Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Very Good Cookies

Cream:
1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Beat in:
2 eggs
salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 T milk

Mix and add:
1 1/2 tsp soda
3 1/2 cup flour

Grind 1 cup raisins and mix into dough. Roll into balls and press. Cook at 350 F until golden brown.

*Mothers note: put shortening, sugar, milk, vanilla and raisins into food processor. Chops raisins perfect.

Everyday Waffles

1 3/4 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 stiff beaten egg whites
2 beaten egg yolks
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil or shortening (melted)

Sift together dry ingredients. Combine egg yolks and milk; stir into dry ingredients. Stir in oil. Fold in egg whites, leaving a few little fluffs - don't over-mix. Make in preheated waffle iron. Makes about 8 waffles.

Orange Julius

1 6oz can of frozen orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
enough ice cubes to fill blender

Blend until mixture is as slushy as desired.

Streusel Macadamia Slice

(Australian recipe… I tried to convert the recipe, but I am not sure that I am right.)

175g unsalted butter softened ( 3/4 cup)
¾ cup caster sugar (brown sugar)
2 tsps finely grated orange rind ( ½ of an orange juice)
2 eggs
¾ cup plain flour
¾ cup self-raising flour
Icing sugar mixture, to decorate

Streusel Macadamia Topping
¾ cup plain flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
60 g cold unsalted butter, chopped ( 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup brown sugar
150 g raw macadamia nuts (2/3 cup)
1 Tbs water

Directions
Grease a 19cm x 30cm lamination pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, making sure it extends 2cm above edges of pan.

Beat butter, caster sugar and orange rind in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Combine sifted lours and stir into egg mixture. Spread cake batter over base of prepared pan.

To make streusel macadamia topping, process flour, cinnamon and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add brown sugar and nuts and process until nuts are coarsely chopped. Add water and process for another 30 seconds, or until mixture resembles, coarse breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle topping evenly over cake batter.

Cook in a moderate oven, 180 C (350 F) for 40 minutes, or until cooked when tested. Stand slice in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To serve, cut slice into small squares and dust with sifted icing sugar mixture.

Muddy Buddies

9 cups Chex cereal (any variety)
1 6-oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup margarine or butter (do not use spread or tub)
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions
Measure cereal into large bowl and set aside. Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into large ziplock bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag. Shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Makes 9 cups

Zucchini Bread

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup salad oil
2 cups zucchini, grated
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
3 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder
½ cup chopped nuts

Combine sugars, salad oil, eggs. Beat until well blended. Add zucchini and vanilla. Add sifted dry ingredients. Add nuts. Pour into greased and floured loaf tins.

*the recipe didn't say what temperature or time, so I would guess 350 for 45 minutes. But you might have to keep a close watch on it!

Lemon Bread

½ cup shorting
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup finely chopped nuts
Grated rind from one lemon

Directions
Cream shorting and sugar together and add eggs. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt and add alternately with milk. Add nuts and grated lemon rind. Bake 1 hour at 350. Remove from pan and pierce slightly with a skewer or a two-tined fork. Top while hot with 2-3 Tbl lemon juice mixed with ¼ cup sugar. Cool before serving.

Vegetable Pizza

Bottom Crust:
2 cans crescent refrigerator rolls

Filling:
2 8-oz pkg cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
1/3 – ½ cup mayonnaise
1 pkg hidden Valley Ranch style salad dressing mix

Vegetables:
Several of any variety, chopped fine (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers, radishes, onions)
Carrots, shredded

Directions
Lay out rolls on greased cookie sheet, forming a full layer of dough. Bake about 12 minutes @ 375. For the filling, mix all ingredients and spread on cooled crust. Chop fine any variety of vegetables and mix together. Put on top of the cream chreese. Then add shredded carrots to top it off.

Tex-Mex Tortilla Soup

Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 20 minutes

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)
2 14 ½ - ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 14 ½ - ounce can beef broth
1 14 ½ - ounce can tomatoes, undrained and cut up
1 medium onion, chopped ( ½ cup)
¼ cup chopped green sweet pepper
1 cup frozen loose-pack whole kernel corn
1 to 2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
3 cups tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (optional)
Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)
Sliced fresh jalapeno peppers (optional)*
Lime wedges (optional)

Directions
Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside/ In a 4 quart Dutch oven combine chicken broth, beef broth, undrained tomatoes, onion, and sweet pepper. Bring to boiling. Add chicken. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add corn, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes more.

To serve, divide crushed tortilla chips among six soup bowls. Ladle soup over tortilla chips. Sprinkle with cheese. If desired, top with avocado, cilantro, and sliced jalapeno peppers. If desired, serve with lime wedges. Makes 6 servings.

*Note: Because chile peppers, such as jalapenos, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water.

