Tuesday, October 31, 2006

#239 - Ham and Cheese Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups cooked ham (diced)
1 small chopped onion
2 cups dry macaroni
1 TBSP cornstarch
2 fresh tomatoes (diced)
2 cups shredded sharp cheese
4 cups milk
2 slices of buttered bread broken in bite sized pieces

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Set aside. Dice the ham, chop onion, and dice tomatoes. Make cheese sauce by heating 3 1/2 cups milk and stirring in shredded cheese until melted. In a cup, add 1/2 cup of milk and 1 TBSP cornstarch--stir until mixed. Add cornstarch mixture to the cheese mixture and stir until it thickens. In a greased 2 qt. casserole, add ham, onion, tomatoes, macaroni and mix them together. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Add buttered bread pieces to the top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes.

Monday, October 30, 2006

#238 - Hawaiian Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12.5 oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (undrained)
1 - 10oz. Baker's angelflake coconut
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda

In a large bowl, combine pineapple, coconut, beaten eggs, sugar, flour, salt and baking soda. Mix thoroughly. Put batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pan. Slice.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

#237 - Pistachio Bundt Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 - 3.5oz. box Jell-O instant pistachio pudding
4 eggs
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp. almond extract OR vanilla

In a mixer, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water, and almond extract OR vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into a greased bundt cake or angelfood cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pan. When cool, sprinkle top and sides with powdered sugar (or substitute your favorite glaze if you wish).

Saturday, October 28, 2006

#236 - Orange Drop Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup Crisco
1 egg
2 TBSP grated orange rind
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup orange juice squeezed from the fresh orange that you used to get the rind from
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixer, combine Crisco, white sugar and egg thoroughly. Add orange juice, orange rind and beat. Add baking soda, salt, baking powder, and flour--mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonsful about 2" apart from each other on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 8-10 minutes or until cookies are brown on the edges.

Friday, October 27, 2006

#235 - Dirt Cake

1 - 8" Flower Pot (new)
1 garden trowel (new)
gummy worms
plastic flowers (new or washed)
16 oz. Oreo cookies
1/2 cup Butter, softened
8 ounces Philly cream cheese, softened
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 - boxes Jell-O Instant Chocolate Fudge pudding
3 cups milk
12 oz. Cool Whip -- thawed

Crush the cookies fine to resemble potting soil and set aside. Cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Set aside. Combine the pudding mix and milk until well blended, then fold in the Cool Whip. Gently fold the cream cheese and pudding mixtures together. Layer 1/3 of the cookie crumbs followed by 1/2 of the pudding mixture, 1/3 of the crumbs, the rest of the pudding mixture and topping with the remaining cookie crumbs. Refrigerate 10 to 12 hours. About half an hour before serving, remove from the refrigerator and decorate with flowers and worms. Serve by digging out portions with the trowel.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

#234 - Springform Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 - 8oz. packages Philly cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
6 egg whites
1 TBSP vanilla
1 springform pan
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
1/4 lb. melted butter (1 stick)
8oz. Breakstone's sour cream
1/8 cup white sugar
1/2 TBSP vanilla

In a mixer, combine 3 packages cream cheese, 3/4 cup white sugar, and 1 TBSP vanilla--beat well. In a separate mixing bowl, beat 6 egg whites with 1/4 cup white sugar--beat until they are very stiff. Add the egg white mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat well. Set the cheesecake batter aside. Crust--in a bowl by hand, add 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/8 cup white sugar, 1/2 TBSP cinnamon, and the 1/4 lb. (one stick) of melted butter. Mix well by hand, then press crust mixture into a well greased springform pan. Do not prebake crust. Pour cheesecake batter into crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. While it's baking, make the sour cream topping in a separate bowl by hand--add 8oz. sour cream, 1/8 cup white sugar, 1/2 TBSP vanilla and stir together with a spoon. After cheesecake is baked, remove from oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees. Spread the sour cream topping over the top of the cheesecake and sprinkle 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs over the top. Bake at 475 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven--cool. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

#233 - Lemon Cheesecake

(by Dot [Schuck] Amerman - friend)

1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese
1 - 3.5 oz. box lemon Jell-O instant pudding
2 cups milk
1 - Pre-made graham cracker crust
graham cracker crumbs (optional)

In a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Blend in 1/2 cup of milk and beat. Add pudding mix and the remainder of the milk and beat. Pour batter into graham cracker crust. If you want, you can sprinkle some graham cracker crumbs over the top. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

#232 - Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines devil 's food cake mix
1 - 21oz. can cherry pie filling
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure almond extract

In a mixer, combine all ingredients and beat on low for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. The batter should look thick and well blended. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 cake pan and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Place the cake in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Remove cake from oven and cool on wire rack. Use our icing recipe #2 for vanilla icing.

