Bayou Gumbo
1/2 pound bacon
1 pound okra..chopped into 1/4 inch chunks
3 pounds peeled shrimp
2 pounds lump crab meat
2 cups chopped bell pepper
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups tomato sauce (homemade preferably!)
4 cloves garlic..minced
4 tablespoons fresh parsley..chopped
4 tablespoons fresh basil..chopped
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste
water about 2 quarts
In a large pot, fry down the bacon and set aside..once cooled, crumble. In four tablespoons of the bacon grease, cook down the okra until the slim is gone..about ten minutes. Add the onions, peppers, celery and bacon. Continue cooking until onions are tender..add the garlic and tomato sauce. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the thyme, red pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, allspice and paprika. Stir well and add the parsley, basil, crab meat and shrimp. Bring back to a boil and cook just long enough for the shrimp to turn pink. Salt to taste. Serve the Gumbo over a nice helping of rice and if you wish to use gumbo file', add this to each bowl, not the pot.
This will serve about six people unless they are big eaters like the menfolk in my family. Then you might just want to double the recipe! I like to make extra just for the leftovers..gumbo is one of those things that is just as tasty the second go round as it is when first cooked.
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Pineapple Upside-down Spice Cake
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup real butter (grated)
1/2 cup butter (not grated)*
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
1 egg (beaten)
4 cups crushed pineapple..drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the 1/2 cup of "not grated" butter in a 9x13 inch bake pan. Set the pan in the oven to melt the butter.
In a large mixing bowl, mix (grated) butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in starter, egg and milk, mix well. Fold in flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Last, stir in 1 cup of pineapple. Set aside.
In the bake pan of melted butter, evenly spread the remaining 3 cups of pineapple. Pour the batter carefully over top of pineapple. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tests done by spring test.
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Aunt Marie's Persimmon Shortcake
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg (beaten)
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
filling:
4 large persimmons (peeled and sliced)
4 cups whipped cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Sift all of the dry ingredients together, cut in the butter until the mixture has a coarse texture. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and mix well. The dough will be quite stiff resembling a biscuit dough. Pat this into a well greased 8 inch bake pan and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Split the cake into two layers using a knife or thread and place one layer cut side up on serving plate. Butter this layer and then cover with a layer of persimmons. Place a layer of whipped cream on top of the fruit and then place the remaining layer of cake on top with the cut side down. Cover this layer with more fruit then whipped cream.
This shortcake can be used with any fruit that is your favorite! It is incredibly easy but at the same time fantastically delicious.
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Apple/Cranberry French Toast Bake with sauce*
2 large apples..peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries..sliced
6 slices whole wheat bread...cubed
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 6 X 9 inch baking dish.
Place eggs in small bowl..beat and add milk. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves and stir well. Coat the bread cubes in the egg/milk mixture. Layer half of the soaked bread cubes in the bottom of the dish. Place a layer of apple pieces on top of the bread and sprinkle with half of the cranberry slices. Make another layer of bread cubes then apple/cranberries. Pour any remaining milk/egg mixture over the top and bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
*Sauce
1/4 cup finely sliced fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups apple or cranberry juice
1 cup cold water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
In a small saucepan, boil the cranberry slices in the juice for five minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the brown sugar. Stir until dissolved. In the cold water, dissolve the cornstarch and add this to the juice mixture...*stirring constantly!* Keep stirring until thickened. Serve warm over the Apple/Cranberry French Toast Bake!
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Vegan Soup for Tina
7 cups water
1/2 cup dry barley
1 cup onion (minced)
2 cups potatoes (peeled and chopped)
2 cups carrots (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
2 cups broccoli stems (diced)
3 cups cabbage (shredded)
1 cup sweet green peas
4 vegetable bouillon cubes
3 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
In a large stock pot, place water, barley, and onions. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Crumble the bouillon cubes into the mix. Add the potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cabbage and garlic. Bring back to a boil, lower heat and simmer for another 2o minutes. Once the potatoes and carrots are tender, add the green peas and parsley. Simmer over low heat for about 1o more minutes. Serve steaming hot!
