Friday, January 13, 2012

Alfredo Sauce (like Olive Garden's)

1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp cream cheese
Simmer together till melted and well mixed.

Add:
1/2-3/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Simmer at least 20 minutes on low.
May add salt and pepper to taste. The longer the sauce simmers, the richer the taste.

This is Kay's recipe. I like to put the whole 8 0z of cream cheese in.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake (Grandma Spackman's)

3 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 c boiling water
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
Melt chocolate in boiling water, cool, add soda.

1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 c berry sugar
3 eggs (separated)
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sour cream
Work butter, add vanilla and 1 1/2c sugar, cream together.
Add egg yolks. Sift flour and salt and add alternately with sour cream. Add chocolate.
Whip eggs whites to soft peak, add remaining sugar gradually. Beat to stiff peaks
Fold in.
Bake in 3 layers at 350 for 30-40 minutes

Pinoche Icing (for the Blonde Brownies)

1 c brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 c cream (or milk if you don't have cream)

Boil together for 5 minutes.
Cool slightly and beat in powdered sugar (with mixer) to desired consistency. If you need to make the mixture thinner, add milk or cream. You can keep added powdered sugar and cream to get the amount of frosting you want.

Blonde Brownies (Grandma Cahoon's)

2/3 c butter or margarine
2 1/4 c brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 1/4 flour
2 tsp baking powder

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add flour and baking powder, mix until just moistened. Add nuts, chocolate chips (or vanilla chips, etc) if desired.

Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

This can be frosted with Pinoche Icing.

Toffee Puffs

1 lb butter
2 c sugar
½ c water
1 Tbsp dark corn syrup

Boil on high until in starts to change color – stirring continually. (approx 5 minutes) Pour in 10 oz corn puffs. (Not the cereal, they are found in the chip and snack aisle.)

Yes, I know that you don’t need snacks after all the Christmas goodies. But these are so good……

:)

Grape Salad

1 c sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
1/3 c sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2-4 lbs red or purple seedless grapes (I use more grapes)
1/4 - 1/2 c chopped pecans

Directions: Mix sour cream, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer until well blended, add grapes and stir. Prior to serving, 1/2 the chopped pecans and stir them into the salad, put other half on top as decoration. Enjoy!

Brownie Pudding

1 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp melted butter
Mix and spread in bottom of 8" or 9" square pan

3/4 c brown sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 3/4 c boiling water.
Mix dry ingredients, add water. Pour over first mixture.

Bake @ 350 for 40-50 minutes.
(Double recipe for a 9x13 pan)

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Protein Snacks

1 c peanut butter
½ c raisins

½ c powdered milk
¼ c sesame seeds

¼ c honey


Optional add-ins:

coconut

walnuts

chocolate chips

etc.


Mix with hands. Roll into cylinders about 1” in diameter. Cool in fridge. Cut in ½” cookies and serve.


I usually double or triple this recipe.
This is a healthy alternative to cookies – no sugar, no wheat. And they’re delicious!!

Caramels

1 c. corn syrup
2 c. brown sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c butter

Mix thoroughly and stir constantly in heavy pan. Stir and cook over medium heat until candy comes to a rolling boil. Continue to cook and stir till candy forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water (approx 10 mins). Pour into buttered 9x13 pan and mark into squares when nearly cool.

Caramel Sauce – same recipe

Bring mixture to boil and boil for 1 minute.

Caramel Popcorn – reduce corn syrup to ¼ c.

Bring mixture to boil and boil for 1 minute.

Fresh Peach Pie

Make your favorite pie crust, or buy one from the store. You can use a regular or graham pie crust.

Peel and slice 8 fresh peaches

(For easy peeling, blanch the peaches for 1 ½ - 2 minutes in boiling water. Plunge immediately into ice water and peel. The peel will come off easily with your hands.)

Mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk and ¼ c. lemon juice.

Add the peaches, stirring to coat.

Pour into already baked and cooled pie crust.

Put in fridge for at least an hour.

Serve with whipped cream.

Note: Only make enough pie for you to eat that night. The pie crust has a tendency to get soggy. If you do have leftovers, and the crust is soggy, just eat the peaches and sauce!!

This is an old family recipe and loved very much.

Orange Zucchini Muffins

2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups peeled, grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
(GLAZE: 1/8 cup orange juice and ¼ cup sugar - optional)

Beat thoroughly the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice, and vanilla in bowl. Add zucchini and mix well. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, orange bits and nuts. Add the liquid ingredients and mix just until moistened. Put in lined muffin tins and bake at 350F until done (about 20-30 minutes). Cool 10 minutes and drizzle glaze over muffins. (May bake in 2 loaf tins for 1 hour)