Amish Bread

This recipe comes from one Lady Di's dearest friends, Glenna Mae.  She once gave it to me as my first bread recipe and said "You can't screw this up."  It's a classic in our home.  And every year when we make our fresh strawberry jam, we have to quickly make some Amish Bread.

In a medium bowl mix …

2 ½ cups water

4 Tbs sugar

2 Tbs butter

1 Tbs salt

… heat in microwave on high for about 1 ½ minutes

cool 125–130 degrees (using thermometer)

6+ cups of bread flour

2 pkgs (or 4 ½ tsp) of rapid rise yeast

Add flour to the liquid cup by cup & stir with electric beater.  Add yeast.  Gradually add rest of flour till dough pulls away – needs about 5 minutes on beaters, or hand knead if you prefer.  Grease bowl and dump it in.  Put in oven with no light to help the dough rise. 

Let rise 8 minutes and punch it down.  Repeat this 4 times total. 

Divide the dough in two pieces.  Roll out on floured surface with rolling pin.  Roll into a log and bend it like an arch.  Cut ½ inch deep along top of bread.  Spread egg yolk and 1 tsp milk over bread.  Place in oven and let rise 30 minutes.  Turn oven on 375 degrees and cook 20 minutes.  (Start the 20 minutes when you turn on the oven with the bread in it and not when the oven is heated)

Whole Wheat Pancakes

These are some of my favorite pancakes.  I made them for Lady Di and she was hesitant because they are "whole wheat."  Well she loved them.  And here we are.  Thank you Vegetarian Planet!  It's a great cookbook.

1 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup white flour

1/3 cup wheat germ or rolled oats

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

5 1/3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (2/3 stick)

2 ½ cups buttermilk

2 large eggs, beaten

Popovers

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbs melted shortening (crisco)

Sift the flour and the salt together.  Beat eggs.  Add milk and shortening.  Add the flour and beat hard for 2 minutes.  Pour into a muffin pan that is greased generously and heated.  Bake in a very hot oven - 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 15-20 minutes.  Serve warm.

Great accompaniment for Roast Beef.

Orange Rolls

2 packages of butter flake rolls (pillsbury)

1 cup sugar
1 cube butter
grated orange peel
3 Tbs Orange Juice

Dip the rolls in the mixture and put them in a greased bundt pan.  Cook according to directions on package.

Monster Cookies

These cookies are MONSTERS!  Literally.  You have to make huge cookies so that when you eat them they feel like you're eating a meal.

6 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
3 cups peanut butter
4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs vanilla
1 Tbs light Karo syrup
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups M&Ms
8-10 cups oats

Mix together and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lemon Bars That WORK!

So Lady Di has cooked quite a few Lemon Bars in her time.  In the process we have learned that not all lemon bars are created equals.  These ones work!!! They aren't too crumbly or too soft ... just perfect.

¾ cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup confectioners sugar + 1 Tbs for sifting on top

¼ cup corn starch

¼ tsp salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

FILLING

4 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

350 with rack in center.  Coat a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper leaving a 2 inch overhang in all sides.  Make crust in a food processor on a pulse.  Then add cut butter and pulse until crumbly.   Press into bottom and ¾ inch up the side.  Fridge it for 15 minutes.  Bake crust until lightly brown – 20 minutes.  Let cool slightly in pan.  Reduce oven to 325. 

make filling while it is cooling.  Beat eggs with electric mixer until thick.  Beat in sugar, lemon juice, flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour over warm crust.  Bake until set about 20 minutes.  Cool to room temp.  fridge for an hour.

Tortilla Soup

2 large onion chopped

3 cloves garlic pressed

saute together

add 1 can tomatoes chopped

add small can of olives

2 large cans chicken broth (or top ramen flavoring)

1 tsp cumin

salt

pepper

pace picante sauce to taste

saute bell peppers and serve on top with grated cheddar cheese

Lemon-glazed Butter cookies

Yields: 3 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temp)

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup corn starch

frosting

2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted

½ cup (or 1 stick) butter melted

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

350 degrees.  With electric mixer, beat butter & 1/3 cup powdered sugar at medium speed for 1 minute.  Turn off.  Sift together flour and corn starch and add to butter.  Blend until dough is soft, about 1 minute.  Drop by tsp full on ungreased baking sheet.  Baking until VERY lightly brown (prettier white) about 5 minutes.  Transfer to racks to cool.

Meanwhile, make frosting.  While still warm, pour frosting into center. 

Dragon Salad

1 head cabbage (half red & half green)

1 bunch green onions

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

½ cup sesame seeds

2 pkgs top ramen soup noodles

½ cup oil

½ cup sugar

½ cup wine vinegar

salt (to taste)

2 pkgs flavor or Ramen

Add dressing just before serving

Texas Sheet Cake

This comes from my Grandmommy.  We've inherited it and it's still one of my favorite cakes with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

In large bowl mix …

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

melt in saucepan then mix with above …

2 sticks margarine

4 Tbs unsweetened cocoa

1 cup water

then add …

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs beaten

½ tsp soda

1 tsp vanilla

Pour into sheet cake (11x17) and bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. 