This is a great "warmer" on cold days and is very healthy for you. There is no added salt other than the bouillon and no fat..so it is even a very good "diet" meal. Also..notice that I stated broccoli stems. Most people discard the stems, and use only the tops or florets, this is a waste! I steam the tops (or florets) or make a broccoli salad on one day and save the stems to use in soups and stew. They are full of vitamins and fiber! Just make sure to test for tenderness and do discard the "woody" ends. Enjoy!!!
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Sourdough Bacon/Cheese Muffins
3 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
bacon 8 to 10 slices fried and crumbled***note~I substitute 1 cup of Hormel Bacon Pieces for the actual bacon and it works great!***
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin pans.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. To this add the shredded cheese and bacon pieces..stir well. In a medium size bowl, stir together the eggs, starter, milk and oil. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir until blended.
Fill the greased muffin cups about 3/4 full of the batter. Bake on center rack of oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan immediately as these have a tendency to stick if allowed to cool in the pan. Serve warm.
This will make about twenty-four muffins! Just as an added note..any leftover muffins taste great with Tomato Soup for lunch!
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Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
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Fruit-filled Sourdough Braid
1 cup butter
4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup milk or water (enough to make a pliable dough)
fruit filling
Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Chop in butter. Add sourdough starter and milk (a little at a time) and stir until a well blended dough is formed. Separate dough into two pieces and place one on well floured board. Roll out dough until 1/4 inch thick, shaping it as much as possible into a rectangle.
Spoon filling down the middle third of the dough. Slice the dough into 1 inch strips on either side of the filling. Fold strips alternately across the filling to form a "braid". Tuck the ends under the braid and place on well-greased bake pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let rise for several hours in a warm, draft-free place.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: Fruit filling~you can use any canned fruit pie filling that you prefer. Jams and fruit preserves work well, too. To use fresh fruit or berries, place 4 cups sliced, pitted fruit (or berries) in a large pot, add 1 cup (or to taste) sugar. Stir 3 tablespoons cornstarch in 1/2 cup cold water and mix into fruit. Cook on low heat until bubbly, cool.
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Crusty-topped Cheese-filled Sourdough Bread
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Shrimp Salad
6 cups cooked pasta (small shells or elbows)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1 bunch green onions (diced..about 1 cup)
1 cup diced celery
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas (cooked)
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 bunch fresh parsley (shredded)
1 pound tiny shrimp (cooked and peeled)
1/4 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh dill weed (chopped)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 teaspoon ground red pepper
Toss together the pasta, bell peppers, onion, celery, olives, peas, parsley, shrimp and cheese. Stir the mayonnaise and mustard together and add the garlic powder, dill weed, salt and peppers. Toss this with the salad. Chill. (You may need to taste and add more salt..I use less salt than most people.)
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Squash Corn Muffins
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs..beaten
2 cups grated summer squash
1 cup minced onions
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin pans or line with paper liners. Mix together the first three ingredients. Add the eggs, squash, onions, butter, milk,sugar and salt. Stir until blended. Fill muffin pans and bake for twenty minutes or until spring test shows done.
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Crusty-topped Cheese-filled Sourdough Bread
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon powdered garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter (or shortening)
3 eggs-beaten
1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup buttermilk
6 cups grated Colby Jack cheese
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup melted butter (for top)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda placing it in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic powder, basil and sugar..stir well. Grate the butter (or use shortening) and stir into the flour mixture. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add the starter and buttermilk. Stir this gently until mixed and fold into the flour mixture. Make a smooth dough. Divide into three equal parts. Place one part onto a floured piece of waxed paper and turn the dough to flour all sides. Roll or pat out into a square until about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle 2 cups of the cheese on the dough. Starting on one edge, roll the dough to form a log. Press the ends and seam together and seal with a bit of water. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet. ~~Repeat with the other two parts of the dough.~~After all "logs" are on the cookie sheet, brush each with the melted butter and sprinkle generously with the sesame seeds. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. (The top will "break" and cheese might ooze out, but that is ok.)
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Homemade Liquid Fruit Pectin
5 lbs hard, unripe apples
water
Wash apples and chop in fourths. Core the apples but do not peel. (The coring is not absolutely necessary but I will explain why I do later.) Toss in a large pot and almost cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer until apples are mush. Place the cloth in the sieve and place over the second large pot. Ladle the apple mush into the cloth-lined sieve and let drain. This might take quite a while but just let it drip. This juice..or drippings..will be your pectin. This pectin can be used immediately, frozen or canned!
NOTE.. the leftover apple mush in the cloth-lined sieve should be returned to pot number one. This is why I core my apples before cooking. I use the cooked down mush and do not want seeds floating around in it! Add a tad of sugar (to taste), cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Simmer until bubbly, ladle into sterile jars and afix lids. Turn jars upside down for about five minutes. Upright the jars and leave to seal. Aha! You have just made APPLE BUTTER!
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Shrimp Salad
6 cups cooked pasta (small shells or elbows)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1 bunch green onions (diced..about 1 cup)
1 cup diced celery
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas (cooked)
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 bunch fresh parsley (shredded)
1 pound tiny shrimp (cooked and peeled)
1/4 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh dill weed (chopped)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 teaspoon ground red pepper
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Squash Corn Muffins
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs..beaten
2 cups grated summer squash
1 cup minced onions
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin pans or line with paper liners. Mix together the first three ingredients. Add the eggs, squash, onions, butter, milk,sugar and salt. Stir until blended. Fill muffin pans and bake for twenty minutes or until spring test shows done.
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Pecan Tassies
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
1 8oz package cream cheese
Filling:
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbs butter melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chopped pecans
For crust: Combine the flour, 1 cup butter and cream cheese until well blended and a ball of dough forms. This takes some doing..just keep blending! Once the dough ball is formed, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes.
For filling: Combine the brown sugar, eggs, 2 Tbs melted butter, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth. Stir in the pecans.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place in greased miniature muffin cups. Press the dough on the bottom and up the sides of each cup. Be careful to not press too thin on the bottom. Fill each dough cup with filling. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and filling sets. Cool completely and remove from pan. These can be placed in airtight containers and frozen for up to 6 weeks. Makes about 30 tassies depending on their size.
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Frozen Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
(makes 2 pies)
Crust:
6 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
Blend all ingredients together until it gets rather pasty. Divide between two ten-inch (deep dish) lightly greased pie plates and press to form pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Filling:
2 boxes vanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 oz each)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
2 packages cream cheese (8 oz each)
2 cans sweetened condensed milk (14 oz each)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Blend the evaporated milk and the pudding mixes together until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Scoop into cooled pie shells.
Topping:
2 quarts coarsely chopped strawberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup cold water
5 tablespoons cornstarch
Pour sugar over the chopped strawberries. Stir to coat the berries (slightly crush a few of the berries to make more juice) and let sit for about five minutes to make juice.Stir together the cold water and the cornstarch until all is dissolved. Pour into saucepan. Add the strawberry/sugar mixture and stir. Heat over medium heat while constantly stirring until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Spoon this over the cream cheese layer of the pies and then freeze. After about an hour, cover with aluminum foil and place back in the freezer. Let freeze for several hours. Before serving, let sit for about five minutes. Slice and serve.
This pie is probably the most fattening thing ever but oh, my goodness, is it ever delicious on a hot afternoon!
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Chewy Chocolate Chip/Walnut Cookies
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (grated)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla powder or extract
3 eggs
2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, soda and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, grate the butter. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar and the vanilla powder (or extract) and blend well. Add eggs blending to form a soft dough. With a spoon, stir in the flour mixture, chocolate chips and walnuts making sure to mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonful about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Do not flatten..leave rounded! Bake for 11 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on a cookie cloth and then store in an airtight container.
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Triple Layer Bars
Crust:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend until a crumbly dough forms. Press this in the bottom of a well greased 9x13 inch bake pan and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Middle Layer:
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Place the berries and sugar in a saucepan. Mix the cornstarch in the water until well blended (no lumps). Pour this over the berry/sugar mix and heat over medium heat. Stir constantly until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Let cool for five minutes and then pour over crust. Making sure to get an even coat. Set aside.
Top Layer:
2 pkgs cream cheese (8 oz each)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl and blend together until creamy. Pour this mixture over the blueberry topped crust. Again, make sure to get an even layer.
Reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees. Place the whole concoction back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until firmly set. (Test with a wooden skewer.) Let cool, slice into bars and enjoy!
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Fig Jam
5 lbs figs (chopped)
7 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups water
Wash, stem and chop the figs. Place in a large pot, add the water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about an hour..stirring often. Add the sugar..stirring well to dissolve. Return to a boil..reduce heat to medium. Stirring constantly, let cook for about ten minutes.
Ladle into sterilized jars, adjust lids and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes (pints) or 7 minutes (quarts).
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The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter (softened to room temperature..do not melt!)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 (3.4 0z) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (dry)
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
3 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Add the 2 pkgs of dry pudding mix and blend well. Add eggs and vanilla and again, blend well! To the wet ingredients, add the dry..blending until creamy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets making sure to space at least two inches apart. Do not flatten! Bake for 9 minutes...do NOT overbake these cookies! They should still be rounded and only lightly golden! Remove immediately from pan and cool on cloth. Once cooled store in a tightly sealed container.
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Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter (cold)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 (mushy) ripe bananas (mashed)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, grate the cold butter into small pieces. Add the sugars and cream until light. Stir in the sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Slowly stir in the flour mixture alternately with the mashed bananas. Do not overmix..stir gently.
Pour batter into 5X9 in loaf pan that has been well greased. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
Now for some fun!
To this same batter (before placing in loaf pan) you can add a variety of other flavors. I quadrupled the recipe and divided the batter into four equal parts but you can just make a single loaf and choose one of the additions if you do not want four loaves of banana bread! I say..make four! You can always share!
~In one bread, I added 1 cup of dried cranberries.
~In bread two, I added 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips.
~In bread three, I place half of the batter in the pan. Layered onto this batter, was a streusel filling. First sprinkle the batter with 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Mix together 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture on top of the pecans and then pour in the remaining batter. Another 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and the reserved sugar mixture was sprinkled over the top of the bread before baking.
~I baked bread four just as a banana bread. After it was baked and thoroughly cooled, I sliced it in half. The bottom half was spread with a thick layer of cream cheese filling and the top was replaced. To make the cream cheese filling, use 4 ounces cream cheese, two cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon extract. Whip this together until creamy and free of lumps. Spread between the layers of banana bread.
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| Banana/Pecan Streusel Bread, Banana/Cranberry Bread, Banana/Chocolate Chip Bread and Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Filling! Oh...so good! One base recipe..four different breads! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
Chocolate/Zucchini Cake
1 cup butter
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups sour cream
1/2 cup (special dark) cocoa
3 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked and mashed zucchini squash
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9X13 inch bake pan and set aside. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, red pepper, cloves and salt..set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Stir in the mashed squash. Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir until blended.
Pour batter into greased bake pan and bake at 375 degrees for `1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.
Note...this makes a very large cake so do not size down the pan. It would be better to go up a size than down.
I have at times chopped two cups of nuts and sprinkled these on top of the batter before baking. This makes for a delightfully crunchy topping to a rich, moist chocolate cake!
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2 cups dark chocolate morsels
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9X14 bake pan.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a saucepan, slowly (very slowly..low heat) melt the butter, heavy cream and chocolate morsels until smooth. Stir often!
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add the sugar. After this is mixed, pour in the (warm but not hot) butter/chocolate melt. Blend until smooth. Add the vanilla blending it well.
Slowly stir the flour mixture into the batter. Blend until all is moist. It will be thick and grainy. Add the nuts and stir until just coated.
Pour the batter into the prepared bake pan and spread to edges. Using a wet spoon might prove useful as this batter is thick! Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not over-bake! Cut into squares while still warm.
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Butterscotch Drops
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons molasses
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups Butterscotch morsels
2 cups walnuts (chopped)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and molasses. Make sure to blend well! Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the heavy cream. Stir until all the flour is blended into the mix. Dump in the Butterscotch morsels and the walnut pieces. Stir until well distributed.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown. DO NOT overbake! Remove immediately from pan and let cool.
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Apple/Cranberry Bars
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Note...pre-make the topping and set aside. As the crust is baking make the filling so it will be ready as soon as the crust comes out of the oven. You never want it to get cool until it is finished baking entirely. If you feel that you will be rushed, chop the apples, cranberries and nuts ahead of time..then start the crust.
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter (grated)
Grate the butter and mix in all of the other ingredients. This should be coarse and lumpy..not dough-like. Set aside.
Crust:
1 cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup cooked, peeled and smashed sweet potato (substitution..3/4 cup applesauce)
Mix this all together until it is a doughy consistency. (It will look like cookie dough!) Press into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch bake pan. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. It will not appear "done" but needn't be. Remove from oven and quickly top with filling and topping. (While this is baking, make the filling below. The filling must be smoothed over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.)
Filling:
2 tablespoons butter
2 large apples diced (enough to make at least 4 cups) I do not peel mine..just core and chop.
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries or 1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter. Over medium heat, saute the apples, cranberries and nuts until the apples are tender. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the apples and coat the apple mixture well. Add the heavy cream and cook until thick and bubbly. Make sure to stir the entire time. Remove from heat.
Once the crust layer is finished baking, pour the filling layer over the top. Immediately, sprinkle the topping over this and then place the pan back into the oven for another 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Whenever I make this, we cannot resist eating one serving as a dessert while it is still warm! The filling will not be set like bars but will be softer and gooey. Later as it cools, the filling will set so the bars can be cut. After it cools, keep refrigerated.
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Gardenia Ice Cream
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
petals from three to four large Gardenia blooms
2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean (seeds included)
2 eggs
To prepare your petals, grasp the flower by the petals and cut off the stem. Make sure to cut far enough up the bloom to remove any green leafy parts. All that you want is loose, white petals. Wash the petals and lay on a clean cloth to drain while you start your ice cream.
Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil stirring constantly. As soon as it starts to boil, turn off the heat. Add the Gardenia petals and vanilla bean. Let sit for one hour to infuse the flavor (and scent) of the flower into the milk/cream. Strain, removing the petals and vanilla bean. (Vanilla seeds are good! Leave as many as possible in the cream!)
Add the sugar to the cream mixture stirring well. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Add this to the cream/sugar mixture and return to heat. Bring back to a boil and stir vigorously until thickened. Immediately remove from heat and let cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, follow the instructions on your ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, there are other methods! ( Don't feel bad! Not everyone happens to have one handy and you really do not need one! If you wish to see my improvisation, please refer to the post "It is a bit planty." dated June 8, 2014.) Or you could just place in a stainless steel bowl and pop into the freezer. Once it has slightly frozen, remove and use a handheld mixer to whip the conglomeration a bit. Return to the freezer to complete the freezing process. Enjoy!
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Basic Vegan Yeast Dough
1/2 cup very warm water
1 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
1 tablespoons ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water (egg substitute)
1 teaspoons salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
a slight bit of coconut oil to grease the bowl
In a large (warmed) mixing bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup water and yeast until the yeast is dissolved. Add the coconut oil, coconut milk, salt and sugar. Stir gently until blended. Add the flax seed (egg) mixture and, once again, stir. Start adding the flour a little at a time stirring it into the wet mixture. You will have to forgo the spoon and knead the last bit of flour into the dough by hand. Knead the dough until all flour is incorporated into the dough and a smooth dough ball is formed. Remove dough from bowl and set aside. Wash the bowl, dry then oil the sides just a bit. (Try to keep the bowl warm.) Return the dough and slightly oil the top to keep from drying. Cover with a clean cloth and set in a warm spot to rise. Once the dough has doubled in size, you are ready to form either bread loaves, rolls or other goodies! Bake at 350 degrees for as long as required for each recipe. Usually a standard loaf of bread will take somewhere around 35 minutes.
*Just a note. I usually double this recipe since I love to make several different types of breads at one time.
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Broccoli/Cheese Rolls
Basic Vegan Yeast Dough
2 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli
2 cups freshly shredded Mozzarella Cheese
6 slices of fried bacon (crumbled) or use 6 tablespoons of real bacon bits
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Grease muffin pans. Divide the dough into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll one part of the dough to form a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. (Approximately to a 8" x 12" rectangle.) Sprinkle half of the cheese, half of the broccoli and half of the bacon evenly over the dough piece. It is best to leave one long edge free from any of the added ingredients if possible. Starting on the long (filled) side of the rectangle, roll the dough toward the empty side to form a log. Turn the overlapping edge downward so it is underneath the log. Press the log slightly with your hands to "firm" it a bit. (Yes, that sounds weird but it seems to help keep it together when cutting the log.) Using a sharp knife, cut the log into two inch sections. Carefully place the cut pieces into the muffin pans, sprinkle the tops with half of the Cajun seasoning and cover with a clean cloth. Let rise again for 30 minutes. Do the same with the other half of the dough and remaining broccoli, cheese, bacon pieces and seasoning. Once the rolls are starting to rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the rolls have finished rising, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from pans and cool slightly before eating as the cheese will be really hot!
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3/4 cup butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9X14 bake pan.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a saucepan, slowly (very slowly..low heat) melt the butter, heavy cream and chocolate morsels until smooth. Stir often!
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add the sugar. After this is mixed, pour in the (warm but not hot) butter/chocolate melt. Blend until smooth. Add the vanilla blending it well.
Slowly stir the flour mixture into the batter. Blend until all is moist. It will be thick and grainy. Add the nuts and stir until just coated.
Pour the batter into the prepared bake pan and spread to edges. Using a wet spoon might prove useful as this batter is thick! Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not over-bake! Cut into squares while still warm.
Butterscotch Drops
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons molasses
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups Butterscotch morsels
2 cups walnuts (chopped)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and molasses. Make sure to blend well! Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the heavy cream. Stir until all the flour is blended into the mix. Dump in the Butterscotch morsels and the walnut pieces. Stir until well distributed.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown. DO NOT overbake! Remove immediately from pan and let cool.
Apple/Cranberry Bars
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Note...pre-make the topping and set aside. As the crust is baking make the filling so it will be ready as soon as the crust comes out of the oven. You never want it to get cool until it is finished baking entirely. If you feel that you will be rushed, chop the apples, cranberries and nuts ahead of time..then start the crust.
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter (grated)
Grate the butter and mix in all of the other ingredients. This should be coarse and lumpy..not dough-like. Set aside.
Crust:
1 cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup cooked, peeled and smashed sweet potato (substitution..3/4 cup applesauce)
Mix this all together until it is a doughy consistency. (It will look like cookie dough!) Press into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch bake pan. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. It will not appear "done" but needn't be. Remove from oven and quickly top with filling and topping. (While this is baking, make the filling below. The filling must be smoothed over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.)
Filling:
2 tablespoons butter
2 large apples diced (enough to make at least 4 cups) I do not peel mine..just core and chop.
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries or 1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter. Over medium heat, saute the apples, cranberries and nuts until the apples are tender. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the apples and coat the apple mixture well. Add the heavy cream and cook until thick and bubbly. Make sure to stir the entire time. Remove from heat.
Once the crust layer is finished baking, pour the filling layer over the top. Immediately, sprinkle the topping over this and then place the pan back into the oven for another 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Whenever I make this, we cannot resist eating one serving as a dessert while it is still warm! The filling will not be set like bars but will be softer and gooey. Later as it cools, the filling will set so the bars can be cut. After it cools, keep refrigerated.
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Gardenia Ice Cream
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
petals from three to four large Gardenia blooms
2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean (seeds included)
2 eggs
To prepare your petals, grasp the flower by the petals and cut off the stem. Make sure to cut far enough up the bloom to remove any green leafy parts. All that you want is loose, white petals. Wash the petals and lay on a clean cloth to drain while you start your ice cream.
Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil stirring constantly. As soon as it starts to boil, turn off the heat. Add the Gardenia petals and vanilla bean. Let sit for one hour to infuse the flavor (and scent) of the flower into the milk/cream. Strain, removing the petals and vanilla bean. (Vanilla seeds are good! Leave as many as possible in the cream!)
