Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies
Cream together:
1 c. softened butter
2 c. sugar
Add and beat well: 3-4 eggs (room temperature)
Then add: 1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
Then mix in: 5-6 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Chill overnight.
Roll out and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

*I put the dough in a gallon ziploc bag to chill. It's a really sticky dough, so rolling out while it is cold helps.

Frosting:
1/2 c. softened butter
8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 large (Costco or Sam's size) powdered sugar bag
Add more powdered sugar as needed to get to desired consistency.

Green Bean Casserole

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 Cup Milk
1/8 tsp Pepper
2 Cans Cut Green Beans, drained
1 3/4 C French Fried Onions
Remaining can or about 1/2 C of the fried onions 

Mix all in 8x8 pan except the remaining can part
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes
Sprinkle the rest of the fried onions in top and bake 5 more minutes

Brownies

Brownies

3 sticks butter
¾ c. cocoa
3 c. sugar
5 eggs (add 1 at a time)
2½ c. flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
Dash salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips or nuts (optional)
Spread in 11x17 greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes.

For the smaller pan:
1¾ sticks butter
½ c. cocoa
1¾ c. sugar
3 eggs (add 1 at a time)
1½ c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Dash salt
½ tsp. vanilla
½ c. chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

Grandma Skousen's Stuffing

1 lb Loaf Bread, toasted
1 Box Jiffy Cornbread, baked according to directions
1 Can Biscuits, baked according to directions

Cut all into 1 inch cubes, mix in large bowl and leave for later

1 1/2 Cup Chopped Onions (I like yellow)
2 Cups Chopped Celery
1 Cup Celery Tops
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Chicken Broth or 1 Cup Water with Chicken Bouillon 

Add to pot, bring to simmer then add:
1 TBS Sage
1TBSP Poultry Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
Boil for 10 minutes

Pour over bread until moist. Cool 10-15 minutes
 Beat 2 Eggs and mix in.

Store in the bread bag until ready to bake.
Bake until hot. May need to cover and/or add additional water if too dry.

Sweet Potatoes

Sliced Yams (2 Cans)
Sliced Golden Delicious Apples, cored and peeled (About 4)

Sauce
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Water
4 TBS Corn Starch
1 Cube Butter
Salt

Boil, simmer until thick

9x13 Pan

Layer
Yams
Apples
Sauce
Yams Apples
Sauce

Bake 300 degrees 15 minutes or until apples are tender

 

To make it EXTRA delicious add this to the sauce:

2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 

1 tsp Vanilla 

1/2 tsp Salt 

Then on top add:

2 Tbsp Softened Butter 

1/2 C (4 oz bag, use whole bag) Chopped Pecans 

1/4 C Brown Sugar 

Mix and sprinkle on top

Gooey Caramel Popcorn

1 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Karo Syrup
1 Cube of Butter

Add everything in a small pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and pour over popcorn.

Fluffy Waffles

This is the waffle recipe Heather got from Paramount Title.

2 Cups Flour
3 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs

Separate egg whites

Mix yolks with all ingredients. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in gently.

Bake according to waffle maker.

Makes about 12 waffles

Mint Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

Cake Recipe:

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
1 1/3 C Water
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Melted Butter
3 Eggs
1 C Chopped Andes Mint pieces (or the baking Andes chips)

Baking:
Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour the bottom of a 9x13 pan

In a large bowl combine cake mix, water, oil, melted butter and eggs. Beat or 30 seconds on low then increase to high and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the mint chips and pour into pan.

Bake for 28-34 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool completely.

Frosting:

1 8 oz. Package Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 to 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
Pinch Salt
1/4 C Butter, softened
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 C Powdered Sugar
1/3 C Cream
2 Drops Green Food Coloring (if desired)
1/3 C Chopped Andes Mints

In a medium bowl beat cream cheese with extract, salt, butter and 1 cup powdered sugar. Add remaining powdered sugar alternately with cream until frosting is fluffy. Beat in food coloring.

Frost cake and top with 1/3 cup mint chips. Store covered at room temperature. 

Peppermint Poke Cake

1 - 9x13 chocolate cake, prepared as directed
1 cup heavy cream with 3-5 drops of peppermint oil
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed
1/4 cup heavy cream with 2-3 drops of peppermint oil
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 package (about 2 cups) Andes Peppermint Bits
Crushed Oreos at least 1 cup

DIRECTIONS: Once cake is baked and still warm, poke holes all over the top of the cake using the handle of a wooden mixing spoon.  Mix the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of heavy with peppermint in a bowl. Pour over the holes. In the same bowl add hot fudge and quarter cup of cream with peppermint, stir. Pour over the cake, aiming to fill the holes as best as possible.  Cover and chill for 1 hour. Spread Cool Whip on top and sprinkle the peppermint bits and crushed OREOS over the Cool Whip. Cover and chill for an additional 5 hours (or longer).

Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

The perfect sugar cookie for Fall! Sweet, spicy and soft!

Yield: 3-4 dozen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree {canned pumpkin}
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

for the glaze-
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside. In a large bowl, stir butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla and eggs together until incorporated and smooth. Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until completely incorporated. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and flatten to 1/2 inch thick using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is sticking to the glass, press the bottom of the glass in granulated sugar before flattening. Bake 8-9 minutes.

While cookies bake, stir all ingredients together for glaze until smooth.

Once cookies are finished baking, cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons glaze over each warm cookie. Let glaze harden 2-3 hours before serving. OR eat them warm with lots of runny glaze :)

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Corn & Black Bean Salsa
(Compliments to cousins Katie & Emily!)

 


3 Cans Corn, drained
3 Cans Black Beans, rinsed & drained
8-10 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
Bunch of Green Onions, chopped
5-7 Avacados, chopped
Cilantro
Salt & Pepper
Squeeze 1 Lime (add Zest if you like)
1 Jalapeno, seeds & ribs removed, minced-optional

Dressing:
2 Packages Good Season Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 C. Vinegar
1 TBSP OliveOil
1 TBSP Water

Combine and pour over salsa, mix and serve.

Instead of canned corn I used frozen. I just pulled it out of the freezer, rinsed it in a strainer to start it to defrost and added it first. By the time I was done chopping and mixing the corn was perfect.
You can find the Good Season dressing packs by the dressing where you'd find the Hidden Valley Ranch packs.

Sesame Chicken

SESAME CHICKEN-Crock Pot Style! Serves 4-6 People

1 1/2 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts (2-3 pieces)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dried onion
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon oil
1/8-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove
(It didn't call for it but I added 1/4-1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Put chicken into crock pot.
Combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, and garlic. Pour over chicken.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.
Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. 

Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces and return to crock pot - can leave chicken in and simmer on low or serve.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

My recipe turned out to look nothing like the picture. It was however delicious. I'm assuming the juice from the chicken added too much liquid to the recipe and it was not thick at all. So, next time I may cook the chicken, drain it maybe 15 minutes before its done then add the sauce and continue to let it marinate. Then remove the chicken and follow the recipe from that point.

I made jasmine rice and had green beans with it. All of us liked it. Yay!! A successful dinner :)

Chewy Deliciousness Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2-1/4 c.  Flour
• 1 t. Baking Soda
• ½ t. Salt

• 1 c. Butter, softened

• ½ c. Granulated Sugar
• ¾ c. Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 t.  Vanilla
• 1 Egg

• 2 c. (12oz) Milk Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine first 3 ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together until fluffy.
4. Add vanilla and egg. Beat well.
5. Add dry ingredietns to creamed mxture. Mix well.
6. Add chocolate chips. Mix well.
7. Drop by rounded teaspoonfulls, 2″ apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake 7 - 8 minutes at 375°F.
9. Remove cookies from oven, place on cooling rack.

Homemade Chili

2 lbs cooked hamburger with onion
2 large (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes (mild)
2 pkgs McCormick Chili mix
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 cans red beans
1 can black beans
1 can white northern beans
1 can kidney beans (optional)

Put all ingredients in crock pot on HIGH for 4 hours, then turn to LOW/KEEP WARM.
Can be served with cheese, sour cream, and Fritos/tortilla chips if desired.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is such a yummy Fall soup. And its so different from your typical chicken noodle. Not to mention, your house will smell so good while its cooking. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

1 3-pound butternut squash

3 T. olive oil

3 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 T. butter

1 large yellow onion

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 T. chopped fresh sage leaves

32 oz. chicken broth

Heat oven to 400°.  Peel and seed the squash.  Cut into 1 inch cubes and place them on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with 2 T. of the olive oil, 2 tsp. of the salt and the pepper.  Toss to coat.  Spread in a single layer and roast for 15 to 20 minutes.  Turn and roast until soft, about 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and remaining oil in a stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, and sage and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.  Add the broth, 2 cups of water, remaining salt, and the squash and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let cool for 10 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup or work in batches in your stand blender. 

TO FREEZE:

Let cool and ladle into resealable freezer bags.  Place bags in plastic container  and freeze.  Store for up to 3 months.

TO REHEAT:

Thaw overnight in the fridge or partially in the microwave.  Warm in covered saucepan over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. 

Pumpkin Lush

Pumpkin Lush (Its like Lemon Lush but Pumpkin! Mmmm)

Ingredients

1. 2 sticks butter, melted
2. 2 cups flour
3. 2 cups chopped pecans-seperated
4. 4 tbs sugar
5. 1 (8oz) package of cream cheese, soft
6. 1 cup powdered sugar
7. 2 (8 oz) containers cool whip (or one 16 oz container)
8. 2 small packages (3.4oz) of Jello Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding
9. 3 cup cold milk
10. Nutmeg for sprinkling

The Crust

1. Combine butter, flour, 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans and sugar and press into a 9 x 13 in baking dish. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely. (I like to put my butter directly in the pan and put it in the oven while its preheating to melt it. Saves a dish and a step.)

Cream Cheese Layer

1. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 4 oz. cool whip until smooth. Spread over crust.

Pumpkin Layer

1. Mix both pudding with cold milk, whisking for several minutes. Set it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining container of cool whip. Sprinkle with nutmeg and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
2. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.
3. Cut into squares and serve. Keep refrigerated.

Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

So, I was at the grocery store today and had a hankering for some Rice Krispie Treats. I found the mallows and I was wanting to make some flavored ones. Well I found this:

 

What? Well you know I couldn't just make one recipe, it had to be doubled, so I grabbed 2 bags.  

When I came home I googled recipes because I also didn't want to make just the original one. So this is what I found and let me tell you, amazing doesn't even begin to describe them! So, without further ado, here is how you make them.

Caramel Rice Krispie Treats:

 5 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1/2 cup salted butter, browned

(if using unsalted butter add 1/4 tsp salt)

one 8 ounce bag Caramel Vanilla Marshmallows 

Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside or use parchment paper & no oil is needed! Much easier to to use. In a large mixing bowl, add 5 cups cereal; set aside.


In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat, stirring nearly constantly. Butter will melt, foam, turn clear, golden, turn brown, and will then smell nutty. As soon at the butter begins to turn brown, take the pan off the heat, and continue to stir for about 1 minute, to ensure carryover heat doesn't continue to cook and subsequently burn the already browned butter.

Add the marshmallows and the residual heat should be enough to melt them, but if not, heat pan over low heat stirring constantly until they melt, taking care not to cook them; just warming to melt. Pour mixture over cereal and toss to coat. 

Pour into 8x8 pan, make sure your hands are clean! and get them wet with hot water. Use your hands to press into the pan. This method is the easiest & cleanest! Nothing with stick to your hands. 

Allow to cool, about 30-60 minutes, cut into squares and enjoy! You can always add 3/4 extra cereal if you don't want it as gooey. 

Oma's German Stollen Recipe

Stollen
1 lb. + 2 TBSP Flour or 4 cups + 2 TBSP
3 tsp Baking Powder
6 1/2 oz. or 3/4 C Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Rum (Oma always used real and not the extract)
1 tsp Almond
2 Eggs
4 TBSP Shortening
3/4 C or 1 1/2 Sticks of Butter
10 or 1 1/4 C Golden Raisins
5 oz Finely Chopped Almonds
2 oz. Finely chopped/Peeled Lemon Peel
1/2 lb or 8 oz Small Curd Cottage Cheese


Mix all ingredients together and knead into dough.
Shape into loaf
Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 Hour
While still hot, brush with butter and roll in sugar.


Can be made into cookies by dropping spoonfulls onto cookie sheet.
Bake 10-15 minutes until bottoms start to brown.
While hot brush with butter and roll in sugar.

Soft Ginger Cookies

So I have been on the hunt for a copy cat recipe of Paradise Bakery's Ginger Molasses Cookies. I think I finally found it!
 
Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

1 1/4 C Butter
1 C Brown Sugar
1 1/2 C Molasses
1 Egg
2 tsp. Ginger
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp All Spice (ground)
1 C Bread Flour
4 C Flour (NOT PACKED, as loose as you can get it without sifting)
1/2 C Boiling Water
3 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 C Flour-Yes, you add more.

Directions:

Add ingredients in that order!
If you're using an electric mixer, Kitchen Aide, Bosche, etc., make sure you treat the dough as though you were mixing by had, stirring until all ingredients are just mixed together.
The consistency of the dough will feel a lot like sugar cookie dough: thick, easy to shape.

When adding the flour, add 5 C straight and mix together.  
Then add the remaining 2 cups
AFTER YOU ADD THE BOILING WATER, and mix well--almost kneading dough.

Separate into 2 in. balls, roll into sugar and press a little flat with spoon or fingers.  The cookies need to be bigger or they will be too dry when you bake them.  You can fit about 8 balls on each cookie sheet.  No need to use non-stick spray, the butter will take care of that!

Bake 375ºF for 7-8 minutes.  Let cool on the cookie sheet.  Re-flatten them with a spoon, if needed. The cookie will look doughy at first, but will settle hours after cooling completely.  Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar.


These cookies are even better the next day, as they will not lose their softness.  ENJOY!!!

Pumpkin Better Than You Know What Cake

Pumpkin Better Than You Know What Cake...it almost is. HAHAHA But seriously, this is really yummy and you can never have too many pumpkin recipes!!

-1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
-1 Small Can Pumpkin
-1 4 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
-1 8 oz. Tub Cool Whip
-1/2 Bag Heath Bits
-Caramel Sauce

Directions:
-In a large bowl mix cake and pumpkin. You do not make the cake according to box instructions. Just mix the powder and pumpkin. Mix until smooth.
-Pour into a well-greased 9x13 pan. It will be thick!
-Bake at 350* according to box (28ish minutes?)
-Let cool 5-10 minutes then using the bottom of a wooden spoon, poke holes about 3/4-1 inch apart throughout the entire cake.
-Pour the Sweetened Condensed milk over the cake. Make sure you get some into each hole.
-Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
-Spread Cool Whip like frosting, drizzle caramel and sprinkle Heath Bits.
-Refrigerate for 3-4 hours but it tastes better when you let it sit over night. I did not add the whip cream, caramel and Heath Bits until I was ready to serve it.
-ENJOY!!

Alterations. I made my own caramel and whip cream.

Caramel Sauce:
 4 TBSP Butter
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Heavy Cream

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add brown sugar and mix well.
Add cream and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a drizzle-type bottle. (I got mine from Walmart for .97)
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cool but not set or it will be too hard to drizzle.

I added my Cool Whip and placed tinfoil over the cake to keep in the fridge. It was too warm and made condensation on the foil so the Cool Whip sort of melted. So with the remaining Heavy Whipping Cream I made Whip Cream.

Whip Cream:
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
Dash of Pumpkin Spice
Dash of Cinnamon
(the sugar and spices are to taste, I didn't exactly measure but that's about what it was)

Mix on High for several minutes until stiff peaks form. Remove and spread over COOL cake.

Then I drizzled the caramel and sprinkled the Heath Bits. I used the chocolate covered ones but you can use the plain instead. Even though I made my own whip cream I think I would still use a Cool Whip and add it when the recipe says to.Then before serving, make the whip cream. I think the melted-ish Cool Whip just enhanced the flavor. You could also add warm caramel to the holes with the condensed milk! That would be yummy! MMMMMMM