Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 1/4 cups flour
1 package chocolate chips

Cream brown sugar, white sugar and shortening. Beat in the eggs. Add vanilla. Sift in the flour, soda and salt. Mix. Add the chocolate chips. Drop spoonsful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

I've had this recipe for years and years. It came from my mom and I don't know where she got it. My paper copy is a mess, so thought I'd better add it to the blog.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 large can pineapple tidbits
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 red or green pepper, cut into strips or chunks
1/2 --1 onion, chopped
1 chicken bullion cube
cooked rice
cooked chicken or pork

Saute onions and pepper in olive oil. Add cooked meat so everything is hot when you are ready to serve the meal.

Drain pineapple and add juice to the brown sugar and vinegar. Add bullion cube. Stir in corn starch and cook until thickened.

Pour over the vegetable-meat mixture. Stir well.

Very good with popcorn chicken or shrimp and pork. Most of the time I don't even add the soy sauce as it is too saltly.

If you like lots of sauce, double the recipe. To serve, I just put it ALL in a bowl and serve.

American Buttercream Frosting

I found this recipe and want to save it! Find the post here:
http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/2011/08/american-buttercream-frosting-recipe.html


1 cup (2 sticks) butter (salted, or unsalted)
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (best quality available)
2-3 tablespoons

heavy cream, half and half or milk.

*Optional- As mentioned above, I like a cream cheese version of this frosting best. The cream cheese adds to the creamy texture, and cuts down on the sweetness just a bit. If desired, for a very light cream cheese flavor add 1/2 block (4 oz). cream cheese, leaving the other ingredients (as listed above) the same. For a more traditional cream cheese flavor, reduce the butter to 1/2 cup, and add 1 block (8 oz.) of cream cheese. If using a full block of cream cheese, you can reduce the cream or milk to 1 tablespoon total.

Flavoring options- An almost unlimited number of flavoring options can be added in addition to, or instead of the vanilla. Orange and/or lemon zest, citrus extracts, mint extract, coconut extract or the seeds of a vanilla bean are all wonderful options. In most cases I'll still add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, then 1/2 teaspoon of the other flavoring. For zest, add about 1 teaspoon fresh zest. For chocolate buttercream, add 1/2 cup (good quality) unsweetened cocoa powder.

Directions-
* In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter (on medium speed) until completely smooth (30 seconds to a minute). (If you are adding cream cheese, add it now, then beat until smooth)
* Add salt (if needed).
* One cup at time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
* Add vanilla, or other flavorings and beat to combine.
* Add about 1 tablespoon of cream, and continue beating.
* Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, one at a time.
* Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached. If you want to pipe the frosting on cupcakes, the frosting should be nice and thick. Continue to beat another minute or so. The frosting should now be smooth and fluffy.

Troubleshooting-
* If your frosting is not smooth, it is likely because the butter was not fully smooth before adding the other ingredients.
* If your frosting will not hold up when piped on cupcakes, your frosting has too much liquid or is too warm. Put entire bowl of frosting in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and it will stiffen up. If it is still too thin, then add 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar, beat well.

With many thanks to Gloria for permission to include her recipe so I can find it to use it!

Filled Strawberries

1 – 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened **
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 quart fresh whole strawberries, stems removed

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Chill 1 hour.

Quarter Strawberries from tip to stem end without cutting through stem end. Pipe cream cheese mixture into strawberries. Chill until ready to serve.

from The Twiggery

Sarah made these for several tea parties and we cored the strawberries by cutting out the "woody" centers. We used *strawberry cream cheese* instead of the plain cream cheese. It is the almond flavoring that makes these so divine!

Strawberry Punch

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and stems removed
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups orange juice
3/4 cup lemon juice
2 quarts ginger ale
fresh whole strawberries for garnish

Blend strawberries, sugar, orange juice, and lemon juice in blender until well blended. Right before serving add ginger ale. Garnish glasses with a whole strawberry. Note: The punch base can be made ahead of time and frozen in milk jugs until the party day. Just thaw and add ginger ale in a punch bowl.

from The Twiggery

Regency Ginger Crisps

Do not preheat oven yet, dough must chill before baking.

3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 large beaten egg
4 T. molasses (1/4 c.)
2 tea. baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
2 teas. ground ginger
2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 cup white sugar in a small bowl for later

Melt butter and mix in sugar. Cool, then add egg. Add soda, molasses, salt, and ginger. Stir. Add flour and mix in. Chill the dough for an hour or more.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll dough into balls and then roll in the bowl of sugar. Put them on greased cookie sheets and flatten. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

From Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

My grandma had a similar recipe made with melted shortening instead of butter. We let the balls flatten during baking and they had a nice crinkly top.

Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 1/2 cups egg whites (10-12 eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting

Combine cake flour and 1 cup of the brown sugar.

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until foamy. Gradually add the other cup of brown sugar, beating well until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla and blend well.

Add flour/sugar mixture in four parts, folding after each addition.

Spoon into ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degree over for 45 minutes or until done.

Invert cake to cool. Remove from the pan and dust with the powdered sugar.

This is SO delicious! We would make noodles with the egg yolks and use the egg whites for Angel Food cakes to sell at our church bazaar/bake sale.

Raspberry Fudge

from:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Raspberry-Truffle-Fudge/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup raspberry flavored liqueur
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Spray a 9x9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, and line with wax paper.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 3 cups chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Heat in microwave until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to let it scorch. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Spread into pan, and cool to room temperature.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cream, liqueur, and 2 cups chocolate chips. Heat in microwave until the chocolate melts; stir until smooth. Cool to lukewarm, then pour over the fudge layer. Refrigerate until both layers are completely set, about 1 hour. Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 149 | Total Fat: 7.5g | Cholesterol: 5mg

From a review: My first time of following the recipe, the top layer came out softer than the bottom layer and I had a hard time cutting the fudge due to this. The second time around, rather than layering, I mixed in all ingredients together, which resulted in even raspberry taste all over the fudge (rather than just on top), and even consistency which made it easier to cut.

Cinnamon Almonds

Cinnamon Almonds have an irresistible crunchy shell of vanilla-scented cinnamon and sugar.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups whole toasted almonds

Preparation:

1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, cinnamon, sugar, and cream of tartar over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

3. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 246 degrees on a candy thermometer.

4. Once the candy is at the proper temperature, remove immediately from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the nuts all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until they are completely coated with the sugar syrup. Continue to stir until the it becomes difficult to stir and the syrup turns opaque.

5. Quickly turn out onto the prepared baking sheet. Separate the nuts and allow them to cool and harden at room temperature. Nuts can be stored in an airtight Ziploc bag at room temperature for several weeks.

from:

http://candy.about.com/od/nutcandy/r/cinnamonalmonds.htm

Meyer Lemon Fresh Cranberry Scones

From Bernideen's blog and Smitten Kitchen
Adapted from Gourmet

One of my favorite things about scones is how well they work when you need to plan in advance. Simply roll them out and cut them before flash-freezing them separately on a tray, and sealing them in a freezer bag until you’re ready to bake them. You can bake them right from the freezer, only needing to add 3 to 5 extra minutes baking time. Scones are always best when they’re freshly baked.

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons; preferably Meyer)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons additional if using fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries, chopped coarse, or 1 1/4 cups dried cranberries, if you insist
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

Accompaniment: creme fraiche or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

With a vegetable peeler remove the zest from lemons and chop fine, reserving lemons for another use.

In a food processor pulse flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl toss together fresh cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir into flour mixture. If using dried fruit, add to flour mixture.

In another small bowl lightly beat egg and yolk and stir in cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter) and with a 2-inch round cutter or rim of a glass dipped in flour cut out as many rounds as possible, rerolling scraps as necessary. Arrange rounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden.

[I decided to rebel and pat them into a square and cut them into smaller ones. The square shapes didn't keep very well, so I don't recommend this! Learn from me, people.]

Serve scones warm with creme fraiche or whipped cream. Scones keep, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, chilled, 1 day or frozen 1 week.

My mouth was watering the whole time I was reading Bernideen's blog. I can't wait to try these!

Crab Puffs

1 cup crab meat
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 T. chopped chives
1 teas. Worcestershire sauce
1 teas. lemon juice
1 teas. dry mustard
1 T. dill weed
1/2 cup butter
1 cup beer (can also substitute chicken broth or clam juice)
1/2 teas. salt
1/2 lemon pepper
1 cup flour
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine crab meat, cheese, chives, W. sauce, lemon juice, mustard, and dill. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter, add beer, salt, and lemon pepper. Bring to a boil. Add flour, remove from heat, and stir briskly with a wooden spoon. Return to heat. Continue to beat until a dough ball forms. Remove from heat.

Add eggs to dough, one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until well combined.

Fold crab mixture into dough.
Drop a spoonful onto baking sheet. Repeat.

Bake crab puffs 25 to 30 min. until crispy and golden.

Makes 35 to 40 crab puffs.

From "Murder is Binding" by Lorna Barrett