Snickerdoodles

These are my all time favorite cookies.  When I make them, I may just eat them all myself.  Lucky for me, Bob doesn’t care for Snickerdoodles!  This recipe is from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients

 

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 cup softened unsalted butter or shortening

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Cream shortening or softened butter; gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add eggs; beat well.  Stir in vanilla.

Sift flour, soda, salt and cream of tartar in a medium mixing bowl.  Add to creamed mixture; mix well.

Shape dough into 1” ball and roll in cinnamon mixture.  Place 2” apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield:  4 dozen

Chocolate Crinkles - Family Recipe

I made these for my Grandma Crosser when I would visit her in the nursing home.  She always asked for them and would eat one with her cup of tea in the evening.

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350º. Grease cookie sheet or use parchment paper to line the cookie sheet.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat. Shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Pecan Ice Box Cookies - Family Recipe

Another of my Grandma Crosser’s favorite cookie recipes.  Sweet memories of my youth!  These icebox cookies are an excellent cookie to make ahead and freeze.  When you have guests, just pull out of the freezer, slice and bake.  Fresh, homemade cookies in minutes and your house will smell wonderful.

Ingredients

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Directions

Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl and mix well.  Beat the brown sugar, sugar and butter in a mixer bowl until creamy.  Add the egg and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients gradually, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the pecans.  Shape the dough into several logs 2 inches in diameter.  Chill, wrapped in waxed paper, for 8 to 10 hours.  Cut each log into thin slices.  Arrange the slices 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees until light brown.  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  3 dozen cookies.

Grandma Crosser’s Soft Sugar Cookies - Family Recipe

Grandma Crosser always had her cookie jar full and setting on the countertop next to the refrigerator.  We would grab a cookie and milk or 7-up in one of her blue glasses as a snack.  I remember Grandma Crosser having these soft sugar cookies in her cookie jar often.  Many times she left them plain, but sometimes put a lemon frosting on them. 

Ingredients

 

3 cups sugar

2 cups oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups flour

6 teaspoons baking powder

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups buttermilk (or milk)

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Beat the sugar and oil together in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and mix until well blended. 

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.  Gradually combine with liquid ingredients.  Mix until smooth. 

Drop batter in 1-2 tablespoon amounts onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 5-7 minutes or until edges become slightly brown.  Place on wire racks to cool.

Unforgettable Pecan Pie

Winner of the Christmas Pie taste test 2002.    Judges:  Robert Sr., Dixie, Dan and Bob Lauer.   Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Ingredients    

1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, blend together cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. When mixture is smooth, spread into bottom of pastry shell. Sprinkle cream cheese layer with chopped pecans.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, corn syrup, evaporated milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture over pecan layer.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center.

Custard Pear Pie - Family Recipe

Mom Bonnett brought a half-bushel of ripe pears to my house for canning in September 2003.  Knowing that we wouldn’t can all of them, I found a couple of pear recipes on the internet.  Mom and Dad reviewed them and decided to try this one.  We liked it, but it’s unlike anything we’ve ever tasted.  We revised this recipe to include only a ½ teaspoon of almond extract and more pears than the original recipe called for and decided we would sample the recipe again next pear season.

Ingredients    

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

3 eggs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup melted butter

5 pears - peeled, cored and sliced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, flour, sugar, almond extract and melted butter. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Arrange sliced pears in spokes radiating from center.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until custard is firm. Cool completely before serving.  Store in refrigerator.

Peach Pie Filling - Family Recipe

This peach pie filling is one of the best I have found.  The fresh peach taste is dominant instead of spices as with many other recipes.

Fresh peaches are one of my favorite fruits.  During the summers of 1985 – 1987, Dad, Mom, Andy and I would spend Wednesdays at the auction barn in Shipshewana, Indiana.  For many years, my Dad bought, refinished and sold antiques on a part-time basis.  Anyways, Shipshewana had a huge fruit market each Wednesday and we would purchase fresh fruit for our trip home.  Often times I purchased fresh, ripe peaches.  Dad often purchased plums or cherries and Mom usually purchased bananas.  Andy skipped the fruit and bought candy.

Ingredients

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.  Stir in peaches and lemon juice, tossing until peaches are evenly coated.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 minute.

Pour mixture into piecrust or into a 2-quart casserole dish for a filling for peach crisp.