#3858 - Premiere White Chocolate Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4lb. good quality white chocolate (DO NOT USE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS OR CANDY MELTS or you will be disappointed)
1 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
4 egg yolks
1 TBSP vanilla
2 1/2 cups CAKE flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup pecans (chopped after measuring)--OPTIONAL
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut--OPTIONAL
4 egg whites
1 cup white sugar

Break the white chocolate into small pieces. Melt the white chocolate pieces in a double boiler, then cool slightly and add the vanilla--stir well. In a mixer add butter and 1 cup white sugar--beat. Add egg yolks--beat. Add melted white chocolate--beat. Into a bowl sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt--stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk to the cake flour mixture--stir with a whisk. Slowly add cake flour/buttermilk mixture to batter while beating. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped pecans (optional) and coconut (optional)--stir to mix. In a mixer add the egg whites and 1 cup white sugar--beat until soft peaks form. Add egg white mixture to the batter--stir to mix. Pour batter into a greased 9 x13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#3841 - Parmesan Pepper Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups + 2 TBSP flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. baking powder
7 TBSP cold butter
2 scallions (finely chopped)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
kosher salt for sprinkling

In a bowl add flour, black pepper, baking powder and salt--whisk to mix. Cut the cold butter into small pieces, then place them on a small plate and freeze them for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the butter pieces to the flour mixture--toss well. Add the chopped scallions and grated Parmesan cheese--toss well. Add the buttermilk--mix with your hands just until dough forms. Roll out the dough on a floured counter to 8" x 8" square. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 2" x 2" pieces and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle a little kosher salt over each piece of dough. Bake at 425 degrees 12-16 minutes or until golden brown.

#3785 - Two Bowl Carrot Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut (plus extra for topping if you wish)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (do NOT drain)
1 cup raisins
Frosting: use our recipe #308 Cream Cheese Frosting

In a saucepan add the raisins and cover them with water. Cook/stir raisins over medium heat until water is boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 5 minutes, then drain well and set aside. Into a bowl sift the flour, baking soda, white sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl add eggs, buttermilk, canola oil and vanilla--mix well. Add flour mixture to oil mixture--stir well. Add shredded carrots, coconut, chopped walnuts, pineapple (and its juice) and drained raisins--stir well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 aluminum cake pan (carrot cakes get too soggy if you use a glass cake dish). Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost with our recipe #308 - Cream Cheese Frosting, then sprinkle more coconut over the frosting (if you wish).

#3766 - Sinful Chocolate Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Batter: 1/2 cup softened butter; 1/2 cup Crisco shortening; 2 - 1oz. squares Baker's UNsweetened baking chocolate; 1 cup water; 2 1/2 cups flour; 2 cups white sugar; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 2 beaten eggs; 2 tsp. vanilla

Frosting: 1/2 cup softened butter; 2 - 1oz. squares Baker's UNsweetened baking chocolate; 6 TBSP milk; 1lb. Domino's powdered sugar; 2 tsp. vanilla; 1 cup chopped pecans

In a saucepan over low heat add 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup Crisco shortening, 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate and the 1 cup water--cook/stir until mixture is melted, then remove from heat. In a bowl add flour, white sugar and baking soda--stir to mix. In a mixer add eggs, buttermilk and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Add melted chocolate mixture--beat. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 25-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. While caking is baking, make the frosting. In a heavy saucepan add 1/2 cup butter, 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, and 6 TBSP milk--cook/stir over medium low heat until bubbles form around the edges of the mixture. Remove from heat--add powdered sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla and the chopped pecans--stir well. Frost the warm cake, then cool completely.

#3728 - Fried Buttermilk Chicken Bites

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 cups buttermilk
2 TBSP of your favorite hot sauce
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
canola oil

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a large bowl add buttermilk and hot sauce--stir. Add chicken pieces--stir to coat, then cover the bowl with Saran wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day mix flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in a bowl--stir to mix. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Take one chicken piece from the buttermilk, coat it in the flour mixture, dip it again in the buttermilk and coat it again in the flour mixture. Place the coated chicken piece on the wax paper. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Fill a cast iron skillet 1 1/2" deep with canola oil. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot enough for frying. Fry the chicken pieces (a few at at time) on both sides until golden brown, then place on paper towels to soak up extra oil.

#3719 - Cream Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

(this recipe is for Dec. 28th)

1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
2 cups white sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups Baker's angelflake coconut
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups Domino's powdered sugar
2 TBSP cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl add 1/2 cup butter, Crisco and white sugar--beat. In a small bowl add buttermilk and baking soda--stir to dissolve. Add buttermilk mixture, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup of the coconut, baking powder and flour to the batter--beat. Pour batter evenly into 3 - 9" round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool cakes, then remove one and place it on a cake plate. Frosting: in a mixer add cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter--beat. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and the powdered sugar--beat well. Add cream--beat well. Frost the first cake, place second cake on top, frost the second cake, place third cake on top and frost the rest of the cake. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and remaining coconut over the top and sides of the cake (using more coconut and nuts as necessary).

#3563 - Peanut Butter Buttermilk Sheet Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup Jif smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add flour, white sugar, baking soda and salt--stir and set aside. In a saucepan add the water and butter--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, remove from heat--add peanut butter and canola oil--stir until smooth. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture--stir. In a bowl add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla--beat with a whisk. Add the buttermilk mixture to the peanut butter mixture--stir well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 11 x 15 jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-27 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#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.

#3428 - Buttermilk Chicken Strips

(by Shirley McNevich)

3lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
buttermilk
3 cups flour
3 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
canola oil
salt
pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of each chicken breast. If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half sideways (from one side to the other through the middle), then cut all of the chicken into strips. In a glass bowl add the chicken strips--pour buttermilk over the chicken strips until the chicken strips are covered. Cover the bowl and let them sit for 1 hour. In a bowl add the flour and Lawry's seasoning salt--stir to mix. Add 1/4 cup of buttermilk to the flour mixture--stir with a fork. Add a little more buttermilk at a time and stir until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add an inch or so of canola oil--heat oil until hot. Remove one chicken strip at a time from the buttermilk and dip/coat it in the batter mixture, then place it in the hot oil. Repeat with more chicken strips (but don't let them touch each other). When the bottoms are browned and crispy, flip the chicken strips until the other sides are browned and crispy. Set them on paper towels to soak up extra oil. Continue with remaining chicken strips.

#3401 - Valentine Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup canola oil
3 cups white sugar
5 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
Frosting: 1/2lb. Domino's powdered sugar; 1 stick Parkay margarine (softened); 2 tsp. vanilla; 1-2 TBSP milk (if necessary); red food coloring

In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and canola oil--beat. Add baking powder, salt, buttermilk and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Place cupcake liners into muffin tins. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes. Cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer add Parkay and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until creamy. If frosting is too thick, add the milk--beat again. If frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar and beat again. For pink frosting, add 1 drop of red food coloring and beat again. Add more food coloring for darker pink or red. If you want two colors of cupcakes, reserve half of the white frosting and make remaining frosting. Clean the mixer bowl, add the reserved frosting, and make the second color of frosting. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

#3395 - Valentine Heart Cutout Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups white sugar
2 sticks softened Parkay margarine
2 eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 TBSP vanilla
6 cups of sifted flour (measure before sifting)
Frosting/Icing: 1/2 box Domino's Powdered Sugar (1 lb. size); 1 stick Parkay margarine; 2 tsp. vanilla; 1.5 TBSP milk, red food coloring

In a mixer add 2 sticks margarine, 2 cups white sugar and 2 eggs--beat until smooth. Add salt, baking soda, baking powder, 1 TBSP vanilla and buttermilk--beat until smooth. Add flour one cup at a time and mix into batter. Once you've put in two or three cups of flour, you will need to mix in remaining flour by hand unless you're using a heavy duty Kitchen Aid mixer - stir until smooth. Cover the bowl and refrigerate dough overnight. The next day take out a handful of cookie dough and put on a floured countertop. Roll with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick (flour top of dough also). Use heart shaped cookie cutter to cut cookies. Carefully place each cutout on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (do a test cookie to figure out the time appropriate for your oven). Repeat until dough is depleted. Once cookies are cool, in a mixer add 1/2 box Domino's powdered sugar, 1 stick margarine, 2 tsp. vanilla, and 1.5 TBSP milk--beat for at least 5 minutes until it's nice and creamy. Remove 1/2 of the frosting/icing and place it in a cereal bowl--add red food coloring and stir until it's the red color you desire. Use the white icing/frosting to frost 1/2 of each cookie. Use the red icing/frosting to frost the other half of each cookie. Optional: instead of using both red and white frosting on each cookie, frost each cookie with only one solid color.

