Double Chocolate Gluten Free Muffins

 I adapted this recipe from The Busy Baker to make gluten free muffins.

• ▢ 1 1/2 cup gluten free flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup gluten free chocolate chips
• ▢ 1 cup milk
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/3 cup coconut oil

• Recipe: Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 350℉ ( 175℃) and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt, along with the chocolate chips, reserving a few chocolate chips for topping the muffins (optional).
  • Into a large liquid measuring cup or bowl, add the milk, eggs, vanilla and oil. Whisk together with a fork.
  • Add the liquid ingredients and mix everything together just until no streaks of flour remain.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups and top with the remaining chocolate chips (optional).
  • Bake at 350℉ ( 175℃) for about 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Martha Stewart Fired Me Choclate Chip Cookies

2 sticks butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp small to medium grain sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks, (chunks are better but you should use 1 1/2 bags more than it’s usually called for).

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy (about 3 minutes on medium high speed.).

Add both eggs and the vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Add baking soda, baking powder, a bit of salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate pieces and mix until well distributed.

Chill dough for 24-48 hours if you want them to be the best cookies ever.

The cookie batter will be somewhat thick and quite sticky, so use your hands to plop balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I prefer dough balls slightly larger than a quarter. 8 per sheet.

Sprinkle one sea salt over them before they go into the oven.

Bake for 10-15 mins, until the edges are golden brown but the center is light and puffy. 

Remove from heat, slam down hard to flatten them a bit. 

Transfer cookies to a room temperature non pour outs surface to cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Extra Flaky Gluten Free Pie Crust

 This comes from Gluten Free on a Shoestring.

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour 

3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum 

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 cup Sour Cream

Add ice water

Directions:

In a large bowl, place flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine well. Add the chopped and chilled butter and toss to coat in the dry ingredients.

Flatten each chunk of butter between your fingers. Add the sour cream and mix to moisten the dry ingredients with the sour cream. The dough should be shaggy and somewhat crumbly.

Knead the dough together with clean hands until it begins to come together. Add ice water until the dough holds together.

Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk as you close the plastic wrap around it. It will seem rough. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375. Grease a 9 inch metal pie plate generously and set aside.

Once the dough has chilled turn it out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle the dough lightly with more flour and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick moving the dough frequently and sprinkle it lightly with flour if it begins to stick. 

Fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour and roll out the dough once again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. 

Twice more remove the top piece of parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with flour and fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter.

Roll the dough into an approximately 12 inch round about 3/8 inch thick. Roll the pie crust loosely onto the rolling pin and the unroll it over the prepared pie plate.

Trim the edges of the crust with kitchen shears. Lift up the edges of the crust to create slack in the crust and place the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, tuck the excess pie crust under itself and crimp the edge gently all the way around the crust by pinching the dough at regular intervals with one hand and creating a crimped impression with the forefinger of the other hand. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm. (About 30 minutes and up to 3 days).

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and unwrap and discard the plastic. Pierce the bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork. 

Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the raw crust and cover the bottom with pie weights. 

Place in the center of the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown on the edges about 10 minutes.

Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and allow the crust to cool before proceeding with your recipe.

Ina Garten’s Winter Squash Soup

 Ingredients:

2 Tbs unsalted butter

1 Tbs olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

3 cups chicken broth or stock

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 cup half and half

Crème Fraiche, grated Gruyère or croutons

Heat butter and oil in a stockpot. Add the onion and cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin, squash, chicken stock, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer over medium low heat for about 20 minutes (until the squash is tender). Process the mixture through a food processor. 

Return to the pot and add the half and half and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor add another tsp of salt. Serve hot with preferred garnishes.

Kerry's Delicious Pretzel Burgers

A good hamburger is sought after when we go to restaurants and is talked about in our home as to where to find one. One of the best hamburgers in our opinion is the Pretzel Burger. My husband, Kerry, designed this burger after eating one at a German Restaurant. He absolutely loved the burger so came up with his own recipe. When he made it the first time it was a hit with our family and is often requested. This recipe makes 6 Pretzel Burgers.