#231 - Garlic Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick of butter, softened
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP McCormick's garlic and Italian herb seasoning
1 loaf French or Italian bread

By hand in a bowl, mix butter, garlic/Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese until well blended. Cut the bread in 1" slices but do not cut all the way through the bottom of the loaf. Spread the garlic mixture on both sides of each slice. Wrap entire loaf in foil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. To serve, tear off the slices from the loaf.

Monday, October 23, 2006

#230 - Chewy Brownie Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cups firmly packed Domino's dark brown sugar
1 TBSP cold tap water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 - 12oz. package Nestle's 12 oz. chocolate bits

In a mixer on medium speed, combine Crisco, brown sugar, water, and vanilla. Add the eggs and mix well. Add baking soda, salt, cocoa and slowly add flour. Mix at low speed until blended. Remove from mixer and stir in chocolate bits with a spoon. Drop teaspoonsful on greased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set--ONLY bake one sheet of cookies at a time and do not overbake. After removing cookie sheet from oven, allow cookies to cool a few minutes before removing them.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

#229 - Oreo Cheesecakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 - 8oz. packages softened Philly cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 package Oreo cookies

Place cupcake liners into muffin tins. Place one Oreo cookie on the bottom of each cupcake liner. In a mixer, beat the cream cheese, add the sugar and mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Mix until smooth. Spoon batter over each Oreo cookie in the cupcake liners until they are each 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the center of each cupcake is almost set. Remove from oven, cool completely and refrigerate overnight before serving. They can be drizzled with melted chocolate or Cool Whip if desired. Keep refrigerated.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

#228 - Really Easy Brownies

(by Hannah Garman - friend)

1 box graham cracker crumbs
2 cans Borden's condensed milk
1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's chocolate bits

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together using a spoon. Pour batter in a greased 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool and cut into squares.

Friday, October 20, 2006

#227 - Sour Cream Cookies

(by Harriet Weaver - friend)

5 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer, combine butter, sugar. Add eggs and beat. Add sour cream and beat. Add baking soda, salt, nutmeg and vanilla--beat well. Add flour one cup at a time and mix--if it gets too stiff for mixer, continue adding flour and stirring by hand. Drop teaspoonsful on a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle a little white sugar over the top of each cookie before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

#226 - Cookie Bars

(by Lynn [Moyer] Simington - friend)

1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped English walnuts
1 cup Nestle's chocolate bits
1 1/3 cups Baker's angelflake coconut
1 - 15oz. can Eagle brand condensed milk

Pour melted on to bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over the butter. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the top of the graham cracker crumbs. Scatter chocolate bits over the chopped nuts. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the chocolate bits. Pour the can of milk evenly over the top of everything. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until top is lightly browned. Remove from oven--allow to cool for 15 minutes. Cut into bars.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

#225 - Earthquake Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup chopped pecans
7oz. Baker's angelflake coconut
1 box Betty Crocker German chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter
1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese
1 lb. Domino's powdered sugar

Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with the pecans and the coconut. Prepare the German chocolate cake mix according to box directions. Pour cake batter over coconut and pecans. Melt the butter together with the cream cheese in a saucepan. Stir in the powdered sugar and stir while cooking--this mixture scorches easily so use low heat. Pour this mixture on top of the cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. When you remove it from the oven it will have a large crack in the middle--that's why it's called Earthquake Cake.

#224 - Hawaiian Slush

(by Donna Ranck - friend)

6oz. Hawaiian punch (frozen concentrate--in grocery store freezer section)
6oz. frozen concentrate pineapple orange juice (same as above)
6oz. rum

Put all ingredients in a blender and add enough ice cubes to fill to the top of the blender. Beat until slushy. Store in freezer until ready to use.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

#223 - Cream Puff Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
Hershey's chocolate syrup
4 cups milk
3 small boxes instant Jell-O pudding (vanilla or French vanilla)
1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese
maraschino cherries

In a medium saucepan, add water and butter and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and add flour to the water butter mixture--stir by hand until it forms a ball. Allow the ball to cool. Add 1 unbeaten egg at a time to the ball and stir thoroughly. Spread the ball mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. In a mixer, beat milk and pudding mixes together until thickened. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture on to the cooled crust. Spread the Cool Whip on the top of the cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Drain and slice maraschino cherries into halves, dry them on a paper towel and add to the top of the cake. Refrigerate before serving, and keep refrigerated.

