#3899 - Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
3 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cup shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 TBSP cinnamon (less if you wish)
1 pint fresh blueberries

After shredding and measuring zucchini, MAKE SURE to press out as much of the moisture from the shredded zucchini as you can. In a bowl add eggs, canola oil, vanilla and white sugar--stir. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon--stir just until mixed. Add shredded zucchini and blueberries--stir. Place cupcake liners in muffin tins. Fill each each 2/3 full with the batter. Bake at 350 degrees 23-30 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely.

#3735 - Baked Pretzel Bites

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 2/3 cups warm water
2 TBSP white sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
3 3/4 cups bread flour
3 TBSP melted butter (cooled to room temperature)
2 tsp. salt
2 quarts water
1/3 cup baking soda
1 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
coarse or flaked sea salt

Remove the bowl from a stand mixer and place it on your counter. Add the 1 2/3 cups warm water, the white sugar and the yeast. Let it stand for 15 minutes or until it starts to foam. Place the bowl on your stand mixer, using the dough hook attachment. Add the melted butter, 2 tsp. salt and all of the flour--beat with the dough hook for 5 minutes or until dough ball forms. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add 1 TBSP more flour at a time until you get a nice smooth dough ball. Remove bowl from mixer, cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour. When dough is almost done rising in a pot add the 2 quarts of water, baking soda and brown sugar--bring to a boil over medium heat. Flour your counter and place the pretzel dough on the flour, flipping it so both sides get some flour. Work it carefully, then cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each dough piece into a foot long log. Cut the dough log into 2" pretzel bites, then drop the pretzel bites into the boiling water mixture for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to drain each pretzel bite and place them on to greased cookie sheets. Continue with more dough until the cookie sheet is full (you can put them close together because they don't get much bigger). Sprinkle the pretzel bites with flaked sea salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes, then use tongs to flip each of them and bake 4-5 minutes longer or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough. If you bake them to light brown, they will be softer. If you bake them to dark/golden brown they will be crispier.

#3651 - Sour Cream Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups Breakstone's sour cream
4 tsp. canola oil
melted butter

In a bowl add self-rising flour and baking soda--stir to mix. Add sour cream and canola oil--stir just until combined. Flour your counter. Place the dough on the floured counter and knead the dough 6 times. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (or you can use a biscuit cutter). Place the dough pieces on a greased cookie sheet. Brush melted butter over the top of each biscuit dough. Bake at 425 degrees 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

#3617 - Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can Libby's canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. vanilla
Domino's powdered sugar (optional)

In a bowl add pumpkin, eggs canola oil, water, vanilla and white sugar--mix well. In a separate bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger--whisk to mix. Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture while stirring--stir just until blended. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill each 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Optional: dust the tops of the cooled muffins with powdered sugar.

#3552 - Fresh Green Bean Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups fresh green beans (cut into 1" pieces)
1 TBSP baking soda
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes (peeled before dicing)
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
3 cups milk
2 tsp. salt (1 tsp. for the green bean water; 1 tsp. for the potato water)
salt and pepper (to your taste)

In a pot of salted water add the green beans and the baking soda--bring to a boil, then cook 8-10 minutes or until beans are almost tender. Drain the green beans and set aside. In a separate pot add the diced potatoes, then barely cover with water and add salt--bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook about 20 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Remove from heat--DO NOT DRAIN. In a skillet over medium heat add the butter and chopped onions--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add the onions to the potatoes/water--stir. Add cream of chicken soup and milk--stir well. Add the green beans, crumbled bacon and salt/pepper--stir well. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes. Stir well before serving.

