Favorite Recipes

[FarmChick]

I've used the sugar free pectin in the past. It doesn't set up as much as the regular sugar recipe does. I think that's just a characteristic of "no sugar". This year I made all sugar using the liquid pectin and had the best jams ever. I just have to limit DH's jam intake because of the sugar.

[auntjana]

Quick and Easy Strawberry Cream Pie

2 - baked pie shells - cooled

1 pkg - 4 serving size Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 pkgs - Cream Cheese - set out to warm to room temp - 8 oz size pkgs
1 3/4 Cups Milk

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and beat until smooth - add the milk a little at a time to the cream cheese - beating till smooth - then add the pudding mix - beat until thickened

1 - 16 oz basket fresh strawberries - cored and sliced into quarters
1 tub - pre-made strawberry glaze

Stir together glaze and berries

Place the cream mixture in the bottom of the pie shell and smooth out to the edges - top with strawberries - refrigerate until cold - about 2 hours - serve - top with whip cream if desired.

This is enough for the two pie shells

This filling is also good for putting in the middle of cake layers and can be made with any flavor of instant pudding that you want.

Jana

[Irishgram]

Jana, You have me drooling just reading that recipe....I'm on my way to the farmer's market to get some strawberries....Looks and sounds delish!

[FarmChick]

Aunt Ruby's Never Fail Pie Crust -- Teresa, this is for you!!!

NOTES: I like to have my Crisco chilled in the fridge or freezer before beginning. Key is to not handle the crust and warm it with your hands and more than absolutely necessary. I have ice cubes in the water and measure the ice water.

Yield: 3 crusts (3 singles OR one double and one single)

1 1/4 cups CRISCO (I use butter flavored, never substitute an off brand)
3 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Sugar

Mix the above dry ingredients together in a large bowl and cut shortening into flour mixture until crumbly.

In small bowl, beat together with a whisk or fork:
1 egg
6 Tbsp ice water
1 tsp. Vinegar

Add to flour mixture and mix well with a fork (may need to sprinkle with more ice water if necessary to get combined).

Divide into 3 balls.

I like to chill it again at this time before rolling it on a floured board for pies.

Makes a super rich, flaky crust.

[morgans4]

This is so good. It's a lot like the recipe they use at Red Lobster. By the way, did you know you can buy their tartar sauce for a couple of dollars for a pint? I love that stuff.

CRAB-CRUSTED BAKED TILAPIA

• 4 Servings
• Prep: 15 min. Bake: 25 min.
Ingredients
• 4 tilapia fillets (5 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2-1/2 teaspoons butter, melted, divided
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 pouch (6 ounces) premium crabmeat, drained
• 4 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs, divided
Directions
• Sprinkle tilapia with pepper and salt. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the celery, onion and garlic in 2 teaspoons butter until tender. Stir in flour and thyme until blended. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce.
• Remove from the heat; stir in mayonnaise until blended. Stir in crab and 3 tablespoons bread crumbs. Spoon onto fillets. Toss remaining bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over crab mixture.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 18 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

[morgans4]

CHICKEN PARMESAN
(with a side of spaghetti)

frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed and rinsed

1 pan of flour
1 bowl of beaten eggs
1 pan with a mixture of 1-2 cups canned parmesan cheese, italian bread crumbsw, 2 pkgs. of ranch salad dressing mix, dry. (I have to estimate the dressing mix because I buy it in a larger container.)

(I actually used leftover purchased garlic bread for my crumbs. it was wonderful. I put it in my food processor to make crumbs of it.)

You know how to do the assembly line thing... first into the flour, then eggs, and finally into the crumbs, pressing well. Then lay them out on a rack to rest while you heat up the skillet and preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

I used about 1/2" of oil in the pan and waited until a bit of water made the pan really sizzle before I added the chicken. I made 6 and could only get 3 in the pan at a time. I could have beaten my breasts down to be even, but I didn't, so one end was thicker than the other, but it was no problem.
The crumbs will brown pretty quickly, so keep an eye on them and when beautiful on the first side, turn them. When the 2nd side is done, put on a sheet pan and slide it into the oven. Even at 200 degrees, they will continue cooking. I had to add a bit more oil before the 2nd batch fried.

When they were all in the oven, I started my spaghetti water and heating up my purchased spaghetti sauce. When it was hot, I put a big ladle of the sauce over each chicken piece, then added 2 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese to each piece. Fresh mozzarella is that which comes in a ball and is wet. It's much better than the sliced stuff. But, whichever you have, use.

Now I turned the oven to 300 to get the cheese melted, added the spaghetti to the salted water and in 7 minutes, VOILA!

It was really wonderful. The chicken was still crispy, even with the sauce and the melted cheese was stringy and gooey.

[auntjana]

YUMMY Chocolate Frosting

I came across the recipe from America's Test Kitchen - it is really really good! It is very easy too!

2 1/2 sticks butter - softened -(60 -65 degrees)
1 cup powdered sugar - weigh this - 4 ounces
3/4 cup cocoa powder - I use Hershey's
pinch of salt
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces milk chocolate - melted and cooled slightly (so the butter does not melt when added to it)

In a food processor - yes that is right - blend butter, sugar, cocoa and salt until smooth - about 30 seconds, scraping the sides a couple of times. Add corn syrup, and vanilla - process until just combined - about 5 - 10 seconds . Scrape sides and then add melted chocolate - pulse until smooth and creamy - about 10 - 15 seconds. Use right away. Will frost a 9 inch layer cake very nicely.

You can hold the frosting in the refrigerator for about 3 hours and then let the frosting stand for about an hour before using. Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator covered well.

You can use semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate - but I like the milk - it is still a very intense chocolate frosting. It is a soft frosting that you just swirl for decoration. Reminds me of eating a Dove Milk chocolate candy bar! It is yummy!

Jana

[Irishgram]

Apple Squares

Mix the following 4 ingredients together and let it sit for an hour, stirring occasionally...

4 cups apples, (diced)
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

After 1 hour, beat eggs and mix into apple mixture

In separate bowl, Mix
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Nuts if you like

add to the apple mixture, mix well and spread on a greased and floured (sided) cookie sheet...

Bake at 350
25-30 minutes or until tooth pick is clean.....
Cover with glaze if you want......

OOPS, It takes 2 eggs, sorry......

[Joannequilts]

Irish, how many eggs??? This recipe sounds really good!!

Joanne

[KATHYSQUILTS]

These are so good. Work goes crazy when I bring them in. I picked it up at Ocean Spray on Cape Cod.

Cranberry Muffins

1 1/4c sugar
1/4c butter~~soft
2 eggs
2 1/2c flour
2t baking pd.
1/2t salt
1/2c milk
2c cranberries~or other fruit. I use the whole bag of cranberries.

Cream butter & sugar, add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together. Add with milk to butter mixture. Stir just to moisten, add in berries.

Spoon into 12 muffin cups. 400' 25/30 mins