 |
|
|
Cooking Tips
|
 |
 |
|
Hi, my name is Alicia Bodine, the Cooking Guru at LifeTips.
Enjoy these 665 Cooking tips. More added weekly!  Happy Thanksgiving! | Nov 25, 2009
|
 
|
White Chocolate Chip Cookies1/2 cup butter, softened Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter, shortening and sugars, add egg and mix well. Slowly add flour, baking soda and salt and continue mixing. Stir in vanilla and chocolate morsels. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Blackberry CobblerFilling... Pastry... Place berries in a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Combine sugar and flour; add water and lemon juice, mixing well. Pour syrup over berries; bake at 350 degrees F about 15 minutes while preparing the pastry. Place pastry over hot berries; brush with melted butter. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Pastry: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in whipping cream and buttermilk. Knead dough 4 or 5 times; roll to about 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough to fit baking dish. Serve cobbler warm with cream and sugar. Cheesecake Cupcakes3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cream cheese until fluffy, add sugar and continue beating. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans. Place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each liner. Fill each liner with 1/4 cup of the cream cheese mixture. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. When cool, place spoonful of pie filling on top of each cupcake. Refrigerate. Lemon Chess Pie9 inch pie crust Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix butter and sugar together. Mix in the eggs, cornmeal, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes until pie is nicely browned. Pineapple Icebox Cake1-3/4 cups milk Bring milk just to boiling and pour over the marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted. Add pineapple. When the mixture has cooled, fold in the whipped cream, bananas, diced cherries and chopped nuts. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with graham cracker crumbs, reserving 1/2 cup for top. Pour fruit mixture into pan, top with remaining crumbs. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 10-12 servings. Quick & Delicious Jello DessertJust before supper, pour one cup of boiling water over a package of raspberry gelatin crystals and stir to dissolve. Add a package of frozen raspberries and stir to defrost them. As they defrost, the gelatin sets. Put in the fridge until it is time for dessert. Serve plain, or with whipped cream. German Chocolate Pie2 large eggs Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs and sugar together; add flour and continue beating. Melt chocolate and butter together and allow to cool. Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and pecans and stir. Pour into a greased 9" pie plate. Sprinkle with coconut and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Coconut Custard Pie1 cup sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine sugar, flour and salt in a bowl. Add eggs, milk, butter, coconut and vanilla and stir until well blended. Pour into pie crust and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until set. Baked Pears3 or 4 ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pears in a baking dish. Place a small amount of butter in the center of each pear half. Sprinkle a small amount of lemon juice on each pear. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes. No Stick Pie CrustA great hint for rolling pie crust or biscuits is to roll on a piece of thick gauge natural canvas. It uses only a little additional flour, so the dough doesn’t get tough. This works better than parchment paper, because the dough doesn’t stick at all. Cranberry Cookies3 cups flour Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cream together butter and sugars. Add egg, milk, orange juice and mix well. Slowly add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Measuring ShorteningTo measure shortening, pack firmly into dry measuring cup. Level with spatula or back of knife and then remove with rubber scraper. (You can also line cup with plastic wrap overlapping cup and it will remove easy with no mess.) Basic Pie Crust2 cups flour Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Remove 1/3 cup of the mixture and set aside. Add the chilled shortening, and using a pastry cutter, incorporate until shortening and flour become pea-sized; set aside. Use reserved 1/3 cup of flour/salt mixture and 1/4 cup of water; mix to make a paste. Using hands, add paste to flour/shortening mixture and work it just enough for paste to cover everything - don’t work it too much. Roll out dough, and then transfer dough to a pie plate. Fill with your choice of pie filling. Espresso Mousse1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan and let it soften for 2 minutes. Add the milk and the espresso powder and heat the mixture over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the powder is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and set the pan in a bowl of ice and cold water, stirring the mixture every few minutes until it is thick and cold. In a small bowl beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold the coffee mixture into it gently but thoroughly. Chill until ready to serve. Easy Chocolate Mousse6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips Put chocolate chips and boiling water in a blender; mix at high speed for 15 seconds. Add egg, cream and vanilla and blend until well mixed. Pour into serving bowls, chill until firm. Creamy Chocolate Pie1/2 cup water Stir together water and cornstarch. In heavy saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks; stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in margarine and vanilla. Spoon into pie crust. Chill 3 hours or until set. Top with whipped topping if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Key Lime Pie8 inch pie crust, baked and cooled Place a small bowl and electric beaters in freezer to chill for about 10-15 minutes. Grate limes to remove 1 Tbsp of the rind, and then juice the limes. Combine condensed milk, lime juice, lime rind, and egg yolks, blend well; set aside. Pour heavy cream into the chilled bowl, whip with chilled beaters until stiff. Gently fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the lime mixture. Pour into the baked pie crust. Spread remaining whipped cream on top of pie. Refrigerate 3 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie3 Eggs, lightly beaten Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all filling ingredients in the order given. Mix well and pour in the unbaked pie shell. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce heat after 5 minutes to 300 degrees F and continue to bake for 1 hour, or until filling is thick. Baking Chocolate SubstitutionSubstitute 3/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened) and 1/4 cup Crisco for 4 squares (ounces) of chocolate. Making cookie crumbsTo make 1 cup of finely crushed crumbs, use the following amounts (amounts are approximate)... 14 Oreos Browning CrustIf you find your pie crust browning too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil until you take the pie from the oven. Cake BakingWhen making a cake, have all of your ingredients at room temperature. Better BakingYou should leave 2 inches of space between the oven walls and your baking sheet for good circulation. Moderate OvenWhen you come across a recipe that says to bake in a moderate oven, preheat your oven to 325-375 degrees. Filling a pastry bagThe neatest way to fill a pastry bag is to stand it upright in a tall glass (a pint sized beer glass works perfectly), then fold the top edges down over the glass, and fill. Both hands will be free. Pie crustTo make rolling pie crusts easier, roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper, waxed paper or plastic wrap. No messy flour all over the kitchen, no sticking, and your crust will be more tender. eye level measurmentMeasure liquids at eye level. In other words, place the cup on a flat surface and look at the same level as the cup in order to make sure you have the correct amount. Easy SiftingIf a recipe calls for sifting several dry ingredients, it’s simpler to put everything in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Refrigerator CookiesAll ingredients should be at room temperature. Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture thoroughly or the dough will be crumbly. Chill dough if it is too soft to shape. White Chocolate Raspberry CheesecakeCrust... Filling... Topping... For crust: Put pecans in small bowl with butter and microwave on high 1-1/2 minutes. Stir dry ingredients together in 10-inch spring form pan. Add butter and nuts and mix well. Pat onto bottom and sides. For filling: Beat cream cheese until light. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time; beating after each. Add remaining ingredients except berries and mix well. Pour into pan. Drop berries on top and push down with fork so that batter covers them. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours in oven in which a pan of water has been placed on the bottom rack. Remove from oven and run knife around the edge to loosen from pan and prevent a cracked cake when cooling. For topping: Stir sugar and cornstarch WELL in saucepan. Add berries and water and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in rum. Pour over cooled cake. Chocolate Cherry Refrigerator Sheet Cake1 pkg cherry gelatin Topping: Dissolve gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Add 1/2 cup cold water; set aside at room temperature. Mix and bake cake as directed in a 9x13 inch pan. Cook cake 20-25 minutes. Poke deep holes through top of warm cake In a chilled, deep bowl, blend and whip topping mix, instant pudding and cold milk until stiff (3-8 minutes). Immediately frost cake. Cake must be stored in refrigerator and served chilled. Parchment PaperParchment paper is one of the best mess saving devices ever. Line baking sheets, cake pans and more with parchment first and there’s no mess later. Bourbon Balls3 cups vanilla wafers, crushed Combine all ingredients and mix well. Form into 1/2" balls and roll in confectioner’s sugar. Makes about 45 - 50. Store in Refrigerator. Banana Cake2 cups Sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream sugar and shortening. Mix in eggs and bananas. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture. Add buttermilk and mix well until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until the middle of the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Frost with chocolate or cream cheese frosting. Turtle PretzelsThis recipe is from Maddymoo, originally posted in the Cooking-tips forum. 1 package large pretzel rods Melt caramels. Dip each pretzel half-way into the melted caramel; set on waxed paper. Melt chocolate chips, and dip each pretzel in melted chocolate to cover the caramel. Roll in pecans. Rocky Road Squares1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips Melt chocolate chips, Eagle Brand milk and margarine Spread in a 9x13" pan. Cool and cut into squares. Store in covered container at room temperature. White Chocolate Chip Brownies4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into chunks Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8" square baking pan. Stir unsweetened chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth, be very careful not to scorch. Cool to room temperature. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl; set aside. Beat sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in medium bowl until mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate mixture, then flour mixture. Stir in white chocolate chunks. Pour into prepared pan and bake brownies for 25 to 30 minutes. Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies2 cups flour Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, lemon zest, coriander and poppy seeds. Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed until mixture forms a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add egg yolks, egg and lemon extract. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed just until combined. Do not over mix. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets, 2" apart. Bake for 23-25 minutes until cookies are slightly brown along edges. Immediately transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Strawberry Tarts6 puff pastry shells Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake puff pastry shells according to package directions. Cool on wire rack. Meanwhile, beat heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. In medium bowl, combine cheese and liqueur; beat until soft. Fold whipped cream into cheese mixture. Place a few strawberry halves on the bottom of each shell; fill with cream mixture. Top with strawberry halves cut into fan shape. In small saucepan, over medium-low heat, cook jelly with 2 tsp water until melted. Brush jelly over strawberries. Garnish with remaining strawberries. Strawberries Romanoff2 pints fresh strawberries; washed, hulled & halved Combine strawberries, sugar, liqueur and orange rind; mix well. Place in individual serving glasses and top with whipped cream. Making your own Ice CreamHere are a couple of hints for making delicious homemade ice cream... -Make the ice cream mix the day before it is frozen to get a smoother product. -Use crushed ice instead of cubes for freezing. -Freeze finished product at least 4 hours before serving. -Liquid flavoring should be added before freezing, but solids (fruits & nuts) should be added after the initial freezing. No-Ice-Ice CreamTo stop ice crystals from forming in your ice cream, simply place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream. Push down on the plastic wrap to make the seal as airtight as possible, then close the carton and return to the freezer. Louisiana Crunch CakeTopping... Mix all ingredients together, blending well. Spread in the bottom of a well greased tube pan. Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Cake... Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add sugar. Mix well. Cut in shortening; add milk, extracts, and eggs. Beat thoroughly. Pour batter in prepared pan over the topping, and bake at 370 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from pan immediately or topping will stick to pan. Decadent Chocolate Cake1 (18.5 ounce) dark chocolate cake mix Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place first 6 ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat for approximately two minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased & floured Bundt pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes. Serve with ice cream. Golden Pie CrustIf you brush a pie crust with molasses before baking, it will have a glossy, golden finish. Toasted AlmondsTo toast whole almonds in an oven, spread in a shallow pan and toast at 350 degrees in the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Maple Syrup PieBaked pastry shell Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix flour and maple syrup in a saucepan, add milk, cream and butter. Stir over medium heat and boil till candy thermometer reaches 210ºF. Cool before pouring into baked pastry shell. Bake on lower level of oven until golden, about 30 to 40 minutes. Scraps of Pie CrustRoll out like a pie crust and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture then when your pie is done, bake until lightly browned. Apple Crumble8 apples, peeled and sliced Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place apple slices in a lightly greased two quart baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut butter into one inch chunks. Blend into dry ingredients, using a pastry blender. When crumbly, sprinkle over apples. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Steamed Pudding TestTo test if Steamed Pudding is done, remove cover after minimum baking time. Check to see if pudding springs back when touched lightly; if it does not spring back, re-cover and continue to steam. If steamer boils dry, add boiling water. Removing CakesIf you have difficulty removing a baked cake from the pan, place the hot pan on a damp cloth for a few seconds; steam helps release the cake. Tapioca & Fruit2 (3 ounce) packages tapioca pudding Cook tapioca pudding then mix with orange and pineapple juice. Let cool. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate for several hours. Caramel Apple Pie1 (9 Inch) prepared pie crust Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine caramel pieces and flour. Add apples, caramel Bake for 40-45 minutes until crust has browned; cool before serving. Raspberry Trifle1 angel food cake, sliced in 3 equal layers Spread raspberry preserves on the topside of the bottom layer of the cake. Place cake side down in a trifle bowl or other glass bowl. Sprinkle 1/3 of the sherry onto the cake, top with 1 cup of pudding. Repeat with the middle layer of the cake. Place the top of the cake over the middle portion and sprinkle with remaining sherry, whipped topping and sliced almonds. Slice and serve. Homemade Sweetened Condensed MilkTo make an amount equal to one can of sweetened condensed milk, stir together... 