Swapped-Center Sugar Cookies

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to bring a dessert for our local cub scouts' annual Blue & Gold Banquet. I decided I was going to do something blue and gold...

I started with the recipe for my great-grandma's sugar cookies. Once mixed, I divided the dough into even portions in two bowls, put blue food color in one half, and yellow in the other.
With the first color of dough I used two same-shaped cookie cutters in different sizes, and cut out large stars with small stars cut out of their centers. Then I did it with the other color of dough.Then I swapped the centers and sprinkled each with a little sugar (I also put food color in my sugar, and put it in an emptied spice jar, so it's easy to sprinkle on... I like this better than frosting sugar cookies because it's faster, easier, and not quite so over-the-top sweet, and these cookies are pretty rich already!)
This worked very well with my recipe because the cookies spread a little, so the two colors expanded into each other a bit and stuck together. If your dough does not spread while cooking, this won't work.
Try hearts, circles, or another simple shape where you have cookie cutters of different sizes in the same shape!

Butter Cream Syrup

My dad's family makes this to pour over pancakes, waffles, crepes, or scones. It is simply decadent.

1/2 c (1 stick) butter
1 c sugar
1 1/2-2 c cream

(you can do this in any amount--the way my aunt actually gave it to me was "1 part butter, 2 parts sugar, 3-4 parts cream)

Melt it all together in a saucepan, blend well.
Serve warm over pancakes with fruit and slivered almonds. Or use in place of other syrup. Store leftovers (if you have any!) in the fridge.
Don't try to cheat and use milk. It's worth the cream. Trust me.

Banoffi

This Irish dessert was introduced to me by my mother in law after she lived there for three years. I like to make it in a pie dish and put the crust up the edges (like a pie) but it can also be made flat with a square dish, with the crust just on the bottom (not up the sides).

Just layer the following into the dish:
1--Crumb crust (I use a graham cracker crust, although I used 2/3 graham crackers and 1/3 almonds--just toss them into the food processor, first process the almonds, then add & process the crackers, then add the butter and a half portion of sugar because banoffi does not need any extra sugar in the crust!)
2--1 can of sweetened condensed milk which has been cooked into dulce de leche (put the unopened can into a pan of boiling water, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes, checking periodically to add more water so that it does not boil dry. Lay the can on its side so it can roll, if you put it on its end the contents will scorch on that end.)
let it cool before adding final layers
3--sliced bananas
4--whipped cream (I whipped about 1 cup of cream, and added a few Tbs of sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla)
5--top with chocolate shavings (or smashed/processed chocolate chips ☺)

Put it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours to set up before serving. This is a great make-ahead dessert, and was the finale of our Irish Feast for St Patrick's Day this year.

Spider Spaghetti

Thanks JT for telling me about this!

A fun variation on regular spaghetti--kids enjoy helping make it, but it's also fun to just surprise them with it at the table. I originally heard the recipe with hot dogs, but I don't generally feed my family on such cheap meat, so I did it with polish sausage.

At first glance it looks like ordinary spaghetti with chunks of meat (I took the photos before putting on the sauce, but yes, we do put sauce on our spaghetti... ☺)

But look a little closer...

what was that?

ahh, there it is, the reason we call it "spider spaghetti"

Pretty fun isn't it?

And in case you haven't figured it out on your own (because my mommy brain had to have it explained to me), here is how to do it:

Yeah, stick the noodles through before cooking. Then stick them all in the boiling water together. I put in some extra noodles too because I thought it made a better meat to noodles ratio.

Once the noodles are soft (and the meat is warm) just drain the water, and serve with your sauce of choice. ☺

Troy's Chicken

I got this recipe from my mother in law. My husband had been asking me to get the recipe for months, so when I proudly brought the dish to the table I was puzzled when he said "what's this?" Apparently he remembered the title of this along with the taste of something else...but it was good anyway!

makes 1 9x9 pan (double recipe for a 9x13 pan)

• Chicken pieces (4 breasts or thighs, or about 8-10 'tenders'--not small pieces)
• oil
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• cheese--swiss or mozzarella (I think parmesan would be good too)
• 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup + 1/3 can water
• about 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs or stuffing mix
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of melted butter
• noodles or rice or mashed potatoes (this was not in her recipe, but there was so much sauce that I felt it really needed something to go over...)

Slightly brown the chicken pieces in a little oil. Remove from pan, lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Lay in the baking dish and put a slice of cheese over each piece of chicken (you could use grated cheese, especially if you use tenders rather than larger cuts). Mix the can of soup with the water, and pour over the chicken. Add a little extra water if it is not enough sauce to cover everything. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of everything. Pour melted butter over everything so that crumbs are moistened.
Bake at 350 until chicken is cooked--about 25-30min for tenders, 40-60 min for breasts.

Serve over noodles or rice or mashed potatoes. ☺

Speedy Burritos

I invented these the other night when I "didn't have any food in the house." I really liked them, and a couple of days later my 9yo son asked when we could have them again, so I think they were a hit. ☺

• 2-3 c cooked rice (I used 2 1/2 c water & 1 1/4 c plain white rice, but adjust amounts for what type of rice you use)
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained (pinto or refried would work too) Obviously you could use dry beans but they would have to be cooked which takes several hours. Lentils would work also and they cook much faster than dry beans.
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or stewed tomatoes, or 2-3 fresh chopped tomatoes, or even 1 can tomato sauce)
• about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• cumin
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• 8-10 tortillas (I used whole wheat ones)
• optional--1-2 pieces chopped chicken or 1 can chicken meat or 1/2-1 lb ground meat (I didn't use meat and don't think it needs it.)

Put the rice in to cook.
In a large pan (I used a cast iron saucepan) saute the onion in a little oil until it softens. Saute meat with onions if you're using it. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices to taste (I use 2-3 Tbs of each). Add rice when it gets done. Mix it all up, then put in tortillas, roll them up, place them in a large baking pan side by side. Sprinkle cheese over the top of everything.
(Alternately, layer tortillas and stuffing in the pan more like a lasagne, then sprinkle cheese over the very top. My large pan was in use so I used a smaller deeper pan, and layered like this.)

Eggnog Pumpkin Pie

Thanks Becky!

1 can (15oz) solid-pack pumpkin

1 ¼ cups eggnog

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves)

¼ tsp salt

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggnog, sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

Pour into pastry shell.

Bake at 375º for 60-65 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until serving.