Breath Freshening Dog Biscuits

3/4 cup minced parsley leaves and tender stems (1 medium bunch)
1/4 cup finely grated carrots (about 1 large carrot)
1 T. vegetable oil (I used Canola)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup corn flour or finely ground cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the food processor, mince parsley. Next grate carrot in food processor, no need to wash between uses. Add parsley back to food processor. Add oil. Pulse 2, 3 times. Add dry ingredients, process one minute. Through hole in cover, add water while processing for one more minute. Remove from food processor. Mixture should be in the form of a ball. Spread some cornmeal on counter top and spread dough, rolling with rolling pin, 1/2" thick. Use cookie cutters, large bones 3" or small bones 2". I used 1" bone for last pieces. Bake 20 minutes for soft bones or 30 minutes for hard bones.
Have fun. It really doesn't take much time using the food processor. The original recipe did it by hand. My hands are too weak for this so I tried the food processor and loved it.

Anise Cookies

3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 T. sugar
1-3/4 cup unsifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. anise extract

1. Grease and flour (spray may be used) 2 large cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, with electric mixer, at medium speed, beat eggs until very thick and light.
3. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating 20 minutes longer.
4. At low speed, beat in flour. Add anise extract; beat just until blended.
5. Drop by teaspoonful, 1/2" apart, on prepared cookie sheets. Swirl each, to make into a circle.
6. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, 8 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies about 10 minutes, or until smooth and firm when pressed with fingertip. Cool cookies on wire rack. Then store in airtight container.

Yield: Approx. 5 dozen

Snickerdookles, cookies of the fairy world

1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix 1-1/2 cups of sugar, the margarine (butter), shortening and eggs, beating well. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. In a separate bowl, mix 2T sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. This is the magic fairy dust!! Roll balls of dough in fairy dust, coating all sides. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on bottom. Immediately remove from cookie sheet onto wire cooling racks. Makes about 6 dozen cookies. Store in air tight container.
Hint: Great cookie to share with Santa Claus!

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (Drop)

3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup chopped almonds or nut of your choice
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups quick cook oatmeal

Stir together flour, soda and chopped almonds(nuts), set aside. With mixer cream butter/margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, cocoa and vanilla, beat until well blended. Add oatmeal and flour mixture and mix well. Drop by teaspoon full onto greased cookie sheet (or use a baking sheet), 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Remove to rack to cool. Makes about 36 cookies. Recipe doubles easily!

Fry Bread - Native American version

4 cups flour
1 T. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. oil

Mix dry ingredients, then add oil and enough water to make a soft dough. Kneed until dough has spring. Let rest for 20 - 30 minutes. Take off a piece at a time, pat and stretch to size you want. Fry in hot oil, turn once, remove.

When I lived in Arizona I had the pleasure of enjoying these at a friends place. She was native American and the recipe has been in her family for many years. It's very basic so if you have seen fry bread you will understand the 'forming of the bread'. I make these when I get yearn for a taste of Arizona!

Bean Salad

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 can waxed string beans
1 can green beans (or cooked frozen or cooked fresh, your choice)
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 sliced yellow peppers (sweet)
1/2 sliced red peppers (sweet)

Mix together above ingredients.
Mix the following ingredients and add to bean mixture:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil or extra virgin olive oil (depends on your taste)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. mustard
salt and pepper to taste.

Let stand in refrigerator at least 24 hours before serving.

Puffs

1/4 cup Crisco
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs.

Mix Crisco and water on low heat until crisco melts. Remove from heat. Then, all at once, mix in flour and salt. Add one egg at a time, beat well. Drop from teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet. When cooled, fill with desired fillings.
Puddings and cream for cream puffs, chicken salad, shrimp salad, tuna salad, etc. for appetizers.

Corn Muffins

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 T. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk (low fat or skim)
1/4 cup margarine
1 egg (or egg substitute)

Preheat over to 425 degrees. Grease bottoms of 12 medium muffin cups. Blend all ingredients about 20 seconds. Beat 1 minute. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes. Remove immediately from pan.
Yield 12 muffins
Variations: Add 2/3 cups dried cranberries.
Or fill each cup 1/2 way, add 1 tsp. of your favorite jam (not jelly), fill the rest of the way and bake as directed.

