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Even MORE Summer Deliciousness

2011-06-29T12:44:00.001-07:00

While the kids were smacking down corn dogs and coleslaw, I was having this:

Cilantro Peach Tomato Salad

So very simple, yet so very good.

We're talking tomatoes and peaches (or in this case, nectarines), a few slivers of onion, a few red pepper flakes (I used powdered cayenne), and CILANTRO!

(No one is on the fence when it comes to cilantro. You either love it or you...don't.)

Drizzle with olive oil and splash with lemon or lime juice.

Enjoy!

**Recipe from Mark Bittman's 101 Simple Salads for the Season

(You may not be on the fence when it comes to Mark Bittman.)

(You must love him, and that is that. )

Summer Delicousness

2011-06-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Our Sunday night family fun included the movie True Grit (for the boys & oldest daughter) and these cherry pie-flavored milkshakes:

Photo Courtesy of Dessert for Two

Yum, yum and even more yum!

They are wonderful, and much more economical made at home than if you were to buy them at Culver’s or DQ. (I am all about saving money these days. Leaves more room in the budget for coffee & chocolate.)

Click here for the printable recipe...

...and enjoy! Extra big thanks to Tina at Dessert for Two for posting it. My family loved them.

Bells for the Belle!

2011-06-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

Subtitled: From Nascar to Nasturtium

Sub-Subtitled: In which Margaret makes a multitude of excuses…

Okay, first of all my oven’s broken and has been for several weeks now. Do you remember my shiny new gas range? Sigh. We ran the self-cleaning feature and it just went poof.

Fortunately—most fortunately—the stove still works.

But as for, oh, baking cupcakes and whatnot…?

Not an option.

I had to buy these guys at the store.

And scrape the screaming NASCAR frosting off.

Second excuse: I left my good camera at the church on the last day of Vacation Bible School.

Yes, that’s right. You heard me correctly.

Left my Nikon D80 in the pew.

Abandoned, as it were.

Up for grabs.

I remembered this fact on the way down to Rochester for yet another baseball tournament—remembered with a gasp as I shamefully admitted what I’d done. My husband didn’t say much in response to my gaffe, though I noticed his knuckles whiten slightly on the wheel.

Enter Michael Z. to the rescue. He’s a guy who lives by the church and who takes my holy hour when I can’t make it. So the conversation went something like this: “Hi, Mike? It’s Margaret. Fine, thanks! Um…I left my camera in the church. Yes. In the front by the statue of Mary. You will? Hey, thanks! Also, could you do my holy hour from 4:00 to 5:00 on Sunday morning because we’re headed down to Rochester...”

Enfin. Here are the new & improved cupcakes, dear Charlotte—better than the NASCAR version but still, not as splendidly photographed as I would have liked.

No, I did not mean to evoke a nuptial theme.

Those are “bells for a belle”—your sweet Southern belle.

Do I get an extra point for trying?

I love ya, Charlotte, and I love that sweet baby girl already. I do not wish to win this contest—could not possibly beat those adorable baby rattles, the yummy little watermelons, the baby birds (oh, those sweet baby birds!), the cutest owls ever, the most darling chicks, the most endearing little binky faces, a nilla vanilla baby buggy, and those stunningly beautiful cupcake-themed treats.

Couldn’t possibly.

Wouldn’t want to.

My presence here, rather, is an act of ~~humility~~ love. I hope you’ve enjoyed your baby shower! We cannot wait to meet her.

Smooches!

PS. Oh, and did I mention I had oral surgery this week?...

Almond Streusel Cake

2010-05-04T12:44:00.001-07:00

Feeling very much in the mood for something fresh-baked today, I poked around on my cookbook shelf until my eyes fell upon this forgotten gem.

A tattered old recipe card from—gracious, could it be?—the first year of my marriage!

An oldie (like me) but a goodie.

This coffee cake is dee-licious, friends. So moist! So yummy! Bake it up, you won't regret it. Better yet, have your hubby make it for you.

~ Almond Streusel Cake ~

Streusel

1 C. firmly packed brown sugar

1 C. sliced almonds (more or less)

¼ C. all-purpose flour

3 T. melted butter or margarine
(but I never use margarine)

1 tsp. grated orange zest

Cake

½ C. (1 stick) butter, softened.
(You could use margarine. Don’t.)

½ C. granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. grated orange zest

½ tsp. vanilla
(I always use more.)

2 C. all-purpose flour
(or 1 C. white and 1 C. wheat)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2/3 C. orange juice

Glaze

½ C. confectioner’s sugar

2 ½ tsp. orange juice

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- or 10-inch tube pan. (Otherwise known as an angel-food cake pan.)

2. Mix your streusel together in a bowl until it’s crumbly.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and then add the orange zest & vanilla.

(Don’t skip the orange zest! Just…don’t. Get a zester if you have to—they’re cheap—and then chop up the strips into bite-sized bits.)

(Trust me. The chopping is both fun and therapeutic.)

4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Alternately add the flour mix and the orange juice into your egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.

5. Spoon half of the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the streusel. Top with the remaining batter and streusel.

6. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze.

7. Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving plate and drizzle with the cake.

8. Serve with coffee, tea or cold milk…or cut off a piece and eat it right there. You deserve some pampering, Mom!

Here is a printable version of the recipe: Almond Streusel Cake

Love from the North Star State!

Ed. Note: I am cross-posting this to my cooking blog, just to be anal. Also, in today's recipe I did substitute one cup of white whole wheat flour and I couldn't even tell. Better yet, nor could the children.

Black Russian Cake

2010-04-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

I made this cake on Sunday in honor of our Good Shepherd’s Garden Party (Week II) celebration.

This is not to say that anything remotely resembling a booze cake was on the original menu but rather, that those bottles of Kahlua and vodka were calling out my name (loudly) from the cupboard.

“Maggie? Oh, Maaaagieeeee....”

“We taste really good together.”

It was then I recalled seeing a recipe in one of my favorite church lady cookbooks--a recipe that called for both vodka and kahlua (gosh, I love those church ladies) and that is so easy-peasy, rice-n-cheesy that you will be lovin’ me for posting it.

Plus it tastes really, really good.

Here you go. Forgive me for naming it after me.

