Holiday Recipes

Peanut Butter Balls

TheCook — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:08:31 +0000

For this recipe you will need the following ingredients: 1 cup butter (2 sticks)(softened), 20 ounces powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (24 squares), 1 cup peanut butter, 1 package chocolate almond bark baking chocolate and 1 package white baking chocolate (or candy coating chocolate). In a large mixing bowl, mix on low speed, vanilla, butter and peanut butter. Mix thoroughly until creamy. (you can put graham crackers in a baggie and tighten, then use a rolling pin to crumble crackers) Add 1/2 the graham cracker crumbs to mix and mix thoroughly on low speed. Add 2nd 1/2 of the crumbs and mix thoroughly on low speed. Add 1/4 the powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Continue until all powdered sugar is done. Dough should start to form into a ball shape and not be as sticky. **if dough is still sticky add more crumbs and/or powdered sugar, a little at a time until dough forms a large ball shape** Roll dough into little balls – about the size of a whopper candy- and place on waxed paper. Use 1 package chocolate almond bark **melt as directed on back of package**. Dip balls into melted chocolate, cover ball using a spoon and pick up with a fork, let excess chocolate drip off and place on waxed paper. When you run out of chocolate and still have balls left to cover, add 1/2 the package of white chocolate to the dark chocolate container and melt in microwave for 45 seconds and then 15 second intervals until completely melted, stirring after each time heating. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Makes approx 80-100 balls.

Patty’s Mexican Wedding Cakes

TheCook — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:44:52 +0000

PATTY’S MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES: Preheat oven to 400. Mix 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until well blended. Add 1 cup finely chopped pecans. Mix until well blended. Add 2 cups flour, if batter is still not stiff enough to make balls, add another 1/4 cup flour. Spray cookie sheet. Roll into balls and then flatten. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Immediately after removing from oven, place cookies into a bowl of powdered sugar and flip over to coat both sides. Place on a napkin and cool completely. Makes 2 dozen. This recipe was given to me from my stepmother Patty. She is a wonderful cook and taught me a lot as a child about cooking. Thanks Patty.

Homemade Cheeseburger Helper

TheCook — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:35:09 +0000

HOMEMADE CHEESEBURGER HELPER: This is one of Mike’s favorite tasty and quick meals for me to cook. I don’t have a picture of it, but the next time I cook it, I will take one and add it. Brown 1 pound ground beef and drain grease. Season meat with onion powder, seasoning salt or meat tenderizer, salt, pepper. (season meat when first put it in the pan) In a medium sauce pan, boil 6-8 cups water with 1/2 tsp salt. Once boiling, add 1 pound of any type of pasta and continue boiling for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender (stir occasionally). Drain macaroni from water. Add 1 jar of cheese sauce or 1 can of cheese sauce to hamburger over a low to medium heat stirring constantly to mix well. Add 1 cup milk and 3 tbsp butter or margarine and continue to stir until mixed well. Once you have a smooth consistency add the macaroni to the meat and cheese. Stir well, cover and cook on very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. With this I usually serve a steamed vegetable of some sort and I make some french bread. Get a loaf of french style or any type of bread you like from the deli section. Preheat oven to 425. Slice 8 pieces and butter slices. Place on sprayed cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little bit of garlic powder. Cook for approx 5-10 minutes until lightly toasted. While bread is cooking, add 1 cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese to cheeseburger helper, cover for 2 minutes. Stir, remove from heat and cool until bread finishes. You could also add a salad instead of a steamed vegetable.

Lori’s Grandma Cookie Bars

TheCook — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:06:51 +0000

LORI’S GRANDMA COOKIE BARS:

This is a very tasty treat you can’t really explain the taste, you just have to make some and try them. Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1/3 cup oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg white, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda. Mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/3 cup butterscotch chips. Mix thoroughly. Add 1 1/2 cups oats. Mix thoroughly. Spray a small baking dish (can be square, rectangular or round). Put dough in pan (I used a spatula because the dough was kind of thick and wet). Press dough into pan with hands until evenly spread out in pan. Bake for 15 minutes and rotate. Cook and additional 15 minutes. If toothpick comes out clean, cookie bars are done, if not cook additional 5 minute intervals until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes and cut into bars or squares. You can use any kind of chips, and any kind of nuts.

Pumpkin Bread

TheCook — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:24:56 +0000

PUMPKIN BREAD:
Combine 1/4 cup softened butter, 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1 cup canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 tsp vanilla,1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp cinnamon,1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly. Add 1 1/2 cups flour. Mix thoroughly. Add 1/3 cup pecans and 1/3 cup raisins. Mix thoroughly. Spray loaf pan with cooking or baking spray and cook in preheated oven of 350 degrees for 60 – 65 minutes. Cool on cooling rack for 5 min and then place pumpkin bread on cooling rack until completely cooled.

