Strawberry Shortcake

I love this shortcake recipe for a perfect compliment to sweet, ripe strawberries.  Not too sweet, just the right tang.  Again, compliments of Betty Crocker.

1 quart strawberries, sliced
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
Sweetened whipped cream
Mix strawberries with 1 cup sugar; let stand 1 hour.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut shortening into flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Stir in milk just until blended.  Gently smooth dough ino a ball.  Knead 20-25 times.  Roll to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with floured 3 inch cutter.  Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 
Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.  Split crosswise while hot.  Fill and top with cream and strawberries.                                                              
                                                                                            6 servings

German Chocolate Cake

Bake a German Chocolate Cake mix according to directions.  Cool.

German Chocolate Frosting

Combine:       2/3 cup evaporated milk

                        2/3 cup sugar

                        2/3 stick butter

                        1 tsp. vanilla

                        2 egg yolks

Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. 

Add:                 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
                        1 cup coconut. 

Frost top of cooled German Chocolate cake.

Cream Puffs

A huge favorite of mine, I asked my mom to make them instead of a cake for my 12th birthday!
I like the Betty Crocker recipe.

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat water and butter to rolling boil in saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from heat.  Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth.  Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake until puffed and golden, 35 to 40 minutes.  Cool away from draft.  Cut off tops; pull out any filaments of soft dough.  Fill puffs with cream filling.  Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar.  Refrigerate until serving time.    Makes 6 cream puffs.

Cream Filling
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2-quart saucepan.  Stir in milk gradually.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks.  Blend into hot mixture. Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla; cool.

For Chocolate Eclairs frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
Heat 1/2 square unsweetened chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon butter over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup powdered sugar and about 1 tablespoon hot water.  Beat until smooth.

Quiche

Perfect food for a brunch!  Delicious, and can be made ahead of time for a clean kitchen when guests arrive.  We loved it so much it got eaten up before I remembered to take a picture.  This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cookbook I recieved as a wedding gift in 1982. 

Quiche

Pasty for 9 inch One Crust Pie

3-4 slices bacon, cut and cooked

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup fresh broccoli finely chopped

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 eggs

2 cups half-and-half

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoons pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne red pepper

Prepare pastry.  Sprinkle bacon, mushrooms, broccoli, cheese and onion in pastry lined pie plate.  Beat eggs slightly; beat in remaining ingredients.  Pour egg mixture into pie plate.  Cook uncovered in 425 degree oven 15 minutes. 

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.  Cook uncovered until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, about 30 minutes longer.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Sausage, Butter Bean and Cabbage soup

Perfect for dinner on a chilly Autumn evening!

This recipe is from The Slow Cooker Bible.

1 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 large onion, chopped

12 ounces kielbasa cut into 1/2 inch slices

5 cups chicken broth

1/2 head savoy or green cabbage, coarsely shredded

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 14 oz. cans butter beans,drained

salt and pepper

Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until golden.  Place in slow cooker.

Melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter in same skillet; cook sausage until brown on both sides.  Add to slow cooker.

Place chicken broth, cabbage, tomato paste and bay leaf in slow cooker; stir until well blended.  Cover; cook on LOW 3hours or HIGH 1 1/2 hours.

Add tomatoes and bean; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook 20 - 30 minutes until heated through. Remover and discard bay leaf.

Notes:  I didn't have a bay leaf, so I sprinkled coriander in the soup.  Yum!  Also, taste the soup before adding salt, the chicken broth may give it enough seasoning. 

To complete the meal I served the soup with homemade wheat rolls and squash. 

Conference Muffins

                                                                      Conference Muffins
Serve up hot during General Conference             
makes 12


Mix thoroughly:
1/3 cup soft butter or shortening
½ cup sugar
1 egg
Sift together:
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp. bkg. powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Stir in alternately with ½ cup milk.
Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake until golden brown in 350 degree oven for 20-25 mins.

Immediately roll in
6 T. melted butter
then in mixture of
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Golden Pancakes

This is Jean Shively's recipe from the Ward Cookbook.

It's called Golden Pancakes, but they are thin enough to be crepes.

With all the eggs and cottage cheese, they are full of protein!

Golden Pancakes

6 eggs

1cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

In a blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth.  Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased hot griddle.  Cook until bottom is browned and then flip and cook the other side.

Crepes, Anyone?

This divine creation is a chocolate gelato filled crepe with raspberry sauce,
hazelnuts and whipping cream.

Keith and I ordered it at a restuarant in Leavenworth.

It was so good that we came home and made them.

Left off the raspberry sauce, and substituted walnuts for the hazelnuts.
Wonderful!

Crepes

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup flour

1 Tablspoon sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tablespoons butter

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Mix well. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat on the stove. Pour enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan, it should be a thin layer. When it looks like it is getting golden brown on the bottom, flip over and cook the other side.

Fill with chocolate gelato or ice cream and top with chocolate sauce, whipping cream and nuts.

Chip Applesauce Cake

While we're on the subject of homely looking desserts,

I might as well include the recipe for Chip Applesauce Cake.

This is Diane's 26th birthday cake.

Not much to look at but so good.

CHIP APPLESAUCE CAKE

Beat together:
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 cups applesauce

Then add:
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons soda
½ teaspoon salt

Mix Well.
Then stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Put into a 9x13 pan.
Sprinkle the top with 2 Tablespoons white sugar.

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Rhubarb Cake

Generally considered to be a homely looking dessert, but the taste makes up for the lack of good looks. 

This has been epecially popular as of late.  Eric's 16th birthday cake of choice,

Katie's 25th birthday cake of choice,

a big hit at Devin's missionary open house. 

Even people who are sure they don't like rhubarb, my brothers, for instance, like this cake.

RHUBARB CAKE- Even if you don’t like rhubarb, you’ll like this cake!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, OR 1 C. milk +1 T. vinegar or 1T. lemon juice. (I think milk + lemon juice is the best)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
2 or 3 cups rhubarb (cut fine)

Topping:
½ cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Cream sugar and shortening, add egg and vanilla. Add milk then flour and soda. Blend well, fold in rhubarb. Pour batter into 9 x 13 cake non-aluminum cake pan.  Stone or glass is best.

Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes.
Take out of oven. Sprinkle topping on cake batter.
Return to oven. Bake 10-20 minutes longer.