Witches Brew Root Beer (Dry Ice)

-Water 10 cups
-Sugar 2 1/2 cups
-Root Beer Extract 2 tablespoons(1 oz.,1/4 of a 4 oz bottle)
up to 4 T(2oz., 1/4 cup, 1/2 a 4 oz. bottle)
-Dry Ice 1 to 3 pounds
Stir water, sugar, and extract.  Carefully add dry ice, either a little at a time or all at once.  Do not close lid, it will explode; but if you cover container 1/2 to 3/4 it will make better bubbles in the soda.  But it is great either way.  Takes dry ice maybe an hour, but you can drink it before if you are careful to not ladel dry ice with the root beer.

Dry Ice:
Do not touch with bare hands, (but do touch it with a thin blade, table knife, it makes a cool screech sound).  You can touch it briefly but any longer skin will freeze, it is almosst 100* below zero.  Wrap closely in a brown paper bag and store in freezer.
Costs just over $1 a pound.  Does not last in freezer (loses 10% a day), so don't buy too much extra. Does not hurt to breath the smoke, just co2, but if you start getting a headache, you are getting too much.  Break apart with hammer if needed.

For 30 Cups (about): 
-Water 32 cups,2 gallons
-Sugar 8 cups 
-Extract 1/4 to 1/2 cup, 1/2 to 1 full 4 oz bottle

YELLOW CAKE

2-1/4 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups milk
vegetable oil, 1-1/2 to 3 tablespoons(2T.+1t. best)
1/2 cup butter softened (one stick)
1 tablespoon vanilla 
3 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut wax paper to fit bottom of pans; 2-9 inch round, 3-8 inch round, or  9x13.  Spray the pans with cooking spray, place the wax paper in the pans and spray the paper.
In mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, whisk.
In a measuring cup, measure 1-1/4 cups milk.  Then add enough oil to make 1-1/3 cups liquid (1-1/2 T. to 3T.)
Add the milk and oil, butter, and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and beat 2 more minutes.  Pour batter into pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 25 minutes (16 for 8 inch, 25 for 9x13) or until toothpick come out clean.
Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes; remove from pans and peel waxed paper off, cool completely, frost.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING                CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
6T. butter softened                     1 c. butter softened
1/2 c. cocoa powder                    1/2 c. (4 oz) cream cheese softened
2-2/3 c. powdered sugar              3 c. powdered sugar
4 to 6 T. milk                               1 t. vanilla
1 t. vanilla                                   1/4 t. salt
Beat until smooth.                       Beat butter and cream cheese. Add other ingredients                                                                       and beat until smooth.

STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM     Combine gelatin and water in small saucepan; let stand 
1 t. unflavored gelatin              until thick. Stir constantly over low heat until just 
1T+1t. cold water                     disolved. Remove from heat, allow to cool at room temp.
1 c. heavy whipping cream        while preparing cream. In large mixing bowl, whip cream,
1/4 c. powdered sugar              sugar, and vanilla, just until slightly thick. On low speed, 
1/2 t. vanilla                            gradually add gelatin, then beat on high until cream is 
                                                thick.

This cake is good with stabilized whipped cream in between cake layers and chocolate frosting on outside.

BUTTERMILK FROSTING
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
16 oz powdered sugar (3-1/2 cups)
1/3 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
Beat cream cheese and butter.  Add sugar alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla

COOKIE DOUGH FUDGE

1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown suger
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt divided
1-1/3  cups mini chocolate chips divided
1 package powdered sugar (1 pound, about 4 cups)
1 package crean cheese softened (8 oz.)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil, leaving 1 inch overhang on sides. Butter foil.
2.  Mix butter and brown sugar. Stir in flour & 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir in 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
3. Form dough into ball. Place on plastic wrap, flatten into disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze 10 minutes or until firm.
4. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, refrigerate.
5. Place powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at low speed until combined.  Scrape down side of bowl, beat at medium speed until smooth.
6. Melt remaining 1 cup chips in heavy small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat as soon as chocolate is melted. 
7. Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture, beat just until blended.  Stir in chilled cookie dough pieces.
8. Spread in prepared pan.  Score into squares, about 1-1/4 inches, while fudge is still warm.
9. Refrigerate until firm.  Remove from pan by lifting fudge using foil handles.  Place on cutting board, but along score lines.  Remove foil.  Stor in airtight container in refrigerator.

