Chocolate Dreams

Chocolate Dreams
Yield:
Melt
1/2c butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (2 squares)
Add
2c sugar
1/2c milk
Cook 5 minutes, stir constantly
Remove from heat
Add
1 tsp vanilla
1c chopped nuts
1c coconut
Fold in 
3c uncooked oatmeal
Pour into greased pan or drop from spoon onto waxed paper

Chocolate Marshmallow Creme Fudge

Chocolate Marshmallow Creme Fudge
yield: 9x13 pan
Combine
3c sugar
3/4c butter
2/3c evaporated milk
Bring to a rolling boil, stir constantly
Boil 5 minutes over medium heat, stir constantly
Remove from heat
Add
2c chocolate chips
2c marshmallow creme
1c chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
Beat until well blended
Pour into greased 9x13 pan
Cool
Cut into squares

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
yield: 8 dozen

1c butter
1c sugar
1c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3c uncooked oatmeal
2c chocolate chips
1c finely chopped walnuts

Drop by teaspoon onto sheet
Bake 350* for 10 min

Snowballs

Snowballs
yield: 3 1/2 dozen

Cream together
1c butter
1/3c sugar
Add
2 tsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
Add
2c flour
1/2c finely chopped nuts

Chill dough
Form into 1" balls
Place on ungreased sheet
Bake @ 375* for 12-15 min
cool, roll in powdered sugar

Chewy Bars

Chewy Bars
yield : 1 9x11 pan

Cream together
1 stick butter
2c light brown sugar
Add
pinch salt
2 well beaten eggs
Stir in
1 heaping cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1c pecans, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
Pour into greased 9x11" pan
Bake @ 350* for 30 min
Cool and cut into squares

Cathedral Windows

Cathedral Windows
yield: 2 logs

Melt:
1 stick butter
2c chocolate chips
Add
1c finely chopped nuts
1 bag colored mini marshmallows

Note: cool the choc mixture before adding the marshmallows
Roll into 2 logs in waxed paper
Chill
Slice into 1/2" slices before serving

Holly Cookies

Holly Cookies
yield: depends on how large the wreaths are

Melt together:
4 c big marshmallows (12/cup)
1 stick butter
Add
2 tsp green food coloring
Add
5c corn flakes

Shape into wreaths and decorate with red hots

Toll House Cookies

Toll House Cookies
yield: depends on how small/large the cookies are

2 1/4c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter
3/4c sugar
3/4c brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2c choco chips
1c chopped nuts
Cream together :
butter, sugars, vanilla
add eggs, beat well
add flour, soda, salt  slowly~incorporate well
Add the chips and nuts and mix well
Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet, bake 9-11 min @ 375*
or
spread onto greased jelly roll pan- bake 20-25 min @ 375*

Shortbread

Shortbread
yield 20-24 pieces

Cream together:
1 1/2 sticks butter
2/3c powdered sugar
Add and knead:
1 3/4c flour
1/2 tsp salt

Pat into bottom of 11" pie plate
Use sharp knife to cut dough into 24 wedges
Prick all over with fork
Bake until pale yellow, firm to touch
Do not allow to brown
Cool, turn out right side up

Pecan Tassies

Pecan Tassies
yield 24 tassies

Cream together:
1/4c butter
3 oz cream cheese
1c flour
1/4 tsp salt
Shape into 24 balls and press into tassie pans
Filling:
2 eggs
1 1/2c brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1c chopped pecans
Pour the filling into the shells
Bake @ 350* for 30 min

Peanut Butter blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms
yield 4 doz

1/2c butter
1/2c peanut butter
1/2c sugar
1/2c brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/3c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
48 unwrapped kisses
Mix all ingredients together except the kisses
Roll into 1" balls
bake @350* for 12 minutes
While hot from the oven, insert a kiss in the center

Quick Peanut butter blossoms

Quick Peanut Butter Blossoms
yield 5 doz

1 (14 oz) can Eagle brand condensed milk
3/4c peanut butter
2c Bisquick
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together thoroughly
Roll into 1" balls
Bake 375* for 6-8 minutes
When taken from oven, while hot, insert a Hershey kiss in the center

Vienna Tarts

Vienna Tarts
yield will be determined by the size one cuts the pastry
8 oz cream cheese~ softened
3c flour
1c butter
1/2c milk
Mix above to make pastry
Roll thin
Cut in 2" squares
Bake on ungreased sheet 10-15 min @ 375*
Filling:
nut paste
jam
jelly

Mini Lady Locks

Mini Lady Locks
yield: 6-7 dozen
clothespins or cut a 1/2" dowel into 4" sections