Maggie’s Black Russian Cake

1 box white or yellow cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
¾ C. water
1 C. oil
¼ C. Kahlua
¼ C. vodka
(not the el cheapo kind, please)
Nuts, optional

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray your bundt pan with nonstick cooking oil (you do have a bundt pan, right?) and line it with nuts if you’d like. I used coarsely chopped pecans and strew them around the bottom of the pan.

Isn’t “strew” a lovely word?

Mix all your ingredients together and beat at low for 30 seconds, then at medium for 2 minutes. Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a swizzle stick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes, then invert and cool completely.

(You don’t have to let it cool completely, by the way. You do, however, have to serve it with fresh whipping cream or ice cream.)

Enjoy!
(in moderation)

PS. The liquor in this recipe bakes out, not to worry. Don’t believe me? My husband was a chemistry major and he says so.

Maple Pecan Scones

2010-04-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

(from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

Scones

3 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. sugar
5 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ lb. (2 sticks) butter, chilled
¼ C. pecans, plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg
¾ C. heavy cream

Maple Icing

1 lb. powdered sugar
¼ C. milk
4 T. butter, melted
Splash of strongly brewed coffee
Dash of salt
2 tsp. maple flavoring (You could substitute vanilla or almond extract if you want, but then you’d have to change the title of your recipe.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Finely chop the pecans and stir into the flour mixture.

5. Mix the egg & cream together and stir into the flour mixture until just combined.

6. Turn the mixture onto a cutting board and push it together into a large ball. Don’t knead too much—only until it sticks together.

7. Gently roll the dough into a 10-inch circle and cut the round into eighths. PW recommends that in order to have perfect eighths, you could first cut an X and then cut a plus sign. I agree!

8. Transfer your wedges to a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed and bake for 22 to 26 minutes, or until golden brown.

9. Allow the scones to cool completely.

10. Meanwhile, whip your glaze together and pour generously over each scone. Sprinkle with chopped pecans if you want but above all...

Enjoy!

Kiss me! I’m (pretending to be) Irish!

2009-03-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

We managed to sneak in a full-fledged Irish dinner on Tuesday before Momma had to dash out the door to her quilting class. Hubby wasn’t there for our familial celebration, alas, but the babysitter seemed to enjoy it.

(To John’s credit, he pulled in the driveway as I was leaving. Babysitter Megan was just covering for him until he arrived. This is our “quilting night arrangement.”)

Corned beef and cabbage is very easy to make. Have you tried it? No? You must. All I did was boil the corned beef for 30 minutes (to reduce its saltiness) with half the contents of the little spice pack that comes with it.

Then I popped it in my new Dutch oven (which I love) and drizzled it with olive oil. I added a handful of carrots, (peeled and chopped) and a handful of onions (also peeled and chopped in large sections so the kids can avoid them). A little salt and pepper, a couple pats of butter, and into the oven it went.

I cooked mine for about 3 ½ hours at 325 degrees and it was so very good—crispy on the outside and very tender on the inside.

Oh, and I added the cabbage about an hour and 1/2 into the baking. You don’t want mushy cabbage.

You know.

* * * * * * *

The second recipe I got from my sister that very afternoon. I phoned her up to see how she was preparing her corned beef & cabbage, (because I just knew she’d be making corned beef & cabbage), and she told me about this funky Irish side dish they were having.

“It’s in the new Centennial Cookbook that I’m editing for our parish,” she said. It’s called ‘Thumblededore’ or ‘Dumblededoop’ or something like that.”

She was close. : )

Rumbledethumps is actually its Scottish name. In England, this dish is known as Bubble and Squeak; in Ireland, colcannon.

The names didn’t much matter to my kids, although they did like saying “Bubble and Squeak.” Even more than that, they liked eating it.

Here’s the recipe:

Rumbledethumps

1 pound potatoes
1 pound cabbage (about 1/2 head)
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion chopped
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon chopped chives or parsley
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel, boil and mash your potatoes. Set aside.

Chop or shred your cabbage. (You choose! It’s a free country.)
Melt the butter in large skillet or frying pan and
sauté your cabbage and chopped onion
until they are soft.

Add the cabbage to your bowl of mashed potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Turn into a buttered ovenproof dish, sprinkle with grated cheese,
and brown under broiler or bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Garnish with chives or parsley and serve!

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake

2009-03-16T13:15:00.001-07:00

I tend to get a little bit, um, obsessive come St. Patrick’s Day.

Really.

You’d think I was actually Irish.

(In truth, I am 100% French Canadian. I haven’t a drop of Irish in me, unless you count all the Guinness beer and Irish Cream that I am fond of consuming this time of year. And mind you, being pregnant doesn’t place a damper on my love of all drinks Irish. I merely dump the Guinness into the stew and make cheesecake with the Bailey’s. Problem solved.)

So yeah, the festivities last for days around here, mainly because I can never narrow the menu down to just one meal. We will have Irish stew and soda bread for one meal and corned beef & cabbage for the next. Certainly we’ll have some Reuben sandwiches for lunch one day—not because they are Irish, necessarily, but because they are just so very good.

And the corned beef is on sale.

Naturally.

We had our biggest meal on Sunday night because I’ll be gone the evening of St. Patrick’s Day. I know, I know—what’s wrong with this would-be Irish lass?

(It’s my first quilting class, is what it is, and I really shouldn’t skip it.)

For Sunday’s meal, I went with Guinness Irish Stew and a nice crusty loaf of pumpernickel. For dessert we had Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake (for the grown-ups) and shamrock shakes for the kids. Except, come to think of it, the grown-ups were snitching the shamrock shakes in addition to their slice of cheesecake.

Note to self: buy more ice cream next year.

I got all the recipes out of this month’s Faith and Family.

They.

Were.

Excellent.

And so without further adieu, here is that recipe for…

~ Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake ~

Crust

10 whole graham crackers, broken into pieces
¼ C. sugar
6 T. butter, melted

Filling

24 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 C. sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 C. Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping

1 ½ C. sour cream
¼ C. powdered sugar (I used a touch more.)
1 ½ oz. white chocolate, grated

For crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 9-inch springform pan. Grind the graham crackers and sugar in a food processor until you’ve got a nice bunch of crumbs; add the butter and pulse a few times. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and sides of your springform pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Have some Bailey’s in a glass. Start on the filling.

