Special Dinners

I enjoy trying to have a nice dinner at least once per week. The past few months have found me very busy with the classes I took during this semester. I only got around to making rolls a couple of times. My teenage son made the comment that I never make nice meals anymore. I have tried to do better. 

I made a nice Sunday dinner when one of my older boys came for a visit and was able to find the time to make a nice Christmas Eve dinner as I thought a friend was going to join us; as it turned out, he did not so I tried to invite others as I had prepared too much food! In the end, it ended up just being myself and my two youngest kids. 

My son and daughter set the table for me and even used the Christmas dishes. I thought that even though it was small, it was very special. I was very glad I was not alone.  

Homemade Rolls

I love this roll recipe. They are great the next day and even freeze well. 

2Tblsp. yeast dissolved in 2 C. warm water

Add: 1/3 C. sugar, 1/3 C. shortening, 2 & 1/2 tsp. salt, 2/3 C. powdered milk, 1 egg, and 2 C. flour. Beat until smooth. Add 2 C. flour and knead until smooth. Add 1 C. flour and again, knead. Let rise until triple in bulk. Roll out and shape. Place on greased baking sheet. Rise for 1 & 1/2 hours. Bake at 375* for 15-20 minutes.

Pretzel/Raspberry Salad

This is a yummy combination of sweet and salty.

Combine and press into a 9X13 pan; 2 C. crushed pretzels, 2 Tblsp. sugar, and 3/4 C. melted butter.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350*.

Mix 1 C. sugar with 8 ounces of cream cheese.  Fold in a small carton of Cool Whip.  Spread on the pretzel mixture.

Dissolve a large blackberry jello in 2 cups of boiling water.  Add about 10 ounces of partially thawed raspberries.  Let it sit until thick and pour over the cream cheese layer. 

Lake Trout

I have been fishing a few times this winter and was showing some of my pics to my Dad.  He asked me to post my pictures on here so he can show them off to the guys at work.  The water is so beautiful in the winter time.

This little guy had a deformity....strangest looking fish ever!

A couple of larger fish.

This one had tried to eat too much at once...greedy little sucker.

And finally, my favorite picture of the day.  A sampling of the beauty captured in the canyon.

Gingerbread Cake with Rum Butter Sauce

Gingerbread Cake

2 eggs

1/2 C. melted butter

1/2 C. molasses

2 C. flour

1 C. sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 C. hot water

Combine ingredients in order given.  Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes in pan, finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Rum Butter Sauce

1 C. butter

2 C. sugar

1 and 1/2 C. cream

Combine and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. rum flavoring.

Generously drizzle over sliced cake.  

This is one of my favorite things to make during the holidays.  I made it in two mini bundt cake pans, but it does fit into one as well.  It does have issues with sticking to the pan so grease and flour well!  

Cheese Ball

My Aunt gave me this recipe.  I used to go to great lengths to make a much more complicated cheese ball but ever since she brought this and shared, I have stuck to this recipe.  It is oh, so easy, very pleasing, and also cheesy!!

Cheese Ball

1 bottle of Kraft Old English Cheese spread

1 bottle of Kraft Roka Blue Cheese spread

1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese

1/2 of an onion grated

1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

  

Combine all ingredients and blend well.  Refrigerate overnight and roll in chopped nuts.  Serve with crackers.

Homemade Coconut Cream Pie

 Coconut Cream Pie

1/3 C. flour

2/3 C. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 C. scalded milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 Tblsp. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 C. coconut

1 baked 9 inch pastry shell

Mix flour, sugar, and salt.  Gradually add milk with a wire whisk.  Cook over moderate heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.  Cook 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add a small amount of cream mixture to egg yolk, stir and then add egg to the cream mixture.  Cook one minute stirring constantly.  Add butter and vanilla, take off heat and cool.  Add coconut.  Pour into pie crust.  Refrigerate.  Serve the same day or later.  Stays good for about a week.

Pie is one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving.  I got this recipe years ago from a distant relative.  It is my favorite!

Thanksgiving Place Cards

My sister hosted Thanksgiving this year out in the middle of nowhere!  My assignment was to make a cheese ball, sweet potatoes with apples drizzled in a yummy citrus sauce, and the place holders.  I found this printable Mayflower paper boat online.  I glued them together and fastened a festive picture to the mast for a sail. They were then filled with crinkly paper and candy.  My kids had fun blowing them (empty) across the counter.

