A Love Cake For Mother

Ingredients
1 can "obedience" several pounds of "affection"
1 pt. "neatness" some holiday birthday and everyday "surprises"
1 can of running errands"
1 box powered "get up when I should"
1bottle of "keep sunny all day long"
1can of pure "thoughtfulness"

Mix well and bake in a hearty warm oven.
Serve to "Mother" everyday.

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Aunt Opal's Apple Cake
Recipe: Opal (Premer) Sanders
Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients
4 cups apples, chopped
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar, granulated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 - to -2 Tablespoons hot water
3 cups flour
1 cup nuts
1 cup butterscotch morsels
1¼ teaspoons cinnamon

Mix Apples, oil, sugar and vanilla.
Let set for 1 hour.
Mix eggs, salt, baking soda flour and nuts.
Add the butterscotch morsels and cinnamon.
Add apples and mix well.
Flour and grease 9" x 13" inch baking pan.

Bake in 350-degree oven for 40 minutes, or when tester comes out clean.
Sift powdered sugar on top when done, if desired.

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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Preheat oven to 350

Cake Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar, granulated
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
3 carrots, medium sized, grated
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Icing
½ cup butter, (1 stick), softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups powdered sugar

Topping
¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 9" inch round cake pan. (or 9" x 13" inch, glass baking pan.)
Dust with flour, tap out excess flour.

Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Alternately, at low speed, beat flour mixture and milk into butter mixture.
Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake the cake until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Turn cake out onto rack to cool completely.

To prepare icing beat together butter and the cream cheese at medium speed until completely smooth.
Beat in vanilla. Beat in powdered sugar until well blended.
To prepare topping mix together nuts and brown sugar.
Place cake on a serving plate. Spread icing over top and sides.
Sprinkle with nut mixture.

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Chocolate Sheet Cake
Recipe: Joyce Martin (Connie's sister)
Preheat oven to 350

Cake Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar, granulated
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoons salt
1 cup butter
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter. Add cocoa and water. Bring to a boil.
Mix together; flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour the melted margarine mixture over the dry ingredients.
Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Beat well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Icing
½ cup butter
4 Tablespoons cocoa
6 Tablespoons buttermilk
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter. Add cocoa and buttermilk. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar, nuts and vanilla.
Beat by hand. Pour over cake while both are hot.

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Easy Coffee Cake
Recipe: Melody Tuli
Preheat oven to 375

Grease and flour square 9"inch baking pan.
Servings = 9

Cake
Mix thoroughly together:
¾ cup sugar, granulated
¼ cup shortening, softened
1 egg
Stir in ½ cup milk.

Blend together
1 1/3 cup sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Stir into first mixture. Spread batter into baking pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping.

Streusel Topping
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons butter, melted ½ cup nuts, chopped

Bake cake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Note: I have used this recipe many times and adding my own variations to it.
You could add blueberries and/or cream cheese to this recipe.

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Flourless Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350 Servings = 12
Note: Use high-quality chocolate in this bittersweet cake,
which illustrates Torres's talent for making the most of exceptional ingredients-even in the simplest preparations.

Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
6½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1½ cups sugar
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, softened
6 large eggs
Unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Tightly wrap outside of 10"inch diameter spring form pan with 3 sheets of heavy-duty foil.
Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Spray inside of pan with nonstick spray.
Combine both chocolates in large metal bowl.
Set over saucepan of simmering water and stir just until melted.
Remove from over water.

Bring 1-cup sugar and ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons water to boil in saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Gradually whisk hot syrup into melted chocolate (mixture may look curdled).
Add butter; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and ½ cup sugar in bowl to blend well, about 2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, gently fold egg mixture into warm chocolate mixture.

Transfer batter to prepared pan (batter will come halfway up sides).
Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1" inch up sides of cake pan. Bake cake until wooden skewer inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes.

Remove cake pan from water. Remove foil; cool completely on rack. Cut around cake sides to loosen.
Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Dust with cocoa powered and serve.

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Hawaiian Cake
Preheat oven to 350

Cake
Mix together the following ingredients:
1½ cup butter
2 cups sugar, granulated
5 eggs

Add: 4 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts
1 cup coconut

Place cake mixture in 9" x 12" inch baking pan.
Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until done.

