Carmels

These are the ones Debbie Hoopes made!

2 c sugar
1 ¼ c karo syrup
2 c cream
½ c whole milk
¼ t salt
1 t vanilla

Cook in heavy pan over medium heat until about 234 degrees on candy thermometer – about 2 hours. Pour into a buttered square pan. You do not have to stir the whole time it’s cooking. Let set 24 hours. Cut and wrap. Do not substitute ingredients.

Quick Buttermilk Sweet Dough for Cinnamon Rolls

2 pkg active dry yeast
½ c warm water
1 ¼ c buttermilk
2 eggs
5 ½ to 6 c flour
½ c butter softened
½ c sugar
2 t baking powder
2 t salt
¼ to ½ c melted butter
Cinnamon and sugar mixture

Dissolve yeast in warm water (add 2 T sugar to aid rising), let rise 10 mins. Add buttermilk, eggs, 2 ½ cups flour, ½ cup butter or marg, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend ½ minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scarping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. (Dough should be soft and slightly sticky) Turn dough onto well floured board. Knead 5 mins or 200 turns. Shape dough rolling into rectangle, spread with butter (melted), sprinkle on cinnamon-sugar mixture (also chopped nuts). Roll up, beginning at wide side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal well. Stretch to make roll even. Cut roll into 15 slices or so. Place slightly aprt in greased baking pan (9x13 inches). Let rise until double, about 1 hour. Bake 25-30 mins at 375 degrees. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing or melt ½ c brown sugar, packed; and ½ c pecan halves or chopped nuts, over butter roll, slice and put in cinnamon rolls. Bake. Immediately turn pan upside down on a large tray. Let pan remain so butter mixture can drizzle down over rolls.

Banana Nut Bread

2 c flour
1 t soda
¼ to ½ t salt
½ c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
3 large bananas, mashed (or 4 small ones)
1 c chopped nuts

Measure and sift together flour, soda, salt. Cream margerine, add eggs, vanilla and stir until mixxed. Stir in bananas. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Place in well-greased loaf pan or 8” square pan. Bake 350 degrees for 55 to 60 mins.

Corn Bread

¾ c corn meal
1 c flour
1/3 c sugar
3 t baking powder
¾ t salt
1 c milk
1 egg beaten
2 T shortening

Sift together dry ingredients. Mix in milk, egg and shortening. Bake in buttered 8 inch pan for 15-20 mins at 425 degrees.

Meat Balls in Sugo Di Carne

1 lb. ground beef
2 T olive oil
2 T flour
½ c finely chopped mushrooms
¼ c finely chopped onions
2 T tomato paste
1 c beef broth
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

By hand, roll beef in 15 balls, about 1 inch diameter. In cast iron or other heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Dust meat balls with flour and brown in the hot oil on all sides, about 5 mins. Remove meat balls an d drain off most of fat. Add mushrooms and onion to pan, saute 2-3 mins. Mix tomato paste and broth and add to skillet. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Put meat balls back in skillet and simmer gently 15 mins. Keep hot until ready to serve with fettuccini.

Fettuccini Alfredo

1 t salt
2 c ½” egg noodles
4 T butter
½ c cream or half and half
1 egg
½ c grated fresh parmesan
½ t black pepper

Bring 3 qt water with salt added to full boil in kettle. Add noodles and boil exactly 8 mins, then remove from heat and pour into colander to drain. Melt butter over low heat in medium skillet. As soon as butter is melted, add drained noodles to skillet, then stir in the cream. Remove from heat, beat egg separately in small bowl, then stir into noodles, add Parmesan cheese by sprinkling over surface of noodles and stirring. Cover skillet and allow noodles to heat through without boiling. Just before serving, sprinkle again with cheese and with pepper.

Spice Cider

2 qt cider
½ c brown sugar
1 T whole cloves
1 T whole allspice
2 sticks cinnamon

Simmer 1 hour and serve. (May add orange juice.)

Rice Pudding

1/ 2 c rice
3 c milk
½ c raisins
¼ c butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla
½ t salt
Nutmeg or cinnamon

Combine rice with 2 cups milk in double boiler. Cook until tender, add raisins and butter. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt and remaining milk. Stir into rice mixture, pour into baking dish, buttered. Sprinkle with cinnamon, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins.