2 cups Instant Powdered Milk Watermelon Sorbet1 cup sugar Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When sugar has dissolved, remove pan from heat, and chill. Meanwhile, remove the seeds from the watermelon flesh. Place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor; process until liquefied, about 2 minutes. Add watermelon puree to chilled sugar syrup; stir to combine. Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Store, frozen, in an airtight container. Angel Food Dump Cake1 baked angel food cake Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. In a mixing bowl, whip the cream and add everything but the cake pieces. Break up half the cake in small pieces over the bottom of the pan and pour half the cream mixture on top. Repeat with cake and cream mixture and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Berry Cherry Pie2 refrigerated 9-inch pie crusts Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring crusts to room temperature as package directs. Fit one crust into 9-inch pie pan, but don’t trim the edges. Mix remaining ingredients and pour into pie shell. Lay second crust over filling. Fold top crust edge under the edge of the bottom crust, then crimp edges to seal. Cut 4 vents in the top crust. Chill pie for 15 minutes. Bake in center of oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and continue to bake 30 to 35 minutes longer, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Four Layer Lemon Dessert1... Mix together and spread in a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, cool completely. 2... Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add cool whip and mix well. Spread over cooled crust. 3... Beat together pudding and milk for 2 minutes and spoon over second layer. 4... Bacardi Rum CakeCake... Glaze... Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan or a 12 cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the pan. Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. Cool, and invert pan onto a serving plate. Prick the top of the cake with a fork. Spoon glaze over cake top and sides allowing the cake to absorb the glaze. Repeat until glaze is gone. To make the glaze; melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and add the rum. Pecan Cobbler3 cups flour, divided Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring the 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add the sugar, and cook to the soft-ball stage. Remove from the heat, and beat in 1/2 cup of the butter, then 1 cup of the flour, and the cinnamon. Mix in the pecans, and spread in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Cut the remaining flour into the remaining butter until pieces are very small. Add the baking powder and salt, and mix. Using a fork, mix in the cream a little at a time until the mixture is almost pourable, being careful not to overmix. Spread mixture across the pecans. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Filling should be bubbly. Hot Fudge Cake1 cup all purpose flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, 2 Tbsp of the Combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour hot water over all; do not stir. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. No more soggy pie crustsTo stop soggy pie crusts, brush the crust with an egg white before baking. Or you can sprinkle the crust lightly with bread crumbs, and prick all over with a fork. Chocolate Mousse1 cup unsalted butter Cream butter well with sugar. Melt the chocolate, and add it with the vanilla to the butter mixture. With an electric mixer set on high, add the eggs, Spoon into a baked pie crust, or small serving cups. Chill for at least an hour before serving. To sift, or not to siftMost brands of flour are now pre-sifted, making it unnecessary to sift before you measure the flour. Gently stir the flour, and then lightly spoon it into your measuring cup. Rolling Cooking DoughInstead of adding flour to the dough by flouring the rolling pin, chill the rolling pin in the freezer and the dough will not stick. Pretty PiesMake your pies look special by using a pinking shears to cut the dough. Spray shears with non-stick spray first. Freezing CakesUnfrosted cakes freeze better than frosted. Allow cakes to cool, place on cardboard, then cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Can be kept up to 5 months if wrapped properly. Don’t freeze cakes with custard or fruit fillings as they tend to become soggy when thawed. Cakes using whipped cream filling or topping should be thawed in the refrigerator. Sticky Cookie DoughChill cookie dough before using. It makes it much easier to use. Melting Chocolate in LiquidWhat if your recipe calls for melting chocolate along with water or some other type of liquid? That’s fine, as long as the liquid is mixed with the chocolate from the beginning of the melting process, it won’t get grainy on you. Be careful though, because adding even a drop in mid-melting will cause this problem. Crisp CookiesTo keep cookies crisp, store in a container with a loose fitting lid. If they lose their crispness, bake at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes. Chocolate Bar Cookies1 cup butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For crust: Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an For filling: Combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread hot mixture over the crust. Dot with remaining crust Microwave Caramel Corn1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed Put brown sugar, corn syrup, salt & margarine in a Place popped corn into a brown grocery bag. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn. Shake contents until coated well. Place bag into the microwave & cook for 1 minute. Spread caramel corn out on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to cool. Brown SugarUnlike most every other ingredient, brown sugar needs to be packed into the measuring cup and then leveled off. Milk Chocolate Chunk Brownies1 cup all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x9x2 inch baking pan. Thoroughly mix the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Toss the chopped chocolate with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the flour mixture. Whisk the butter and melted chocolate in a bowl; beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and chocolate extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir to form a batter. Stir in the chopped chocolate and pecans. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan; spread the batter evenly. Bake the brownies for 25 minutes, or until just set. Pecan Pie Bars1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll crescent dough into 2 long rectangles. Place dough in an ungreased 9x13" baking pan; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides to form a crust. Press at perforations to seal. Bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients. Pour over partially baked crust. Bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars. Fruit Pizza1 - 10 ounce package refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1/4 cup of orange marmalade (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice cookie dough, and press it into a round pizza pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Combine cream cheese and sugar in bowl, mix until creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top of cookie crust. Slice fruit and arrange Heat and stir marmalade and 1 Tbsp. water till Chill 1 hour. Cut into wedges or squares to serve. Makes 8-10 servings. Graham CrustsPies with graham cracker crusts are difficult to remove from the pan. Simply place the pan in warm water for 5-10 seconds and it will come right out without any damage. Lemon Bars1 cup butter, softened Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and oatmeal to make a crumbly dough. Set aside. In another bowl, add sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon & orange peels. Mix well. In a buttered 9x13" pan, press 3/4 of the of the dough into the pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk mixture over the dough. Sprinkle the remaining dough over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden. Freezing Cookie DoughShape Refrigerator Cookie dough into rolls, wrap with heavy duty aluminum foil, seal and freeze. On baking day slice immediately or thaw slightly in the refrigerator for easy slicing. French Chocolate8 squares unsweetened chocolate Melt chocolates together in saucepan over very low heat; stirring constantly until smooth. Add condensed milk and mix until smooth and well blended. Cool a few minutes. Shape into balls, using about 1 teaspoon for each. Roll in nuts. Making Pies ShineBefore baking your pie, simply brush the crust with a beaten egg white. When your pie is done, your crust will shine! Cappuccino Pie1 (9 inch) chocolate graham cracker pie crust Combine frozen yogurt, sugar, water and espresso granules in a food processor and process for several seconds until mixed well. Spread into piecrust and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving. Chocolate Ganache8 ounces semisweet chocolate (chopped) Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. This recipe makes enough ganache to cover a 9 inch cake. Microwave Fudge3 cups chocolate chips Microwave all together on medium setting, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Microwave just until it’s melted. Pour into a greased 8x8" pan. Refrigerate until set, then cut into pieces. Be careful not to microwave too long or you won’t have the creamy texture. Maple Marinated Fresh Strawberry Sundae SauceHere’s a delicious summertime Maple Syrup recipe... 1 quart fresh strawberries Wash, hull and coarsely chop strawberries. Mix maple sugar and maple syrup. Gently combine strawberries with maple mixture. Cover and refrigerate to marinate at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Serve over vanilla or strawberry ice cream. Maple Pudding Cake1-1/2 cups flour (preferably unbleached) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk. Spread batter in a 9" greased baking pan or dish. Combine syrup, water and butter in saucepan and heat until butter is melted. Gently pour the heated liquid over batter in the pan and bake about 45 minutes until cake is lightly browned. The maple syrup mixture will sink to the bottom where it forms a pudding-like sauce. Cool briefly, and top with whipped cream or ice cream. Yields 8 servings. Thick FrostingsConfectioners’ sugar frostings and glazes usually thicken if they sit too long. Just add a few drops of milk to thin it, making it the consistency that you wish. Heart Shaped Mini Fruit Pizza1 batch favorite Sugar Cookie Dough (or packaged refrigerated dough) Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with heart shaped cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets and bake according to your recipe or packaged cookie dough directions. Cool completely. Now whip together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in a 12 ounce container of Cool Whip. Spread a large spoonful on each cookie and top with your favorite sliced fruits. Strawberries, kiwi, grapes, blueberries, peaches…any of your favorites. Pumpkin Cake1 yellow cake mix Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix oil and sugar together. Add eggs and beat. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool for 20 minutes and remove from pan. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired. Peanut Butter FrostingSubstitute 2 tablespoons peanut butter for the butter in a white frosting recipe. Molasses FrostingTo make molasses frosting, use your regular white frosting recipe, but add 1 tablespoon of light molasses with your milk. Measuring FlourTo accurately measure flour, spoon it lightly into a dry measuring cup. Level with a spatula, or the back of a knife. Chocolate Walnut Pie4 ounces semisweet chocolate Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over low heat. Pour it evenly into the unbaked pie shell. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla well. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the mixture into the chocolate-lined pie shell and bake until the filling is set, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Raspberry Coffee Fudge1/4 pound butter In a heavy saucepan melt the butter; add evaporated milk, sugar, and coffee granules. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly until the temperature reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and add raspberry chocolate chips and the bittersweet chocolate. Stir the mixture until all ingredients are melted. Add the marshmallow creme and stir until blended. Stir in the vanilla. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13" pan. Cut in bite-sized squares when cooled. Chocolate Turtle Cake1 box German Chocolate cake mix Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a German chocolate cake mix batter according to package directions. Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt caramels in microwave; add butter and milk, and stir until butter is melted. Reheat if necessary. Pour over warm cake and top with chocolate chips and nuts. Pour remaining batter over all and bake at 350 degrees for another 20 minutes. Mocha Ice Cream Pie2 cups coffee or vanilla ice cream, softened Spread coffee ice cream in bottom of pie crust. Freeze 10-20 minutes or until semi-firm. Spread half of caramel topping over coffee ice cream. Spread chocolate ice cream over caramel. Freeze 10-20 minutes or until semi-firm. Spread remaining caramel topping over chocolate ice cream. Spoon whipped topping into pastry bag fitted with star decorating tip. Pipe cool whip in a decorative pattern on top of pie, or just spread the topping over the pie. Sprinkle crushed Heath bar over topping. Freeze pie until firm, 6 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer. Allow pie to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Angel Food CakeTo slice an angel food cake, use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. If you press too hard on the knife, you will end up with a smashed slice. Self-Rising FlourSelf rising flour is a mixture of 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder plus 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup flour. Cake FlourYou can substitute cake flour for regular flour when you bake cookies, but your cookies will most likely spread out more than they would with regular flour. White Chocolate Creme Brulee´5 large egg yolks Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 300F. Whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Bring cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add chopped chocolate to cream mixture and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk hot chocolate mixture into yolk mixture. Mix in vanilla. Ladle custard into four 10-oz. custard cups (or creme brulee’ cups). Place cups in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custards are set in center, Preheat broiler. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over each custard. Broil until sugar caramelizes, watching carefully, about 2 minutes. Serve hot, or refrigerate up to 1 hour and serve cold. Makes four servings. Medicinal ChocolateDid you know that at one time chocolate was lauded for its medicinal properties? Christopher Ludwig Hoffmann’s treatise "Potus Chocolate" recommends chocolate as a cure for many diseases. Frosted FruitUsing a pastry brush, brush strawberries, grapes or other fruit with light corn syrup. Roll the fruit in granulated sugar to coat. Place the sugar-coated fruit on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and keep in refrigerator until ready to use. Use frosted fruit to garnish and decorate pies, cakes, cheesecakes and other desserts. How to cook browniesBrownies are cooked properly when the edges look hard, the top has cracked slightly, and the surface has a glassy appearance. The center should not jiggle when you shake the pan. Whipping CreamAdd a tablespoon of Dream whip to your cup of whipping cream. It will hold up better in your desserts. Oven BakingPlace your pans near the center of the oven. Also, you should only use one rack if possible. Don’t let the pans touch the sides of the oven or each other. Cutting MeringueTo cut meringue, wet the knife in cold water. It will not stick. Baking tipsWhen using box cake mixes or ready made frosting, add one teaspoon of vanilla extract to each. This enhances the flavor of any cake or frosting, and everyone will think you have spent all day baking from scratch. Out of buttermilkWhen the recipe calls for buttermilk and you’re out: Better Whipped ToppingAdd a teaspoon of vanilla to whipped topping -- either the frozen-in-a-tub variety, or the boxed mix kind. Leave the topping in your own mixing bowl. Everyone will think it’s fresh whipped cream. Just smile. Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies2/3 cup macadamia nuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until almost smooth. Shape dough into 1" balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Black Forest VariationMake a dark chocolate cake according to package directions and bake. Mix a 3 ounce package of cherry gelatin as directed less 1/4 cup of water. When cake is totally cool, pierce it through in several places, aproximately two-thirds the depth of the cake. When gelatin is just beginning to set like a very thick syrup, generously spread about a half cup over the cake making sure that it`s absorbed into the holes. Refrigerate the cake for about an hour. Meantime, mix a large jar of sweet-tart pitted cherries into the rest of the gelatin. As soon as the mixture is thick enough, spread it evenly over the top of the cake and chill until ready to serve. Good served with whipped cream. Pineapple CakeCake... Frosting... Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all cake ingredients together by hand and pour into a greased and floured 9x13" baking pan. Mix together frosting ingredients until smooth, and spread over cake. Frozen Fruity Yogurt2 cups plain yogurt Puree yogurt and fruit in a blender, adding honey once the fruit is well blended. Pour mixture into a container for the freezer: an ice cube tray, a shallow plastic container, or 9" square cake pan. Freeze for 30 minutes. Spoon frozen mixture into the blender container and whip for 1 minute. Pour mixture into popsicle molds or paper cups. Freeze for 10 more minutes or until firm. Strawberry Frozen Yogurt2 (8 ounce) containers strawberry yogurt Stir yogurt if not premixed. Spoon into ice cube tray compartments. Freeze until completely frozen, 3 or 4 hours. Remove cubes from tray, place in bowl of electric food processor and process until finely chopped. Add strawberries and orange peel. Process just until almost smooth. Serve immediately or place in freezer and stir occasionally until firm enough to scoop, 1 to 2 hours. Grease the PanWhen the cookie recipe calls for cubed margarine or butter, save the wrappers to lightly grease the cookie sheets for the first batch. You won’t need to grease them again, and the leftover butter on the wrappers will be just enough. Cherry Cheese Squares1-1/4 cups all purpose flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour and brown sugar; cut in shortening and butter flavoring until fine crumbs form. Stir in coconut and the finely chopped almonds. Reserve 1/2 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. For filling, beat the cream cheese, white sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in mixing bowl until smooth. Spread over the hot crust. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Combine pie filling and almond extract and spread on top of cream cheese filling. Combine reserved crumbs and slivered almonds; sprinkle over cherries. Bake 15 minutes more. Cool, and refrigerate until serving time. Puree´ Canned FruitsPuree’ canned fruits, such as peaches or fruit cocktail, and use them as a sauce over ice cream or stirred into yogurt. Peach Cobbler1 stick margarine Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt margarine in a 13x9" baking pan. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk, cinnamon, and baking powder; sprinkle over margarine. Add peaches, including juice. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream. Pineapple Cream Cheese CakeCake... Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a 9x13" pan that has been greased and floured. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting. Frosting... Cream margarine and cream cheese; add powdered sugar and mix well. Spread on cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Key Lime Dessert Bars2 cups sifted all purpose flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Sift together the flour and powdered sugar. Beat the eggs, sugar, and lime juice together. Pour over the baked crust and return to the oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars. Orange Rum Cake1 cup butter, softened Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Grease and flour a tube pan. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Fried Ice Cream1 pint good-quality French vanilla ice cream Scoop out balls of ice cream, measuring about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Freeze until very firm. In a medium bowl, combine corn flakes, cinnamon and sugar. Roll ice cream balls in corn-flake mixture and freeze again. Beat egg. Dip coated ice cream balls into egg, roll in crumbs and freeze again. When ready to serve, heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Place one or two balls on a slotted spoon and lower into hot oil. Cook one minute and remove immediately. Drizzle with honey and top with whipped cream. Caramel Nut Cream Pie1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed milk Pour sweetened condensed milk into 2 quart microwave-safe glass measuring cup; Heat on 50% power for 4 minutes, stirring briskly every 2 minutes until smooth. Cook on 30% power for 12 to 18 minutes, or until very thick and caramel colored, stirring briskly every 2 minutes, until smooth. Stir nuts, milk and cinnamon into warmed caramelized sweetened condensed milk; cool to room temperature. Fold in whipped cream, then pour into crust. Chill for Mocha Ice Cream Pie2 cups coffee or vanilla ice cream, softened Spread coffee ice cream in bottom of pie crust. Freeze 10-20 minutes or until semi-firm. Spread half of caramel topping over coffee ice cream. Spread chocolate ice cream over caramel. Freeze 10-20 minutes or until semi-firm. Spread remaining caramel topping over chocolate ice cream. Spoon whipped topping into pastry bag fitted with star decorating tip. Pipe cool whip in a decorative pattern on top of pie, or just spread the topping over the pie. Sprinkle crushed Heath bar over topping. Freeze pie until firm, 6 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer. Allow pie to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Drip-less Ice Cream ConesHaving trouble keeping your ice cream inside the cone? If you are constantly wiping up drips from the bottom of a sugar cone, simply pop a mini marshmallow in the bottom of the cone before adding the ice cream...no more drips! Bubbling piesI really don’t know of a way to keep pies from bubbling over, so the next best thing I can tell you is how to keep them from burning in your oven. When I bake a pie that I suspect MAY bubble over (apple, blueberry, etc.), I always place an aluminum foil wrapped cookie sheet on the rack under the pie. This way, if the pie bubbles over, the mess is contained on the foil wrapped cookie sheet, and the foil can just be removed and thrown out afterwards, rather than having to clean your oven! (And I don’t care WHAT manufacturers say, no oven is ENTIRELY "self-cleaning"!) Bananas Flambe´1/2 cup butter Melt butter in chafing dish and then add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Slice bananas in half lengthwise. Add bananas to brown sugar mixture and stir to coat. Cook bananas, stirring constantly for about one minute. Place individual portions of ice cream in separate serving dishes. Add Kahlua to banana mixture and then light with a match. Quickly spoon flaming banana mixture over each dish of ice cream and serve immediately. Vermont Sugar on SnowBest enjoyed at a Vermont Sugar-on-Snow party 1 quart Pure Vermont Maple Syrup Heat syrup and butter, watching the pot; turn heat down if it threatens to boil over. When a candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, cool slightly, and test by spooning a tablespoon of syrup over the snow. If the syrup sits on top of the snow and clings to a fork like taffy, it’s ready. Pour its "ribbons" over snow packed in bowls. Traditionally served with sour pickles and plain doughnuts. Serves about 10 No Fail Pie CrustNo Fail Pie Crust 4 cups flour Mix flour, sugar and salt with fork. Blend in shortening with a pastry blender or fork if necessary. In a separate bowl, stir together water, vinegar and egg. Add to the flour mixture and mix well with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into 4 portions. (This will make 2 double crust or 4 one crust pies. Shape portions into round patties, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Chill for at least 1/2 hour before using.