Icing
½ stick butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Note: Mix together and spread on top of cooled cake.

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Lemon Poppyseed Cake
Original recipe by Gale Gand-Foodnetwork.com


Digital photography by Melody Tuli
Bake: 1 hr. 35 mins.
Preheat oven 350 6-cup loaf pan
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Note: This is a great cake if you like lemon.

Ingredients
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1 Tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Note: I substituted the vanilla extract for orange extract.
Note: I also baked this cake in glass 11" x 8" baking pan, at 350 for about 35-40 mins.

Combine poppy seeds, lemon zest, milk.
Set aside to soak for at least 1 hour or refrigerated overnight. Preheat oven to 350.
Whip the sugar and eggs together until fluffy. In separate bowl sift dry ingredients together.
Add in batches of the dry ingredients and poppy seed mixture and eggs mixture.
Batter will be somewhat thin. Pour into prepared pan.

Note: Do not over bake.
Note: I also made a glaze for this cake using ½ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup sugar.
When cake was semi-cooled I poked several holes in the top using a toothpick, then spread the lemon glaze over the top of the cake.

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Perry's Black Magic Cake
Recipe: Perry Sanders
Preheat oven to 350

Stir together the dry ingredients, as listed below:
1¾ cups flour
2 cups sugar, granulated
¾ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In separate bowl, combine your wet ingredients as listed below:
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup strong black coffee
1 cup buttermilk, or may substitute with 1 cup milk plus 1 Tablespoon vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine wet and dry ingredients. Incorporate well.
Beat for 2 minutes. Grease and flour 13" x 9" x 2" inch baking pan,
or two 9"inch round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

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Pumpkin Cake
Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon pure orange extract
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine wet ingredients.
Combine dry ingredients. Incorporate together. Mix well.
Grease two loaf pans or one 9" x 13" inch glass baking pan, or five mini loaf pans.
Pour batter into pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Note: This cake freezes well.

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My Mom's Red Velvet Cake
Recipe: Aunt "Marge" Marjorie Spader
Note: Nice cake to bake for the Christmas holiday season.

Cake
Ingredients
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup crisco
1½ cup sugar (white); cream as for cake
Add: 2 eggs. Beating in one at a time.
Beat after each addition.
2¼ cup flour (reg.)
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon cocoa
1 cup buttermilk

Add flour mix and milk alternately to above.
Beat after each addition.
Add: 2 ounces red food coloring
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon vinegar, (white)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Add to cake mixture.
Fold in, do not beat.
Pour into two 9"inch baking pans, that have been greased and floured.
Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.

Creamy Nut Frosting & Filling for Red Velvet Cake
Filling
2½ Tablespoon flour
Gradually blend ½ cup milk. Cook to very thick paste, (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile cream:
½ cup shortening, (half butter), ½ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt.
Add: the lukewarm paste. Beat with mixer until fluffy.
Fold in ½ teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup chopped walnuts.
Use 1/3 the amount for filling.

Frosting for 2 layer cakes
To remainder:
Blend in up to 1 cup powdered sugar, to make a generous amount for top and sides of cakes.

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Rolled Oats Cake
Preheat oven to 350

Cake
Ingredients
1 cup oatmeal, (old-fashioned quick oats)
1½ cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter

Pour boiling water over oats. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
Beat butter, add sugars and beat until fluffy. Blend in the eggs.
Then add the oats mixture and mix well.
Sift the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add to creamed mixture. Stir.

Pour into a 9" x 13" inch, greased and floured baking pan.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and spread with topping.

Topping
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup softened butter
¼ cup milk
1 cup coconut
Mix together and spread on top of cake.

Bake for 10 minutes longer.

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Rosie's Pistachio Cake
Recipe: Rosie (Meehan) McAfee

Cake
Ingredients
1 white cake mix
1 box pistachio pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup 7-up or sprite
½ cup oil
½ cup milk

Mix all together. Grease and flour pan.
Bake at regular temperature off the back of white cake box mix.

Icing
Ingredients
1¼ cup milk
1 box pistachio pudding mix
1 large container of cool whip

Reminder: Cake has to be completely cool before icing is applied.
Note: Keep cake refrigerated.
Note: This cake is fun to bake for Easter or St. Patrick's Day.

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Strawberry Shortcake
Servings = 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 pkg. (10-ounce) rrozen strawberries, with sugar, thawed
½ pint (1 cup) whipping cream
1 (9-inch) yellow layer cake, or pound cake

Drain strawberries, reserving juice.
Combine strawberries and cover. Refrigerate.
Beat whipping cream at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Cover. Refrigerate.

When ready to serve cut cake into wedges; drizzle with small amount of reserved strawberry juice.
Top with strawberry mixture and whipped cream.
Refrigerate leftovers.

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Swedish Nut Cake
Recipe: Aunt Melody
Preheat oven to 350

Cake
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, un-drained
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Grease and flour a 13" x 9" cake pan or two 8" inch or 9"inch pans.

Mix together the sugar and beaten eggs.
Add vanilla and the un-drained can of pineapple. Mix together the flour and baking soda.
Beat together both mixtures. Incorporate the mixture well.
Add ½ of chopped walnuts to the cake mixture.
Place in greased and floured baking pan(s).

Bake cake at 350 degrees, for 30 to 35 minutes.
Check cake for doneness.
Note: Do not over bake this cake.

Icing
Ingredients 1 package cream cheese (8 oz.) 1 stick unsalted butter melted 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped Cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla well. Add powdered sugar. Add walnuts.

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Candied Nuts-Cinnamon Toast Pecans
Recipe: Paula Deen

Ingredients
2 Tablespoon butter, melted
2 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups (1 lb.) pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Stir together first five ingredients.
Add pecans, tossing to coat.
Spread coated nuts in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

Note: Let cool, store in an air tight container up to 2 weeks.

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Chocolate Frosting

In a medium sized bowl, fill about ½ full of powdered sugar.
Add 2 large Tablespoons of butter.
Watch milk. Beat until fluffy.
Add 3 or 4 heaping Tablespoons cocoa.

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Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
Recipe: From Cocoa Can

Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons butter
milk
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Kenny's Chocolate Fudge
Recipe: Kenny Sanders

Combine:
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 can pet milk, or carnation condensed milk

Cook on medium high until a soft ball forms.
Do a ball test. In cold water, drop small amount of mixture into cup of cold water.
Stir constantly so the sugar mixture doesn't stick to pan.

Cook mixture until a "hard ball" forms. Remove from stove.

Mix:
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
2 Tablespoons marshmallow fluff
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Walnuts, or nuts of choice

On large plate or dish, before placing fudge mixture onto plate butter the plate.
Then place fudge mixture onto buttered platter or plate. Let cool.
Then cut into square pieces.

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Christmas Truffles
Servings: 7 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1/3 cup rum
1/3 cup grated orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
1 (9-ounce) package chocolate wafers, crushed
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup cocoa

Microwave chocolate morsels in a glass bowl at MEDIUM 2 minutes,
stirring after 1 minute. Stir in rum and next 5 ingredients.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; roll in cocoa.
Store in the refrigerator.

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Cocadas Coconut Sweets

In addition to the west coast of Mexico, Peru and Colombia also claim these sweets as their own, an indication that perhaps they followed the Pacific route of the ceviche.
In any case, they are Colima's signature candy.

Ingredients
1 large coconut, drained, peeled and grated
1 cup water or more as needed
1 pound sugar
3 beaten egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter ground cinnamon to taste

Preparation:
Measure the liquid drained from the coconut,
and add enough water to make three cups liquid.
Place the liquid and the sugar in a saucepan and cook until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat, stir in beaten egg yolks and the grated coconut meat.

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the bottom of the pan is visible. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.

Spread the cocada in a baking tray, sprinkle with cinnamon and allow it to cool completely before cutting into squares.

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Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge
Servings = 1¼ pounds

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
½ cup chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches soft ball stage or a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees. Remove from heat.

Add peanut butter and vanilla, beating 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is creamy.
Spoon into buttered 8-inch square pan, and spread evenly, cool.
Cut into squares, and store in an airtight container.

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Creamy Pralines
Servings = 2 dozen

Ingredients
2½ cups sugar, granulated
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecan halves
Vegetable cooking spray

Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy 4-quart saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reaches 236 degrees (about 25 minutes).

Remove from heat; stir in butter, and let mixture cool to 140 degrees (about 30 minutes). Add vanilla, beating until color lightens; stir in pecans.
Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper coated with cooking spray;
let stand until firm.

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Microwave Peanut Brittle
Recipe: Connie Rines

Ingredients
1 cup sugar, granulated
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup Karo syrup, white

Combine the above ingredients well.
Microwave on high 5 minutes.

Stir in: 1½ cups raw peanuts
Microwave 3 minutes.

Stir in: 1 Tablespoon real butter
Microwave 3 minutes.

Stir in: 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Pour onto a well greased cookie sheet.
Stretch thin. Cool and crack. Store in airtight container.

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My Father's Cracker Jack
Recipe: Mel Spader

Ingredients
1 cup sugar, (white)
½ cup Karo, (white)
¼ cup butter

Cook until it begins to turn brown. Then take off stove.
Add ½ teaspoon baking soda. Stir thoroughly and pour on popcorn.

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People Chow

Servings = 12 cups

Ingredients
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (11½ ounce) package milk chocolate morsels
1 (12-ounce) box honey graham cereal
3 cups sifted powdered sugar

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Add cereal, stirring to coat.

Place half of the powdered sugar in a large heavy-duty, zip-top plastic bag; add cereal mixture and remaining half of the powdered sugar.

Seal bag, and gently shake to coat. Pour mixture onto 2 cookie sheets; let dry. Separate large pieces with fork, if necessary.

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Wanita's Applesauce Cookies
Recipe: Wanita Shirk; Connie Rines, mother.

Ingredients
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 egg
1 cup applesauce or drained crushed pineapple
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour

Drop cookie dough by the spoonful onto well greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes. Soft fruit cookie.

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Basic Sugar Cookies
Servings: Makes about 32 cookies
Preheat oven to 375
Prep time: 1 hour
Bake 8 minutes per batch

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
Dash salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

In medium bowl, beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

Add sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining flour.
Cover and chill 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough, half at a time, to a ¼" inch thickness.
Cut dough with cookie cutters. Arrange cutouts on un-greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.
Frost with icing and decorate.

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Melody's Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe: Melody Tuli
Preheat oven to 350 Prep. 15 minutes
Chilling, 10-12 minutes baking per batch
Serving = 4 dozen cookies
Note: I've tried many chocolate chip cookies recipes,
and this one is bar none the BEST-EVER!
These cookies taste similar to the Famous Amos cookie.

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) un-salted butter, softened
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Note: I use a whole bag of Jumbo chocolate chips = 12 oz. bag
Options: You could add nuts or raisins to this recipe.
But the original recipe is great on it's own.

Mix together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Beat together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture until blended.

Fold in oats and chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 baking sheets. Shape dough into 1" inch balls.
Place cookies, 2" inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly. Bake cookies until lightly browned around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

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Connie's Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe: Connie Rines
Preheat oven to 375

Ingredients
½ cup butter
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar, granulated
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla

Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll into balls.
Place on un-greased cooking sheet. Criss-cross balls with a fork dipped in sugar.
Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

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Biscotti
Chocolate-Orange Biscotti
Recipe taken from Bon Appetit August 2003 "Easy Summer Style" issue.
Makes about 3 doz.

Ingredients
2 cups plus
2 Tablespoons, all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons salt
¾ cup sugar, granulated
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier, or other orange liqueur
1 Tablespoon orange peel, grated
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, coarsely chopped
6 ounces chocolate, bittersweet (not unsweetened) chopped

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend.
Using electronic mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend.
Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then Grand Marnier and orange peel.
Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate.
Gather dough together; divide in half. Wrap in plastic and freeze 20 minutes to firm. Position oven rack in center of oven; preheat to 350o F.

Using floured hands, form each dough piece into 14-inch long, 2 ½ inch-wide log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer parchment with logs to rack. Cool 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300o F.
Place 1 log on cutting board. Using serrated knife; cut log on diagonal into ½ inch-thick slices. Stand slices upright on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining log.
Bake biscotti until dry to touch and pale golden, about 30 minutes.
Cool completely on rack. (Can be made one week ahead. Store in airtight container.)

