Orange Julius

Orange Julius                                                      

6 oz. orange juice concentrate

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ cup sugar

15-20 ice cubes

 

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Cover and whirl until well blended.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

Into a saucepan put: 

½ c. butter (one stick)
2 c. white sugar
¼ c. cocoa
¼ c. light corn syrup
½ c. milk

Bring to a ROLLING boil and boil 60-90 seconds*.  Remove from heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla
¾ c. chunky peanut butter
3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls (or medium scoop) onto wax paper-lined** cookie sheets.  Refrigerate until firm.

NOTES:
*Most recipes like this call for boiling for one minute, but it always turns out too soft for me.  I boil it longer and it's still pretty flexible after it cools.

**Instead of wax-paper, I now use reusable silicone baking mats.  It doesn't peel off from the cookie quite as easily, but it's reusable and I just use an inverted spatula to release the cookie.

Using a scoop to portion these cookies has revolutionized my life.  I use a scoop to do other cookies, but I hadn't thought of it for these until a friend suggested it.  Oh my goodness.  So fast.  So clean.  So perfect!  I  love it!  

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

1 C. sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 lemon, juiced, and zested
 ~1/2 c. lemon juice, use bottled juice if needed
 ~1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 C. milk
4 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 C. butter
1 c. sour cream
whipped cream                                                   

Using a hand mixer process cream cheese and sugar until smooth before adding anything else; then add in eggs and process until homogenized. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, milk, and cornstarch.  Place in heavy saucepan; cook over medium heat until thick.  Stir in butter and cool mixture to room temperature. Stir in sour cream and transfer filling into baked 9-inch pie shell.  Cover with whipped cream.  Store in refrigerator. 

Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes

CRUST:

1 ½ cups finely crushed Oreo cookie crumbs (about 22) (You can also use sugar cookies)

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1. Place one row of the cookies into a resealable plastic bag on a flat surface. Pound them with a hammer until crushed into crumbs. It is easier to crush the cookies when there is a smaller amount in the bag. Measure out one and a half cups.
2. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl with a spoon until they're properly mixed and have a consistent texture.

(ALTERNATIVE: I used my food processor and just pulsed it until the crumbs were fine and then added the melted butter and pulsed it until it was incorporated, scraping the sides a couple of times)

3. Use your fingers to press 1 tablespoon of crumbs into each of the lined muffin tins (I used silicone liners. I recommend it.)

Makes 18-24 depending on the size of your liners.  (I used silicone which narrowed the space enough that it made 24 instead of the originally stated 18.)

HEAT oven to 300°F.

FILLING:
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

1. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. (NOTE: Do not whip at high speed or mix too long. Introducing too much air will cause cakes to fall after baking.) Stir in vanilla. Pour about 1/4 cup of the filling on top of each of the cookie crusts.
2. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until edges are set and centers are still slightly jiggly. Turn oven off, and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until cheesecakes are chilled. If desired, carefully peel off liners. Top with raspberry sauce and sweetened whipped cream.

TOPPING*:
1/3 cup raspberry preserves (or jam)
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. cornstarch (dissolved in the lemon juice)

In a small saucepan, heat preserves over medium heat till melted. Add raspberries and lemon juice/cornstarch. Cook and stir until slightly thickened (about 1 minute for fresh fruit or 3-4 minutes for frozen fruit). Transfer to a small bowl. Cover; quick-chill in the freezer for 10 minutes or chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Spoon raspberry sauce over cheesecake.

(*DISCLAIMER:  I kind of made up this topping recipe as I went along based on a couple of other recipes I consulted. I was also making 72 cheesecakes at the time and I waaaaay overdid the amount of topping I made.  Soooo, I’ve backed way off on the amounts and I’m hoping that it’s actually enough for one batch of 24 cheesecakes.  You might have leftovers; you might have to make a bit more.  You’ve been warned!)

 

Mini Grasshopper Cheesecakes

I forgot to take my own picture so this is a small
clipping of a picture someone else took of my
cheesecakes. Thus, the low resolution!

CRUST:

1 ½ cups finely crushed Oreo cookie crumbs (about 22) (You can also use sugar cookies)

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1. Place one row of the cookies into a resealable plastic bag on a flat surface. Pound them with a hammer until crushed into crumbs. It is easier to crush the cookies when there is a smaller amount in the bag. Measure out one and a half cups.
2. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl with a spoon until they're properly mixed and have a consistent texture.