For the filling: Blend your cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk the eggs, Bailey’s, and vanilla in a small bowl, then blend this mixture into the cream cheese. Pour into the springform pan and bake until the edges of the filling are puffed and look dry, and the center is just set, about 50 minutes.

Cross your fingers. Have another glass of Bailey’s.

Cool the cheesecake on a rack when it’s done.

For the topping: Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Spread onto the cooled cake with a rubber scraper. Refrigerate for six hours or so; sprinkle with grated chocolate; consume with wild abandon.

Good St. Patrick, pray for us!

*For a printable copy of this recipe, click here.

Really Yummy Taco Soup

2009-03-02T15:47:00.000-08:00

Not to mention, really easy.

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. Ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz) whole-kernel corn, undrained (See a pattern?)
1 can (28 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 or 2 packages taco seasoning mix, to taste

In a heavy stockpot, brown your ground beef and onion. Drain off the fat if you like.

Dump in everything else.
(I guess that makes this “Dump Soup.” If you call it that, and I did, I guarantee that your preschooler will be delighted.)

Simmer for about an hour and serve with:

A handful of tortilla chips (We like the lime kind)
Some shredded cheddar or a Mexican blend
1 dollop (Optional unless you’re me,
in which case it’s never optional.)

Oh and if your soup should seem too thick, toss in a can or two of water while it’s simmering.

Enjoy! Say a prayer for your big pregnant friend while you do so.

Cleverness

2009-01-20T17:35:00.000-08:00

My kids would never drink carrot juice if I gave it to them in a glass.

But they will eat it in a popsicle.

*Recipe found at Elizabeth’s blog here (Take #4). I left out the coconut oil.

Yours in times of deception and truth,

The Best Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

2008-12-05T14:15:00.000-08:00

When a dear old friend phoned last night to see if she could stop by this morning with a Christmas present for Jem, her godson, I told her we’d be delighted.

And then I hung up the phone with an “Ack! I don’t have anything for her yet!”

I quickly made plans to whip up a batch of my very favorite Christmas cookies from last year—the ones I talked about in this post—and ran to the grocery store after supper. I stood in the baked goods aisle for a full ten minutes, seeing every kind of baking chip possible except for the mint-flavored. (I did, however, finally find the price code for the mint chocolate chips. They were all out of them. Of course.)

Feeling stuck in a rut and as if nothing else could possibly do, I drove home deep in thought. I looked in the freezer and found a bag of miniature chocolate chips. Then I went to my stash of Christmas goodies and grabbed a couple of red-and-white striped candy canes.

Inspiration struck. I was in business.

The Very Best Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

Ingredients:

1/2 C. salted butter - softened
3/4 C. dark brown sugar
1/2 C. white granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. peppermint extract
2 eggs
2-1/3 C. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 package (10 oz.) mint chocolate chips (I only use half a package, but that’s just me.) And if perchance you cannot find the mint-flavored chocolate chips, do not fear! Use semi-sweet and proceed with confidence.
Crushed candy cane pieces, about 1/3 cup.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Blend butter, sugars, extracts and eggs until mixed.
Sift together flour, baking soda & baking powder. Blend into dough.
Stir in chocolate chips. Chill approximately one hour in the refrigerator.
Form dough into 1-inch balls and slightly flatten. Sprinkle a few crushed candy canes on top and gently push into the dough.
Bake at 350° F for approximately 8 - 10 minutes.
Cool on wire racks, gently pushing in any loose candy cane bits.

Eat one and box the rest up for your friend.

Or, conversely, eat the entire box and try to save one for your friend.

Either way, these cookies are very, very good.

Oatmeal Cookies

2008-11-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

It must be fall because I can’t stop making cookies!

These oatmeal cookies are among my family’s favorites. We eat them for snacks and we eat them for breakfast. Hey, it’s oatmeal, right?

They are really very good.

Oatmeal Cookies

(Adapted from Colorado Cache)

This recipe makes 4 to 6 dozen, depending on the size of your cookies and how much dough you eat while making them.

3 eggs, well beaten
1 C. raisins (I often substitute dried cherries or craisins.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. butter
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. white sugar
2 ½ C. white flour
(I substitute 1 C. of whole wheat pastry flour.
That alone justifies a third cookie, don’t you think?)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
2 C. oatmeal
(Here I substitute ½ C. of toasted wheat germ.
More nutrients means less guilt!)
¾ chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine eggs, raisins and vanilla and let stand for one hour, covered with plastic wrap. Cream together butter and sugars. Add flour, salt, cinnamon and soda to sugar mixture. Mix well. Blend in egg-raisin mixture, oatmeal, wheat germ and chopped nuts. (Your dough will be quite stiff.)

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, or roll into small balls and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.

Cool. Consume in abundance.

Kitty Cookies

2008-11-06T04:33:00.000-08:00

Kitty Cookies , originally uploaded by Margaret in Minnesota.

Here’s one for next year—spooky but delicious “Black Cat Cookies”.

(My girls call them “kitty cookies”. They’re not so intimidating that way.)

We make them on All Hallows’ Eve afternoon and I hand them out to the moms & dads that evening. It’s but a small perk, I figure, for schlepping alongside those little goblins. Plus they’re good—chewy, and chocolaty, and candy corny too.

Enjoy.

“Kitty Cookies”

(Makes 2 dozen)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
24 wooden craft sticks
48 candy corn candies
24 red-hot candies

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.

2. Insert a wooden stick into each cookie. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Pinch top of cookie to form ears. For whiskers, press a fork twice into each cookie. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from the oven; immediately press on candy corn for eyes and red hots for noses. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Note: The big box store that I visited to purchase supplies for these cookies did not carry red hots and I did not feel making another trip. Feeling very clever indeed, I bought a bag of Skittles and used the red ones instead. (What did I do with the rest of the Skittles? You don’t need to know.)

Also, it pays to read the directions thoroughly. For my first batch, I added the eyes and nose before baking the cookies. Goodness, what a fright! The poor little kitties’ eyes melted clean out of their sockets. No, do not go this route. Put the candy in after the cookies come out of the oven, like you’re supposed to.

Monkey Bread

2008-08-16T06:27:00.001-07:00

Every year and on every birthday, my children request Monkey Bread.

They like it, I think, because they’re all part simian (on their father’s side ;) but also because it’s just darn good.

Is it healthy? Not at all. But as a once-every-blue-moon treat, though, this bread cannot be beat. Think of the food that you eat at the State Fair—elephant ears & cheese curds….a basket of chocolate chip cookies washed down with milk….

