Apple Dumplings

Josie M.

Use a 9" x 13" baking dish
Preheat oven to 350

2 cans Crescent rolls - 8 to a can
2 large Granny Smith Apples cut into 8 pieces each (Can use any kind of apple)
*1 cup Butter
*2 cups Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
10 oz. Mountain Dew

Peel and slice apples into 16 slices
Roll 1 apple slice into each crescent roll starting at the wide end; and place into baking dish.
In a saucepan - melt the sugar, vanilla and butter. (DO NOT CARAMELIZE) Just enough heat to melt the sugar.
Pour sugar mixture over rolls, sprinkle with cinnamon; then pour Mountain Dew over the top of the rolls
Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven then cover with foil and bake another 10 minutes.
Serve warm and enjoy!

*Suggest sugar be cut to 1 1/2 or less cups and butter to 1 stick. (I don't do this but know someone who has and they say it tastes fine)

1/2 Recipe
Use a 8" x 8" Baking Pan

1 can Crescent rolls
1 large Granny Smith Apple cut into 8 pieces
3/4 stick Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 oz. Mountain Dew

Grandma's Easy Apple Crisp

Jolene P.

1/2 C. flour
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 C. quick oatmeal
2 cans apple pie filling

Place apple pie filling in bottom of 9x13 greased pan. In a bowl, mix flour brown sugar and oatmeal. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apple filling and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

Overnight Apple Oatmeal

Jennifer S.

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 cups water
2 cups old-fashioned or steel cut oats or Irish oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Optional: chopped pecans or walnuts, and additional fruit such as raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon with apple slices, coating apples.
Mix oatmeal with water and salt.
Put apples in bottom of crock pot and pour oatmeal mixture on top. Do not stir.
Cover and cook overnight on LOW (8 to 9 hours).
In the morning, stir thoroughly. Serve with milk and additional brown sugar.

Asian BBQ Chicken

Summer S.

1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
2 T lime juice (about 1 lime) *microwave for 20 secs for better yield
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t curry powder
2 T garlic, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the marinade in a small bowl. Place the rest, with the chicken, in a zip-lock bag. (If your chicken pieces are extra large and you feel like you need a little more marinade, you can always add a bit of water to stretch it.) Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best.

Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Summer S.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb (3 or 4 depending on size) boneless chicken breast, cubed
2 T vegetable oil
½ c green bell pepper, cubed
½ c red bell pepper, cubed
1 T garlic, minced
2 T cornstarch
¼ c soy sauce
1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
2 T brown sugar
1 t ground ginger (or 2 t fresh)

Directions
1. Brown chicken in oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green bell peppers, red bell peppers, and garlic; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and soy sauce- mix together, add vinegar, sugar and ginger; pour mixture into the skillet, along with the pineapple and liquid. Stir together and bring up to high heat for 2 minutes.
3. Serve over rice.

Cindy’s Caramel Crack Corn

Cindy H.

This is named Crack Corn....because it IS that addictive!!
.

Prepare 3 bags of the butteriest microwave popcorn you can find (movie theater butter, etc) and place in a gigantic bowl, after sifting out the duds.
In a sauce pan over medium-low heat melt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, stir in 1/2 cup light corn syrup and 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar.
Turn heat to med-high and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute and remove from heat, and add 1 tsp vanilla.
Pour over popcorn and stir until well coated and enjoy!!!

Caution the caramel sauce is LAVA hot!!!! This is NOT a project to have small children help with! 

Peanut Butter Cookies

Crazy Cakes Bakery

4 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups (3 Sticks) Unsalted Butter (softened)
1 1/3 Cups Creamy Peanut Butter
2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 1/4 Cups Brown Sugar (packed)
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs (Large)
2 Additional Egg Yolks
2 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Preheat Oven to: 350 Degrees

1. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until creamy.
4. Add eggs, additional egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat until just combined.
5. At low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until well combined.
6. Use a spoon to scoop 1/4 cup dollops of the dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each mound.
7. Use a fork to flatten each mound with a crosshatch pattern. Each cookie should be about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
8. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F. Swap top and bottom baking sheets halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are slightly puffed and have golden edges.
9. Transfer cookies onto wire racks to cool.

Cowboy Cookies

Crazy Cakes Bakery

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Cups Old-Fashioned Oats
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
2 Large Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Walnuts (chopped and toasted)

Don't preheat oven until step 7

1. Whisk flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until well blended.
2. Beat butter and sugars together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Use an electric mixer if possible.
3. Beat eggs and vanilla in to the butter mixture.
4. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts by hand.
6. Cover this dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
7. Place both oven racks near the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
8. Butter two baking sheets.
9. Form the dough into 1/4 Cup balls. And place these balls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches space between them.
10. Hand-flatten the balls to 3-inch rounds.
11. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350°F until cookies are firm in the center and their edges are golden brown. Rotate the sheets halfway through the baking.
12. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool.

HJORTEBAKKELS (Norwegian Christmas Cake Doughnuts)

Grandma Helen Walberg Larsen Evans

Hjortebakkels Pronounced Yoh-tah-bahk-elles literally means "Jesus buckles or Crosses" The shape of the "doughnuts" end up looking like an Ankh (rounded cross).

This makes a HUGE amount, for first time adventures so I ended up cutting the recipe in half. The half recipe is as follows:

Dry Ingredients:
5 C. Flour
½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Cardamom
½ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Nutmeg
¼ tsp. Ground Cloves
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
Sift together in a bowl and make a well to add the wet ingredients.

