Sugar Cookies

 I have never liked sugar cookies, but of course my kids always want to decorate them.  My 7 YO found this recipe online, printed it out, gathered all the ingredients and I helped her make them.  They were good, I actually liked them.  They still aren't my favorite cookie, but I would definietely make this recipe again.

The frosting that comes with the recipe however, was terrible...it was waaaaaayyyyy to thick and too sweet.  I will stick with my own frosting recipe.

The cookie was soft and not crumbly or dry.  When we pulled them out of the oven they were really puffy like a lofthouse cookie, but as they cooled they fell to a normal sugar cookie size.

My daughter got the recipe from this website https://www.tasteandtellblog.com/my-favorite-sugar-cookies/

We did a 2x batch (which are the amounts listed below).  It made 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until lighter in color.
2. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined and scraping the bowl down as needed.
3. Add in the milk, baking powder, vanilla and salt.
4. Start adding in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until the dough is soft but not sticky.
5. Refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
7. Sprinkle a counter with flour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on the floured counter. Roll the dough until it is 1/4” thick, using extra flour as needed.
8. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, then transfer to the prepared cookie sheets, keeping the cookies about 1 inch apart.
9. Re-roll any dough and cut into shapes, adding flour as needed.
10. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for about 8 minutes, or just until set. Do not overbake.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Recipe Notes:

I love to substitute the vanilla extract with almond extract for more flavor.

The biggest things to remember with these cookies is to not roll them too thin or bake them too long so that they will remain soft.

I like to keep them on the baking sheet until they are not hot to the touch at all anymore, about 10-15 minutes.

Royal Icing (for Gingerbread houses)

 Some royal icing recipes call for meringue powder, this recipe does not use it.  I would guess that this recipe is slightly runnier than one with meringue powder, but we have used this recipe for a few years and it gets the job done.

I got the recipe from the NYT Cooking link https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017887-royal-icing  It has 5 stars from 938 reviewers.

Submitted on the website by Melissa Clark

I did a 6X batch for 5 gingerbread houses.  It was about double what we needed.  To be safe I think I would do a 4X batch for 5 houses.

This is a recipe for the classic icing used to decorate cut-out sugar cookies and gingerbread houses. It hardens quickly, so be sure to cover any you're not using with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap into the surface of the icing to prevent a crust from forming.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ¾ cups/1 pound/454 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
•  Pinch kosher salt
•  Food coloring, as needed

PREPARATION

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk until stiff and glossy.
2. To tint the frosting, divide into small bowls. Cover the ones you aren’t using with plastic wrap; the frosting dries out very quickly. Use a rubber spatula to stir in desired food coloring. Though not necessary, it makes life easier if you make two versions of each color — one that is thick to pipe the outline on the cookie, and one that is thinned out slightly with a little water to flood the outline.
3. Transfer frosting to piping bags fitted with very small round tips (sizes 1 to 2 work best). Pipe frosting onto cooled cookies and let set, at least 2 hours. Or use a pastry of paint brush to decorate cookies with the frosting.

Tips

• If you plan to heavily frost your cookies, consider doubling this recipe.
• Leftover icing can be refrigerated for a few days in an airtight container (for extra insurance against drying out, press plastic wrap on to the surface of the frosting before closing the lid). Before using, let icing come to room temperature, and mix to combine. If the icing is still lumpy, beat the icing in the bowl of a stand mixer for a few minutes.

Green Chili Chicken

 I made up this recipe last night and everyone liked it.

Melt butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat.

Add raw chicken breasts.  

Season chicken breasts with garlic salt and black pepper.

After awhile turn the chicken breasts over and season other side with garlic salt and black pepper.

In a separate pan make a sauce with 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 block of cream cheese and 1 small can diced green chilies.  Cook over medium heat until cream cheese is melted and sauce is heated through.

Pour sauce over chicken.  Continue cooking on stovetop or place cast iron pan in oven to finish cooking.

Cook until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 F.

Before serving sprinkle the top with smoked paprika and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning.

If you do not want it spicy, then leave off the creole seasoning.

Aunt Mary's Peach Dessert

 Sister Becca N. brought this to the family history activity Sept 2021.

