Berry Cobbler

Best Berry Cobbler                        Taste of Home
6 c. fresh or frozen blackberries (or berry of Choice)
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1 t. grated lime peel
SOUR CREAM PASTRY:
1-1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar, divided
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
7 T. cold butter, divided
1/2 c. our cream
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

Place the blackberries in a large bowl. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and lime peel; sprinkle over berries and gently toss to coat. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda; cut in 5 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Combine sour cream and heavy cream; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until mixture forms a ball.
Roll out to fit top of baking dish; place pastry over filling. Trim and seal edges; cut slits in top. Melt remaining butter; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Huckleberry Kuchen......aka: Huckleberry Coffee Cake

We went Huckleberry picking and I asked for suggested uses for them on facebook.   Dean Bender suggested that I google Huckleberry Kuchen.  I learned that Kuchen is the German name for cake.   After a bit of research I came up with this revised recipe.  I thought that it needed to be topped off with huckleberry sauce.  So I revised yet another recipe and came up with the perfect sauce. Both were yummy and definitely something I will make again.  I think this is better than huckleberry pie!!

Huckleberry Kuchen with Huckleberry Sauce
Cream together until light & fluffy:
1/2 c. butter, room temp.
2 t. lemon zest (1 large lemon)
7/8 c. sugar
Mix in:
2 eggs, room temp.
1 t. vanilla
Toss 2 c. huckleberries with 1/4 c. flour.
Whisk together:
1 3/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
Add to batter a little at a time, alternating with 1/2 c. buttermilk.
Fold in huckleberries.
Spray a 9 x 9 glass baking dish.  Pour in the batter.  Sprinkle with 1 T. sugar.  Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes.

Huckleberry Sauce
Place in sauce pan:
2 c. huckleberries
1/3 c. sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
Bring to boil and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.
Mix together:
2 rounded T. Instant clear jel
2 T. sugar
Stir into berry mixture and stir in 1/2 c. water until desired consistency.

Serve cake with ice cream and sauce.  Yummy!!!

Marcia's Huckleberry Syrup 
Cook the berries with some water and they will make their own juice.  Strain the juice.  Add 2 c. sugar to 1 c. of juice.  Cook until the sugar is dissolved.