Monday, October 16, 2006

#222 - Wet Bread Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8 inch pie shell (baked)
1 cup bread broken into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup water
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs (separated--reserve egg whites for later)
the juice of 1 large lemon
1 tsp. lemon zest (grate the lemon peel)
2 TBSP butter
3 TBSP white sugar
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Add the 1 cup of bread pieces to a bowl and pour the 1/2 cup water over the bread pieces. In the top of a double boiler (water in bottom pot--if you don't have a double boiler use two pots that fit inside of each other) add the wet bread, 1 cup white sugar, 3 egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter. Cook on medium heat until thick, stirring occasionally. Pour this mixture into the baked pie crust. In a mixer, combine 3 egg whites, cream of tartar. Beat until foamy, then add the 3 TBSP white sugar and continue beating at your mixer's highest speed until the mixture is stiff. Pour the egg white mixture on top of the pie. Use a spatula to spread the egg whites all the way to all edges of the pie. Using your index finger, start in the center of the egg whites and begin making a small spiral and continue as it gets larger until you get to the edge of the pie (for decoration). Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the egg whites (meringue) are brown.

#221 - Pineapple Angelfood Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Betty Crocker confetti angelfood cake mix
1 - 20.5 oz. Dole crushed pineapple (do not drain)

In a large bowl, add dry angelfood cake mix and crushed pineapple (including juice). Stir with a spoon until it's completely mixed. Pour batter into an UNgreased 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve with Cool Whip if desired.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

#220 - Peach Cobbler

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Bisquick
1 TBSP softened butter
1/2 cup Domino's brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup milk
1 can DelMonte sliced peaches (cut in bite sized pieces--do not drain)

By hand using a fork, mix Bisquick, butter, brown sugar, cinamon until crumbly. Add the milk and stir with a spoon until smooth. Grease an 8 x 8 x 2 baking dish. Spread batter evenly on the bottom. Pour the pieces of peaches and the juice over the top of the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. You can eat it hot or let it cool first. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Friday, October 13, 2006

#219 - Holiday Chocolate Butter Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa

In a mixer, combine all ingredients EXCEPT flour and cocoa--beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Gradually add flour and cocoa and mix well (2-3 minutes). Bake on greased cookie sheets--drop by rounded teaspoonsful on to cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until they are set. Remove from oven and cool.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

#218 - Midnight Mocha Brownies

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

2/3 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/2 cup butter
1 cup + 2 TBSP white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup hot water
2 TBSP instant coffee granules
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
Mocha frosting: 3 cups sifted Domino's powdered sugar, 2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/3 cup hot water mixed with 2 TBSP instant coffee granules.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the 2/3 cup chocolate bits, 1/2 cup butter and pour into mixer bowl. Beat and add 1 cup + 2 TBSP white sugar, and add 2 eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added. Combine 1/4 cup hot water and 2 TBSP instant coffee in a cup or bowl--stir until dissolved. Add coffee mixture to the chocolate mixture (no need to cool). Add 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 cup flour and beat well. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted on side comes out clean--do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer, beat 1 cup powdered sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp. vanilla. In a cup, add 1/3 cup hot water and stir in 2 TBSP instant coffee granules--let cool before adding. Once cooled, add half of the cooled coffee mixture to the frosting mixture in the mixer and beat. Gradually beat in the other 2 cups of powdered sugar and the remaining half of cooled coffee mixture. Beat until frosting is a good consistency for frosting. Frost the cooled brownies.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

#217 - Milky Way Fudge Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 17.6 oz. box brownie mix with milk chocolate chunks
1/4 cup melted butter
2 TBSP hot tap water
1 egg
12 mini-Milky Way square bars, cut into small pieces (smaller than fun-size Milky Ways; found in grocery store candy aisle)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a brownie pan with enough foil to overhang edges by 2 inches. Coat foil with Pam cooking spray. In a mixer on low speed, beat brownie mix, butter, water and egg until combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the Milky Way pieces by hand. Pour batter in pan. Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees or until center is solid. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. Use foil to lift fudge brownies from pan and cool it on a rack. Refrigerate until solid (about 1 hour). Cut into squares.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

#216 - Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup cinnamon/sugar (pre-mixed)
4 chopped apples (small pieces)
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Glaze: 2 TBSP butter, 1/2 cup firmly packed Domino's brown sugar, 2 TBSP milk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt or tube pan and coat with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. In the mixer, combine eggs, apples and oil. Add white sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Mix well. Pour batter in pan and bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake to stay in pan at least 15 minutes after removing from oven. Invert cake on to a cake plate. To prepare glaze, in a medium saucepan add butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Spoon over cake so it drips down the sides. Allow the cake to cool before serving.

