Memories

Homemade Egg Noodles

This was a favorite in our house. My kids loved making 'real' noodles.

• 2 3/4 cups flour
  
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt

Sift flour in a mound on your work surface. Make a well in the center, so you have a hollow volcano of flour. Put the salt in the center, then add the eggs. With a fork break the yolks and begin stirring the mixture in the center, drawing in more and more flour from the outside as you go until you have a sticky dough surrounded by a circle of flour.

Flour your hands and begin to knead the dough, adding flour as needed from the outer ring. Keep kneading the dough, adding as little flour as needed to keep it from sticking, until you have a smooth dough.

Shape into a ball; cover with a bowl turned upside down. Let stand 30 minutes.
Lightly flour your work surface and use a rolling pin to roll dough as thin as you like. Keep in mind it will expand during cooking. Roll up each sheet, jelly-roll fashion; cut into 1/4" wide slices. Separate slices, then unroll strips; spread out on board. Let stand to dry, turning several times, about 30 minutes.

Cook, following your favorite recipes.    Butter Noodles ~ Chicken Noodle Soup

Caramel Corn Puffs
A must for the holiday season in our family.

• 1 8 oz bag corn puffs                                   1. Empty bag of puffed corn into
• 1 cup brown sugar                                            big microwave safe bowl.
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup                             2. Combine brown sugar, corn
• 1/4 cup butter                                                   syrup and butter in medium
• 1 teaspoon vanilla                                            microwave safe bowl.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3. Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave 3 more minutes. Stirring after each minute. Stir in vanilla and baking soda.
4. Pour over corn puffs and quickly stir in well.
5. Microwave 1 minute. Stir well. (I kind of toss with 2 wooden spoons.) Microwave 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds.
6. Pour onto a flat surface and separate clumps. It cools and dries quickly.

Best Ever Cheesecake
This is the recipe for the first and still best cheese cake I had ever tasted.
I was a junior in high school at the time and it is still every bit as good!

• 1-2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter. Mix with 1/4 cup sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Press into bottom of springform pan.

Blend cream cheese, eggs and 1 cup sugar. Add in 2 teaspoons vanilla and pour onto crust. Bake at 250 degrees for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours.

Mix sour cream, 1/4 cup sugarand 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and pour over baked pie. Smooth and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cool.

Optional -Top with your choice of fruit.


Cocoa Melting Snowman Cookies

Sterling and I made these for our
2012 family Christmas brunch.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter

7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Parchment Paper

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder
   and sugars. Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine.
   Stir in flour mixture until moist. Drop by level tablespoons
   2 inches apart onto parchment papered baking sheets.
3. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on pans a couple minutes until firm.
   Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
4. Now the FUN part :-)  Decorating with white chocolate 'snow', Reeces' mini half 'hats', mini chocolate chip 'eyes' and candy carrot noses. I piped the carrot noses with Royal Icing - a  hardening icing.

Divinity

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup hot water                                                     I remember absolutely

1/3 cup light corn syrup                                          loving this! Aunt Donna

1/8 teaspoon salt                                                       always made it during

2 egg whites at room temp                                          the holidays. It was one

1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter                                  of the first things I can

1 teaspoon vanilla                                                      remember working hard

1 teaspoon almond extract                                       to learn how to make for

1/2 cup chopped pecans                                           Christmas treats.

1. Combine: sugar, water, syrup and salt into a large heavy bottom sauce pan. Attach candy thermometer. Cook over high heat stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until you reach hard ball stage.
2. While syrup is cooking, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in large mixing bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Gradually pour cooked syrup into egg whites on low speed. When well combined, beat on high speed until mixture loses glossiness and holds its shape.
4. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until just combined.
5. Drop divinity onto parchment paper. Use one spoon to push the candy off the other. Allow to cool completely.

Pumpkin Dessert


A family favorite for Thanksgiving.

Mix & pour into greased 9x13’ pan…

• 30 ounce can pumpkin
• 5 ounce can evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Sprinkle with… 1 yellow cake mix.
 

Drizzle with…  2 sticks melted butter.
 

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees.

Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Garnish with pecans if you like. We Like!

Holidaze 2012

    

Our Holiday House
See the workshop light on in the top floor?



Classic Hot Fudge Sauce                                

·         3/4 cup heavy cream

·         1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

·         1/4 cup cocoa

·         1/2 cup light corn syrup

·         6 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped

·         1 tbsp salted butter

·         1/2 tsp pure vanilla extractIn a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sugar, cocoa, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook an additional 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate ( a little at a time ) and the butter. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.



