Margaret Makes: Tapioca Pudding

Welcome to our first installment of Margaret Makes --the cooking show where Mom shows us her secret methods of making our childhood favorites. Be sure to submit ideas for future episodes.

Here's the video we shot a couple of weeks ago. (Forgive the unpolished editing; this is more of a family history project anyway.)

Check out this measuring spoon. Pretty sure that's the secret to all of Mom's cooking.


And this is the brand of tapioca she uses.


Minute Tapioca the Way Mom Makes It (She triples these amounts for her large pot)

3 T Minute Tapioca
2 3/4 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix tapioca and 2 cups of milk in large saucepan or pot. Add sugar and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the tapioca to soften a bit. Beat egg in bowl and mix in remaining milk. Add egg/milk mixture to pot. Stir until combined. Bring to a full boil over medium high heat. Boil and stir constantly for 10 minutes until full and foamy. Add vanilla. Pudding will thicken as it cools.

If you remember a time when Mom separated the egg and beating the whites and folding them in later, she did indeed do that. Mom prefers a denser pudding so she doesn't do that anymore.

And I'm pretty sure it's the law that it's eaten out of these fancy dishes.

Big thanks to Mom for being such a good sport. I told her I wanted a picture of her eating the pudding and this is what she did for me. It makes me so happy and her pudding really is this good.

What would you like to see Margaret make next?

S'more Cookie Cups

These are the cookie cups I made for Sarah's birthday. This recipe will make 24 cups.

S'more Cookie Cups

For the cookie cups:

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 large egg
2 tsp vanilla 
2 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt (optional) 
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 10 full graham crackers)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 24-well muffin tin. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add baking powder and salt and combine. Add eggs one at a time, combining completely between each addition. Add vanilla and combine. Add flour and graham cracker crumbs and stir until just combined. Scoop 3 tablespoons each into muffin tin. Bake for 13 minutes. Remove from oven and wait about 1 minute then use a jar or container (I used a spice jar) to indent each cup. Cool completely in tin.

For the ganache:

Ingredients
12 oz bag milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup cream

In a liquid 2 cup measuring cup, pour in chocolate chips and cream. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring completely until melted and smooth. Cool the ganache until it's no longer warm (the fridge can help speed this along). Pour a couple of tablespoons of ganache in cooled cups.

After the ganache is poured into the cups and while that cools and sets a little, begin making the marshmallow cream. 

Marshmallow Cream

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup corn syrup or honey

3 large egg whites room temperature

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

Place water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine.

1. Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and heat over medium-high. Do not stir from this point on as crystals will form.
2. Ensure mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease free.
3. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
4. When the sugar syrup reaches about 225°F, start whipping the egg whites to soft peaks. Approx 3-4mins.
5. When the whites are ready, the sugar syrup should be at 240°F. Remove from the heat, turn mixer to medium and very slowly and carefully pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin, steady stream.
6. Once all of the syrup is in, set mixer to medium/high and continue whipping. The whites will deflate at first, but they will thicken and fluff up. Continue to whip for 7-8 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add in vanilla and whip until the fluff has cooled.

Carefully remove each cup onto a cookie sheet. Put the fluff in a large piping bag fitted with a large opening tip. Pipe fluff onto each cup. With a kitchen torch, torch each cup to your liking. I torched from one direction, turned the cookie sheet and torched the other sides then repeated this on a third side. We waited until they were completely cooled to eat but I bet they'd be really good freshly toasted too.

Cookie recipe from The April Gal and ganache and marshmallow cream from Liv for Cake.

Grandma Syme's Chocolate Cake

Since tomorrow is Memorial Day and not all of us can make it to Moroni, I'm posting this recipe so you can bring a little Moroni, a little family history, to your own home.

I asked Mom if this was indeed a recipe Grandma Bardella made up or just one we associate with her. She didn't know. But Mom did write out the steps better which I hope I captured below.

