Homemade chocolate syrup

Homemade chocolate syrup is so worth making yourself.  Enjoy!

 

5 squares (5 oz.) baking chocolate
2 cups boiling water
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt

Melt chocolate over hot water; add boiling water and cook over direct low hear, stirring constantly until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.  Add sugar, corn syrup and salt, and then cook briskly for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cool to room temperature.  Pour into clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator.

To use this syrup as flavoring for hot chocolate or cold chocolate milk, allow about 1 tablespoon to a cup of milk.  If used as a sauce on ice cream,Or drizzle over pound cake... stir in 1/4 cup butter while sauce is hot.

 

TEA CAKES

 

Tea cakes are great, add dried fruits, semi sweet chocolate or nuts to the recipe for a variety of lavors...

1Cup Butter
1Cup Sugar
2 1/2 Cup Plain Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla

CREAM SUGAR AND BUTTER. MIX ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. ROLL THIN AND CUT WITH COOKIE CUTTER. BAKE AT 325* OR 350* UNTIL LIGHT BROWN.

Pesto

Make your Pesto immediately before serving for a fresh and extremely satisfying sauce.  Serve with a loaf of crusty bread . Enjoy!

 

2 oz fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 oz pine nuts
4 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
4 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor or blender and reduce to a puree.  If you have a mortar and pestle, even better.  With the machine running on low,pour the oil slowly.  when the mixture is well emulsified, add the cheese and blend briefly. 

CANTALOUPE PIE

 

1 medium ripe cantaloupe sliced 1/4 " thick
2 tbps. vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
butter at room temperature, if desired

Recipe for 2 crust pie.

Lay one crust in a 9" pie plate.  Place sliced cantaloupe in pie crust. Sprinkle sugar evenly over sliced cantaloupe. Dribble vinegar & vanilla over all and dot with butter.

Cover with top crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes, or until crust begins to brown.

Texas Style Brownies Y'all

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. strong coffee or water
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar

 In heavy saucepan, combine butter, shortening, coffee or water and cocoa. Stir and heat to boiling.

 Pour boiling mixture over the flour and sugar in bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla.

 Mix well using a wooden spoon or high speed on electric mixer.

 Pour into a well buttered 17 1/2 x 11 inch jelly roll pan.

 Bake at 400 for 20 min. or until it springs backs when lightly touched.

Mix all ingredients together with electric mixer until smooth. Spread over warm brownies.

~ ENJOY ~

Olden Days Deviled Eggs

Prepare these deviled eggs for your next party or take them to an open house.  Creamy but not mustardy you'll find them gone in no time.  If you want to get really fancy, use a pastry tube to fill the eggs and top with either a slice of green olive or sprinkle with paprika.  Enjoy!

6 hard boild eggs
4 1/2 Tbl mayonnaise
3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
salt
freshly ground pepper
garnish

Shell the eggs and slice them in half, lengthwise.  Remove the yolks and mash them with the mayonnaise, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste until absolutely smooth and creamy.  Stuff equal amounts into hollow of each egg white.   Sprinkle or garnish as desired.

NOTE

( I like dill pickles and onions in mine, chop very fine and a tad of cayenne pepper.. )

Louisiana Chicken Gumbo

 

It's Not Ms. Krista'a, But it's good !    :)

 

 

 

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 chicken (3 lb.), cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup each chopped celery,  chopped green onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 qt, chicken broth
1 can (14.5-oz.) diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. Tabasco® Pepper Sauce
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen whole okra
hot cooked rice 

    Combine flour and salt in a plastic or paper bag; add chicken pieces, close bag, and shake to coat well.  Heat oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Shake excess flour from chicken and place in hot oil; cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Remove chicken from pot and set aside.  Add onion, celery, green onion and garlic to pot; cook 5 minutes, stirring often.  Return chicken to pot.  Stir in broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, and Tabasco Sauce, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add okra and cook 10 minutes longer.  Serve in bowls, toppinh each with a scoop of rice.  Makes 8 servings.

Kolaches (Kolacky)

My Mom use to make these and OMG they were so good...

I have no idea where she got this recipe, but they takes just like the  Czech ladies that lived down rthe street from us :)

 

    1      C             warm water

    2      Pkgs          dry yeast

      1/2  C             sugar

      1/2  Tsp           salt

    1      C             butter

    1      C             cold water

    2                    eggs

    6      C             flour

                         Fillings (see below)
 
     Place 1 c. warm water in large bowl (Tupperware is best);

 

add yeast,

 sugar, and salt.     Melt butter in pan. When melted add 1 c.

