Gingerbread Cookies

I was shocked when I realized that I didn't have this recipe on this blog. I love making gingerbread and can't wait to have it tomorrow during my daughters Toddler Time. This is an awesome recipe and makes a ton of great and festive gingerbread.

Enjoy!


1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Cream together then add:

1 cup molasses
2 tbsp. vinegar (White)


Next, sift dry ingredients together (I just stir them together because I don't own a sifter, but the recipe said to do it)

5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves

Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Let it chill in freezer for 1 hour or in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Bake 375 for 5-7 minutes.

An Amazing Loaf of Bread

I have made a lot of things in my day...but I have never baked a loaf of bread in the oven. I have made it in the breadmaker, but today my friend inspired me to begin baking bread. I am glad she did. This bread was super easy to make and it turned out awesome. It is not the healthiest recipe I found, but it was easy and turned out well. I did substitute one of the cups of flour for wheat flour so that helped.

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 (.25 ounce) package bread machine yeast
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place the water, sugar and yeast in the pan of the bread machine. Let the yeast dissolve and foam for 10 minutes. Add the oil, flour and salt to the yeast. Select the dough option on your breadmaker.
   

This usually takes 90 minutes or so.

After it is ready....put the bread in a pan and then let it sit to rise again for another 30 minutes.

After it's second time rising.....it is ready to bake.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes. If it starts to get to brown....add aluminum foil to the top and it will help it. Mine cooked for 35 minutes and was perfecto!!!

Delicious Dressing

2 apples, diced, peeled, and cored. Usually use sweet apple, like a granny smith or braeburn.
½ pound of sausage....like the kind you buy in a circle tube with sage.
½ cup of onions chopped up.
1 tsp. Of garlic minced.
¼ cup of pinenuts.
½ cup of parsley chopped.
1 bag of Pepperidge farm stuffing mix....herb seasoned stuffing by pepperidge farm, blue bag, kind of in crumbs.
2 tsp. Of fresh sage chopped, or buy sausage with sage. (Can omit this if you get the sage sausage)
2 cups of chicken broth.
1 egg beaten.

Brown sausage and drain the fat off of it, add onion and garlic, and cook until it is kind of soft, not very long. Add apples, and keep stirring. Then add bread crumbs, salt and pepper a few shakes, add pinenuts, parsley, and the egg. Then add the chicken broth, and mix it up in a big sauce pan.

It should be kind of squishy, or add some more chicken broth. Sometimes you need to add more chicken broth to make sure that all the breadcrumbs are moist. It should be a little bit stiffer than cake batter.

Have the heat turned off while mixing everything up. Once it is all mixed, transfer it.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350. Bake in 9 x 13 glass baking dish or a 9 x 13 aluminum dish.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

3 tbsp. Butter

3 tbsp. Honey

¼ cup orange juice(Just regular orange juice)

4 medium sweet potatoes.....2 lbs. Total.

On the potatoes, peel them, half them crosswise and quarter length wise. Chunk them so that they are all about the same size.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Use butter in the pan, use a big baking dishing, bigger than a 9 x 13 pans.

Or do in 2 batches.

Lightly butter the dish, 1 tbsp. Of butter throughout the dish.

In a small saucepan, melt 3 tbsp. Of butter, whisk in honey and orange juice. Add sweet potatoes into the buttered baking dish, then pour on the honey and orange juice mixture, toss it around so they are coated.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast until the potatoes are brown and tender. 45 minutes.

Have them made and then throw them in the crock pot to keep them warm.

Stir them about every 15 minutes until they are tender and they seem done.

Fabulous Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce

1 tsp. garlic minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese.....Shredded
1 tsp. parsley

In 1 tsp. olive oil saute garlic about 1 minute. Add cream, bring to a rolling boil, then add the parmesan cheese, bring back to a rolling boil. Turn down head to medium- let it continue to bubble until it thickens. This can take up to 20 minutes. Mix into your pasta and add parsley to add color.

This alfredo sauce is awesome, just don' t eat to much of it if you are on a diet.

Feel free to add shrimp or chicken to your pasta.

Easy Pumpkin Pie

I made this pumpkin pie the other day, it was so easy, it seriously only took about 10 minutes. Making the crust took a few minutes, but the pie part was a since.

Here it is: It is also awesome!

1 9 inch unbaked pie crust (If you make it yourself, I just used the Betty Crocker cookbook recipe that can be found on the internet)
1 can 15 oz. pumpkin
1 can sweeten condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla and cinnamon extract
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, salt, and ground ginger

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients together with a whisk or mixer. Pour into pie crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35-45 minutes longer. Cool before serving.

Weight Watchers Lowfat Pumpkin Cookies

1 spice cake mix
1 can (29 oz. of 100% pumpkin)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips


Mix together cake mix and pumpkin together. Add chocolate chips.

Cook 20 minutes at 350

These cookies are awesome. They are 1 point a cookie...unless your like me and add extra chocolate chips and they are 2.

Sister Aljets Sensational Buttercream Frosting

1 lb. powdered sugar....4 cups...I usually use a little more than this
1 stick real butter at room temperature
1/2 cup crisco shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tbsp. milk

Blend butter and shortening....then add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the milk to the consistency that you want. I continue adding milk and powdered sugar until it tastes how I want it. Note: I always heat my milk when I do this, but you can do whatever.

Also...I add 1 capful of almond flavoring to frosting to add more flavor.

Katy's Famous Strawberry Ice Cream

1 3 oz. package strawberry jello
2 cups of sugar

Pour into the ice cream container

Pour into that 1 cup of boiling water

Stir this until it is all dissolved

Add to that 1 beaten egg

1 tbsp. of lemon juice

Add 1 can of evaporated milk

½ pint of whipping cream

½ pint of half and half

1 quart of mashed fruit (She usually uses strawberries, but any fruit would work.)

Put the strawberries or your fruit in a blender…….Mix it with either the evaporated milk, whipping cream, or half and half. This will help the mixture and it will make it so the fruit isn’t chunky. (You can mix it with any of the three things to help the fruit be smooth.)

Put it all in the ice cream machine

All of this should take it up to the fill line….if not, add more fruit or regular milk.

You can either make it right then or put it in the fridge….1/2 hour before you want to eat it, start churning it.

Pack the ice and rock salt around it…..layer ice and salt around

1 bag and ½ of ice.

Note: If you want to have everything ready before hand:

Mix everything together and put it in the fridge for as long as you need….1/2 hour before you want to eat it, start churning it. This will make it so you don’t need to use as much ice and rock salt to make the ice cream and to help it set up.

Best Cake in the West

In my ward in Oklahoma, my friend Sister Aljets makes wedding cakes professionally. They are awesome. I asked her what her secret is and surprisingly, this is all she does to make and awesome and easy cake.


1 Betty Crocker White Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 egg whites at room temperature(Just put your egg in warm water for 10 minutes or so and it will get your egg to room temperature)

Follow the other baking directions on the box and Waaaalaaaa.......You will have a fabulous cake ready to decorate.

You can also use any other Betty Crocker cake mix for this recipe if you would like, just add the 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, and get your eggs to room temperature before mixing them in. Your cake will be moist and awesome.

Biggest Loser Baked Ziti

Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 350 calories, 22 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 20 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 429 mg sodium

Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients

Olive oil spray
1 (14 1/2-ounce) box fiber-enriched ziti or penne rigate (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites
8 ounces (4 cups) finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
3 1/2 cups low-fat, low-sodium, marinara sauce
2 tablespoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly mist a 13" x 9" x 2" ceramic or glass baking dish with the olive oil spray.



Cook the ziti according to package directions until al dente. Drain.



In a large mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg whites, and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella until well combined. Add the garlic powder and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.



Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish.



Add half of the pasta in an even layer over the sauce.



Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce evenly over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan over the top.



Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the mozzarella is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces or spoon among 8 bowls and serve.

add your own note

Oatmeal Cookies Made famous by Greg Mosley

1 cup flour

½ tsp. each of baking powder and baking soda

¼ tsp. of salt

½ cup butter (unsalted real butter)

½ cup packed brown sugar light

¼ cup regular sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract (This is important)

1 ½ cups rolled oats (Minute oats)

Preheat oven to 350

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer mix on medium high cream together butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla until mixture is light and creamy.

Stir flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible.

Fold in oats, cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Using a cookie sheet, scoop out, baked until golden but still moist for 11-13 minutes.

Remove and cool on sheet.