Grandma Syme's Chocolate Cake

In a large bowl beat together with hand mixer
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening or butter
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl whisk together
1 cup flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
6 T cocoa

Add dry mixture to butter/sugar mixture and blend together.

Then add
1 cup buttermilk

Then add
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water a little at a time

Beat until smooth. Batter is much runnier than a cake mix batter. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Chocolate Caramel Cake

Baking spray that contains flour can be used to grease and flour the pans. Both natural and Dutch-processed cocoa will work in this recipe. When taking the temperature of the caramel in steps 3 and 4, remove the pot from the heat and tilt the pan to one side. Use your thermometer to stir the caramel back and forth to equalize hot and cool spots and make sure you are getting an accurate reading.

Cake

1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) flour
3/4 cup (2.25 ounces) cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Filling

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Sift flour and cocoa into large bowl. Whisk in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk buttermilk, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla together in second bowl. Whisk buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until smooth batter forms. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula.

   2. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, at least 2 hours.

   3. FOR THE CARAMEL FILLING: Lightly grease 8-inch square baking pan. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until dark amber, 2 to 5 minutes longer. (Caramel will register between 375 and 380 degrees.)

   4. Off heat, carefully stir in cream, butter, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble and steam). Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until smooth and caramel reaches 240 to 245 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer caramel to prepared pan and let cool until just warm to touch (100 to 105 degrees), 20 to 30 minutes.

   5. FOR THE FROSTING: Process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. (Frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate frosting. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.)

   6. Using long serrated knife, score 1 horizontal line around sides of each cake layer; then, following scored lines, cut each layer into 2 even layers. 7. Using rubber spatula or large spoon, transfer 1/3 of caramel to center of 1 cake layer and use small offset spatula to spread over surface, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Repeat with remaining caramel and 2 of remaining cake layers. (Three of your cake layers should be topped with caramel.)

   8. Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment to keep platter clean. Place 1 caramel-covered cake layer on platter. Top with second caramel-covered layer. Repeat with third caramel-covered layer and top with final layer. Spread frosting evenly over sides and top of cake. Carefully remove parchment strips. Let cake stand for at least 1 hour. (Cake can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature for at least 5 hours before serving.) Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if using. Cut and serve.

From America's Test Kitchen

(Almost) Swig Sugar Cookie Recipe

 
 
 I will NEVER make these cookies again!!  (Unless it's a giant gathering so I can be sure that all cookies are eaten and will not find a cozy spot in my fridge to taunt me day after day!)

These are so good and pretty much just like the cookies you find at Swig.  I didn't have sour cream so I used vanilla greek yogurt (don't tell Kenny or I will kill you!) in it's place in both the cookies and frosting. Turned out wonderfully! I liked the extra vanilla flavor.  I didn't use almond extract because I don't like almond extract and Swig doesn't use it either. *see tips below.  I cooked, cooled, frosted, then put them in the freezer to harden up the frosting so I could stack them and store them in the fridge, since Swig cookies are cold.

D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

I ate them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and made my kids take a bunch to school to get them out of my house! They are evil. You should give them a try! :)  Thanks lady in Bountiful that figured out the recipe!!  Link to original post here.


(Almost) Swig Sugar Cookie Recipe
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

dough:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup solid shortening ( I like Butter Flavor Crisco)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
4 1/2  cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
sugar for top of cookies

frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 tablespoon sour cream
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
dash of salt
1 drop red food coloring
1-2 tablespoons milk**