#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.

#3345 - Holiday Amish Sugar Cakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

Note: these are large, puffy cookies and are not too sweet, so be generous when sprinkling the colored sugar.

1 cup butter flavored Crisco
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
a pinch of salt
1 cup buttermilk
red and green colored sugar for sprinkling

In a mixer add Crisco and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets (3" apart). Sprinkle colored sugar over the tops of the cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until browned around the edges.

#3338 - Sweet Chocolate Cake

(by Aunt Eileeen [Knouse] Carter)

1 cup white sugar
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 square of Baker's German Sweet Chocolate--dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups CAKE flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Sift the flour into a bowl, then sift the same flour THREE more times. In a mixer add white sugar, brown sugar and Crisco--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Add baking soda, vanilla and salt--beat. Add boiling water/chocolate mixture--beat. Slowly add sifted cake flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#3336 - Coconut Buttermilk Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 unbaked pie crust dough
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
4oz. Baker's angelflake coconut

Grease a pie plate, insert the pie dough, flute the edges of the pie dough and spray the inside of the pie dough with Pam. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt and vanilla--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add coconut--stir until mixed. Pour batter into prepared pie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until set. If you don't want the exposed crust to get too brown, cover the edges of the pie with foil before baking and remove this foil during the last 10-12 minutes of baking.

#3265 - Fried Onion Strings

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large onion (more if you wish)
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 TBSP salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you want them spicier)
canola oil

Thinly slice the onion and separate the rings. Place the rings in a glass baking dish and cover them completely with the buttermilk. Let the onions soak for about an hour. In a bowl add flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper--stir to mix. Fill a cast iron skillet halfway with canola oil--turn heat to medium and heat oil to 375 degrees. Using tongs, grab some of the onions from the buttermilk mixture and dip them in the flour mixture. Shake off any extra flour and then dump them in the hot oil. Fry the onions until browned, then use a slotted spoon to take them out of the hot oil and spread them on paper towels to soak up extra grease. Repeat with all onions.

#3261 - Amish Cinnamon Swirl Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
Topping: 2/3 cup white sugar; 2 tsp. cinnamon

In a mixer add butter and 2 cups white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add buttermilk and baking soda--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. In a bowl add 2/3 cup white sugar and the cinnamon--stir to mix. Grease 2 bread loaf pans. Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Pour 1/2 of the batter from bowl 1 into pan 1; pour 1/2 of the batter from bowl 2 into pan 2. Divide the cinnamon mixture evenly into 2 bowls. Sprinkle 3/4 of the bowl 1 cinnamon mixture over the batter in pan 1; sprinkle 3/4 of the bowl 2 cinnamon mixture over the batter in pan 2. Sprinkle the remaining bowl 1 cinnamon mixture over the top of the batter in pan 1. Sprinkle the remaining bowl 2 cinnamon mixture over the batter in pan 2. Wet a bread knife. Stick the wet knife all the way to the bottom of pan 1 and carefully swirl the cinnamon mixture through the batter. Repeat with pan 2. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool the breads for 20 minutes, then loosen and remove from loaf pans.

#3230 - Magic Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. instant coffee mixed into 1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add flour, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt--stir to mix. In a mixer add eggs and buttermilk--beat. Add coffee mixture slowly--beat. Add canola oil and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture while beating--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (batter will be runny). Pour batter into a greased and floured tube cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool cake 15 minutes, then loosen cake edges and invert on to a cake plate. Cool completely. Frost with vanilla, cream cheese, peanut butter or chocolate glaze.

#3225 - Waldorf Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups flour (sift after measuring)
1 tsp. salt
2 TBSP water
1 TBSP cider vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup softened butter
2 tsp. Hershey's cocoa
2 TBSP red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda

In a mixer add white sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt and water--beat. Add vanilla and cocoa--beat. Add buttermilk and red food coloring--beat. Slowly add flour--beat for 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer. In a small separate bowl add baking soda and cider vinegar--stir until mixed. Pour vinegar mixture into batter--stir just 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. Cool completely. Frost as desired (normal Waldorf cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting and topped with chopped walnuts).

#3212 - Fresh Blueberry Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup white sugar
4 TBSP butter (melted)
2 TBSP canola oil
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

In a bowl add white sugar, melted butter and canola oil--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add flour, baking powder and salt--stir just until mixed. Add blueberries--stir just until mixed. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill each liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.