We’re talking a treat like those, you know.

So here we go.

The Ingredients

4 tubes of refrigerated biscuits (the 7 ½ oz. ones)
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. brown sugar
¾ C. butter (My recipe says “margarine” which made me wonder: does anyone really cook with margarine?)

The Directions

First you cut each biscuit into quarters.

Place them in a baggie (a few quarters at a time)with your cinnamon/sugar mix and shake shake shake.

The kids love to help with this part.

And you don’t have to be picky on the fractions. You can do thirds or fifths if you prefer.

Only do a few pieces at a time because otherwise you will end up with a great big clump of dough. You want your individual pieces to be well coated, like this:

Like my nails? They’re made in China.

Melt the brown sugar and butter in a pan but do not boil it! It will get all separated and gross. Pour it over your biscuits, which have been placed in a well-greased Bundt pan. (My recipe says you can also use an angel-food cake pan. I tried that once and the brown sugar leaked all over the oven. It’s your call; how brave are you?)

So anyway. Pour the brown sugar and butter over the biscuits, like so:

And bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

When you’re done it will look like this:

And this:

I told you. They like this stuff; they really like it.

PS. You will, too.

Bon appetit!

Silverglade Spinach Salad

2008-07-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

From the Crème de Colorado Cookbook

6 cups spinach leaves, rinsed & dried & all of that
6 oz. Swiss cheese, cut into julienne strips
6 oz. Cheddar cheese, cut into julienne strips
2 C. seedless grapes, halved

Dressing:

¼ C. cider vinegar
½ C. vegetable oil
2 tsp. light brown sugar
4 slices bacon, fried crisp & crumbled
2 T. sliced green onions

You will probably have more dressing than you need, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

In any case, this was so easy and so good. (It's the unlikely combination of colors, tastes & textures that won me over, I think.)

Oh, and nibbling on the cheese while you’re julienne-ing it is permitted.

Having a glass of wine on the side, even better.

Curried Beef

2008-03-18T03:15:00.000-07:00

(As shared by Sweet Shivaun)

Ingredients

3 lbs. lean ground beef
1 chopped sweet onion
a few chopped fresh garlic cloves
1 lb. of sliced carrots
4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up stew-style
2-3 heaping tablespoons of curry powder (Shivaun says that the Indian Madras type is the best)
1 tsp. sugar
salt to taste / soy sauce to taste if you like
a squirt of ketchup, or a chopped tomato, or a dollop of tomato sauce
Water
1 can coconut milk or coconut cream
A dash of lemon or limejuice if you like (lemongrass would be really good, too, if you have it)

Brown the ground beef in a large sauté pan. When it is almost done cooking, add the garlic and onions and sauté until soft. (Don’t overcook the garlic.) Add the curry powder and mix well.

Drop in your carrots and potatoes. Add water to almost completely (but not quite) cover the food. Add the sugar, salt, and ketchup and simmer for 25 minutes or so, covered with a tilted lid so steam can escape, until carrots and potatoes are done.

Add coconut milk and lemon juice before serving and warm throughout.

Serve over rice.

*You could also throw everything above into a crock-pot and cook it all day. Just leave out the coconut milk until shortly before serving so that it doesn't curdle.

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

2008-01-04T02:56:00.000-08:00

(Recipe courtesy of Cathie B.’s Catering)

Warning: these cookies are probably a little too good, if you know what I mean. If you are working on the virtue of temperance then perhaps you’d better go google-search a nice, safe fruit salad.

1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
48 chocolate covered caramel candies (Rolos)
1 tablespoon white sugar

1.Preheat oven to 375. Cream the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

2. Carefully beat in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt).

3. Refrigerate the dough for an hour or two while you unwrap all those Rolos. (It is helpful to put the Rolos in the fridge, too.) Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make balls with the cold dough. (If it is too sticky, put the dough back in the fridge.) Put an unwrapped Rolo in each blob of dough. Make sure the dough completely covers the Rolo or the caramel might leak out while baking. Roll or dip the little balls of dough into the white sugar.

4. Place on a cookie sheet (I use parchment paper for easy clean-up if some caramel bakes out) and bake for 8 minutes at 375. Let cool for a bit on the pan and then move to a cooling rack.

5. Ingest in large quantities. Pause; wonder if you should have shared with the kids.

Cathie B.’s Unbelievable Beef Stew

2008-01-03T15:45:00.000-08:00

The ultimate in comfort food, this stew is even better when the recipe is doubled or even tripled and shared with a friend in need.

The following proportions serves 6 to 8.

3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 T. vegetable oil
2 medium to large onions, chopped coarse
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. flour
1 C. full-bodied red wine
2 C. chicken stock or broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
4 large carrots, peeled and slice ¼ inch thick
1 C. frozen peas, thawed
¼ C. minced fresh parsley, if desired

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place beef cubes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 T. of oil over medium high heat in large soup kettle; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside.

2. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer in oven for 1 hour.

3. Bask in the delicious smells that are now beginning to fill your home.

4. Remove kettle from oven. Add potatoes and carrots, cover and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, 1-½ hours to 2 hours. Remove stew from oven.

5. Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and add more salt & pepper to taste.

6. Enjoy! Say a prayer for Cathie B. and her family while you’re at it.

Dulce de Leche-Banana Pie

2007-11-12T14:53:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

1 pieshell (I always “cheat” and use store-bought crusts, but you do whatever suits you.)
1 can (13.4 oz.) dulce de leche (Dulce de leche is like sweetened condensed milk, only caramel-flavored. It’s probably in the Hispanic section of the grocery store, although I found it next to all the other canned milks.)
3 ripe bananas
1 C. whipping cream
¼ C. powdered sugar
½ C. semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vegetable oil.

1. Heat your oven to 450 degrees and bake your piecrust for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Once your crust is done, let it cool for thirty minutes (according to the recipe), but less than that if you’re like me and are hyper-impatient.

2. Spread your can of dulce de leche onto the crust with a spatula. Rinse the can & recycle it, or let your kids have a field day with the sticky stuff left inside.

3. Slice your bananas and arrange neatly (not that it matters) onto the dulce de leche.

4. Beat your whipping cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread it over the bananas.

5. Put your chocolate chip & oil in a small resealable freezer bag; seal the bag. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and give the bag a few good squeezes. Microwave for another 30 seconds or so until everything is melted. Snip off a teensy tiny corner of the bag and pipe your melted chocolate over whipped cream.

6. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. Good luck actually getting it unharmed and uneaten to the table.

*This recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker's Fall Baking (2007) cookbook.

Hitching a Ride on the A-Train

2007-10-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

A for Autumn, of course!

First of all, lest you think that I was so clever as to come up with this A+ idea for an Apple pie, I most Assuredly did not. Kudos go to Katherine, an alphabeterian extraordinaire and from the looks of it, an excellent chef as well. (Save me a d-d-donut, please.)

Ahem.

As I was saying, A is for all things autumn and in the fall I love apple pie. I also love Kristen at Small Treasures, very much, and when I found out she was hosting a Fall Festival at her cooking blog, A Virtual Kitchen, well, I wiped my smudgy hands on my apron and scratched my head.

And came up with...nuthin'.

Oh, the recipes are all there on the shelf of course, just waiting to be dusted off. To tell you the truth, though, dear reader, we've been just a wee bit too busy to come up with anything original.

The above is a photo of a plain old apple pie, made with store-bought crust and the teensy tiny apples from my mom & dad's one apple tree. (An apple tree that's been there since my youth, I might add--a fighter of a tree if ever I've seen one, and a fond reminder of my childhood.) A plain old apple pie, but the "A's" on top delighted the children, and these days, that's what I'm Aiming for.

That and learning one's letters, of course.

For my all-time favorite apple pie recipe, I defer you to this yester-post of days' past.

And I wish you a happy, healthy, crazy-busy-but-delicious Fall!

PS. Love you, Kristen!

Triple Berry Muffins

2007-08-18T06:15:00.001-07:00

This recipe makes 16 to 24 muffins, depending on how huge you like your muffin.

3 C. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
1-2 tsp. cinnamon (depending on how cinnamon-y you like things)
1 ¼ C. milk
2 extra-large eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ sticks (3/4 C) butter, melted and cooled
1 C. fresh blueberries
½ C. fresh raspberries
½ C. diced fresh strawberries
1 ¼ C. sugar

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line your muffin tins with little paper liners if you have them. If not, spray generously with non-stick cooking oil.

Sift your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon into a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs & melted butter. Do try to cool your butter before you add it, unless you like to cook your eggs before adding them to the batter.

Coat your berries with the sugar and set aside.

Make a nice big well in the middle of your dry stuff and pour in the wet stuff. You know what’s coming: stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix, lest the fluffy muffin police come knocking. Add your berries and gently, gently, gently fold into the batter. Murmur “slow and steady wins the race” to yourself as you are folding. You don’t want pink or blue or pinkish-blue muffins when you’re done. You want golden brown muffins with all their berries intact.

Spoon the batter into your muffin tin; the more you put in, the bigger the muffin. (naturally)

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and your kitchen smells delicious.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa at Home

Crock-Pot Chicken Indonesian

2007-08-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

In honor of Barbara's Crock Pot Festival, I have dug out one of my favorite Fall entrées: this crock pot dish that came with one of Leanne Ely’s Saving Dinner menu mailers.

It was one of her “recipe raves”, for good reason. I make this dish often, especially on school nights when I need supper to be fast & easy. How about you, friend? Do you like supper to be fast & easy on a school night?

Then this crock pot recipe is your friend.

I like cooking with chicken thighs now & then; they’re moist, meaty and a pleasant change from the ubiquitous boneless, skinless breast.

Trust me, this dish is delicious. Thank you, LeAnn! And thank you, Barbara, for hosting!

12 skinless chicken thighs
3 T. soy sauce
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ T. grated fresh ginger root
3 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1/3 C. peanut butter

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and cayenne. Place your chicken in the crockpot and spoon sauce over the top of it. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or until chicken is tender and fully cooked. Remove chicken from the crock pot and stir peanut butter into the juices until smooth. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

Serve with rice and a side of veggies.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2007-07-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of Suzanne’s Blueberry Bash, here is a yummy recipe using one of the world’s most perfect fruits. I’m with Kristen; I can eat blueberries by the handful right out of the colander. Should I be disciplined enough to actually bake with them, then a coffee cake’s the way to go. I love the way the blueberries hang onto their shape and then burst open with flavor when you bite into them.

Don’t be put off by the olive oil in this recipe, by the way. It makes for a very moist and tender cake.

11/4 C. flour
½ tsp. soda
¼ tsp. salt
¾ C.sugar, divided
½ C. buttermilk
¼ C. light olive oil
3 eggs, separated
1 T. grated orange zest
1 T. orange juice
1 ½ C. fresh blueberries, washed & drained
1 tsp. flour
2 T. sliced almonds
1 T. sugar

Grease side and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil (use a mister if you’ve got one) and dust with sugar. Combine first 3 ingredients with ½ C. sugar in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk, olive oil and egg yolks. Add to dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Stir in orange zest and juice.

In another large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form (about 1 minute). Gradually add ¼ C. sugar. Beat at high speed until stiff (2-3 minutes). Using a few strokes, whisk one half of cake batter into egg mixture. Gently whisk in remaining cake batter until no white streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan.

Toss blueberries with 1 tsp. flour and sprinkle over batter. Sprinkle the almonds and 1 T. sugar on top of it all. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (55-60 minutes). Cool 10 minutes; remove side from pan. Cool 5 minutes; invert; remove bottom of pan. Invert again onto pretty serving plate and dig in.

Recipe adapted from The Byerly Bag magazine

Southwestern Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salsa

2007-07-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

For Alicia with Love

2 C. sweet corn kernels (canned is fine)

½ tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (or you substitute a can of diced tomatoes; however, there’s just no excuse for using canned tomatoes in the summer!)

½ avocado, cubed (Except if your kids really love avocado. Right, Alicia?)

¼ C. diced red onion, if desired

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (Or you may substitute a milder pepper, such as serrano)

2 T. fresh lime juice

¼ C. chopped cilantro (because you can never have too much cilantro)

Sprinkle salt over minced garlic on a cutting board and mash with the flat side of a large knife to make a paste.

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive serving bowl; toss lightly. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving to blend flavors.

Serve with lots of your favorite tortilla chips. (We like the little scoopy ones.)

Image from GiantEagle.com.