Banana Bread

3 large or 4 small over-ripe bananas, mashed
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup flour
2 eggs

Cream sugar and margarine. Add eggs, mix well. Add bananas and mix. Add flour and baking soda. Beat until fluffy. Spread into greased 8 inch square pan or loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Pickled Pumpkin

This should have been posted right after Halloween but I got side tracked.
Save this one for next fall. After Halloween pumpkin prices go down, good time to buy a sugar pumpkin to pickle. Yummy!!

5 pounds pumpkin, pealed, pared and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp. whole cloves
4-5 whole cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 quart vinegar (apple or wine)
4 lbs. sugar

Place pumpkin in a large pot. In a separate pot, heat vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Pour over pumpkin. Cook over medium heat until pumpkins are tender (they change color, become almost translucent). Place into sterile jars, cover with vinegar syrup and seal at once. Note: syrup should be as close to top as possible. Hand tighten the jars, spread a towel on the counter and turn jars upside down onto the towels. Leave for a few hours to cool. When you turn the jars right side up they should be sealed (center of top should be caved in).

Can be kept in pantry for about 1 year, but don't be surprised if they don't last that long. Once people try them it's hard to stop eating them. When jar is open, refrigerate.

Oma's Butter Cookies

Christmas would not be complete without my mother baking butter cookies. Here's her recipe.

1 lb. flour (3-1/2 cups)
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
100 gram sugar (1/2 cup)
2 sticks butter, unsalted
1 tsp. almond extract

This is a German recipe, that's why the lbs. and grams...

With a mixer, in a large bowl combine sugar and butter, cream well. Then add egg yolks and whole egg. Mix well. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add almond extract.
You should now have a ball of dough. Place in refrigerator for about 1 hr. Take 1/4 of dough, roll out on floured surface and use cookie cutters.

Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Optional: before you put cookies in oven, they may be decorated. Mix one egg yolk with a drop of milk and brush on the cookie to hold the decorations. Or you can decorate after baking with some powdered sugar mixed with a drop of water, makes a simple thin icing. My children's favorite, brushed with egg/milk, sprinkle with sugar, then bake. If you just brush with the egg/milk mixture and bake the top of the cookie is shiney. Or a sliver of almond on top.

Almond Crescents

It's cookie time! Here's one of my children's favorite memory cookies:

Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1 T. water
1-1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all purpose flower
4-1/2 oz. almonds, finely chopped
more powdered sugar for dusting finished cookie

1. Melt butter or margarine in a medium saucepan (you will use this pan to make the whole recipe). Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup powdered sugar, water and almond extract; gradually blend in flour, then almonds, to make a pastry like dough.
2. Pinch off dough, about a teaspoonful at a time, and roll lightly between palms of hands into strips about 2 inches long. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, curving into crescent shapes as you put them down.
3. Bake in slow oven of 300 degrees 20 minutes, or until delicately golden.
4. Remove carefully from cookie sheets; dust with powdered sugar while still hot. Cool on wire rack, then dust again with powered sugar.
A delicate, yummy cookies.
Enjoy!

PUMPKIN TIME

For cooking, sugar pumpkins are the best, flavorful and less watery than regular pumpkins used for jack o lanterns.

Pumpkins are prepared just like any other squash. The easiest way to make pumpkin puree is to cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy parts. Then place the halves cut side down on a slightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until the pumpkin is soft and can be pierced with a knife.

Scoop the soft flesh from the pumpkin skin and place in a food processor. Puree until smooth, and then spoon the pumpkin into a colander lined with cheesecloth. Let the excess water drain and then refrigerate until you are ready to use. The puree can be divided into freezer bags or containers and frozen until needed.

LENTIL SOUP with Turkey Kielbasi

I was in a cooking mood today and the feeling of fall in the air brought soup to my mind. Lentil soup has always been one of my favorite. Memories of childhood Saturday lunch or supper!
Here's my version of mom's lentil soup:

1 1/2 cups lentils (I use Trader Joe's black lentils when I find them, pink works nice too!)
1 Hillshire turkey kielbasi
1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 leek or medium yellow onion (your choice!) chopped
5 1/2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. sea salt
black pepper to taste
1 small can of corn kernels (NOT creamed)
3 medium cooked potatoes

Rinse lentils and sort out any small stones or debris that might be in batch. Lentils do NOT need to soak for any length of time. Set aside. Cut kielbasi into small chunks. In large pot heat a small amount of olive oil. Place kielbasi in pot and brown lightly. Add onions or leak and cook until browned, stirring often. Add parsnip and carrots to pot. Stir, continuing to brown mixture for 2-3 minutes. Add water to pot. Add bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 1 hr. Next, add can of corn that has been drained. Cube cooked potatoes and add to pot.

