Molasses Crinkles

Another family favorite cookie around the holidays these are great to make with kids.  I have fond memories of making these with my family.  My favorite part was dipping the cookies in the colored sugar or nonpareils.  Maybe my mom can even dig up and old picture for me.

Until then here is the recipe:

3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine Crisco, brown sugar, egg and molasses.  Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and then slowly incorporate into wet mixture.

Use small scoop to spoon out cookies.  Dip one side of cookie in decorations if desired before placing on a baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 min.  Enjoy!

Forgotten Cookies

My mom use to make these for us around Christmas time every year.  I can't wait to make these with my kids this Christmas.  Like other meringues, it is best to make these on a dry day.

2 egg whites
2/3c sugar
1/2c nuts (optional) - I just add extra chocolate chips
1c chocolate chips
1t. vanilla
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Beat eggs till frothy.  Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Divide batter and color with food coloring if you wish.  We use to color them red (slightly pink) and green for Christmas.

Spoon out cookies onto foil lined baking sheets (or foil wrapped oven racks) and place into the preheated oven.  Immediately turn off oven and leave the cookies in the oven overnight.  It is important not to open the oven after putting the cookies in.

When cooking these cookies in an electric oven (one without a pilot light to keep the oven slightly warm and dry) you may leave the oven on at a lower temp (200 or so) for an hour before turning the oven completely off.

Enjoy!

Aunt Janet's Hashbrown Casserole

I didn't have this casserole this Thanksgiving, and I really missed it!  It will definitely make an appearance on my Christmas menu.

I'm sorry I don't have a picture yet, but I'll try to upload one after I make it.

1 large pkg frozen hashbrowns (I get the square kind)
2/3c melted crisco
1t. salt
1/4t. pepper
1/2c chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pt. sour cream
2c grated cheddar cheese
Topping: 2c crushed special K and 1/4c melted crisco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Defrost potatoes the night before in the refrigerator.  Mix all ingredients and pour into a 13x9 pan.  Mix ingredients for topping and sprinkle over casserole.  Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour until the edges are bubbly and the middle becomes hot.

A new family favorite: Pumpkin Creme Pies

I ran across these wonderful cookies on Ree Drummond's blog and I made them for a recent church event.  The results were AWESOME!  Not only were these tasty, but my husband who doesn't usually like pumpkin flavored things loved these cookies.  I would describe them as being very similar to a pumpkin roll, but in cookie form.

Here are some tips for following this recipe:

• The recipe makes 24 cookies (not 12 as stated).
• Although it instructs you to pipe the cookies one of the commenters said that you can just as easily scoop them.  I will try this next time.
• Don't bother cutting the parchement into squares, as that is a huge waste of time, but do use parchement to bake the cookies on.
• A PC medium scoop (about 2tbs) delivers the perfect amount of icing on each cookie to make 24 sandwiches.

Just in case you doubted how moist and delicious these are, here is another picture:

At the church lunch these were gone in just under 10 minutes or so!  My family members were all so glad that we had tasted one at home because we did not get to enjoy them at the lunch!!  I will definitely be making these for Thanksgiving and every gathering between now and then.

Here is the recipe step by step and in printable form.

Remarkable Fudge!

My sister and I had a battle with fudge on Christmas Eve that lasted three rounds and ended with great fudge from this recipe (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens "New Cook Book"):

4 cups sugar
2 5-ounce cans (1 3/4 cups total) evaporated milk
1 cup butter
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
7 ounces of a dark or milk chocolate candy bar (cut up)
7 ounces of marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts (optional in my family)
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Line a 13x9 with foil (or we did two 9x9s so we could have nut-ful and nut-free fudge). In a large saucepan over medium-high heat melt butter and then add sugar and milk. Cook and stir till mixture boils and then turn down heat to medium and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and then add chocolate chips, chocolate bar, marshmallow creme, and vanilla. If you want your whole batch to have nuts you may also add them at this time. If your family is like our just add the nuts to one of the 9x9s and then pour the fudge on top when it is done. Stir the fudge until everything is combined and continue to stir for one minute more. Spread warm fudge into your pans (or pan) and cut when cool.

The cook book says that you have to store it in the fridge, but we never do this!

Holiday Cookies!

I'll add pictures of these cookies when we cook them on Christmas Eve (or Christmas Eve Eve). I didn't realize how similar these two recipes are until I typed them up! Both are great for little hands and I remember making them when I was but a wee tyke!

Snickerdoodles (my Mawmaw's recipe)

These are fought over every year and some "special" members of the family get their own containers to take home with them!

1 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix first three ingredients together thoroughly. Sift together remaining ingredients and stir in to creamed mixture. Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts and then room in mixture of 2 T. sugar, 2 t. cinnamon. Place about 2" apart on non greased baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven until lightly browned...but still soft (8-10 min). These cookies puff up at first...then flatten out with crinkled tops. This recipe makes about 5 dozen 2" cookies.....I suggest you double it to lessen the fighting!

Molasses Crinkles (from my Grandma Quaschnick)

3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger

Cream sugar and crisco, add eggs and molasses. Sift together dry ingredients and then add to creamed mixture. Chill dough. Roll into small walnut sized balls. Dip in Christmas sugar and multi-colored non-pariels. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min. These also (as their name suggests) rise up and then crinkle when they are done.

Holiday Drinks: Hot Apple Cider

I love to drink my family's hot cider as soon as it gets cold outside. One of the keys to this cider is that when you buy a gallon of cider at the store check the ingredients for.........apple cider! You wouldn't believe how many gallons I see every winter labeled apple cider and the only ingredient that it contains is apple juice. I don't understand how they can do this, but an easy way to tell the difference is by the look: Here is a picture of cider (on the left) and juice (on the right). If you happen to buy a container that says it is cider, but you get home and discover that it is juice, never fear it will still be good, maybe not as good, but good never the less.

Here's an explanation of the difference:

Apple Cider vs. Apple Juice
Apple cider is essentially apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process that removes coarse pulp or sediment. Cider may or may not be heat pasteurized. Apple juice has been filtrated, pasteurized, and vacuum sealed to give a longer lasting, clearer looking product. Most juices add additional water and other ingredients to maintain flavor and clarity. Outside the U.S., the term "Apple Cider" typically means "Hard Cider" while "Apple Juice" usually will get you a sweet cider.

Okay, now that we've discussed the main ingredient here is the recipe:

• 1 gallon of cider
• 3 - 5 sticks of cinnamon
• handful of whole cloves
• 2 tbs. butter
• 1/3c. light brown sugar

Place all ingredients into a crockpot and cook for at least 3 hours. You could also do this on the stove top of course, but do not boil the cider. Just cook below a simmer.

Leftover cider is great! Let the cider cool to room temperature and then pour through a strainer back into the original container and refrigerate. The butter will congeal on the top but, it reheats in mugs wonderfully.

You can also "starbucks up" your cider with whipped cream and caramel sauce. Yum-O!

Aunt Linda's Ambrosia

There are a ton of variations for ambrosia out there, but this is my Aunt's version and we really love it!

• 1 large can of crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 small or 1 large can of mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 large container of Cool Whip
• 1 small package of Jello (cherry, strawberry, or cranberry)
• 1-2 cups of mini-marshmallows

Mix the jello into the cool whip, then fold in the fruit and mallows. This year I actually forgot the marshmallows and it was still really good. Chill until set (just a couple of hours). You can of course also add pecans or coconut for an added texture, but we don't.

My Aunt Betty's Crab Dip

This crab dip is soooooo good!

1/2 stick of butter

6-7 chopped scallions or 3-4 chopped scallions and half a medium onion chopped fine

1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese (not lite!), cut into small chunks
2 cans of 9oz. well-drained white lump crabmeat

Tony Chachere's and red pepper to taste

Put butter and onions in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese, and zap again for another two minutes. Add crabmeat and seasonings and zap for another minute.

Serve with Club crackers!

The much requested: BARK

My Aunt Linda made this for us last Thanksgiving and I couldn't stop eating it!! When I got back to Knoxville I was informed that it was called Cracker Candy. I don't care what you call it, I can't get enough!

35 saltine crackers(about one sleeve)

3/4 cup butter (don't use margarine)

1 cup brown sugar

1 8 oz. bag Toffee bits (I use about 2/3 of a bag)

1 12oz. bag mini semi-sweet morsels (I use a couple of handfuls of normal morsels)

Line rimmed cookie sheet with foil; place crackers in single layer, 5 by 7, on cookie sheet. Melt butter; add brown sugar and blend well. Spread over crackers, then bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees. Immediately spread toffee bits and chocolate chips over crackers; set back in oven to slightly melt for 2-3 extra minutes. Refrigerate on pan until completely cool, then break apart. Place some aside in a container so that you actually get some after your guests eat it all.

Betsy also has a different variation posted on her blog called Pine Bark Candy. I see a taste test in our future!

The Holidays (and the foods that go with them!)

My friend Betsy over at fulltummies brought up a good point this year at Thanksgiving. We have all these family recipes floating around, why not post them online so that every year you know EXACTLY where they are? My next couple of posts will be about our holiday favorites.

Here is a Thanksgiving favorite that I can't imagine Thanksgiving without. It comes from the Quaschnick side of my family and I bought a meat grinder for my KitchenAid mixer just so I could make it!!

Cranberry Relish

5 small tart apples (texture is more important than taste here, I'd go with granny smiths)
1 bag of frozen cranberries
1 6oz. can of Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice
Sugar to taste

I fit my meat grinder with the larger of the two plates, but if you have more than two sizes you'll know if your plate is too small if all you are getting coming out is juice! Wash, slice and core the apples. Feed the first three ingredients down through your meat grinder. The berries can be thawed, but I don't think it makes a difference. After everything goes through the grinder stir to mix ingredients well. After sitting 24hrs. in your fridge taste and add sugar as needed.

As you can see this recipe needs to be made ahead of time and it can easily be doubled for large crowds. Delish!


Another family favorite of mine is Pumpkin Cheesecake. The recipe linked here is Martha's, but this year I substituted the graham crackers crumbs for ginger snap cookie crumbs and it was AWESOME!