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Christmas Cookie Baking!11/28/2017 I baked my first two batches of Christmas cookies this weekend! I donate homemade Christmas cookies for our annual Christmas cookie/candy sale that our auxiliary hosts at the Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center. Mark your calendars for Friday December 8th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the fellowship hall. Everyone who comes can cruise the tables and pick out the goodies they want. They are then weighed and the price is $9.00 per lb. It helps me too. I can still bake a variety but donate a big part of them, so I have some for our family but don’t have lots left over. If you are interested in baking a batch of your favorite cookie they can be taken to the activities department the day before or before 11:00 am the morning of the sale. We would appreciate the donation so much! Today I am sharing my all time favorite holiday cookie. They are like little miniature pecan pies. They take a little while to make but are well worth the effort.
Pecan Tarts Pastry: 1 cup butter 4 oz. cream cheese 1/2 tsp. salt 2 1/2 cups unsifted flour Filling: 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2 Tblsp. melted butter 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1/4 tsp, salt 1 tsp. vanilla Soften butter and cheese, blend in salt and half the flour at a time. Shape pastry into two rolls, chill overnight. Slice pastry into 36 portions, press into miniature muffin pans, line cups with pastry. Whisk eggs, add remaining ingredients, pour into tart shells, filling 1/2 full, sprinkle chopped pecans on top Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, makes 3-4 doz. Let cook for 8-10 minutes the gently remove using a knife to loosen edges. These always all sell at the bake sale! Have a good week!
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A First!11/21/2017 We had a first at our house last night. Our great granddaughter Lydia had her first overnight without her parents with us! She is 9 months old and such a delight! The first try putting her to bed wasn’t a go, so we got up for an hour looked at books, and oh my during that hour she was a real charmer. The next time we put her to bed she was ready! My nose is out of joint a little bit because she prefers Pa Lloyd to me. After all, I’m the one who changes and feeds her! But I tell Grandpa all the grandchildren prefer him when they are babies until they are older and know better!!
By now you probably know that I love chocolate and have several recipes for chocolate pie. My favorite is the French silk pie, but today’s recipe is a close second. I hope that you like it too. I’m also including a recipe for a gluten free pie crust for the same pie. Chocolate Mousse Pie 1 package (4 oz.) German Chocolate (if you can’t find that use a milk chocolate baking bar) 1/3 cup milk 2 Tbsp. sugar 3 oz. cream cheese 8 oz. cool whip 1 chocolate or graham cracker crust Heat chocolate and milk in microwave until melted, it took about 1 minute for me, and stirring. Cool. Beat sugar into cream cheese, stir in cooled chocolate and then fold into cool whip, blend until smooth. Spoon into a crust, refrigerate or freeze. (I have never froze it) Chocolate Coconut Pie Crust 2 squares unsweetened chocolate 2 Tbsp. butter, Melt in together in microwave, stir until blended. Add 2 Tbsp. hot water and 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Blend well. Add 1 1/3 cups coconut, mix altogether , spread in bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan. Chill until firm, do not freeze. Serve with a chiffon or cream filling or ice cream. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting. Happy Thanksgiving!
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The Holidays are just around the corner!11/15/2017 At our home I am always looking for a unique and different snack recipe for the Holidays! Something quick and easy to make. I found such a recipe the other day on line, I admit that I haven’t made this one yet but I can’t possibly imagine that it wouldn’t be good! I can’t try it before we are expecting company because I know I could easily eat too much of it. even though crackers aren’t sweet they are full of carbs!
Ritz Cracker Snack 1 box Ritz crackers 1 stick melted butter 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 tsp garlic powder Mix all ingredients except crackers in a large bowl, then toss with crackers gently until crackers are coated, lay out on cookie sheet, bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool store in air tight container. Have a great week and stay warm!
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We survived another Halloween11/8/2017 We handed out 750 treats on Halloween, that’s as many as we have the stamina for. Besides, that it was really cold! Halloween has become a family affair at our house. Last night our daughter Mary called and said she had found us a deal on the hot chocolate packets we hand out, so we already have our treats for next year. Last year our younger son John and his family came down for Halloween and this year our oldest son Jason came. Halloween on Woodland Avenue is much different now then it was when they used to go trick or treating. I think they have to come and see for themselves what its like! Of course we always love it when our family visits!
The recipe I am sharing with you today was given to me by Sharon Hanson. It’s a change from barbecues. I have used this recipe as a topping for baked potatoes and even over noodles, but it was originally meant for a sandwich. A good one to make ahead and keep warm in a crock pot. Hamburger Stroganoff Buns 1 1/2 lb. hamburger 1 small onion, chopped fine 1-2 cloves minced garlic Brown the above ingredients until hamburger is no longer pink. Drain, add 1 tsp. salt, 2 Tblsp. flour, 4 oz. can drained mushrooms, then add 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream and 1 Tblsp. chopped parsley. Heat until heated through and serve on buns. Have a great week!
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A Memorable Vacation!11/1/2017 Two weeks ago five friends and I went on a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona. Joanne Soma’s generous son Steve invited her to bring her friends to stay at his condo. We couldn’t pass up an offer like that! These are the friends that I also go up to Michigan in the summer and we celebrate our birthdays on our birthday month. Joanne and another friend, Bev Chicos had been doctoring, so we were on a walking food tour at old town where we walked to five restaurants. At the end of the tour, Joanne was limping more all the time, so we were going to take a trolley back to our starting point. We were hurrying to make our trolley when something snapped in Joanne’s knee and she just couldn’t move. A kind gentleman from our tour carried her onto the trolley. After several hours at the ER and finding out there was nothing broken, we were on our way with a knee brace, walker and pain meds. On the morning we were to go to the airport, Bev could hardly move. Her pain had come back with a vengeance, so our group limped into the airport where a kindly airport employee took us under his wing. Joanne and Bev ended up in wheelchairs. Oh yes, and Sharon Hanson was coming down with a bladder infection. The remaining three of us? Well we all have our aches and pains too. I am probably considered the most gimpy, but we were able to make it under our own steam! Regardless of our problems, we had a good time together!My recipe comes from my friend Joyce Jorgenson. If you are a chocolate lover this one is for you! Chocolate Fudge Cake 1 chocolate cake mix 1 fudge brownie mix 4 eggs 1 cup oil 1 1/4 cups water Mix all together. Pour into a prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Frosting: Heat one cup whipping cream for two minutes in a microwave, then add one cup chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Drizzle over cake. Have a great week!  |
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