Ginger Bread Cookies

Found this on a wonderful home-spun blog out of Idaho. (I've edited the language to be more efficient).

1 1/2 c. Crisco
2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. molasses
2 eggs
4 c. flour
1 tlb. + 1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix crisco, sugar, eggs & molasses together until smooth. Add flour, soda, pepper, ginger, cloves and salt. Use an ice cream scoop dough (1/4 c per cookie).
Roll the dough into cinamon and sugar. Bake 350 degrees for 13 min.

To make the diabetic use the same amount of Splenda as you do normal sugar. To make fat free add 1 1/2 cups (sugar-free) applesauce.

Oven roasted strawberries....YUM!

This looks like it has incredible potential!

OVEN ROASTED STRAWBERRIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CRÈME ANGLAISE

Here is an unusual way of preparing strawberries. They’re fabulous simply spooned over ice cream (or even on toasted and buttered brioche), but following the strawberry recipe you’ll find a classic custard sauce (Creme Anglaise) including a White Chocolate Variation of the Creme Anglaise sauce recipe. Either version of the creme anglaise sauce may even be frozen in an ice cream maker - the ultimate French custard ice cream! - or served as-is (as a sauce)....and all versions compliment the strawberries very nicely.

4 SERVINGS

20 large strawberries, hulled, quickly rinsed, and dried with paper towels

2 tablespoons, unsalted butter - melted

3 tablespoons, granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish, place the strawberries side by side, stem end down. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the dish. Brush the strawberries with the melted butter, and sprinkle the sugar over the berries. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until the strawberries are soft.

CREME ANGLAISE

2 cups, half and half

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup, granulated sugar

The Flavorings:

1/4 cup (or less, to taste), liqueur of choice

OR 1-1/2 teaspoons (or to taste) of vanilla or other flavorful extract

OR split a whole vanilla bean, scrape out the pulp, and add bean and pulp to the half and half as it is scalded; allow to steep, but remove bean before adding scalded half and half to egg mixture.

*FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE CREME ANGLAISE: 2 ounces, white chocolate - chopped

The Method:

Scald the half and half - that is: heat it in a saucepan until little bubbles form around the edges, and whiffs of steam come off the surface.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until mixture is very light-colored and thick. Very slowly, add the hot half and half - start by adding just drops, then steadily increase amount added, whisking egg mixture constantly.

Return this entire mixture to a heavy saucepan, and heat, stirring constantly, just until it coats the back of a spoon (until you can draw a stripe with your fingertip down the back of the stirring spoon, and the stripe will not run back together - temperature will be about 160 degrees). DO NOT ALLOW SAUCE TO BOIL. Add flavoring of choice. [*Chopped white chocolate is added here, if using.]

Immediately remove the completed sauce from the heat and stir to cool. [The best method is to place the saucepan in a bowl of ice and water, and stir the sauce to cool it quickly.]

Cook's Notes:

The sauce will be only medium-thick - and very pour-able. For a thicker (but very rich) sauce, you may add an egg yolk or use cream instead of some of the half and half.

If you overcook the sauce, or cook over too high heat, the eggs will scramble, and sauce will appear curdled. If this happens, but not too badly, simply strain the sauce through a strainer to remove the particles of cooked egg. If the problem is acute, you’ll have to discard the disaster and begin again. [Note: the sauce can be made in a double boiler - over, but not in - simmering water, for maximum control and gentle heat.]

Creme anglaise can be made ahead and held at room temperature, or refrigerated for longer storage. To make ahead: cover with plastic wrap pressed down so that it touches the entire surface of the sauce.

Variations:

The finished and flavored sauce may be chilled, then processed in an ice cream maker for an excellent French-style ice cream.

TO MAKE WHITE CHOCOLATE CREME ANGLAISE:

Stir 2 ounces of finely chopped white chocolate into the finished, (vanilla flavored), hot creme anglaise, until chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth*

Oven Roasted Strawberries adapted from a recipe by world-class New York chef, Daniel Boulud

Sauerkraut Surprise (Chocolate) Cake

Jer loves sauerkraut. Since living in Bavaria, there is little reason for me not to make it (other than not being a fan of it). This recipe will help me sneak it in without tasting it, I hope!

A listener, Lin, did a Google search after hearing another caller ask for this unusual cake, and forwarded a copy. Then, we received an e-mail from our listener Millie who has used this recipe since finding it in Better Homes and Gardens magazine in 1975. She says,“ I want to tell you that I have had this recipe since 1975… It is a great fudgie cake and the sour cream chocolate frosting is scrumptious. The sauerkraut adds moistness and coconut-like texture - but no sour flavor - to this delicious cake. It has been my son's favorite since he was a teenager. The recipe was reprinted in the August 1980 edition of BHG and is exactly the same as the first time it was published. So here goes!”

1/2 cup, butter
1 1/2 cups, sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon, vanilla extract
2 cups, all purpose flour - sifted
1 teaspoon, baking powder
1 teaspoon, baking soda
1/4 teaspoon, salt
1/2 cup, cocoa powder
one 8 ounce can, sauerkraut - drained, rinsed and finely snipped
1 cup, water

*Sour Cream Chocolate frosting (*recipe below)


In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add vanilla.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa together. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, alternately with the 1 cup water. Beat well after each addition. Stir in sauerkraut.

Turn into greased and floured 13 x 9 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake tests done.

*SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING

one 6 ounce package, semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons, butter
1/2 cup, sour cream
1 teaspoon, vanilla
1 pound, confectioners sugar

Melt the chocolate chips and butter over low heat. Remove from heat. Blend in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Add the sifted sugar and mix until smooth and of consistency for spreading. Spread over cooled cake.

Coconut Bread - a quick and easy treat!

This is my all-time favorite "quick" bread. You can make it in full-size loaves, as directed in this recipe - or make mini loaves, or muffins of any size. If you change the size of whatever you're baking, do everything the same way as in the recipe below - BUT be sure to check for doneness a lot sooner: smaller breads will cook much faster than the large loaf.

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF (9” X 5”) OR 3 DISPOSABLE LOAF PANS

2 3/4 cups, flour
1 cup, sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon, baking powder
1 teaspoon, salt
1 1/4 cups, shredded coconut - toasted and cooled
1 1/2 cups, milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons, peanut oil
1 teaspoon, coconut extract
Oil for coating loaf pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Add toasted coconut and blend well.

In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, oil and extract, and blend well. Add this mixture to dry ingredients, all at once, and stir briefly to blend. Do not over-mix. Turn into oiled pan(s).

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on pan size. (When a skewer, inserted in the middle of the loaf, comes out clean, the bread is done.) Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out loaves and cool on a cake rack, to room temperature, before slicing.

This bread is even better (and easier to slice neatly) after several hours.

Wrap well in aluminum foil for storage.

P.S. I can’t tell you how good it is toasted by the slice, and buttered!