Pecan Tarts

TheCook — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:31:34 +0000

PECAN TARTS: You will need a mini-muffin pan and a mini-tart shaper. This recipe makes 3 1/2 dozen. For the Tart shell take 1 cup softened butter or margarine, 6 oz softened cream cheese and 2 cups of flour. Mix the butter and cream cheese on med until thoroughly creamed. Add flour 1 cup at a time. Mix until the dough forms into a ball substance, if still not firm enough, add 1/4 cup more flour and mix. Spray the muffin pan with cooking or baking spray. Roll the dough into balls that fit into the muffin tin without hanging over the top of the pan. Preheat the oven to 350. Dip the mini-tart shaper into flour and press into pan with even pressure until you have a nice round hole and the dough comes up to the top of the pan. The filling is 2 cups finely chopped pecans, 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar, 2 eggs, 4 tbsp melted butter or margarine and 2 tsp vanilla. Mix brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla. Add pecans and mix thoroughly. Place 1 teaspoon filling in each Tart shell. Cook 20-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and place on cooling racks until completely cooled.

Pumpkin Cake

TheCook — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:39:28 +0000

MY VERSION OF A PUMPKIN
SHAPED HALLOWEEN CAKE:
Cake is a Butter Pecan cake out of the box. Just cook it in a bunt pan following the recipe on the box. When the cake is finished cooking, place the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and then dump cake out on cooling rack to finish cooling. Frosting consists of 5 cups confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 box cream cheese. Red, yellow and green food coloring. Mix the butter and cream cheese thoroughly (make sure you let the butter and cream cheese get to room temp, soften). Gradually add confectioner’s sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed. Once the frosting is mixed together. Place 1 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and add green food coloring. Place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes while the cake is cooling. Place 1 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and add yellow food coloring – this would be used to make the face with. Place that bowl in the refrigerator as well for 30 minutes. Drop 2-3 drops of red food coloring and 3-5 drops yellow food coloring in remaining frosting and mix thoroughly. This will be the orange for your pumpkin. Frost the cooled cake with the orange frosting. Take a green ice cream cone and cover it with the green frosting (If you can’t find a green ice cream cone, use any color). Make sure that you leave space at the bottom of the cone without frosting so that you can pick up the cone and place it in the middle of the cake. I placed 1 cone standing up in the middle and put a little frosting around the circle on the top of the cone and turned the other one that was frosted open faced on top of it. I slightly leaned the top cone. Cut a very tiny hole in the corner of a regular sized zip baggie and put the green frosting in this bag. Pipe the green on all of the humps of the cake from the middle to the bottom on the outside of the cake. Cut a very tiny hole in another baggie and place the yellow frosting in this baggie. Make a face on one side of the cake. You can also use any kind of candy to make eyes and teeth. I had some jelly beans that I used. This is a fun holiday treat for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy it with your family. Use your imagination. REFRIGERATE CAKE (I used red instead of yellow to make the face because I didn’t think yellow would show up, but it will)

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burritos

TheCook — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:16:22 +0000

SAUSAGE, EGG AND CHEESE
BREAKFAST BURRITOS
This is a favorite in our house. Recipe: 1/2 lb country or pan sausage, 6 eggs, salt, pepper, flour tortillas, 1/4 cup milk. Spray medium skillet with cooking spray and brown sausage and drain greese. In medium bowl mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Spray medium skillet wih cooking spray and scramble eggs til done. Heat 8 tortillas in microwave for 45 seconds. Spread meat, eggs and cheese in tortilla and enjoy. You can substitute any meat you wish such as bacon or ham. You can also add other toppings such as picante sauce, chopped tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, chopped onions. **I usually make my burrito and heat 2 in microwave for 20 seconds to melt cheese** This recipe will yield 8 burritos.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

TheCook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:39:15 +0000

CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIE CAKE
This is a family favorite in my house. I love it because it is much easier to make one giant pizza sized cookie than it is to make several dozen.

RECIPE: 1 bag of Chocolate Chips, 3/4 cups sugar, 3/4 cups brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup butter (2 sticks),1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 cups flour, (1 cup of any chopped nuts optional). Mix sugars, eggs, butter (softened) vanilla, baking soda and salt. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Spray pizza pan with cooking or baking spray. Preheat oven 350. Bake approx 20 min. I always use the smell factor for when to check. Also, check by pressing on top, if it flattens, it is not done. Or, check by using a toothpick. If the toothpick comes back clean with no cookie on it, the cookie is done. Place on a cooling rack. While warming take a large spatula and easily raise the cookie all the way around. That way as it cools, it will not stick. You can decorate with frosting if you choose or eat as is. I sometimes use a pizza cutter to cut the cake. Eat and Enjoy!!

Spiced Apple Cider

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:29:03 +0000

SPICED APPLE CIDER Want a nice warm drink for outside around the camp fire this fall and Halloween season? Well here is a simple and easy family fun drink. RECIPE: 4 cups apple juice (try fresh-squeezed juice or apple cider), 6 cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon cloves. Combine all ingredients in a small pot and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Use the colander to drain the cider into a large bowl or pitcher. Throw out the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve each mug of hot apple cider with a fresh cinnamon stick as a stirrer.