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