100 AR Points

Luke is a first grade student this year. I told him if he had a 100 accelerated reader points by Thanksgiving we would have him a party. He did but the first chance we had to have the party was this past weekend. 

Here he is with his cookie cake and 100 gummy bears, 100 m&m's, 100 goldfish crackers and 100 twizzlers. 

Coaches' meeting

The coaches had their end of semester meeting and Mother made snacks. She asked me to make a candy cane coffee cake to go with her sausage wontons, peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses and buttermilk pies. Also she made banana bread for each coach.

When she retires, the coaches are not only going to miss all her work she does but also all her cooking.

Here's Mother busy in her kitchen.

  

Basket full of banana bread for all the coaches.

  

Sausage Wontons (see recipe below)

 

Candy Cane Coffee Cake (see recipe below)

 

To make the candy cane coffee cake unroll the crescent rolls and press into a rectangle. I doubled the recipe but only used 1 1/2 cans of the crescent rolls for the cane.

Make the filling and spread it down the center 1/3 of rectangle. Make cuts 1 inch apart to edge of filling. Fold opposite strips of dough over filling and cross in center to form a braided appearance. 

 

Curve one end to form a candy cane shape.

I used the other half of the second can to make a small braid to take to my office.

Sausage Wontons

1 lb sausage

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup ranch dressing

2 bunches green onions, chopped

2 cups colby cheese, shredded

1 pkg small square wonton wraps

Heat oven to 350. Place wraps in greased mini muffins tins. Bake for five minutes. Cook sausage until done, drain. Add vegetables, cheese and ranch dressing. Mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture into cooked wraps. Return to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes.

NOTE: Mother did not have any red peppers so she just left them out this time, but the wontons were still delicious.

Candy Cane Coffee Cake

3 oz cream cheese, softened

2 T granulated sugar

1 t almond extract

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 c chopped maraschino cherries, well drained

1 can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2-3 t milk

1. Heat oven to 375. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or use parchment paper. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in almond extract, almonds and cherries: set aside.

2. Unfold dough onto cookie sheet, press into 13 X 7 inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Spoon cream cheese mixture down center 1/3 of rectangle.

3. On each long side of dough rectangle, make cuts 1 inch apart to edge of filling. Fold opposite strips of dough over filling and cross in center to form a braided appearance. Seal ends. Curve one end to form candy cane shape.

4. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Place on wire rack. Cool completely.

5. In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over coffee cake. If desired, garnish with additional sliced almonds and cherries. Store in refrigerator.

NOTE: This time, Mother wanted a larger cake so I double the above recipe but only used 1 1/2 cans of rolls to make the candy cane. I used the other 1/2 can to make a small braid to take to my office. I used only chopped red cherries in the filling but used red and green to garnish the top. Also this time I used slivered almond instead of the sliced as called for in the recipe because that is all we had on hand. 

In a blink of an eye

The Christmas tree went up and a few tears came down as I took out all the ornaments made by or bought for my little boys and remembered all the excitement around the house during the Christmas season.

Then in a blink of an eye, my little boys became men. 

To my sons...I have many happy memories and look forward to many more with you and your families. I love you.

Snowmen, Snowmen and more Snowmen

From some of the wooden ones I made several years ago

to the ones on top of my spice rack

 to the ones on my cookbook shelf

  

to the one on the windowsill

to my little helpers in snowmen aprons decorating sugar cookies. (see recipe below)

Here's Avery getting good at decorating. She had both hands sprinkling.

And she kept sprinkling while eating the cookie. Here's Luke decorating his snowman family.

 Sprinkles were everywhere but it was so much fun making memories.

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions: 

 

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Refrigerate dough 2 hours. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface. Dip cutter into flour before use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If using a dark cookie sheet, reduce heat 25 degrees. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet or on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and cool. Ice with following recipe.

Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• food coloring

Instructions:

Stir the powdered sugar and the milk until smooth. (note: I always have to add another teaspoon or two of milk) Beat in corn syrup and extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If too thick, add more corn syrup. Divide icing into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired.

 

  

Fish

 

Blackened fish that we had last night served over rice with peppers and onions on top

I've bought many different brands of seasonings over the years. Last year I started making my own with the following recipe and now use it exclusively.

BLACKENED FISH SEASONING RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons red pepper
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients and pour in a empty jar. Seal well and store in a cool dry place. Shake jar well before each use.

BLACKENED FISH RECIPE

Ingredients:

• blackened fish seasoning (see above)
• fish fillets
• melted butter
  

Instructions:
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Dip fish into the melted butter then sprinkle the seasoning onto both sides of the fish. Place the fish into the hot skillet. Pour a teaspoon of melted butter on the fish in the skillet. Cook for about two minutes then turn over. Place another teaspoon of melted butter onto this side of fish. Cook this side for another two minutes or until done.

