Walnut Thumbprints

My mother, the non-cook and non-baker, used to make these cookies as the one thing she could actually bake. They are completely delicious.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Refrigerate 30mins.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indention in the center of each ball.

Combine filling ingredients; spoon about 1 teaspoonful into each cookie.

Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for 5 mins before removing to wire racks.

Breakfast Puffs

I used to make these a long time ago when I was first getting my baking-legs.  Today, I revisited these and I still love them!

Topping Mixture:

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Ingredient and Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together:

• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt

2.  In a small bowl combine:

• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup melted butter

3. Add wet mixture to flour mixture. Stir until just combined.

4. Lightly grease muffin cups or line with paper cups. Fill 2/3 full.

5. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. 

6. Immediately dip tops in 3 tablespoons melted butter then dip into topping mixture. Serve warm.

1-2-3-4 Cake!

I've been wanting to find a new cake recipe to use in my "just because cakes" or for making cupcakes.  The one I've been using for years is GREAT for carving or stacking, which up until I had my son was most of what I was making.  Anyway, I decided to start with the stack of recipes I got from grandmother and, once again, she delivered.

This recipe is simply entitled, but really it should be called "Fluffy, yummy cake."  I didn't even have any need to alter it from the original card.  Well, that's not entirely true... I always add extra vanilla ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 4 eggs (room temperature is best)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole milk (room temperature is best)
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffly (approx. 5 mins or more on medium)
2. Add in eggs one at a time.
3. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Measure out milk, add vanilla to milk.
5. Add milk and flour mixtures alternately to first mixture, flour last.  Mix well in between additions.
6. Bake in 8" tins at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Homemade Vanilla

I love vanilla.

I use alot of vanilla.

Really, really good vanilla is not cheap.  I've been buying watkins vanilla for years.

I decided to make my own! And the results were great! :)


Here's what you need to make homemade vanilla.
 - An air-tight glass jar/container.
 - One cup of 80 proof vodka
 - 3 vanilla beans. (The link takes you to the beans I buy off of amazon.  Great bang for the buck!)

How to make the vanilla
1.  Pour vodka into jar/container.
2.  Slice vanilla beans open lengthwise.
3.  Place beans in vodka, screw on lid tightly, and leave in a dark, room temperature place for 1 month minimum.  Maybe give it a shake every once in a while.

After a month you can use the vanilla as you would normally. You can see below the vanilla I made with vodka has a nice caramel color to it.  This is about 2 cups worth of vodka because, like I said, I use alot of vanilla.  Below it, is a 1 cup version I made with some bourbon I had on hand, much darker.  And it is amazing!  The bourbon vanilla is one that is best used for non-baking recipes to really appreciate the flavor, like whipped cream, puddings, etc. Or even a little in a hot tottie :)

Vodka Vanilla

Bourbon Vanilla

Favorite Recipes from all around

Generally, I only post a recipe on my page unless it's one of my own that I created myself or if I got it from someplace else and made a modifications (which I kinda always do), I'll link back to where I originally found it.  But there are a few recipes that are just heaven from the get-go, and I wanted to share links to a few of my favorite go-to recipes that I find myself using multiple times throughout the year.  Hope you enjoy!

Meatloaf
I know, it doesn't sound all that exciting.  But really, this is wonderful and easy and makes great leftovers!!!

Flank Steak and Chimichurri sauce
I don't know where to start.  This is our favorite way to make steak anymore.  You can either pan cook the steak like on the webpage, or grill it.  It's wonderful!  And the sauce!  OMG! So much heaven. (FYI - I use fresh or frozen(thawed) spinach for the added nutrients.)  And the extra chimichurri sauce you'll have leftover? It also makes a wonderful marinade for chicken or steak.

Beer Cheese Soup
This soup is more like a stew.  And while it's great on it's own, it really makes a great base for a hearty stew that you can add any meat you want to - I've done chicken, kielbasa, beef.  All turned out yummy.  You can also play around with the spicing a little too.  I like to add a Tbsp of paprika for some smoky flavor sometimes.

