Buttermilk Corn Bread (Marie Callendar's)

2 eggs

*2 cups buttermilk (or s.c. Substitute)

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup oil

Combine eggs and buttermilk. Add sugar and mix well.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix in oil last.  

Spread into greased 9x13" pan. Bake 400 15-20 minutes.

*substitute sour cream and milk for the buttermilk.  Use just a little under 1 cup of sour cream and the rest milk. So what I do is measure just under 1 cup sour cream in a 1cup measuring cup. Poor in milk to take up the remaining space in The cup.  Then use another cup full of just milk, no sour cream. 

Notes: unless I have company, I always half the recipe and make this in an 8x8" pan.  Cook for 15 minutes. 

Also makes great corn bread muffins. 

Breadsticks or Pizza Dough

Bread Stick and Pizza Dough
1 1/2 c. hot water

1 Tbs. yeast

2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 c. flour

Add water to mixer and sprinkle yeast and sugar over top.  Add in the salt and 2 cups of the flour.  Mix until smooth.  Add remainder 1 1/2 c. flour.  Knead 5-10 minutes.  Roll into a rectangle about 1/2" thick.  Cut into strips about 1" wide.  Poor melted butter onto a cookie sheet.  Dip each strip in the melted butter, bring the two ends together, and twist to make a pretty breadstick.  Place somewhat close together on cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese.  The dry powder Parmesan works fine, though if you ever get the chance real parmesan is even better.  My favorite garlic salt is Lawry's that has parsley mixed with it, but any will do.

Let rise for a minimum of 15 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Pizza Dough:

Roll out and place the toppings on the dough.  Pierce a few times with a fork to prevent large bubbles. Cook at 400 about 25 minutes or until the crust is brown.  

Cinnamon Sticks:

These are soooooo good!  Make as directed above only sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar.  Serve with your favorite frosting/glaze.  Or try the one below:

Frosting:

2-3 Tbs. soft butter

2 Tbs. warm milk

1/2-1 tsp. vanilla

**Mix all together and then add enough powdered sugar until you get your desired consistency.  

Pizza Sauce

I actually bottle my own pizza sauce with my tomatoes from my garden each year, but the year we built our house I was unable to so I had to find a recipe I could use.  This is from my sister-in-law Shauna, and it really is a good sauce!  

Pizza Sauce:

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. onion powder

2 Tbs. grated parmesan

1/4 tsp. salt (or more if you'd like)

Mix is all together and spread on your uncooked crust.  Makes one pizza.  If you are interested in a great pizza dough recipe, check out my breadsticks recipe; it works fantastic for pizza!

Cinnamon Muffins (Yeast)

I'm not going to lie, these are a pain in the butt to make!  Not difficult, just a lot of steps.  They are pretty tasty though.

Batter:

1 c. warm milk

1 Tbs. yeast

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

2 /4 c.flour

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Topping:

3 tbs. butter (room temp)

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Grease 12 cup muffin tin, set aside.  Poor milk in mixing bowl, then sprinkle yeast over top.  Add oil, vanilla, and egg.  Then mix in flour, sugar, and salt and mix just until combined.  Set aside 

Meanwhile, combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork until crumbly.  Add about about a tsp. to the bottom of each muffin tin.  Then fill the muffin tins a little with batter (about 1/3 high), add some more topping, then fill with more batter until about 2/3 full.  If there is leftover topping press it into the top of the muffin.  

Place muffin tin in a cold oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Bake 17-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Move then to a plate and then drizzle them with glaze (recipe below).

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3-4 TBS milk

1/4 tsp. almond extract

.  

Traditional White Bread

I love this recipe because it is so simple! It has very basic ingredients, and it is pretty quick to put together. This is the bread I have been making for about ten years. The only time we buy bread now is when we are on vacation.

*From Betty Crocker Cookbook

Traditional White Bread

2 1/4  cups warm/hot tap water

2 Tbs. Yeast

3Tbs. Sugar

1 Tbs. Salt

2 Tbs. Shortening 

5-6 cups flour

Poor water into mixer. Sprinkle yeast over top. Sprinkle sugar over top of yeast. Add shortening and salt.  Mix in 3 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add more flour about 1/2 c. At a time and mix it until incorporated. You will know you are close to having enough flour when the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl as it kneads.  You want the dough to be just slightly sticky to the touch, but still stiff enough that it has form.  Let it knead for at least five minutes.

Shape into 2 loaves and placed in 2 large greased bread pans.  Let rise. Bake  at 400 degrees about 16 minutes. If you're oven is not usually very hot it may take 20 minutes.

When done, immediately turn hot bread out onto a cooling rack.  Wipe the top with a bit of crisco on a paper towel.  This will soften the crust and make it easier to cut through.  You can use butter too, but it makes a greasier top that will make your bread bag a little streaked with grease.  I really prefer the cristco.  