Preheat oven to 325 convection or 350 regular bake.
Take butter out of refrigerator and microwave for about 15 seconds. Place butter, shortening and cold sour cream in a mixing bowl. Mix for about one minute. Add sugar and almond extract, mix until smooth. Add all dry ingredients at once. Mix just until flour disappears and the mixture comes together in a ball of dough, about 1 minute on very low speed.
Spray the cookie scoop with a little cooking spray. Scoop the dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. I use a 2 inch scoop. A 2 inch scoop will produce a cookie similar in size to the Swig cookie. If you don't have a cookie scoop, use an ice cream scoop or roll the dough into a ball about the size of a golf ball. It is best to use a scoop and overfill it a bit to get the desired jagged edge.
Place about 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl.
Spray the bottom of a flat glass with cooking spray. Flatten one cookie a bit then dip the glass in sugar Press the bottom of the glass against the cookie. Press the cookies so they are flattened a bit ( until the cookie dough just reaches the outside of the edge of the glass) twisting the glass as you press to produce a jagged edge. I bake 8 cookies per tray. Continue until all cookies are flattened.
Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes on convection or about 12-15 minutes regular bake or until edges are lightly golden and cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
Remove from oven, let cool.  Loosen the cookies from the cookie sheet after cooled a bit, or they will stick to the pan (even though it has been lightly greased).
Place the cookies in the fridge and chill.

Prepare the frosting:
Beat together the butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. When all ingredients are incorporated, add the drop of food coloring and a little milk if the frosting needs to be thinned.
Frost after the cookies are completely chilled.
Makes about 18  large cookies.

Tips and (surprise) a few more comments:
-The recipe looks a little long and maybe even complicated, but it's  not. Once you get the hang of the technique for scooping and pressing, it takes less than a half hour to make and bake the entire batch.
-If you want the cookies to taste more like the  original Swig cookies make this adjustment to the dough:  Omit the almond extract and reduce the sugar to a total of 3/4-1 cup.
I prefer the cookies to be sweeter, so I like 1 1/2 cups of sugar in the dough. 1 1/2 cups of sugar may sound like a lot, but consider traditional chocolate chip cookies have 1 1/2 to 2 cups of sugar to 2 1/4 cups of flour. The ratio here is 1 1/2 cups sugar to 4 1/2 cups flour.
-This cookie measures about 3 3/4 to 4 inches across when finished baking.
-The St. George Swig cookie is frosted with quite a thin layer of frosting. I prefer my frosting to be a bit thicker. If you want to frost the cookie with a thinner frosting, add about 3-4 tablespoons of milk to the frosting. If you  are buying and not baking and like a thicker layer of frosting, visit our friends at the B-town Swig. That cookie is Swig perfection.
-This cookie stays quite well in the fridge for about a week if kept in an air tight container. I frost the cooled cookies, then store them in the fridge. Once the frosting is set on the cookie, you may layer the cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper. This allows you to stack the cookies without taking up too much space in the refrigerator.
-This cookie freezes well frosted or unfrosted.
-If you are making this for a gathering where there will be other desserts, use a smaller cookie scoop and bake for less time.

Moroni Funeral Brownies

That's not what these are called but that's the kind of brownie recipe I was looking for and these fit the bill.  Remember the last funeral in Sanpete County you went to? A large spread of desserts lovingly donated by the Moroni Relief Society? Somewhere among that table is a cookie sheet full of frosted brownies. These are those brownies.  They're originally Lunch Lady Brownies but that moniker conjures no fond memories as I never had brownies like this at school, only funerals. 

Anyway, enough about Moroni (oh the marinated turkey!)  It is an entirely different brownie experience eating these warm and gooey out of the oven than the next day completely set. Eat them both ways but set is the Moroni Brownie. Here's the recipe.

Moroni Funeral Brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a mixer, blend melted butter and cocoa until smooth. Add flour and sugar; beat together. Mix in eggs and vanilla (and nuts if you are using them) and mix until combined (be sure not to over mix).
Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean
Let the brownies cool for about 10-20 minutes and then frost while still warm.

Frosting:
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together and frost as desired. 

4th of July Popcorn

Kenny created this for our fireworks party tonight and it's fun and yummy, so I wanted to share.  We did this recipe twice, once with cherry Jello, and once with berry blue Jello.  When they were both cooled off, we mixed them together.

*We did add a few drops of blue food coloring to the blue jello to give it a more patriotic blue hue.

Ingredients

1 c	sugar
1/2 c	powdered sugar
2 Tbsp	light corn syrup
1/4 c	water
3 oz	package of jello
1/2 c	unpopped popcorn

Directions

1.  Pop popcorn into a large bowl, set aside.

2.  In a medium size sauce pan, mix together, sugars, jello, water, and corn syrup. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until lightly boiling. Don't over cook.

3.  Pour jello mixture over popped popcorn stirring continuously until evenly covered. Continue stirring until popcorn has cooled down and dried to keep popcorn from sticking together. Popcorn should have a sugary, crispy coating, not gooey. 

Grandpa Baadsgaard's Apple Crisp

DAD'S RECIPE "APPLE CRISP"

Cake:
4 cups granny apples, about 1/2 in. pieces
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
2 eggs stirred with
1 T. vanilla
1/2 cup oil

Topping:
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter

Mix all parts of cake except flour. Then mix in flour.
Place in pan, smooth down. Thru (sic) all nuts to top, then spread brown sugar then add melted butter with brush.

Bake at 375 for 55 to 60 min.

Apple Crisp

I crave apples like crazy right now. I have had a hankering for apple crisp. I got Grandpa B's "apple crisp" recipe from Mom that I will post on here for fun, but it is more of a apple nut cake and I really wanted an oatmeal type apple crisp. I searched the web and found a recipe here and it was dang good!! So here ya go if you are wanting some apple crisp.

I only made a small batch because I thought the kids wouldn't eat it. (I was wrong.) However, even though I only did half the apple mixture part, I made the full amount of the crumb topping because I think that more crumb topping is best, and it for sure wasn't too crumby :) ***My suggestion is if you make the full 9x13 size, make more crumb topping.

Ingredients

• 10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
• 
  
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Baked Smores

I found this recipe on Pinterest, made them and dream about them a lot. I bought the ingredients to make more just days after we finished off the pan. It was so easy too.  Here's the link to the blog where I got it, complete with pictures. I followed the recipe exactly and made it in a 11x7 pan.

Baked S'mores
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 5 full graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
2 or 3 super-sized (5 oz.) chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (or mini marshmallows if you must!)


Directions


Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of pan.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.

Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two 5 oz. Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly [for 8 by 8] side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer. [use 3 Hershey's for 12 by 8 pan]

Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the creme. This is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag. Use your palms or rolling pin to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag, so it will open up book-style. Open it up carefully, and the dough will stick on one side of the bag. Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers. From there peel the bag up and carefully spread the dough where it is uneven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely or almost completely for the melty factor before cutting into bars.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Heart Oreo Cookies

I just mixed these up for my kids for when they get home from school today. They were super easy and because I am such an awesome baker...I messed one up taking the pan out of the oven as a result I had an ugly one to "sample". They are yummy.

I didn't make homemade frosting because I am lazy and I find that the butter cream flavor in the tub is sufficient. So give em a whirl :)

Tip...when they are barely out of the oven and still super hot, I took a butter knife and cleaned up the shape a little so the heart shape was a little more precise.

Strawberry Heart Oreo Cookies

• 1 package of strawberry cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of shortening

Frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 stick of butter, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4 c. powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Mix together.
2. The dough will be pretty stiff-
3. it’s supposed to be that way.
4. Roll into balls.
5. Place two next to each other.
6. Pinch the bottom to create a heart.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
8. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack.
9. When cookies are cool, frost them and then
10. sandwich them like an Oreo.
11. This will only make about 12-15 cookies total
12. depending on how big you make them.
13. Mix frosting ingredients together. Spread onto cool cookies. Sandwich together.

Here is what they look like before going into the oven:

Lemon Cream Cheese Poundcake

Doesn't the name of it sound so tempting?  "Would you like some lemon cream cheese poundcake?" Who would say no to that? I stole this from some blog and made it.  It was delicious. Mine looked better than the one pictured here (picture also stolen from blog) but I was too busy eating it to take a picture.


Lemon Cream Cheese Poundcake

2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
zest of two lemons
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups flour

With your mixer, combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar until nicely whipped.  Add in eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate.  Continue mixing, while adding the zest, juice, vanilla, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add in your flour until everything is mixed.