Black Bean and Sausage Posole

(Better Homes and Gardens)

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 30 minutes
1 12 - ounce package light bulk turkey-and-pork sausage
2 14 ½ - ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 15 – ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 ½ - ounce can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 14 ½ - ounce can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup frozen loose-pack diced hash brown potatoes
1 small green sweet pepper, chopped ( ½ cup)
2 small onion, chopped ( ½ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
½ tsp chili powder
½ cup celery, chopped ( ½ cup) *
1 can corn, drained *

Directions
In a large saucepan brown the sausage; drain off fat. Stir in the chicken broth, black beans, hominy, undrained tomatoes, hash brown potatoes, sweet pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, chili powder, celery, and corn. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

*Optional

Grecian-Style Chicken

(Better Homes and Gardens)

Start to finish: 30 minutes

¼ cup toasted wheat germ or fine dry bread crumbs
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
2 Tbl olive oil or cooking oil
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (1 cup)
½ of a medium green sweet pepper, chopped
½ of a medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp salt
Dash ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes cut into wedges
2 Tbl water
4 tsp lime juice or lemon juice
3 cups hot cooked orzo, couscous, or rice
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)

Directions
Place wheat germ or bread crumbs in a shallow bowl; coat chicken with the wheat germ or bread crumbs. In a large skillet heat 1 Tbl of the oil over medium heat; add chicken and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.

In same skillet heat remaining oil; add zucchini, sweet pepper, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato wedges, water, and lime or lemon juice; cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

Te serve, divide orzo, couscous, or rice among four dinner plates. Spoon vegetable mixture over; place chicken on top of vegetables. Sprinkle feta cheese over chicken. Makes 4 servings.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Anzac Cookies

This is an Australian Cookie.

There are many other things you can do with the tasty Anzac dough. It's great as a cobbler topping or even a tart base. Leftover cookies keep well in an air-tight container for a few days. Have fun experimenting with other zests or spice additions, anything that pairs nicely with oats and coconut will likely work here. For a more traditional Anzac cookie leave out the orange zest and orange water.

1 cup flour (all-purpose or whole wheat pastry)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fine grain natural cane sugar OR brown sugar
1 cup finely shredded non-sweetened coconut
scant 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 cup butter, cut into little cubes (margarine is fine to use)
2 Tbl Golden Syrup or honey
zest of one medium orange

1 Tbl boiling water
2 Tsp baking soda
1 Tbs Orange blossom water

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl; flour, oats, sugars, and coconut. Mix well.

In a small saucepan over low heat combine the butter, syrup (or honey), and orange zest. Stir until melted and remove from heat. In a small bowl whisk together the boiling water and baking soda. Stir into the butter. Now pour the butter mixture over the big bowl of oats and stir. Add the orange blossom water and stir again. This is a dough I like to mix it with my hands to make sure the butter is evenly distributed and the dough is moist throughout. I baked this batch of cookies in a well-buttered, heart shaped cast iron pan but you can simply drop them by the Tbs onto parchment lined baking sheets. Make sure they aren't too flat or the will get greispy. Bake for about 12 minutes or until deeply golden.

Make 18-24 medium cookies. The recipe can be doubled.

Chex Candy

1 cup sugar (white or brown)
1 cup Karo Syrup
1 cup margarine ( I wonder if it was supposed to be 1 cube instead of 1 cup)
1 box of rice Chex or corn Chex

Directions
Boil sugar, syrup, and margarine together for 2 minutes. Pour over Chex. Optional: stir in 8 oz of slivered almonds and or coconut if desired.

Cinnamon Bunt Cake

1 yellow or white cake mix
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1 small carton sour cream (1 cup)
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup water
3 Tbl flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbl cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together (except the sugar and cinnamon). Grease a bunt cake pan very well with shortening. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the bottom and sides of the cake pan. It will stick to the shortening. Put about 1/3 of cake batter in the cake pan. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of sugar on top of cake batter. (You may use more or less cinnamon sugar, what ever looks good.) Repeat 2 more times. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 30 to 40 before you remove it from the pan. You can freeze this cake for future use.

Zucchini Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
7 cups zucchini, cut in large chunks
1 cup carrots, grated
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 pkg stuffing, chicken flavored
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 small carton sour cream

Directions
Brown and drain beef and onion. Cook and drain zucchini and carrots. Pour butter over dressing and seasoning packet. Do not add water. Mix soup, sour cream, cooked vegetables, and meat. put in 13 x 9 inch pan and spread stuffing over the top. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.


Western Mac

1 pkg Macaroni and Cheese
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked corn
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Prepare macaroni and cheese as directed. Brown meat, celery, and onion. Stir in Macaroni and cheese, corn, tomato paste, water, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Pour into 2 quart casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Poppy Seed Casserole

6-7 cups cooked chicken breasts
3 cups sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup drippings or water
1 16 ox box Ritz crackers, coarsely crumbled
1 cube butter melted
1/4 cup of poppy seeds

Directions
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Layer chicken in 9 x 13 pan. Mix soup, sour cream and drippings and layer over chicken. Combine crackers, butter and poppy seeds and spread on the top of the sour cream mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until crumbs start to brown.

Carrot Casserole

6-8 cups carrots
1-2 lbs hamburger
1 onion chopped
1-2 cans mushroom soup
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing

Directions
Cook Carrots. Fry hamburger and onion together and rinse mixture in warm water. Prepare stuffing as directed on the box. Mix together carrots, meat, onion, and soup in a casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake 30 min at 350.