Texas Sheet Cake
The chef on the linked page calls this Fudgy Vanilla Brownie, but really it's cake.  It's also wonderful.  If your not a fan of almond, use vanilla.  I also made a chocolate version of this which was wonderful, but I forgot to write down what I did.  I wanna say I added 3 to 4 Tbsp cocoa to the cake and the icing and a little extra milk?!  Will have to try that again soon :)

Pumpkin Pancakes
Yes, this links back to my own page. But if you haven't made these yet, ya gotta do it! Soon!  They're incredible!

Whipped Cream

Most everyone I know grew up on cool whip or redi-whip.  I did too.  But now, I find it easier and infinitely better to make homemade whipped cream.  Especially once I made my own vanilla.  Hello, burbon vanilla whipped cream, ya'll!!!

I also tend to like my whipped cream not too sweet.  Mostly because I'm usually putting it on top of something sweet already :)  So here's my favorite version of whipped cream.

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp powdered sugar

1.  About 10 mins prior to making, place your bowl in the freezer.

2.  Mix all ingredients together in freezer chilled bowl.

3. Using whisk attachment, beat mixture on high til stiff peaks form.

Refrigerator Pie

One of my favorite summer memories from when I was growing up was my grandmother's refrigerator pie.  I know... the name needs some work.

But!  There was nothing like eating a slice of this fruit pie.  Any fruit you wanted.  Peach was my favorite, but strawberry, raspberry, blackberry...  all are wonderful!

And for years, I thought I had lost the ability to ever enjoy this goodness again.  It was one of the few recipes I thought I had failed to procure from my grandmother.  And then, a few weeks ago, I found myself searching through the stack of handwritten recipe cards to find one entitled simply "Strawberry Pie".  I took a closer look and realized just what I had!  Refrigerator pie!  I was so thrilled I had to call my husband to gush to him about it on the phone.  The next day I went out and bought the ingredients.  And when I started making it, I was a little girl again learning to cook in my grandmother's kitchen!

And yes, it was just as good as I remembered and no, it did not last long in my fridge :)


Ingredients:
1 Graham cracker, ready made crust.
1 egg yolk
1 3 oz box flavored gelatin (aka Jello, the flavor of whatever fruit you are using)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 quart fresh fruit (for peaches though, we generally used canned)
Whipped cream

1. Brush pie crust with one egg yolk and bake for 10 mins at 350.  Doing this helps keep the crust from crumbling apart on you when you got to cut it.  Another one of the tricks my grandmother taught me.
2. In a small sauce pan, bring sugar, cornstarch, and water to a boil.  Cook until thick. Cool slightly. Add gelatin to thickened sugar mixture and set aside.
4.  Cover bottom of pie shell with fresh fruit.  Pour gelatin mixture slowly over fruit til full. Chill pie til solid.
5. Top with whipped cream and chill til ready to serve!

 

Festive Cake

Yes, it's another from my grandmother, but really?!  I mean, they are so yummy!  This one is perfect for any time of the year to take to a dinner with family and friends.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups chopped bananas
• 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple

Directions

• In large bowl mix flour, sugar, soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir in almonds.
• In another bowl, beat eggs slightly, combine with oil, almond extract, bananas, and undrained pineapple. 
• Add to dry ingredients.  Mix thoroughly, but Do Not beat.
• Spoon into greased bundt pan, bake at 325 for 80 mins.

Squash Bread

I love squash.  Butternut, pumpkin or any pumpkin like squash.  I make sauces for pasta, pancakes, soups...just about anything from it.

So, once again using one of my grandmother's recipes as inspiration, here is my lower in sugar, higher in squash recipe.  This recipe is better if made a day or two in advance.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
• 3 cups cooked squash (pumpkin, butternut, kuri, etc)
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup cold milk
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease two loaf pans
• In a medium bowl, mix first four ingredients and set aside.
• In large bowl, mix squash and sugar til sugar is mostly dissolved. Add in oil, milk, and eggs.
• Add in dry ingredients and mix til smooth.
• Pour into greased loaf pans and bake 45 to 60 mins.
• Cool 10 mins in pans, then wrap in aluminum foil while warm and refrigerate 24 hours.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

I found this recipe as I was going through my grandmother's recipe cards again. It was so easy and has become a favorite of ours.  You get the same taste and texture as chicken pot pie without all the calories.  It's a perfect comfort food.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375
• In a ovenproof skillet or dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup of butter. Blend in 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper.
• Add 1 1/3 cups chicken broth and 3/4 cups of milk.  Cook, stirring until thick. 
• Add 2 cups cubed cooked chicken*, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 2 cups frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, etc). Simmer til bubbly.
• Top with raw biscuits.
• Bake in oven 20 to 25 mins or until golden brown.

