Oatmeal Fudge Drop Cookies (A.K.A Cow Patties)
This is a recipe that I made when I was a teenager. I made them today for the girls and forgot how easy they were to whip up. No oven required!
2 cups of sugar
1 stick of butter
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup of milk
4 tablespoons of cocoa
1 tablespoon of Karo syrup
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups of quick cook oats
Combine first 6 ingredients in pan over medium high heat. Increase heat to high, if needed, and stirring constantly bring to a hard boil and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients stirring to combine completely. Drop by teaspoons full onto to wax or parchment paper. Allow to cool. Makes about 30-36 cookies.
Mocha Espresso Biscotti
This biscotti is very low fat, 54 calories and 1 gram of fat per cookie. Enjoy with coffee or latte with non-fat milk and a little foam!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup slivered or chopped, toasted almonds or macadamia nuts
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 tablespoons ground coffee
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee or espresso
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, almonds, cocoa, ground coffee, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, brewed coffee, and vanilla. Add the sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until well combined and a fairly dry dough forms. Divide the dough in tow. On a lightly floured surface, use the palms of you hands to shape each half of the dough into a log about 15 inches long x 1 3/4 inches wide x 1 inch high. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet and pat down the tops until each piece is about 3/4 inch high and 2 inches wide. Bake until the logs are firm to the tough and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Transfer the logs to a cutting board and let cool 10 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, about 42 biscotti total. Arrange the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lower the oven temperature to 300F. Bake the biscotti 12 minutes per side, turning once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp up. Delicious!
Quick and Easy Salsa
This recipe was given to me by a great friend, Tracy Mize, from Gilmer, Texas. Chris fell in love with it and now I make a batch at least once a week. We serve it with oven-baked corn tortilla chips.
1 bunch of green onions, roughly chopped
1 28 oz. can of whole, stewed tomatoes
1 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chiles
3 tsp of garlic salt
1 tsp of garlic powder
1-2 jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped (leave seeds and veins for hotter salsa)
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves, torn, with stems removed
Put all ingredients into a food processor (or blender) and pulse 5-7 times to desired consistency. We like our salsa hot but have kids eating it, so we use large peppers, remove the seeds from one jalapeno and leave the seeds in the other.
TIP: To make oven baked chips cut corn tortillas into quarters, spritz with olive oil spray, sprinkle with chile powder, ground cumin and a pinch of salt. Bake at 350 until golden brown and crisp. I don't time them but probably about 20 minutes or so, but I really don't know. These are much lower in fat than store-bought chips and can have anything put on them you like.
Mary's Cheese Soup
This is one of those soups that you can use whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand or need to use up. American Cheese or Velveeta is recommended.
Chop and combine the following to equal one cup:
carrot, potato, onion, celery, green bell pepper
In a small bowl, microwave 1 -2 minutes in 4 oz of chicken broth.
In a large saucepan, make roux of 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Whisking constantly, cook until thickened slightly. Add 1 cup of chopped American Cheese or Velveeta. When cheese is melted, add 1 can of evaporated milk and remaining 4 oz of chicken broth. Pour into crock pot on low heat for as long as you desire, usually 2-3 hours. If too thick, add more water, chicken broth or evaporated milk. If too thin, make a simple thickening using some flour and water, whisking into the soup.
Wildbriar Sweet Potato Casserole
2 cups of grated sweet potatoes (1-2 potatoes depending on size)
1 cup of sugar
dash of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups of evaporated milk
1 cup shredded coconut
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour mixture into a large casserole dish coated with butter or cooking spray. Bake at 375* for 30-35 minutes or until set. Serves about 10 people.
This casserole is more like dessert. It is so good!! If you don't like coconut you could substitute 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.
Lemon Buttermilk Pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan. Place pie crust dough into pan. Mix sugar and flour together in a small bowl. Beat eggs, melted and cooled butter, and buttermilk together until well blended. Add flour and sugar until just blended well. Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, nutmeg and salt. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350*F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and pie is set. Remove pie from oven and cool completely before serving.
I prefer my pie heating slightly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. My husband prefers his chilled with black coffee.
Two-Crust Recipe
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon sour cream
4-5 tablespoons ice water
Place flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a food processor with the steel bald and pulse once or twice to combine. Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse 4-5 short pulses. Add the shortening and repeat pulses. Add the sour cream and repeat the pulses a third time. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water into the shoot of the processor while pulsating the blade 4-5 short times until the dough sticks together. Add more water a few drops at at time, if needed. Remove the dough from the processor, divide in half and form a semi-ball/disk in your hands with each half. Dust each half lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out. To roll out dough, lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface with flour. Roll out one disk into a circle about 2 inches larger than the pie pan. Fold the lightly floured dough in half and then in half again, making a wedge. Place the dough in the pie pan and unfold. Trim excess dough and fold under or flute to your desire. After shaping, chill for about 30 minutes before filling or baking.
Allowing the dough to rest reduces excessive shrinkage of the crust during baking. The dough can be refrigerated overnight or frozen up to 2 months. When in a pinch, or if you are like me and don't fancy making pie crust, a Pillsbury prepared crust works fine
