Cabbage Slaw

Ok.  I don't know why I'm posting recipes all of a sudden.  It's probably because I've been spending too much time in the kitchen and its rubbing off a bit too much.

Anyway, here is a recipe for Cabbage Slaw.  It's a great salad for summer.  I don't think that we add chicken very often.  We usually just leave that part out.

Enjoy.

CABBAGE SALAD

Recipe:

Cabbage – either shred one head or purchase a couple of packages of Cole slaw         cabbage

Ramen noodles

2 T rice vinegar

¼ cup oil

Equal (substitute sugar)

Cooked chicken, chopped

Sunflower seeds

Green onions

Salt

Pepper

Combine vinegar, oil and Equal and shake well.  This is the dressing.  Combine cabbage with chicken, sunflower seeds, and green onions.  Toss until well mixed.  Top with dressing and add salt and pepper to your taste.  Toss again and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, break up Ramen noodles and place over top.  Toss until well mixed.

FYI:

-You may have to add a bit more oil, vinegar or Equal depending on your taste

-Equal is a sugar substitute and tends to mix well with the oil and vinegar.  You can use regular sugar, but it doesn’t mix as well.  Sweet ‘n Low would work also.

Alaska Girl's Favorite Cake

Alaska Girl isn't hard to please.  Her very favorite cake of all is a simple little one called Texas Sheet Cake.  It is seriously so easy to make.  She requests it for every birthday and we had several at her high school graduation.  The hardest part of this cake is making sure that you have some buttermilk on hand.  Or, you know how to make a form of buttermilk with milk and vinegar.

So, in honor of Alaska Girl's upcoming birthday, I thought that I would share this recipe.  Happy Birthday!

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

Special equipment needed:

Jelly roll pan

Hand mixer

Recipe:

Cake

2 sticks butter or margarine

4 T. cocoa

1 cup water

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 t. baking soda

¼ t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

Grease and flour the jelly roll pan.  Melt the butter, cocoa and water in a medium sized saucepan on the stove.  Bring to a boil.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together.  Add chocolate mixture.  Pour into jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool.

Frosting

1 stick margarine or butter

4 T cocoa

6 T milk

1 box powdered sugar

Heat the margarine or butter, cocoa and milk to boiling.  Add powdered sugar, a little at a time while beating.  Chopped nuts can also be added.  Frost cooled cake.

The. Best. Apple. Pie. EVAH!

I promised some recipes and then when I went to cut and paste from my recipes in Word, the ones I wanted to do weren't in there yet.  So, I copped a 'tude and didn't do anything.

As it gets closer to Thanksgiving, I thought you might want a recipe or two for the holiday.  One is absolutely sure to please.  The other is more of an acquired taste.  In fact, a lot of people hate it.  Grocery Boy and I love it, but no one else in our family does.  Try it.  You might like it.

Tomato Aspic Salad

I got this recipe from my grandmother who got it from her sister in law.  She always made this salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As you can tell by the ingredients, it seems a little strange, but if you like what's in it you will probably love this salad.  Good luck.  I don't recommend just springing this on people.  I would love any comments from those of you who try it, good or bad.  I can take it.  Besides, I don't know where you live.

Recipe:

1 ¾ cups tomato juice

1 package lemon Jell-O

Heat tomato juice to boiling point then remove from heat.  Add package of lemon Jell-O and dissolve.  Pour half of the mixture into bottom of mold or pan and place in refrigerator to set. 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 t. mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)

1 envelope Knox gelatin

Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise together well.  Dissolve Knox gelatin in 1/3 cup cold water and mix with cheese mixture.  Add the following ingredients:

Diced celery

Stuffed olives, chopped and drained well

Green peppers, chopped

Onions, chopped or grated

These ingredients should total about 1 ½ cups.  I add a little garlic powder also.  Set in refrigerator and chill until almost set.  Add cream cheese mixture to first layer of set tomato juice.  Let this set.  Add remaining tomato juice mixture and let set.  Cover with Saran wrap.

FYI:

-I use a rectangular, glass pan for this.  I do not like to use metal due to the taste.

-Also, grease the pan you use with mayo or Miracle Whip.

Now if you survive this one, how about one of the best pie recipes that I have ever run across.  I got it out of a magazine.  I can't remember which one, but I know it wasn't Taste of Home or Family Circle.  I think it was a little higher end than that.  I am not a super great cook, but I can bake, baby.  