I also like to bake fish. Here is a easy and quick way to bake fish that taste great.

BAKED FISH

Ingredients:

• fish
• milk
• breadcrumbs
• butter

Instructions:

Place fish in baking dish containing 1/4" milk. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. (Approximately 10 minutes for each 1/2 thickness) Remove from oven and sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of fish. Put butter on top of crumbs. Broil 4-5 minutes until crumbs are brown

Speaking of fish... Here are a couple of my favorite fish pictures.

Ross and Luke 

March 2007

Ryan and Tony

July 1995

Thanksgiving Sweets

Fall Cookie Bouquet, Pecan Pie, and Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

 

 

  

After our Thanksgiving meal at mother's we had plenty of good desserts to choose from. After looking at all the desserts I should have just skipped the meal and headed straight to the dessert table. This year I made a cookie bouquet, pecan pie decorated with pastry fall leaves and a peanut butter cup cheesecake to go with all the other desserts.... buttermilk pie, Vermont maple pecan cookies, tea cakes, brownie cupcakes, Italian cream cake, and divinity. Mother's Vermont maple pecan cookies were delicious. I will have to get her recipe to share later. 

I love to make cheesecakes and found this one on line and I believe it is a keeper to be added to my brownie bottom cheesecake, turtle cheesecake, oreo cheesecake and chocolate cheesecake recipes. (See peanut butter cup cheesecake recipe below.) 

Last year my daughter-in-law, Amy, gave me three books, one on cookie bouquets, one on fruit bouquets and one on candy bouquets. Each book is filled with designs on how to create gifts and centerpieces. In February I made my nephew James a candy bouquet and delivered it to him at school. He said all his 2nd grade classmates wanted candy from it. He has picked out a cookie bouquet that he wants for his next birthday.  My son Tony's girlfriend Brittany and I made a fruit basket a couple a months ago. I will post pictures of both later. This Thanksgiving I thought would be a perfect time to make the fall cookie bouquet from the cookie book. I used my sugar cookie recipe instead of the gingerbread recipe called for in the book so the cookies I made were a little soft. I had to "glue" one back together with white melted chocolate but I was real pleased with the way the bouquet looked and most importantly, the cookies tasted good. 

For the pecan pie I used light Karo syrup and followed the recipe on the back of the bottle. You can also get the recipe and see a video on their web site. The fall leaves were from a 2004 Southern Living magazine. (See directions below) 

You would have thought we had enough sweets on Thursday to last us but I also made banana pudding for Friday night and made candy which was just extra crunchy peanut butter between two cheez-its then dipped in chocolate bark. A little time-consuming (especially when you use over half a box of cheez-its) but so good to eat. I keep them in a baggie in the freezer so you can get out a little or a lot when you want.

I hated seeing everyone leave after the weekend but I was glad there wasn't a lot of leftovers for Randall and me to eat. I think I'd better diet for the next few weeks since I am already planning the Christmas sweets. 

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 

             FILLING:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, divided
• 6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges (I used the small ones and cut them in half)
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter on high for 30 seconds or until softened. Spread over crust to within 1 in. of edges.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour 1 cup into a bowl; set aside. Pour remaining filling over peanut butter layer.
• In a microwave, heat 1/4 cup fudge topping on high for 30 seconds or until thin; fold into reserved cream cheese mixture. Carefully pour over filling; cut through with a knife to swirl.
• Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
• Microwave remaining fudge topping for 30 seconds or until warmed; spread over cheesecake. Garnish with peanut butter cups. Refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-14 servings.

Note: Reduced-fat or generic brands of peanut butter are not recommended for this recipe

Fall Leaves

Unfold piecrusts on a lightly floured surface. Cut leaves from piecrust using leaf-shaped cutters. Mark leaf veins using the tip of a small paring knife. One (15-ounce) package of refrigerated piecrusts will make about 24 (2- to 3-inch) leaves.To make the tinted egg wash, whisk together 3 large eggs and 2 tablespoons water. Pour mixture evenly into small cups, tinting each with a few drops of liquid food coloring to create different colors. (I painted the leaves using four different colors of egg wash--red, yellow, orange, and green.) For easy cleanup and to prevent the excess egg wash from burning on the baking sheet, paint leaves on pieces of parchment or wax paper. Brush leaves evenly with egg wash, beginning with lighter colors first, and overlaying with areas of darker color. Use a small artist's brush to add accents of bolder color with undiluted liquid food coloring. Crumple 2 (14-inch long) pieces of aluminum foil into 1-inch-wide strips. Coat with vegetable cooking spray, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently drape pastry leaves over the strips of aluminum foil to give them a natural-looking shape; place several leaves on the baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Gently remove leaves, and cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining leaves