#3479 - Chocolate Cinnamon Snap Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 TBSP Hershey's cocoa
2 TBSP canola oil
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks softened butter
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup Kayro lite corn syrup

In a small bowl add cocoa and canola oil--stir until well mixed, then set aside. In separate bowl add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt--stir to mix. In a mixer add butter and 1 cup of the white sugar--beat. Add the egg--beat. Add the corn syrup and the cocoa mixture--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer. Place 1/3 cup of white sugar in a small bowl. Shape the cookie dough into 1" balls and roll each in the white sugar. Place the sugar coated dough balls on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-11 minutes (centers should still be a bit soft but edges should be set). Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets, then place them on paper towels to cool.

#3440 - Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup cold buttermilk
2 TBSP Crisco shortening
2 TBSP butter
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour

In a bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt--stir to mix. Add Crisco and butter--mix with your hands to make crumbs. Add the cold buttermilk--work the mixture with your hands just until the dough forms. Use your hands (NOT a rolling pin) to spread the dough on a floured counter to 1" thick. Use a biscuit cutter (or the greased top of a drinking glass) to cut the biscuits and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-19 minutes or until golden brown.

#3422 - Crispy Lemon Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup softened butter
1 TBSP milk
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla


In a bowl add flour, white sugar, salt and baking soda--stir to mix. Cut in the softened butter using a pastry blender to make crumbs. Add milk, lemon zest and vanilla--stir with a fork until moistened. Use your hands to roll the dough into a dough ball. Cut the dough in half and roll each into a 2" thick dough log. Wrap each dough log with Saran wrap and refrigerate them overnight. The next day, unwrap one dough log and slice the dough with a sharp knife to make 1/8" thick cookies and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Repeat with all dough.

#3346 - Amish Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
4 TBSP Crisco shortening
1 cup buttermilk

In a bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda--stir to mix. Add the Crisco--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Add the buttermilk--mix just until combined (dough will be sticky). Flour your counter, place the dough on the flour, flour the top of the dough and roll dough out to 1/2" thick. Cut biscuits with a biscuit cutter or the top of a drinking glass. Place the biscuits on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 425 degrees for 13-15 minutes.

#3327 - Homemade Cracker Jacks

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 cups plain popped popcorn
1 cup roasted peanuts
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup butter
3 TBSP Kayro clear corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Grease a large jelly roll pan (pan with a lip on all sides) with Pam. Spread the popped popcorn evenly over the pan. Sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the popcorn. In a cast iron skillet add brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt--cook/stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Once butter is all melted, cook for 3 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING. Remove from heat--add baking soda and vanilla--stir briskly until mixed. Pour the hot mixture evenly over the popcorn (it's ok if you don't coat every single piece of popcorn). Use a greased spatula to gently mix the popcorn mixture, then spread it out again evenly in the pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool completely. Break into pieces.

#3325 - Homemade Soft Pretzels

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 envelope of yeast
1/4 cup warm water + 1 cup warm water + 4 cups water
a pinch of white sugar
2 tsp. salt
4-5 cups flour
softened butter (as needed)
4 tsp. baking soda
coarse salt for sprinkling

In a small bowl add the yeast and 1/4 cup warm water--stir to mix. In a separate small bowl add a pinch of white sugar and 1 cup warm water--stir to mix. In a large bowl add the yeast mixture, 2 tsp. salt and the white sugar mixture--stir to mix. Start out by adding 4 cups flour--mix to make dough. If dough is not stiff, add more flour and mix the dough until the dough is stiff. Put the dough on a floured counter and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes so that the dough is elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and spread the whole top of the dough with softened butter. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough raise for 45 minutes or until dough is doubled in size. Shape dough into 1/2" thick ropes and shape them into pretzel twists. In a saucepan add 4 cups water and the baking soda--bring to a boil. Carefully drop one pretzel dough into the boiling water at a time and boil it for 1 minute or until it floats to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to remove it, drain it as much as possible and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with all pretzel doughs, making sure that pretzel doughs don't touch each other on the cookie sheets. Sprinkle coarse salt on the pretzel doughs (if coarse salt doesn't stick well, use your finger to spread a little water over the tops of the pretzel doughs). Bake at 475 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

#2981 - Pecan Brittle

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 tsp. baking soda
4 TBSP butter (NO SUBSTITUTES) + extra for greasing pans
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups Kayro lite corn syrup
1 cup water
1 TBSP salt
2 cups toasted whole pecans

Butter two 15" jelly roll pans. In a saucepan add white sugar, corn syrup, water and salt--cook/stir until temperature reaches 290 degrees (use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature). Once the mixture gets to 290 degrees, quickly add the whole pecans and the butter--cook/stir CONSTANTLY until candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Remove from heat--add baking soda--beat vigorously with a spoon for at least a minute. Pour half of the mixture into each of the jelly roll pans, and use the back of the spoon to spread the mixture very thin (if it starts sticking, grease the back of the spoon with Pam). Cool completely. When cooled, dump out the brittle from each pan and use the handle end of a knife to crack the brittle into smaller pieces.

#2403 - Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 sticks softened Parkay margarine
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP vanilla

In a mixer add white sugar and eggs--beat. Add Parkay--beat. Add milk, baking soda and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour--beat (continue with a wooden spoon if too thick for the mixer). Drop by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle a little extra white sugar on top of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.

#1897 - Dark Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup butter (melted)
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups white sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish--set aside. In a bowl add cocoa, baking soda, 1/3 cup of the melted butter--stir. Add boiling water--stir until mixture starts to thicken. Add white sugar, beaten eggs--stir. Add other 1/3 cup melted butter--stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt--stir just until mixed. Add chocolate bits--stir just until mixed. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely.

#1477 - Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Jif crunchy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup Quaker quick oats
2 tsp. baking soda

Melt the butter. In a mixer add melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar and eggs--beat. Add vanilla and baking soda--beat. Add peanut butter and oats--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-14 minutes--best to do a test cookie on this recipe as the baking time varies for soft or crunchy cookies.

#1466 - Ginger Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 cup Brer Rabbit green label baking molasses
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 TBSP boiling water
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt

In a mixer add butter, brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add molasses--beat. In a measuring cup dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water--stir, then add to the batter and beat. Add ginger and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners--fill each liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

#1353 - Scratch Mayo Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup Hellmann's mayo
1 cup water
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add flour, white sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, mayo, water and vanilla--beat slowly until mixed, then beat for 3 minutes. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool 20 minutes, then dump it on to a cake plate. Cool completely--frost/glaze as desired or dust with powdered sugar.

#1312 - Chop Suey Cake

(by Rachel Guarini - friend)

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 - 20oz. can Dole crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Frosting: 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese; 1 stick butter (softened); 2 cups Domino's powdered sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add eggs and white sugar--beat. Add crushed pineapple and baking
soda--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped nuts and stir until mixed. Slowly add flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Frosting: in a mixer add cream cheese and butter--beat.Add vanilla--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until creamy. When cake has cooled, frost the cake.

#1256 - Vanilla Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Frosting: 1/2 box Domino's powdered sugar (1 lb. size); 1 stick Parkay margarine; 2 tsp imitation vanilla; 1.5 TBSP milk

In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla, baking soda and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Flour your counter, place the batter on top of the flour, and flour the top of the batter--roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/4" thick. Cut batter with cookie cutters. Place cookies on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove cookies from trays and place on paper towels until they are room temperature. Frosting: feed powdered sugar, margarine, 2 tsp. vanilla and milk in mixer--beat. The longer you beat it the creamier it gets. Use food coloring to make the color you desire. Frost the cookies.

#1239 - Moist Coffee Chocolate Cake

(by Donna [Miller] Unger - friend)

3 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
6 TBSP Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
12 TBSP canola oil
2 TBSP cider vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cold water
1 tsp. instant coffee
1 cup boiling water

In a large bowl add flour, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt--stir. Add canola oil, cider vinegar, vanilla, and cold water--stir until mixed. Dilute the 1 tsp. instant coffee in the 1 cup boiling water--add to the batter and stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. When cooled, frost as desired.