For the pie crust, use your favorite two crust recipe or just wimp out and buy those pre-made ones that are in your grocer's diary case.  They don't taste as good, but they don't taste like butt or anything.  

Apple Cranberry Pie

  

Recipe:

6 Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored and sliced

½ cup cranberries

2 T lemon juice

1 ¼ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

1 ½ t cinnamon

¼ t ground allspice

1/8 t salt

1 recipe pastry cream

1 egg, beaten

1 T whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out pastry dough and transfer to a 9” deep dish pie pan.  In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries and lemon juice.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice and salt.  Spread bottom of crust with Pastry Cream.  Toss apple mix with dry ingredients and pile over pastry cream.  Cover with second part of dough.  Cut 4 small slits in top to allow steam to escape.  Combine egg and cream.  Brush on pastry.  Bake for 1 hr., 20 min.

When I made this for Thanksgiving I threw in about half of a bag of frozen cherries.  Yummy!

Pastry Cream for Cranberry Apple Pie

1 cup milk

¼ cup sugar

Cook over medium heat in a medium saucepan until bubbly on edges.

2 egg yolks

3 T sugar

3 T cornstarch

¼ t salt

Mix until combined in a separate bowl.  Gradually beat in 1/3 cup hot milk mixture; quickly beat in remaining milk mixture.  Return to saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in:

2 T butter

½ t vanilla

Transfer to bowl.  Can store, covered in fridge up to three days.

Are Those Boobs?

I finally found something that I had been looking for literally since the kids were in grade school (they are all in their 20's now).  You will laugh, but that's okay.  I found a candy corn cookie cutter.  Shut up!  I was wandering around the mall in Iowa City and lo and behold the heavens opened up, there was a bright light and a choir and everything.  Not only that, it was the last one they had!  Of course, I bought it.  Duh.

I love to make sugar cookies.  That's right, the chill for an hour, get flour all over, roll out kind.  Love them.  I have two great recipes and each kid has a preference.  I hope I got Alaska Girl's right.  If not, Tin Man and Rach will have to eat them.

Don't they look pretty?

Let's see, there were bats, pumpkins, moons, cats and ghosts too.

Ok.  I'm getting hungry now.  Oh yeah.  Now for the tie in to the title of this post.  No, I didn't just put the word boobs out there to get you to read this.  Well, maybe I did a little.

I also make these cool little candies around Halloween called eyeballs.  But they have a tendency to look like boobs before they are finished.  Here, let me show you.

Told you so.

They are actually not boobs, but eyeballs; a peanut buttery, Butterfinger concoction of goodness.  There is a process.  See below.

First you make the yummy ball part with butter and powdered sugar and peanut butter and a Butterfinger candy bar.

Then you get out your cute Babycakes warming thingy that Swim Girl gave you for your birthday and you melt the white chocolate.

Then you coat the boobs, I mean eyeballs and add the iris center.

Then you add really yucky looking red gel icing and voila.  They don't look like boobs anymore.

Mmmm.  Eyeballs.

And here is the goodie box, all packed and ready to head up north.  We always pack goodies in popcorn.  That's the kids favorite part.

Christmas Recipes

I have had a special request for some Christmas recipes so here are a few.  The fudge I make every year and it is one of Julie's favs.  The Jewish Cookies are an easy bar cookie and guys love them.  The Peanut Blossom Cookies are the ones with the Hershey Kisses in them and the Peanut Clusters are a super easy candy to make, but be aware, it makes a lot!  Have fun!

FUDGE

I got this recipe from Nancy, but I think it came from my grandmother, Elcy.  Where she got it, I do not know.

Special equipment needed:

Candy thermometer

Recipe:

4 cups sugar

¼ lb butter (1 stick)

1 large can evaporated milk

1 bag (12 oz) milk chocolate chips

1 jar marshmallow crème

1 cup chopped nuts

1 t. vanilla

Cook the sugar, evaporated milk and butter until the soft ball stage. 

Remove from heat and add the milk chocolate chips and marshmallow crème. 

Mix well and add 1 cup chopped nuts and vanilla.  Stir until mixed well and starts to thicken. 

Pour into well buttered or sprayed pan.  Let harden.  

Lick spoon and cooking pan before cleaning. 

JEWISH COOKIES

This is from my grandmother, Elcy, Nancy’s mom.  She always made them at Christmas time and they were one of Bucko’s favorites.  They are low in fat and guys really like them for some reason.

ATTENTION:  You will need to have the icing ready to go as it needs to be poured over the cookies while they are hot.

Special equipment needed:

Mixer (stand or hand)

Recipe:

4 eggs, beaten

1 lb box brown sugar

1 ½ cups flour

1 t. vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix ingredients well and pour into a greased and floured 12 x 16 inch pan.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. 

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Milk

Mix powdered sugar and cinnamon well.  Add milk to make a thin paste that is kind of runny.  Spread over cookies while they are hot.

PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES

I can’t even remember where or when I first got this recipe and used it.  It is an absolute staple for Christmas and I always make at least two double batches.  The recipe actually calls for Hershey’s Kisses as the chocolate in the center, but I use Brach’s chocolate discs decorated with red, green and white sprinkles for a more festive look.

Special equipment needed:

Stand mixer – dough is too thick for hand mixer

Cookie sheets

Recipe:

½ cup shortening (Crisco)

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 T milk

1 t. vanilla

1 ¾ cups flour

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

Beat shortening and peanut butter.  Cream with sugars.  Add milk, egg and vanilla.  Beat well.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix thoroughly.  Shape into balls.  Roll in granulated sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove and add chocolate kisses or candies.

FYI: 

-I never make a single batch of these, but always a double. 

-Make sure you press in the candies while the cookies are hot or they won’t stick.  -If you use a small candy it kind of melts and you will have to let the chocolate firm up before you store the cookies.

PEANUT CLUSTERS

I really don’t remember where I got this one, but I make them every year.  They are really easy and very yummy.

Recipe:

2-12 oz. packages milk chocolate chips

2 lbs. almond bark (white)

2 lbs. salted, roasted Spanish peanuts

Microwave chocolate chips and almond bark on high for 1 minute.  Stir and then return to microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each one.

Add peanuts and mix until well coated.

Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper or parchment paper.  Let harden and store.

FYI:

-You may use one package of semi-sweet chocolate chips to make the clusters a little less milk chocolatey.

-You can freeze these, although I prefer to keep them in covered containers.

-You will need a really big bowl to mix these in.

Snickers Salad

Lauren wants to make this for her Thanksgiving dinner.  Enjoy!

SNICKERS SALAD

Julie got this salad recipe from Diane Moran, Emma’s mom.  I lost it a couple of times and she had to keep getting it for me.  We have this at Thanksgiving.

Recipe:

1 small package French vanilla instant pudding

1 cup milk

8 oz container of Cool Whip

4 Granny Smith apples, chopped

3 Snickers Bars, chopped

Mix together pudding and milk, add Cool Whip.  Just before serving, add cut up apples and cup up candy bars.  Mix well.

FYI:

-This is best if you can serve it all at one sitting.  It can get a little soggy otherwise.

Apple Pie

Hey, you all.  I just had a special request from an old friend.  They desperately need my Caramel Crunch Apple Pie recipe.  So I will post it here.  Enjoy!

CARAMEL CRUNCH APPLE PIE

This was in the newspaper one day and I used the apples from our tree to make it.

Recipe:

24 caramels (1/2 of 14 oz package)

2 T water

4 cups sliced, peeled baking apples

¾ cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

½ t. cinnamon

1/3 cup margarine or butter

½ cup chopped walnuts

Pastry for 9 inch pie

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare pastry and place in pie pan.  Melt caramels with water in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. 

Spoon apples into crust; top with caramel sauce.  Mix flour, sugar and cinnamon. 

Cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in walnuts.  Sprinkle over apples.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender.

FYI:

-You can make your own pie crust or you can purchase at the grocery store.

-I tend to use the Marzetti’s caramel sauce instead of melting the caramels with the water.  I usually use nearly the whole thing.

PIE CRUST

This recipe comes from Sue Rector’s mom.  We made a bunch of the Caramel Apple Pies at girl scouts one night and she helped us with the crust.  Lauren is a master at the crust.

Recipe:

1 ½ cup of flour

½ stick of shortening

4 or 5 T cold water

Cut in ingredients with fork or pastry cutter.  Roll into ball and roll out with rolling pin to desired size.

Irish Soda Bread

Hey.  I got this off of patch.com and it is a really good recipe.  I made it tonight and we ate the heck out of it.
http://clark.patch.com/articles/need-an-irish-soda-bread-recipe-weve-got-you-covered Enjoy!

Egg Casseroles for Adam

Here are a couple of the egg casseroles that I used to make for swim practice.  They are super good and you can eat off of them for a few days.

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

This one is good for large groups.

ATTENTION:  Needs refrigeration before cooking.

Recipe:

1 – 16 oz loaf cinnamon bread

8 – 10 large eggs

3 ½ cups milk

5 t. sugar

¾ t. salt

1 T vanilla

2 T butter

Grease 9 x 13” inch pan.  Cut bread into 1” slices and arrange in a single layer on bottom of pan. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk, sugar, salt and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly and pour over bread. 

Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 – 36 hours.

 

To bake, uncover pan, dot with 2 T butter and put in oven.  Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake 45-50 minutes, until bread is puffy and lightly browned.  Remove and let stand 5 minutes. 

Serve with syrup, fruit or your favorite yogurt topping.

FRENCH TOAST STRATA

I can’t remember where I got this, but I have made it a lot for swim breakfasts and for when we have a lot of company at breakfast. 

ATTENTION:  Requires refrigeration overnight.  Make the night before.

Special equipment:

Blender

Recipe:

1 loaf (1 lb) cinnamon bread, cubed

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed

8 eggs

2 ½ cups milk

6 T butter, melted

¼ cup maple syrup

Arrange half of the bread cubes in a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Top with cream cheese and remaining bread.  In a blender, combine eggs, milk, butter and syrup.  Cover and process until smooth.  Pour over bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean and a thermometer reads at least 160 degrees.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with syrup.

FYI:

-I have only ever used a blender to make this.  If you don’t have one, use a hand mixer or just stir really, really well.

SAUSAGE STRATTA

Granny gave me this recipe.  I have made it a couple of times for the swim team breakfasts.

Recipe:

1 lb pork sausage, fried

2 cups milk

6 – 7 slices bread

6 eggs

1 t. dry mustard

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

3 T butter

1 t. salt

¼ t. pepper

Spray 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.  Break bread into small pieces and cover bottom of pan.  Beat eggs, milk, dry mustard and salt together.  Pour over bread; add drained sausage over bread and egg mixture.  Sprinkle with grated cheese over top.  Dot with butter or margarine and bake for 30 minutes or less in 350 degree oven. 

May be made ahead and kept covered in fridge.

Recipes

Okay.  A couple of you needed some recipes.  Below are the recipes for the special marshmallow brownies that I used to make all of the time and the white chocolate trail mix Julie likes.  Good eatin'.

CRISPY MARSHMALLOW BARS

This was a super hit at swim meets.  All of the girls loved them.

ATTENTION:   Requires chilling time!

Recipe:

1 (22-ounce) package fudge brownie mix

1 (10 ½-ounce) package miniature marshmallows

1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1 ½ cups Rice Krispies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. 

Prepare brownies according to brownie mix directions.  Spoon into prepared baking pan.  Bake until brownies test done, about 25 minutes. 

Place marshmallows evenly on top of brownies.  Bake until the marshmallows are golden, about 5 minutes.  Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool. 

Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate chips melt.  Remove chocolate chip mixture from heat.  Stir in cereal.  Spoon over brownies.

Chill until set, about 45 minutes.  Cut into bars.  Serve immediately or at room temperature.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PARTY MIX

This recipe comes from Granny.  I have made it every Christmas since she gave it to me.  I usually make two batches.  One with nuts and one without.

Recipe:

1 package (10 oz) mini pretzels

5 cups Cheerios

5 cups Chex cereal (or Crispix)

2 cups salted peanuts

1 lb M & M’s

2 packages (24 oz total) white chocolate chips

3 t. vegetable oil

Mix oil and chips and melt according to package directions.  Pour over remaining ingredients.  Spread onto 3 waxed paper lined baking sheets.  Cool.  Break apart.  Store in a covered container.  May be frozen.

FYI:

-I use the red and green Christmas M & M’s and the Christmas tree pretzels, if I can find them.

-Really read the melting directions for the white chocolate chips.  They are very tricky.

-You may decide to put more of one thing and less of another.  I always use less Cheerios and peanuts and add more Crispix.

-I make two larges bowls out of the ingredients as it is difficult to mix all of the ingredients together in one large bowl or pot.