 

cold water

 and pour into yeast solution. Add eggs; mix well. Add 2 c. flour;

 

 mix

 well and then add 4 more cups flour, beating well after each

 

cup. Cover

 bowl tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 - 5

 hours.     Grease cookie sheets. Roll dough into walnut-sized

 

balls.

 Place on prepared cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Grease the tops

 

 of the

 balls and let raise in a warm place until double in size.     When

 

 balls

 have risen; make indentation in middle and fill with about a

 

teaspoon of

 filling. Let raise until spongy, about 20 minutes.     Bake at

 

425F for

 5 - 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Kolaches may be

 

sprinkled with

 powdered sugar after removing from oven.

 
Fillings

 

     These are the traditional fillings for kolaches.

Poppyseed Filling:     Bring to a boil 2 c. of milk or water. Stir in

 1/2 lb. ground poppyseed. Let simmer 20 min., stirring

 

frequently. Add

 3/4 c. suger, 1 TBS. white corn syrup, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

 Simmer a few

 minutes longer. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. almond

 

extract, 2 TBS.

 butter, 1 tps. vanilla, and 2 crushed graham crackers.

Prune Filling:     Cook 1 lb. dried prunes until soft. Drain;

 

remove

 pits. Mash and add 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and a little

 

vanilla.

Apricot Filling:     Soak 1 pkg. dried apricots overnight in water, just

 enough to cover. Cook until soft; if any water remains, drain

 

well.

 Mash, adding sugar to taste.
 

Good Texas Style Brownies

cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup strong brewed coffee 1/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add 2 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk) 2 eggs 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla Frosting: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 2 Tbsp. dark cocoa 1/4 cup milk 3 1/2 cups unsifted confectioner's sugar 1 tsp. vanilla In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. In heavy saucepan, combine butter, shortening, coffee and cocoa. Stir and heat to boiling. Pour boiling mixture over flour mixture. Add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into a well buttered 17 1/2" by 11" jelly roll pan. Bake 400 F. for 20 minutes or until they test done in the center. While brownies bake, mix the frosting. In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk. Heat to boiling while stirring. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla until frosting is smooth. Pour warm frosting over brownies as soon as you take them from the oven. Cool. Makes 48 bars.

Make your own Saltine Crackers

2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2/3 c. milk

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Combine the dry ingredients, cut in the butter, then stir in the milk. Round into a ball and knead for few strokes. Divide dough into several pieces and roll out very thin on a floured board. Lay on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and prick with a fork. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Easy Rum Cake

 

 

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 eggs

1/2 cup dark rum

Glaze:

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 oz rum

Mix the cake mix, pudding, water, oil, eggs, and rum together until well blended. Put this into a greased, floured cake pan, and bake at 325F for 1 hour.

For the glaze, combine the water, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Boil for a minute, then cool. Stir in the rum. After the cake is done, poke holes into it with a fork or toothpick and then pour the glaze over the top. Let cool before serving.

Prize Oatmeal Cookies

 

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs, beaten

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked

    Heat oven to 350ºF

Beat sugar and butter until well-blended and creamy.  Add eggs; beat until light and fluffy.  In another bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt.  Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, until blended.  Stir in oats with spoon, not mixer.  Drop by tsp. onto greased baking sheets.  Bake 8 - 10 minutes; remove from oven when slightly underdone and not yet golden.  Makes 4 - 5 dozen.

Creamed Corn Bread

 

1 stick butter

2 cups buttermilk baking mix

1 egg

1 can (8 oz.) creamed corn

   Heat oven to 350ºF In an 8x8" dish melt 1 stick butter, must be butter.  Mix in bowl: baking mix, egg and creamed corn.  Pour mixture over butter.  Do not mix into butter.  Bake 30 minutes.  Cool slightly; cut into squares to serve.

Carrot Cake ( Low Fat )

4 cups grated carrots (spooned, not packed into cup)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple

3/4 cup shredded or flaked coconut

1 cup prune puree (see below)

4 large egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 375°. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl combine carrots, sugar, pineapple, prune puree, egg whites and vanilla; stir to blend thoroughly. Top with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Add remaining ingredients except coconut. Mix completely. Gently stir in coconut. Spread batter in prepared pan; bake about 45 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Prune Puree
Combine 1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) pitted prunes and 6 tablespoons water in container of food processor. Pulse on and off until prunes are finely chopped. Makes one cup.