Favorite Recipes

[His4everchild]

Hey Sandy,
Put a few table spoons of parafin wax in with your chocolate.
Never...ever.... put your chocolate directly above the flame.
Put it in a double boiler on medium. I know that this will take a while, but it is worth saving smooth, silky chocolate instead of a burnt clump.
(my girlfriend and I used to own a chocolate shop together)

Karyn

[Cathy32078]

Karyn is so right!!!!!!!!! Years ago I learned this the hard way. Thank goodness My Mom set me straight about the parrafin wax. Karyn you had a Chocolate Shop??????????Yummmmmmmm A Dream Job!

Hugs

[tncraftinglady]

Here is one that will make your mouth very happy! ) I found it on the web. Carrot cake lovers try it!!!

Morning Glory Muffins
Published: 9/30/05, 11:32 AM EDT
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (1-1/3 cups)
1-1/4 cups finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple (juice pack), undrained
2/3 cup cooking oil
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Nutritional Information:
calories: 221, total fat: 9g, saturated fat: 1g, cholesterol: 35mg, sodium: 225mg, carbohydrate:
33g, fiber: 1g, protein: 3g, vitamin C: 4%, calcium: 3%, iron: 8%, starch: 1 diabetic exchange,
fruit: 1 diabetic exchange, fat: 2 diabetic exchange.
Steps:
1. Line eighteen 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; stir in brown sugar. Stir in
apples, carrots, and raisins. In a medium bowl combine undrained pineapple, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Add pineapple mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 18 minutes or until
a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on wire rack for 5
minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm. Makes 18 muffins.

I also poured some into a loaf pan and it was great. Just watch it and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean!

[tncraftinglady]

Here is an oldie but a goodie. My family and friends always joke that I can only cook two things this is one of them. (what they mean is when I cook for special occasions such as bdays this or my lasagna is what they ask me to cook)

Chicken and Dumplings
4 to 5 Large chicken breast (your choice with bone or boneless. If using boneless skinless chicken, add 2
cans Swanson chicken stock)
1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Ground or Rubbed Sage
2 Tablespoons Celery Seed or 5 ribs of Celery chopped fine
1 medium onion minced
Salt and Pepper to taste (remember to make it your own..adjust spices to your taste)

In a large stock pot combine chicken and other ingredients. Fill pot to about 2" from the top with water
(some stock will evaporate while simmering). Bring stock to a boil. Turn down to medium heat and let
simmer until chicken is fork tender. Remove chicken from broth and allow to cool. Keep broth in pot (If
using bone in chicken breast, remove bones and skin.) Chop or pull chicken into bite size pieces. (If you
don't like the texture of cooked onions or celery, strain broth into a bowl with a colander). Place chicken
back into pot with stock.
Bring mixture back to a rolling boil.
While chicken is simmering mix up a batch of biscuits
2 Cups Self rising flour
1/4 cup of shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk (plain milk is ok too)
Cut shortening into flour using either a fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles small crumbs. Add
milk. Stir with fork until mixture is a soft dough that pulls away from the side of your bowl. Turn dough
out onto a floured surface and knead dough until smooth. Pinch dough into small to medium balls - 2 to 3
" in diameter. Roll out dough into about 1/4" thickness on a floured surface. Slice into strips and cut strips
into 1 1/2" to 2" pieces. Place cut pieces into a floured plate. Remember to lightly dust flour on each row
of dumplings when placing on plate so they will separate when adding to stock.
After all dough is rolled out and cut, add to boiling chicken and stock. Add 1 at a time while stirring to
keep dumplings from sticking together. Once all dumplings are added, turn down and let simmer on
medium to medium low heat for about 30 minutes.

[Cathy32078]

Tncraftinglady those Morning Glory Muffins sounds great! Will have to give them a try. Your Chicken & Dumplings sounds yummy too. Good comfort food. Thank You for sharing.

Hugs

[Joannequilts]

Maryq - I made your recipe for Apple Crisp today...it is awesome! YUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!! I didn't "listen" to you, I should have put LOTS more apples in it! Thank you so much for the recipe!!!!

Joanne:0)

[SewMuchTime]

Good Evening to all you fabulous cooks! I am on the hunt to see if any of you ladies have a sauce recipe for Pumpkin Stuffed Ravioli.
I am open for any ideas. One of our local stores can't keep these
raviolis stocked fast enough for the public, but there are no sauces
to go with them. So I'm keeping them in the freezer till I figure
out what to do. They look quite yummy !! Help !!!

[kho]

Molasses cutouts

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup cold water
5-1/2 cups of all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger

In mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in molasses and water. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger, gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or till easy to handle. On lightly floured surface roll out till 1/8 in thickness. Cut into shapes Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or till edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Frosting.
4 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 to 4 tablespoons boiling water
Combine the sugar, butter, ginger, salt, cinnamon and enough water to achieve spreading consistency. Frost and decorate.

[luv_2quilt60]

"Turtle Trifle"
8oz mascarpone cheese, softened..or cream cheese same thing
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 teas vanilla
1(2-lb.) frozen pecan pie, thawed and cut into i inch cubes
1/3 c chocolate fudge topping(for ice cream ..smuckers)
1/3 c carmel topping (for ice cream..smuckers)
1/2 c chopped pecans

1. Beat cream cheese, whipping cream, and vanilla in a large bowl at med speed with heavy-duty electric stand mixer, using the whisk attachment 2 or 3 minutes or until smooth and firm.
2. Place half of pie cubes in bottom of a4-qt. trifle bowl..Or big glass bowl.....spread half the whipped cream mixture over pie cubes.drizzle with half each of carmel and fudge toppings sprinkle with half the nuts...repeat Layers...
3. cover and chill at least 1 hr or up to 8 hrs....

[GolferGirl]

Here's a holiday favorite (or any day favorite for that matter)!

Cranberry Wild Rice with Caramelized Onions

2 1/2 cups chicken broth (canned is just fine)
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice (the Wisconsin, Minnesota, Canadian kind - not the
packaged white/wild rice found in the grocery store)
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
3 medium onions, either cut into wedges or rings (we like rings)
2 tsp. brown sugar
3 T butter
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel

In a large sauce pan bring broth to a boil. Add the wild rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the white rice, and cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Maybe 40 plus minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions and brown sugar in butter until the onions turn a light golden, stirring frequently. Add the cranberries, orange peel and rice, gently heating through.

This goes well with just about anything, pork, poultry and beef. And it is great reheated as leftovers, if there are any.


The following is my mom's recipe for Cranberry Relish. It's a little different and does not require grating oranges, etc., but it gives the feeling that you've worked for hours fixing it.

Irene's Cranberry Relish

12 oz. cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 medium tart apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup orange marmalade (I like Smucker's)
3 T fresh lime juice

1 cup walnuts or pecans coarsely chopped (whichever is your favorite)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse cranberries and drain. Place in shallow glass baking dish and mix in sugar and the chopped apple.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Toast the nuts, stirring occasionally.

Combine baked cranberries, nuts, marmalade and lime juice in medium glass bowl. Mix well.

Refrigerate for 6 hours.