Simmer 15 minutes to heat corn and potatoes.
Optional: 1/8 cup lemon juice, 3 T. sugar - my mom made her lentil soup sweet/sour. She added lemon and sugar at the end, when cooking was completely done. Then she put more lemon and sugar on the table when she served it so we could created our own taste.

Hope you enjoy this delicious soup.

Cake decorating tips

When cake is removed from pan, place in freezer immediately (don't wait for it to cool). 2-3 hours is just about the right amount of time. If a cake is to be filled, filling can be spread on frozen cake, then put layers together.
Apply the first layer of icing sparingly. This is called a "crumb coat", it keeps cake crumbs from getting into the frosting. Next apply the rest of the icing as usual.
For simple decorating use the following:
boarders - shell - tip #16
scallop - tip #104
writing - round tip #3
These tips are the Wilton numbers. With these 3 tips you can create a simple AND attractive cake. Don't be afraid to experiment with the tips on wax paper, then scrap the icing bake into the bag.
When writing on a cake do you get nervous because there is no spell check? Just write with a tooth pick, make sure it's what you want, then go over with the icing. No one will ever know!

Hope this help!

GRANDMA'S 1-2-3-4 Pound Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
4 eggs, unbeaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer 1.5 minutes. Add flavorings.
Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture altering with buttermilk. Beat 3.5 minutes at medium speed. Do not over beat or cake will fall. Place in large greased loaf pan, 10x5x3" (may overflow smaller pan).
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
NOTE: This cake can also be baked in a large round or square pan for use as a base for a birthday cake. Reduce time to 35 minutes, check with cake tester.

Cut round or square in half horizontally and add filling, recipe below. Loaf pan cake can be filled in a similar way. Icing also follows below.

Filing For Pound Cake:
1 pkg. vanilla pudding/pie mix (NOT instant), prepare as directed on label, reducing milk to 1.5 cups. Cool. Refrigerate covered with wax paper. Fold in 1/2 cup cool whip (low fat works!).
Variation 1: add 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple
Variation 2: substitute 1.5 cups orange juice for milk and add 1 tsp. grated orange rind to cool whip.

Frosting for Pound Cake:
1 lb. confectionery sugar
1 stick butter or margarine, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla or rum extract
Milk, 1 T. at a time, till correct consistency

Combine all ingredients, leaving milk for last, add one tablespoon at a time. Use as base frosting.

QUICK AND FUN DONUTS

This is a great thing to do with kids on a rainy day or even better when it's cold and snowy outside!
My kids loved these!

1 pkg buttermilk biscuits (any brand)
Canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Large flat frying pan and donut cutter or narrow shot glass

Open package of biscuits and separate. Using a donut cutter or a shot glass, cut out the center of the biscuit, making a whole in the center. Save centers on side.
In large frying pan place about 1/2 inch canola oil. Heat on medium high, takes about 3-4 minutes. Use one of the donut holes to test the oil. When you drop in the donut hole it should sizzle and turn brown on bottom side almost immediately. Using long fork, turn over to brown other side. Now you know the oil is hot enough, drop in the donuts, gently, as many as fit in the pan, leaving room to turn them quickly. Again, using the long fork, turn the donuts as you see them brown. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN, they cook fast!! When browned on both sides, remove to paper towel to drain. If the oil is hot enough the donut will not absorb any oil. Finish off with the donut holes.
When all the donuts are done and have drained on the paper towel, take a large Ziploc bag, place sugar and cinnamon in bag, seal and shake gently to mix. Open bag and add 2-3 donuts at a time, shake gently, remove donuts to plate, continue until all donuts are 'sugared'.
Eat and enjoy.
Please note, best if eaten within a few hours. They do not hold up well overnight.
If you are doing this with kids around, PLEASE be careful with the hot oil!

This is a nice quick treat. Also great to make if you have someone stop in unexpectedly for coffee/tea. In the time the coffee 'perks', the donuts are done.

HOMEMADE PRETZELS

1 pkg. dry yeast
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 beaten egg
Sea salt (coarse) for top

Mix yeast and water in bowl, stirring with wooden spoon or spatula. Add sugar and salt and stir again. Add flour and mix enough to hold mixture together. Turn mixture out on a floured board and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Or use your Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook. Cut off walnut size pieces and shape into a rope about 8 to 10 inches long. Twist or curl or tie into a loose knot like a pretzel. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place on cookie sheet and bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Too thick will make doughy pretzels, too thin with be brittle pretzels.