8 cups peaches (diced or sliced, pealed)

1 cube butter

2 cups powdered sugar divided

1 egg

1 box vanilla wafers crushed

1 pint whipping cream

Instructions:

-Whip butter, 1 1/2 c. p. Sugar, 1 egg til golden and creamy

-Crush box of wafers divide in half

-Whip pint of whipping cream with 1/2 c powder sugar

Butter 9x13 pan, put in 1/2 the crushed wafers for crust. Dollop butter mixture onto of wafers. (You do not bake).  Layer peaches evenly over butter. Cover peaches with whipped cream and sprinkle remaining crushed wafers on top.

Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Coledomers

 Cassidy M. brought these to the Family History Activity in Sept 2021

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage

2 pounds of raw hamburger

1 cup of rice

2 cups of milk

Sugar

1/2 c. Butter

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut out the hard stem on the bottom of the cabbage, try to not cut too much of the cabbage since you need large leaves to roll.

Steam the cabbage in a large pot by adding a cup or two of water and covering with the lid. Cook until the leaves are soft enough to roll.

Cook the rice in the milk instead of water on simmer.

In a large bowl mix the raw hamburger and cooked rice.

On a cabbage leaf place a large spoonful of the mixture, roll like a burrito and place in a 9x13 dish. Pack the cabbage rolls in there tightly.

Melt the butter and pour evenly over the cabbage rolls. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the white sugar on. The more the better, but NOT until they’re white. Cook for at least 90 minutes. You want them to have a dark crisp on top but not be burned.

Firecracker Casserole

 Cassidy M brought this to the family history activity in Sept 2021

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (10oz) diced tomatoes and green Chili’s, undrained

1 can (10 3/4oz) cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 TB chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

6 corn tortillas or 4 large flour tortillas

1 small back of shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the beef in a skillet with the onions. Drain excess moisture/grease. Add chili powder, cumin and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix beans, soup, and tomatoes. Set aside.

Layer in a 9x13 pan: half the ground beef, 3 corn or 2 flour tortillas, half the soup mixture, half the cheese. Repeat with the other half of the ingredients.

Cook for 20-25 minutes until bubbly.

Serve with sour cream and guacamole.

English Trifle

 I made this for Jason when he was going to talk to the YM about his mission to Scotland.  I have never tasted real English Trifle, so I have no idea how it compares.  LOL!  It tasted good to me.  It is definitely not as sweet as American desserts, but I am assuming that would typically be true.

It is a lot of work....you have to make a merigue (to make the spongecake), a spongecake, custard and whipped cream.  So it is like making 4 desserts to make 1 dessert.  It took me a little over to 2 hours to make everything and then it needs to chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

Here is the spongecake recipe

http://www.mamaplusone.com/how-to-make-sponge-cake-from-any-cake-mix/?fbclid=IwAR0TE4FKTy9-roQJns3ihIVbVa9Rh-rxqYS3iZXakVySP0cbPEi40tbYs5Y

Here is the trifle recipe

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18981/english-trifle-to-die-for/?fbclid=IwAR1RYWdMCpvCfWp-sFqAbdAVe2YkOpvli-ur3URqBupA6ISU-tukizhtM6E

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Spongecake Recipe

1. 1 Boxed Cake Mix, any flavor
2. 3 Eggs, separated
3. 1/3 Cup oil
4. 1 1/4 Cups water

Instructions

1. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and set aside.
2. Sift boxed cake mix twice.
3. Combine cake mix, oil, and water until combined, then gently fold in egg whites.
4. Once folded together, place mix into a greased bundt pan or other pan of your choice.
5. Bake cake at 325 according to time listed on package, adding additional time as needed until cake tests done.

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Trifle Recipe

• 1 (9 inch) sponge cake, cut in cubes
• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 8 ounces fresh raspberries
• 10 fluid ounces heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 10 fluid ounces heavy cream
• 2 ounces sliced almonds

• Directions

  Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1

    Spread a little jam on each piece of cake and place in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Sprinkle raspberries over cake.

  • Step 2

    Heat 10 fl. oz. cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. While the cream is heating, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow and smooth. Strain yolk mixture into a clean bowl. Pour hot cream into egg yolks and stir vigorously. Return mixture to pan over low heat and cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

  • Step 3

    While custard is cooling, whip 10 fl oz. cream until soft peaks form. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast, in a 300 degree oven or toaster oven, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 to 10 minutes.

  • Step 4

    Spread cooled custard over cake in bowl. Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Chill 2 hours before serving.