While cake is baking, bring to a boil in saucepan …

1 stick marjarine

1/3 cup sweet milk

4 Tbs unsweetened cocoa

add 1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup chopped mixed nuts

pour onto cake as soon as it comes from the oven and spread quickly.

Confetti Salad

 1 can mandarin oranges

1 bag spring lettuce

¼ cup craisins

1 chopped fuji apple

½ cup blue cheese

1 cup chopped celery

4 green onions

½ cup sliced almonds

3 Tbs sugar

heat till melted

DRESSING

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 Tbs sugar

¼ cup oil

1 Tbs + parsley

2 Tbs white wine vinegar

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

BAR

1/2 cup butter
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 -1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

FILLING

8 ox cream cheese, softened (reserve 2 oz for frosting)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup butter softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts
6 oz (1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

FROSTING

2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
Remaining 2 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13x9 pan.  In a large saucepan over a low heat, melt 1/2 cup butter and 1 oz chocolate.  Add remaining BAR ingredients, mix well.  Spread in prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine 6 ox cream cheese with next 5 filling ingredients.  Beat 1 minute at medium speed until smooth and fluffy, stir in nuts.  Spread over chocolate mixture.  Sprinkle with chocolate pieces.  Bake 25-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with marshmallows.  Bake 2 minutes longer.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over low heat, melt 1/4 cup butter, 1 oz chocolate, remaining 2 oz cream cheese and milk.  Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Immediately pour over marshmallows and swirl together.  cool and cut into bars.  Store in refrigerator.

Friendship Cake

Sometimes it's great to surprise your friends with a small individual cake.  Here is a quick and easy way to make an individual cake for a friend.  Bring a little Ben & Jerry's on the side and voila!  You've got a perfect "I'm thinking of you" gift.

1/2 cup cake mix
1/3 cup water

Mix together and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes in a cereal bowl.  Easy right?!?!?!?

Shortbread

This is also a Rose special.  And though this is fabulous shortbread ... I might also add some chocolate to dip the shortbread in when it's all done ... because chocolate makes everything better right?

1 lb salted butter (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup corn starch (or rice flour)
3 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar for a few minutes and then add cornstarch.  Then add the flour.  This will be a dry dough.  Form into a ball with a fork and cut into thirds.  Rose likes to make them into pie shapes and cut wedges.  You could put them in a rectangular dish as well if you prefer and cut squares.

Put out on cookie sheet and keep edges as high as the middle.  Using a fork poke some holes in the top and put in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes.  Do not let brown and cut when they are warm so they don't crack when cut. 

Oh! Henry

This recipe comes from Rose, one of Lady Di's dear friends from long before I was around. 

1 cup sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup peanuts
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 3/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Bring sugar and syrup to a boil only until the sugar dissolves.  Stir in peanut butter until melted.  Add peanuts and rice krispies.  Pat into buttered 9x13 pan.  Now butter your hands and press down.  Melt it on low until the lumps are gone.

Pour it on top and cover with non-stick reynolds wrap or 2 layers of saran wrap.  Set in fridge.

Salted Peanut Chews

Lady Di has been a teacher for about 30 years.  The women she works with have become like family.  So this recipe comes from one of her co-workers.  

CRUST

1 1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks
3 cups miniature marshmallows

TOPPING

2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 cup peanut butter chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.Combine all crust ingredients except marshmallows until crumb mixture forms.  Press in the bottom of an ungreased 13 x9 pan.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.  Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows.  Return to oven for 1-2 minutes or until the marshmallows just begin to puff. 

Cool while preparing topping.  In a large saucepan, heat corn syrip, butter, vanilla and peanut butter chips just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth., stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in cereal and nuts.  Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows and spread to cover.  Chill and cut into bars.

Oatmeal Cookies a la mode

1 cup butter (or margarine for a crisper result)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts)
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy (a few minutes).  Add the egg and vanilla.  Blend thoroughly.  Add the oatmeal, coconut and pecans.  Add the flour, baking soda and pwowder.  blend well then fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop spponfuls on the ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 ish minutes.

Popcorn Scramble

This serves a ton!  This is a perfect compliment to Friday night Movie night on the couch.

#1
12 cups popcorn - popped
4 cups rice chex
4 cups cheerios
2 cups peanuts (or mixed nuts)

#2
1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
3/4 tsp baking soda
3 tsp vanilla

Heat the first 3 ingredients in #2 until boiling.  Take off hte unitand add soda and vanilla.  Stir

Pour #2 over #1 and stir until lightly coated.

Spread on a cookie sheet with edges.  Bake 30-45 minutes at 250.  Occasionally open the oven to stir the mix as the coating tends to melt to the pan.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who doesn't love a good Chocolate Chip Cookie?  It's the perfect dessert.  So what a great way to start my mother's recipe blog and get rid of ALL the paper recipes she has in her basket.  Oddly enough this recipe happens to be a recipe that I gave her eons ago and I have completely forgotten about it.  I think I will have to pull it out again.  So here we go ...

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup crisco
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2-3 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
2+ cups chocolate chips

350 degrees for 10-12 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet.