Sunday, October 31, 2010

Pumpkin Cupcakes/Muffins

Serves 12

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pumpkin (15 ounce)
1 bag cinnamon chips

Mix all cake mix & pumpkin till smooth; next add cinnamon chips & mix.

Pour into muffin pan (12 muffins)...bake @ 350 for 25 - 30 minutes (or until you can pull a toothpick out clean).
NOTE: I always get asked if you mix the cake mix and the answer is no you just put the above three ingredients together and follow the rest of the directions.

Snickerdoodles

Makes 4 dozen
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
* 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
* 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
* 2 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats); set aside. (I sometimes spray the cookie sheets with Pam. Silpats are lovely, but totally not necessary. :) )

2. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients and beat to combine.

3. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice cream scoop to form balls of the dough. Roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

By: Sanmanfan

Editor's note: These never, ever last one week in my house. :)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Crockpot Peanut Butter Granola

5-6 QUART CROCK POT/ SLOW COOKER
6 cups Dry Oatmeal
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Toasted Coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup Raisins
1 cup Butter
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar

1. Combine oatmeal, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds and raisins in large crock pot/slower cooker
2. Melt butter, peanut butter and brown sugar. Pour over oatmeal and Mix Well.
3.Cover. Cook on Low 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
4. Allow to cool in cooker, stirring every 30 minutes or so, OR spread on cookie sheet.
5. When thoroughly cooled, break into chunks and store in airtight container

DO NOT STORE IN FRIDGE

by:Denise

Double Chocolate Cookie (French Sable Korova)

(from the now-closed Korova restaurant in Paris but still available at the Pierre Hermes patisserie)
Makes 2 dozen (recipe can be doubled)
1 1/3 c flour
1/3 c Dutch process cocoa, unsweetened
1 t baking soda
1 stick + 3 T unsalted butter (11 T in all), at room temperature
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 1/4 t fine sea salt (Fleur De sel)
1/2 t vanilla extract
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (1 cup)

In a medium bowl, sift flour with cocoa and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, sea salt and vanilla. Beat by hand until combined. Beat in sifted dry ingredients until just blended. Dough will be crumbly but will hold together. Knead in chocolate pieces until evenly distributed.

Form a log approx 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. (can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a month, if tightly wrapped)

Preheat oven to 350*. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a sharp knife, cut 3/8 inch slices from the log and arrange about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. If slices crumble, reform the cookies by pressing the dough together.

Bake the cookies on the lower and middle racks until puffed and cracked on top, about 17 minutes. Shift pans from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through (or use the fan if you have a convection oven). Let cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

By: Tina

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Christmas Pudding

225g (8oz) Butter
125g (4oz) Chopped Prunes
350g (12oz) Currants
225g (8oz) Raisins
175g (6oz) Sultanas
50g (2oz) Mixed Peel
225g (8oz) Dark Brown Sugar
200g (7oz) Flour, sifted
125g (4oz) Carrots, peeled & grated
50g (2oz) Blanched Almonds
175g (6oz) Fresh Breadcrumbs
2.5ml (½tsp) Baking Soda + 10ml (2tsp) Lemon juice - mixed together
Grated rind of 1 Lemon
Grated rind & juice of 1 Orange
45ml (3tbsp) Lyle’s Black Treacle, warmed (molasses)
2.5ml (½tsp) Nutmeg, Mixed Spice & Cinnamon
2 Large Eggs
30ml (2tbsp) Marmalade
60ml (4tbsp) Guinness or Beer
30ml (2tbsp) Rum
30ml (2tbsp) Brandy
1 cup Hard Cider

Sufficient ingredients for two 1½ pint well greased pudding bowls or molds

Melt the butter and add to the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture in to the greased pudding bowl, gently pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover with a layer of parchment, then a layer of aluminum foil and tie securely with string. Place the pudding in a steamer set over/in a saucepan of simmering water about ½ way up the side of the bowl and steam the pudding for 6 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently so it never boils dry.

The pudding should be a deep brown color when cooked. Remove the pudding from the steamer, cool completely. Remove the paper and foil, prick the pudding with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover with fresh parchment paper and foil and retie with string. Store in a cool dry place until Christmas day. On Christmas day reheat the pudding by steaming again for about an hour. Serve with Brandy Sauce, Brandy Butter or custard.

by: Caroline

Chocolate Cherry Upside Down Cake

Mix and spread in bottom of 8 or 9 inch cake pan (ungreased):
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

In large bowl combine:
1&2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar (I've used white and cider, both work)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix well and pour on top of cherry mixture

Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then invert onto serving plate.

Recipe can be doubled for 13x9 pan.

by:Solowytch

Friday, October 15, 2010

Divinity Fudge

2 cups white sugar
1 cup lite brown sugar
1 cup pet milk
2 tablespoons Karo syrup
1 stick real butter
2 1/2 cups pecans
teaspoon vanilla
Cook until soft boil, about 20 minutes. Beat. Drop onto buttered wax paper.

This is also my mom's recipe.. Really really good.

Enjoy,
Truck

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Orange Juice Cake

1 Yellow Butter Recipe Cake Mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup Orange Juice
1 small box Instant Vanilla Pudding
*Mix all together with electric mixer
Pour into greased & floured bundt pan
Put 1/2 cup of nuts (i used pecans) on the bottom of the pan
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes
Leave in pan and punch holes in cake with a knife
Pour glaze over cake

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Orange Juice
*Bring to a rolling boil. Pour over cake and leave in pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto plate.
Let cool.
(It came right out of the pan for me)

Robin - NC

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Orange Juice Bundt Cake

13 oz. candied orange slices, chopped
8 oz. dates, chopped
3 oz. flaked coconut
2 c. nuts, broken into 1 c. flour
2 sticks butter
2 c. sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2-1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. orange juice (or buttermilk)

Mix together the orange slices, dates, coconut and nuts, set aside.

In a mixing bowl cream together the butter, sugar and eggs. Combine the flour and baking soda, add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice (or buttermilk). When mixed well, fold into the first mixture. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or 3 loaf pans.

Bake at 300°F for 2 hours or bake in 3 two lb. loaf pans. Check loaf pans after 1-1/2 hours with a toothpick to see if they are done.

Glaze: Mix together:

1 stick butter (1/4 lb)
6 tablespoons orange juice
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

While cake is still hot poke holes and pour glaze over. Let stand for 10 minutes and then invert onto cake plate.