In two greased bread pans (or four small bread pans) divide your batter evenly.  Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your loaves.  When a fork or toothpick inserted, comes out clean, your bread is done.

Immediately, brush tops of bread with extra lemon juice.  Then, make a glaze.

Lemon Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Once mixed together, pour over your bread loaves.  It will be absorbed quickly.  When cool, slice and serve.

Brownie Trifle

1 pkg brownie mix
1 pkg (lg) instant chocolate pudding
9 Heath bars, crushed (or use toffee bits) (I don't use that many bars and bits are easier)
12 oz whipped topping

Bake brownies as directed, cool and crumble (chunk). Prepare pudding, do not cool.
Layer brownies, pudding, candy and whipped topping, using half in each layer. Chill.

Texas Cake

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. margarine
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs
1 c. water
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

(add 1/4 c. cocoa for chocolate cake)

Mix flour and sugar in bowl. Cook margarine, water, (cocoa), bring to boil. Pour in flour and sugar, mix. Add remaining ingredients. Pour on greased cookie sheet.

Frosting:

Bring to boil:
1/2 c. margarine
6 T. milk
(1/4 c. cocoa if wanting chocolate frosting)

add:
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 bag powdered sugar til thick, beat til smooth.

Mom's Pecan Pie

3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
dash salt
1 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup pecan halves
9" unbaked pie crust

Beat eggs thoroughly with electric mixer. Add sugar, salt, corn syrup and butter and mix well. Add pecans. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Chocolate Melting Cake

This is something you can make when you're craving chocolate and eggs are on sale.  I half the recipe and just make 4 cakes.

1 3/4 c. chocolate chips

1 3/4 c. butter

9 large eggs

1/2 c. sugar

2/3 c. flour

Preheat oven to 400.

Melt chocolate chips and butter in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove.

Mix half of eggs and sugar in large bowl.  Add flour.  Add remaining eggs and sugar.  Add chocolate/butter mixture. Mix well.

Pour into 8 greased and floured ramekins. (I bought mine at Walmart for like a dollar each.  Or you could use a muffin tin I guess.  Or any little oven safe bowls.)

Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cake is done on edges but still gooey in center.  Top with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. You may need a glass of milk too.



Brownies

These are fantastic!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

Sweet Rice with Mango

1.5-2 c. uncooked STICKY rice My steamer can only handle 1.5 cups of uncooked rice and I can only find STICKY rice at the Asian market. Just ask for sticky rice, they know...This is different than jasmine rice or any other rice you find at the grocery store.

**soak rice for 2-3 hours, drain off water
**Steam rice in steamer as you would any other rice according to your steamer instructions

Coconut Milk sauce:
1 can coconut milk
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. veg oil

Combine above ingredients in pan, cook over medium heat stirring constantly, bring to boil, remove from heat.

Pour 3/4 of mixture over cooked rice and stir well, cover for 15 minutes.

Cut fresh mango into slices and place on serving of sweet rice,
drizzle some of remaining coconut milk over mangoes....yummy!!


Just for fun information:
Thai sticky rice (also known as "sweet rice" or "glutinous rice") is a tasty, sweet rice that does a great job of filling the stomach--but be careful not to eat too much... According to Thai tradition sticky rice can put you fast asleep if more than a couple handfuls are eaten.

Coffee Cake

topping:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, room temperature
1 tsp cinnamon

cake:
1 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla

Topping. In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Cake. Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.

Peach Cobbler

2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

sift dry ingredients

then add:
1 c sugar

cut in:
1/2 c shortening

then add:
1 c. milk

mix will and pour in 13x9 pan

1 bottle peaches sliced
place slices on top of batter
sprinkle:
1 c sugar
then pour:
2 c. peach juice. (you will need to add a little water to the peach juice to make 2 cups.)

bake at 350 degrees for 40 min or until top is golden brown and bubbly
serve hot with vanilla ice cream!!