By Kerry Miles

6 Pretzel Buns
6 Slices Munster Cheese, for topping 
Inglehoffer Original Stone Ground Mustard, for topping 

Heinz Worcestershire Sauce

2 Red Onions, thin sliced 

1/4 c. butter 

2 pounds of lean ground beef
2 tsp. Weber Gourmet Burger Seasoning 

1/4 c, Red Wine Vinegar 

3 Tbs. Brown Sugar  

3 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar 

In a bowl add Red Wine Vinegar and Weber Burger Seasoning to ground beef. Mix and let sit while you prepare the onions. Slice the red onions thin. Melt butter in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add onions, brown sugar and Balsamic Vinegar. Cook and stir until the onions are soft. 

Prepare ground beef mixture by dividing into 1/3 pound patties. Put a dimple in the middle of the burgers before cooking. In a large fry pan on medium heat add Worcestershire Sauce and cook the patties for 5 minutes on one side. Turn the burgers and add more Worcestershire Sauce to taste. Cook 5 more minutes until the patties are cooked through. Add cheese to the top of the burgers and put the lid on the pan until the cheese melts. Immediately take out of the pan and dress the burger.  

Toast the buns, then put a thick layer of mustard on the bottom inside of the bun. Add the burger and top with the cooked red onions. Serve.

Zucchini and Ricotta Galette

From the Smitten Kitchen blog This Galette is so sweet it is like eating a dessert. 

Serves 6 

 For the pastry: 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes 

1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chill again 

1/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 

1/4 cup ice water 

 Filling: 

1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil 

1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon) 

1/2 cup ricotta cheese 

1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese 

1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded mozzarella 1 tablespoon slivered basil leaves 

 Glaze: 

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water 

 Make dough: Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over dough and using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the biggest pieces of butter the size of tiny peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add this to the butter-flour mixture. With your fingertips or a wooden spoon, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Make filling: Spread the zucchini out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the tops of the zucchini dry with paper towels before using. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and the garlic together; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon of the garlicky olive oil together and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Prepare galette: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet (though if you line it with parchment paper, it will be easier to transfer it to a plate later). Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Shingle the zucchini attractively on top of the ricotta in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of the garlic and olive oil mixture evenly over the zucchini. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze. 

Bake the galette until the cheese is puffed, the zucchini is slightly wilted and the galette is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with basil, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Cha Shu Baos

Learning Chinese cooking was fun and I had a friend who was part Chinese that gave me this recipe that had been passed to her by her grandmother. My children love it when I make this and have begged for the recipe. If you have leftovers put them in the refrigerator or the freezer and warm them up in the microwave. The ideal way to cook these is to use a steamer but an oven works fine also. You can glaze these with egg white and sprinkle with brown sugar or toasted sesame seeds. 

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground pork 

4 green onions, chopped 

1 can of water chestnuts, chopped fine 

3 Tbs. Hoisin Sauce 

3 Tbs. Soy Sauce 

1 recipe for Basic Bread 

Fry the pork with the green onions and water chestnuts until the onions are soft and the put 2 Tablespoons in the center of a flattened round piece of dough. Form the dough around the meat mixture and pinch closed. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned or steam in a steamer.. Serve hot and refrigerate any leftovers.

Vanilla Almond Granola

2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 Tbs vanilla extract

I preheated the oven to 300F and lined a baking sheet with my silicone baking mat.

Then in a bowl I put the oats, almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Measure and mix the maple syrup, coconut oil, almond extract and vanilla in to a separate bowl and pour over the dry oat mixture. Make sure all the oats are coated well and moistened.

Using a spatula spread the mixture onto the prepared pan and put into the oven, stirring every 15 minutes for 45 minutes. The granola should cool completely before you put it into a container.

It will keep in the cupboard up to 3 weeks or the freezer up to 3 months. Enjoy.

This came from Sally's baking addiction.

Chili with Roast Beef Chunks

2 cans pinto or kidney beans (4 cups cooked beans if you use dry beans)
2- 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes (1 quart)
1 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
1-12 oz. can roast beef chunks
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1 Tbsp. chili powder

Combine ingredients and simmer for 1-2 hours to blend flavors (or 4-6 hours in crock pot). Serves 4

Candy Chippers

A minty chocolate chip cookie warm from the oven and the smell of baking is a memory I have of these Christmas Cookies. I usually make a variety of cookies and put them on a plate.

1/2  cup shortening
1/4  cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp Salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Sift flour, salt and soda, add add and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and peppermint candy. Drop by teaspoonfuls on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 375 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly then remove from pan.

Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses

Cream the first three ingredients together. Add and cream together:

1 egg

Then add:

2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Form into balls and roll in sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Ginger Creams

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
1 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Vanilla Butter Frosting

Mix sugar, shortening, egg, molasses and water. Stir in remaining ingredients except frosting. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until almost no indentation remains when touched, about 8 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Cool, frost with Vanilla Butter Frosting.

Vanilla Butter Frosting

1/4 cup margarine or Butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
About 1 TBS milk

Mix margarine and powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Raspberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

6 cups rhubarb, finely chopped
1cup raspberries
4 cups sugar
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 3 oz. pkg. raspberry Jello

Mix rhubarb, raspberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir on low heat until juice forms,  then heat to boiling. When the mixture is at full boil, cook for 15 minutes.Then dissolve gelatin into mixture.

Put into hot jars that have been washed in soapy water and then rinsed. Seal with lid and ring, then cool and place into freezer.

You can also make this with strawberries by substituting strawberries for the raspberries and strawberry gelatin for the raspberry gelatin.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 cup margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBS powdered sugar
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup chopped nuts
Powdered sugar to roll cookies in, at least 1 cup

Mix margarine, vanilla and water together, add 2 Tbs powdered sugar, flour and nuts. Mix thoroughly. Roll dough into oblongs. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, 300 degree until lightly browned.  Roll immediately, while still hot in powdered sugar.

Avocado Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

6 cups baby spinach
1 pt Strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 avocado, diced
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Half small red onion

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 c. oil
3 Tbs. Apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. Honey
1 Tbs. Poppy Seeds
Pinch of ground dry mustard
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and toss with salad.

Pastel Divinity

This is my favorite Divinity recipe which I got a long time ago in a magazine. It is Kerry's favorite.
3 cups sugar
3/4 cups light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
2 egg whites
1 pkg flavored gelatin
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup grated coconut

Mix the sugar, syrup and water until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook to medium hard ball stage. Beat the egg whites until fluffy while cooking the sugar mixture then add gelatin gradually, beating until the mixture forms peaks that hold shape and it loses it's gloss. Add the coconut and nuts. Drop onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. 48 pieces.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Yesterday I asked my son Kent who was visiting us what he would like me to make him while he was in town. He came up with the idea of me making pumpkin bread with Chocolate Chips. Although I have had this bread at Great Harvest, I was wondering if I could make something that tasted just as good. I did. Here is the recipe that I adapted from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

3 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 cup water
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans or 4 7-1/2x3-1/2x2 inch pans. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer. Combine flour, solda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Alternately add flour, mixture and water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin and then add chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Spaghetti al la Carbonara

We have been unpacking, reading, and generally catching up on all the things that needed to be done...like a huge stack of mail...this week. I have been remembering our trip and all the wonderful things we did in Italy. Kerry got his pictures out today and we looked at them together. I am so glad that he took pictures of things that I didn't. For example, our first day in Rome we went to the Trevi fountain. It was one of the most crowded fountains that I saw in Rome. Jenessa said that she threw a coin into the fountain because the legend is that when you throw a coin in you will come back to Rome. There were so many people and police were there too watching the crowd and making sure that people didn't climb in for a swim. Some people got too close and she blew the whistle on them.

Today I made Italian pizza with Jenessa. She told me that you have to let the dough sit for 24 hours. I did and then she cranked the oven up to 550 which gave the pizza that wonderful crispy crust with the soft bread in the middle. It was the best. I got the recipe from Cooking Light. Jenessa even made authentic pizza sauce out of fresh tomatoes.

Last Sunday Jenessa gave her homecoming talk. She was absolutely the main attraction. There was only one other speaker...a youth speaker. Albert came with his children, Regan came with Debra and Lizzy, John Miles, and Mike Cecacci was here too. It was quite a crowd. I taught gospel doctrine and Kerry taught his two lessons afterwards. We came home and Jenessa made Italian food for everyone...it was spaghetti al la carbonara. I remember the first time we had it was when Maurine made it for us. I remembered it because I thought it was the best spaghetti... Here is the recipe:

1 pkg. spaghetti
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
3/4 lb. of uncured bacon
1 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
onion
olive oil

Boil the spaghetti until tender.

Fry the onion in olive oil until it becomes transparent. Cut up the bacon and fry it until crisp with the onion.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg and egg yolk together and add in the parmesan, salt and pepper.

Put the strained noodles back in the pot and on low eat. Add the bacon and onions until mixed. Add the egg mixture and stir until it is cooked. Buon Appetito.

Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder (optional)
1/4 cup butter
1 to 1 ¼ cup warm water

• Combine dry ingredients in bowl. Work in the butter or oil. Add enough water to make soft, pliable dough.
• Knead lightly on floured surface. Divide into 16 balls. Let stand, covered 15 - 20 minutes.
• Roll into thin circles between sheets of parchment paper.
• Cook on non-greased, heavy skillet or griddle at medium-high temperature until brown specks appear on cooking side (about 10 seconds). Flip and cook other side.
• Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Super Fudge Brownie Recipe

Every once in awhile I come upon a recipe that is so good that I have to publish it. My friend Mary Ellen Lee made these Brownies in honor of Mother's Day and I had to get the recipe. These were the best brownies. Enjoy.

6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup butter
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Grease 8X8 inch baking pan

Combine baking chocolate and butter in saucepan and melt over low heat. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light yellow (about 5 mintes). Add sugar and blend on low until thoroughly combined.
Add vanilla and melted chocolate to the egg/sugar mixture and blend on low until smooth. Add the floor and mix thoroughly.

Pour batter into greased pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Back for about 45-55 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.

Cool, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Last night I made up this recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu and it turned out great. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of it so I can't show you but it is really simple and easy to do and since I fed only 2 people it can be doubled or tripled, etc.

2 cups crushed Corn Flakes
2 chicken breasts
2 slices swiss cheese
2 slices ham
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray small 9x9 pan with cooking spray. Put chicken breasts in a quart size freezer bag and roll them flat, one at a time. Place a slice of ham and then swiss cheese on top of the chicken breast after you take it out of the bag. Roll it up and secure with toothpicks. Roll the chicken breast in the Corn Flakes crumbs and place them in the pan. Bake for 40 minutes. You can serve them with Cream of Chicken soup mixed with 1/2 cup sour cream which has been heated in a saucepan.

Choco Mint Picnic Brownies

I ran across this recipe in the Lion House Bakery Cookbook and I had this craving for mint brownies. This isn't the exact recipe in the cookbook because I did my mint variation. I thought they turned out great and wanted to share my success with everyone. I hope you enjoy them.

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon mint flavoring
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate and mint chips

Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 9-inch round pans.

In top of a double boiler or a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, vanilla, mint flavor, and salt; add to melted chocolate mixture and blend well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and mix well. Divide batter equally into prepared pans. Spread evenly and sprinkle top of each with chopped nuts and chocolate/mint chips. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted an inch from center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Run a thin knife between pan and brownies and turn upside down. With knife that is longer than brownies are wide, cut brownies by pressing knife straight down through brownines; cut each round into 8 wedges. Makes 16 brownies. These brownies store and stack well, for easy portability.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

This is one of my favorite recipes. Years ago I subscribed to Cooking Light Magazine when I was trying to eat and cook healthy things for my family. This recipe comes from the October 1997 issue of the magazine. I still try to cook healthy but sometimes fall off the wagon. Too much of a good thing is always too much of a good thing. The article says that it is the cream cheese in the batter that gives the cake lots of moisture. I think the cake melts in your mouth. I served this recipe last week when we had company for dinner.

1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup stick margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsps ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled Rome apple (about 2 large)
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
3. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 TBS cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.
4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife. Yield: 12 servings.

Note: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-knch springform pan; just reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Last night Kerry and I invited family over because Janilee, my son Jonathan's wife, is here visiting and helping to decorate our home. I wanted to make something special for my company so I made a recipe that Kerry's mother had given to me. I made a little variation due to time constraints. The cookie is very rich and the marshmallow is a surprise when you bite into it. These are Kerry's favorite cookies so I hope you will enjoy them too.

1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp vanilla

36 large marshmallows, cut in half

1 can chocolate frosting, or add 5 Tbs cocoa to a can of white fluffy frosting

Sift flour, measure, sift again with soda, salt and cocoa. Cream shortening. Add sugar gradually, blending thoroughly. Add egg, beat well. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beating after each addition. Add chopped nuts and vanilla, mix. Drop by level teaspoonsful, about two inches apart onto a well greased cookie sheet. Cookies will spread. Bake in moderate (350 degree) oven for eight minutes, top with marshmallow half, cut side down. Return to oven and bake two minutes, until marshmallows soften. Cool and frost with frosting.

Gifts from the Kitchen

I taught a class once on fun and easy gifts from the kitchen. My ideas were already made like making Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and putting them in a new dustpan. I attached a poem to the dustpan that went like this: I baked a batch of cookies and dropped them on the floor. I quickly scooped them up and rushed them to your door. One fun idea I found is to make mixes in a jar and give them as gifts. Here are a few to try.

Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups powdered milk
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
dash of salt
Sift the ingredients into a large bowl. Pack the mix into an airtight container.

Attach this to the jar:

Hot Chocolate
Serves 1
4 Tbs. Hot Chocolate Mix
8 ounces boiling water
Marshmallows or whipped cream

Double Fudge Brownie Mix
Dense and fudgy, these are the best brownies in the world.
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa (not Dutch process)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Attach this to the jar:
Double Fudge Brownies
Makes 24
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 eggs 1 package Double-Fudge Brownie Mix
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12 by 9 inch pan. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the Double-Fudge Brownie Mix and continue to beat the mixture until it is smooth. Spread the mixture into the greased pan, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Snickerdoodle Cookies
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients with a whisk. Store the mix in an airtight container.

Attach this to the jar:
Snickerdoodles
Makes about 5 dozen cookies
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 package Snickerdoodle Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until light; add the eggs and beat on low speed until the mixture is smooth. Add the Snickerdoodle Mix and continue to beat on low speed until the dough begins to form. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar blend. Arrange on ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 16 to 19 minutes or until light tan. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I grow rhubarb in the garden and find that it's sour/sweet taste goes well with strawberries. My plants were huge this year and so I picked a lot of rhubarb to freeze. It is really easy...all you have to do is cut it up into 1 inch pieces, put it into containers and then put it in the freezer. So for Thanksgiving I made a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. This is my daughter Jenessa's favorite pie.

1 -10 inch double pie crust (I used the Never Fail Swedish Pie Crust)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. orange peel
3 cups rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups strawberries, cut up
2 TBS butter

Mix flour, sugar and orange peel together. Then mix in the rhubarb and strawberries. Pour into the pie shell and dot with butter. Place the top crust on the pie and spread milk on the top and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes.

Mediterranean Salad

I love fresh vegetables especially during the summer time. So I came up with a salad that is healthy and very Greek. The feta cheese gives it the umph that it needs while putting olive oil into the mix adds some healthy oil that the body needs for digestion. I found that I loved the mix and am thinking of adding a yogurt dressing next time I make it. This is a recipe for one person.

1 ounce of feta cheese

1/2 tomato

1/2 green pepper

1/3 large cucumber

2 TBS. chopped red onion

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp olive oil

dash of sea salt

Chop vegetables into bite size pieces and mix together. Sprinkle feta cheese on top then add olive oil and lemon.

Lasagne

For Father's Day this year I asked Kerry what he would like to eat for his special dinner. I thought I would make something like Chicken and Dumplings and he said that he liked that recipe but that was not his favorite. He was a little disappointed that I didn't know him well after 31 years of marriage and what he likes to eat. "Of course" I thought, "Kerry loves my lasagne."

Not any Lasagne recipe but THE Lasagne recipe that I have always made him. It is the recipe that is found in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book published in 1976.

Cover via Amazon

Lasagne was always a hit at my house. I made it first the day that Jonathan was blessed for all the company that came to our home. Then there were the other celebrations like birthdays. It is probably the most popular dish in our household.

1 pound of Italian sausage or ground beef
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. whole basil
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1 1-lb. can tomatoes
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
10 ounces lasagne noodles
2 eggs
3 cups fresh Ricotta or cream-style cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 Tbs. parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced very thin

Brown the meat slowly; spoon off excess fat.

Add next 5 ingredients and 1 cup water. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes; stir often. Cook noodles in boiling salted water until tender; drain; rinse.

Beat eggs; add remaining ingredients, except mozzarella.

