Pancakes

I love anything you can put maple syrup on.  And I especially love these.  Justin and I were on a quest for the perfect pancake recipe.  I've always been partial to Bisquik but after doing a little cost comparison (I just thought about it for a second really), homemade pancakes are practically free and Bisquik is a little pricey per pancake.

Back to the quest. We tried 2 recipes out of our cookbooks and one I had in my recipe box from who knows where since who knows when.  Yesterday I went to the web and typed in "pancake recipe".  This is the very first one that came up from allrecipes.com.  We loved it.  It helped they were cooked in the fat from the bacon we just fried.  So it was a short quest but nontheless triumphant.

This makes about 8 pancakes so those of you with larger families, I'd double it. Or if you like leftovers for the freezer.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (I used oil)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Kale Smoothie

Created by Melanie

2 Cups Kale

1 Medium Banana

1 Cup Kefir or Plain Yogurt

2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed or 2 Tbsp Chia Seed

1/4-1/2 Cup Orange or Apple Juice

1 Tsp Coconut Oil

Soft Sugar Cookies

3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. karo Syrup
1/2 c. shortning
1/4 c. butter

1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. milk

1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder (really 4 tsp)
1/2 tsp soda
3 1/4 c. flour

1. Mix first 4 ingredients.
2. Add egg, vanilla and milk and mix.
3. Add dry ingredients.

Don't over mix. Refriderate atleast 1 hour before rolling and cutting into desired shapes.

Bake at 350 degrees / time varies on size and thickness of cookies, approx 8 minutes.

Cool and frost. I prefer canned vanilla frosting for these.

Just a really tasty cake

Because sometimes you want cake without the frosting. This is tasty and you can tell yourself it's not so bad, cause it's got a lot of sugar free stuff...except the cake mix.

1 box of Duncan Hines Devil Food cake mix.

1 can of Diet Pepsi (I used Pepsi Max)

A bit of water

Mix cake mix and can of diet soda. Add water as needed until you get to the right cake batter consistency. Pour into baking pan. Bake as directed. Let cool.

1 small box of sugar free Jell-o cheesecake pudding

Make as directed (skim milk) and as soon as it starts to thicken, but not set, spread over cake.

Then top the cake with sugar free cool whip.

Refrigerate until nice and chilled!

Heavenly.

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.

Creme Brulee French Toast

We usually have this Easter morning but I think we might have it Christmas morning too.  This is super easy to put together the night before.  It bakes in 30 minutes so I don't know what we'll do for the last 23 minutes after we open presents.

Creme Brulee French Toast

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 loaf Texas toast bread (I've used other kinds, just don't do Wonder, fluffy stuff)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half (or mixture of milk and whipping cream)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally.  Pour mixture onto large, greased jelly roll pan (18x13). Spread to cover surface.  Place 12 slices Texas toast bread in a single layer to cover pan.  Mix together eggs, cream, salt, and vanilla.  Spoon mixture over each piece of bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees. Remove from pan and serve. If not serving immediately, turn each slice of bread over (this will prevent bread from sticking to the bottom of the pan). You can serve with syrup butter but I just use a small amount of plain syrup since the bread is super sticky, moist, and rich anyway.

Syrup Butter

1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups maple syrup

Melt together and serve over toast.

Bourbon Chicken - Updated

*which actually has no bourbon in it, but "Apple Juice Chicken" just doesn't sound good at all

*and yes, I stole this picture off of someone else's blog

2 lbs chicken, cooked and cubed chicken

In a small saucepan combine:

**UPDATE FROM ORIGINAL POST...You should really make a double batch of the sauce because there never seems to be enough of it. OKAY, CARRY ON**

1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp paprika (substitute crushed red pepper if you like it really spicy)
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Heat until dissolved. Pour over chicken and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Serve over rice with vegetables on the side.

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.

Soft Gingersnaps

1 1/2 cups butter (do not substitute) softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Additional sugar for rolling in

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Beat in molasses. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

2. Roll into 1" balls, roll in sugar. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-12 min or until puffy and lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

Candy Coated Pecans

1 egg white
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 dash vanilla
4 cups pecans

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line cookie sheet with wax paper. Spray wax paper with cooking spray.
2. Beat egg white until stiff. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Mix in pecans and stir until coated. Pour nuts onto the prepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake until browned, approximately 10-15 minutes.

Caution: these are addicting.

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.

Christmas Marshmallow Fudge

4 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1 tall can milk

Boil above ingredients for 10 minutes, stirring constantly

Pour over:
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 giant hershey bar
6 oz marshmallows
2 tsp vanilla
1 c. nuts (optional)

stir together until well blended, pour into buttered pan.

Christmas Pastry-Wrapped Salmon Ring

15 1/2 oz can pink salmon
1 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 Tbsp finely chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 8-oz pkg crescent rolls
Sour cream and chives

Grease 5 cup ring mold. In bowl, drain and flake salmon, removing skin and bones. Add bread, eggs, celery, pepper, onion, and lemon juice. Separate rolls into triangles. Arrange triangles in ring mold alternating points and wide ends so dough drapes over center and outside edges of mold. Pat dough lightly to line mold. Pack salmon mixture into mold. Fold end of dough to cover salmon and press to seal. Bake 375 for 30 minutes. Loosen edges. Invert to serving platter. Serve with sour cream. 4-6 servings.

Layered Mint Chocolate Fudge

1 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mint chocolate chips

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with 1 cup sweetened condensed milk; add vanilla. Spread half the mixture into wax paper-lined 8 or 9 inch square pan; Chill 10 minutes or until firm. Hold remaining chocolate mixture at room temperature.

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt mint chips with remaining sweetened condensed milk. Spread on chilled chocolate layer; chill 10 minutes longer or until firm.

Spread reserved chocolate mixture on mint layer. Chill 2 hours or until firm.

Divinity

2 and 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

Cook sugar, corn syrup, and water on the stove to hard ball stage. Beat the egg whites in a mixer until VERY stiff. Gradually pour sugar mixture in a small stream into egg whites with mixer running. Add vanilla. Mix until it loses its shine and sets up.

Christmas Salad

Bottom:
1 large pkg. lime jello, mix as directed on the box. Set in 9x13 pan

Middle:
1 small pkg. lemon jello dissolved in 1 c. hot water.
1/2 lb. marshmallows - stir til melted in jello
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese - softened gradually
add lemon jello mixing well -
8 oz cool whip - fold in, pour on jello

Top:
1 lg pkg cherry jello

Chill til set

Christmas Dutch Mustard Pickles

2 qts cucumbers, peeled and cut up
1 qt small pickling onions, peeled
1 qt large onions, trimmed, peeled and cut up
1 large head cauliflower, cut up
2 sweet red peppers (for Christmas coloring)
1 cup salt
1 gal water

Soak vegetables overnight in brine. Bring to a boil then drain. Pour dressing over, bring to a boil, simmer 15 min. Pack in clean hot jars, seal. Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes.

Aunt Erva's Candy

Carmelize 1 cup sugar in a frying pan over low heat.

Slowly add 1/3 cup water, a little at a time, and stir until the sugar is dissolved in the water.

In another sauce pan combine 6 cups sugar, 1 can Canned Milk, 1/4 cup corn syrup, bring to a boil over medium low heat, being careful not to scorch.

Gradually add the camelized sugar. Cook to soft ball. Add 1/4 cup butter. Cool completely. Chill twelve hours, mold, dip in chocolate.

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.

Christmas Recipes

Can you post some Christmas food recipes? Thanks! (I'll again delete this when it's known I want them)