Note: This is a basic Biscotti recipe. You can substitute whatever flavorings you wish.
I used almonds instead of pecans, rum instead of Grand Marnier & added pure orange extract instead of the orange peel.


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Chai Spiced Almond Cookies
Servings: Makes about 22 cookies
Recipe: Aunt Melody copied from Bon Appetit January 2006 Issue
Prep: 20 minutes. Total: 60 minutes. (Includes baking and cooling time)

Note: These cookies, a twist on the traditional snowballs, are just the thing to enjoy with a spot of tea. I also added some cardamom seeds. We primarily use our electric coffee grinder for our spices. A really nice, different cookie.

Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) un-salted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup finely chopped toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350 temp.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1/3 cup sugar, both extracts, spices, and salt in medium bowl. Beat in flour, then stir in almonds.

Using hands, roll dough into Tablespoon size balls.
Place on large baking sheet, spacing apart.
Bake until pale golden, about 25 minutes. Cool on sheet 5 minutes.
Place remaining sugar in large bowl. Working in batches, gently coat hot cookies in sugar. Cool cookies on rack. Roll again in sugar and serve.

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Chocolate-Filled Hazelnut Cookies
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello-Foodnetwork
Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 stick plus
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour
1 level Tablespoon cocoa powder
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Grind the nuts with confectioners' sugar until powdery (do not make into a paste).
Blend together the butter, lemon zest, salt, and nut mixture in a large bowl with a spatula or spoon until creamy. Add the flour and cocoa powder, stirring until incorporated. Do not overwork the dough.

Roll level 1/2 teaspoons of dough into tiny balls and arrange 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until lightly crisped, about 12 minutes.
Slide the parchment paper with the baked cookies onto a rack to cool. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave.
Spoon a mound, about 1/8 teaspoon, of melted chocolate onto the flat side of a cookie then top with the flat side of another cookie to make a "sandwich". Repeat.

Plain cookies can be baked and cooled 1 week ahead and kept at room temperature in an airtight container. Fill when ready to serve.

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Coconut Chews
Preheat oven to 350
Servings = 3 dozen

Ingredients
¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup sifted powdered sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup coconut, flaked
1 cup sifted powder sugar
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 Tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Beat ¾ cut butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy;
gradually add ¾ cup powdered sugar and 1½ cups flour, beating well.
Press into an un-greased 13-x 9-x 2-inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
Combine eggs and next 7 ingredients; pour evenly over crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Combine 1 cup powdered sugar and remaining ingredients, stirring until smooth.
Pour over warm cookies. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Cut into 3-x 1-inch bars. Freeze up to 3 months, if desired.

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Bridget's Crullers-Gruzdai
Recipe: Bridget Sitar-Zitti

Ingredients
2 1/2-3 cups of flour
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup of sugar
6 Tablespoons of whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 Tablespoon brandy

Crisco or oil or lard and crisco mixture for frying.

Whip egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy.
Add remaining ingredients slowly: add flour in small amounts until soft dough is formed. Knead well.
Let rest for at least 2 hours in refrigerator.

Heat oil to 375 degrees.

Roll out the dough very thin on a well floured board.
Cut into diamond shapes 1" inch by 2" inch.
Make a parallel cut through the center and pull one end through the slit.

Fry in hot oil until golden brown on one side, turn over and fry until golden brown on the other side. Drain on paper towel.

May be sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Makes at least 4 dozen crullers.

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Melody's German Date Pinwheel Cookies
Preheat oven to 375
Note: This recipe is from a 1949 German Lutheran Lady's Aid Church Cookbook.
My mother use to make these cookies at Christmas time.

Dough
Ingredients
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
4 cups flour, sifted
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Filling
Ingredients
2¼ cups dates, chopped coarsely
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 cup water
1 cup nuts, chopped (I use walnuts)

To make filling: Combine dates, sugar, water and boil 3 minutes.
Add nuts and cool thoroughly. Meanwhile cream shortening and sugar well.
Add well beaten eggs. Beat well. Add remaining ingredients sifted together and mix well. Chill thoroughly. Then divide dough in two parts and roll separately a little less than ¼ inch thick. Spread with date filling and roll like jelly roll.
Chill overnight.