Strawberry Rhubard Cobbler

2007-06-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

They're smart, they're sweet and they can cook like nobody's business.

I'm talking about Suzanne and Kristen, of course, and in honor of their Strawberry Festival 2007 (the first of many?) I am posting one of my favorite summertime treats:

Strawberry Rhubard Cobbler

Mind, this is a comfort dish and not haute cuisine. You'll be serving this to your bosom friends as you sit out on the deck at dusk...chatting and laughing and slapping away all the mosquitos.

Or you can have it inside in air-conditioned comfort. It'll still be just as good.

Crumb Topping

1 C. flour
1 C. oats
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 generous tsp. cinnamon (I like this kind)

Fruit Mixture

4-5 C. diced rhubarb
1 C. sliced strawberries
3/4 C. sugar
4 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 C. water
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together crumb topping, cutting in butter. Press 3/4 of the topping into a 9x13 pan.* Cover with rhubarb/strawberry blend. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add water. Cook, stirring until thick and clear. Add vanilla.

Pour syrup over fruit. Top with remaining crumb topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until topping is browned. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a side of vanilla ice cream.

Bug spray is optional.

*The smaller the pan, the taller the dessert. You decide.

Homemade Orange Smoothies

2007-05-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

These get bonus points for being both healthy and delicious! They taste like a drink from Orange Julius.

1 C. plain yogurt
½ C. orange juice (I like the Minute Maid Kids brand for the extra vitamins)
¼ C. Splenda
½ scoop whey protein powder
crushed ice

You may adjust ingredients to taste, of course, and then blend away. Throw in some frozen banana or strawberries and skip the ice.

image courtesy of DoleNutrition.com.

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

2007-05-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

This delicious, family-friendly casserole was first made for us by my friend Tina.

I asked for the recipe the next day.

3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
16 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom will work in a pinch, of course, or cream of onion)
chicken broth
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1-2 T. poppy seeds
1 stick butter

Cook your chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Place it in the bottom of a lightly-sprayed 9x13 casserole dish. Mix sour cream, soup, 1 T. poppy seeds and enough chicken broth to make it soupy. Season generously with salt, white pepper, garlic powder, Adobo seasoning…whatever you fancy. Pour this mixture over the chicken.

Crush the crackers and sprinkle over the chicken mixture. Melt your butter and pour over the crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Take out 5 minutes early and sprinkle with additional tablespoon of poppy seeds. Finish baking and serve with rice, a green veggie and a loaf of crusty bread.

Authentic French Vinaigrette

2007-04-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

“Authentic” because my host family in France made this twice a day nearly every day during the six months that I stayed there.

For Tina and Tanya

Mix:

1 generous tablespoon of Dijon mustard with
1 generous tablespoon of vinegar. (I like the red wine and balsamic varieties.)
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil &
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil; stir until emulsified.

Add salt & freshly ground pepper to taste. Sometimes when the mood strikes me I like to add a generous shake of sweet curry powder.

That’s it! This little recipe has served me well over the years. It’s great with shredded carrots or—if you sweeten it up considerably—as a dressing for spinach salad.

Sour Cream Muffins

2007-03-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

This recipe was given to me as part of a wedding gift (along with a muffin tin and scraper). The card is splattered, stained and faded, I have made these so often!

They are not the healthiest of muffins but they are delicious.

Play around with the recipe if you want to decrease the fat and calories, e.g. substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream and Splenda for the sugar.

This recipe makes 2 dozen muffins.

½ C. butter
1 ½ C. sugar
½ tsp. Salt
4 eggs
2 ¾ C. flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 ½ C. sour cream

Mix butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add dry ingredients and beat until well-mixed; blend in sour cream.

Your batter will be very thick.

Spoon into prepared muffin tins and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Or, if you prefer, leave off the toppings and add chocolate chips to the batter.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Ed. note: Each muffin is worth 4 Weight Watchers points.

*Photo from SorrentoCheese.com

Five Flavor Cake (from Watkins)

2007-02-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

This cake is totally true to its name, as flavor-packed as you could possibly get in what is basically a pound cake. I like to bake it for birthdays and at Christmas; it’s just that good.

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened
½ C. vegetable shortening
3 C. sugar
5 eggs, well beaten
3 C. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. Baking powder
1 C. milk
1 tsp. Coconut flavor
1 tsp. Rum extract
1 tsp. Butter flavor
1 tsp. Lemon extract
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, which have been beaten until lemon colored. Combine flour and baking powder and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in flavorings. Spoon mixture into a 12-C. bundt pan (If your bundt pan is smaller than this, you will want to divide the batter and maybe make a mini-loaf or some such thing.)

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 ½ hours or until cake tests done. Add glaze if desired. (See recipe below.) Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove and coat with the rest of the glaze.

Six Flavor Glaze

¾ C. sugar
1/3 C. water
¾ tsp. Each of coconut, rum, butter, lemon, vanilla and almond extracts.

Combine ingredients in your saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is melted. Pour half of the glaze on the cake when it is still in the Bundt pan, and add the other half once the cake is removed.

*You may sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar instead of glazing it, but trust me, the glaze is really good!

From the Heart of Minnesota! Wild Rice Soup

2007-01-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

A thick and creamy soup that’s just perfect for a cold Winter’s night, this recipe comes your way via my dear friend & neighbor, Ale (pronounced “Allie”).

I love that she uses short-cuts like the store-bought cream of chicken soup. If anything, it makes the soup even creamier.

2 big cans of cream of chicken soup
1 big can of chicken broth
Half and half to taste
2 or 3 onions, diced
2 or 3 carrots, diced
1 stick of butter (cut back on this if this amount frightens you)
One bag of wild rice
Salt & pepper to taste

*small can of cream of onion soup (optional)
* small chunks of cooked chicken (optional)

Cook the wild rice according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions and carrots in the butter. Add the cream of chicken soup, broth and a can or so of water. Add as much half and half as you’d like to get the level of creamiest you desire. Really, the amount of thinning out of the soup that you do is up to you.

You can also add a small can of cream of onion soup for extra flavor, as well as a handful of cooked chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fold in the wild rice and cover your pot. Let the soup cook on low until heated through and the rice is puffed up nicely.

Enjoy! And say a prayer for your friends in Minnesota when you do so. : )

Peppermint Bark

2006-12-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

20 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
20 oz. white almond bark
1 1/2 c. crushed peppermint

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Spread on your cookie sheet and cool until hardened.

Melt almond bark in a double boiler. Gently spread on top of chocolate. Sprinkle with candy. Cool.

Break into pieces and serve.

Mushroom Casserole

2006-12-27T05:18:00.000-08:00

You and your adult sisters will probably love this. Your kids, however, won’t touch it!

*This recipe can easily be doubled.

1 8-oz container of fresh mushrooms, gently washed and sliced
1 egg yolk
1/3 C. of sour cream
1/3 C. of parmesan
1/3 C. of grated swiss cheese

Saute your mushrooms in butter until tender. Mix with remaining ingredients and place in prepared oven-safe dish.

Top with seasoned bread crumbs or stuffing mix. (I like to brown them in butter first because one never can have too much butter in a recipe.)

Bake at 350 degrees for a half an hour or so.

Enjoy!

My Father's Famous Sauce Bolognaise

2006-12-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

This one will win you raves across the globe! Trust me, as I have tested it out in NYC (where my employer, on her way out to a fancy Manhattan restaurant, stopped by my simmering sauce pan for a taste. She had three helpings and cancelled her reservation!) and in France, where my friend's uncle took a spoonful and exclaimed, "C'est bon!" The fact that he was visibly surprised left me torn: am I flattered or annoyed?

It is really good, and the best thing about it is that you can (and I almost always do) start with a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce.

Ingredients

1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I like Ragu and Prego. Paying more for those fancy brands hasn't been worth it, in my opinion.)
1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
lots of chopped onion (the size of your dice depends upon your audience)
some minced garlic if you like
1 generous tablespoonful of sugar (to taste)
1 generous tablespoonful of red wine (or, if you prefer, balsamic vinegar)
lots of flaky green herbs like basil and oregano (again, you add as much as you like) as well as a good bit of garlic powder if you didn't go with the fresh garlic at the beginning of the recipe.

1. Start by browning your meat and onion. Toss in some italian sausage if you have it on hand.

2. Add the minced garlic at the end of the browning process. Burnt garlic is no good.

3. Add your sauce. Bring it to a boil to heat through and then turn the heat down. It can simmer while you make the rest of the meal.

4. Oh, and at some point add the rest of the ingredients. I usually add them right away but find that I need to perk up the flavor of the herbs once more before serving.

How easy is that? Let me know if this works out for you, or if you have other pointers I'd be happy to hear them!

Chocolate Truffle Cake

2006-11-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

This is your basic flourless chocolate cake. That is, if you can say "basic" about anything as rich, delicious and chocolate-y as this dessert!

Ingredients

3 cups (18 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
6 large eggs, at room temperature

Serves 18 Active: 15 min/Total: 55 min plus 3 hr chilling

This flourless cake is dense, rich and deeply chocolaty.

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat an 8 x 3-in. cake pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with wax paper; spray paper. Have a larger roasting pan ready.

2. Melt chips and butter together; stir until well blended.

3. Beat eggs in a large bowl with mixer on high 7 minutes, or until tripled and soft peaks form. Fold in chocolate mixture until blended. Pour into cake pan.

4. Place large pan in oven; place cake pan inside. Pour boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Cover cake pan loosely with foil; bake 40 minutes. (Cake looks soft but sets when cold.)

5. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours, or until firm. Invert on serving platter; shake down sharply to release cake. Peel off paper.

6. If desired, lay five 3/4-in.-wide strips of paper 3/4 in. apart on cake. Sift cocoa between strips; carefully lift paper. Repeat in opposite direction, this time sifting on confectioners’ sugar.

Recipe courtesy of 1-2-3 Desserts

Chocolate Pecan Pie

2006-11-27T19:08:00.001-08:00

My sister brought this to a post-Thanksgiving laugh fest. Of all of the food that I sampled that day, this pie is what I remember!

Makes one 9 1/2-inch pie

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for work surface
1/2 recipe Pie Dough
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 cups pecan halves
4 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate (such as Ghirardelli 60% cacao), chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 15-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour; fit dough into a 9 1/2-inch glass pie plate, pressing it into the edges. Trim to a 1-inch overhang all around. Fold under overhang so it extends slightly beyond the edge of the pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Cover with plastic wrap; chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, vanilla and almond extracts to combine. Add the sugar, mix until incorporated. Add corn syrups, and mix until thoroughly combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in pecans and chocolate.

3. Pour filling into prepared pie shell, and bake until filling is set, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before serving.

Note: Recipe courtesy of Tom Ribando and Martha Stewart Living

PlayDough!

2006-11-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

Not exactly something you'd serve for tea, but one of my most-used recipes!

3 C. cold water
1 1/2 C. salt
1/4 C. oil
3 C. flour
2 T. cream of tartar
1 T. vanilla
food coloring and (if you really want it to smell yummy) a couple of packets of Kool-Aid

Place liquid ingredients in a large pan. Quickly add dry ingredients. Heat on low. Stir constantly until dough pulls away from sides of pan. Cool. Add food coloring.

You're good to go! Store in a tightly sealed container or baggie.

Santa's Surprises

2006-11-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

Santa's Surprise Cookies

These cookies are a huge hit around here! The kids can help with unwrapping the Snickers bars and then wrapping the dough around them. Lots of little hands make for quick work!

Makes 4 dozen cookies, approximately, but you mustn't use too much dough on each cookie.

Ingredients

* 1 bag of SNICKERS Miniatures
* 2 sticks butter (softened)
* 1 cup creamy peanut butter
* 1 cup light brown sugar
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1. Combine the butter, peanut butter and sugars using a mixer on a medium to low speed until light and fluffy.

2. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Then mix in the flour, salt and baking soda.

3. Cover and chill dough for 2-3 hours.

4. Meanwhile, unwrap the Snickers.

5. Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide into 1-tablespoon pieces and flatten.

6. Place a Snickers miniature in the center of each piece of dough, and form into a ball.

7. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. (Baking time and temperature may need to be adjusted if using more than 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie.)