Sugar Cookies

I know, I know, wrong holiday again!  I made these before Halloween this year and forgot to post the recipe.  I decided to post this recipe anyway because, you could make turkey shaped sugar cookies or Christmas trees or reindeer or stars or dinosaurs....okay, you get the idea.  This is one of my favorite sugar cookie recipes.  They are a tender cookie with a light mild frosting.  

Best Sugar Cookies

1 cube soft butter

1 cube margarine

1 & 2/3 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 C. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

4 & 1/2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Cream the butter, margarine, and sugar.  Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut shapes.  Bake on a greased sheet at 350* for 10 minutes.

Awesome Frosting

1 & 1/2 C. shortening

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

2 Tblsp. Dream Whip powder

4 Tblsp. flour

1 bag of powdered sugar

2/3 C. water

Beat in a mixer for 5 minutes.  Add coloring if desired.  Frost cooled cookies and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

My oldest son made these the other night and they were so delicious, I had to make some more!  The frosting is to die for!  It has a maple flavor and would be great with chopped walnuts adorning the tops.  Just remember to have the walnuts ready and right by your side because the frosting hardens quite quickly!  As you can see, I was not prepared and mine set long before I could put nuts on them.

Pumpkin Cookies

1 C. butter

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 C. canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 C. flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy.  Blend in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract.

In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Mix flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture.

Drop tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges.

Let cool completely.

Penuche Frosting

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2-2 cups confectioners' sugar

In a medium saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute or until slightly thickened. Beat in the milk. Blend in confectioner's sugar until the glaze is smooth and spreadable. Frost cookies quickly.

Zucchini Cake without frosting!

This is one of my very favorite ways to eat zucchini!

Zucchini Cake

1/2 C. butter

1 3/4 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 C. oil

1/2 C. buttermilk

2 C. grated zucchini

2 1/2 C. flour

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

  

Combine wet ingredients.  Add dry ingredients.  Pour into a greased 13X9 inch pan.  Mix together, 1/2 C. chopped nuts, 1/2 C. chocolate chips, and 1/2 C. brown sugar and sprinkle over the top.  Bake at 325* for 40 minutes.  No frosting needed!

Pizza Crust

Here is my all time favorite pizza crust recipe as per request.

Pizza Crust

1 1/2 C. warm water

1/4 C. sugar

4 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

Combine and let stand 5 minutes

In mixer, combine:

2 1/2 C. warm water

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

6 Tbsp. butter

10-12 C. flour

Add the yeast after about half of the flour.  Knead in mixer for 10 minutes.  Let rise till double in refrigerator. Break off about two cups of dough and roll into desired shape, top with sauce and toppings.  Bake at 400* for 20 minutes.  Makes about 5 pizzas.

My favorite bottled salsa

My parents grow the best tomatoes!  They were kind enough to share some of them with me this year.  I bottled them and made salsa.  This is my favorite salsa recipe.

Salsa

30-40 peeled tomatoes

6 green bell peppers and 2 red

6 jalapeno peppers

6 yellow peppers

5 medium onions

 Chop finely or use a food processor.

2 Tblsp. pepper

4 cloves of garlic

1 can tomato soup

2 cans of tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

1 1/2 C. vinegar

1/2 C. salt

1/4 C. sugar

2 tsp. paprika

Simmer all day or until desired thickness is reached.  Pour into sterilized jars and adjust two-piece lids.  Place them in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (pints).  Let cool for 24 hours.
Sometimes, I add some chili powder if I so desire. \

Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins are divine!  I love how moist and hearty they are. They breach the level of heavenly when you smother them in raspberry jam!

Pumpkin Muffins

2 1/4 C. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 C. canned pumpkin

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. milk

2 eggs

1/4 C. oil

Combine pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs, and oil.  Sift dry ingredients.  Stir them together until smooth.  Makes 12 large muffins.  Bake at 400* for 20 minutes.

Peach Crisp and Pie in one

Peach Crisp/Pie

1 C. shortening

3/4 tsp. salt

2 C. flour

1/4 C. ice water

Combine shortening, salt, and flour.  Add ice water.  Mix until just sticks together.  Shape into two balls and roll to form two 12 inch circles.  Place one in a pie tin.

Filling

3/4 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. flour

1/2 C. butter

3/4 C. rolled oats

Combine all ingredients.  Peel, slice, and place 8 peaches in crust.  Spread the brown sugar mixture over the peaches.  Place top crust over the brown sugar mixture.  Trim and form the edges.

Bake at 350* for 45 minutes.