Add the sugar to the cream mixture stirring well. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Add this to the cream/sugar mixture and return to heat. Bring back to a boil and stir vigorously until thickened. Immediately remove from heat and let cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, follow the instructions on your ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, there are other methods! ( Don't feel bad! Not everyone happens to have one handy and you really do not need one! If you wish to see my improvisation, please refer to the post "It is a bit planty." dated June 8, 2014.) Or you could just place in a stainless steel bowl and pop into the freezer. Once it has slightly frozen, remove and use a handheld mixer to whip the conglomeration a bit. Return to the freezer to complete the freezing process. Enjoy!
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MS Bayou Lady's Plum Dots
Dough:
2 cups of butter (not margarine)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
4 cups all purpose flour
Filling:
2 cups plum jam
Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 to 4 teaspoons of water
In large mixing bowl, grate the butter. (This step allows for easier and quicker blending.) Add sugar and almond extract. Blend well. Add the flour and blend with electric mixer until a dough forms. Sometimes this step takes a good while but just keep blending. Eventually, it will all come together as a dough. Chill dough for about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Using a tart press (or fingers) press down the center of each ball creating a small indentation. Spoon jam into the indentation using 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of jam. Do not overfill. Bake for about 12 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. The cookies need to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before removing. Let cookies cool completely before icing.
To make icing, combine the powdered sugar, almond extract and 2 teaspoons of the water in a medium sized bowl. Add enough of the remaining water (and more if necessary) until the icing is of drizzling consistency. Place in a plastic baggy and snip a tiny hole in one corner. Tightly close the bag and press icing to cut corner. Drizzle each cookie with icing.
This recipe makes approximately 110 cookies depending on the size you make.
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Basic Vegan Yeast Dough
1/2 cup very warm water
1 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
1 tablespoons ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water (egg substitute)
1 teaspoons salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
a slight bit of coconut oil to grease the bowl
In a large (warmed) mixing bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup water and yeast until the yeast is dissolved. Add the coconut oil, coconut milk, salt and sugar. Stir gently until blended. Add the flax seed (egg) mixture and, once again, stir. Start adding the flour a little at a time stirring it into the wet mixture. You will have to forgo the spoon and knead the last bit of flour into the dough by hand. Knead the dough until all flour is incorporated into the dough and a smooth dough ball is formed. Remove dough from bowl and set aside. Wash the bowl, dry then oil the sides just a bit. (Try to keep the bowl warm.) Return the dough and slightly oil the top to keep from drying. Cover with a clean cloth and set in a warm spot to rise. Once the dough has doubled in size, you are ready to form either bread loaves, rolls or other goodies! Bake at 350 degrees for as long as required for each recipe. Usually a standard loaf of bread will take somewhere around 35 minutes.
*Just a note. I usually double this recipe since I love to make several different types of breads at one time.
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Broccoli/Cheese Rolls
Basic Vegan Yeast Dough
2 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli
2 cups freshly shredded Mozzarella Cheese
6 slices of fried bacon (crumbled) or use 6 tablespoons of real bacon bits
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Grease muffin pans. Divide the dough into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll one part of the dough to form a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. (Approximately to a 8" x 12" rectangle.) Sprinkle half of the cheese, half of the broccoli and half of the bacon evenly over the dough piece. It is best to leave one long edge free from any of the added ingredients if possible. Starting on the long (filled) side of the rectangle, roll the dough toward the empty side to form a log. Turn the overlapping edge downward so it is underneath the log. Press the log slightly with your hands to "firm" it a bit. (Yes, that sounds weird but it seems to help keep it together when cutting the log.) Using a sharp knife, cut the log into two inch sections. Carefully place the cut pieces into the muffin pans, sprinkle the tops with half of the Cajun seasoning and cover with a clean cloth. Let rise again for 30 minutes. Do the same with the other half of the dough and remaining broccoli, cheese, bacon pieces and seasoning. Once the rolls are starting to rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the rolls have finished rising, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from pans and cool slightly before eating as the cheese will be really hot!
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