Apple Crisp

Place in greased pan 8 cups sliced apples. Mix together with fork until crumbly and sprinkle over the apples:

3 c flour
1 ½ to 2 c sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
3 unbeaten eggs

Pour over all, 1 cup melted and cooled shortening. Sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon. Bake 30-40 mins at 350 degrees. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Peach Cobbler

3 c peaches
2/3 c sugar
2 T flour
½ tsp cinnamon
2 T butter
1 c flour
2 T sugar
1 ½ t baking powder
¼ t salt
1/3 c oil
3 T milk
1 egg

Mix together 2/3 c sugar, 2 T flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle on fruit. Put in 9 inch cake pan, dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, milk and egg. Put on top of fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 24-30 mins.

Snickerdoodles

1 c shortening
1 ½ c sugar
2 eggs
3 ¼ c flour
2 t cream of tarter
1 t soda
¼ t salt
2 T sugar
2 t cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Mix flour, cream of tarter, soda and salt; stir in. Form into balls the size of walnuts. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 mins. Makes about 6 dozen.

Cocoa Drop Cookies

1 ½ c soft butter
2 c granulated sugar
2 egg
1/3 c cocoa
1 tsp soda
4 c flour
½ t salt

Roll teaspoon balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 mins. Frost while warm with chocolate frosting.

Peanut Blossoms

1 ¾ c flour
½ c sugar
½ c brown sugar
1 t soda
½ t salt
½ c shortening
½ c peanut butter
1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
48 milk choc kisses

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except kisses. Blend well at low speed. Shape into balls, using rounded teaspoonful for each. Roll balls in additional sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 mins at 375 degrees. Remove from oven, top each cookie immediately with a candy kiss, pressing firmly so cookie cracks around edge. Makes 48 cookies.

Applesauce Cookies

1 c shortening
2 c brown sugar
3 eggs
2 c applesauce
2 t soda (added to applesauce)
4 c flour
½ t salt
½ t cloves
1 t nutmeg
1 ½ t cinnamon
2 c chopped nuts
Choc chips if desired

Mix ingredients together and drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 mins.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 c pwd sugar
½ c soft marg
2 t vanilla

Mix together, will be thick. Excellent on zucchini bread.

Rice Krispie Treats

¼ c marg
4 c mini marshmallows
5 c rice krispies

Melt marg in large glass bowl in microwave 1 min. Turn bowl around to cover insode edge of bowl. Add marshmallows and cook in microwave 1 min. Stir with a wooden spoon that has been covered with marg. After mixed well and all of marshmallows are dissolved, add rice krispies. Stir until mixed well. Pour into well-covered with marg 9x13 pan. Let set, cut and serve.

Double recipe for cookie sheet size.

Sugared Nuts

2 c sugar
½ c water
5 T white karo syrup
8 marshmallows
1 t vanilla
4 c nuts

Mix sugar, water and karo. Cook to 240 degrees. Add marshmallows and stir until dissolved. Add vanilla and nuts. Stir until it begins to sugar. Poor out on wax paper and separate with a fork.

Chex Party Mix

¼ c marg or butter
5 t Worcestershire sauce
1 ¼ t seasoned salt
¼ t garlic powder
2 2/3 c corn chex
2 2/3 c rice chex
2 2/3 c wheat chex
1 c mixed nuts
1 c pretzels

Melt marg in open roasting pan in preheated 250 degree oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually add cereals, nuts and pretzels; stir to coat evenly. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 mins. Spread on absorbent paper to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 10 cups.

Banana Split Dessert

2 or 3 bananas, sliced
1 c chopped walnuts
½ c marg
1 c evap milk
1 pt whipping cream
½ gal Neapolitan ice cream
1 pkg choc chips
2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
Vanilla wafers or graham cracker crumbs

Line a pan 15x11 with crumbs. Spread a layer of sliced bananas. Cover with ice cream. Cut in ½” slices. Sprinkle nuts over and freeze until firm. Melt marg and chips and all but 4 Tbs of sugar and milk. Cook over med heat stiring constantly utnil it thickens. Cool. Add vanilla and pour over frozen dessert. Whip cream, add sugar and pour over top. Put crumbs on top if desired. Store in freezer. Will keep for several weeks. Serves 25 or more.

Chocolate Sheet Cake and Frosting

3 c flour
2 c sugar
2 t soda
1/8 t salt
¼ c cocoa
¾ c oil
2 eggs
2 c boiling water
2 t vanilla

Cream sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternating with water. Mix thoroughly. Spray 11x13 pan with Pam. Bake 350 degrees 25 mins (cupcakes 370 degrees 12 mins).