Clipped some of the trees in my woods.
The hallway smells fantastic!!

 

Southern Praline Sauce

·         1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

·         8 Tablespoons butter (divided)

·         1 1/2 cups brown sugar

·         3 Tablespoons flour

·         3/4 cup light corn syrup

·         2/3 cup evaporated milk

·         Makes 3 cups of sauce.

     Place chopped pecans in a microwave dish with 4 Tbls butter. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes, stirring several times. Watch the pecans closely.

In another microwave safe bowl place 4 Tbls butter and heat until melted. Whisk in brown sugar, flour, and light corn syrup until blended. Cook on high 6-8 minutes, stirring twice, until the sugar is dissolved.   Add in 2/3 cup evaporated milk and the pecans, stir well.

Pour into jars. Keep sauce refrigerated and reheat slightly in microwave to pour over ice cream.



Dressed up the sled Cole had redone for me.



Divine Caramel Sauce

•  1/4 cup water
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter, cut in pieces
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 t. vanilla
• pinch of salt

In a small, heavy saucepan, slowly combine the sugar and water, taking care not to let any of the mixture splash up onto the sides of the pan. Set the pan over low heat and stir the mixture gently until the sugar is dissolved, 6-10 minutes. Again, don't stir vigorously or else the syrup will splash onto the sides of the pan which can cause crystallization issues later. To be sure the sugar is dissolved, I'll dip a spoon in the sugar mixture and then gently slide my finger over the mixture on the spoon and take a taste. If the sugar is dissolved, the syrup will be smooth and not at all grainy. If you still feel grains of sugar, keep stirring over low heat until it is completely dissolved. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before letting the mixture come to a boil. If you notice any sugar particles on the sides of the pan, gently wash them down with a clean wet pastry brush. As the caramel boils, it can crystallize if those undissolved sugar particles get incorporated into the caramel.
       Once the sugar is completely dissolved, increase the heat to medium or medium-high and bring the syrup to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let the syrup boil for 2 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil, without stirring, until the edges start to turn golden brown. It is critical not to stir the caramel during stage while it boils covered and then turns a light golden color because this is where it is most likely to crystallize if it is going to do so. Again, the crystallization happens due to undissolved sugar grains and other possible substances that fall into the syrup while it is boiling. By not stirring, the syrup doesn't move around as much which reduces the chances of any undissolved sugar granules falling into the caramel. 
      When the syrup has turned light golden brown,  gently stir the syrup or until it turns deep amber, caramel color. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Do not stir vigorously and or scrape sides of the pan while stirring. Simply move the spoon or rubber spatula slowly over and around the bottom of the pan.
      Remove from the heat and add the butter. Gently stir until the butter is incorporated. Stir in the cream. If the sauce becomes lumpy and isn’t whisking together, set the pan over the still-warm burner and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt. 
      Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature. Store the sauce in a jar or airtight container, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

A pink tree in Christiana's Pink Room this year :-)

Cashew Heath Clusters

Every time I make this it's a little different.

Just mix as much or little of the following ingredients as you like.

Cashews - Chopped Heath Bars - Heath Bits - Melted Chocolate

Spread on waxed paper to dry, break apart and store in tightly sealed container.
It won't last long!

Salted Candied Walnuts

• 1cup walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 T. water
• 1/2 t. sea salt
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
  1. In a heavy bottom medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and nuts over medium heat.
  2. Stir frequently, scraping bottom and coating nuts as sugar dissolves.
  3. Add cinnamon. Turn the heat to medium low, and continue stirring. Right before they are done (about 7 minutes) the sugar water will thicken and it will become a bit harder to stir.
  4. Once coated turn nuts onto a sheet to cool. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  
  

Decorating Marshmallows to go with Hot Chocolate :-)



Homemade Hot Cocoa
2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. cocoa
2 c. powdered milk1 t. salt
2 t. cornstarch
2 t. cinnamon
   pinch cayenne pepper

Mix every thing with a whisk and store in an airtight container. When you are ready to drink mix with warm water or milk.

Snowman faces are drawn on with Gourmet Writer Food Decorating Pens.

 



Started my vanilla for Christmas gifts.  
Used 2 fresh vanilla beans per cup of Vodka.
                                           9.6.2012

Look how nice and dark the vanilla is looking
after just one month.               10.8.2012