wafflez

Snickerdoodles

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:03:06 -0500

from my mother's recipe

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Rolling mixture

2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla, stir in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough into balls using rounded teaspoon of dough for each. Roll balls in rolling mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are set.

Gingersnaps

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:32:32 -0500

from my mother's recipe (recipe is usually doubled)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
¾ cup butter
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground ginger

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream sugar and butter, beat in egg and molasses, stir in remaining ingredients until well-mixed. Chill the dough for at least an hour. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (walnut-sized). Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 9-12 minutes, or until edges are set. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Penne with Spinach Sauce

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:29:30 -0500

Adapted from Tea and Cake Time

Ingredients

4 servings of penne
3 garlic cloves
3 oz goat cheese
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 oz fresh spinach leaves
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook penne. In food processor/blender, mince garlic. Add goat cheese, salt, pepper and spinach and blend until smooth. Pour sauce over penne and add more salt/pepper to taste. Add parmesan before serving.

Moroccan Stuffed Tomatoes

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:54:24 -0500

Adapted from bigoven

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped cilantro
2/3 cup chopped parsley
1 ½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
¼ cup olive oil
6 tbsp to ½ cup lemon juice
4 firm tomatoes
¾ cup prepared couscous

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease baking dish with olive oil. Mix chermoula: combine garlic and salt until smooth, add cilantro and parsley (bruise leaves to release flavor), stir in paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, olive oil, lemon juice. Cut tops off tomatoes, scoop out seeds and some of flesh. Fill tomatoes with chermoula mixture, top off with couscous. Cook for 30 minutes. Tomatoes will be soft.

Lemon Jello Cake

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:30:39 -0500

Adapted from BlogLily

Ingredients

Cake

one box butter or yellow cake mix
one box lemon Jell-O
¾ water
¾ oil
4 eggs

Glaze

4 tbsp melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cake ingredients for four minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9x13" or bundt pan. Bake for 35 minutes. While cake is still hot, prick holes with a fork or toothpick and drizzle glaze over the top.

Spritz Cookies

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:39:36 -0500

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 cups flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix ingredients together, fill cookie press. Press cookies onto cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until light brown.

Salsa Meatloaf

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:43:01 -0500

recipe from mom

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
2-3 slices bread
black pepper
salsa (enough to make mixture moist)
1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Tear up bread. Mix all ingredients. Form into a loaf in a baking pan sprayed with Pam. Bake for approximately 1 hour. (For meatloaf muffins, increase heat to 450°F, decrease time to about 20 minutes and top each muffin with a spoonful of salsa.)

Lentil Salad

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:32:37 -0500

recipe adapted from the hungry tiger

Ingredients

3/4 cup lentils
1/2 small onion, diced
1 medium carrot, chopped fine
1 small red bell pepper, diced
chopped parsley
olive oil
a splash or two of red wine vinegar
pinch of salt
black pepper
feta cheese (optional)

Directions

Cook the lentils in at least three cups of salted water until cooked but not mushy. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water. In a large bowl combine the lentils and vegetables. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix gently but so that everything is nicely coated. Add feta just before serving.

BBQ Pork Chops

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:28:03 -0500

recipe from Mom

Ingredients

Pork chops
barbecue sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray cooking spray on baking dish. Cover chops with barbecue sauce on both sides. Cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 1 hour.

Raspberry-Lemon Muffins

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:29:46 -0500

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups sugar, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups all purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½-pint container (about) fresh raspberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 14 standard muffin cups (or 56 minis) with paper liners. Mash 1/8 cup sugar and lemon peel in small bowl until sugar is slightly moist. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg. Beat in buttermilk, then vanilla and lemon sugar. Beat in flour mixture. Divide batter among muffin cups (the 2/3-¾ level worked well for minis). Top each large muffin with 4 raspberries (or mini muffins with one each). Bake muffins until lightly browned on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes (baking time was on the shy side of 20 minutes for mini muffins). Yield: 12 large or 36 miniature muffins

Gingerbread

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:58:25 -0500

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups unsifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger (if you don't have crystallized ginger, increase ground ginger to ¾ teaspoon)
½ teaspoon allspice
½ cup butter
½ cup boiling water
½ cup turbinado sugar (or brown sugar)
½ cup molasses
1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly. Pour batter into 8 or 9 inch square pan, greased on bottom only. Bake 30-40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched in center. (Other sizes: bake 11x17 pan for 25-30 minutes, 12-15 cupcakes for 25-30 minutes) 8 servings (or 1 serving if Sarah is present)

Far Breton

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:52:49 -0500

adapted from Desert Candy

Ingredients

3 large eggs
2 cups milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup half-and-half)
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup hot tea, such as Earl Grey
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Place eggs, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and melted butter in a blender or food processor and blend for 1 minute. Add flour, and pulse several times. Pour batter into a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or preferably overnight. 2. Meanwhile, place cherries in a heatproof bowl and pour tea evenly over fruit. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and set aside. 3. Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375°. Butter an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan; or use an 8 inch skillet. Place the pan on a baking sheet. 4. Remove batter from refrigerator and whisk to reblend. Forcefully tap the bottom of the pitcher on your work surface to break any top bubbles. Pour batter into prepared pan. Add the cherries, evenly distributing them within the batter; discard any remaining soaking liquid. Bake until top of the cake is puffed and brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature. If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Isabelle's Crème de Menthe Brownies

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:42:24 -0500

Ingredients

Brownies

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Mint Layer

4 cups confectioner's sugar
4 tablespoons crème de menthe
½ cup melted butter

Glaze

1 cup chocolate chips
6 teaspoons butter

Directions

Brownies

Melt butter. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs. Add rest of ingredients. Pour into 13x9 pan (greased on bottom). Put into preheated 350° oven. Bake for 40-55 minutes (until toothpick inserted in middle of pan comes out clean). Cool completely before adding mint layer.

Mint Layer

Melt butter. Add confectioner's sugar and crème de menthe. Mix until smooth and spreadable. You may need to add more crème de menthe to achieve a spreadable consistency. Spread on brownies.

Glaze

Melt together butter and chocolate chips. Cool for about 5 minutes, then pour over brownies. Tilt pan back and forth to spread glaze evenly over pan. Chill 20 minutes, or until glaze is no longer shiny.

Chocolate Peppermint Drops

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:31:34 -0500

adapted from Slashfood

Ingredients

2 cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 small container plain yogurt (whole, lowfat or fat free)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 package peppermint chips or 2 cups crushed peppermint candies

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave at a low heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and both sugars, then stir in yogurt and vanilla extract. Working in two or three additions, stir in the flour, salt and soda and mix until just combined. Add in the peppermint. Drop 1-inch balls of batter onto baking sheet. Bake at 350° F for 8-12 minutes or until set and slightly firm at the edges. Allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.

Variations

Add in 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract and use chocolate chips in place of the crushed candies.
Use dried cherries in place of the mint to add a slightly contrasting tartness to the cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:27:53 -0500

from Reese's

Ingredients

2½ sticks butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 pkg peanut butter chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4½ dozen cookies.