This is a new favorite of my husbands'. The shortcake is so easy to make, and much cheaper than storebought cakes! A great dessert to serve when strawberries are on sale!
Strawberry Shortcake
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1-2 lbs. sliced strawberries
1/3 cup sugar + 2 tbsp. sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, sliced
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
Cool Whip or Whipped Cream - at least 1 cup
Vanilla Ice Cream, optional
In a small bowl stir together strawberries and 2 tbsp. sugar, set aside. In medium bowl, stir together 1/3 c. sugar, flour, and baking powder. Using pastry blender or two forks, cut in butter slices until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and milk, add to flour mixture. Stir just until blended. Spread the dough into a greased 8x8in. square baking pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool shortcake in pan. When ready to serve, cut shortcake into 6-8 square pieces. For each serving, in a small bowl, layer a piece of shortcake, strawberries, vanilla ice cream if desired, and top with whipped cream. Serve. Makes 6-8 servings.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tropical Slush Punch
This fruity punch is a huge hit at any party or gathering! It is also wonderful 'spiked' with any alcohol for the grown-up guests. Enjoy!
Tropical Slush Punch
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6 cups water
5 large ripe bananas
2 cups sugar
2 cans (12 oz. each) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can (12 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate
46 oz. can pineapple juice
3 2-Liter bottles Lemon-Lime Soda (such as Sprite)
In a blender, puree bananas, sugar, lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrates, and 1 cup water until liquified. Pour into a large punch bowl. Stir in remaining 5 cups water and pineapple juice until blended. Cover punch bowl with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight. Pull punch bowl out of freezer 30 mins. before serving to slightly thaw. Mash frozen mixture up with a large wooden spoon or potato masher. Add sprite and stir well. Serve immediately. Makes 24-48 servings, depending on size of cups.
*You can also mix in any alcohol desired when mixing in the sprite (depending on how much alcohol is used, you may want to cut down on the amount of Sprite used so it doesn't get too watered down) I have a friend that spiked this with banana liquor and vodka and said it was wonderful!
Tropical Slush Punch
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6 cups water
5 large ripe bananas
2 cups sugar
2 cans (12 oz. each) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can (12 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate
46 oz. can pineapple juice
3 2-Liter bottles Lemon-Lime Soda (such as Sprite)
In a blender, puree bananas, sugar, lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrates, and 1 cup water until liquified. Pour into a large punch bowl. Stir in remaining 5 cups water and pineapple juice until blended. Cover punch bowl with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight. Pull punch bowl out of freezer 30 mins. before serving to slightly thaw. Mash frozen mixture up with a large wooden spoon or potato masher. Add sprite and stir well. Serve immediately. Makes 24-48 servings, depending on size of cups.
*You can also mix in any alcohol desired when mixing in the sprite (depending on how much alcohol is used, you may want to cut down on the amount of Sprite used so it doesn't get too watered down) I have a friend that spiked this with banana liquor and vodka and said it was wonderful!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Mashed Potato Pancakes
From Grandma Graf, a side dish true to my German heritage! She told me once she started making these when she was just a teenager in the 1920's! At that time, my Great-Grandmother ran a boarding house, and my Grandma would help cook meals for the guests. These were a popular side dish because they were so cheap to make, and made good use of leftover mashed potatoes!
Mashed Potato Pancakes
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2 cups seasoned mashed potatoes
1 tsp. chopped parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. chopped onion
dash black pepper
crisco for pan frying
Combine potatoes, egg, onion, parsley and pepper. Shape into small round cakes about 3/4" thick. Brown cakes on both sides in hot crisco. Makes a few cakes.
(I copied this recipe directly from my Grandma's very old and aged recipe she had in her cookbox!)
Mashed Potato Pancakes
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2 cups seasoned mashed potatoes
1 tsp. chopped parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. chopped onion
dash black pepper
crisco for pan frying
Combine potatoes, egg, onion, parsley and pepper. Shape into small round cakes about 3/4" thick. Brown cakes on both sides in hot crisco. Makes a few cakes.
(I copied this recipe directly from my Grandma's very old and aged recipe she had in her cookbox!)
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Pumpkin Bars
My all time favorite from Karen! Every bake sale we have at work, she brings these in for me because she knows they are my favorite. They are wonderful!
Pumpkin Bars
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2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 15oz. can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Icing:
1 8oz. cream cheese, softened
6 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Pour mixture into a greased 15x10x1 in. jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool.
For icing, mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled pumpkin bars. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator. Makes 12-16 bars.
Pumpkin Bars
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2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 15oz. can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Icing:
1 8oz. cream cheese, softened
6 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Pour mixture into a greased 15x10x1 in. jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool.
For icing, mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled pumpkin bars. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator. Makes 12-16 bars.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
Another great recipe from when I was a nanny...