Holliday Sweet Potatos/Candied Yams
We call them sweet potatos but that is a misnomer.
Indentification-Sweet potatos are light in color and are shaped and look more like potatos, yams are dark orange and are long, not as much like a potato.  I believe they are interchangable but I do not remember trying it in one or both of these recipes. Share the results if you do.

Yams, 2 large (about 2 lbs, 1 1/2 lbs fill an 8 inch square nicely)
Peel, slice 1/4 inch thick, boil in salted water 8 minutes.
Drain, layer in 8 inch pan or 9x13 (if you want to cut the syrup in half, put yams in a single layer in a 9x13 with just a little syrup on top to keep them moist, instead of syrup almost level with yams).
In sauce pan melt just until boiling:
Butter, 1/2 cup (1 stick)
Brown sugar, 1 cup
Pour over yams. Bake 400 for 15 to 20 minutes (just until syrup is bubbly). Cover with miniture marshmallows, bake until brown about 5 minutes, or turn to broil for 1-2 minutes.


Whipped Yams
2 yams
2 carrots
1 cup chicken broth, or bullion
2 Tbsp. plain greek yogurt, or sour cream
1 tsp. butter
1/8 tsp. mace
salt and pepper
Slice carrots and boil in broth, covered, until soft, save 1/4 cup broth for mashing(I sometimes have to add liquid)
Peel, dice and boil yams, about 5 minutes.
Drain both, put in large bowl and mash with potato masher.  Add rest of ingredients and mash again.
Makes a lot.

Grandma Clarke's Gingerbread Cookies

3/4 c. shortening
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 c. milk
1 egg
1 c. sugar
4 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. soda
2 t. bakeing powder
1 t. salt
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
Heat shortening and molasses, in sauce pan until shortening is melted. Add milk  then slightly beaten egg and sugar.
In mixing bowl whisk remaining dry ingredients together.  Add molasses mixture and stir. Dough will be quite stiff.
Cover bowl with dish towel and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour (to absorb moisture and for flavors to ripen).
Roll about 1/4 inch thick, cut and bake 375 for 10 minutes.
Makes about 30 cookies.

KELLY’S AUSTRIAN APPLE FARM STRUDL   2014

7 cups flour

3 cups warm water                                                                                          

1 egg

2 T. oil                                                                                                      

2 T. vinegar

2t. salt

8# apples, one layer on dough  (Gala are good, Granny Smith not as good)

4 cups crushed corn flakes, measured after crushing

2 cups sugar, divided

 4 cups melted butter, divided

2t. cinnamon

-Mix dough ingredients (first 6) and let rest in a bowl covered with a plate, on top of stove preheating to 375, while preparing apples, about ½ hour.

-Peel and slice apples, rinse. Before adding to strudl pat dry on towel.

-Cover table with sheet, our’s is 4 feet round. Rub flour into sheet(make a colored sheet white)

-Roll dough very thin, trying to not tear it. Patch any holes.(try for thin enough to read through)

-Spread with melted butter, about ½ cup, then sugar, apples, cin., crumbs, sugar(again).                                                

-Rolling takes 2-3 people.  Slightly lift one narrow end of the sheet and, using a knife or spatula, loosen and roll dough (like for cinnamon rolls).  Flour while scraping.  (If dough gets holes it’s ok but try not to) After rolling pinch seam closed.

-Butter large cookie sheet, 13x17. Have one person gently lift a part of the strudl while another slides the pan under, turn the pan and circling the strudl, ending in the middle of the pan.

-Rub with melted butter. Bake 375 about 50-60 minutes basting with butter several times. If quite thick, and starts to get too brown before inside is done, cover with foil.

