4 versions of Homemade Croutons....

Since Connie gets a truck load of give away bread every Monday I seem to have a surplus of bread around here, and since I don't care for the croutons in the store anymore I thought I should try making my own.  I went online and did a little research and here are some of the things I learned.  Croutons are a salad staple that can be made from virtually any bread. Chances are you have some bread in the kitchen right now that can be used. Croutons as salad fixings are not as affordable as they used to be but they are easy to make from stale bread, bagels, English muffins, and just about any kind of fresh bread.  Save the heels from different types of bread for more variety. They can also be crushed and used as bread crumbs in recipes.  I am going to make some soon...

After work today I come home and  made some croutons and they turned out to be very tasty!

Here is my new recipe......
Homemade Croutons
10 to 12 slices of bread - cut into small cubes
1/2 c. margarine/butter - melted
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. parsley flakes
1 T. parmesan cheese
Place bread cubes in a large tupperware bowl. Stir seasonings into the melted butter. Pour butter mixture over the bread cubes and stir. Put the lid on the tupperware bowl and shake to finish coating the bread with the seasoning. Spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake at 225 for 10 minutes, stir and bake 10 more minutes. Stir again and bake at 250 this time for 10 more minutes.

These are the recipes I found online and then I adapted my own recipe.....
Homemade Croutons
4 c. breads - cut in 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 c. olive (not virgin) oil
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
Heat the oven to 275 degrees.  Puree the garlic and oil in a blender or food processor, or mince the garlic as finely as possible and stir it into the oil. If seasoning the croutons with herbs or other seasonings, add them to the oil now.  Place the bread cubes in a mixing bowl and toss by hand with some of the garlic oil and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper.  Toss the bread cubes well with one hand and continue adding garlic oil so each cube is coated evenly and lightly. Be careful not to oversaturate the cubes with oil.  Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the oven.  Cook for about 10 minutes, then toss with a spatula and return to the oven. Repeat after another 10 minutes, tasting a cube this time. The croutons should be partly crispy and beginning to turn golden.  Continue to cook and toss periodically until the croutons are golden and crispy throughout. Taste them as they cook to make sure.

Another Version.....
Take any stale bread and lightly spread with butter, oleo or oil. Dice into cubes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, garlic or onion salt, parsley, basil, oregano or any combination of herbs/spices you prefer.

Place in a oven set at 225°F and toast til browned and crispy dry. Stir occasionally so that all sides are browned.
This is a way to use up the ends of loaves of bread if your kids were like mine and did not believe that eating the crust would give them curly hair.
To save time, throw all the heels in a bread wrapper and freeze until you are ready to make croutons.
Use them in salads, on soups, or for your favorite stuffing.
You can also throw them in a blender for flavored bread crumbs.

OR one more.......
4 slices of bread
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp each of preferred seasonings
2 tablespoons of salad oil
Cut bread into cubes and put it in a bowl. They should roughly measure about 1 inch. The bread can also be torn for rustic looking croutons or cut with scissors for neater squares.  Choose the seasonings. Instead of Parmesan cheese, Romano or other hard cheeses can be used. Olive oil, canola oil, or melted butter all work well. Seasonings like pepper, parsley, garlic, or other herbs can be added to taste.  Mix the seasoning and oil in a small bowl.  Add the seasonings to the bread cubes. Toss. Try to get the cubes evenly coated.  Spread the croutons out on an ungreased cookie sheet. The cubes can be close together but they should not be overcrowded. They need air to dry out.  Bake the croutons at 325 degrees until crisp. Larger, denser pieces of bread such as cubed bagels will take much longer than white sandwich bread.  Once the croutons are cool, store them in a glass jar or a plastic container with a tight lid.

OR a little video I watched did it this way.......
1/2 c. butter, melted
Stir in 1/2 to 1  t. each of the herbs and spices of your choice (onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, parmessan cheese, etc.)
Brush mixture onto both sides of 8 slices of bread.  Place in oven at 225 until golden brown, turn over and brown the other side.  Cool slightly and then cut into cubes.

Lion House Pumpkin Bread

Lion House Pumpkin Bread

1 1/3 c. vegetable oil
5 eggs
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground nutmeg
1 t. baking soda
2 3-ounce packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 c. chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine oil, eggs, and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until blended. Stir in pudding mix and nuts. Pour into a greased 4 1/2 × 8-inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.

The BEST Chocolate Cake

The BEST Chocolate Cake

sift together:
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. baking cocoa
slowly add:
2 c. cold water
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 T. white vinegar
2 t. vanilla
Pour into 9×13 pan – bake at 350 for 30-35 mins.
Cool for about 30 mins and then frost it with milk chocolate frosting, while it is still a little warm and the frosting melts into the cake.

This recipe also makes great cupcakes (Bake for 15-18 mins) or two cake rounds (bake 25 to 35 minutes).
And yes, that’s right – there are no eggs.
ENJOY!

Zucchini Bread

Here is the recipe that Kara got at the Gem County Fair this year when she was judging the foods projects there.  Kara says, "this is the best I've ever eaten".  Several of you asked for the recipe....Kara sent it to me....but somehow I over looked getting it posted....

Zucchini Bread

3 Eggs
1 c. Oil
2 c. Sugar
1 t. Salt
3 t. Cinnamon
2 c. Grated Zucchini
3 t. Vanilla
3 c. Flour
1 t. Baking Soda
1/4 t. Baking Powder
1/2 c. Nuts
Mix together wet ingredients then mix in the dry. Add nuts in at the end. Bake at 325 for one hour.

Peanut Butter Bars

I'm thinking Steve is gonna love these!!!

Peanut Butter Bars
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
3 1/2  to 4 1/2 c. powdered sugar (start with 3 1/2 c.)
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. real butter, melted
12 oz. chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)
1 T. peanut butter
In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Add more powdered sugar if necessary for desired consistency. Press into a waxed paper or foil lined 9x13 pan.
Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 80% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars.

Fresh Orange Cupcakes

A great versatile recipe.....Use Lime instead of orange and make KEY LIME CUPCAKES....use a Lemon cake mix and lemon zest and juice and make TANGY LEMON CUPCAKES......I think these could also be baked in a bundt cake pan for more great bundt cakes!!!!  I think I would probably add a box of instant pudding in place of the sugar for a bundt cake.....I need to play with this a bit.....

Fresh Orange Cupcakes
1 yellow cake mix
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. orange zest
1 c. orange juice
1/2 c. canola oil
1 t. vanilla
4 large eggs
In mixer bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, and orange zest. Mix to combine. Add orange juice, canola oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Blend with the mixer on low speed for one minute, then speed it up to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.
Fill cupcake papers about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack.
Orange Butter Cream Frosting
1 c. butter, very soft
6-8 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. orange juice
1 t. grated orange zest
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy and of desired consistency. (Can add orange food coloring, if desired)
Make thinner for a glaze for the bundt cakes by adding more juice and drizzle over bundt cake.
Any leftover frosting would be great on a pan of brownies, chocolate and orange make a great combo...

Recipe blogs......

Here is a list of great recipe blogs.........
http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/
http://lynettesnewhobby.blogspot.com/
http://www.mommyskitchen.net/p/blog-roll.html
http://mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/03/17/making-homemade-yogurt/
http://www.ehow.com/how_4819395_cook-pork-roast-pressure-cooker.html
http://annies-eats.com/

Sweet Pork

Sweet Pork
3 lb pork loin roast, thawed
2 c. Salsa
4 oz. can green chilies
½ c. brown sugar
15 oz. can black beans, undrained
Tortillas
Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
In the bottom of a large crock pot mix salsa, green chilies, brown sugar, and black beans.
Add the pork roast and cook on high for 4 hours.
Take the meat out of the crock pot and shred it up with a fork.
Return meat to the crock pot and cook 1 more hour.
Serve on tortillas with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

Pumpkin Bars

Yummy Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
2 t. ground cinnamon
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
1⁄2 t. salt
FROSTING
1 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla
1 T. milk or cream
6 T. butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
dash of salt
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until frothy. Add sugar, oil, and pumpkin; mix until
smooth. Add cinnamon, flour, baking soda, and salt. Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cake is done when a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare frosting by mixing cream cheese, vanilla, milk or cream, butter, powdered sugar, and a dash of salt  until smooth. Frost cake and cut into squares. Makes 18 to 24 squares.

Raspberry Honey Butter

The traditional accompaniments for sopapilla are honey butter or raspberry jam. Here are a couple of recipes that could be used as toppings for this dessert. (recipe posted earlier).

This recipe was inspired from  the Raspberry Honey Butter served at the Inn on Temple Square......
Raspberry Honey Butter
1 pound butter, unsalted - softened
8 oz. honey
8 oz. raspberry jam - can use seedless raspberry jam
1 t. vanilla
Whip butter until light and fluffy. Add honey, raspberry preserves, and vanilla. Continue to whip until mixed.

A girl who worked at the Lion House shares her version of this recipe.....

Raspberry Honey Butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. honey
1 egg yolk
1/4 t. vanilla
1/2 c. frozen raspberries
dash salt
It is EXTREAMLY IMPORTANT that you start with soft butter or you will have little clumps in your butter.
Place butter in your mixer bowl beat for 1 minute.
Pour the honey into the butter a little at a time, while the mixer is going.
Add the egg yolk, vanilla and dash of salt and beat for 1 minute.
Add the frozen raspberries and beat until the butter is a nice pink color.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Overnight is even better!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

MINI PUMPKIN CHEESECAKES
1 c. ground walnuts
4 t. sugar
1 T. butter or margarine, melted
2 pkgs (8 oz each) 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
1/2 c. canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
Dash ground cloves
Dash ground nutmeg
2 eggs
Whipped Topping
Ground cinnamon, optional
Preheat oven to 325°F (or to 300°F if using dark nonstick pan). Place paper liners in 36 miniature muffin cups.
Crust: Mix walnuts, 4 teaspoons sugar and the Fleischmann's in medium bowl until well blended. Press about 1 teaspoon of the walnut mixture firmly onto bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.
Filling: Place cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar,  vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the cloves and nutmeg in large bowl; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Spoon evenly over crusts.
Bake 15 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. Top with whipped topping before serving. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

I think you could use a ginger snap in each cupcake liner if you didn't want to make the crust listed above.

Mini Cheesecakes

Marcia just sent me this recipe.....I told her my YW class wanted to make cheesecake on Wednesday and I wanted to make the individual serving ones so they can eat some and take some to others.  I think this recipe is going to be perfect.....Thanks Marcia!!!
We made 3 batches....and the girls really liked them.....we had enough to make a few deliveries to others as well. 

MINI CHEESECAKES
Place 1 vanilla wafer in muffin paper in tin, top with 2 T. of filling.
FILLING
1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar (we used 1/2 c.)
2 eggs
beat until fluffy and add
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 T. vanilla (1 1/2 t. pure vanilla)
Bake 350 10 to 14 mins. Cool, top with cherry pie filling (and can add whip cream).

Pumpkin...

Ever since we went to the "Pumpkin Patch" Connor has been wanting to make Pumpkin Pie.  So today we cooked Connor's "Perfect Pumpkin" and we roasted the seeds too!!

Cooking Pumpkin on the stove...
Cut pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds. Then, cut pumpkin into large chunks, but leave the skin on.

Place chunks in a large steamer basket (or a colander placed inside a dutch oven, with water on the bottom). Steam for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. After if cooled we sliced the cooked pumpkin off the skin and blended it in the blender.  We are now ready to make pumpkin pies.....but I think that will have to wait for another day....in the meantime it will go in the freezer. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.....
We rinsed the seeds with hot water in a colander, and dried them with a paper towel.  We spread a small amount of cooking oil on a cookie sheet.  Spread the seeds on the cookie sheet and stirred them around to coat them with oil and then sprinkled them with popcorn salt.  Then we baked them in oven at 350 for 15 minutes.  We stirred them and baked them for 15 minutes more.  Remove from oven, stir and sprinkle with more salt.  Cool and eat! 

After eating quite a few of these Abbi wanted some juice......
So, we got out a quart of homemade grape juice and mixed it with lemonade.

Nov. 24, 2010 - Connor came today to make his Pumpkin Pie.  He was so excited and he helped through the whole process, he never once left my side.  He loved measuring, stirring and mixing!!    As he can see from the photo abaove he was very proud and happy when he was done!!!   However, he would not even take a bite no matter how hard we encouraged him.  He did eat a piece of apple pie though.....

Laundry Detergent.....

Lisa & I have both been interested in making our own laundry soap because it is so expensive.  I think Lisa may have found the perfect recipe......Lisa says,  "Hey I found this recipe for homemade Laundry soap. I thought you might be interested because it works on Front Load machines. I am going to try this because I think that the other detergents are much too hard on the fabric and make your cloths wear out much quicker? So I will be getting the stuff to make it on Friday when I go to Wal-Mart. I am giong to make the recipe on the bottom because it is much easier but you would want the top recipe."   Here is the website I got it from http://duggarfamily.com/recipes.html
This site also has many other recipes....especially great for large quantity recipes.....as this is a LARGE family!!!
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Top load machine
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)
*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can often be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2 per batch.

Halloween Leftovers???

Here is a great website with lots of great ideas to help you use up your Halloween leftovers.....
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/candybar/candybar.html

Here is a fun recipe from this site to try:
Butterfinger Crunch Pudding

1 container Cool Whip
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 Butterfinger candy bar
Set Cool Whip in the refrigerator the night before making the pudding so that it can thaw.
Put the Cool Whip in a large bowl and stir in the box of dry instant chocolate pudding. Stir until it is mixed in well and looks like chocolate whipped topping.
Put the Butterfinger into a shallow bowl and crush into small pieces with the back of a spoon. Stir the crushed pieces into the chocolate mixture.
Refrigerate for a few hours.

And one more for you:

Buttery Toffee Cookies

Chocolate-coated toffee makes these cookies extra good.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1.4 ounce) chocolate-covered toffee bars, chopped small *
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (3 to 4 minutes). Add flour, baking soda and salt; reduce speed to low. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in chopped toffee by hand.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.
*Substitute 1 (6-ounce) package (1 cup) milk chocolate English toffee bits.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies

and one last one for you:
 
 M&M's Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies
2 cups hot milk
Place candy in blender. Add hot milk. Whiz until smooth. Pour into mugs.
Serves 2.

Cranberry Salsa

Found this on facebook.....posted by a friend of Tawnya McKee....I might have to give it a try???

Cranberry Salsa
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 bunch green onions (I use alittle less)
1 bunch cilantro (not a big fan so I use 1/2)
juice of one lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 jalapenos seeded or 1 if not seeded
3/4 cups sugar
Throw everything into food processor and let sit overnight or at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. It's so good!!!

Goblin's Delight Cupcakes.....

Cindy Vickery says,  "It just wouldn't be Halloween without making a batch of 'Goblin's Delight Cupcakes'...thanks Karla for the recipe way back in 1980 something! :)  The recipe actually makes the cake part from scratch, but cake mix works great too. Enjoy!"

Karla says, I make these all year round.....just don't call them Goblin's Delight and I change it according to what I want at the time.....I recently posted a similar version aka: self filling cupcakes

Goblin's Delight Cupcakes (Simplified)

Filling:
1 8 - oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 t. salt
2 t. grated orange peel or orange extract
2 drops red and yellow food coloring
1 cup chocolate chips.
Mix together until creamy, stir in chocolate chips; set aside.

Mix a chocolate cake mix according to pkg. directions.

Line and fill 24 cupcake tins. Drop about 1 Tbs. of filling in each cupcake. Bake @ 350 for 20 min. or until done. (Filling will sink and sort of cave in.)