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup grape or strawberry jelly
1 2/3 cups (10 oz. package) Peanut Butter Chips, divided
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 in. square baking pan. Stir together flour, sugar, and baking powder; with pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, blend well. Reserve half of mixture, press the remaining mixture into bottom of greased 9 in. pan. Spread jelly over crust. Sprinkle 1 cup peanut butter chips over jelly. Stir together reserved crumb mixture with remaining 2/3 cup peanut butter chips; sprinkle over top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup grape or strawberry jelly
1 2/3 cups (10 oz. package) Peanut Butter Chips, divided
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 in. square baking pan. Stir together flour, sugar, and baking powder; with pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, blend well. Reserve half of mixture, press the remaining mixture into bottom of greased 9 in. pan. Spread jelly over crust. Sprinkle 1 cup peanut butter chips over jelly. Stir together reserved crumb mixture with remaining 2/3 cup peanut butter chips; sprinkle over top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.
Paula Deen Fried Chicken
Here it is! The one and only Paula Deen fried chicken! I have had several people tell me this is the best fried chicken they've ever eaten! I definitely NEVER have leftovers when I serve this! Do not worry about the hot pepper sauce making the chicken too hot, when you eat the finished fried chicken you would never guess it is an ingredient! But DO USE Texas Pete's brand sauce for sure...I once tried using Frank's, another brand, and it wasn't nearly as good! You can buy Texas Pete at Walmart, Kroger, and Payless.
Paula Deen's Fried Chicken
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1 ½ - 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half if desired (a 2-3 lb. fryer chicken, cut up, can be substituted for chicken breasts)
3-4 cups vegetable oil, for frying (can also use peanut oil)
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup TEXAS PETE brand red hot pepper sauce
2 cups self-rising flour (can substitute 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. baking soda for the self-rising flour)
1 tsp. black pepper
House seasoning blend (1 tbsp. salt, ¾ tsp. black pepper, ¾ tsp. garlic powder - mix together)
In a large Tupperware container, mix together water, eggs, and red pepper sauce until combined. Add chicken pieces to marinate. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (can allow to marinate overnight if desired)
When ready to prepare chicken, heat oil to medium heat in a large, deep skillet or large electric skillet. Combine all house seasoning ingredients together in small cup, set aside. Combine self-rising flour and black pepper in a bowl. Take marinated chicken pieces directly from Tupperware container into self-rising flour mixture. Turn chicken pieces several times to coat well with flour mixture. Put chicken into hot oil to cook. Sprinkle reserved house seasoning over chicken pieces. Make sure to turn chicken pieces over every few minutes, sprinkling additional house seasoning over chicken pieces if desired. Chicken is done when golden brown and crisp. Remove chicken pieces with tongs to paper-towel lined plate. Serve. Makes 4-6 entrée sized servings.
Paula Deen's Fried Chicken
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1 ½ - 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half if desired (a 2-3 lb. fryer chicken, cut up, can be substituted for chicken breasts)
3-4 cups vegetable oil, for frying (can also use peanut oil)
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup TEXAS PETE brand red hot pepper sauce
2 cups self-rising flour (can substitute 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. baking soda for the self-rising flour)
1 tsp. black pepper
House seasoning blend (1 tbsp. salt, ¾ tsp. black pepper, ¾ tsp. garlic powder - mix together)
In a large Tupperware container, mix together water, eggs, and red pepper sauce until combined. Add chicken pieces to marinate. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (can allow to marinate overnight if desired)
When ready to prepare chicken, heat oil to medium heat in a large, deep skillet or large electric skillet. Combine all house seasoning ingredients together in small cup, set aside. Combine self-rising flour and black pepper in a bowl. Take marinated chicken pieces directly from Tupperware container into self-rising flour mixture. Turn chicken pieces several times to coat well with flour mixture. Put chicken into hot oil to cook. Sprinkle reserved house seasoning over chicken pieces. Make sure to turn chicken pieces over every few minutes, sprinkling additional house seasoning over chicken pieces if desired. Chicken is done when golden brown and crisp. Remove chicken pieces with tongs to paper-towel lined plate. Serve. Makes 4-6 entrée sized servings.
Ham Glaze
Everytime I make this recipe, I end up laughing! It always reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Marge has to wear sunglasses because her ham she's been glazing all day is so shiny! Ha!
You only have to apply this glaze once, and it sures gives ham a wonderful taste...
Ham Glaze
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1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. white vinegar
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Use hands or spoon to pat mixture onto ham. Bake ham as directed on ham package. Let ham sit for 10-15 minutes until you serve it.
* I usually use this glaze when I bake a small half ham. You may want to double the glaze if you are baking a large ham.
You only have to apply this glaze once, and it sures gives ham a wonderful taste...
Ham Glaze
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1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. white vinegar
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Use hands or spoon to pat mixture onto ham. Bake ham as directed on ham package. Let ham sit for 10-15 minutes until you serve it.
* I usually use this glaze when I bake a small half ham. You may want to double the glaze if you are baking a large ham.
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