*Sometimes I will use meat scissors to cut up chicken in small pieces and will cook the onions and chicken in the butter, adding a little extra butter once cooked.  Then continue with the recipe starting with the flour.  I have also cooked the chicken breasts in the chicken broth the recipe calls for in a covered pot and then cut up the chicken to add to recipe later.  A third option for you, buy a rotisserie chicken when you are at the store or next time you grill, grill a few extra chicken breast to use in this recipe later.  Lots of options ;)

Easy Baking Powder Biscuits

These have become a regular staple in my house.  Whether on top of Chicken Stew, for biscuits & gravy, or as a side for a meal.  They are easy, yummy, and reliable.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter, cold
• 3/4 cup milk, cold

Directions

• Mix dry ingredients
• Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork til butter is crumbled in flour.
• Add in cold milk and stir with spoon til blended.
• Turn out on clean surface, squishing dough into a mound.
• Pat down dough til 1/2 inch thick and cut out biscuits
• Bake at 425 for 12 to 15 min

Banana Bread - the sequel

Awhile back I took a stab at making the recipe for banana bread that my grandmother gave me. The result was delicious, but more like banana cake.  I really wanted a recipe that I could make and not feel guilty about eating for breakfast. Something with not as much sugar and more banana.  Here's my result.  I generally make this in a loaf pan, but you can also bake them as muffins.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, soft
• 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 ripe bananas

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix dry ingredients in small bowl and set aside.
• Whip bananas in mixer 3 to 5 mins til fluffy, transfer to another bowl and set aside.
• In same bowl, cream butter and sugar til fluffy.  Add in eggs, one at a time.
• Add bananas til blended
• Add dry ingredients to wet
• Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 45 to 50 mins.

Chai Cake

After the success of the Lemonade Cake, I decided to use it as inspiration to make a cake using my favorite Chai concentrate.  The results are what I think is the most perfect spice cake I have ever had.  The spices aren't too strong or overwhelming.  They are just...  soothing to the tongue!


Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (soft)
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup Chai concentrate (I used Tazo)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

• Grease bundt pan (or two 9 x 2 inch pans if you prefer)
• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  Set aside
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar til fluffy (approx 2 min).  Add eggs one at a time.
• In large measuring cup, combine milk, chai, and vanilla.
• Alternately add flour and liquid mixture to butter mixture on low til just combined. Make sure to add flour last.
• Pour into pan and bake for an hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cakes sit for 5 min, turn out of pan, and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge to cool.

Lemonade Cake

I've made this cake twice now and it has been a hit both times.  It's just so refreshing!  I recommend icing with a lemon buttercream icing (just replace the vanilla with lemon extract).

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (soft)
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tsp pure lemon extract

Directions

• Grease two 9 x 2 inch round pans.  Line bottoms with parchment paper; grease paper.  Flour pans, tapping out excess.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar til fluffy (approx 2 min).  Add eggs one at a time.
• In large measuring cup, combine milk, concentrate, and extract.  Mixture will look curdled.
• Alternately add flour and liquid mixture to butter mixture on low til just combined. Make sure to add flour last.
• Pour into pans and bake for 35 min.
• Let cakes sit for 5 min, turn out of pans, and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge to cool.

Favorite Muffins

Another from my grandmother.  This recipe is plain, it's simple, it's yummy!  For the first time, I don't plan on changing a thing.  Great quick muffin that can be used to go with your favorite soup, breakfast, or dessert (strawberry shortcake anyone?).





Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/2 cups four
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Prehead oven to 400.  Grease 12 muffin cups.  Beat egg, stir in milk and oil.  Mix in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened.  Batter should be lumpy.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately remove from pans.

Applesauce cake

I have now made this recipe three times and it has been a huge hit with everyone!  This is definitely a new fall favorite.  But lets be honest, I like fall flavors all year round :) However, per my usual habits I changed a few things.

