These are prepared on the Rice Krispies Treats model with cocoa-flavored cereal, for Trunk or Treat parties. Ugly -- gummy worm emerging from each mound of dirt optional.
Regular Batch
Spray a very large bowl and a 9 x 13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper if you intent to make shaped mounds rather than rectangles. If desired, crush chocolate cookie wafers to decorate the finished treats (I took some Oreos apart and used the halves with no filling to crush, putting the remaining halves together for "double stuff" Oreos). Reserve crushed cookies in a bowl.
Measure about 8 1/2 cups Cocoa Pebbles or Cocoa Dyno-Bites (13 oz. box) into the very large bowl you have sprayed with non-stick spray. Have a sturdy spatula or large spoon ready for stirring.
Melt 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) in a microwave, in a large microwave-proof bowl. Pour in a 10 oz. bag of marshmallows and stir to coat marshmallows with butter. Melt marshmallows completely in the microwave on high power for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring once at 45 seconds. Pour and scrape melted marshmallow mixture into cereal and quickly stir to coat the cereal. Scrape into the prepared 9 x 13 inch pan and press evenly into the pan with buttered hands (or spray hands with non-stick cooking spray). If you intend to serve as bars, sprinkle some cookie crumbs over the cereal mixture and press into the top if desired, to make the top look "dirty". Also makes the bars less sticky (you could also coat the bottom of the pan with cookie crumbs before adding cereal if desired). Cut when cooled. Cover tightly to store.
If you want to make "moldy mounds of dirt", score the warm cereal mixture quickly into serving-sized pieces. With buttered hands, shape each piece into a flat-bottomed mound, shaping it around half of a gummy worm if desired, so that the other half of the worm emerges from the "mound of dirt". Firm cereal mixture around the worm. Roll the mound in crushed cookies to give the appearance of an uneven, dirty surface. Press cookie crumbs into cereal mixture and set on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet to cool.
Big Batch
Prepare as above, using a 16 oz. bag of marshmallows, 13 cups of cereal and 6 Tablespoons of butter. Marshmallows will take a little longer to melt and you will need BIG bowls both for the microwave and the cereal. I put the mixture in a 10 x 15 inch baking dish(sprayed with non-stick cooking spray as above) to score it into serving sections, then quickly shaped the pieces around gummy worms and coated with cookie crumbs. I set the mounds on a 1/2 hotel sheet lined with waxed paper, but you could use 2 smaller cookie sheets. I got 31 mounds of dirt, most of them quite large for a kid (slightly smaller than a cupcake).
NOTE: If you get a 42 oz. bag of Cocoa Dyno-Bites cereal, you can make 2 big batches if you substitute a cup or two of another ingredient for cereal in each batch -- nuts, coconut, another kind of cereal, etc. I would not try to make a double batch at one time - just too big. Separate batches are much more feasible.
Showing posts with label Recipes for Kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes for Kids. Show all posts
Friday, October 28, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Thumbprint Cookies
These are rich butter cookies, resembling shortbread. They contain no eggs or leavening, so if you want kids to have the experience of eating cookie dough, this is a good recipe to use.
Little Cooking Lessons
Creaming butter and sugar: Some classic baking recipes (such as butter cakes and some cookies -- like this recipe, which contains no leavening and very little liquid) depend on creaming butter and sugar to add lightness and proper texture to the finished product. The temperature of the ingredients, especially the butter, is important. Butter and sugar will cream to a "light and fluffy" consistency when at 65 to 67 degrees. Start creaming the butter first, then add the sugar,as described at the link. Beating creates some heat, so you may need to put your bowl in a shallow container of cool water to keep the butter from melting, especially if the room temperature is above 67 degrees F.
Sifting Flour: Some precise baking recipes still call for sifted flour, which gives a more reproducible measurement than newer methods. When I was little, Mom, who hates to measure, had a flour sifter in the flour canister. My high school cooking teacher, Miss Hauser, had us sift flour onto a sheet of waxed paper with a relatively fine-meshed strainer, spoon the flour into a measureing cup and level with a knife without shaking or tapping. She also had us sift the measured flour together with the salt and/or leavening in a recipe two or three times for the highest-quality results. This recipe calls for sifted flour.
