Blondies

Blondies

Yanked from CI. Since our household is divided on the Nuts Issue I used half the nuts and added them after pouring the batter into the pan. I sprinkled them on top of half the pan and gentled stirred them in.

1 cup pecans or walnuts (4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks), melted
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces chocolate chips (1 cup)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on large rimmed baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer nuts to cutting board to cool; chop coarsely and set aside.

2. Spray 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray w/ flour.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate and nuts and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.

5. Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.

Pita Chips

Pita bread
Olive oil
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.

Split pita bread in half horizontally, then slice into eight wedges.

Arrange pita triangles on a baking sheet and spray evenly with olive oil. I use a spritzer, but an olive oil cooking spray would probably be fine. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.

Bake 10-15 minutes until starting to crisp and brown. Flip pitas, spray, and season the other side. Bake another 10 minutes until crisp.

Frosted Lemon Cookies

New for me this year – always looking for good uses of lemons 🙂

Preparation time: 45 min Baking time: 6 min
Yield: 5 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup LAND O LAKES® Unsalted Butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine all cookie ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in small bowl; stir until smooth. Frost warm cookies with glaze. Sprinkle with additional lemon peel, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (1 cookie): Calories: 80, Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 60mg, Carbohydrates: 13g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Protein: 1g

Peppermint shortbread

I made them the first time with the glaze, but was unimpressed. This year, I’m dipping them in chocolate. Will report back. Full recipe archived for sake of anal-retentive nature.

Preparation time: 45 min Baking time: 12 min
Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

Glaze Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops red food color, if desired
Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed

Combine sugar, butter and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl. Stir in food color, if desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.

Nutrition Facts (1 cookie): Calories: 80, Fat: 4.5g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 45mg, Carbohydrates: 9g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Protein: 0g

Inexpensive Fruit Cake aka Poorman’s Cake

From the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, an old family favorite.

Grease and flour a 9″ square pan or a 9x5x3″ loaf pan.
Mix in saucepan…
1 c brown sugar
1 1/4 c water
1/3 c shortening
2 c seeded raisins
1/2 t nutmeg, if desired
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves

Boil for 3 min. Cool. Then add a mixture of
1 t soda
1 t salt
2 t water

Sift together and blend in…
2 c sifted flour
1 t baking powder

Temperature: 325 (slow mod oven)
Time: Bake square 55, loaf 75 min.

Coffee Snaps

Coffee Snaps

From The Joy of Cooking:

4 tsp coffee liquor
2 tsp instant espresso powder

2.5 c flour (12.5 oz)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

8 oz softened butter
3/4 c brown sugar (7 oz)

Stir together liquor & espresso powder

Whisk dry ingredients together

Beat remaining ingredients until well blended. Add espresso mixture and beat until blended.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed until blended and beginning to form a dough. Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the wrap to help mold the dough, shape it into a 12x3x1″ log. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least six hours. Use immediately or wrap more and freeze for up to a month.

To bake, position a rack in the upper third of the oven, preheat to 350F. Unwrap log and slice into 1/4″ slices. Transfer to parchment lined cookie sheets, 1″ apart, back until the tops look dry and start to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Let sit on the cookie sheet about five minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Sausage-Cheese Soup

My sister made this for a soup exchange and said while she doesn’t like Velveeta, this was really good. I’m dubious, but logging it anyway. It also doubles well to take advantage of the full pound blocks of Velveeta.

2 cups water
1 cup corn
1 cup potatoes
1 cup celery
1 cup carrots
1/2 cup onion
2 beef bullion cubes
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese
1/2 lb smoked sausage
Add all ingredients except cheese in large pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes. Just before serving, bring soup back to a boil and add cheese. Stir until cheese melted. Do not boil after adding cheese.

Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
4 slices white bread — thickly buttered
2 each eggs
750 milliliters milk
125 milliliters sugar
1 milliliter salt

For custard:
4 each egg yolks
375 milliliters milk
2 milliliters vanilla
37 1/2 milliliters sugar
1 milliliter salt

Arrange the slices of bread in a greased ovenproof baking dish, buttered
side down.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the sugar, salt, and milk.

Pour the milk mixture over the breat and leave for 30 minutes to soak
through.

Bake in the oven at 160C (325F), covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake
until the top is golden brown. Serve with hot golden syrup, honey, or
moskonfyt.

For custard:

Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.

Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, striing well to blend, and return
the mixture to the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture coats the
spoon. Be sure not to let the mixture boil.

Remove from stove and cool slightly, and then stir in vanilla essence.
Serve hot or cold (or over bread pudding!).

Note: Using 2 eggs instead of 4 yolks will make a lighter custard. If the
custard is allowed to boil, it will curdle.

750mL milk= 3.17 cups
125mL sugar= 0.52 cups
1mL salt= 0.20 teaspoon

375mL milk= 1.58 cups
2mL vanilla= 0.4 teaspoons (though I’d go ahead and splurge with 0.5
tsp)
37.5mL sugar= 2.54 tablespoons
1mL salt= 0.20 teaspoon

Turkey Pot Pie

This is my variation of Trina’s “recipe”, combined with some random recs off the internet. I’m not a big fan of canned cream of mushroom soup so I made my own, based on the Cook’s Illustrated recipe for green bean casserole. I didn’t have the oven fully up to temp to begin with so mine never browned quite as much as I would have liked.

4 Tbs butter (divided)
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs flour
1 c turkey or chicken stock
1 c skim milk
1/2 c heavy cream

1 1/2 c diced turkey
1 c frozen mixed vegetables

pie crust for a two crust pie

Preheat oven to 450F, line pie plate with one pie crust.

Melt 3 tbs butter, saute mushrooms and garlic. Add flour and remaining tbs butter, cook stirring contantly for 1-2 min. Add liquids, cook until thickened.

Add turkey & veggies, cook until heated through.

Pour filling into pie crust, top, crimp, vent.

Bake for 15min, shield crust edges, reduce temp to 350F, bake 30 min. more.

Persimmon Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup persimmon pulp
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts or pecans
powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening. Add the persimmon pulp and egg. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

Combine dry ingredients with persimmon mixture and blend well.
Add raisins and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and dip in powdered sugar.