Toffee Cookies

CRACKER TOFFEE
Unsalted saltines 1 c. sugar 1 c. butter 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips Chopped walnuts Foil a cookie sheet. Cover the cookie sheet with the saltines so that they are touching each other. Melt butter, add sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over crackers and bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

I use Splenda 3/4 c. and I add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. I also like to make a spread of cream cheese with a little milk added, a little Splenda and vanilla or other flavoring.

Christmas Cut out Cookies

CHRISTMAS CUT OUT COOKIES
3/4 c. lard 1 1/2 c. sugar 1/4 c. milk 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 4 c. flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. soda 1/2 tsp. salt Cream lard and sugar. Add milk, egg and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt and mix with lard mixture until you can handle the dough. Roll out to 1/4" thick. Cut out shapes. When baked, glaze with powdered sugar frosting. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes until edges are brown. Makes about 4 dozen.

About Spanish Bar Cake...

Dad used to bring Spanish Bar Cake home from the A&P. I was recently reminded of this when I attended Sarah Jane Frankland Pillsbury's wedding. Her wedding cake was pretty fantastic! It had a fountain incorporated in the main part of the cake. With smaller cakes sitting all around the main part. The cakes were covered with fondant and fresh flowers. No fancy frosting flowers and garlands here! No white or yellow cake either. There was a variety of cakes and I am not sure what they all were. I do recall carrot cake and a very fudgy looking chocolate. Norma told me that Sarah Jane particularly wanted a traditional British wedding cake included. Norma made the cake herself. It was a fruit cake full of raisens, moist and delicious. Norma started it about a month before the wedding and treated it with brandy to keep it moist. I had to have a taste even though cake of any sort is not on my diet. It reminded me of Dad's Spanish Bar Cake. Then I recalled my aunts at a family reunion talking about the wonderful fruit cake that their dad [my grandfather Imm] used to make every Christmas. Grandpa Imm was an immigrant from England. I wonder if his fruit cake was like the wedding fruit cake that Norma made? I will probably never know for sure. The older aunts and uncles are all gone now. Only the younger ones remain. I will ask them about it, but they may not remember it as well as their older siblings...

Spanish Bar Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice

Add

• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 cups applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup raisins

For Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or lime juice

Directions

1. 1

   Mix first 8 ingredients together in an electric mixer; mix well.

2. 2

   Add next 3 ingredients.

3. 3

   Raisins should be added last.

4. 4

   Bake at 350°F in 9x13 inch pan for 30-35 minutes; tube pan 40-45 minutes.

5. 5

   Cool thoroughly and frost if desired.

6. 6

   For Frosting:Combine frosting ingredients in bowl.

7. 7

   Beat well, adding more milk or confectioners' sugar to make it smooth and easy to spread.

Pizzelles

ITALIAN PIZZELLES

These pizzelles are light and crisp. Serve them plain or dusted with powdered sugar. Also, they can be easily shaped while still hot right off the iron and formed into a cone, cylinder, or even a cup and filled with your favorite filling. To keep them crisp, store them in an air tight container. 3 eggs 1 3/4 c. flour 1/2 tsp. anise seed or extract (opt.) 1/2 c. butter (1/4 lb.) 2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Do not use more than 1/2 cup and don't use oil as a substitute. Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter and vanilla and anise. Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Batter will be stiff enough to be dropped by spoon. Batter can be refrigerated to be used at a later time. Makes 30 pizzelles. VARIATION PIZZELLE CON CIOCCOLATTE: Add 3 tablespoons cocoa and 3 tablespoons sugar to the basic Italian Pizzelle recipe. If desired, you may substitute chocolate flavoring instead of the vanilla and anise flavoring. I often substitute Splenda for the sugar.

Orange cream cheese cookie cups

recipes Orange Cream Cheese Cookie Cups POINTS® value | 1 Servings | 24 Preparation Time | 20 min Cooking Time | 25 min Level of Difficulty | Moderate cakes | Similar to miniature cheesecakes - with a fraction of the calories and fat! For a tarter version, substitute fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for the orange ingredients. Ingredients 8 oz light cream cheese, divided 3 tbsp fat-free skim milk 2 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine 1 cup(s) all-purpose flour 1 tbsp sugar 1/3 cup(s) sugar 1 large egg(s) 1 tbsp orange juice, fresh recipes Orange Cream Cheese Cookie Cups POINTS® value | 1 Servings | 24 Preparation Time | 20 min Cooking Time | 25 min Level of Difficulty | Moderate cakes | Similar to miniature cheesecakes - with a fraction of the calories and fat! For a tarter version, substitute fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for the orange ingredients. Ingredients 8 oz light cream cheese, divided 3 tbsp fat-free skim milk 2 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine 1 cup(s) all-purpose flour 1 tbsp sugar 1/3 cup(s) sugar 1 large egg(s) 1 tbsp orange juice, fresh 2 tsp orange zest 1 tsp vanilla extract Instructions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 12-cup miniature muffin pans with cooking spray; set aside. To prepare cookie dough, in a large mixing bowl combine 2 ounces cream cheese, milk and margarine. Beat on low speed until blended. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 tablespoon sugar. Beat flour mixture into cream cheese mixture on low speed until blended. Transfer cookie dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently 4 times. Divide dough into 24 equal portions and press each portion into bottom and up sides of prepared muffin pans; set aside. To prepare filling, in a food processor or large bowl combine remaining 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, egg, orange juice, zest and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Spoon 2 teaspoons filling into prepared cookie cups. Bake until filling is set and edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Yields one cookie cup per serving.

Ranger Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups corn flakes
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well blended and smooth. Sift flour, soda, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl. Add corn flakes and oatmeal and sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; stir in coconut and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for about 10 to 12 minutes.
Makes about 6 to 7 dozen ranger cookies with oats and coconut.

I think I will try substituting Splenda for the white sugar and possibly for some of the brown.

CRANBERRY RELISH

Marilyn's Cranberry Relish

Thursday, November 27, 2008

CRANBERRY RELISH

CRANBERRY RELISH WITH JELLO

6 oz Jello.. I used Cherry, but I think Cranberry would have been better.
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 16 oz bag fresh cranberries
1 unpeeled orange, quartered and seeded
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Prepare the Jello with the water
Stir till dissolved

Add sugar and lemon juice to Jello mixture, mix well
Refrigerate mixture while you prepare the rest.

Chop cranberries with the orange in small amounts in a blender or food processor.
Place in a large bowl and stir in pineapple, celery and nuts
Combine all this with Jello mixture
Chill well

* the original recipe had a Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, seeded and chopped
I added pineapple..

We had this for our Thanksgiving dinner today. It was very good!

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is the casserole that I plan to take to Thanksgiving dinner this year. It is the same recipe that I used last year - or was it the year before?

Prep: 25 min. Total: 1 hour

3 lb. sweet potatoes [about 5 large]
4 oz. softened cream cheese
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups Post Selects Cranberry Almond Crunch Cereal, crushed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on microwavable plate. Microwave on HIGH 8 min. Turn potatoes over; continue microwaving 9 - 10 min. or until very tender. Let stand 5 min. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop pulp into large bowl; discard skins.

Add cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to potato pulp. Mash with potato masher to desired consistency. spoon into 9 inch square baking dish.

Mix cereal and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in marshmallows. Sprinkle evenly over potato mixture.

Bake 30 to 35 min. or until topping is golden brown and mixture is heated through.

Makes 10 servings, 1/2 cup each.

Introduction

Because I am trying very hard to establish and keep to a healthier lifestyle, much of what I will record in this blog will be recipes that I am currently using. Some may be old recipes that I have revised to match my current needs for avoiding sugar, high fat content or high carb. However, don't be surprised to find some old favorites recorded from time to time for nostalgia's sake that are not "diet." I also plan to include recipes that the kids have made and enjoyed.