Crock Pot Wassail

Crock Pot Wassail

1 gallon apple cider
1 quart orange juice
1/2 c. lemon juice
12 whole cloves
1 t. ground ginger
12 whole allspice berries
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
Place all ingredients in crock pot. Stir. Cover with lid. Cook on low for four–eight hours. Strain out spices before serving. Place thin slices of orange and lemon on top before serving.

BBQ Beef in the Crock Pot

BBQ Beef
1 ½-2 lbs roast, chopped (best if slightly frozen)
1 ½ c. onion, chopped
1 ½ c. green peppers, chopped
8 oz. can tomato sauce
¼ c. brown sugar
2 T. Vinegar
1 T. Chili powder
1 t. salt
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
½ t. dry mustard
Place roast pieces in crock pot. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over roast pieces. Cover with lid. Cook on high for one hour then on low for 8-10 hours. Stir and watch towards the end. Shred and mix together. Serve on buns.

Crock Pot Swiss Steak

Crock Pot Swiss Steak
3 lbs. round steak
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
oil
2 -15 oz. cans stewed tomatoes or 1 qt. home canned
Cut steak into pieces. In a bowl mix 1 cup flour, salt and pepper.  Dip steak in flour to cover both sides. Pound with a meat tenderizer all over each piece, on both sides. Fry in a little oil in a skillet until light brown on both sides of steak pieces. Place in crock pot. Pour tomatoes over browned steak pieces. Cover with lid. Cook on high for one hour, then on low for 6-7 hours. Great served with mashed potatoes. Serves 6-8.

Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken

Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken
2 lbs. chicken tenders or chicken breasts, cut into strips
garlic powder, to taste
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
Place chicken in sprayed crock pot. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder. Stir together soups (do not add water). Pour over chicken. Cover with lid. Cook on high for one hour, then on low for 5-6 hours. Serve over rice or warm egg noodles. Serves about six.

Marshmallow Fondant

I hear that this fondant recipe is as good as fondant gets.......I don't like fondant and have never made a cake with fondant.....but I've been told I should try this one.....we will see?????  Maybe sometime.....so just in case I decide to do it here it is ......an easy, common marshmallow fondant recipe along with some troubleshooting tips.


Marshmallow Fondant      (makes 2-1/4 pounds of fondant)
16 oz. mini marshmallows
4 T. water
1 t. vanilla
Food coloring (optional)
2 pounds powdered sugar, divided
4 T. butter or shortening
Place marshmallows in large, microwave-safe bowl and heat on high until marshmallows melt (30 second to 1 minute). Add water and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add food coloring if desired. Slowly beat in sugar, one cup at a time, until mixture is too stiff to mix. (You will have about 1 cup of remaining sugar.)
Grease hands and kneading surface thoroughly and knead in remaining sugar. Add sugar to dough and surface as needed to prevent sticking. Knead until no longer sticky to the touch.
Form into ball and grease with shortening or butter. Cover in plastic wrap and place in airtight container or zip bag, refrigerating dough overnight. To use, bring dough to room temperature and roll on surface covered with powdered sugar.

Handling and Troubleshooting Fondant:

Kneading: Grease your hands and kneading surface with shortening or butter beforehand; this will help to avoid making the dough (and your hands) sticky from moisture. Add powdered sugar as needed to make the fondant feel doughy. If it feels sticky, add more sugar.

Avoiding sticky fondant: Use plenty of powdered sugar when rolling out the fondant—it acts like flour does with bread dough, preventing the fondant from sticking to the surface. Don’t worry if you can still see spots of powdered sugar after it’s rolled out. Such spots will disappear as you smooth the fondant over the cake. You can also spritz it with water (once it’s on the cake) for a shiny finish.

Adding color: The traditional method is to knead color into the fondant. Do this by getting your gel on a knife and sticking it well into the fondant (so it doesn’t get all over your hands quite as easily). Remember to use powdered sugar as you knead. Knead until color is even. However – unless you want a marbled look, multiple colors, or really strong hands – you can also stir in coloring to the marshmallow mixture before adding sugar.  I say add it to the marshmallow mixture, for sure.

Rolling: Roll fondant on wax paper or rolling surface (fondant rolling boards are especially helpful) to 1/4" thick. Use the following guide for sizing fondant: roll it into the shape you need (circle or rectangle), accounting for the size of the top plus 1 inch just in case, and 3 inches for each of the sides. Ex: 8" round: 8" (top) + 1" + 3" (first side when looking at cake from eye level) + 3" (second side) = 15" round.

When it sticks: Don’t panic...easy to say!! Use a knife or flat spatula to carefully pry it up. Depending on how big the hole is, you can repair it with a few gentle rolls with the rolling pin. But you may simply need to wad it up, add a little water, and start over again.

Putting it on the cake: Frost your cake with at least 1/4" traditional frosting first, making sure it is smooth (any bumps will come through the fondant). Lay the fondant over the top, letting it drape on the sides. Start by smoothing the top of the cake, then carefully move down the sides, smoothing bumps and creases as you go. Cut the excess, leaving enough to create a seal between the fondant and the cake plate. For cakes with multiple layer sizes, do each layer separately and carefully assemble after fondant covering is complete.

Lemon Velvet Cream Pie

My Dad's all time favorite pie is Lemon Meringue Pie.....and he loves anything lemon.....I think he might like this one for a change????

Lemon Velvet Cream Pie
1 pie shell, baked about 15 minutes  - (use the perfect pastry recipe)
1 t. unflavored gelatin
2 T. cold water
6 egg yolks
2 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. lemon juice
Whipped cream & lemon peel slivers
In a small bowl soften gelatin in water for 5 minutes.  Heat in microwave for 14 seconds and set aside.
In a mixer bowl combine egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk and beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.  Beat in gelatin, whipping cream and salt at low speed.  Add lemon juice and beat on low for 30 seconds.  Pour into prepared crust.  Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until center of pie looks set when gently shaken.  Cool on rack for 1 hour.  Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 
Top with whipped cream and lemon peel slivers at serving time. 

Banana Pudding

Steve's Aunt Belle brought us some Banana Pudding with a tasty Mexican Casserole....ever since I have been craving Banana Pudding.

Here is Belle's Banana Pudding recipe:
2 1/2 c. milk
1 large pkg. Banana Instant Pudding
30 vanilla wafers, broken into bite size pieces
3 bananas, sliced
8 oz. whipped topping
Beat together the milk and pudding for 2 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes and then refrigerate for 1 hour or  until you are ready to serve it. At serving time stir in the wafer pieces, bananas and whipped topping. 

OR here is another recipe I recently found that you don't need a box of pudding to make it. 

Banana Pudding
2 c. half & half milk
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
3 egg yolks
2 T. butter, room temperature
2 T. vanilla
2 egg whites
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. powdered sugar
44 vanilla wafers
3 bananas, sliced
Pudding:  Place milk & sugar in top of double boiler over simmering water.  Whisk in flour and salt and simmer 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Place egg yolks in a separate bowl.  Gradually add half of the hot mixture to the eggs, while stirring constantly.  Then stir this mixture back into remaining hot mixture and place back over the simmering water.  Cook whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Set aside.
Meringue:  Beat egg whites about 1 minute.  Add the cream of tartar, vanilla and powdered sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form. 
Assemble:  cover the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish with half the wafers.  Top with half the banana slices and half the pudding.  Make a second layer, ending with pudding.  Spread meringue over entire pan to cover the pudding.  Place in oven at 350 for 15 minutes until golden brown on top. 

Cranberry Orange Caramel Corn

I love all popcorn recipes and this one does sound good.....I will have to give it a try soon!!
My cousin, Eilleen Waddell says this recipe was a hit at her house.

Cranberry Orange Caramel Corn
12 c. popped popcorn, (1/2 c. kernels)
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. whole almonds
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. karo
2 T. orange juice
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
Combine popcorn, cranberries and almonds; set aside.
In a saucepan cook & stir the butter, brown sugar & karo over medium heat until butter is melted.  Stir in orange juice & bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla and baking soda.  Pour over the popcorn mixture and stir to coat well.  Pour onto a cookie sheet and bake at 275 for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

Caramel Apple Dessert

This one reminds me of Butterscotch Delight.....I wanna try this one.

Caramel Apple Dessert
2 c. vanilla wafers (about 60), finely crushed
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
3 1/4 c. milk, divided
8 oz. whipped topping, divided
2 - small pkgs. vanilla instant pudding
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping, divided
1each red and green apple, chopped
1/4 c. peanuts, chopped
Mix together the wafer crumbs and butter and press into a 9x13 pan.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and 1/4 c. milk until blended.  Stir in 1 c. whipped topping & spread over the crust.
Beat pudding mixes and remaining milk for 2 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 c. caramel topping.  Spoon over cream cheese later & top with remaining whipped topping.
Refrigerate 5 hours until firm.  Top with apples, nuts and remaining caramel topping at serving time. 

Pumpkin Pie and Pastry....

Thanksgiving will soon be here.....here is a recipe I want to try....Steve's favorite pie is Pumpkin Pie.

Perfect Pie Pastry
3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1 3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut up (must be cold and firm)
2/3 c. ice cold water
2 T. sour cream
1 t. vinegar
In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter leaving pea sized chunks.
In a 2 cup glass measure whisk water, sour cream, and vinegar; pour, all at once into flour mixture, and quickly distribute. Stop!  Don't overmix - stir the wet ingredients into the dry and then stop, as the dough rests it will come together. Your dough should have butter knots the side of peas. 
Make sure dough is slightly crumbly. Divide dough mixture into 3 equal portions.  Refrigerate for 2 hours and best overnight (finish by hand). DO NOT OVERMIX- the finished dough should break, not stretch.
Gently knead in bag to bring dough together. Form into discs.
Use at once or wrap and store in refrigerator for several days or in freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes for a baked shell or as directed in pie recipe. 
Pastry tips:
*don't roll too thin, 1/4 " is best
*butter the pie dish so the crust doesn't stick to the pan
*to prevent shrinkage, do not stretch the dough

Pumpkin Pie
1- 9" baked pie shell
1 1/4 c. canned pumpkin
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 1/4 t. giner
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cloves
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 c. milk
1/2. c. whipping cream
1/2 t. vanilla
In a saucepan combine pumpkin, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves.  Cook & stir over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.
Beat in eggs.  Add milk, cream and vanilla.  Pour into baked crust.  Bake for 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.  Store in refrigerator.

Pickled Jalapeno Peppers

I need to try this before all my peppers are gone.....hope I get it done!!

PICKLED JALAPENO PEPPERS
1 c. white or cider vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. pickling spice (tie in a bag) discard later
1/4 c. water
1 t. canning salt
Bay leaves
Wash peppers. and slice 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
Pack loosely in a jar with 1 bay leaf in each jar.
Heat ingredients to a boil and pour over peppers in jar.
Place jar lid after wiping jar rim clean; tighten band.
Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Do not forget the oil. The oil is the secret. For a clear liquid, use white vinegar; for the best flavor, use cider vinegar.

Best Ever Frosting

If you don't like overly sweet frosting this is a good one.  Light and fluffy and not too sweet.  Great on any kind of cake or cupcakes, some of my favorites are chocolate, rainbow chip and yellow.  Especially good on Texas Sheet Cake (pg. 96 of Atkinson Cookbook), I make it into cupcakes and frost with this frosting instead of the chocolate frosting called for in the recipe.   Really good stuff!!!

BEST EVER FROSTING
5 T. Flour

1 c. Milk
1 t. Vanilla
1 c. Butter, must be cold
1 c. Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)
In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.  It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.
While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, no sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat well. If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Croissant Dough with Cream Cheese Filling

I found this recipe online and I think this dough might work to make my Cinnamon Cheesecake and for other things too. I am going to try it. I think if I made these I would sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar and bake them for an individual dessert.

CROISSANT DOUGH W/CREAM CHEESE FILLING
Dough:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. half and half
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
3 c. bread flour
1 1/2 t. yeast
Egg wash (very important):
1 egg
2 t. water
Filling:
1 - 8 oz. pkg cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tp. almond extract
Melt butter in microwave and then stir in half and half, sugar, salt, and almond extract. Now stir in the beaten eggs. Then pour this mixture into your breadmaker pan (if you are using a breadmaker.) Dump the flour on top of the liquid in the breadmaker pan. Make a little hollow in the center of the top of the flour and pour the yeast in it. Set your breadmaker for the dough only setting.
When done, remove/divide/refrigerate the dough in plastic bag (s). You can refrigerate an hour or overnight.
When ready, roll out cold dough-no additional flour is needed during rolling! Roll out small thin individual rectangles or a large thin rectangle. Spread the filling on the rectangle, fold over the dough, and pinch/seam edges together. Place seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush top (s) with egg wash-this is very important to the final look and texture.
Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.  If you wish, you can frost these after baking, or add chocolate chips or fruit to the filling before baking.
This dough baked without the egg wash reminds me of chicken pot pie crust so you could probably make a pretty good pot pie with it (minus the almond flavoring of course.)

Cupcake Fillings

Cupcakes have once again become so popular.  Here are a few ways to make them extra special.

This is similar to the filling in Hostess Cupcakes, only better.
CUPCAKE FILLING
2/3 c. Crisco
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla (clear or brown)
1/3 c. powdered sugar
Beat all ingredients (except powdered sugar) with electric mixer for 10 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat one minute longer. Cupcake must be completely cooled before filling or the filling will melt and separate.
Place filling in a cake decorating bag using a #230 tip.  Poke the end of the tip into the center of the top of the cupcake and squeeze slowly filling the cupcake with the filling.  Don't over fill.  Frost the cupcake with your favorite frosting to cover up the hole in the top of the cupcake.

If you don't want the extra step of filling the cupcakes here is a self filling cupcake recipe.
SELF FILLING CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES
1 pkg. devil's food cake mix or any flavor you like
Ingredients to make the cake as directed on the box
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 c. sugar
6 oz. chocolate chips
Make cup mix as directed on box.  Place cupcake papers in cupcake pans and then spray them with cooking spray.  Fill each cupcake half full with batter.  To make the filling mix together the cream cheese, egg and sugar with mixer until creamy and then mix in chocolate chips. Drop 1 tablespoon filling onto cupcake batter (a cookie scoop works nicely). Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Another easy cupcake filling I make is:
EASY FILLING
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Mix in the Cool Whip. 
You may adjust the amount of the ingredients according to how thick you want it to be or the flavor you want.  I sometimes add a little vanilla. 

Crock Pot Pumpkin Cake

Crock Pot Pumpkin Cake
1 quart apple pie filling or peach pie filling
2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
4 eggs
1/3 c. oil
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/4 t. baking soda
Ice cream, if desired - NO for sure!!!!
Spray 3 1/2- to 6-quart crock pot with cooking spray (I use my 6 qt. so the cake is not too thick). Pour pie filling into crock pot and spread evenly.
Beat remaining ingredients (except ice cream) with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pie filling.
Place 2 layers of paper towel over crock pot and then place the lid on the crock pot (this keeps the moisture that collects on the lid from falling onto the cake).
Cook on High heat setting 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (watch closely the first time as each crock pot cooks different) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream.

Chicken Lasagna

My remake of Mexican Lasagna using chicken.  It is also good using tortilla chips in place of the tortillas.  My new dessert recipe would go well with this meal (Karla's Cinnamon Cheesecake).  If you have a 10 oz. can of enchilada sauce you can use that instead of making your own sauce with the first 3 ingredients. 