Fudge Cookie Bars

From Jessica Henderson
Crust:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

*Cream all together, then add:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned)

Spread 2/3 of the crust in the bottom of 9x13" pan.  Set aside.

Filling:
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips
1 Tbs. butter
1 can sweetened condenswed milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
*combine all together and melt, either in the microwave or over the stovetop.

Poor melted filling over top of the oatneal crust.  Spread it evenly, and then drop the remainder of the oatmeal crust by small spoonfulls over the filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes.  The oatmeal crust on top will be golden brown.

Notes: IF you don't have five boys like I do or a large family, plan on taking some of these to the neighbor or you'll eat them all yourself and be sick!
Also, last time I made these I only had semi-sweet chocolate chips on hand and they turned out just great!  The fudge may even be a little softer set with semi-sweet versus milk chocolate.

Grilled Chicken Marinade

From Annabeth Olson

1 c. soy sauce

1 c. oil 
1 (12 oz.) can lemon-lime soda 
1 Tbs. Horseradish 
1 Tbs. minced garlic

Mix together and marinate the chicken for about 20 minutes (or whatever you have time for), turning once.  Grill and enjoy.  

Notes: I buy fresh chicken in a big case and then cut off the fat and bad pieces and freeze it in quart-sized Ziploc bags.  I like to freeze it in the marinade.  That way, when you thaw the chicken it is also marinading it.  

Sesame Seed Chicken

Sesame Seed Chicken                                                                                   Amy Blaisedell Angell

¼ c. flour
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp pepper

Combine together.  Cut 2 chicken breasts into small cubes and roll in the above mixture.  Cook chicken in about 2 tbs. oil and set aside.

Combine in small sauce pan:
¼ c. soy sauce
¼ c. sugar
Cook on medium until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from head and add:

½ tsp. pure dark sesame seed oil
2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Mix chicken and sauce together.  Serve over rice.  Add ¼ c. chives to sauce if desired.  

*Notes: You can find sesame seed oil in the Asian food section at your supermarket.  Keep it in the fridge to keep it from going bad.  

Baking Powder Biscuits

I went through a stage where I tried recipe after recipe looking for the best biscuits.  I especially wanted them to be like the frozen Pillsbury biscuits that are so expensive, but taste like KFC.  I never found one I loved at that time, and I used many different recipes that had different key ingredients in them from 7-up to buttermilk and yeast.  Then not too long ago my sister-in-law shared this simple recipe with me and it is the best!  Enjoy :).

2 c. flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar (optional)
1/2 c. butter, slightly soft (1 cube)
3/4 - 1 c. milk


Combine the dry ingredients.  Then cut in the butter with a pastry blender.  Add 3/4 c. milk and stir together.  Add a little more milk if needed.  Roll out on floured surface about 1/2" thick.  Cut and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 450 about 12 minutes. Makes 9-10

*Notes:
        -If you don't have a pastry blender just use a fork and smash the butter into the flour.  I did this for years, but I just recently bought a Food Network pastry blender from Kohl's and I LOVE IT!
       - The less you stir these biscuits the flakier they are.  If you blend them too much they will be tough.
       -I use a glass to cut the biscuits.

Mix all the dry ingredients, and then incorporate in the butter using a pastry blender or two forks. There should be chunks of butter and flour when you're done.

Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out either using your hands or a rolling pin. Remember the least amount you work though the less tough the biscuits  will be.

I use the end of a glass to cut the biscuits. When you're done, take extra dough and form it together again with your hands, don't roll it. Cut the remainder of the biscuits. 

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450° for 10 to 12 minutes.

They are done with the tops are golden brown. I like to check and make sure the bottoms are a little brown too.

Skillet Lasagna

I got this recipe from a friend who cooks for only herself and her husband.  I love it because it is so simple!  I've made lasagna the old-fashioned way, but not anymore.  I always have the ingredients on hand for this dish, and my boys LOVE it!

1 lb. ground beef

10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2 inch pieces.

1 jar (16 oz.) marinara sauce

2 cups water

1 cup shredded cheese blend

¾ c. ricotta (or cottage cheese)

1.  Brown beef with onion in a large skillet; salt and pepper.  Drain off fat.  Stir in noodles, sauce, and water; bring to a boil.  Cover; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often.  Cook 18 minutes or until noodles are tender.

2.  Remove from heat; stir in ½ c. shredded cheese.  Spoon ricotta on top; add remaining cheese.  Cover 3 minutes to melt cheese. 

*Notes: I often use dehydrated onions versus real onions.  Just add them when you add the water.  About a tablespoon or maybe a little less.  Also,  I use whatever cheese I have on hand.