Slice dough and bake in moderate oven 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
Note: You can also use this same filling between philodough sheets, (puffed pastry) that you'll find in your frozen foods section. This doesn't take as long as the cookies.
Not as much sugar either…

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Finnish Date Pecan Fingers

Ingredients
¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup sugar, granulated
1 egg yolk
1 cup pecan, halves
½ cup dates, whole pitted
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg white, slightly beaten
Sugar, granulated
½ cup semisweet chocolate, pieces melted

In mixer bowl cream butter and 1/4 cup sugar; add egg yolk.
Beat till light and fluffy. Add Pecan halves and pitted dates place into food processor, process until very fine mixture adding very small amounts of cooking oil into mixture to form thickened paste. Add Vanilla. Stir together flour, salt, and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture. Using a scant tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll into 2½ -inch fingers. Dip one side of each finger in egg white, then in sugar.

Place sugar side up on greased cookie sheet.
Bake in 350 degree oven about 20 minutes. Remove from sheet; cool on rack.
Dip one end of each cookie in chocolate; place on waxed paper till set.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Note: Original recipe calls for ½ cup chestnut puree or canned chestnuts, drained and pureed. Instead of the pecans and dates used above. Very good recipe for Christmas holiday cookies.

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Holiday Biscotti
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis-Foodnetwork
Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend.
Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.
Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely. Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts.
Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set.
Sprinkle with the sugar crystals.
Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.

The biscotti can be made ahead.
Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.
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Connie's Lucy Lemon Bars
Recipe: Connie Rines
Preheat oven to 350

Mix together crust:
Ingredients
1 cup flour
½ cup melted butter
¼ cup powdered sugar

Press into a 9x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Beat together:
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar, granulated
2 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Pour over hot baked crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle top with powdered sugar. Cut while still warm.

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Mexican Wedding Cakes
Serving = Makes about 4½ dozen

Ingredients
½ pound butter
¼ cup sugar, granulated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Confectioners' sugar

Cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla; cream until light and fluffy.
Add the flour and pecans; mix well. Roll into 1-inch balls and place an inch apart on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Remove from the cookie sheet and roll in confectioners' sugar while warm.

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Connie's Snicker Doodles
Recipe: Connie Rines
Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 eggs 1 ½ cup sugar, granulated
2 ¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cinnamon mixture

Chill dough for 2 hours. Roll into balls.
Prepare in small bowl ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cinnamon.
Roll balls in a sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees, for 8 to 10 minutes.

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Vanilla Shortbread Cookies
European style butter pushes the already incredible crumbly richness of classic shortbread to a whole new level.
Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted European-style butter, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift flour, ¾ cup powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt into medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy.
Gradually beat in granulated sugar and vanilla.
Stir in dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing until just blended each time.

Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Roll each half into 6-inch-long log; wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Position racks in top third and center of oven; preheat to 325 F.
Cut each log crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices.
Arrange slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets., spacing ½ inch apart (cookies will spread very little).

Bake cookies 9 minutes. Reverse baking sheets; bake just until cookies turn golden brown at edges about 9 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 1 minute.
Using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks; cool.

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Banana Pudding or Pie Filling
Recipe: Lettie Ridgeway

Preheat oven to 425

Ingredients
2 or 3 eggs
½ cup sugar, granulated
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk

Beat well and cook over low heat. Stirring constantly.
Bake pie shell at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

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Sweet Potato Pudding or Pie Filling
Preheat oven to 350
Servings = 6

Ingredients
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, roasted
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch of grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pecan, pieces
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tablespoons pure cane syrup
Pinch of salt to taste
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup flour
½ cup flaked coconut
½ stick butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel and mash the potatoes in a mixing bowl, until smooth. Stir in the eggs and cream.
Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, ½ cup of the pecans, ½ cup of the brown sugar, syrup, salt and vanilla. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into a 1 ½ quart greased round baking dish.
Combine the remaining pecans, remaining brown sugar, flour, coconut and butter.
Using your hands, mix the ingredients until the mixture resembles, a coarse texture.
Spread the mixture over the pudding and place in the oven.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve hot.

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