Some popular recipe books simplified the method for measuring flour by calling for stirring the flour in the canister then spooning the flour into a cup without shaking or tapping, then leveling. Then came the "stir, dip and level" method. It is good to be familiar with the method recommended by your favorite recipe books (accurate measurements matter more for some recipes than others). Heritage recipes were often developed with sifted flour. People who compete in baking at state fairs, etc. usually use recipes which call for sifted flour.
Ingredients
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but not mushy
1/2 cup superfine sugar (baker's sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla or a combination of flavors*
Directions
Mix measured, sifted flour with salt, sift together and set aside. Cream butter, then cream with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in flavoring. Gently fold in flour about 1/2 cup at a time. Do not over-mix. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours (you can also divide into 2 or 3 portions to use on different days. Avoid over-handling. Keep sealed and refrigerated).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll cold dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (I line a cookie sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil) if making a single sheet of cookies). Make a deep indentation in the top of each cookie with your thumb. Avoid handling dough too much. Cookies don't have to be perfect, especially if kids help. Fill with jelly or preserves (or fill after baking with chocolate or preserves). Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Makes about 48 cookies.
I don't fill the cookies before baking. Instead, for a chocolate version, I slide the foil off the baking sheet onto a cool surface or a wire rack, immediately place 3 big Guittard milk chocolate chips in the indentation of each cookie and press the chips together slightly when they have partially melted. For a more traditional thumbprint cookie, I put a little dab of boysenberry preserves in some of the cooled cookies. Someday, I may try a baked filling with brown sugar and coconut, almonds or pecans.
Allergy information: This recipe contains no baking powder and so is free from corn products (unless toppings contain them - watch for corn in jams and jellies). It is one of a limited number of cookie recipes that don't include eggs.
* You can also use a combination of flavorings to make exactly 2 teaspoons: 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla with 1/2 tsp. almond or lemon extract or 1 3/4 tsp. vanilla with 1/4 tsp. almond or other extract. I think that 3 parts vanilla to 1 part almond is sometimes called "Viennese vanilla".
Little Cooking Lessons
Creaming butter and sugar: Some classic baking recipes (such as butter cakes and some cookies -- like this recipe, which contains no leavening and very little liquid) depend on creaming butter and sugar to add lightness and proper texture to the finished product. The temperature of the ingredients, especially the butter, is important. Butter and sugar will cream to a "light and fluffy" consistency when at 65 to 67 degrees. Start creaming the butter first, then add the sugar,as described at the link. Beating creates some heat, so you may need to put your bowl in a shallow container of cool water to keep the butter from melting, especially if the room temperature is above 67 degrees F.
Sifting Flour: Some precise baking recipes still call for sifted flour, which gives a more reproducible measurement than newer methods. When I was little, Mom, who hates to measure, had a flour sifter in the flour canister. My high school cooking teacher, Miss Hauser, had us sift flour onto a sheet of waxed paper with a relatively fine-meshed strainer, spoon the flour into a measureing cup and level with a knife without shaking or tapping. She also had us sift the measured flour together with the salt and/or leavening in a recipe two or three times for the highest-quality results. This recipe calls for sifted flour.
Some popular recipe books simplified the method for measuring flour by calling for stirring the flour in the canister then spooning the flour into a cup without shaking or tapping, then leveling. Then came the "stir, dip and level" method. It is good to be familiar with the method recommended by your favorite recipe books (accurate measurements matter more for some recipes than others). Heritage recipes were often developed with sifted flour. People who compete in baking at state fairs, etc. usually use recipes which call for sifted flour.