(ALTERNATIVE: I used my food processor and just pulsed it until the crumbs were fine and then added the melted butter and pulsed it until it was incorporated, scraping the sides a couple of times)

3. Use your fingers to press 1 tablespoon of crumbs into each of the lined muffin tins (I used silicone liners. I recommend it.)

Makes 18-24 depending on the size of your liners.  (I used silicone which narrowed the space enough that it made 24 instead of the originally stated 18.)

HEAT oven to 300°F.

FILLING:
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. peppermint extract
4-6 drops green food coloring

1. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. (NOTE: Do not whip at high speed or mix too long. Introducing too much air will cause cakes to fall after baking.) Stir in flavoring and color. Pour about 1/4 cup of the filling on top of each of the cookie crusts.
2. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until edges are set and centers are still slightly jiggly. Turn oven off, and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until cheesecakes are chilled. If desired, carefully peel off liners. Top with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings. 

Glazed Doughnut Muffins

Glazed Doughnut Muffins

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
1 c. milk

• Mix butter, oil, sugars, and eggs in a mixing bowl.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Then add milk and mix until well blended.
• Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each of the 12 cups to the brim with batter.  (I used mini muffin tins and got 36 muffins/"doughnut holes".
• Bake 17-18 minutes at 425°.  Bake mini muffins about 14-15 minutes.
• Remove from pan and let cool about 5 minutes then dip/twirl the top of the muffins in glaze.  Let glaze harden and dip again if desired.

Glaze: 
Mix until smooth: 3 Tbs. butter, 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 Tbs. hot water.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate "Zucchini" Cake using Yellow
Crookneck squash instead of zucchini

½ cup shortening*
½ cup oil
1 ¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup sour milk**
2 ½ cups flour
4 Tbs. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups grated zucchini

Cream shortening, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour milk. Mix well. Sift together dry ingredients and combine with wet mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts, and zucchini. Spread in a greased 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes. Very tasty. Enjoy!

You could add frosting to this if you'd like, but we never have and love it as is. Also, my kids don't realize that there is zucchini in this and once they're old enough to figure it out, they've never cared! Yummy!

*I use coconut oil instead of shortening now.

**If you don't have sour milk, you can sour some by putting a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and adding enough milk to make the ½ cup you need. Let it sit for five minutes or so to let it curdle.

This recipe is from my grandma, Catherine Fox.

Blueberry Buckle

¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Mix sugar, butter, and egg. Stir in milk. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Gently fold in blueberries. (If frozen, don’t thaw) Spread batter into a greased, floured 8- or 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

Crumb Topping:
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup butter

Cut together until it resembles crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Bake 35-40 minutes in a 375° oven.

Recipe courtesy of: my mom!! ♥
Photo courtesy of: http://foodiereflections.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Buckle.jpg

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 oz. cream cheese
½ cup softened butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 ½ to 4 ¾ cups powdered sugar
(1 cup powdered sugar = 6 oz.)

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla till light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in enough remaining powdered sugar to make frosting of spreading consistency.
Frosts the tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch cake layers.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Prepare as above, except substitute ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder for ¼ cup powdered sugar.

Sour Cream Blackberry Pie

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Mix together:

1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons flour (more if the berries seem really wet)

Gently fold in 4-4 1/2 cups of fresh (or frozen) blackberries.

Put in an unbaked 9-inch pie shell and sprinkle with crushed Ritz crackers (about 15) just so the berry mixture is evenly covered.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Cool, slice, and enjoy!

White Chocolate-Macadamia Nut Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, room temperature
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
½ baking soda
2 cups (11 oz.) white chips
1 ½ cups chopped Macadamia nuts

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg one at a time, and beat well. Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in white chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes in a 350° oven.
Makes 5 dozen

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 scant cup shortening (6 oz.)
1/2 cup butter (4 oz.)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (8 oz.)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 ½ cups flour
1 pkg. chocolate chips

Cream together: shortening, butter, and sugars. Add: eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart (12 to a sheet).

Bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Fruit Cobbler

½ cup butter
2 tsp. baking powder
1½ cups flour
¾ cup milk
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
16 oz. can of fruit filling or plain fruit

Fruit filling:
2 cups fruit,
½ cup sugar,
2 Tbs. cornstarch
Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan, let stand for 10 minutes, then cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

Melt butter in a casserole. Mix in flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk. Blend until smooth. Pour fruit evenly over the top but DO NOT MIX IN.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until the center is set.

To double recipe use a 9x13 baking dish and place on a cookie sheet in case of spill-over!

(The picture above illustrates the time I discovered that I should use a cookie sheet...What a mess THAT was!!)