Dipping ChocolateTo create a chocolate coating of manageable consistency for candies and other treats, add shortening, peanut or vegetable oil in a ratio of 1 tablespoon fat to 6 - 8 ounces of solid chocolate and melt them together. (See other tips for melting advice.) Cherry Crumb Pie1 (9 inch) pie crust Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cornstarch and water and stir until smooth. Add cherry pie filling and mix well. Pour into pie crust. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar and butter and mix to create a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle over cherry pie and bake for 30 - 40 minutes at 350 Apple Brown Betty4 slices white bread, toasted & cubed Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place toasted bread in a greased 1-1/2 quart casserole dish; top with apples. Combine sugars and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Drizzle with butter. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Serve warm with cream. Tiramisu2 (3 ounce) packages ladyfingers Place one-third of the ladyfingers at the bottom of a trifle bowl or any clear glass bowl. Drizzle coffee over ladyfingers. Combine cheese, sugar, and whipped cream together and mix well. Spread one-third of cheese mixture over ladyfingers, followed by the Richer CrustFor a rich, buttery pastry crust, cut a tablespoon of butter in with the shortening. Soggy Cream PuffsTo prevent cream puffs from becoming soggy as they cool, puncture small puffs or split larger ones and remove uncooked center portion. Caramel Coffee Tart1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Stir cream and instant coffee in large microwavable bowl until well blended; add caramels. Microwave on High 2-3 minutes, stirring after every minute. Stir Walnut Fudge Pie3 eggs Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs slightly; add sugar, syrup, cocoa, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour walnuts into unbaked pie shell; cover with the Cherry PiePie crust for two crust, 9" pie Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lay bottom pie crust in a 9" pie pan. Combine cherries, sugar, flour and almond extract and mix well. Pour into pie shell. Dot with butter. Place top Raspberry Sorbet1-1/4 cups frozen raspberries Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then process into a stiff slush. Use immediately or scoop into balls and refreeze. Very Berry Cobbler1 pint strawberries, halved Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries; add orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon; mix lightly. Let rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl combine butter, sugar and cinnamon, mix well with a fork. Add flour and mix until crumbly. Place berry mixture into a souffle dish. Top with streusel topping. Cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Layered Jello4 small boxes (3oz) of jello in colors of your choice Make all the jello at once, in separate bowls, according to manufacturer’s directions, except use 1 cup boiling water, and only use 1/2 cup cold water. Leave at room temperature until needed. Dissolve the 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin in boiling water, stirring well to ensure that it is completely dissolved. Heat milk until warm, and add the unflavored gelatin mixture and vanilla. Mix sugar and sour cream together, then add milk mixture. Mix well. Set aside until ready to use. Pour one color of the jello into a 9x13" glass baking dish and refrigerate until completely set. Pour 1-1/2 cups of the milk mixture on top of the first layer, allowing that to set. Then add another color gelatin, then another 1-1/2 cups of the milk mixture; repeating the different layers and allowing each layer to set; until everything is gone. Chill well. Chocolate Pudding Cake1-1/4 cups flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together flour, butter, pecans and pat into a 9x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Mix together the cream cheese, 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip, and powdered sugar with electric mixer and spread over cooled crust. Prepare pudding according to package directions, then stir in vanilla. Spread over first layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Top with 1 cup cool whip and chocolate sprinkles. Easy Dump Cake1 can (any flavor) pie filling Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour pie filling into a 10x6x2" baking dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pie filling. Pour butter over top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cream Cheese Poundcake1-1/2 cups Butter, softened Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating for 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until eggs are fully incorporated. Add vanilla. Combine flour and salt, gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10" tube pan. Half-fill a loaf pan with water and place in the oven with the tube pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Homemade banana pudding4 cups Milk Warm the milk in a double boiler (or in a saucepan) over low heat. Put the egg yolks, sugar, flour, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until smooth. Whisk into the milk and heat until it obtains the thickness of a thin pudding. Strain. Allow to cool slightly. In a medium casserole dish, make a layer of Vanilla wafers, a layer of bananas, and half the custard mix. Repeat. Top with a sprinkling of crushed wafers. Chill well before serving. Quick & Easy Fruity Pie1 Package (3 ounce) Jell-o, any flavor Completely dissolve Jell-o in boiling water, stirring about 3 minutes. Add ice cubes and stir constantly until Jell-o is thickened. Remove any unmelted ice cubes. Using a wire whisk, blend whipped topping into Jell-o. Whip until smooth, and fold in the fruit. Chill if necessary, until mixture is spoonable. Spoon into pie crust. Chill for at least 3 hours. Lemon Chiffon3/4 cup boiling water Pour boiling water into a blender. Add Jell-o, lemon rind and lemon juice. Cover and blend at low speed until Jell-o is completely dissolved, about 30 seconds. Combine cold water and ice cubes to make 1-1/4 cups. Add to blender and stir until ice is partially melted. Then add the cool whip; blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Pour into serving bowl or dessert dishes. Chill until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with mint leaves or lemon slices, if desired. Apple Pie Cake1/4 cup butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in the order listed. Batter will be thick. Spread batter in a greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Apple Cake4 cups apples, peeled and diced Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Mix together apples and sugar. Add oil, vanilla, and the eggs. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the apple mixture. Add chopped walnuts and stir well. Pour into a greased and floured 13x9x2" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Cake is done when it pulls away from sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Strawberry Pie3 quarts strawberries, divided Mash enough berries to equal 3 cups. In saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in mashed berries & water, mix well. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add food coloring. Pour into a large bowl. Chill for 20 minutes - stirring occasionally until just slightly warm. Fold in remaining whole berries, put in baked pie shell, and chill for 2-3 hours. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add pudding mix and whip until stiff. Pipe around edge of the pie. Dry yeast/Cake yeastUse one Tablespoon ( 3 teaspoons ) of regular active dry yeast to replace cake yeast in recipes. Quick Dessert for a hot dayKids clamoring for dessert and no ideas? Here’s a tasty treat that is sure to please! Prepare a microwavable chocolate pudding according to package instructions. While it is cooking, place two scoops of vanilla ice cream in individual serving bowls. Remove the pudding from the microwave and pour over the ice cream. This is a wonderful treat! (Stick a brownie or ice cream wafer on the side for a tasty addition) Cake testingIf you need to test your cake for doneness, but you’re out of toothpicks, just use an uncooked piece of spaghetti. Spaghetti also comes in handy if you want to light a candle in a deep jar...just light the end of the spaghetti and you can reach the wick with ease, no burnt fingers! Make-ahead TartsPlan on making tarts for your party? Want to get a head start? Make the tarts ahead of time. Cool and then wrap in aluminum foil. At serving time, heat wrapped tarts in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until hot. Whipping CreamWhen whipping heavy cream always whip in a stainless steel bowl. Aluminum bowls will cause the cream to turn grayish in color and the cream will taste metallic. Tinted CoconutTo tint coconut, add a few drops of liquid food coloring to coconut in a jar or plastic bag. Shake until evenly tinted. Perfect Pie CuttingTo serve pie without messing up the first slice: Step 1: Cut the pie in half through the middle. Step 2: Cut one wedge along your first cut. Do NOT remove the first wedge. Step 3: Cut a second wedge. Remove the SECOND wedge. It will come out perfectly, as well as all the rest of the pieces you cut. Low on Cookie Sheets?If you need an extra cookie sheet, invert and use the bottom of a large cake or jelly roll pan. (Don’t use the inside because that will prevent browning of the cookies.) Oven Melted ChocolateAlternatively, you can melt chocolate in a dry oven. Place grated chocolate in a metal bowl and place it in an oven set at 110° F (if your oven doesn’t go that low, use the lowest temperature and keep the door ajar). Your chocolate will melt in about an hour. butter & shorteningA good method for measuring butter and shortening is water displacement (this works for any fraction of a cup measurement). For instance, if you need 1/2 C shortening fill a 1 cup measure 1/2 full with water. Carefully add shortening to the cup until the water reaches the top of the cup. Drain the water and use the shortening. Florida Sunshine CakeSunshine Cake 1 (18.25 ounce) box extra moist yellow cake mix Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat the eggs, and add them to the boxed cake mix. Add the oil and the mandarine oranges to the batter; remember to add the juice as well as the fruit. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9x13" pan. Bake the cake for 40 minutes. Cool in pan thoroughly on wire rack before frosting. While cake is baking, prepare the frosting by mixing Strawberry Icebox Treat1 pint strawberries, sliced Mix softened cream cheese with berries, oranges and pineapple. Mix in whipped topping. Refrigerate until firm. Don´t get burned!To avoid getting burned while making candy, attach your candy thermometer to a wire whisk and lay the whisk across the top of your cooking pan. Apricot Squares1 cup butter, softened Cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Blend in March Recipe Contest WinnerMaple Walnut Pound Cake with Maple Glaze Cake: Glaze: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 12 C bundt pan, or spray with ’Baker’s Joy’. Coarsely chop walnuts and toast. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar with mixer, until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in maple syrup, maple flavoring and vanilla extract. Butter may look curdled, but it’s OK. Bake cake until top is golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. This cake has a tendency to sometimes come out dry, so begin checking for doneness at 50 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool cake 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides and center of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake onto rack and cool completely. Glaze: Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Drizzle glaze over pound cake. Arrange walnut halves prettily on top of cake. Let stand until glaze sets, about 15 minutes. 12 servings. Ambrosia CakeCake... Topping... Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sift together sugar, flour and salt. Add beaten eggs and fruit cocktail. Mix ingredients well; pour into a greased and floured 9x13" baking pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. To make the topping, boil sugar, margarine and Pet milk for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add coconut and nuts; pour over cake. No More Sticky HandsIf you make rice krispy treats you know how sticky it can be. To avoid the sticky fingers, before spreading the treats in the pan put a little butter in your hands. You can also use water or a little bit of oil. Best PansUse shiny baking sheets for cookies. Dark sheets absorb heat readily and cookies may burn on the bottom. Cookie PlacementPlace cookies about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, unless it is stated differently in the recipe. Blueberry Bars1-1/2 cups flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour and powdered sugar, then add butter until well blended. Press into a 13x9" baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over baked crust. Bake an additional 30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars. Hard Tack Candy4 cups sugar Mix sugar, Karo syrup, water and food coloring together in a large, heavy bottomed pan. Boil to 280 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Add flavoring, shake pan well, but do not stir. Pour onto buttered cookie sheet and cool until able to handle; cut into 1 inch pieces or break apart. Cool completely on waxed paper. Oreo BarkThis recipe is from Maddymoo, posted in the Cooking-tips forum... 1 pound white chocolate bark Melt bark and add Oreos. Blend well, and pour into a large baking pan or cookie sheet. Sprinkle additional Oreo pieces on top. Bear PawsThis recipe is from Maddymoo, posted in the Cooking-tips forum... 1 pound milk chocolate bark Melt caramels and milk in a double boiler. Stir in pecans. Add almonds, and drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet; chill. Melt bark, and dip each caramel paw in chocolate. Refrigerate just until set. Triple Avalanche BarkThis recipe was posted at the Cooking-tips forum by Maddymoo... 1 pound white chocolate bark Melt chocolate and add all of the other ingredients; stir until mixed. You can sprinkle with additional chocolate chips or Oreos, and swirl into batter. Refrigerate until chilled. Break into pieces. Apple-Maple Cake1 cup melted butter or margarine Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13" baking pan. Mix the melted butter, syrup and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Combine the liquid and dry ingredients, stirring until blended; do not overmix. Stir in raisins, nuts and apples. Spread batter in the baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done. Decorate the top by placing a paper doily on top of the cake and sift powdered sugar over the doily. Maple Nut Fudge2 cups Fancy or Grade A Vermont Maple Syrup Boil syrup to 236 degrees. Remove from heat and place in a pan of cold water. Cool to room temperature. Stir vigorously until color begins to change, then add nuts. Pour into well-buttered 8" or 10" square pan. Cut into squares while warm. Yields 16 pieces. Carrot CakeCake... Icing... Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. In a separate bowl, cream sugar and oil. Add eggs to sugar mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in flour mixture. Add carrots, pineapple and nuts. Pour into three greased and floured 8" or 9" layer pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool before icing. To make icing, combine powdered sugar, margarine, vanilla and cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Blueberry Coffee Cake1/4 cup butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and cream cheese. Gradually add sugar. Beat until well blended. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries. Coat 9x9" cake pan with cooking spray. Pour in batter. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cinnamon Fudge1 pound powdered sugar Line an 8" square baking pan with foil, allowing foil to extend over sides. Butter foil. Mix together sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. In saucepan, heat butter and milk until butter melts. Add vanilla. Combine with sugar mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Use foil to lift out of pan. Cut into 2-inch squares. Cherry surprise cakeBag of mini-marshmallows Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with the marshmallows. Mix the cake mix according to package directions and pour over the marshmallows. Mix together the can of cherry pie filling and the jello. Spread on top of the cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or till done.