Monday, October 09, 2006

#215 - Rocky Road Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup butter
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Brownie Topping: 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits, 1 cup miniature marshmallows, 1/4 cup chocolate fudge ice cream topping (warmed)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pan that you would normally use to make brownies. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat in a saucepan, stirring frequently. Remove from stovetop and allow to cool. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt--stir with a spoon and set aside. In a mixer, beat eggs until light. Add sugar 2 TBSP at a time until you have added the 1 1/2 cups sugar, beating until mixture is thick. Add vanilla and gradually add chocolate/butter mixture. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in flour mixture with a spoon, just until it's blended. Spread batter evenly in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the edges slightly pull away from the sides of the pan. Don't overbake. Remove from oven. Sprinkle peanuts, chocolate bits and marshmallows over the top evenly while it's warm. Drizzle with the warm chocolate fudge topping and return to oven--bake 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

#214 - Chocolate Sheet Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 cups butter
1/2 cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups Domino's brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 cup butter, stir in 1/4 cup cocoa and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. In mixer, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the cocoa mixture and beat well. Blend in 1/3 cup of Eagle milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour batter into a greased jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x 1). Bake 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. In small saucepan over low heat, melt 1/4 cup butter and stir in 1/4 cup cocoa, and remaining Eagle milk left in can. Stir in powdered sugar and nuts (optional). Spread this mixture on top of the warm cake when you remove it from the oven.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

#213 - Super Moist Chocolate Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1 cup Hellman's mayo
1 cup cool tap water
3 eggs

Put all ingredients in mixer and blend well--beat until smooth. Pour batter in a 9 x 13 x 2 greased cake pan (or two greased layer cake pans). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Use our frosting recipe #2 to make vanilla or chocolate frosting (your preference).

Friday, October 06, 2006

#212 - Chocolate Butterscotcheroos

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup King Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Jif peanut butter
6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies
1 - 6oz. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 - 6oz. package Nestle's butterscotch morsels

In a 3 qt. saucepan, cook the King syrup and sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Mix in the rice krispies. Press mixture into a buttered 13 x 9 x 2 pan. Over hot (not boiling) water, use a double boiler (or two sauceapans inside of one another, the bottom one with the hot water), melt both the chocolate and butterscotch morsels. Stir constantly until it's smooth. Pour this mixture over top of the cereal mixture. Chill until firm--cut into bars or squares. Keep refrigerated.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

#211 - Starlight Mint Surprise

(by Martha [Engle] Sweetser - friend)

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Domino's brown sugar
2 eggs
2 TBSP water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box Andes chocolate mints
Pecan halves (optional)

In a mixer, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, water, vanilla and beat until smooth. Add baking soda, salt and flour--mix thoroughly. Refrigerate the dough for two hours. Remove from refrigerator. Take out 1 TBSP of dough at a time and wrap dough around a single mint. Repeat with all dough and mints. Place on greased cookie sheet and put a pecan half on the top of each cookie (optional). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

#210 - Lemon Rounds

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sifted Domino's powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer, combine butter, sugar and vanilla. Add lemon peel, lemon juice, then beat. Slowly add in flour--mix well. Shape the dough into balls using one teaspoonful for each cookie. Dip one side of each ball in the chopped nuts. Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet (nut side up). Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Drizzle each cookie with the following glaze - 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 3-4 tsp. of lemon juice--stir by hand in a bowl--should have a runny consistency.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

#209 - Pumpkin Swirl Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 ready made pie crust (or you can make your own)
1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup light corn syrup (clear)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Libby's canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. salt

Prepare pie crust according to package directions using a 9" pie plate. Spray pie plate with Pam before inserting the dough; spray Pam on the top of the pie dough also (where you will be inserting the filling). Flute the edge of the pie crust. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Using a mixer at medium speed, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the light corn syrup, vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread this mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Using the mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, other 1/4 cup light corn syrup, Carnation milk, white sugar, and all spices and salt listed on the ingredients. Mix well. Pour this mixture over the cream cheese mixture in the pie shell. With a knife, swirl the mixture to give it a marbled effect. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Monday, October 02, 2006

#208 - Haluskie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 head cabbage (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 stick Parkay margarine
1 lb. bacon (fried)
1/2 package wide noodles (1/2 lb. of the 1lb. package)
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt

Brown bacon in large frying pan. Place cooked bacon slices on paper towels to dry up the grease, then throw paper towels away. Break bacon into bite sized pieces and return to frying pan. Add chopped cabbage and chopped onions to the bacon , and add a cup of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until cabbage is soft. In a saucepan, add salt and water and cook noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and mix Parkay in with noodles. In a dutch oven or large pot, add bacon/cabbage/onion mixture and the noodles. Stir. Simmer entire mixture 5-10 minutes on low heat, stirring often, before serving.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

#207 - Black Bottom Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese
1 egg, unbeaten
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
16oz. semi-sweet Nestle's chocolate bits
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 TBSP vinegar

In a mixer, combine cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup white sugar, and 1/8 tsp. salt--beat well, stir in chocolate bits by hand and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 cup white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt. In a small bowl, stirring by hand, combine canola oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla, then add this to the flour mixture in the mixer and beat well. Fill muffin tins with cupcake liners and fill each 1/3 full of the chocolate batter, then put 1 heaping teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture on the top of each cupcake. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Makes 18 cupcakes. If you want to frost them, use our recipe #2.