Vanilla (or Cappucino) Pudding

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 cups milk
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla OR 1 shot espresso with sprinkling of cinnamon
  1. Stir cornstarch and sugar together. Add milk and stir. Cover over medium heat until bubbly; cook and stir 2 minutes.
  2. Stir 1 cup of hot mixture into eggs, whisking constantly. Stir egg mixture back into remaining hot mixture. Heat until bubbly again and cook and stir for 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla or espresso/cinnamon.

Rice Pudding

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
  • 2 cups milk, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Cook rice, 1 1/2 cups milk and salt in saucepan over medium heat until thick and creamy, about 15-20 minutes.
  2. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup rice, raisins, beaten egg and sugar; cook until egg is set, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The original one from the Quaker Oatmeal box lid, not the current one. Current recipe might be healthier, but is not as good!

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups Quaker Oats
  • 1 cup raisins, or cranberries, or dried cherries, or whatever…
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  4. Add dry mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
  5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool one minute on cookie sheet then transfer to wire cooling rack.

Creamy Lemon Glaze

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
  1. Melt butter. Stir in powdered sugar until smooth (may be like a thick paste).
  2. Stir in lemon juice a bit at a time until glaze is of the desired consistency.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Another goodie from my friend Cathy Cozens.

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 6 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  1. Preheat oven to 300℉. Grease and flour tube or bundt pan.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Add cream cheese and mix well.
  3. Alternate eggs and flour until thoroughly mixed.
  4. Stir in vanilla and lemon juice.
  5. Pour into pan; bake 90 minutes at 300℉.
  6. Pairs well with Creamy Lemon Glaze.

Honey Corn Bread

  • 1 cup corn meal
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup honey
  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Combine dry ingredients.
  3. Whisk together wet ingredients and then stir into dry ingredients just until blended.
  4. For corn bread, pour into greased 8″x8″ pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. For corn muffins, pour into muffin tins or molds. Bake 13-17 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • 4 small or 2 large chicken breasts
  • Minced garlic
  • Butter
  • 2 12oz cans chicken broth
  • 2 15 oz cans stewed chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup picante sauce
  1. Boil and then shred chicken. Set aside.
  2. Saute garlic in butter. Add chicken, broth, tomatoes and picante sauce.
  3. Simmer at least 15 minutes.

Often served with monterey jack cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream.

 

Brown Sugar Syrup

  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 c light corn syrup
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 T unsalted butter
  1. In medium saucepan bring sugars, water and corn syrup to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer vigorously for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Stir in butter.
  4. Will thicken slightly as it cools.

Grandpa’s Peanut Butter Fudge

DadI found this recipe among some of my Dad’s old files (he passed away in 2013). This was a special family treat that he often made around the holidays. I think he wrote the document I found for my niece, and he even included his picture in the title 🙂 . I’ve left the wording just as he wrote it. A great way to remember him…

To a 2 qt. sauce pan1 place the following:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 gobs of peanut butter2  
  • ¼  teaspoon of salt.

Mull the sugar, peanut butter and salt thoroughly until the two are completely mixed.

Add the following to the saucepan and stir together3.

  • ½ cup of milk
  • ⅓ cup of Karo syrup.

Cook the mixture over light heat until it starts to boil and then continue until the soft ball stage is reached. (238º F).  Occasional stirring is okay but shouldn’t be required.  (A pan with poor heat distribution will require stirring in  order to minimize the amount of charring.)

Remove the sauce pan from the heat and start to cool by submerging the  lower portion in a sink previously filled with cold water.

Add the following to the saucepan:

  • ¼ stick of butter
  • 1 tsp. of vanilla extract.

Continue cooling by submerging the  lower portion in the sink previously filled with cold water with continued beating.  Do not stop beating until the fudge starts to thicken but don’t wait too long.  Then pour the fudge into a previously buttered pan large enough to hold the fudge at the desired thickness.

Set aside to cool.  After it becomes cool it can be cut to appropriate sized squares.  Cleaning the saucepan with the spoon is best left for the kids to enjoy, but adults have been known to join the fun.  Give everybody their own spoon.

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1 – The saucepan needs to be heavy aluminum or have a bottom which has good heat conduction.  Otherwise the fudge will form a char while cooking (which also tastes good).

2 – A gob of peanut butter is a variable quantity and is about as  much peanut butter as it will scoop up (probably a little over a quarter cup).

3 – It’ s easiest to first add the milk to a measuring cup, then fill the cup almost to the seven ounce line with the syrup and, then stir together before adding to the mix.

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Base:

  • 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, cut up
  • 1/2 cup butter
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 13×9 inch pan.
  2. In large saucepan, melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth.
  3. Stir in flour, then remaining base ingredients; mix well.
  4. Spread in pan.

Filling:

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  1. In small ball, combine all filling ingredients except nuts and chocolate chips.
  2. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
  3. Stir in nuts.
  4. Spread over chocolate mixture in pan and then sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.
  5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  6. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows over top and bake for an additional two minutes.

Frosting: (prepare right before base comes out of the oven)

  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, cut up
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  1. In a large saucepan over low heat, combine butter, milk, unsweetened chocolate and cream cheese. Stir until well blended.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
  3. Immediately pour frosting over marshmallows and lightly swirl with knife to marble.
  4. Refrigerate until firm; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.