Cheese sticks

Thanks J for posting this yummy looking recipe.

http://comeandpeek.blogspot.com/2009/01/cheddar-snack-sticks.html

This next recipe is one that I like to serve with soup for something a little different. Really they are good with just about any meal or as a snack. They are very easy to make. If you like the Cheez-its crackers, you might really enjoy these because they contain PLENTY of sharp cheddar cheese. They have a great chewy texture too:Sharp Cheddar Snack Sticks1/2 c. butter, softened1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese1 t. salt1 t. garlic powdersquirt of Worchestershire saucecoarse salt/sea saltIn a food processor (you could use a mixer if you don't a processor) cream the butter. To this, add the cheddar cheese and pulse until it forms a thick paste. Add a splash of Worchestershire sauce, t. salt, and garlic powder. Slowly add the flour and pulse until the mixture is a play-dough consistency:On a floured surface, roll the dough into a ball. Roll out the dough until it's even and about 1/2" thick. It's up to you as to which shape you would like the sticks:Rectangles, good for dipping. A pizza cutter works well for this.Or you can do long, thin sticks (cut in half or they will break)A biscuit cutter for roundsLine a sheet with foil and spray with Pam. Lay out the dough shapes, about an inch apart. Sprinkle them with the coarse salt and any herb/spice mixture you prefer (more garlic is good also). Softly pat the tops with the palm of your hand to push in the spices:Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until they are very light golden brown. Bake longer for a crispier snack and shorter for a chewier snack. Remove and cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before eating. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
What have the temps been in your part of the world?

Cakes 2008

Rebekah had a casual hang out/get together for her birthday. We just made a cupcake tower and had a bunch of munchies. I never did get around to making her traditional, yummy Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Torte... Sorry! I owe you.

in March for Amanda's birthday we didn't do anything more than make a big pan of brownies for her 'cake' not up to our usual standards, but... it's really all she wanted.

In April, I was planning to make Liam a Train cake for his 2nd Birthday. As it turned out, I was at a birth, and dad bought a cake for him from the grocery store. He bought a Thomas The Train Engine cake, without me even telling him I'd wanted to do a train cake. I did make it home for dinner and birthday cake. In May Sariah turned 12. She had a sleepover but no theme, so we just did birthday presents.

In Sept. Marissa turned 8. She wanted a sleepover party cake. So that's what she got.

We had several friends with Birthdays a day apart, that all turned 8 yrs old this year. The one friend has a sister with the same birthday, and we had a little joint party. I made more birthday present cakes.
For Hannah's 10th birthday, she wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese. She also asked for their cake. (I tried to not take that personally). As it turned out, Bill ended up having surgery to remove his Kidney stone that day and I followed that up with a mom in labor... so we had a friend help us out and drive Bill to the Party and help supervise the Party. thank goodness for good freinds. Thanks, S! And also... it was a blessing that Hannah had a birthday somewhere we didnt' have to clean the house up for or make a cake for... Thank you Hannah!
I made less cakes for birthdays this year than I ever have before (at least for the past 8-10 years)!

Dana's Mom's Fruit salad - yummy

Sandra (my mom)'s Fruit Salad

1 can peach pie filling
1 can mandarin oranges (size depends on how many oranges you like)
1 can pineapple tidbits
1 container frozen sliced strawberries (larger size is better)
2-3 bananas
(I usually add an extra Dole Natural Peach Slices to the mix)
optional: apple slices, kiwi, grapes, raspberries, you get the idea

Thaw the strawberries, but keep the juice. Drain the oranges and pineapples. Slice your bananas. Then just mix it all together in a big bowl...and there you have it.
I usually refrigerate mine for at least an hour before serving.This fruit salad is always a hit and it is super easy.It is also great for a food storage recipe since most is canned.

Pumkin Pie

Thank you Paula Dean for this yummy creamy pumpkin pie recipe.

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.
For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Rebekah made it in individual little pie shells. They were very yummy!!!

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 eggs 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Cup Sugar 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2/3 Cup Pumpkin ½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. lemon juice ½ tsp. salt
¾ Cup Flour 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts)
1 tsp. baking powder

Beat on high speed for 5 minutes – the 3 eggs.
Gradually beat in sugar, stir in pumpkin & lemon juice.
Stir together, then fold in dry ingredients.
Spread in greased and floured 15x10x1” Jelly roll pan.
Top with chopped nuts.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Turn our on a dishtowel sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Starting at narrow end, roll towel and cake together. Cool. Unroll. Add Filling.

Filling:
Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Cup Powdered Sugar 1 8oz pkg. Cream cheese, softened
4 TBSP butter or marg, softened 1 tsp. vanilla
Combine and beat till smooth.
Spread cream cheese icing over cake roll. Roll back up without the towel.
Chill in the refrigerator until set.
Slice and serve.

Libby's Great PUMPKIN COOKIE

Libby’s Great Pumpkin Cookie

4 Cups Flour 2 Cups oats
2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt 1 ½ Cup butter/marg softened
2 Cups packed Brown Sugar 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg 1 tsp. vanilla
1 Can (16 oz) Libby’s Solid pack Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 – 2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine Flour, oats, soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla to sugar mixture; mix well.
Add – alternating dry ingredients and pumpkin; mixing well after each addition.
Stir in Chocolate Chips.

Scoop dough onto cookie sheets

Bake 350 for 15 – 25 minutes (depending on what size cookies you make)
Until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.

Variation; add 1 cup raisins instead of Choc. Chips.
Cookies can be shaped into pumpkin shaped cookies and decorated as jack-0-latern cookies, using icing, candies, raisins or nuts.

Cakes... 2007

I was looking through pictures from the past year for another post, and decided I wanted to put pic's of cakes I've made all in one place... so here are the cakes from the past year. To start with in February: We had Rebekah who turned 16 and since she got her Drivers License that morning, I decided to do the Drivers License cake... It's not every day you can do that cake for someone... :-)

Next in March was Amanda's Birthday... we saw this yummy cake on the Take Home Chef t.v. show, and so I made that, it was Yummy! I think it had like a brownie bottom and white chocolate mouse type top with the Fresh strawberries. Then she just had this little cupcake tower for her birthday cake for her party, since she didn't really have a theme or anything.

On April 1st we had the Elders over for dinner. The kids wanted to do a big April Fools meal, so we looked on line and found some fun idea's and expanded on what we did a few years back to another set of missionaries. We told them since Liam's Birthday was in April we were celebrating it... We had Mini Hamburgers (nilla wafer buns covered with sesame seeds that stayed in place with a light spread of Apricot jelly. They were filled with peppermint pattie burgers, green coconut lettuce, and red and yellow icing for ketchup and mustard). The grilled cheese's were angle food slices grilled and orange icing/cheese. The little chicken pot pie's had vanilla pudding and dried apples for the chicken, and we made peas and carrots out of starburst candies. The nuggets, were actually banana's rolled in peanut butter then graham cracker crumbs. And for the cake... Meat Loaf iced with mashed potatoes and decorated with ketchup.

Then For Liam's actual birthday the end of April he got a cake with cars. He loved all the little cars that he got to keep off the top of it! Better than the actual cake!

Sariahs' birthday came next in May, and her favorite colors these days are yellow and purple so we did that, and then her cake for her birthday party was a sleepover cake for the occasion.

We have a break from birthdays over the summer and in Sept. Marissa wanted a make up/make over birthday party.

For Hannah's birthday in Dec

we went to this party place called Off the Walls.

Later in the month Sariah made me a yummy home made lemon cake with a lemon glaze. Liam got to it before we did so it's missing a piece. ;-) and then she made dad a cake for the big '40'.