Ingredients
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but not mushy
1/2 cup superfine sugar (baker's sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla or a combination of flavors*
Directions
Mix measured, sifted flour with salt, sift together and set aside. Cream butter, then cream with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in flavoring. Gently fold in flour about 1/2 cup at a time. Do not over-mix. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours (you can also divide into 2 or 3 portions to use on different days. Avoid over-handling. Keep sealed and refrigerated).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll cold dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (I line a cookie sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil) if making a single sheet of cookies). Make a deep indentation in the top of each cookie with your thumb. Avoid handling dough too much. Cookies don't have to be perfect, especially if kids help. Fill with jelly or preserves (or fill after baking with chocolate or preserves). Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Makes about 48 cookies.
I don't fill the cookies before baking. Instead, for a chocolate version, I slide the foil off the baking sheet onto a cool surface or a wire rack, immediately place 3 big Guittard milk chocolate chips in the indentation of each cookie and press the chips together slightly when they have partially melted. For a more traditional thumbprint cookie, I put a little dab of boysenberry preserves in some of the cooled cookies. Someday, I may try a baked filling with brown sugar and coconut, almonds or pecans.
Allergy information: This recipe contains no baking powder and so is free from corn products (unless toppings contain them - watch for corn in jams and jellies). It is one of a limited number of cookie recipes that don't include eggs.
* You can also use a combination of flavorings to make exactly 2 teaspoons: 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla with 1/2 tsp. almond or lemon extract or 1 3/4 tsp. vanilla with 1/4 tsp. almond or other extract. I think that 3 parts vanilla to 1 part almond is sometimes called "Viennese vanilla".
Monday, February 14, 2011
Quick and Rich Fudge
Well, this is actually closer to being a ganache than to real fudge. But no matter. Quick to make. Kid friendly. You can load this up with chopped nuts and drop teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper, then top with a pecan or other whole nut if you like. But most people seem to prefer it plain.
Oil an 8 inch square baking dish or spray with cooking spray. Fold a sheet of waxed paper to fit along the bottom of the dish and up two sides. Smooth into oiled dish.
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
One 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 to 4 Tablespoons butter
11.5 oz. bag (2 cups) Guittard milk chocolate chips (or other milk chocolate chips)
1 cup Nestle mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or other semi-sweet chocolate chipe)
Melt all ingredients over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring constantly. This won't take long. When smooth, remove from heat and quickly stir in one to two teaspoons vanilla. Quickly spread evenly in pan. A stiff but flexible nylon or silicone scraper helps. Cover and chill until firm. Slide a knife around the edges of the pan and lift out cold fudge to remove waxed paper. Cut into small pieces - it is very rich. Keep tightly covered.
NOTE: If you use the maximum amounts of butter and vanilla, this fudge will be quite soft at room temperature. It will hold its quality best if refrigerated until shortly before serving.
Oil an 8 inch square baking dish or spray with cooking spray. Fold a sheet of waxed paper to fit along the bottom of the dish and up two sides. Smooth into oiled dish.
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
One 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 to 4 Tablespoons butter
11.5 oz. bag (2 cups) Guittard milk chocolate chips (or other milk chocolate chips)
1 cup Nestle mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or other semi-sweet chocolate chipe)
Melt all ingredients over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring constantly. This won't take long. When smooth, remove from heat and quickly stir in one to two teaspoons vanilla. Quickly spread evenly in pan. A stiff but flexible nylon or silicone scraper helps. Cover and chill until firm. Slide a knife around the edges of the pan and lift out cold fudge to remove waxed paper. Cut into small pieces - it is very rich. Keep tightly covered.
NOTE: If you use the maximum amounts of butter and vanilla, this fudge will be quite soft at room temperature. It will hold its quality best if refrigerated until shortly before serving.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Sarah's Favorite Twisty Pasta
We had Sarah, age 3, over to visit not long ago during a stressful time for her, and she wanted this pasta at every meal. Definitely kid comfort food. No onion, pepper or other strong flavors added. Slightly more palatable to adults than the canned kid stuff. A nice way to incorporate some vegetables for veggie-resistant kids. Divide and freeze some of the sauce if you like.
Ingredients
about 1 pound ground turkey or extra-lean ground beef
about 2 medium or 3 small grey zucchini (Mexican or Lebanese type), finely shredded. Sarah will pick it out if she can see it. You could use dark green zucchini for less-picky kids. You could also try adding shredded carrot, skipping the sugar in the recipe.
1 jar spaghetti sauce (about 26 ounces)
1 tsp. sugar or to taste (optional)
salt to taste
Cooked rotini or other twisty pasta
Shredded or diced medium cheddar cheese (or cheddar and mozarella, etc.)
Directions
Thaw meat if frozen. Frozen 1-pound chubs of ground turkey are convenient for this recipe, and the fats are more healthful than those in ground beef.
Cooking Lesson Adapted from a recipe for Sloppy Joes by the obsessive people who produce books like this:
Boil twisty pasta until done. Drain and mix with hot sauce and a little cheese and serve.
Leftovers keep refrigerated for a couple of days, though some of the moisture may be absorbed into the pasta. Microwave individual servings topped with a little extra sauce and/or cheese if you like.
Sloppy Joes: Use the same principle of partially cooking meat before adding zucchini. You could probably work up a nice recipe using undiluted condensed chicken gumbo soup, tomato sauce or paste and ketchup. Aunt Elizabeth prepared Sloppy Joes once for a family party using condensed chicken gumbo soup when I was a teenager, and they were wonderful. I can't eat it now. Corn products. Let me know how it works.
Allergy Information: You can find commercial spaghetti sauce with no corn sweeteners if you look hard. Many Classico varieties contain no corn sweetener.
Ingredients
about 1 pound ground turkey or extra-lean ground beef
about 2 medium or 3 small grey zucchini (Mexican or Lebanese type), finely shredded. Sarah will pick it out if she can see it. You could use dark green zucchini for less-picky kids. You could also try adding shredded carrot, skipping the sugar in the recipe.
1 jar spaghetti sauce (about 26 ounces)
1 tsp. sugar or to taste (optional)
salt to taste
Cooked rotini or other twisty pasta
Shredded or diced medium cheddar cheese (or cheddar and mozarella, etc.)
Directions
Thaw meat if frozen. Frozen 1-pound chubs of ground turkey are convenient for this recipe, and the fats are more healthful than those in ground beef.
Cooking Lesson Adapted from a recipe for Sloppy Joes by the obsessive people who produce books like this:
For some recipes, we want ground beef to "give" easily when chewed. This result can be accomplished by not browning the meat too much before liquids (or moist vegetables, etc.) are added. For this recipe, saute meat in a lightly oiled skillet just until it starts to lose its pink color, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. We don't want the meat to turn firm. We're feeding kids. (For adults, you can start with some chopped onion sauteed until it becomes translucent, or until it starts to caramelize.) Mix in zucchini (and/or carrots), stir and cook until vegetables are limp. Mix in spaghetti sauce.Simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add sugar and salt to taste. You can cool and freeze part of the sauce at this point.
Boil twisty pasta until done. Drain and mix with hot sauce and a little cheese and serve.
Leftovers keep refrigerated for a couple of days, though some of the moisture may be absorbed into the pasta. Microwave individual servings topped with a little extra sauce and/or cheese if you like.
Sloppy Joes: Use the same principle of partially cooking meat before adding zucchini. You could probably work up a nice recipe using undiluted condensed chicken gumbo soup, tomato sauce or paste and ketchup. Aunt Elizabeth prepared Sloppy Joes once for a family party using condensed chicken gumbo soup when I was a teenager, and they were wonderful. I can't eat it now. Corn products. Let me know how it works.
Allergy Information: You can find commercial spaghetti sauce with no corn sweeteners if you look hard. Many Classico varieties contain no corn sweetener.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Cream Cheese Marble Brownies
I often make a 10 x 15 inch pan of these brownies, using a brownie mix for a 9 x 13 inch pan, plus the cream cheese filling.
A double recipe (two brownie mixes) in a 1/2 sheet cake pan is shown in the photo below. It was baked in a shallow, 1-rack oven, so it shows a little more browning than brownies baked in a big oven. This pan of brownies was made with two Pillsbury mixes and baked for about 34 minutes at 350 degrees. The cream cheese filling was made with 3 packages of cream cheese (see directions).
9 x 13 inch Pan or 10 x 15 inch pan of Brownies: Try these with either "Pillsbury Brownie Classics - Traditional Fudge" or "Duncan Hines Family-Style Brownies". Both these mixes make a 9 x 13 inch pan of brownies. Directions call for the addition of 2 eggs, oil and water. Once I accidentally left one egg out of the brownie batter and the brownies were very dense and gooey. People loved them.
Two 8 oz. package cream cheese, low fat or Neufchatel cheese, softened (room temperature - microwave at low power if you are in a hurry.)
½ cup sugar (scant)
¾ to 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 egg or two egg yolks
One fudge brownie mix (9 x 13 inch pan) plus eggs, water and oil per package directions
Prepare filling by beating softened cream cheese and sugar together until smooth - no lumps of cream cheese. Do not add egg until sugar and cream cheese are thoroughly mixed. Beat in vanilla and egg. Cover and chill filling until ready to finish brownies.
Preheat oven and prepare pan per directions on brownie mix. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and spread in pan. Spoon filling onto brownie mix in 3 or 4 longitudinal stripes. Using a circular motion with a fork, fold some of brownie batter over the filling, working along each stripe. Then lightly move the fork across the stripes crosswise, back and forth in a large wave pattern, to create swirls. Don't overdo it. Bake according to package directions for a 9 x 13 inch pan of plain brownies if you are using a 10 x 15 inch pan. Thicker brownies in a 9 x 13 inch pan may take two to four minutes longer.
Pale filling will be very slightly browned at the edges when brownies are done if baked in the middle of a big oven and may show no browning if baked on a rack under a second batch of brownies.
Notes: Feel free to experiment with 1 package of fat-free cream cheese and 1 package of low fat.
You may also use only 1 package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and one egg yolk for the filling. One package of cream cheese for the filling is also suitable for a smaller (8x8 or 9x9 inch pan) brownie mix like the Betty Crocker mix that comes in a bag instead of a box.
Photos below show cream cheese "stripes" on a double recipe, folded stripes (my fork fell in the batter) and swirled stripes. The finished product is at the top of this post.
DOUBLE RECIPE: You can prepare a double recipe in a 1/2 size sheet cake pan (about 12 x 17 inches). Make sure the pan fits in your oven with a little room to spare first. I like to use a foil ½ sheet cake pan on a sturdy ½ size hotel sheet (from Smart & Final or another restaurant supply). Allow a few minutes extra baking time for the larger recipe.
For the double recipe, use 3 packages cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar (scant), 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and one egg OR 4 packages cream cheese, 1 cup sugar (scant), 1 ½ to 2 tsp. vanilla and two eggs. If you like, you can add a little almond, coconut or orange flavoring with the vanilla (to taste -- before adding egg).
For a BIG crowd, two kinds of brownies at once: If you need to bake a lot of brownies in a hurry for a party or buffet, you can bake nut brownies or plain brownies on the upper shelf of the oven and the marble brownies on the lower shelf. Press a few pieces of nuts into the top of nut brownies so people can tell they contain nuts. The marble brownies take a little longer to bake. With two ½ sheet cake pans, you can make a very large number of brownies at one time. Frost plain brownies if you like.
Allergy information: Brownie mixes generally contain corn products and may contain traces of nuts. Check ingredients. There are now a few gluten-free brownie mixes out.
A double recipe (two brownie mixes) in a 1/2 sheet cake pan is shown in the photo below. It was baked in a shallow, 1-rack oven, so it shows a little more browning than brownies baked in a big oven. This pan of brownies was made with two Pillsbury mixes and baked for about 34 minutes at 350 degrees. The cream cheese filling was made with 3 packages of cream cheese (see directions).
9 x 13 inch Pan or 10 x 15 inch pan of Brownies: Try these with either "Pillsbury Brownie Classics - Traditional Fudge" or "Duncan Hines Family-Style Brownies". Both these mixes make a 9 x 13 inch pan of brownies. Directions call for the addition of 2 eggs, oil and water. Once I accidentally left one egg out of the brownie batter and the brownies were very dense and gooey. People loved them.
Two 8 oz. package cream cheese, low fat or Neufchatel cheese, softened (room temperature - microwave at low power if you are in a hurry.)
½ cup sugar (scant)
¾ to 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 egg or two egg yolks
One fudge brownie mix (9 x 13 inch pan) plus eggs, water and oil per package directions
Prepare filling by beating softened cream cheese and sugar together until smooth - no lumps of cream cheese. Do not add egg until sugar and cream cheese are thoroughly mixed. Beat in vanilla and egg. Cover and chill filling until ready to finish brownies.
Preheat oven and prepare pan per directions on brownie mix. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and spread in pan. Spoon filling onto brownie mix in 3 or 4 longitudinal stripes. Using a circular motion with a fork, fold some of brownie batter over the filling, working along each stripe. Then lightly move the fork across the stripes crosswise, back and forth in a large wave pattern, to create swirls. Don't overdo it. Bake according to package directions for a 9 x 13 inch pan of plain brownies if you are using a 10 x 15 inch pan. Thicker brownies in a 9 x 13 inch pan may take two to four minutes longer.
Pale filling will be very slightly browned at the edges when brownies are done if baked in the middle of a big oven and may show no browning if baked on a rack under a second batch of brownies.
Notes: Feel free to experiment with 1 package of fat-free cream cheese and 1 package of low fat.
You may also use only 1 package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and one egg yolk for the filling. One package of cream cheese for the filling is also suitable for a smaller (8x8 or 9x9 inch pan) brownie mix like the Betty Crocker mix that comes in a bag instead of a box.
Photos below show cream cheese "stripes" on a double recipe, folded stripes (my fork fell in the batter) and swirled stripes. The finished product is at the top of this post.
DOUBLE RECIPE: You can prepare a double recipe in a 1/2 size sheet cake pan (about 12 x 17 inches). Make sure the pan fits in your oven with a little room to spare first. I like to use a foil ½ sheet cake pan on a sturdy ½ size hotel sheet (from Smart & Final or another restaurant supply). Allow a few minutes extra baking time for the larger recipe.
For the double recipe, use 3 packages cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar (scant), 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and one egg OR 4 packages cream cheese, 1 cup sugar (scant), 1 ½ to 2 tsp. vanilla and two eggs. If you like, you can add a little almond, coconut or orange flavoring with the vanilla (to taste -- before adding egg).
For a BIG crowd, two kinds of brownies at once: If you need to bake a lot of brownies in a hurry for a party or buffet, you can bake nut brownies or plain brownies on the upper shelf of the oven and the marble brownies on the lower shelf. Press a few pieces of nuts into the top of nut brownies so people can tell they contain nuts. The marble brownies take a little longer to bake. With two ½ sheet cake pans, you can make a very large number of brownies at one time. Frost plain brownies if you like.
Allergy information: Brownie mixes generally contain corn products and may contain traces of nuts. Check ingredients. There are now a few gluten-free brownie mixes out.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Quick Lemon Cookies
These cookies are made from cake mix, so I can't eat them. They contain corn products. But you can make them start to finish in under half an hour - less if you have two cookie sheets and room in the oven for both.
They went over well at a little party I went to. Nice to have a box of cake mix around to make an emergency dessert from time to time. The recipe is pretty much the one on the cake mix box. They're supposed to be "crisps", but mine were kind of chewy with crispy edges. In summer, you can bake them early in the morning for an event later in the day. But I think one reason people liked the ones I made is that they were made the same day. Fresh counts for a lot sometimes.
Cookies
1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme lemon cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Sugar for dipping
Heat oven to 375ยบ. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs. Stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Lightly oil the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass and dip into the sugar. Flatten the first ball to about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with other balls of dough. No need to re-coat with oil. Bake cookies for 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool one minute, remove from cookie sheet to a rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Big Cookies: I made the balls of dough about 1 1/2 inches and baked for more than 9 minutes. Made 24 big cookies. I thought the smaller cookies might be nice as sandwich cookies. Mark said he would eat the big ones as sandwich cookies, too. Maybe with lemon curd, lemon curd and whipped cream cheese, quick butter/lemon frosting or cream cheese frosting. Someone suggested ice cream. That would take some work. I think I would prefer any of these as a filling or topping (added just before serving) to the icing recipe on the cake mix box (but I just don't like hard icing glazes). Since I can't eat them anyway, choose the one you like, or leave them "bare" like I did.
Half-recipe You can make half a batch of the big cookies on one cookie sheet. If you cover it with foil (shiny side up), mess will be minimal. Use half a box of cake mix, 1 egg and 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons oil. Don't go over level when measuring the oil.
To divide a cake mix in half, open the top of the inner bag and alternately measure 1/4 cup at a time into two bowls. Pack and level the mix into your 1/4 cup measure against your flat fingers (outside the bag). Switch to measuring spoons to evenly divide mix when you have less than 1/2 cup left. Return second half of mix to inner bag, roll up top and fasten with a clothes pin. Return to box for later. Probably best to use the second half of the mix within a few weeks.
Icing
This is the icing from the recipe on the box. I didn't ice mine. But the icing would add a little fresh lemon zing.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with yellow-colored decorative sugar before the icing sets.
They went over well at a little party I went to. Nice to have a box of cake mix around to make an emergency dessert from time to time. The recipe is pretty much the one on the cake mix box. They're supposed to be "crisps", but mine were kind of chewy with crispy edges. In summer, you can bake them early in the morning for an event later in the day. But I think one reason people liked the ones I made is that they were made the same day. Fresh counts for a lot sometimes.
Cookies
1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme lemon cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Sugar for dipping
Heat oven to 375ยบ. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs. Stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Lightly oil the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass and dip into the sugar. Flatten the first ball to about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with other balls of dough. No need to re-coat with oil. Bake cookies for 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool one minute, remove from cookie sheet to a rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Big Cookies: I made the balls of dough about 1 1/2 inches and baked for more than 9 minutes. Made 24 big cookies. I thought the smaller cookies might be nice as sandwich cookies. Mark said he would eat the big ones as sandwich cookies, too. Maybe with lemon curd, lemon curd and whipped cream cheese, quick butter/lemon frosting or cream cheese frosting. Someone suggested ice cream. That would take some work. I think I would prefer any of these as a filling or topping (added just before serving) to the icing recipe on the cake mix box (but I just don't like hard icing glazes). Since I can't eat them anyway, choose the one you like, or leave them "bare" like I did.
Half-recipe You can make half a batch of the big cookies on one cookie sheet. If you cover it with foil (shiny side up), mess will be minimal. Use half a box of cake mix, 1 egg and 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons oil. Don't go over level when measuring the oil.
To divide a cake mix in half, open the top of the inner bag and alternately measure 1/4 cup at a time into two bowls. Pack and level the mix into your 1/4 cup measure against your flat fingers (outside the bag). Switch to measuring spoons to evenly divide mix when you have less than 1/2 cup left. Return second half of mix to inner bag, roll up top and fasten with a clothes pin. Return to box for later. Probably best to use the second half of the mix within a few weeks.
Icing
This is the icing from the recipe on the box. I didn't ice mine. But the icing would add a little fresh lemon zing.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with yellow-colored decorative sugar before the icing sets.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Apple and Cottage Cheese Salad
I used to eat this salad at work in winter. It reminds me of Waldorf Salad.
APPLE AND COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD
Core and chop an apple and add up to a cup of cottage cheese. Add two or three chopped dates. Add some chopped celery if you like. Mix and eat.
Allergy information: Check cottage cheese carton for corn products.
APPLE AND COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD
Core and chop an apple and add up to a cup of cottage cheese. Add two or three chopped dates. Add some chopped celery if you like. Mix and eat.
Allergy information: Check cottage cheese carton for corn products.
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