Sugar Cookies (my favorite)

These are my favorite Sugar Cookies

 Ingredients:

• 2 sticks salted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl.
2. Add egg, vanilla, and baking powder, mix until incorporated.
3. Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing on low in between additions until it is barely stirred in.
4. After the third cup mix a little longer but stop as the dough begins to form and leave the sides of the bowl.  It will NOT be all incorporated into a neat dough ball. 
5. Gather up the dough in the bowl into a ball with your hands.
6. Roll out the dough and cut out shapes.
7. Bake 10 minutes.
8. Cool on racks.  Decorate when completely cooled or eat them plain.

I find the dough rolls out easily.

I like to ice them with Royal Icing because the icing dries hard.

Got the recipe from Blogger Friend Karen, but sorry to say she no longer blogs.

Happy Eating.

Cafe Rio Chicken

Cafe Rio Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 8 oz zesty Italian dressing
• 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
• 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cook on LOW for about 5 hours.
3. Shred with fork and serve in salads, burritos, tacos, or in whatever you like.

Happy Eating

Eggplant Pizza

Eggplant Pizza

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
•  cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
2. In shallow dish beat eggs with water and pepper.  Place bread crumbs in another shallow dish.
3. Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil and coat generously with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
4. Dip each eggplant round in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs, coating completely.  Place on the baking sheets in a single layer, then spray the tops with cooking spray.  
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Then turn slices over and spray with cooking spray, bake for 15 minutes more.
6. Remove from oven and place about 1 tablespoon spaghetti sauce on each.  Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese and return to oven and bake 4 to 5 minutes more or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Both of us liked this a lot. 
Will definitely be making this again.
It's a hand held eggplant Parmesan. 😄

Blueberry Bread

Blueberry Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup blueberries

1. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
2. Beat butter, sugars till smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time beating after each.
4. Beat in sour cream and vanilla till combined.
5. Add dry ingredients alternating with milk.
6. Fold in berries.
7. Spoon into a 9 x 5 greased loaf pan.
8. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60 - 65 minutes.
9. Loosely cover bread with tin foil 1/2 after half an hour to keep bread from getting to brown.
10. Toothpick should come out clean when done.
11. Cool on rack

We both liked this a lot but it was more like pound cake than bread.
Ken thought it would be just as good without any blueberries in it.
Also I'm sure you could add apples, cherries or chocolate chips instead.

Happy Eating

Blitz Cake

Blitz Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 egg white
• Cinnamon and sugar

Directions:

1. Cream butter - add eggs - beat after each.
2. Alternate adding sugar and flour - beat 5 minute.  Mixture will be sticky.
3. Pour into a 15 x 10 inch greased jelly roll pan.
4. Pour egg white on, then sprinkle on cinnamon sugar.
5. Bake for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
6. Cool in an on wire rack 5 minutes - then transfer from pan to rack - continue cooling.
7. Cut into squares when completely cooled.

If you like snicker doodles you will like these.

Happy eating.

English Muffin Loaves

English Muffin Loaves

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 - 6 cups flour
• 2 packages yeast
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Cornmeal

Directions:

1. Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda.
2. Heat liquids until very warm (120 - 130 degrees F)
3. Add to dry mixture;
4. Beat well.
5. Stir in enough more flour to make a stiff batter.
6. Spoon into two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.
7.  Sprinkle tops with cornmeal.
8. Cover, let rise in a war place for 45 minutes.
9. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes.
10. Remove from pans and cool.

When cool cut in slices.
Here are a couple of slices that have been toasted and buttered.
MMMM good.

I slice the whole loaf and then freeze it and just take out slices as needed.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

Easy Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional (I didn't use nuts)

Directions:

• Lightly grease a 9 inch square pan.
• Line with a piece of plastic wrap, leaving ends out to cover the finished fudge.
• The ends will also serve as 'handles' which will help you lift the fudge out of the pan. 
• Heat milk, chips, butter, and vanilla, in a double boiler over simmering water.  
• Stir until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Stir in nuts, if using.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Spread gently, then cover lightly with the ends of the plastic wrap.
• Chill until firm.
• Lift out of pan and cut into small squares.

I didn't use a double boiler but just melted it in the microwave stopping every 30 seconds to stir until it was melted.
I also used a 7x 11 glass dish.

Happy Eating