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.

Cindy’s Caramel Pecan Apple Pie - Family Recipe

My sister, Cindy, is a true chef and baker; she has even been schooled on how to decorate wedding cakes.  One of her prize recipes is this incredible apple pie.  When I was in fourth grade, our Girl Scout troop had a baking competition.  Lucky for me, Cindy came home to help me select a recipe.  We chose this recipe and she walked me through step by step and we won 1^st place at the baking contest!!!!!  Cindy has published this recipe in the Trees of Life, Ohio Traditions  with P. Buckley Moss cookbook. 

Ingredients

 

Pastry for double crust 9” pie

6 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon butter or oleo

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup commercial caramel ice cream topping

2 teaspoons chopped pecans

Instructions

 

Combine apples, sugar, flour, salt and spices.  Toss gently to coat.  Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter.  Top with remaining pie crust.  Trim edges and flute.  Cut several slits in the top crust.  Bake pie at 425 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Remove from oven when apples are tender.  Immediately drizzle with caramel topping over top of pie.  Before serving, sprinkle pecans on top.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cinnamon & Sugar Pie Crust Pastries - Family Recipe

Mom Bonnett would make these delicious pastries with her leftover pie crust when I was a child.  I looked forward to these goodies more than the actual pie. 

Ingredients

 

pie crust pastry

¼ - ½ cup melted butter depending on amount of pie crust being used

1 tablespoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

 

Roll the pie crust pastry very thin (approx 1/8”) on a floured surface.  Pour melted butter over surface and smooth over pie crust with a spatula. 

In a separate bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar until well blended.  Shake mixture evenly over the pie crust.  Roll the pie crust together as you would cinnamon roll dough.  Cut the rolled crust into 1” slices and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 5 minutes or until outer crust is browned in a 350 degree oven.

These are delicious with a cup of hot tea.

Pie Crust - Family Recipe

Ingredients

 

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup ice water

Instructions

 

Combine flour and sugar.  Cut butter into tablespoon pieces; add it to flour and sugar mixture.  Combine butter & flour together by hand using a pastry blender.

Stir the mixture with a fork, pour in the cold water.  When the dough starts to clump, and before it turns into a ball, stop stirring.

Lightly kneed dough in the bowl until it forms a ball.  Divide dough in two parts.  Flatten each part into a disk, wrap with Saran Wrap and chill for about 30 minutes before rolling.

Dough freezes well.  Or, leftovers can be used to make cinnamon sugar pie crust pastries.  (See next page)

Awesome Apple Pie

 

This is an awesome apple pie recipe!  The first time I baked this pie was for Dixie, Robert Sr., Dan and Bob Lauer as a Christmas pie taste test.  My plan was to give a ceramic pie plate with a homemade pie in it to various friends and family.  Although this pie didn’t win the contest (winner: unforgettable pecan pie), it’s still a favorite of ours.  And by the way, Dan and Bob finished the remaining apple pie left from the taste test the very next day!  Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie (See next page for recipe)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup water

10 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Instructions

Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded to overheaping capacity if needed! Cover with a latticework of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust and into the latticework. Pour slowly so that it doesn’t run off.

Place strips of aluminum foil over the pie crust edges to keep from burning.

Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.

Healthified Marinated Pork wih Summer Corn Salad

This recipe is our go-to recipe in the summer when we entertain.  I double the marinade recipe and use red pepper flakes instead of jalapeno.  I also marinade the pork over night.  Give this a try you will love it if you are a cilantro lover.  This recipe is courtesy of EatBetterAmerica.com

Healthified Marinated Pork with Summer Corn Salad

Ingredients

§         1 pound boneless pork loin, trimmed of fat

§         1/3 cup lime juice

§         2 tablespoons honey

§         1 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

§         ¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro

§         1 teaspoon salt

§         ½ teaspoon pepper

§         1 small bag frozen corn

§         2 cups coarsely chopped fresh arugula or spinach

§         1 medium red sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions

Cut pork into 11/2-inch cubes. Place pork cubes in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey. Stir in chile pepper, cilantro, and salt. Add 1/4 cup of the lime juice mixture to pork cubes in bag. Set aside remaining lime juice mixture. Seal bag; turn to coat pork cubes. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

Drain pork, discarding marinade. Thread pork cubes onto eight 8-inch skewers,* leaving 1/4-inch spaces between cubes. For a charcoal grill, place skewers on the rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, for 18 to 20 minutes or until no pink remains, turning skewers to brown evenly. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.

Prepare corn according to package directions; cool slightly. In a medium bowl, combine corn, arugula, and sweet pepper. Add the reserved lime juice mixture; toss to coat. Serve pork with corn salad.

Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs with Balsamic Roasted Onions

Bob and I absolutely love this recipe.  When boneless country-style pork ribs go on sales for $1.69 a pound, we stock up our freezer.  As a recipe variation, add the juice of 1 orange and throw in the orange rind while braising.  Also, a halved jalapeno adds a nice kick.  This recipe is courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian from the Food Network.

Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs

Cook Time:  4 hr 15 min

Serves:  4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless or bone-in country-style pork ribs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar  
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Pat the ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the ribs on all sides, working in batches if needed. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, to remove the raw flavor, about 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, and then add the red pepper flakes and bay leaves.


Add the ribs back to the pan and add enough stock to reach halfway up the sides of the ribs. Bring the pan to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven. Braise until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. During the last half hour, uncover to allow the liquid to reduce and the pork to brown.


Serve the ribs with Creamy Polenta or mashed potatoes or rice, spooning the sauce on top, and garnishing with parsley.

 

Balsamic Roasted Onions

Ingredients

• 3 large white onions, peeled and quartered
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss the onion quarters with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Place in an ovenproof, large, nonstick skillet, spreading them out in an even layer. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, and then remove the foil.  Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

Spaghetti Bolognese

If you love spaghetti, this is a great recipe for you.  Italians often add cinnamon and nutmeg to their spaghetti sauce.  It adds a sweetness to the sauce that is a pleasant surpise.  However, you can omit the spices if you're not up for the surprise.  This recipe freezes very well so don't let the quantity stop you from trying it.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces bacon or pancetta, diced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 3/4 cup diced carrots
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound ground beef or ground veal
• 1/2 pound pork sausage, removed from the casings, or ground pork
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and their juice
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup beef or chicken stock or broth
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the beef and sausages, and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and remove any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, and until half of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce, beef broth, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 1 1/2 hours. Add the cream, butter, and parsley, stir well, and simmer for 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and return the water to a low boil. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese and toss to blend. Divide among pasta bowls and serve with the cheese passed tableside. (Alternatively, toss only the desired portion of pasta with a bit of the sauce at a time in a serving bowl, reserving the remainder for another meal.)

Classic Onion Soup with Gruyere

This is a great onion soup recipe from Food Network courtesy of Robin Miller, 2007.  We don't use the broiler to melt the cheese, just top it with cheese and let the warm soup melt it for us.  

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup port wine (we use 4 oz. of beer or red wine in place of port, but this is optional)
• 6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 4 slices sourdough baguette, about 1-inch thick and lightly toasted
• 8 slices Gruyere cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and preheat broiler.

Melt butter and oil together in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and sugar and cook 10 minutes, until onions are tender and golden brown. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add port and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Add broth and Parmesan rind and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and Parmesan rind and ladle soup into oven-proof bowls. Place bowls on a baking sheet. Place reserved bread rounds or a sourdough round into each bowl and top bread with Gruyere cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Swiss Cheese Fondue with Roasted Potato Spears

Yummo...as Rachel Ray would say!  This recipe is an adaptation of Rachel's recipe using Gruyere cheese and wine at rachaelraymag.com.  However, I didn't have gruyere cheese or white wine so here's what I made instead. 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds baking potatoes, sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick wedges
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper
12 ounces shredded swiss cheese
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup Sierra Nevada IPA (or your favorite beer)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and oil.  Sprinkle generously with salt and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast, turning once, until browned and slightly crisp, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the cheese and cornstarch.  Place the garlic in a heavy 2 quart saucepan or fondue pot.  Add the beer and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook for 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in the cheese mixture, then cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.  Serve warm with the roasted potatoes for dipping.