8. Let cookies cool on baking rack or wax paper.

9. Sprinkle cookies with with powdered sugar and then drizzle with melted chocolate.

10. Hide until Christmas!

Election Day Cake

2006-11-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

2 C. sugar
1 3/4 flour
3/4 C. Hershey's Cocoa or Hershey's Dutch-Processed cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 C. milk
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 C. boiling water
2 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour 2 9" round baking pans or one 9x13. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder & soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil & vanilla; beat on med. speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes for round pans or 35-40 minutes for the 9x13. Do the wooden toothpick test! Cool 10 minutes then remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely and frost. Enjoy!

One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting

6 T. butter, softened
2 2/3 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
4-6 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

This cake & frosting recipe comes courtesty of my dear, dear friend-of-the-heart, Djalaih!

Grandma's Coffee Cake (Also known as Christmas Bread)

2006-11-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

This recipe is large enough to make two loafs of bread and a pan of rolls! I will often just make half a batch.

4 C. milk
1 C. half and half
2 sticks of butter
1 1/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Heat 'til very hot and butter is just about melted. Cool to lukewarm and then add three packages of yeast that have been dissolved in 1/2 C. warm water and 1 tsp. sugar.

Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and about 12 C. flour by hand. Knead until the dough isn't sticky any more. Put in a large greased bowl and let rise for an hour.

You can make a large pan of rolls with the dough as well as a couple of coffee cakes. The "coffee cakes" are really round loaves of bread that will look like the picture. I like to add chopped maraschino cherries to the cake--very Christmassy!

Sprinkle the top of your cakes with sugar & cinnamon and let them and your rolls rise for 1/2 hour to an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Frost rolls with powdered sugar frosting.

Powdered Sugar Frosting

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
A dash of salt
1/4 C. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend together, adding milk by the teaspoonful until it's spreading consistency. Enjoy!

My Favorite Pumpkin Cookies

2006-10-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. Crisco
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 15-oz can pureed pumpkin
2 C. flour
2 C. oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a shake or two of nutmeg
chopped nuts, if desired

Beat the first four ingredients together until light and fluffy. Blend in egg, vanilla and pumpkin.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Blend them into the wet mixture and add chopped nuts and a touch more flour if the dough seems sticky.

Drop by generous teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Caramel Frosting

Melt 1/2 C. butter, 1 C. brown sugar, 1/8 tsp. salt and 1/4 C. milk. Boil 3 minutes; cool for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1 1/2 C. powdered sugar. Beat until mixed.

Red Red Cake

2006-10-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

Our traditional "birthday" cake on Minnesota Mom's side of the family. I have been known to substitute a boxed mix in a pinch (Duncan Hines being the preferred brand), but I always make the frosting from scratch!

1 C. butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 2-oz bottle red food color
2 T. unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 C. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vinegar

Cream butter; slowly add sugar and eggs. Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, make a paste out of the food coloring & cocoa. Blend into the butter mix. Add buttermilk and baking soda to the wet mix. Add vinegar; fold in flour.

Grease and flour one 9 x 13 pan or 2 8" round pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting

Whisk 1 1/2 C. milk with 1/2 C. all-purpose flour. Cook on low until thick. Cool. In bowl cream 1 C. butter with 1 1/2 C. sugar. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. almond extract and a pinch of salt. Add flour until light & fluffy.

*It is very important that your butter not be too warm when you add the flour. Your frosting will curdle! I like to refrigerate the butter & sugar after blending them for a spell and have much better luck when I do so.

This frosting is well worth the extra effort--it makes the cake!

May all your family birthdays be blessed,

Margaret

Monster Cookies! A Fall Favorite

2006-10-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

Aptly named because this recipe makes a big huge batch of big huge cookies: half a recipe is good for about 5 dozen. Perfect for sharing with the neighbors!

These are really very good.

4 C. sugar
2 C. (1 lb.) butter or margarine
2 lbs. (4 1/2 C.) brown sugar
3 lbs. crunchy peanut butter
1 dozen eggs (yes, you read that right)
1 T. vanilla
8 tsp. baking soda
18 C. oatmeal (a 2-lb. 10-oz box)
1 lb. M&M's
1 lb. chocolate chips

Combine first 7 ingredients. Mix very well. Add last 3 ingredients; mix well. Make each cookie about the size of a golf ball; flatten slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

*Ed. note: this dough keeps well in the refrigerator, and the cookies freeze beautifully. You may want to make half a batch on your first try.

Double Chip Pumpkin Muffins

2006-09-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in a bed & breakfast cookbook that we stayed at in Duluth. I had the best time just sitting in that lovely room copying down recipes while my husband read Butchering Deer on the bed. It was such a Mars/Venus moment.

This recipe makes two dozen.

3 C. flour
2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs
1 can pumpkin puree
6 T. butter, melted
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins.
2. Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs slightly. Stir in pumpkin puree, butter & chips. Blend well.
4. Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

2006-09-24T04:24:00.000-07:00

This recipe was the winner of the "Apple Pie of Emeril's Eye" contest on Good Morning America in 2001. This pie is such a keeper. I make it every year, including last year when it was my birthday "cake" and I forget to let it cool before adding the colorful wax candles (which of course melted all over the place). "Look!" my kids were delighted. "It's an M&M pie!"

1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie (store-bought is fine)
1/2 C. sugar
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt to taste
6 C. thinly-sliced peeled apples
1 recipe crumb topping
1/2 C. chopped pecans (toasted for extra flavor)
1/4 C. caramel topping

Ingredients for Crumb Topping

1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. all-purpose flower
1/2 C. quick cooking oats
1/2 C. butter

Directions for Crumb Topping

1. Stir together brown sugar, flour & and oats.

2.Cut in butter until topping is like coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Directions for pie

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt

2. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.

3. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell.

4. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture.

5. Place pie on a cookie sheet so that it doesn't bubble over into your oven.

6. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil.

7. Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and put back for another 25 to 30 minutes (until crust is golden but not too dark).

8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans and drizzle with caramel.

9. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature, a la mode or no! (Although apple pie & vanilla bean ice cream is a must around here!)

Just in Time for Autumn Baking

2006-08-19T04:35:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing cookbook.

Caramel Popcorn

2006-08-11T04:37:00.000-07:00

Really Good Caramel Corn
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
1/4 C. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 quarts popcorn, popped

Microwave the first five ingredients on high for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the soda. Put your popcorn in a brown paper bag and pour the caramel over everything. Microwave the popcorn (bag and all) for 1 minute, shaking after 30 seconds.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of my dear friend Tanya