Carolyns Chicken Pappardelle

Chicken Pappardelle

1 box of bowtie pasta or broken pieces of lasagna noodles
4 strips of bacon diced
1/3 c sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and minced
3 chicken breasts grilled and sliced
1 T garlic minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 cups of chicken broth
3/4 c heavy cream I sometimes use half and half
salt and pepper to taste


Cook pasta drain set aside
saute bacon till crisp,remove as much oil as possible and then add tomatoes saute 1-2 minutes add grilled chicken garlic and pepper flakes cook 1 minutes or until garlic just starts to brown.
add chicken broth, cream amd bring to a simmer . add pasta and it should thicken slightly. I like mine kinda thick so I usually add a mixture of 2 t water 2 t flour mixed together to help make it thicker.. If if you need to stretch the sauce add equal parts of cream and broth

Brisket

5 pound brisket

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 can beef broth

1 jar of liquid smoke (4 oz. ) use ½ bottle (2 oz. or 1/8 cup)…..barbeque section

1 small bottle of soy sauce (3/4 cup)

½ tsp. garlic powder

Marinate it in a cooking bag……Marinate at least overnight.

Put it in the crock pot or put it in a pan in the cooking bag.

Keep it in the cooking bag.

6 hours in the crock pot on high or 6 hours in the oven at 250.

When finished, take meat out of cooking bag. Save some juice. Shred the meat or slice it.

Cut it across the grain. Pour the juice on top.

Meatballs

Meatballs.

1 and ½ pounds of hamburger.

2 tsp. of minced garlic

2 eggs

Salt and pepper…..not to much

Parmesan cheese……1 tbsp.

Bread crumbs………..1/3 cup…..if it seems loose, add another pinch to the mix.

Find panco Japanese bread crumbs in the Asian aisle.

Mix all of this together with fingers, don’t mash it.

Form them into meatballs, put them on a cookie sheet.

Put them in the oven

Bake at 400 degrees

Bake like 3- 5 minutes, they will be not quite done.

Take them out of the oven and put them into the spaghetti sauce

Let the sauce and meatballs simmer slowly.

Simmer about 20 minutes on low.

Makes awesome spaghetti and meatballs. Freeze the meatballs that you don't use in plastic bags, unthaw them for later use in water and you can make meatball sandwiches or more spaghetti and meatballs.

Tortilla Soup

This recipe can be doubled and frozen if preferred.

2 tbsp. olive oil.
1 1/2 cup chopped onion.
3 tbsp. minced garlic.
3 corn tortillas, broken into 1 inch pieces.
1 can rotelle.
4 cups chicken broth.
1 tsp. cumin.
1 tsp. ground coreander
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. or 2 shakes of cayenne pepper.
2 cups chicken, shredded or cubed.
1 1/2 cups frozen corn.
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup monterey jack cheese shredded.

Heat oil, add onions and garlic. Sautee for 3 minutes. Stir in the tortilla pieces until they are soft.
Add rotelle, tomatoes, broth, spices, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, let it cool for 5 minutes.

Blend the mixture together in a blender, you may need to do this in 2 different times.

Return mixture to the pot, add chicken, corn, and cream. Boil and simmer about 5 minutes.
The mixture will thicken. Reduce to medium heat and it will thicken. Add salt and pepper as desired and serve with chips or whatever else you might enjoy.

Potato Soup by Heather Perkins

12 slices of bacon
1/4-1/2 cup margarine
1/3 cup flour
7 cups milk...if you use skim, you may need to add a little more flour so that the mixture will thicken. (Or you can use powdered milk)
4 large baked potatoes, cut up and cubed, equivalent to 6 cups of potatoes.
8 green onions chopped up nice and small (Can use less if preferred.)
1 1/4 cups shredded cheese.
1 cup sour cream.
1 tsp. of onion salt.
1 tsp. of pepper.

Cook bacon, break into pieces and drain, set aside. You can use the precooked if you prefer.
In a big pot, melt margarine, whisk in flour until it is smooth. Turn off the heat and take off element after the butter is melted. Gradually, stir in the milk, which constantly until it thickens. Place it back on the heat to do this. Then add the potatoes and onions and bring to a boil.
Once the potatoes are cooked add the cheese, sour cream, bacon, onion salt and pepper.

Your soup should be ready to serve at this point, but check the potatoes to make sure that they are cooked thoroughly.