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Recent Recipes

Orange Crunch Cake

Comments (0) | Friday, March 26, 2010

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (15 squares)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. cinnamon (I omitted)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 package Betty Crocker (doesn't have to be) SuperMoist yellow cake mix
2 TBs grated orange peel (fresh)
1 1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Orange Frosting (below)
Orange slices, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 degress (dark or nonstick pans are not recommended). Grease bottoms only of 2 round pans, 8x1 1/2 or 9x1 1/2 inches, with shortening. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper then grease and flour entire pans.

2. Mix cracker crumbs, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon and butter in medium bowl. Sprinkle 1 cup pecan mixture evenly into bottom of each pan; press gently.

3. Beat cake mix, orange juice, orange peel, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.

4. Bake 8 in. rounds 45-50 minutes, 9 in. pans 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and tops are golden brown. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Carefully run sharp knife around side of pans to loosen cakes. Remove from pans to wire rack, placing crumb mixture side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. Place 1 layer, crumb side up, on serving plate. Spread with 1 cup Orange Frosting to within 1/4 inch of edge. Add second layer, crumb side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with orange slices. Cut cake with serrated knife. Store covered in refrigerator. 12-16 servings.

Orange Frosting

1 tub Betty Crocker Whipped vanilla ready-to-spread frosting (I did not use the Whipped-loved it)
2 cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping (I used extra creamy-yum)
1-2 TBs. grated orange peel

Stir all ingredients in large bowl until blended


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Elephant Ears

Comments (0) | Thursday, March 18, 2010


¾ c. sugar, plus more if desired
1 TB. ground cinnamon
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed in the package
4 TB unsalted butter or margarine, melted and cooled

1.     In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle pastry cloth or board with some of the cinnamon sugar. Put a sheet of puff pastry on the cloth and roll to a 10-inch square. Brush pastry with half the melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.

2.     Brush the edges of the pastry with water. Roll the sides toward the center, making 3 turns on each side, so the rolls touch in the middle. Gently press the rolls together. Repeat with second piece of dough. Place on cookie sheet and chill for 45 minutes, or until firm. Reserve the remaining cinnamon and sugar.
3.     Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray or great 2 cookie sheets.

4.     Remove chilled rolls from fridge and cut them into slices about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle the prepared cookie sheets with some of the cinnamon sugar and lay the cookies on them 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with plain sugar if desired.

5.     Bake in center of oven for 15 minutes or until puffy and golden. Watch the cookies so they don’t overbrown. Remove to wire racks to cool.


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Strawberry Meringues

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6 egg whites, at room temp.
½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. strawberry flavoring

1.     Preheat oven to 225. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet or line with aluminum foil.
2.     In a large bowl beat the whites until foamy. Beat in tartar and add sugar gradually until the meringue is glossy and stiff. Fold in the flavoring.
3.     Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of meringue on cookie sheet spaced about 1 inch apart. Using the back of a spoon swirl the meringue up into a point.
4.     Bake in center of oven for 1 hour or until dry.
5.     Turn off the oven and allow meringues to dry in the oven overnight. The cookies should be firm.


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Cinnamon Shortbread

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2 c. all-purpose flour
¼ c. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. unsalted butter at room temp.
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar

1.     Preheat oven to 325. Line two 8-inch rounds with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
2.     In a medium bowl which together flour, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3.     In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light. Mix in the flour mixture in two batches. The dough will be stiff but pliable.
4.     Gather the dough into a ball. Cut the dough in half. With floured hands press each half of the dough into a prepared pan. Press gently with tines of a fork around the edges to crimp the dough. Score with pan into 8 wedges.
5.     Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a uniform honey color. Cool completely in the pans. 


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Whoopie Pies

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Chocolate Cookie Dough
½ c. unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 c. sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. milk
2 c. all-purpose flour
Marshmallow Filling
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temp.
3 c. confectioners’ sugar
3 c. marshmallow fluff or other marshmallow cream
1 TB. vanilla extract

1.     Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets
2.     In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, soda and baking powder until light. Mix in egg, vanilla and cocoa. Slowly beat in milk alternating with the flour, beat until smooth.
3.     Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart.
4.     Bake in the center of the oven for 7-8 minutes, or until the cookies spring back slightly when gently pressed. Cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
5.     Make the filling. Combine the butter, sugar, marshmallow cream and vanilla in food processor until smooth.
6.     To assemble the pies spread 2-3 TB filling onto the flat bottom of one cookie and place a second cookie on top.



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Turkey Pot Pie

Comments (0) | Wednesday, March 17, 2010


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 recipe pastry for a (10 inch) double crust pie
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cubes chicken bouillon
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
number of stars

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a 10 inch pie pan, and set aside.
2.    Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.
3.    In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Cool slightly, then pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.
4.    Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 20 minutes,


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Sweet Potato Souffle

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3 TB butter
3 cups fresh sweet potatoes mashed
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ c. evap. Milk
1 TB orange flavoring
2 eggs

Topping
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
3 TB melted butter
1c. pecan halves

Melt butter mix with potatoes, add sugar salt milk and flavor.  Beat eggs and fold into potatoe mix.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Cover with topping that you mixed together.  Top with nuts

Bake @ 350 for 35 minutes.


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