- Used butter instead of shortening
- Reduced the amount of clove to 1 tsp
- Increased the cinnamon to a heaping 1 Tbsp
- Did not add nuts or raisins.
- Use no sugar added plain applesauce.  The recipe itself calls for more than enough sugar that you don't really need to add more to it!

The last time I made it, I also baked it into loaves instead of a cake pan and put a Cinnamon icing on it top.  For the cinnamon icing I used 2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 4 Tbsp milk, 4 cups confectioners sugar.

Ingredients:
  2 1/2 cups flour
  2 tsp baking powder
  1 heaping Tbsp cinnamon
  1 tsp cloves
  1 tsp salt

  2/3 cup butter
  2 cups sugar
  2 eggs
  2 cups applesauce

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, then mix in applesauce.  Add in dry mixture til fully incorporated.  Pour into greased pan and bake at 350 til done (amount of time depends on what size pan you use.  For loaves I did 30min, for a 9inch round pan it took closer to an hour.

Chicken Teryaki

I made this and well, Tom liked it so much he ate himself sore!  It's SO easy and SO yummy!  Basically dump in the crock pot and go!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons cold water
Hot cooked long grain rice

Directions:

Place chicken in a 4 qt. crock pot. 

In a bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. 

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender. 

Remove chicken to a bowl leaving liquid in crock pot.

Skim fat from cooking liquid.

Turn crock pot on high to heat up remaining liquid.  

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth.

Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened. 

Turn crock pot down to Keep Warm.

Add chicken back to sauce.

Serve over rice. ( I like to seam some broccoli to go with it)

Banana Bread - the Original

Before my grandmother passed away, she let me go through her recipe cards and pick out my favorites.  Having her recipes in her handwriting is one of my greatest treasures.  One of my goals is to try out all the recipes.  So, when a bunch of bananas got over-ripe... Banana Bread!  Now this is more like banana cake. It has a TON of sugar.  This time I stuck to the recipe, mostly - I added cinnamon and used butter instead of shortening and no nuts because then Tom wouldn't eat it.  But otherwise withheld my usual inclination to change everything.  I wanted to see what the original recipe was like before I went mucking with it.

Well, the result was SUPER YUMMY!  It's all I want to eat!  However, next time I'm going to cut the sugar in half and be more purposeful about how I put it all together; cream butter and sugar, mix dry ingredients together first, etc.  We'll see if there's a difference and I'll post it here!

Click on picture for larger view.

What the card says:

   1 1/2 cups sugar

   1 3/4 cups flour

   1 tsp vanilla

   1 tsp salt

   1 tsp soda (aka. baking soda)

   2 whole eggs

   1 cup chopped nuts

   1/2 cup shortening (or butter)

   1 cup mashed bananas

   4 tablespoons milk

 Bake in a 350 oven for 40 - 45 min.  Use tube pans or loaf pans.

Blueberry Muffins

These are by far the best blueberry muffins I've ever had.  It's the whole package of flavor and texture!

Pictured without topping

Ingredients:

   2 cups flour
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon salt

   1 1/2 tablespoons flour
   1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

   1/2 cup butter, softened
   3/4 cup sugar
   2 eggs
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
   1/2 cup milk

Topping:

   2 tablespoons flour
   5 tablespoons white sugar
   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   2 tablespoons butter, cold


Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
• Combine 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. 
• In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons flour over blueberries, and set aside. (This will keep you from having purple muffins)
• In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs (one at a time), vanilla and lemon zest. 
• Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk, flour last. 
• Fold in blueberries. Remember, fold gently, don't stir. 
• Spoon batter into prepared cups.
• Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 5 tablespoons sugar ,and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons cold butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in pans.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
  1/2 cup sugar
  1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  1/3 cup butter, softened
  1 egg
  1 tsp vanilla
  1 1/2 cup flour
  1/2 tsp baking soda
  1/2 tsp salt
  1 6oz pkg chocolate chips ( I buy ghiradeli)

Directions:
  Preheat oven to 375.
  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  Cream butter, shortening, sugars, egg and vanilla in a mixer.  Add in flour mixture.
  Fold in chocolate chips.
  Spoon walnut size amount 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes.