Bran Muffins

Ingredients

boiling water*
buttermilk*
3 cups bran
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 teas salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teas baking soda
2 eggs

Instructions

Pour boiling water over bran.

* If using liquid buttermilk: Pour 1 cup boiling water over bran and stir. Add 2 cups liquid buttermilk. Let stand 10 minutes to soften

** If using powdered buttermilk: Pour 3 cups boiling water over bran and stir. Let stand 10 minutes to soften. Combine 6 tablespoons buttermilk powder with dry ingredients.

Add oil, sugar, and eggs; beat well. Stir in combined dry ingredients just until moistened.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

Batter may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week before baking.

Chocolate Cherry Muffins

1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c granulated sugar
1/2 c sweetened baking cocoa
2 1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, and 2 tbsp cherry juice reserved
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c chocolate chips

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottoms only of a 6 jumbo muffin cups or 12 regular size muffin cups with shortening, or line with baking cups

2. In medium bowl, beat milk, oil, and egg with fork. Stir in remaining ingredients except cherries, juice and powdered sugar just until the flour is moistened. Stir in cherries, Divide batter evening among muffin cups.

3. Bake jumbo muffins for 23-25 minutes, regular size bake 18-20 minutes. Let cool.

4. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and cherry juice with spoon and drizzle over muffins.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins (Cookies)

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 teas. baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1/4 teas cinnimon
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
6 tbsp soft tub margarine
1/2 c. banana puree
1/2 c zucchini puree
1 large egg white
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment
2. In a bowl or ziplock baggie, combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnimon and shake or stir to mix
3. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, and margarine with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not over mix. Add the banana and zucchini purees, and the egg white, and stir just to blend. Add the flour mixture, raisins, and walnuts, if using, and stir to combine.
4. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons fuls onto baking sheets (or muffin tins), leaving about 1 inch inbetween. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.

Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes

Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes
1 lemon, divided
¾ c. cake flour (do not use all-purpose flour)
½ c. sugar, divided
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
¼ c. water
2 ½ tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp lemon extract
4 large egg whites, room temperature
Meringue Frosting (see below)
½ c. prepared lemon curd (see below)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place paper liners in wells of a Muffin Pan. Using a fine grater, zest lemon to measure 11/2 tbsp; set aside 1/2 tbsp zest for garnish (optional). In a small bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder, salt and remaining1 tbsp zest; whisk well. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks, water, oil and extract; beat on medium until well blended. Add dry ingredients; beat on medium speed until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl using clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. While continuously beating, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a very slow, steady stream. Continue beating 3-4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Stir in one-fourth of the meringue into batter using a rubber; gently fold in remaining meringue.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners; bake 12-15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove pan from oven to a cooling rack. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare Meringue Frosting (see below).
4. To assemble cupcakes, spoon lemon curd into Easy Accent® Decorator fitted with closed star tip or bismarck tip. Press decorator gently into center of each cupcake and pipe in a small amount of curd (about 2 tsp). Frost cupcakes; sprinkle with reserved lemon zest (optional).

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Lemon Curd
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
6 tbsp butter, cut into ½-in. slices
1 tbsp lemon zest

1. In 3-qt. saucepan, bring 2 ½ - 3 cups of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Using a double boiler, whisk eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Set double boiler over simmering water in saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, 6-8 minutes or until mixture thickens and registers 160°F (71°C) using a candy or digital cooking thermometer.

2. Remove double boiler from heat. Add butter and lemon zest; whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate lemon curd 2 hours or until set. Serve with pound cake, angel food cake, fresh berries, scones or biscuits.

Yield: 2 cups

Meringue Frosting
2/3 c. plus 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 c. water
3 large egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a small saucepan, combine the 2/3 cup of sugar with the water. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Using a brush dipped in cold water, wash down any sugar crystals from the side of the pan. Boil the syrup without stirring over moderately high heat until the syrup reaches 240° on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until the whites are firm. With the machine on, drizzle the boiling syrup down the side of the mixing bowl, avoiding the whisk, and beat at low speed for 3 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form when the whisk is lifted. Beat in the vanilla and let cool for 10 minutes. Use the Meringue Frosting as soon as possible. (Eliza’s note: this recipe made enough to frost a cake! If making this for the cupcakes I would half the recipe)

Chicken Salad

> serves 15 main dish

> 1pkg (12oz) bowtie
> 1pkg (12oz) spiral
> *cook and drain

> I can Pineapple tidbits
> 2 cans sliced water chestnuts
> 2 cups finely chopped celery
> 4 green onions, chopped
> 1 pkg craisins
> 1 can cashews or honey roasted peanuts
> 1 cup red grapes, halved ( I do 2 cups)
> 1 lg can mandarin oranges ( I do 2 cans)
> 6 cooked chicken breasts, diced
>
> Dressing: cut salad in 1/2, pour dressing into each bowl and stir
> 16oz Kraft Coleslaw (kraft has the best flavor)
> 1 cup miracle whip
>
> tip: double dressing, add to salad slowly-save extra for next day b/c
> it may dry out.
>
>

Fabulous served on croissants!

Monster Cookies

This makes a lot of dough so you can easily freeze it or half the recipe.

Monster cookies
6 eggs

2 cups brown sugar
2 cubes of butter
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 cups of peanut butter
2 tablespoons of corn syrup

Cream well

Stir in:
1 cup flour
8 cups of oatmeal
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup or more of chocolate chips
1 cup of m&m's

I also put in peanut butter chips and coconut sometimes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on how big you make them.

Honey Cookies

Makes around 60

Mix:

1 1/3 c. canola oil

2c sugar

1/2 c. honey

Now add:

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 TBSP cinnamon

4 1/2 c. flour

Mix well. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar. Put on greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 min. Cookies will be moist, so leave on cookie sheet for a few minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies (McCormick’s sugar cookie recipe, I halved the original):

1 1/3 c. flour
1 t. cream of tartar
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¾ c. sugar
1 stick butter, softened at room temperature
1 egg
1 t. vanilla

Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in bowl. Set aside. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Drop by teaspoon full onto baking sheet (it will be very sticky). Bake in a preheated 350˚ oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Surprise Apple Salad

3 snickers bars, chopped
3 medium tart apples, peeled and chopped
1 (8 oz) carton of frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (8 0z) block cream cheese, softened

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.

Cornbread Salad

1 (9 inch skillet) corn bread, cubed
2 small heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 (15.5 oz) can of red beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5 oz) can sweet corn drained
1 (8 oz) package of shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium purple onion diced
8 oz bacon ranch dressing
4 green onions thinly sliced (optional)

Layer a large bowl with half each of cubed cornbread, lettuce, and next five ingredients; spoon half of dressing evenly over the top. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients and dressing. Garnish with green onions is optional. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Before serving toss gently or serve layered.

Cheese Tortellini Ceasar Salad

1 package (9oz.) Buitoni refrigerated Three Cheese Tortellini, prepared according to package directions (I drain it, run cold water over it and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the salad).
1 bag ready to use romaine lettuce (or chop your own as much as you like)
3/4 cup creamy Ceasar salad dressing (I highly recommend using Newman's Own)
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 c. diced tomatoes
1 c. ceasar style croutons

Combine pasta, lettuce, dressing, and cheese in a medium bowl. Toss to coat, top with tomatoes and croutons. Season with black ground pepper (optional).

Chicken Pasta Salad

1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shelled pasta, cooked
4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
2 cups green grapes
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
20 oz. pineapple, crushed and drained (tid bits)
1 can water chestnuts
2 cups cashews
2 tbs grated onion
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups red apples, chopped

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. Serves 6

Carmelitas

Ingredients

2 c. flour
2 c. oats
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 teas. baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
1 1/2 c. butter softened
2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup nuts of choice
1 jar Mrs. Richardsons Butterscotch Caramel

Directions

Mix the floud, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt and butter together. Press 2/3 of the mixture on the bottom of a cookie sheet. Save the remaining 1/3 of the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. While still hot, add the chocolate chips, nuts and drizzle the caramel over the chips and nuts. Crumble the remaining mixture on top and bake for 20 minutes. You will see the caramel bubbling on the sides and the top slightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting.

Chocolate Marshallow Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 teas baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. shortening
1 egg
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 teas. vanilla
large marshmallows, cut in half
chocolate icing (homemade or canned)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except marshmallows and icing. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Put 1/2 marshmallow onto each cookie with cut side down. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes. Remove and cool.

Frost with chocolate icing and enjoy! =)

Orange Kissed Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1 egg
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour (add another 2 tbsp for high altitudes)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp thawed orange juice concentrate
1 tbsp grated orange zest

frosting:
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1/4 c. thawed orange juice concentrate
1/2 c. softened butter
3 c. powdered sugar
2-3 drops orange food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine the white sugar and shortening. Beat until well-combined. Add the egg and beat well, then add the sour cream and vanilla and beat for about 1 minute or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add the orange juice concentrate and orange rind and mix well.

Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough/batter (the mixture will be VERY moist-thicker than a cake batter, but thinner than traditional cookies) by the tablespoonful onto a lined, ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set and just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for cooling and cool completely.

For the frosting, combine the frosting ingredients with an electric mixer until light and fluggy. Pipe or spread over the cooled cookies

Yield: about 36 cookies

Choclate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

200g granulated sugar
165g brown sugar
3/4 cup butter softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 teas. vanilla
2 eggs
300g gold medal all-purpose flour
64g dutch processed baking cocoa
1 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
5oz peanut butter baking chips
6oz semi sweet chocolate baking chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Mix sugars, butter, shortening, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir in vanilla and baking chips.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto an un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

Honey Cookies

Makes around 60

Mix:

1 1/3 c. canola oil

2c sugar

1/2 c. honey

Now add:

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 TBSP cinnamon

4 1/2 c. flour

Mix well. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar. Put on greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 min. Cookies will be moist, so leave on cookie sheet for a few minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

(McCormick’s sugar cookie recipe, I halved the original):

1 1/3 c. flour
1 t. cream of tartar
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¾ c. sugar
1 stick butter, softened at room temperature
1 egg
1 t. vanilla

Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in bowl. Set aside. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Drop by teaspoon full onto baking sheet (it will be very sticky). Bake in a preheated 350˚ oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Monster Cookies

This makes a lot of dough so you can easily freeze it or half the recipe.