Frosting:
1 stick marg softened
3 c pwd sugar
4-5 T cream or evap milk
3 T cocoa
1 t vanilla

Melt marg add to sugar, cocoa and cream. Add vanilla and beat well. Add nuts. Spread on cake while warm.

Spice Bundt Cake

1 spice cake mix
1 can apple pie filling
¼ c oil
3 eggs

Mix on med speed 2 min. Pour into bundt pan. Bake 350 degrees for 60 mins.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 ½ c sifted flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening
¾ c brown sugar
¾ c white sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 t hot water
½ -1 c chopped nuts
2 c oatmeal

Sift flour, measure, add soda, salt and sift. Cream fat until fluffy. Add sugars, cream well. Beat in eggs, add hot water, add sifted ingredients. Add nuts, chocolate chips and oatmeal. Mix well. Add vanilla. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 mins.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 c butter, softened
3 c sugar
6 eggs at room temp
¼ t salt
¼ t soda
3 c flour
1 c sour cream
1 t vanilla

Topping:
2 c chopped pecans
8 T dark brown sugar
4 t cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Sift dry ingredients 3 times, alternately add flour and sour cream beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla. Grease bundt pan. Mix topping. Sprinkle small amount of topping on bottom. Add half of batter. Sprinkle more of the topping on batter and add the rest of the batter. Sprinkle remaining topping mixture on top. Bake 300 degrees 1 ½ hours. Don’t open oven door the first hour. Cool 15 mins and turn out on plate.

Chiffon Pumpkin Pie

1 ½ c milk
1 6oz jello instant vanilla pudding
1 c canned pumpkin
1 t pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ t ginger, ¼ t nutmeg, ¼ t clove)
1 c whip cream or cool whip

Beat all ingredients on low speed until smooth. Put in already cooked pie shell. Chill for at least 3 hours.

Frog-Eyed Salad

¼ pd acini de pepe cooked until tender
1 egg
½ c sugar
¼ t salt
1 T flour
1 can 15 ¼oz pineapple juice drained, reserve juice
1 16oz can fruit cocktail drained, reserve juice
1 cup min marshmallows
1 8oz cool whip

Cook pepe as package directs, drain. In heavy saucepan, beat egg with wire whisk until foamy. Stir in sugar, flour, salt and 1 c of reserved juice. Over low heat, cook until thickened and bubbly.

In a large bowl, combine pepe with egg mixture. Cool over night. Stir in fruit, fold in cool whip and chill thoroughly.

Holiday Jello

2 pkg lime jello
1 pkg lemon jello
2 pkg cherry or orange jello
1 c crushed pineapple
½ lb marshmallows
1 (3oz) cream cheese
1 c whipping cream

Dissolve lime jello in 4 c hot water. Pour in large pot and set. Drain pineapple, set aside. Add enough water to pineapple juice to make 2 cups. Heat to boiling and stir in the lemon jello. Add marshmallows; let partially set. Mix cream cheese with pineapple; fold whip cream into lemon mixture. Then spread over green jello until firm. Dissolve cherry jello into 4 c hot water. Let partially set then put on other mixture.

Stuffed Mushrooms

80 med mushrooms
½ c marg or butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c grated parmesan cheese
5 T milk
½ t garlic pwd
2 T finely chopped chives or green onions

Wash and dry mushrooms. Melt butter, dip mushrooms in butter coating inside and out. Fill each mushroom with cheese mixture. Put on foil lined cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 15 mins.

Easy Carmel Corn

1 can sweet and condensed milk
2 c brown sugar
1 c white karo syrup
1 cube butter

Bring to a boil and boil gently for 9 minutes or until it holds shape in cold water. Stir into corn (3-4 poppers full). Add 1 package whole pecans if desired.

German Chocolate Cake Frosting

¾ cup brown sugar
1 cube marg
¼ c evap milk
1 cup nuts
1 cup coconut

Melt the margarine, sugar and milk together. Stir in nuts and coconut.

Gingersnaps

These are the best, most fail-proof gingersnaps I've had. This recipe is from the 1950's edition of the Better Home's and Garden's Cookbook.

¾ c shortening
1 c brown sugar
¼ c molasses
1 egg
2 ¼ c flour
2 tsp soda
½ t salt
1 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
½ t cloves

Cream together first 4 ingredients till fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients; stir into molasses mixture till blended. Form in small balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375 degree oven about 9-10 mins. Cool slightly; remove from pan.

