Friday, March 10, 2017

Lemon Bars

2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup of butter
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking powder
Extra powdered sugar for topping

Mix together 2 cups flour and powdered sugar.  Cut in butter.  Press into a 13x9x2 inch pan.  Bake approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Combing ¼ cup flour, sugar, and baking powder.  Add eggs and mix well.  Stir in lemon juice.  Bake 20-25 minutes longer at 350 degrees.  Sift powdered sugar over top while still warm.  Chill and cut into bars.
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Sand Tarts

Sand Tarts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 sticks of butter, softened
8-10 TBS of powdered sugar
2 cups of flour
1 ½ cups of chopped pecans
2 tsp. vanilla
Additional powdered sugar for tops of cookies

Cream butter.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Shape into small balls and bake on an un-greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes.  Roll in powdered sugar or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

These cookies keep well for days and are a favorite with us for the holidays. 
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Friday, January 17, 2014

Pumpkin Praline Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix              
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ c. packed brown sugar
1 c. mashed pumpkin (canned)   
½ c. oil        
¼ c. water                     
4 eggs

Praline Mixture:             
½ c. chopped nuts                              
1/3 c. butter, softened                        
1/3 c. packed brown sugar

Combine cake mix, spices, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, and water with mixer.  Mix for 1 minute. 
Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute each.  Pour ½ of batter
in greased and floured pan.  Top with praline mixture.  Add remaining batter.  Bake at 325 for about 1 hour.

Cindy F. introduced this cake to our team years ago and it has been a hit ever since.  Our daughter sometimes adds a praline topping.

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Peppermint Bark

3/4 cup of peppermint chips to 4 cups of Guittard vanilla melting wafers*

Pour 4 cups of vanilla melting wafers in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute to 1 minute 20 seconds. Stir and microwave for about 40 seconds.  Stir and microwave until just melted - maybe 20 seconds.  Add peppermint chips, stir and spread on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.  Refrigerate at least 45 minutes and break into pieces when it is cold.  You do not have to keep it chilled after it is broken.

*Try to buy this brand of “white chocolate” (vanilla melting wafers).  It can usually be found at cake decorating stores.  They will also have the red and green peppermint chips which are prettier that crushed candy canes and much easier.

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Oatmeal Pudding Cookies

1 cup softened butter
2 eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 small box of vanilla pudding
1 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups of oatmeal (regular – not quick cooking)
½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)
raisins (optional)

Cream butter with brown and white sugar.  Add eggs one at a time mixing after each.  Combine pudding, flour, and baking soda and add to creamed mixture.  Add oats and optional ingredients.  Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet spacing the cookies apart by 2 inches.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

These oatmeal cookies are the best – so moist and delicious.  This recipe was shared with me as a thank you for taking a young boy to baseball practice and games when he needed a ride..  How could his mom have known that this recipe would be the best thank you ever!
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