COCOA CRUMB CHEESECAKE

Bottom:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
1 pkg. vanilla sugar, optional (or 2 T home made vanilla sugar)
1 egg
1-2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa
Filling:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 lb. pot cheese (must be pot cheese or farmers cheese, do not use cottage cheese as it's too moist)
1/2 pkg. vanilla pudding powder (NOT INSTANT)
1 T. lemon juice
3 egg whites beaten until stiff

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare bottom and sides of spring form pan with baking spray.

In a food processor place butter, sugar, vanilla sugar and pulse until well blended. Add egg, pulse to blend. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until crumb type consistency.
Take half and press into the bottom of a spring form pan. Save the rest on the side.
You can use a food processor again or change to a mixer, your choice. Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks and beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine pot cheese, pudding powder, vanilla sugar, lemon juice and stir well with wooden spoon or spatula. Add to butter mixture and pulse or beat well. Fold in the stiff egg whites. Place in spring form on top of crumb mixture. Sprinkle the rest of crumb mixture on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.

From my mom's collection (Gertrud Wunder, Pittsburgh PA)

Plum Cake (Pflaumenkuchen)

It's only fitting that my first recipe would be an old German recipe that I remember from my childhood. When the season for Italian plums came, mom purchased a few pounds and I helped her create a delicious plum cake. In Germany it's called pflaumenkuchen. I followed mom's tradition and frequently made this cake for my children. Last week I was food shopping and as I passed the produce I spotted the Italian plums! They jumped off the shelf and into my shopping cart. A few days later the cake was in the oven and the next day Dawn and Derek and Emma came for dinner. Dawn was happy to taste an old favorite and Derek informed me that plums are one of his favorite fruit. Emma just kept eating, didn't have time for comments. Please note that the season for Italian plums is short, only about 2-3 weeks long. I guess that's why it's such a treat. Many times we made 2 or 3 cakes, cut up the 'sheet of cake' into 4 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil around to protect from freezer burn and you have cake for a 5-6 months (if you can keep everybody out of the freezer). So here it is. Enjoy!
1/2 lb butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 pkg vanilla sugar *
3 eggs
3.5 oz. corn starch or potato starch
1.75 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup milk (I used soy milk for the first time and it was great!)
1 T. rum flavoring
2 lbs. plums, washed, remove pit, cut into quarters (or sixths if large plum)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
With mixer, whip butter, slowly add sugar, including vanilla sugar*. Beat until fluffy, then add one egg at a time, mixing after each addition. In a separate bowl, measure flour, add baking powder and corn/potato starch. Add dry ingredients alternating with milk, mixing well after each addition. Add rum flavoring. Take a jelly roll pan, spray with baking spray (Pam, bakers choice, etc.). Spread dough onto sheet. The dough is thick so gently spread it to all corners. Place plums on dough, one piece right next to the other. See picture. Sprinkle the top with another package of vanilla sugar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Check cake. It should be a light brown color. See picture. * vanilla sugar can be purchased packages in any European food market or German butcher. You can also make your own. Take a large glass jar, fill half way with sugar, take a vanilla bean split in half, place in the center of the sugar, add remaining sugar. Works well with a 2 lb. box of sugar. Vanilla sugar can also be purchased on the internet at www.germandeli.com.

Let's start cooking

For years I've wanted to publish my own cookbook. I've been collecting old cookbooks for over 40 years. The best part of these old cookbooks is the scraps of paper you find in between the pages. Those are THE best recipes because they are usually family specials, favorites. I take the recipes and convert them into today's food choices. By that I mean, replace the lard with olive oil or canola oil, or magarine, whatever works. Or flour in a bread recipe with bread flour. Or sometimes I use organic sugar in place of 'sugar' in a recipe. It's fun and it's challenging. I Love It! I love to cook and bake, but only when I can cook large amounts. I still haven't gotten used to cooking for one. My greatest joy is cooking up a yummy meal and inviting the kids and their families to join me for dinner (or lunch). Sunday brunch is something I've always wanted to do.... that will come some day.

So this is the beginning of my cookbook. I've stepped into the modern world and decided to blog it!
Hope you all enjoy. I look forward to feedback about my recipes and I would love you all to share you favorite recipes!