Ingredients

6 eggs

2 cups brown sugar
2 cubes of butter
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 cups of peanut butter
2 tablespoons of corn syrup

Cream well

Stir in:
1 cup flour
8 cups of oatmeal
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup or more of chocolate chips
1 cup of m&m's

I also put in peanut butter chips and coconut sometimes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on how big you make them.

Hot Fudge over Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
Salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:

Bring ream and butter to boil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sugars and corn syrup, and heat, stirring, until sugars dissolve. Whisk in cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chocolate, and stir until melted. Stir in vanilla. Use immediately, or keep warm in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Serve hot fudge over ice cream.

Recipe from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewart.com/307410/hot-fudge-over-vanilla-ice-cream

Creamy Spinach Dip

Ingredients:

1 cup baby spinach (stems ripped off)
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp minced shallot
2 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 cup nonfat cottage cheese

Instructions:

Chop garlic cloves and shallot and put into food processor - process until minced. Add baby spinach and process until finely blended. Add cottage cheese and blend together until the mixture is green throughout. Pour into serving bowl, add dried onion flakes and mix together. Serve with pita chips.

Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

Two 14 oz cans of artichoke hearts
One 8oz block of cream cheese
1 cup of mayonnaise
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dash of salt
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add one can of artichoke hearts, cream cheese and mayo to food processor/blender. Sprinkle in cayenne pepper to taste, add green onions and well. Pulse mixture 6-7 times just to chop the artichokes and mix the ingredients. Mix the Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste and set aside. Now roughly chop the artichokes from the remaining can into bite size pieces. Add the artichoke pieces to the dip and stir together gently. Pour the mixture into an oven safe dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Toasted Baguette with Goat Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

Baguette loaf
One round of goat cheese
1 tbsp basil
1 cup roasted red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, broil. Toast the bread on a cookie sheet, five min or until toasted to your liking. Spray both sides of bread with oil, or butter.

Mix the goat cheese and basil together. Spread mixture on top of bread slices. Top with roasted red pepper. Serve immediately.

Pico De Gallo

For this recipe, you pretty much chop up however much of each ingredient you want and mix it all together. Serve with tortilla chips.

Lime juice
Red onion
Cilantro
Tomatoes
Red cabbage
Pinch of salt

Sparkling Strawberry Carrot Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen strawberries
2 cups carrot juice
sparkling mineral water as desired

Instructions:

First blend the strawberries and carrot juice together. Add mineral water as desired to blended mixture. Serve and enjoy.

Chocolate Caliente - Spanish Hot Chocolate

Sweet Chocolate Version

• 2 8-ounce cups (250 ml) whole milk
• 4 ounces (113 gr) milk chocolate
• 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Baking Chocolate Version

• 2 8-ounce (250 ml) cups whole milk
• 3 ounces=3 squares (93 gr) baking chocolate
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

With either type of chocolate, the process is almost the same:

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the cornstarch. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch. Once the cornstarch is dissolved, heat the milk on medium heat just until it boils, then remove from heat. Add the chocolate squares immediately and begin stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. If the milk cools off too fast, place the pan back on the stove on low heat to melt the chocolate.

If you are using baking chocolate, which is unsweetened, pour the sugar into the chocolate milk mixture and stir until thoroughly dissolved.

Place the pan back on the stove on medium low heat, stirring slowly, but constantly. (Do not cook the mixture over high heat because it may cause lumping.) Taste the chocolate for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary. The mixture should thicken quickly. As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch will not thin. Ladle immediately into cups and serve piping hot.

Tropical Green Smoothie

1 cup water
2 cups spinach
1 mango
1 banana
1 cup pineapple chunks
ice (optional)

Blend water and greens first. Then add fruit and ice if desired. Blend all for one minute and enjoy!
Makes 2 quarts.

Orange Julius

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk
1 cup water
a bunch of ice cubes

blend and serve

Mulled Apple Drink

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 tbps cinnamon

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in mixer and blend well. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place a dollop of mulling mix in each cup and add hot apple juice or cider. Stir and serve.

Pink Lassies

We drink this on Christmas morning, but it is yummy anytime

1 cup cranberry juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup vanilla ice cream (serving consistency mini peppermint candy canes (the kind that have a non-connected hook, otherwise they won't hang over the edge of the glass)

Put a portion of ice cream, cranberry juice and orange juice in blender and blend. Add more of whichever ingredient you think it needs, we always just go by the taste.

Pour into a glass and hang the candy cane on the side for people to mix their drinks, adds a nice little peppermint kick!

Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

1 banana
1-2 tbps chocolate syrup
big blob of peanut butter
3 ice cubes

Blend and enjoy!