Mandarin Orange Cake1 box yellow cake mix 1 large can of crushed pineapples with juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cake mix, oil, eggs, and oranges/juice. Bake in greased and floured 9x13" pan at 350 degrees for 35 min. Cool well, set aside. Mix together pineapples and pudding mix. Fold in cool whip and spread on the cooled cake. Store in refrigerator. Butter Cake1 box yellow cake mix Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together cake mix, melted margarine & 1 of the eggs. Press into a 13x9x2" buttered pan. Beat together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over ingredients in cake pan. Sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min. Cinnamon Coffee Cakecake... topping... Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Combine dry ingredients for cake, stir in milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly into well greased and lightly floured sheet cake pan. Bake for 10 minutes. While cake is baking, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon for topping. Remove cake from oven after 10 minutes; drizzle 1/2 cup butter evenly over top of hot cake and then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon topping mixture and return to oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more. Makes 12 servings. Chocolate Eclair CakeGraham crackers 3 Tbsp margarine, softened Grease a 9x13" pan, and line the bottom with one layer of whole graham crackers. Beat together pudding mix and the 2-1/2 to 3 cups milk until thick. Mix in Cool Whip. Pour half of the mixture over graham crackers in pan. Top with another layer of crackers. Pour remaining pudding mix on top. Top with one more layer of crackers. Beat together topping ingredients with spoon until smooth. Spread over top layer of crackers. Put uncovered in refrigerator until ready to serve, at least eight hours. Flouring Cake PansWhen you bake a cake you are instructed to flour the cake pan so the cake won’t stick. Instead of doing that save some of the dry cake mix and use that to flour the bottom of the pan. You won’t have that white mess on the bottom of your cakes. Flakier CrustFor a flakier pie crust, brush the top lightly with cold water before you bake. Easy Graham Squares2 cups graham cracker crumbs Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Mix together all ingredients and spread 1/2" thick in a greased 12x8" pan. Bake for 17 minutes. Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Butterscotch Pudding2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes Place beaten egg in a small bowl; stir in small amount of hot milk mixture. Add egg to milk mixture; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Short on cookie sheets?If you only have a few cookie sheets but are making a lot of cookies, tear off a few cookie-sheet-sized pieces of aluminum foil. While one batch is in the oven, you can scoop out your next batch of cookies onto the foil. Remove the batch from the oven, let the cookie sheet cool for a minute, and then transfer the foil with the cookies on it to the cookie sheet...you’ve got another batch ready for the oven. Peppermint Brownies2 squares unsweetened chocolate Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan and slowly add sugar, stirring constantly until blended. Add beaten eggs and stir in peppermint extract. Remove from heat and add flour, pecans and salt. Pour into a greased and floured 10" square baking pan and cook for 25-30 minutes. Chocolate Oatmeal BarsCrust... Filling... Icing... Preheat oven to 350 degrees F To prepare crust: In a medium bowl, combine oats, 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, 1/4 cup applesauce, 1 tablespoon margarine, and baking soda. Stir with fork until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into bottom of 8 inch square pan which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. To prepare filling: In small bowl, combine 2/3 cup flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, combine white sugar, 1/4 cup applesauce, whole egg, egg white, 2 Tbsp cocoa, 1 Tbsp margarine and vanilla. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture alternately with buttermilk; stir until well blended. Spread over baked crust. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. To prepare icing: In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespon cocoa, skim milk, and instant coffee powder until smooth. Spread evenly over bars. Let stand until set. Cut into 14 bars. Black & White Bars1/2 cup butter Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat butter and unsweetened chocolate in large saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, stirring frequently so as not to scorch; remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into the chocolate mixture; stir just until blended. Place white chocolate in resealable plastic bag. Microwave on Medium power for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes; knead bag until chocolate is just melted; snip one corner from the bag. Spread half of the batter in a greased & floured 8x8" baking pan; gently squeeze half of the white chocolate in stripes over batter. Repeat with remaining batter and white chocolate. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Soft Sugar Cookies1/2 cup butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, continue beating until light and fluffy. Mix and sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternating with the sour cream. Drop by rounded Tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten cookies with the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake each batch at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Bitty Brownies1/2 cup Butter or Margarine Preheat oven to 325 degrees F Place butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour. Spoon batter into paper-lined tiny muffin cups; filling cups almost to the top. Place a pecan half on top of batter in each cup. Bake at 325 degrees until tops of brownies look dry and feel firm when lightly touched, about 20 minutes. Let brownies cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool Gingerbread Snacking Bars1-1/4 cups flour Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9" square baking pan. In a small bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda. Melt margarine in a saucepan, and add the sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; whisk in juice and molasses, then add egg and flour mixture and stir until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar. Butter Pecan Bars2 eggs, beaten Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a Bar Cookie DoughWrap, seal and freeze Bar Cookie dough in the pan; bake without thawing. Chocolate Turtles1/2 pound soft caramels Heat caramels with cream in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Cool 10 minutes. Set pecans on lightly buttered baking sheets in clusters of 3. Spoon caramel mixture over nuts, leaving outer ends of nuts showing. Let stand to set, about 30 minutes. Spread melted chocolate over caramel mixture. Makes 2 dozen. Caramel Brownies20 ounce package Fudge Brownie Mix Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of a 13x9x2 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, water, oil, and eggs; beat 50 strokes with a wooden spoon. Spread in greased pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 31 to 33 minutes. Meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt caramels with milk, stirring occasionally until smooth. Keep warm. Immediately after removing brownies from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Drizzle with hot caramel mixture. Cool before cutting into squares. Vanilla Cookies1 cup butter, softened Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together; stir in flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut out with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. Cake Flour vs. All PurposeTo substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and then remove 2 tablespoons. Raisin Apple Crisp1/2 cup raisins Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, cover raisins with boiling water, let stand for 5 minutes, then drain. For the topping, stir together rolled oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped pecans, and set aside. For the filling, combine drained raisins, sliced apples, and sugar, then gently toss till combined. Transfer the filling to an ungreased 9x9x2" square baking pan. Sprinkle the topping on the filling. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till the apples are tender and topping is golden. Serve warm with ice cream if desired. Apple Crisp1 cup sugar Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 8x8" baking dish. Combine and mix first four ingredients, and mix until crumbly. Place apples in bottom of baking dish, and cover with the crumb mixture. Dot with the butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Best when served with vanilla ice cream. Dr. Pepper Cookies3/4 cup margarine Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream margarine and sugar; beat until fluffy. Add flour and salt alternately with Dr. Pepper. Add vanilla, pecans and chocolate chips. Shape into balls, place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar.
Brownie Cookies2/3 cup Butter-flavored Crisco Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine Crisco, brown sugar, water and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat eggs into creamed mixture. Combine flour, cocoa, soda & salt. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded Tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7 - 9 minutes or until cookies are set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Makes 36 cookies. Chocolate Gingersnaps1-1/2 cups butter, softened Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream butter and 2 cups sugar until Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. In a small bowl, combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp cocoa. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in sugar mixture. Place balls 3" apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten balls into 2" diameter cookies with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar mixture. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 10 dozen cookies. Maple Oatmeal Cookie Squares1/2 cup shortening (soft) Cream shortening and sugar. Blend in the maple syrup and vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder and salt and combine with chopped nuts, then add to batter. Stir in oatmeal. Mix well, then spread into a greased cookie sheet approx. 10" square. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into cookie squares while still warm. Serve on a decorative platter. Make 10-15 cookie squares. Macadamia Coconut Cookies2/3 cup Macadamia nuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Bananas Foster4 Bananas Melt the butter over low heat. Add the sugar and cinnamon, stirring constantly. Cut the bananas lengthwise, and then in half. Add the bananas to the pan and cook until just soft. Remove the Iced Butter CookiesCookies... Icing... Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix butter and sugar. Add egg. Mix in flour. Roll dough to about 1/4" thick, and use cookie cutter about 1-1/2" in size. Cook each batch at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cookies cool slightly before icing. To make the icing, cream butter, add sugar and mix. Add milk as needed in small amounts until icing is spreadable. Add vanilla, and ice the cookies. Blondies2/3 cup butter, softened Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating well at medium speed of electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, soda and salt; add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Spread mixture into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done. Delicious with vanilla ice cream!
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Become a Guru on a topic you're an expert in.
Become a Sponsor and keep the tips flowing and traffic going to your website!
Satisfaction Required.