Wet Ingredients:
5 Eggs
¼ C. Cream
1 stick Butter, melted
½ tsp. Lemon Juice

Knead until dough is formed. Refrigerate over night. Roll dough into ropes (use a little flour), cut into 3-4” lengths. Cross dough and press to make knots. Make 2 slits at top of circle. Dough must be kept cold at all times!! Deep fry at 350° until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe in my Grandmother Helen's handwriting when she wrote the recipe out for me 22 years ago.

 

Helen Walberg Larsen Evans

Nov. 11, 1916 - Dec. 1, 2009

Eggnog Snicker Doodle Sugar Mix

Jennifer S.

1 batch Snicker Doodle or Sugar cookie dough, homemade or store bought

Sugar mix to roll cookies in:
½ cup white sugar
¼ brown sugar (not packed)
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cardamom

Roll cookie dough balls in sugar mix and bake according to directions for cookie dough.
They taste just like Eggnog!!

Chewy Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jennifer S.

Ingredients:
4 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 & 1/2 cups Butter, softened
1 & 1/4 cups sugar
1 & 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 Eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (12-ounce) package (1 & 1/2 cups) real semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

Instructions:
Heat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl; set aside. Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. (Do not over bake.) Let stand 5 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack.

Cassy Hamner's Oatmeal Bars

Submitted by Sara B.

1 C. Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
½ C. Margarine or Butter
½ tsp Baking Powder
½ C. Shortening or Veggie Oil
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 Eggs
Stir In: 3 C. Oatmeal
1 C. Flour

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients except oats and flour. Stir in oats and flour. Press dough in un-greased rectangular pan, 13x9x2. Bake about 15-25 min or until light brown and done in the center. Cut into 2-in squares while warm. Makes ~20 bars. Enjoy :)

Homemade Berger Cookies

Amy D.

I love making these cookies at Christmas.

There is a bakery in Maryland that makes these fabulous cookies and you can even buy them on their website, http://bergercookies.com/ ; but the cost for shipping is too much!
It is worth taking your time to layer on the frosting/ganache…delicious!

Note: You could make this dough using a hand held mixer but I really think it's better suited to a stand mixer. The dough uses a lot of flour and even though it's alternated with an entire cup of liquid, it might be too much for a hand mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, don't despair. Use your hand mixer but be prepared to have to do some of the mixing by hand.
Also, I was concerned that the frosting would not firm up enough to allow these to be shipped. It does. But it takes some time. So if you plan to make these to send, make sure you leave yourself enough time for the frosted cookies to set up before you package them. I can't say how well they will hold up to the United States Postal Service but I'm hoping for the best.

Cookies
• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)
Frosting
• 3 1/2 cups (21 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick butter, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line two or three baking sheets with parchment.
Beat the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium high speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the salt, vanilla, and baking powder and mix to combine. Add the sugar and mix until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
On low speed, or by hand, add the flour and milk in several additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
Using a standard 2 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop six portions of dough, spaced 2 inches apart, onto a prepared sheet pan. For smaller cookies, use a 1 1/4 inch or 1 3/4 inch scoop.
Working with one sheet at a time, bake until the cookies puff, the bottom edges just begins to color, but the top are still pale (no color at all), approximately 11 minutes. The tops will look a bit cracked when you pull them from the oven. Don't be tempted to over bake the cookies or they will be dry.
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely. Bake remaining dough and make the frosting.

Frosting
Combine the chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a medium or large microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power in 1 1/2 minute increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate has melted and can be easily mixed to a smooth consistency. Let stand at room temperature to cool completely, approximately 2 to 3 hours(seriously).
Once the chocolate has completely cooled, use a hand mixer or transfer the chocolate to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until the frosting thickens, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Spread a dollop of frosting on the top of each cookie and let it set up completely, approximately 30 minutes. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap in plastic wrap.

Thumb Print Cookies

Jolene P.

photo by by raspberri cupcakes

1/2 cup softened margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
coconut
jam or jelly

Cream margarine, egg yolk, brown sugar and vanilla together. Add flour and salt and mix well. Form into balls and roll in egg white and coconut. Place on a greased cookie sheet and press thumb into each center. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and fill prints with favorite jam or jelly. Cool and enjoy!

Monster Cookies

Jolene P.

3 cups peanut butter
2 cubes softened margarine
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. baking soda
6 eggs
9 cups quick oats
1 cup M&M's
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all except oats, candy and chocolate chips in a bowl and stir well. Add oats, then stir in candy and chocolate chips. Drop onto baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cindy H.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a small bowl combine 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
In a large bowl cream together 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar(packed)
Add 2 tsp vanilla & 1 egg..., beat well
Add dry ingredients, mix well
Add 1 bag choc. chips (I used 1/2 bag choc chips and 1/2 bag peanut butter chips), mix well
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (I have a cookie scoop that makes nice big rounds) on ungreased cookie sheets
Bake 10-15 min (I bake mine for 8 minutes)
Cool and EAT :) (or don't cool and eat haha)
makes 3 dozen

Yum-A-Setta

Michelle H.

1 ½ to 2 lbs. Hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
12 oz. Extra wide noodles
8 oz. Velveeta
1 tbsp. brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Brown hamburger with onion. Drain off fat. Salt and pepper. Add tomato soup and brown sugar. Mix well. Cook noodles. Drain, then add cream of chicken soup. Mix well. Layer hamburger mixture, then noodle mixture with cheese sliced between layers in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Brown Sugar Muffins

Jolene P.

1/2 c. softened butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour

In mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Add milk, egg, baking soda, salt and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour by hand. Pour into 12 muffin cups and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes