Scalloped Potatoes

Fall is coming, we can feel it in the morning air.  Our days are still hot here in Redding, Ca. but there is a promise of Summer's end and it will soon be OK to bring on those wonderful comfort foods. Well, what is more comfortable than Scalloped Potatoes?  I have been making my scalloped potatoes in the microwave since I got my first one, in maybe 1977.  Yes, that was a long time ago!  The original recipe came in a little booklet that came with the microwave.  Well, I have no idea where that little book went so I will try to come up with a 'recipe' for you - since I have just made mine from memory for all these years.  I usually add cheese to my potatoes, once they are done but you don't have to in order to get that yummy, comfy taste.  You can serve this as a  side dish or add leftover ham and make it a main dish.  

             

                              SCALLOPED POTATOES

4-6 medium baking potatoes, washed and peeled (sometimes I  leave the peels on)

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons dry chopped onion (or 1 small onion chopped)

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1 cup med. sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Slice potatoes thin, about 1/4” thick.  In a large buttered, microwavable, casserole dish I split the ingredients into 3 layers - potatoes sprinkled with butter, salt and pepper,onion and flour.  Pour the milk over the top and stir just to mix it a bit.  Place casserole on a dish in microwave and cook on high and uncovered for about 8 minutes or until hot.  The large dish and the plate under is because this may bubble over and who wants the mess. Stir the potatoes and then microwave for about 30 minutes more, stirring every 8-10 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness.  If you are adding the cheese, do it now and stir it into potatoes.  This is a good recipe to make a small amount or to make larger amounts.  Just adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your desires.  As it is, it should serve 4-6.

Caramel Corn

I really do love the holidays but....  sometimes they get so hectic that things I want to do just don't happen.  I sometimes find myself working right up until the last minute and then things don't always turn out right.  One of the ways to get around this is to start early and be prepared.  Cookies, candies, breads and lots of other things can be made and frozen for when you are ready to use them.  Well, then there are the times this just doesn't happen.  Sometimes quick goodies are called for!  Caramel Corn is one of those quick things I like to fix, quick.  It is a treat that most people enjoy but don't always make for themselves.  I surprised a couple of neighbors with this treat on the day before Christmas.  Of course, it is really good on any day - not just holidays.  I also like to make this when the Grandkiddos come to visit.  This recipe was given to me by a good friend many years ago.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has, over the years and through the moves....  Oh, I also want to mention that one time I needed a little filler when those Grandkiddos were visiting.  So, I pulled out a pot and made popcorn - from scratch, with real popping corn.  Well, they were amazed because they thought popcorn came in a little bag and was made in the microwave.  They gobbled it up!  So, for you that have never made popcorn from scratch, I am including instructions here.  For those of us that remember the old days, you can over look this part of the post...

                                                        Old Fashioned Popcorn

3 Tablespoons Cooking Oil (Canola or Vegetable Oils are great)

1 cup Popping Corn

In a very large pot, heat the Cooking Oil until it is hot.  I put 3 seeds of popping corn into the pot, put on the lid and shake the pot.  When the 3 seeds have popped you will know that the oil is hot and ready so add the Popping Corn.  Put a tight fitting lid on the pot and shake to keep the seeds moving until it is fully popped.  When the popping is over, your popcorn is ready.  Now, you can dump your popped corn into a large bowl and add butter and salt or eat it plain.  1 cup of popping corn makes approximately 24 cups of popped corn.  This is a very large bowl of popcorn!

                                                               

                                                            Caramel Corn

24 cups of plain Old Fashioned Popcorn (see recipe above, with no butter or salt added!)

2 cups Brown Sugar, packed

1 cup Margarine (that's 2 cubes)

1/2 cup White Corn Syrup (I use Karo brand)

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Butter Flavoring (adds a lot of flavor)

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 cup Peanuts or other nuts (optional)

Measure your Popcorn into a large and deep roasting pan. Watch for any unpopped kernals  and pull them out - they can break a tooth!

In a very large saucepan, combine the Brown Sugar, Margarine, Corn Syrup, and Salt.  Bring to a gentle boil and boil for 5 minutes - with no lid.

Remove saucepan from heat and add Butter Flavoring and stir.  Add the Baking Soda and Stir.  This mixture will foam up and then calm back down, this is why you want to use a very large saucepan.  Being very careful, because it is VERY HOT, pour the mixture over the Popped Corn  in the roasting pan.  Add the nuts, if you want them.  Mix everything together to coat the Popcorn.  Bake in 200˚ oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes - I use a wide spatula for stirring.  Allow to cool and break apart.  Enjoy!  Store in an airtight container (plastic storage bags are great for this) It will last for several days - if you can keep your hands out of it!

If you are giving this Caramel Corn as a gift, fill a nice gift bag or container that seals tight.  Tie with a ribbon and it is ready to go.  Neighbors love it!

Ginger Cookies

I have collected cookie recipes for many years.  I owned and operated a Candy, Gift and Dessert shop for several years when our boys were young.  I purchased the candies and gifts but the desserts were all mine.  I made large cookies - before they were the thing to do.  This was one of my favorites.  Today I want to share this recipe for Ginger Cookies with you and I hope you will enjoy it.

Ginger Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine              

1/4 cup dark molasses

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ginger

2 cups flour

1/4 cup additional sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheet.  Melt butter over low heat, transfer to a medium mixing bowl.  Beat in molasses and 1 cup sugar.  Beat the egg, in small bowl first, then into molasses mixture.  Sift together dry ingredients, then add to wet mixture.  Stir to blend well.  

Form 1 inch balls of dough.  Roll in additional sugar then arrange on cookie sheet.  These will spread so place them about 2 inches apart.  I like to pat them down slightly with my hand, just to get them started.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until firm to touch.  Cool on paper towels.  Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies

Croissant French Toast

Toward the end of June we made a little trip up to Creswell, Oregon to visit with family/friends Pattie and Steve.  We had a great time, as usual.  They took us to a little place for breakfast in their little town.  The Creswell Bakery on 2nd St. was a real treat.  It was a Saturday morning and the Saturday Special was French Toast.  The description was "two pieces of soaked & pan seared honey whole wheat bread, fresh lemon curd, whipped cream, toasted hazelnuts & fruit".  It sounded good and we all ordered it.  Well, I have to say that I was very impressed by this little bakery.  This french toast was soooo good and their lemon curd was obviously home made.  The homemade bread was thick sliced, the fruit was strawberries and those yummy hazelnuts were just the right touch of extra crunch.  I have dreamed of that french toast ever since!  Oh, before we left that bakery we purchased a couple of cookies and some scones for the next day.  Anyway, I decided I was going to have to come up with a similar french toast to have here at home.  I had a small jar of lemon curd in the pantry (from Trader Joe's)  I had some Hawaiian Bread to slice, fresh blueberries from my sister in law, and all the other things I needed.  It was really, really good.  Well, I wanted it again this morning and the only bread I could find was a couple of croissants in the freezer.  Ta-da!  I made Croissant French Toast with lemon curd and  blackberry jam.  I can just imagine serving this for brunch to visiting house guests.  YUM!

                            CROISSANT FRENCH TOAST

2 large Croissants, split in half

3 large Eggs

1/4 cup Milk (or 1/2 & 1/2 for richer batter)

1 tablespoon Honey

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Canola Oil

1/2 tablespoon Butter

Fruit Jam (I had homemade blackberry that a friend made)

Lemon Curd (i had a small jar from Trader Joe's)

Powdered Sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Beat together the Eggs, Milk, Honey and Vanilla Extract in a shallow dish.  Coat each side of the Croissant halves in the mixture.  Set aside on a plate as you prepare the pan.  

Heat a large non stick fry pan to medium heat.  Add enough Canola Oil to pan to very lightly coat the pan.  Now add the Butter to the pan.  Once it is all melted together, begin frying your French Toast, cooking until each side is a nice medium brown, about 3 - 4 minutes on each side.  

This is great to serve with butter and syrup, but to make it a show stopper special, top with a little bit of good berry jam and a really nice Lemon Curd (I am always buying this at Trader Joe’s or when we are on trips).  You can be ambitious and make your own if you are so inclined.  Sprinkle on some fresh berries and a little powdered sugar and it’s soooo good!  Oh, that bacon on the side is just the right touch of salty to cut some of the sweet.  Give this one a try!

2 large servings

Snickerdoodles

What is more fun than just saying the word Snickerdoodles?   Well, eating them of course!  I made these fun and yummy cookies for my boys when they were growing up.  I always had the ingredients on hand and they are easy to make.  Our oldest son is the cook in his family and he now makes these cookies for his kiddos.  I still make them for my 'forever kid'.  Oh, for anybody who doesn't know, that is my husband John.  He is still a kid at heart and loves cookies.

 

SNICKERDOODLES

1 cup Vegetable Shortening

1 cup Margarine

3 cups Sugar

4 Eggs

5 1/2 cups Flour

4 teaspoons Cream Of Tartar

2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Preheat oven to 400˚.  In a large mixing bowl, use your mixer to mix together the Vegetable Shortening, Margarine Sugar and Eggs until creamy.  Blend in all of the dry ingredients, don’t over mix once you have added the flour.  Using a tablespoon or a 1 1/2” ice cream scoop make balls of cookie dough.  Roll each ball in a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.  Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet or parchment paper, flatten the balls of dough slightly, using the palm of your hand.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes.  ( these cookies puff up and then flatten out and have cracks).

Makes 6 dozen cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the late 70's (yes that was a long time ago), I owned and operated a candy store.  I bought my candy and the gift items I sold.  I had a small but efficient kitchen where I baked desserts.  I specialized in cookies, brownies, cheesecake, carrot cake, blackberry cobbler and a few other yummy and sort of old fashioned goodies.  One of the favorites were my chocolate chip cookies.  I made them big and often.  My boys loved when I brought goodies home.  By boys, I mean our 3 sons and my husband, the biggest boy of all.  Very few people don't love chocolate chip cookies.  They are still favorites with all my grandkids.  One of the things I have learned is not to stir things too much after the flour goes in.  I use equal amounts of both margarine and shortening.  And, I don't like to bake the cookies too long.  I try for a nice golden brown bottom on these yummy morsels.  I love walnuts in almost anything but not everyone does, so they are optional.  I hope you enjoy this recipe for one of our family favorites.

                         CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

                                   

1 cup Margarine, at room temperature

1 cup Vegetable Shortening

3 Eggs

1 1/3 cups Sugar

1 1/3 cups Brown sugar

3 teaspoons Vanilla

4 1/2 cups Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

3 cups Chocolate Chips

1 cup Walnuts, chopped - optional

In large mixing bowl, cream together the Margarine, Shortening, Eggs, Sugars, and Vanilla, using an electric mixer.  

With mixer on low speed, slowly add in the Flour, Baking Soda and Salt.  With a spoon, fold in the Chocolate Chips and Walnuts, if you are using them.

Using a tablespoon or a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop cookies onto a Pam sprayed baking sheet.  I use the palm of my hand to flatten the cookies just a little.  Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes, or until light brown on the bottom.  Don’t over bake the cookies!  Let the cookies cool for 1-2 minutes on baking sheet and then remove them to paper towels to cool.

Makes 7 dozen cookies - they freeze well but don't last long.  We have a cookie monster that eats ours!

I use the palm of my hand to flatten the cookies just a little.  This gives you nice uniform cookies!

Blackberry Cobbler

When I was young, my Grandmother lived next to a gully, or canyon if you like.  There were tons of Blackberries growing in this gully.  We would pick Blackberries and fill coffee cans galore.  Grandma would make us pies, cobblers and jam.  I don't think she had a freezer to store them in.  We picked Blackberries for years and in many different places after that.  Well, like so many things, times have changed.  Wild Berry bushes were sprayed and eliminated.

Last week we had our Granddaughter, Anna, visiting us and she spotted Blackberries in the grocery store.  "Oh Grammy, I really like Blackberries.  Dad makes cobbler for us on the 4th of July.  Can we make some?"  Well, that brought back so many memories, how could I refuse.  I pulled out my trusty file and found my recipe for Cobbler.  I make my cobbler using a sweet drop biscuit on top.  I hope this recipe brings some old, or maybe some new memories to mind for you.

                              BLACKBERRY COBBLER

                                      

3 cups Blackberries, with juice

3/4 to 1 cup Sugar (depending on tartness of berries)

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

1 cup Water

Combine Sugar and Cornstarch in a small sauce pan.  Stir in the Water and bring to a boil.  Stir and boil for 1 minute.  Pour over the fruit in a deep baking dish (deepness allows for the bubbling juices).  I used a 10” glass pie plate.  

Biscuits:

2 cups Flour

2 tablespoons Sugar

3 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/3 cup Shortening or Unsalted Butter

1 cup Milk

Combine all of the dry ingredients.  Combine in the Shortening, using your hands, a fork or a pastry cutter, until the ingredients are like coarse crumbs.  Make a ‘hole’ in the dry ingredients.  Pour in the Milk .  Stir everything together just until it all comes together in a dough.  Don’t over stir!  The dough will be a little sticky.  Drop with tablespoon on top of berries - like drop biscuits. Put a foil lined cookie sheet under the baking dish, it will catch any juice that may bubble over.  Sprinkle Granulated Sugar lightly over the biscuits - I like to sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar over mine.   Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until light brown.  Don't over bake!

Makes 12 servings

Serve warm, with ice cream.

Ready to serve!

Ready to bake!