Chicken Lasagna
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
3 T. taco seasoning
2 T. water
2 c. chopped tomatoes
2 c. cubed cooked chicken
1/2 c.onion, finely chopped (green onions are best if you have them)
1 - 15 oz. can black or red beans (drained & rinsed)
1 c. sour cream
2 T. ranch dressing mix
8 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut in fourths  or tortilla chips
1 1/2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese or Cheddar
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro or 2 t. dried cilantro
1/4 c. sliced olives (optional, I don't add)
Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Mix together the tomato sauce, taco seasoning and water.  Spread 2 tablespoons of this sauce in bottom of baking dish.
Mix tomatoes, chicken, onions and beans together and set aside. In another bowl, mix together the sour cream and ranch dressing mix and then stir in the remaining sauce until well blended.
Arrange 16 tortilla pieces over sauce in dish, overlapping as necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Spoon half of the sauce mixture over cheese. Repeat layers once, reserving 1/2 cup cheese.
Cover with foil. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cilantro (and olives if desired) and serve with additional sour cream and taco sauce or salsa.

Karla's Cinnamon Cheesecake..........aka: Sopapilla Cheesecake

At work I was asked to be incharge of the luncheon for the annual Support Specialist Meeting.  I ordered the Costa Vida taco buffet and then wanted to make a dessert to go with it.  On the web I typed in Mexican Dessert and several options popped up.  I combined several recipes and came up with my own version.  I reduced the fats, sugars and calories significantly but it still tastes good.  Steve says, "This recipe is a keeper, probably one of my favorites".  Since Steve is not a big dessert eater I think that comment says a lot.  My first one I took to Jake's birthday party and everyone liked it.  Then I doubled the recipe and made a jelly roll pan full for the luncheon.  Everyone there really liked it and wanted the recipe too.  So.....here it is!!


Karla's Cinnamon Cheesecake..........aka:  Sopapilla Cheesecake
1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened (reduced fat is ok)

1/2 c.  sugar

1 t.  pure vanilla

2 - 8 ounce cans refrigerated crescent rolls (reduced fat is ok)

1/4 c. sugar

2 t. cinnamon

3 T. butter, melted (could probably cut to 2T.)

3 T. honey

Beat together: the cream cheese, 1/2 c.sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  (If you don't beat it enough it will be hard to spread.)

Spray your pan and pat or roll out one can of crescent roll dough to completely cover the bottom of the pan and up the sides of the pan a little.   Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough.  Spray your counter and rolling pin and roll out the second can of crescent roll dough into a 9x13 inch rectangle and carefully lift and place this piece of dough over the cream cheese mixture.  
Pour melted butter over the top of the dough and spread over the dough.Stir together 1/4 c. sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey while still hot. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.  These are rich so I didn't cut too big of a piece.   (9x13 = 16 servings)


For the jelly roll pan (Cookie sheet), I doubled the above recipe.
I baked it for 30 minutes and I cut it into 32 servings.


Today I made it using my Cool Rise Roll Dough.......rolled really thin.....it worked and tasted good, but it is definitely better using purchased crescent roll dough.  In a pinch it would work and is way cheaper to make this way.   The TWINS say they like it best made with Cool Rise Dough.....you'll have to decide for yourself!

For variety:  I have also added 1/2 t. almond extract to the cream cheese mixture and then sprinkled 1/2 c. sliced almonds over the top before baking.  

Makeover Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

My lesson today at church was on "Physical Health".  We talked about eating habits and how you can change a recipe to make it more healthy.  This is a recipe I got out of my "Healthy Cooking" magazine (Feb/Mar 2010 p. 27).  The girls thought it looked really good and wanted the recipe.  So I thought I'd post it here while I am sending them a copy.  It really does look good. 

The original recipe was 500 calories per serving.  This makeover version cut 184 Calories, 17 g Fat, 11 g Saturated Fat, & 61 mg. Cholesterol.  The changes made:  limited the crust to just the bottom by decreasing those ingredients by 40 percent.  Replaced 24 oz. of regular cream cheese with 16 oz. of fat free and 8 oz. of reduced fat, and pared down the sugar, eggs and hot fudge topping just enough to not change the taste or texture. 
Makeover Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
CRUST
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 T. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
FILLING
2 pkgs. 8 oz. fat-free cream cheese
1 pkg. 8 oz. reduced- fat cream cheese
1 c. reduced fat sour cream
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. hot fudge ice cream topping, divided
6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges
Mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter and press into the bottom of a sprayed, 9 inch springform pan.  Place pan on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Cool.
In a microwave bowl, heat peanut butter on high for 30 seconds or until soft.  Spread over the crust to within 1 inch of edges. 
Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour 1 cup into a bowl and set aside.  Pour remaining filling over peanut butter layer. 
In a microwave bowl, heat 1/4 c. fudge topping on high for 30 seconds or until thin; fold into reserved cream cheese mixture.  Pour over filling; cut thru with a knife to swirl.
Return pan to baking sheet.  Bake for 50  to 60 minutes or until the center is almost set.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully run a knife around pan edges to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. 
Microwave the remaining fudge topping on high for 30 seconds or until warmed; spread over cheesecake.  Garnish with Peanut butter cups.  Refrigerate overnight. 

Makes 16 servings, 1 slice contains; 316 calories, 16 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 47 mg cholesterol and 1 g fiber

Josi Kilpack Culinary Mystery Recipes

A Novel Spin on Cooking
Recipes from Josi Kilpack Mysteries - Josi Kilpack’s culinary mystery series is a two-for-one deal: each book holds a clean, fun whodunit as well as a handful of scrumptious recipes. Here are a few decadent dessert recipes from the books. The real mystery is how you’re going to keep your family from eating all the treats before you get the chance to try some yourself!

I have these books.....and will be posting all the recipes....I've tried a few....enjoy!!

Mom’s Lemon Tart (from Lemon Tart)
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces
Preheat oven to 425˚ F. In a food processor or mixer, combine ingredients for crust. Pulse together until a dough starts to form in clumps. Press onto tart pan, making sure to cover bottom and sides evenly. Pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork and place in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake until crust is golden-brown, approximately 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Filling
5 ounces cream cheese
½ cup granulated sugar (you might like an extra ¼ cup sugar in the filling)
2 large eggs
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons—do not use concentrated lemon juice)
zest from one lemon
Reduce oven temperature to 350˚ F. Mix cream cheese with electric beaters until smooth. Add sugar. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Stop and scrape bowl halfway through. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix until smooth.
Pour filling into tart crust and bake on cookie sheet for 20 to 30 minutes or until filling is set. Let tart cool on wire cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
Use whipped cream as an optional topping. It can be piped on in stars or served on top with each piece. For extra flavor in the whipped cream, add a teaspoon of lemon zest.


Butterfinger Cookies (from Key Lime Pie)
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 ¼ cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
5 (2.1-ounce) Butterfinger candy bars, chopped* (about 2 cups)
Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg; mix. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add Butterfingers; mix. Roll into 1-inch balls, use 1-inch scoop, or drop by 1-inch spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until just browned. Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes on baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack. Makes 4 dozen.
*Chop Butterfingers with a chef’s knife or put in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Food processors make the pieces too fine and you lose the crunch.

Cinnamon Ginger Cookies (from Lemon Tart)
1 cup butter
1 ½ cups white sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Cream butter and sugar. Add corn syrup and eggs. Mix well. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well. Roll into teaspoon-sized balls (refrigerate if dough is too soft) and bake at 350˚ F for about 6 minutes or until bottom edges are barely browned.
Remove cookies from oven and press flat with a glass dipped in sugar. (Spray bottom of glass with cooking spray for first “press,” and then dip back into sugar between each cooking thereafter.) Let cookies cool 1 minute on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.
To make sandwich cookies, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting between cookies.
Cream Cheese Frosting
¼ cup butter or margarine
8 ounces cream cheese (Neufchâtel or fat-free works fine)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Cream butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and mix until smooth. Add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached; you want a thick frosting to hold the cookies together. If frosting is too thick, thin with evaporated milk. If frosting is too thin, thicken by adding more powdered sugar. Spread between cookies when cookies are cool.
Makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies (or 4 dozen single cookies).

Angel Snowball Cake (from Devil’s Food Cake)
1 loaf angel food cake, sliced into ½- to 1-inch slices (day-old cake is easier to slice)
1 (8-ounce) package semisweet baking chocolate
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
5 eggs, separated and at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 pint whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
Line a 4- to 6-quart bowl with wax paper. Line the bottom and sides of the bowl with slices of angel food cake. In a double boiler, break up chocolate and melt on low heat, adding water and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar when chocolate is mostly melted. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Add vanilla. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, stirring until combined. Pour chocolate mixture over the sliced cake. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
An hour before serving, carefully invert bowl onto a large platter. Remove wax paper. Whip whipping cream and ¼ cup powdered sugar. Frost the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Save leftovers in refrigerator for up to 4 days.) Serves 12 to 18.

Chocolate-dipped Coconut Macaroons (from English Trifle)
1 2/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut* (don’t pack into measuring cup)
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 egg whites
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
chocolate for dipping
Mix coconut, sugar, flour, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside. Beat egg whites in a medium-sized bowl until frothy—about 30 seconds. Add extracts and mix until combined. Add coconut mixture and stir until combined. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto well-greased baking sheets, parchment paper, or silicone baking sheet (macaroons are notorious for sticking to the pan). Shape with fingers so they are nice and round. Bake at 325˚ F for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown along the bottom edges. Let cool completely before removing from pan to prevent sticking. Dip bottom half of cookie into a bowl of melted chocolate.
Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
*For a tasty option, toast half the coconut by spreading coconut in single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350˚ F for about 15 minutes or until coconut is light brown. You can also put coconut in toaster oven on “dark” cycle. Check frequently to avoid burning.

Fruit Pizza Snackers

Fruit Pizza Snackers
Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature OR Cool Rise Dough

8 ounces strawberry cream cheese spread
1 cup cool whip
fresh fruit as desired
Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Flatten dinner rolls into 4-inch circles. Place on a sprayed baking sheet and poke with a fork several times to prevent bubbles from forming. Bake at 350°F 10-15 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool completely. Combine cream cheese and cool whip until smooth. Spread each crust with 1-2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture. Top with your favorite fresh fruits.

Applesauce Cookies

Applesauce Cookies
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup applesauce
1 12-ounce bag chocolate chips
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes, until just golden brown.
(Janene W. Baadsgaard, The LDS Mother’s Almanac, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003] p. 330.)

Zucchini Carrot Bread with Creamy Honey Spread

This spread is especially good....I like it on toast too.....and it makes more than enough for one batch of bread or muffins.  This recipe makes about 22 muffins, bake them about 20 minutes.  I think grated apples would be good in these too. 

ZUCCHINI CARROT BREAD WITH CREAMY HONEY SPREAD
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (2 medium)
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (3 medium)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil (could use applesauce for half of this)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Spread
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon peel

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans or 1 (9x5-inch) loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.
In large bowl, mix zucchini, carrots, sugar, oil and eggs with wire whisk. Stir in remaining bread ingredients. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake 8-inch loaves 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on cooling rack.
Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In small bowl, beat spread ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Serve with sliced bread. Cover; refrigerate any remaining spread. Wrap loaves tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Zucchini Brownies and Bread/Muffins

I got this recipe years ago (probably about 1981 or 82)  in the "Farm Times" newspaper in "Nancy's Country Kitchen" column.  I make them every summer.  It was years before Kasey knew there was zucchini in these brownies.  Probably my all time favorite zucchini recipe.
Nancy says, "Unknown to many, zucchini is actually a fruit and a versatile food.  Zucchini used alone doesn't have much taste but when used in breads, stir fry, casseroles, cookies, brownies or as a relish, it adds moisture and takes on different tastes.....Zucchini is high in nutritional value and low in fat."

Zucchini Brownies
2 c. peeled, sgrated zucchini
2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa
1 t. salt
1 1/2 t. soda
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
Stir together and spread in greased 9x13 pan.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350.
I have found if I really want to make these yummy I frost them with chocolate frosting or sprinkle with powdered sugar.  They really are more like a cake than a brownie.....

This recipe was in the same column and I make them often too.  I started making them as muffins and prefer to make them as muffins. 

Zucchini Bread/Muffins
3 c. peeled, grated zucchini
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
1 T. vanilla
4 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 T. cinnamon
3/4 c. chopped nuts, (optional)
Stir ingredients together and divide batter into 3 sprayed (7x3 1/2 inch) loaf pans.  Bake at 325 for one hour. 
OR spray 32 muffin tins and fill with batter.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

A vanilla glaze is really tasty on these too....but not necessary.

Crispy Zucchini Rounds

This recipe came from a class Katie went to when she was staying in Provo one summer.  I've been making these quite often lately.  We have found them to be very tasty and have really enjoyed them.  Hope you will too....it is starting to feel like Fall....the zucchini will soon be gone.

Crispy Zucchini Rounds
1 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 packet of crushed crackers, Ritz or Saltines
1 egg, beaten
salt & pepper
Dip zucchini slices in egg and then in crushed crackers on both sides.  Place close together on sprayed cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.  Serve as a side dish, or as an appetizer with ranch dressing for dipping. 
The original recipe called for 1/4 c. melted butter or margarine, which was drizzled over the top before baking.  I forgot it in the microwave the first time I made these and we really liked them without it.  Plus, they are better for you without it.

Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid

Another Pillsbury recipe....I think I could also make this with cool rise dough...I'm gonna give it a try. 
A great way to use some more of those peppers, onions, and fresh salsa from the garden.

Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1x1/2x1/2-inch strips
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green or red bell pepper strips (2x1x1/4 inch)
1/4 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2 cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)
1 egg white, beaten
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 8x12 inches.
In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir in chili powder, salt and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper strips; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.
Spoon chicken mixture in 4-inch strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top with salsa; sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

Alisha Youngberg says, "You  really need to try these muffins. They are so yummy! I've been in a muffin mood for a long time. Those coconut ones got me started."

Fresh Strawberry Muffins
1/2 cup butter, softened          
3/4 cup sugar               
1 egg                        
2 cups flour                
2 tsp. baking powder      
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries. Spoon batter into muffin pans. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Loaded with fresh chopped tomatoes, mild mozzarella and delicious basil, this recipe, submitted by North Carolina KOA camper Margaret Mundy, is perfect whether you’re grilling at the kampground or at home. Pair it with a salad and Italian bread, and you’ve got a mouthwatering meal that’s done in minutes.


Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato dressing, divided
4 (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pound for even cooking
1 med. Roma tomato, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh (1 tsp. dried) basil leaves
Place large sheet of heavy duty foil over 1/2 of grill. Pre-heat grill to medium. Pour 2 Tbsp. of dressing over chicken in zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate for 10-20 minutes. While marinating, combine diced tomato, cheese, basil, and remaining dressing. Mix well.
Remove chicken from marinade (discard leftover liquid). Grill chicken on uncovered side of grill for 6 minutes. Turn chicken over–placing cooked side up on foil.
Top with tomato mixture. Close lid and grill additional 8-10 minutes…or until done.  Serves 4

Dill Pickle Relish

Here's one I want to try.....
DILL PICKLE RELISH
14 cups chopped pickling cucumbers (about 5 pounds pickling cucumbers as purchased)
2 cups chopped red bell pepper
5½ cups cider vinegar (5%)
3 teaspoons dill seed
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons pickling or canning salt
Combine chopped cucumbers and bell peppers and set aside.
In a large stockpot, stir together the cider vinegar, dill seed, minced garlic and pickling salt, until the salt dissolves. Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Fill hot relish into clean, hot pint jars leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Make sure liquid covers the top of the food pieces. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.  Makes 7 pints.
Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.

Basic Muffins and more.......