Pumpkin Cookies

5 c flour
6 t baking powder
2 t salt
2 t nutmeg
2 t cinnamon
½ t ginger
½ t allspice
1 c shortening
2 2/3 c sugar
4 eggs
2 c pumpkin
2 t vanilla
2 t lemon
1 c nuts

Cream together sugar, shortening, eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and lemon. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Mix well. Add, if you desire, nuts. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is what I grew up on.

½ c softened butter or other shortening
1 egg
¼ c granulated sugar
½ c firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cup unsifted flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 pkg semi sweet choc chips

Beat butter, egg, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients, blend well. Stir in nuts and chips. Drop from tsp onto and ungreased baking sheet. Bake 375 degrees for 8-10 mins.

Williams-Sonoma Chicken Noodle Soup

You will never go for Campbell's again after having this.

6 c chicken stock or prepared broth
1 skinless boneless whole chicken breast
1 yellow onion finely chopped
2 carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks thinly sliced
2 oz dried thin egg noodles
3 T finely chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper

In a large sauce pan over med heat bring stock to a simmer. Add chicken and simmer just until tender and no trace of pink remains (8-10 mins). Remove chicken and let cool. Cut into 1” cubes. Set aside. Return chicken stock to a simmer over med heat, add onion, carrots and celery. Simmer till vegetables are slightly softened (10 mins).

Add cubed chicken, noodles, 2 T of parsley and pepper to taste. Simmer until noodles are tender. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Martha's Spiced Chocolate Bread Puddings

These individual desserts can be made in ovenproof ramekins, mugs or cups. The recipe also works in a nine-inch round cake pan, although you will need to increase the baking time to 35 minutes. Bread that has sat out at room temperature for two days works best, cut you can also use fresh bread that has been cubed and lightly toasted on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven. Untried.

Unsalted butter, for cups
3 c heavy cream
2 c whole milk
2 cinnamon sticks
2 dried red hot chiles, crumbled
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
6 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz bittersweet chocolate (preferably at least 61% cacao), finely chopped
6 large egg yolks
1/2 c plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp bourbon
1 loaf challah or brioche (about 1 lb), preferably 2 days old, cut into 3/4" cubes
3 Tbsp coarse raw sugar
1/2 c sour cream
1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
Ground cinnamon for garnish
Chocolate curls for garnish

1. Butter insides of eight 1-cup ovenproof cups. Bring 2 cups cream, the milk, cinnamon sticks, chiles and vanilla bean and seeds to simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Place milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Return cream mixture to a simmer, then strain over chocolate, discarding solids. Gently stir until smooth.

3. Whisk egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until pale and thick. Whisking constantly, add chocolate mixture in a slow, steady stream. Whisk in bourbon.

4. Place challah or brioche in a large bowl, pour in chocolate custard, and gently fold until combined. Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring and pressing down bread occasionally to submerge.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide bread and custard among the prepared cups. Sprinkle generously with raw sugar.

6. Place cups in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of cups. Carefully transfer to oven and bake until puddings are just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer cups to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

7. Just before serving, beat remaining 1 cup cream with the sour cream and confectioners sugar until soft peaks form. Top each bread pudding with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with ground Cinnamon and chocolate curls.

Rachael Ray's Clam Chowda'

This recipe is not my best ever clam chowder (you'll have to wait to get that recipe as it's in storage) but it's nice because it's fast (30 mins) and it's tasty. If you don't like it too spicy decrease the hot sauce, although 2 tsp is about right for me. I use dried thyme, substitute evaporated milk for the half and half and use frozen hash browns (because I have that stuff on hand!) and it works great. I like to whip up some biscuits or some kind of quick bread to go with it.

2 tablespoons butter
2 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery with greens, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons hot sauce, eyeball it
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pint half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock, from soup aisle
1 cup hash brown style raw shredded potatoes, from dairy aisle of the market
2 cans whole baby clams and their juice

In a medium pot over medium high heat melt butter. Add bacon and onions, celery and thyme sprigs. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce and cook 5 minutes. Add flour and cook a minute more.

Add half-and-half and stock and bring to a bubble, then stir in potatoes and clams. Bring soup back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and soup has thickened to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the thyme sprigs from the soup. The thyme leaves will have fallen off into the soup. Stir and adjust seasonings in your soup. Pour soup into mugs. Serve with deviled ham and cheese mug toppers.