Layer half the noodles in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; (Yes. I know that this is a 9x9 pan but when there are two people eating, I make two smaller pans of lasagne. We eat one and freeze the other which is what I did today. So if you have a bigger crowd go ahead and make the BIG pan of lasagne like I used to when my family was home.)spread with half the Ricotta filling; add half the mozzarella cheese and half the meat sauce. Repeat. Bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes (or assemble early and refrigerate; bake 45 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

Spicy Bean Salsa

This is a great dip to serve with chips. It is a little spicy with the jalapeno pepper so if you like things mild you can make this salsa without it.

1 can (15 1/2 oz) black eyed peas (drained)
1 can (15 1/2 oz) black beans (drained)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped jalapeno pepper
3 oz. or 3 cloves garlic diced
chopped fresh cilantro
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing prepared with oil and vinegar

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate several hours. Serve with tortilla chips or over rice.

Edith's Whole Wheat Bread

My Great Aunt Edith Whittle lived on a farm in Kimberly Idaho where the Olsens settled after immigrating from Denmark in the early part of the last century. I am sure the my older children remember the birthday cards that she sent to them every year with a dollar. That one small act helped them remember her. She was very kind to us and when we went to visit her she had a picture of my sister Jan and I on the dresser in her upstairs bedroom. When we were at her home we milked the goats and poured the cream on our breakfast cereal. What a treat! Here is her recipe for Whole Wheat Bread.

Beat together:
2 cups of prepared powdered milk, scalded
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soft margarine
4 tsp. salt
Add and beat well:
4 eggs

Mix together and let sit until yeast bubbles, about 5 minutes.
1 cup warm water
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. yeast

Pour into milk mixture and add 7 cups whole wheat flour. Mix together well, the dough will be sticky. Add 1 1/2 cups of white bread flour. Put in greased bowl and let rise for 1 1/2 hours until double in bulk. Knead down and let rise again. Mold into 2 loaves of bread. Let rise for 1/2 hour and then bake 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Brush with melted butter while hot.


Today we made stone ground wheat bread. Jayden, Ashlyn, Peyton, and Cameron were over at my house for cooking lessons on how to make bread. It takes a couple hours to make bread so we made Marshmallow Popcorn Balls while we waited. Afterwards the kids enjoyed the treats they made.

I have a lot of hard red winter wheat in storage but you can find wheat berries at the store. Bob's Red Mill sells wheat berries in the grocery store or online but you need to have a wheat grinder to make the flour.

Jayden was fascinated to find that my very old Magic Mill wheat grinder, which my mother gave to me to use over 20 years ago and I tried to give it back to her several times but she wouldn't take it, had stones inside it to grind the wheat into flour.
Jayden poured wheat into the grinder and was amazed to find after it went into the little hole that flour came out into the tray at the bottom. We made about 7 cups of flour with the 5 cups of wheat that we put into the grinder. We had a discussion about how wheat was ground a long time ago and how people took their grain to the miller to have it made into flour. Peyton said that her best friend has the last name of Miller and I said that their ancestor probably was a miller a long time ago.

After we finished making the flour we started putting the bread together. First of all we proofed the yeast in 1 cup of lukewarm water and 1 Tbs. of brown sugar. The children watched the yeast bubble and grow and then put it into the milk mixture. Cracking the eggs was a favorite thing to do and each child got to put one into the mix then Cameron added the flour.

After mixing in the wheat flour the dough is very sticky and gooey so I add white bread flour to give the dough some gluten and make it stick together. This helps the solve some of the stickiness problem too.

I use my Kitchen Aide to knead the dough for 10 minutes which is very necessary to give the bread the right texture. Letting the dough rise is the next step. I let the dough sit in a warm place an hour until it doubles in bulk. I know when the dough reaches the top of my bowl that it is double.

There is a trick to making a beautiful loaf of bread and so I demonstrated how to do it with the first loaf and then Jayden did the second loaf. I thought she did a very good job.

First the bread is rolled with a rolling pin to get all the big bubbles out. We made sure that it was put on a well floured surface because the bread dough is still a little bit sticky. I turned the dough over a couple times to make sure that it was floured. Jayden rolled it into a rectangle and then rolled it the long way to form the bread. After the roll was made Jayden pinched the end to the dough to seal the loaf. Then she turned the ends towards the center and pinched them to the loaf. She did a really gread job putting it into the greased loaf pan.

Look at how well formed Jayden made her loaf. I couldn't tell the difference between the two loaves. The bread was given time to rise for a half an hour then it was ready to go into the oven. The smell of bread baking permeated the house and we couldn't wait to taste it.