BASIC MUFFINS

1¾ C. Unbleached All purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
2 T. sugar
2¼ t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
1 egg well beaten
¾ c. milk
1/3 c. melted shortening or oil
Sift together dry ingredients. Make a hollow in center of bowl.
Combine wet ingredients and pour into “hollow”. Stir with a spoon just enough to moisten all dry ingredients. Batter will not be smooth.
Fill greased muffin cups (or paper liners) 2/3 full. Bake at 400ºF for 25 min. or til done. Makes 12 muffins.
VARIATIONS OF BASIC MUFFIN RECIPES:
BUTTERMILK MUFFINS: Reduce baking powder to 1 t.; add 1 t. baking soda, and replace milk with buttermilk.
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS: Fold in 1 c blueberries with wet ingredients.
CRANBERRY MUFFINS: Fold in 1 c. dried craisins.
CHERRY NUT MUFFINS: Fold in 3/4 c. dried sweet cherries, 1/4 c. pecan meal.
DATE MUFFINS: Fold in 2/3 c. date pieces.
RAISINS MUFFINS: Fold in ¾ c Thompson raisins.
PA. DUTCH MUFFINS: Sprinkle tops of muffins with a combination of 1 t. cinnamon and ½ c. sugar.
DUTCH APPLE MUFFINS: Fold in ¾ c. finely chopped apple mixed with ½ t cinnamon and 2 T. sugar. Then sprinkle tops of muffins with a mix of 1t. Cinnamon and 2 c. sugar.
DUTCH PEAR MUFFINS: Combine ¾ c. finely chopped pear, ½ t. ginger, 2 T sugar and fold into muffin mix. Sprinkle top with mix of 1 t. ginger and ½ c. sugar.

Lemon Zucchini Cookies

Well I was looking for a good zucchini cookie recipe and found these 2 recipes on the internet and thought they looked really good.  Then as I was thumbing through Mom's Cookbook....there it was.....the exact same recipe (pg. 170)!!!  I made them yesterday and they were really good!!!  Connor and I are going to make them again today!!

Lemon Zucchini Cookies
2 cups flour, all-purpose
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 each egg beaten
1 teaspoon lemon zest grated (Mom's recipe says, 1-3 t.- I used the rind of 1 fresh lemon)
1 cup zucchini shredded, unpeeled ( I peeled it, you couldn't even tell there was zucchini in them)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup walnuts chopped (I omit the walnuts and added about 1/2 c. more flour)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt: set aside.
In a large bowl of mixer cream butter and sugar until light.
Beat in egg and peel until fluffy.
At low speed or with rubber scraper stir in flour mixture until dough is smooth.
Stir in zucchini and walnuts.
Drop by rounded teaspoons on greased cookie sheets.
Bake in preheated 375 F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until very lightly browned.
While still warm drizzle with Lemon Frosting.
Cool on rack.
For frosting mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together ( I added a little yellow food coloring too)

OR ......here is another version:
Lemon Zucchini Cookies
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
Lemon Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix sugars, butter and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until almost no indention remains when touched; about 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer cookies to wire rack.
Whisk the frosting ingredients together. Spread over warm cookies.
Makes 3 dozen
Variations:
-Lemon Glaze: Whisk 2 cups confectioners sugar with 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice until sugar is completely dissolved. Brush warm cookies with glaze.
-Substitute zucchini with carrots.

Citrus Poppy Seed Bread

Found this on the web....want to try it soon.....

Citrus Poppy Seed Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk - low-fat okay
1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tbls. poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. butter flavor extract
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract OR almond extract
1/4 cup orange juice
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Beat in eggs, milk, oil, poppy seeds,  vanilla,  butter flavoring, and  lemon OR almond extract; beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes.
Lightly grease 2 full-sized loaf pans OR 6 mini loaf pans; pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
While loaves are baking, mix together GLAZE:
 1/4 c. orange juice
 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
 1/2 tsp. lemon OR almond extract.
As soon as loaves come out of the oven, poke holes in bread with a fork and pour prepared glaze evenly over tops.

Napkin Folding.......101

Sometimes I have wished I knew a few different ways to fold a napkin....
I often make the little pocket that holds your silverware but that is the only one I know on a minutes notice. 
Here is a great website for various ways to fold a napkin......
http://www.napkinfolding.net/
This site also features some table setting ideas as well.

Here are a couple others......
http://www.robbiehaf.com/RobbiesKitchen/NapkinFolds.html
http://interiordec.about.com/lr/how_to_fold_napkins/322946/2/

Chocolate Chip Orange Bread

Here's a great recipe I recently found in a pile of old Relief Society handouts (no name on it).....a great one to help use up the zucchini growing in my garden......and no one guessed that it had zucchini in it!! 

CHOCOLATE CHIP ORANGE BREAD
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 t. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini
1 T. orange rind (I zested one orange)
3 1/3 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (mini semi-sweet)
Beat eggs until light and fluffy.  Add sugar and continue beating until blended.  Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini & orange rind. 
Sift together dry ingredients and stir into egg mixture.  Before flour is completely mixed in add chocolate chips and finishing blending all together.
Pour into 4 sprayed loaf pans (7 1/2 x 3 1/2").  Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes.

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars and/or Pops

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed cookies or graham crackers *
3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
6 Tablespoons melted butter
Mix cookies and sugar together.
Add butter and stir until combined.
Press mixture into a 13 X 9 pan.
Cheesecake
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
3 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream the sugar, cream cheese, and flour with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy.
On medium low, add eggs one at a time, mixing well with each addition.
Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Pour on prepared crust and bake for about 45 minutes.
Remove and cool.
Prepare ganache.
Chocolate Ganache
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
2 oz. butter
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Heat cream and butter on stove until just before boiling.
Remove from stove and pour over chocolate. Stir until completely combined.
Add confectioners’ sugar and beat with a wire whisk until combined and smooth.
Pour over cooled cheesecake.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Cut into bars and serve.
Makes about 30 bars.
* Use the remaining cookies from the package to crumble and sprinkle over the chocolate before refrigerating.

If you want to make some Chocolate Cheesecake Pops … you will need:


Cheesecake (Buy one if you want to get straight to the fun stuff. or You can also use the recipe above.  Make a batch of the cheesecake filling only, bake cheesecake in a regular 2-3″ high cake pan and do not use a crust at all.

Mini ice cream scoop
Chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips
Sprinkles
Lollipop sticks
Wax paper
Dark or milk chocolate, chopped
Graham cracker crumbs
Dipping bowl
Styrofoam block


With an small cookie scoop make a bunch of cheesecake balls.  Kind of shape them a little to make them more round then drop each one in a small bowl filled with graham cracker crumbs and roll it around to coat. This helped to shape them better as well.  Then,pop them in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up. (About 20-30 min.)  While they chill, heat up some chocolate candy melts in the microwave (30 sec intervals, stirring in between) and get sticks and decorations ready.
After the balls are firm, dip one end of my lollipop stick in some of the melted candy coating and then insert it into the cheesecake ball. Immediately dunk the pop in a deep bowl of melted candy coating and sprinkle with decorations or chopped chocolate.  Then place in a styrofoam block to set until chocolate is firm.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: It will really help if you use a bowl that is deep enough to completely submerge the pop in chocolate and remove in one motion. It also helps if your chocolate is on the thinner side. (You can melt a little shortening in it to thin it out some.) Once, you remove it, carefully tap the excess off while balancing the pop on the stick. You may need to rotate your hand back and forth long enough for the chocolate to start to set around the base. Add the decorations before it sets too much also or they won’t stick to the surface.
If that's too complicated. Here’s another way you can do it. And it’s easier. 

Take your graham cracker-coated cheesecake ball and drop it in the bowl of melted candy coating.
Don’t stir it. Just spoon some chocolate over the top until it is covered. Then, scoop it out with a spoon and tap off some of the excess by tapping the spoon on the side of the bowl. Then, just let it slide right off onto some wax paper. Insert your stick and add any decorations.  (these will be kind of flat on one side)

Strawberry IceBox Cake

Another Good Housekeeping recipe...
I have never made an icebox cake but I am going to try these soon......

STRAWBERRY ICEBOX CAKE
1 1/2 pint(s) strawberries
1 1/2 cup(s) heavy cream, whipping cream
3 tablespoon(s) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
2 tablespoon(s) strawberry preserves
35 (about one 9-ounce package) chocolate wafer cookies
Hull and thinly slice 1 pint strawberries; reserve rest for garnish.


In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spoon 2 cups whipped cream into another bowl; cover and refrigerate.

With rubber spatula, gently fold sliced strawberries and preserves into remaining whipped cream.

On 1 side of each of 6 cookies, spread about 1 heaping tablespoon strawberry cream. Stack cookies on top of one another. Top stack with a plain cookie.

Repeat stacking cookies with strawberry cream until all cookies and cream are used, making 5 stacks of 7 cookies each.

Turn each stack on its side. Place stacks, one behind the other, with rounded edges touching, to form a log on platter.

Frost log with reserved whipped cream; cover and refrigerate cake at least 5 hours or overnight to allow cookies to soften.

To serve, hull reserved strawberries; cut each into quarters. Garnish platter with strawberries.

Icebox Cake

From Good Housekeeping...  Make sure the bananas are good and ripe for best flavor...

ICEBOX CAKE
2 cup(s) heavy or whipping cream
3 tablespoon(s) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
2 small (about 1 1/3 cups) bananas, ripe, diced
35 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoon(s) semisweet-chocolate pieces
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spoon half the whipped cream into another bowl; cover and refrigerate.


With rubber spatula, gently fold bananas into remaining whipped cream.

On one side of each of 6 chocolate wafers, spread about 2 heaping teaspoons banana-whipped cream. Stack wafers on top of each other. Top stack with a plain wafer.

Repeat stacking wafers on top of each other until all wafers are used, making 5 stacks of 7 wafers each.

Turn each stack on its side; place stacks, one behind the other so that rounded edges overlap slightly to form a log on platter.

Frost log with reserved whipped cream and decorate with chocolate pieces. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight to allow wafers to soften.

No Bake Cheesecake

A Good Housekeeping recipe...One that has fewer than half the calories and less than 60 percent of the fat, but still boasts the classic's luscious decadence. (A single NY slice saddles you with 20 grams of saturated fat; ours, a mere 7.) The sugary glaze is gone, in favor of fresh raspberries. And with no need to bake, it's a guilt-free treat.

NO BAKE CHEESECAKE
24 reduced-fat vanilla wafers
2 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, melted
1 envelope(s) unflavored gelatin
1 large lemon
3 tablespoon(s) water
1/4 cup(s) water
2 package(s) (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup(s) sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk
Raspberries, for garnish

Lightly coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; spray paper. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse wafers until fine crumbs form. Add butter; pulse until well combined. Transfer to prepared pan; press onto bottom in even layer. Refrigerate.


In small bowl, evenly sprinkle gelatin over 3 tablespoons water. Let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, from lemon, grate 2 teaspoons peel and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice. In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, heat juice and water to boiling on medium-high. Remove from heat. Immediately add gelatin mixture; stir until dissolved. Return to small bowl; let cool.

In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and sugar 5 minutes or until fluffy and smooth. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add buttermilk, then gelatin mixture, in steady stream. Beat 2 minutes or until well combined, occasionally scraping bowl.

Pour onto prepared crust. Refrigerate, uncovered, 4 to 6 hours or until set. Run knife around side of pan; unmold cheesecake. Serve with raspberries.

Chris & Larissa's Wedding Cake

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August 7, 2010 - Chris Kimball married Larissa Koah at the Wingspur Country Club in Meridian. I made the cakes; 3 large sheet cakes (2 white with strawberry filling and 1 triple chocolate fudge) and a 3 tier wedding cake.

Here are a few photos of them....

Homemade Ice Cream

Yesterday while judging at the fair this little girl came in with a fresh batch of this Homemade Ice Cream. It was very tasty and refreshing on a hot summer fair day!!! Yes, she got a BLUE RIBBON.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
4 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 t. salt
1 c. sugar
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whipping cream
8 c. milk (1/2 gallon)
Ice and 2-3 c. rock salt
Beat eggs, add; vanilla, salt, sugar, condensed milk and cream. Mix well. Pour mixture into 4 qt. ice cream freezer bucket and add the milk. Place bucket in ice tub and pack with layers of ice and salt. Plug in and let it churn until it turns to ice cream; adding more ice and salt as needed.

Chewy Chex Mix #2

Another Gem County Fair recipe I got while judging a cooking project. I added the #2 to the title because there is already a Chewy Chex Mix recipe posted but this one is different.

CHEWY CHEX MIX
1/2 box rice chex mix
1/2 box wheat chex mix
2 3/4 c. sliced almonds
1 c. sugar
1 c. karo syrup
3/4 c. butter
1 t. almond extract
Place cereal and almonds in a large bowl and set aside.
Place in saucepan; sugar, karo and butter. Bring to a boil over med. heat, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 250 degrees.
Remove from heat; stir in extract. Pour over cereal mixture; mix well. Spread onto waxed paper lined cookie sheets, cool. Toss to break apart. Store in airtight container.

Teriyaki Sauce

I got this recipe yesterday at the Gem County Fair. I was judging a Dutch Oven Cooking project and Drake Reay made this yummy recipe for his display. It was good just as is, so I am thinking it will be really good as a meat marinade or dipping sauce.

TERIYAKI SAUCE
1/4 c. salad oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. ketchup
1 T. vinegar
1/4 t. pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Mix together and chill. Shake at serving time.

Grape Salad

Katie recently found this recipe and has made it several times. It is very tasty, especially for summer. So when I saw this recipe at the fair yesterday I copied it down so now I have an actual recipe too.

GRAPE SALAD
8 c. seedless red and/or green grapes
8 oz. sour cream (reg. or low fat)
8 oz. cream cheese (reg. or low fat)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar (or splenda)
1 c. chopped pecans (or peanuts or walnuts)
1/2 c. brown sugar
Mix grapes together in bowl and set aside.
Mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar, beat well and set aside.
Mix together the nuts and brown sugar, set aside.
Place a layer of grapes in serving bowl. Top with a layer of sour cream mixture. Repeat layers once or twice more as desired, ending with the sour cream mixture on top. Sprinkle the nut mixture over the top and chill. Best if chilled overnight.
When Katie makes this she doesn't make the layers, but mixes the grapes with the sour cream mixture and sprinkles the nut mixture over the top.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Another Betty Crocker recipe...
for even more cheesecake recipes go to.... http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults?sr=2&term=Ten-More-Dreamy-Cheesecakes&WT.dcsvid=NTYwNjAxMjgxMAS2&rvrin=3D26B43B-527D-493D-BDE4-1FB4BF08FA4D&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_BC_07_29_2010_SLTestWinner

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
Crust and Filling
1/2 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (about 10 wafers)
2 pkg (8 oz each) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups Yoplait® 99% Fat Free creamy strawberry yogurt (from 2-lb container)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Topping
1 bag (10 to 12 oz) frozen whole raspberries, thawed
3 Tbsp sugar
1 cup quartered fresh strawberries
Heat oven to 300°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle crumbs over bottom of pan.
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 2/3 cup sugar and eggs; beat on medium about 2 min or until smooth. Add yogurt and flour; beat on low speed until smooth. Carefully spread batter over crumbs in pan.
Bake 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 25 min or until cheesecake is set 1 1/2 inches from edge and center is slightly jiggly. (Do not insert knife to test for doneness because hole could cause cheesecake to crack.) Turn off oven; cool in oven 30 min with door closed. Remove from oven; run knife around side of pan to loosen. Cool on cooling rack 30 min. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hr. Carefully remove side of pan.
Meanwhile, in food processor, place raspberries and 3 Tbsp sugar. Cover, process until smooth. Drizzle sauce over wedges of cheesecake; top with strawberries. Store covered in refrigerator.