Mix together with hands:
4c flour
2c butter or margarine (1# butter or 4 sticks )
Blend well
Add:
2 egg yolks
2c sour cream (1 pint)
Mix very well.  It will be sticky
Wrap in 2 sheets floured waxed paper
Refrigerate overnight
----------
Divide dough into 4 pieces
Roll into large rectangle (floured) about 1/4" thick
Cut into strips about 6" long and 3/4" wide
Wrap each strip around rods
Place loose end underneath on lightly greased baking sheet
Bake 350* oven for 15 minutes
Remove from rods/pins while hot
Cool and let dry thoroughly
---------
Cream filling for lady locks
Cook to paste
1c milk
2 1/2 Tbsp flour
Cover and cool in refrigerator
----
Beat together until sugars are incorporated and smooth
1c Crisco
1 1/2c powdered sugar
1/2c granulated white sugar
Add this to the cold paste
1 tsp vanilla
Beat with mixer until very light
Add
6 heaping Tbsp marshmallow creme
Mix till no trace of sugar is left
----
Fill horns with pastry bag (10") with #21 tip (big, Wilton)
After using the rods/pins, do not wash but just wipe them off

GROUND BEEF SOUP

This is a tough recipe... when I made it, I was remembering Campbell's Noodles and Ground Beef.. and wanted to make something similar, as Wendell always loved that.  I can't eat it because of my beef intolerence, but wanted to make something other than chicken soup which he really doesn't care for.. though every time he eats it, he says how good and savory it it.  :)
So here goes...
I dumped about 2 gallons of spring water into a huge pot and brought it to a boil.
Add about 2# of good low fat ground beef
Stir it up breaking all the little bits of beef into tiny particles.
Add 2 Mayan sweet onions, chopped coarsly
Add 8 large carrots, also chopped coarsly
Add 6 large stalks of celery, chopped coarsly
I added 1 packet of onion soup mix to all of this.
Then add about a quart or more of stewed tomatoes- I used my own home canned
Add a large can of any brand vegetable soup
Keep this simmering for several hours..
I added some shredded cabbage- about 2 cups.
Taste it.. needs some black pepper from my pepper grinder.. to taste

I serve the first bowl to Wendell for his opinion.. if he gives me 'thumbs up', I proceed to the next step, which is canning the batch.
I use 8 oz canning jars
One large scoop of meaty mixture and fill the rest up with broth
Wipe the top of the jar, apply the seal and pop them into the pressure canner.
60 minutes @ 10# pressure.
Each jar is a single serving of soup and he counts 2 proteins/1 vegetable on his ADA diet. 
I'm amazed that when the jars cool, there is nearly NO fat accumulated in the jars. 

Mayo home made....

.Maria's Farm Country Kitchen A Visit to My Kitchen: Claudia Dreifus


by Maria Rodale


.Rodale NewsHow to Make Your Own Mayo and Creamy Salad Dressings


Bring one of these homemade salad dressings or sandwich toppings to your next summer cookout.

. Spread the joy: Homemade mayo is the base of all sorts of flavorful dressings.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Why dress your fresh local veggies with a tasteless, processed, mass-market spread? Making your own mayo and salad dressings from scratch is quick, lets you use the healthiest ingredients, and the results taste better than anything that comes in a bottle. Basic vinaigrette recipes abound in most cookbooks, but when you're craving something creamy, like a ranch or blue cheese dressing, I've got some solutions for you.



Mayonnaise and mayonnaise-based salad dressings (which is what ranch and blue cheese dressings are) started with the French, but U.S. cooks and sandwich fans have enthusiastically embraced them as our own. However, since commercial shelf-stable mayo was introduced a century ago, most people have forgotten how easy it is to make homemade mayonnaise. Basically it's just oil blended with egg yolk so that the tiny oil droplets get suspended in the egg and the mixture becomes uniform and creamy (this process is known as emulsification). Once you learn how to make it, your options for sandwich toppings and salad dressings are endless. (By the way, it's easier than you think to make your own ketchup and other condiments too.)



Basic Homemade Mayonnaise

(makes about 1 cup; double the ingredients if you need more)



Ingredients:



1 whole organic egg, pasture-raised if possible, or 2 egg yolks (see note below)

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne powder or ground black pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice

3/4 to 1 cup mild-flavored organic vegetable oil such as canola or grapeseed



Directions:



Combine everything except the oil in small mixing bowl, and beat well with a wire whisk or immersion blender. Add 1/4 cup oil and beat well, then continue adding oil a small splash at a time, beating each addition in well until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. You may not need the full cup of oil, and if you add too much the mayonnaise may get runny and even start to separate. So stop adding oil when the texture is right. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.



You can also make mayonnaise in a blender or small food processor. Just drizzle the oil in a steady stream while the machine is running. Serve immediately or transfer your finished mayonnaise to a glass jar with a tight lid (if you're using an immersion blender, save yourself some time, and a dish to wash, by making the mayonnaise right in a pint-sized glass jar). Store in the fridge for up to two weeks; mayonnaise doesn't freeze well.

Hoagie Rolls

HOAGIE ROLLS

2 pkg dry yeast
3c warm water
2 Tb sugar
1/4c oil
1 Tb salt
8 1/2c flour

In a bowl,
Dissolve yeast in 1/2c warm wate
Add 1 Tb sugar and let set 5'
Add remaining water and sugar
Mix in oil, salt, 4c flour till smooth
Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough
Knead 6-8 min
Place in greased bowl turning once to grease the top of the dough
Cover and let set 45 min
Punch down dough, turn onto a board
Divide into 18 pieces and shape into ovals or mini loaves
Place 2" apart on greased baking sheet
Cover and raise for 20 min
Bake 400* for 13-18 min or till golden brown

Vegetarian Pies

From Backwoods Home Magazine:



Vegetarian pies can be stuffed with a never-ending variety of nonmeat ingredients and most are simple to prepare. They can be made in advance and frozen, then removed and allowed to thaw half an hour before being baked. Very delightful when served hot, they lose only a little of their mouth-watering taste if eaten cold.


Dough:
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
4 Tbsp. olive oil
Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water, then allow to stand until yeast begins to froth.


In the meantime, combine flour, salt, and ginger in a mixing bowl, then make a well in the middle. Add the yeast, water, and oil. Knead into a dough, adding more flour or water if necessary. (Do not allow the dough to become sticky.) Shape into a ball, then brush the outside with a few drops of oil. Place on a floured tray or pan, then cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest in a warm spot until it becomes double in size.


Note: An equal amount of frozen dough will serve equally well for all the following recipes.


Potato and tomato pies
Eaten just out of the oven, these pies are simply delicious.
1 dough recipe
4 cups shredded potatoes
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small hot pepper, very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
Prepare the dough for the pies, then set aside.


Make a filling by thoroughly combining all the remaining ingredients, then set aside.


Form the dough into 20 balls, then place them on a floured tray. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.


Roll the balls into five to six-inch rounds, then divide the filling and place two heaping tablespoons of filling on each round, stirring the filling each time. (Preferably the filling should be divided into 20 equal parts.) Fold the dough over the filling, then close by firmly pinching edges together into half moon or triangle shape.


Place the pies on well-greased baking trays, then bake in a 350° F preheated oven for 20 minutes or until pies turn golden brown. Remove from the oven, then brush with olive oil. Serve hot or cold.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mushroom pies
1 dough recipe
4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms, thoroughly washed
1 1/2 cups chopped green onions
1 medium sweet green pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Prepare the dough for the pies, then set aside.
Make a filling by thoroughly combining all remaining ingredients, then set aside.


Form the dough into 20 balls, then place them on a floured tray. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to stand in a warm place for 30 minutes, then roll the balls into five to six-inch rounds.
Follow the above recipe for making and baking the mushroom pies.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake



3c Original Bisquick
1c Sugar or Splenda
1/4c butter, softened
1c milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs


Topping:
1c whipping cream
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 c powdered sugar or splenda
1 tsp vanilla


6c sliced fresh strawberries (about 2 #)


Heat oven to 350*
Grease bottom and sides of 9x13 pan
Lightly flour
----
In a large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally.
Pour into pan.
Bake 30-35 min or till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely- about an hour
------
In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed till soft peaks form: set aside.
In medium bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla on medium speed till well blended.
Fold in whipped cream
Frost top of cooled cake with whipped cream mixture.
Refrigerate if desired


Cut cake into squares and top with strawberries

Glazed Lemon Pound Cake

makes 12 servings-
Cake:
2 1/2c biscuit mix
2/3c Splenda (or granulated sugar)
1/4c melted butter
3 eggs
3/4c milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp grated lemon peel (or orange peel)
1 1/2c applesauce

Glaze:
1/2c powdered sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice (or orange juice)

I have to be honest.. we didn't use the glaze and this bread came out moist and delicious.

Heat oven to 325*.  Spray bottom only of 9x5" loaf pan with baking spray with flour.
In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients except the lemon peel with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.  Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Stir in lemon peel.  Pour into pan.
Bake 45-50 min or till toothpick comes out clean. 
Cool 10 min.  Loosen sides of cake from pan with spatula.
Remove cake to cooling rack for 1 hour
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice with spoon until smooth.  Drizzle over cake.