-Strudl is done when apples are soft (stick with tooth pick or knife).

-Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve (but it is better the next day).

-Will keep several days unrefrigerated, just cover with a clean dish towel (not plastic wrap).

MISSION ROLLS

2 T. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter cut in pieces
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. salt
3 c. flour
2 eggs
another 3 1/2 c. flour

Scald milk.
Soften yeast in warm water.
Put butter in scalded milk to almost melt.
In large mixing bowl combine sugar, salt, eggs, milk mixture, and whisk.
Add 3 cups flour, stir good or whisk until smooth.
Add yeast and 3 1/2 cups flour, stir well.
Let raise 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
Shape on sprayed pan, raise 30 -45 minutes.
Bake 400 degrees for 10 -12 minutes.  Makes 3-4 dozen.

One way to shape:
Roll thin (about 1/4 inch).  Cut in circles (with biscuit cutter maybe).  Brush melted butter on top of one (or just dust with  a little flour or just place two circles together) and cover with another circle, press down a little.

Freezing Home Made Pizza

Make pizza:  Top crust with sauce made with one can tomato paste, one small can tomato sauce, and about 3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning.  Put chedar cheese on 1st, then motz last.

Bake pizza at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until crust just starts to brown and cheese is melty but not bubbly.
When cool wrap in plastic wrap then tin foil, and freeze.

To Bake:
Place pizzas in the fridge in the morning.  You can stack them 3 high.  When ready to bake, unwrap and place on pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Strawberry-Spinach Salad

This a great salad for Spring!  I LOVE this salad and it is also a big hit with the kids.  It is also great for EASTER!!! I got this recipe out of my old ward's cookbook from a Sister in our ward named Cara Sullivan.  This is how you make it.

What you Need:

(10 oz) fresh spinach, washed and remove stems
1 lb. strawberries, hulled and sliced

Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. Lemon Juice
6 Tbs. Vegetable Oil

Topping:
1/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Sliced Almonds

To make the dressing, place sugar and lemon juice in a lidded jar and shake until the sugar is dissolved.  Add oil and shake well.  Refrigerate until needed.  For the topping, in a heavy frying pan, heat the sugar and almonds, stirring constantly until the sugar caramelizes.  Once it is a dark golden, IMMEDIATELY remove from heat and spread coated nuts on aluminum foil to cool.  While the nuts are cooling, Toss spinach and strawberries and dressing in a large bowl.  Then after the almonds are all cooled, crumble it on top of salad. Serve and Enjoy! It's DELICIOUS!!!!

Uncle Jerry's Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients for Cupcakes:
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1 pkg (3.5 oz) instant lemon pudding
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons oil

Directions for Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 345 degrees. Mix ingredients together and beat at medium speed for two minutes. Pour into muffin tins (Gr. Jean recommends only filling about 21 muffin cups instead of the full 24 so that the cupcakes are larger, rise higher out of the pan, and thus are easier to frost). Bake 16-17 minutes. Frost when cool.

Ingredients for Frosting:
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)
zest from lemon

Directions for Frosting:
Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add lemon juice and zest, and gradually beat in powdered sugar.

Notes:
For the frosting, remember to zest the lemon before you juice it. Also, the frosting makes a TON. You could either find some use the extra, halve the frosting recipe, or double the cupcakes.

Source:
Grandma Jean

Easy Homemade Breadsticks

I actually found this recipe here at this website. And I love it.  Here it is again. It's great for when you're having Pizza.

1 1/2 cups of warm water

1 Tbs. active dry yeast

2 Tbs. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

4 cups Flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Garlic Powder

Parmesan Cheese

Directions: In a bowl, mix together warm water, yeast and sugar.  Let it sit for 10 minutes while the yeast activates and becomes frothy.  Then add salt.  When adding flour, add two cups, mix and then add the other two cups.  The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not become sticky.  Knead for about 10 minutes. Then spray the inside of a plastic bowl with cooking spray and put the dough ball in it and cover.  Let it rise for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375F.  In a microwave safe bowl, microwave your cube of butter till all melted.  Once your dough ball has risen, take it out and the roll the dough out to just barely smaller than the pan you will use to bake your breadsticks (about an 11x13 or 2 cookie sheets if what i've done :P). On your pan, pour about half of your melted butter till it coats the pan.  Lay your rolled out dough in the pan, and using a pizza cutter, cut your dough into strips for breadsticks.  Then taking a basting brush, or just pouring over, coat the top of your breadsticks with the melted butter. Sprinkle with Garlic Powder and Parmesan Cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 18 minutes.   Then pull out, let cool a little bit and ENJOY!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

I got this recipe from a Relief Society activity a while back and I love it!  Definitely a staple for a birthday :)

1lb. Graham Crakers

3 cups of Milk

8 oz. Cool Whip

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

2 pkg. (3oz) Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 tub chocolate frosting

Directions: In a 9x13 inch pan, place a layer of graham crackers.  Mix together milk and pudding mix.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Pour half of pudding mixture over crackers.  Repeat layers, ending with graham crackers.  Melt frosting in the microwave until soft. Spread over graham crackers.  Sprinkle with nuts if desired.  Refrigerate 12 hours before serving.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Delicious and Easy! :)  I found it here, but here is the same thing with some minor changes for what I do.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbs. of active dry yeast
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 tsp. salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water and sprinkle yeast over the top. Stir it a little, and then let it stand for about 20 minutes until active and foamy.  Then stir in the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture and add the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour  and mix together till dough comes together(use the remaining 1/2 cup of flour for kneading so it can be absorbed into the dough). Tip dough on onto the floured surface of the remaing 1/2 cup of flour and knead for about 10 minutes till flour has been absorbed and the ball of dough is smoot. Place dough in an oiled bowl, to keep from drying out, turn to coat and then cover loosely with a towl and let it stand in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).  After the dough has doubled, tip it out and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thin crust (I prefer the two thin crust).  Form into a tight ball and let it rise till doubled the size, about 45 minutes.
After that, preheat over to 425 degrees F.  Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further.  Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust.  When it has reached desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan and top with favorite toppings (sauce, cheese, meat, vegtables whatever! :))  Bake for 16-20 minutes (depending on thickness of crust) until the crust is crisp and golden and cheese is melted.

DELICIOUS!!!!

YANKEE FROSTING

2 c. powdered sugar

2 1/2 T. cream or evaporated milk

4 T. butter

1 t. vanilla

1.  In a saucepan, over medium, heat cream and butter until butter is melted.  Stir in the vanilla nad powdered sugar.  Remove from heat, and beat with mixer until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes.

Use to "glue" ginger bread houses together or to just frost a cookie.Much better tasteing and less fussy than Royal Icing.

GRAMMY'S CRANBERRIES

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Bring to a boil. Add

1 bag cranberries (12 ounce)

Turn burner down,simmer 20-30 minutes(medium low, 3 on my stove).

Take off stove.  Add

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon nutmeg

11 oz. manderine oranges, drained

3 oz. orange jello

Stir 2 minutes.  Cool at room temperature then refrigerate.

Makes 3-4 cups.

This is Grammy's Cranberry Sauce recipe, Kelly's mother Varrel.  I think this recipe is from the 1950's.  After the war (1945) the most up-to-date, most exciting recipes used the newly minted, packaged foods.  Brands like Jello, General Mills, Campbells, were brought to you through the miracle of television.  It was even preached that babies should be feed pasturized canned milk from steralized baby bottles instead of feeding them the old fashioned unsanitary way.  When Varrel's family sat down to a Thanksgiving dinner, complete with green bean casserole, they felt gratitude for plentiful food, easily preserved and distributed around a now safe world.  The future was bright in America.

From the 1980's on Grammy would make gallons of this and pass out jars of it to the whole family every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was used all month and into January, like jam on toast and sandwiches.  It is one of Chad's favorites.

After Grammy died no recipe was found, for years she had made it from memory.  I had written it down several years earlier but there were different versions held by different family members.  I tried all combinations, letting Chad test each one until we found the most acurate recipe.  Thank you Grammy, you did good.

It's a Burger Night!!!

So...you begging for a Burger but without the cholesterol. Here are a few I found, both I tried out this week and really liked. Here they are:

Veggie Burger 
This recipe I got off my cousin's blog.  She is way into nutrition and a terrific cook.  I have piratically loved EVERYTHING she has posted.  Anyway, here is the recipe she posted that I tried (you can check it out on her blog too.  I didn't have any kidney beans so I just doubled the black beans and it still turned out great):

1 can Kidney beans, rinsed

1 can Black beans, rinsed

1 c. brown rice, cooked

1 c. rolled oats, dry

¼ c. ketchup, BBQ sauce or other sauce you enjoy

4 t. Mrs. Dash or other desired spice

(makes 8-10 burgers)

Mash beans in a bowl with potato masher or a fork.  Mash until beans are mixed together and sticky, but you can still see parts of the whole bean.  Add rice, oats, sauce, & spices and then stir until all the ingredients are mixed together well.

Roll appx. 1/3 c. of mixture into a patty & put on a pan lined with waxed paper.  Put in refrigerator for about 10 minutes to dry out a little.  Cook on a hot pan or grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until well cooked.  You don’t have to worry about under cooking because there aren’t any raw ingredients, but just cook until heated through.  Add cheese, if desired, and let melt on top.  Serve on a wheat bun with desired toppings (spinach, onion, tomato, pickle & sauces)

 

Here's also another winner of a recipe:

 

Black Bean Sloppy Joes

This Recipe I got off the vegkitchen.  Joel and I really liked it, but it might of had a little too much "KICK" for the kiddos. 

1 Bell Pepper, finely chopped

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15oz) cans of black beans, drained

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

1 (15oz) can fire roasted diced Tomatoes

1 Tbs. Brown Sugar

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce or Soy Sauce

In a large sauce pan, saute bell pepper, onion and garlic.  Add beans, cumin, coriander and cook on medium low for 5 minutes.  

 

Meanwhile, in a blender, add tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce) and blend until smooth.  Pour blended tomatoes into bean mixture.  Simmer for 3 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve on whole wheat buns with your favorite burger fixings. 

Then FINALLY, what goes GREAT with Burgers.  Well.... FRENCH FRIES of course.  But how about instead of frying them, we bake them.  Much better for the cholesterol. ;)

 

Baked Dill French Fries

6 medium Russet Potatoes

2 Tbs. olive oil

1-2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1-2 tsp. Dill

Chives (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Rinse potatoes and then slice potatoes wedges, "french fry" style.

In a large bowl, add olive oil, salt, pepper, dill and chives.  Then toss to where all fries are covered.  Then on a greased cookie sheet, spread out fries on baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Then flip fries over and bake another 15 minutes.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or just eat plain. 

Hurry Up Black Bean Soup

This is a "SOUP"ER (yes I'm that cheesy) easy and DELICIOUS Soup.  I tried this recipe out last week and it was a big hit, even with the kids, so it's definitely a keeper.  I found this recipe here, and then made some minor alterations.  Here is what I did:

Ingredients
 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of paprika 
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 can tomato sauce
Approximately 1 Tbs. of orange juice
 4 15-ounce cans black beans, drained (I cooked 1lb of dried black beans and used about half to 3/4 of what I cooked)
3 cups chicken broth
salt
Plain Yogurt
Avocados (diced)
Frito Chips

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot and sauté the onion over medium heat until it's translucent, around 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and the spices and sauté another half a minute, until the pot is fragrant, then add the tomato sauce and orange juice and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the beans and broth or water, along with salt to taste, and bring back to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Use a potato masher or hand blender to puree some of the soup, then taste for salt and add more broth or water if the soup is too thick.
5. When served, add on top, a dollop of plain yogurt, some diced avocados, and Frito chips sprinkled on top.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! ENJOY!