“Retro” Sugar Cookies

This week allowed a fun filled day of making cookies with plenty of children. We all had a blast together, and used the old cookie cutters from my childhood. Yes…I almost cringed when the kids talked about these being “old” with big eyes as only a 6 year old can do. The 70′s are old? Who knew?

My memories of making cookies with my own family as a child are priceless. I encourage you to try this simple recipe and make some memories of your own. It is messy, loud, and fun that’s true. But seeing a child delight in their one of kind artistic creation is worth it! One important tip, the butter must be softened to have a good turnout.

Easy Sugar Cookies via allrecipes.com

•                    4 cups all-purpose flour
•                     1 teaspoon baking powder
•                     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•                     1/2 teaspoon salt
•                     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•                     1 cup butter, softened
•                     1 1/2 cups white sugar
•                     1 egg
•                     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•                     1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1.                     Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla and sour cream until well blended. Stir in the sifted ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
2.                     Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3.                     Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Crock Pot Sausage Stuffing Recipe

This is from Taste of Home magazine. It is delicious! I didn’t use low-fat sausage, but to save in the health department they recommend using lighter butter, sausage and low sodium broth. Having the stuffing cook in the crockpot saves counter and oven space for Thanksgiving, though you might want to start eating this year round…

Slow-Cooked Sausage Dressing Recipe

Photo by: Taste of Home website

Slow-Cooked Sausage Dressing Recipe

• 12 Servings
• Prep: 20 min. Cook: 3 hours

        Ingredients

• 1/2 pound reduced-fat bulk pork sausage ( I used Sage flavored, and once use Hot and Spicy. Both delish)
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups seasoned stuffing cubes (not Stove top)
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium tart apple, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans (I did not use these, didn’t miss it)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1-1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large nonstick skillet, cook the sausage, celery and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the remaining ingredients.
•    Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through and apple is tender, stirring once. Yield: 8 cups.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

My little sweetie decided to research and make a pie. We’d never had pie like this, but decided that everyone should. Hope you enjoy this recipe!

P.S. It says deep crust pie shell, and as it turns out, they meant it! Enough chocolate filling to overflow …

Bev’s Chocolate Pie from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bevs-chocolate-pie/detail.aspx

Ingredients

•                     2 cups white sugar
•                     5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•                     1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•                     1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
•                     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•                     4 egg yolks
•                     1/4 cup butter
•                     1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
•                     Meringue
•                     4 egg whites
•                     1/4 cup white sugar

            Directions

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	In a saucepan, whisk together 2 cups sugar, cocoa and flour. Blend in evaporated milk and vanilla.  Beat egg yolks, and stir into pan.  Add the butter or margarine.   Heat, stirring constantly just until butter is melted.  Pour filling into unbaked pie shell.
3.	Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until pie is not “wobbly” when shaken.
4.	Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating constantly, until stiff peaks form.  Spread meringue on pie.
5.	Return pie to oven, and bake until meringue is golden

Ginger Impetus

59 degrees, driving rain, dark sky. Perfect day. Before you say that 59 degrees is about 30 off from perfect, perhaps this will sway you. This weather reminds me of a place I love, the Oregon Coast in winter. Since I can’t have the place, the next best thing is a flavor that seems to be best savored in the cool air of a changing season. Take a break from Chocolate Chip and get your Ginger on…

Big, Soft, Ginger Cookies

Courtesy of http://allrecipes.com/recipe/big-soft-ginger-cookies/detail.aspx

 Ingredients

2 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground
ginger

1 teaspoon baking
soda

3/4 teaspoon ground
cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground
cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine,
softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons white
sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift
together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar
until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses.
Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough
into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten
slightly.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow
cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to
cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Most Addictive And Delicious Treat Ever!

I found this Trisha Yearwood recipe in a magazine article. It is so dangerously addictive I debated sharing it, with liability concerns and all. I decided to err on the side of friendship and pass this on. Oh man, don’t say you weren’t warned!

SWEET AND SALTINES
Credit: Home Cooking
with Trisha Yearwood

40 saltine crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup light brown sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips  (about 1 1/3 cups)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and the saltine crackers.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly.  Put the jellyroll pan into the oven and watch closely.  Bake for 4 or 5 minutes or until just bubbly.  Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers.  When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife.  Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. They will form one big sheet.  Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

A Thing Of Meringue Beauty

My love affair with meringue has been passionate, if nothing but a miserable exchange of my effort, and its refusal to work. Today, oh happy day, success. I made Lemon meringue Cupcakes for a party and they worked!  Since it did call for Meringue Powder there are purists who say I cheated (yes, you…) but I say the picture speaks for itself. If you like lemon, this recipes is fabulous!

Yield:20 Servings
Woman’s World
Meringue Cupcakes

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• MERINGUE TOPPING
• 12 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 1/2 cup cold water
• Directions:
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins

• 1 Preheat oven to 350*. Line muffin tins with
  cupcake liners.
• 2 Beat cake mix, water, sour cream, egg whites,
  egg and oil for 30 seconds on medium speed. Then beat on high speed for 2
  minutes.
• 3 Fold in lemon zest.
• 4 Evenly divide batter in pan. Bake @ 350* for
  25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into centers.
• 5 Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool
  completely.
• 6 MERINGUE TOPPING -
• 7 Preheat oven to 425*.
• 8 In a bowl, combine 6 tablespoons sugar,
  meringue powder and water.
• 9 Beat at medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes or
  until very soft peaks form.
• 10 Slowly beat in remaining sugar until stiff
  (this should take 5 minutes more).
• 11 Spread cupcakes with meringue & place on
  a jellyroll pan.
• 12 Bake @ 425* for 5 minutes, until lightly
  browned. Cool

Patriotic Poke Cake Recipe

(Picture from Google)

Patriotic Poke Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce)
package white cake mix

1 (3.5 ounce) package
instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (3 ounce) package red
or blue gelatin mix

1 cup boiling water

1 cup ice water

1 (12 ounce)
container frozen whipped topping, thawed

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour one 9×13 inch baking pan.

2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, 1 cup water and the
vegetable oil and blend well. Beat at the medium speed of an electric mixer for
4 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F.  for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake springs
back when lightly touched. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water,
then add the cold water.

5. Poke holes in the warm cake with a fork at 1/2 inch
intervals. Pour gelatin over cake. Chill cake for 3 to 4 hours then frost with
whipped topping. Keep cake refrigerated.

Use fresh blueberries and strawberries to create a flag
design on top. Kids LOVE putting the finishing touches on this light cake.

Why buy expensive chocolate Easter eggs?

You know how expensive those chocolate covered peanut butter eggs are. Last year we decided to make some. The idea was to form them into a cross shape and take them to bless the neighbors. They were a bit messy to make but super easy and way cheaper. Not convinced? Let me just say the taste was superior to any I had ever bought.
Allrecipes.com has tons of ones to try. Hark, never use Allrecipes you say? Love it, oh yes I do. People rate recipes and give suggestions if changes need to be made. Here is a basic recipe to get you started…

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Eggs/Detail.aspx
INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (2 pound) package confectioners’ sugar
2 cups flaked coconut
6 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup shortening
DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Beat in sugar. Stir in coconut if desired. Form rounded tablespoonfuls into egg shapes. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill for 30 minutes.
In a microwave-safe bowl or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening: stir until smooth. Dip eggs until coated; place on waxed paper to harden.
For more decorative eggs, place about 1/4 cup melted chocolate in a small plastic bag. Cut a hole in the corner of the bag; pipe chocolate over tops of eggs. Store in the refrigerator.