Peppermint Cookies

My Mother-In-Law's Kitchen

Since I met my amazing husband, and subsequently his fabulous mother, I have been wanting to write a whole series of posts entitled "My Mother-In-Law's Kitchen." Why you ask? Simple...her food is delicious (both my husband and I love it), many of her recipe's are heirloom recipes I want to treasure and pass on, and she is an amazing person I love getting to spend time with. Especially in the kitchen!

Finally after nearly three years of marriage (and a new amazing camera from my awesome husband) I have gotten a few recipes on camera, and I hope to get many more in the years to come. 

I hope you enjoy these amazing recipes as much as we do! With love from my Mother-In-Law Linda's Kitchen xxxooo

When the recipe card looks like this you know the cookies are good!

2 cups sugar

1 cup lard (yes lard! - but don't shy away these are fabulous)!

1 cup buttermilk

3 eggs

1 tsp peppermint extract

4 tsp baking soda

6 cups flour

Cream together the sugar and lard.

Add buttermilk (it will appear lumpy)

Add eggs, peppermint and baking soda.

Mix thoroughly.

Add 6 cups of flour to the wet mixture one cup at a time. 

  

 Cover and refrigerate.  

 Roll out dough, sprinkle with sugar, and cut into your favorite shapes.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until lightly brown on the bottom. Cool cookies on a wire or wooden rack.

Frosting:

1 bag powdered sugar

Milk

Peppermint extract

Food coloring

Mix powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk, and 1-2 tablespoons extract. Add food coloring to your desired color. Drizzle over cookies.

 Allow frosting to dry before storing in zip lock bags or storage containers. 

These can be made in advance and placed in the freezer. Just remove and bring to room temp before serving. Delicious!

JAILHOUSE POTATO-CINNAMON ROLLS

 I found this on The Recipe Link and have to try it:

"Years ago, a close relative sent me a newspaper recipe clipping for potato dinner rolls that were popular with the inmates at Jefferson County Jail. I transformed the recipe into these potato-cinnamon rolls and named them accordingly."

FOR THE DOUGH:
2 medium russet potatoes
1 ounce active dry yeast (4 packets)*
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
9 cups unbleached flour

FOR THE FILLING:
4 cups pecans
4 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE ICING:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with water and set on high heat to boil. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the water and bring to a second boil. Decrease the heat to medium until the potatoes are simmering. Cook the potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes, reserving 3 cups of the cooking water. Set the potato water aside to cool, until it registers 110 to 115 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes - you will have 1 1/2 to 2 cups worth - by hand or using a mixer on medium speed.

In a medium bowl, mix the reserved cooled potato water, yeast, and the 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir until the yeast has dissolved. Let the mixture rest until foamy, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the potatoes, 1 cup sugar, melted butter, eggs, salt, and yeast–potato water. Add the flour in 3-cup increments and stir with a spoon until the flour is incorporated. Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Leaving the dough in the bowl, punch it down until it deflates (1 or 2 punches with your fist will do). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

At this point the dough can be refrigerated until the next day.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast them in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Coarsely chop the pecans.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

TO SHAPE AND BAKE THE ROLLS:
Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it in half. On a clean, floured surface, roll each half into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Spread each rectangle with half of the melted butter. Cover each buttered rectangle with half of the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle the dough with an even layer of pecans.

Generously grease two (9 by 13-inch) disposable pans with butter.

Carefully roll up each rectangle, starting on 1 long side of the dough. Using a very sharp serrated knife, cut each roll crosswise in 2-inch slices. Place the slices, cut side down, in the pans, spacing the rolls about 1 inch apart so they have room to expand. Make sure the end flap of each roll is set snugly against a side of the pan, so it does not unravel while rising. Put 8 rolls in each pan.

(At this point the rolls can be tightly covered in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil and frozen up to 3 weeks. Defrost the rolls in the refrigerator overnight or for 1 hour at room temperature and continue following the directions from this point.)

Set the rolls in a warm, draft-free place and let them rise until they get puffy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light brown.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread the icing on top of the rolls while they are still warm.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

RATHER SWEET VARIATION:

FOR ORANGE-POTATO ROLLS:
Prepare the dough as directed. For the filling, substitute 4 cups granulated sugar for the brown sugar, omit the cinnamon, and stir in 2 tablespoons grated orange zest. For the icing, substitute 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice for the milk, and substitute 1 tablespoon grated orange zest for the vanilla.

*TIP: Is it dead or alive? Mixing the yeast with water and sugar and waiting a few minutes to see if it will foam tells you whether the yeast is viable. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and your rolls won't rise. Throw the mixture away and start again with a new batch of yeast. By "proofing," or testing, the yeast's viability, you avoid wasting a whole batch of dough and a whole lot of time.

Makes 24 large rolls
Source: The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe by Rebecca Rather with Alison Oresman

Vanilla Snowmen

It is something to do with the kids when they want to be out building a snowman and it is too cold or they are sick or, like here in Utah, when the inversion makes the air quality awful.

Basically, you use vanilla ice cream for snow and  add goodies to make the face and body.

I started with a light dusting of coconut for "snow" covered ground:

Next, I made a plate of leftover Christmas candy:

Then I scooped 2-3 balls of vanilla ice cream and let them build:

Alternative to fried dough

I LOVE fried dough/western scones. I don't love the added oil, grease, splatters, calories, and using an entire bottle of oil I have to dispose of later.

My daughter and I, while preparing a favorite snack of fresh tortillas, decided to experiment a bit.

We liked it so much it was our breakfast this morning and was SO STINKING GOOD!
All you do is heat the uncooked tortillas on a clean dry skillet per directions on the package, butter them, and add your favorite scone toppings.

Lazy dessert...

This is best filed under things I threw together and didn't turn out half bad... :)

1 small bag frozen raspberries, dumped into a glass baking dish that has been sprayed with oil

1 chocolate cake mix, dumped directly on top of the raspberries

1 stick butter, cut into slices and put on top of the dry cake mix

Bake for about 1/2 an hour. You will see it bubbling slightly on the edges when it is done.

It looks like a big gooey mess, as you can see, but was actually pretty tasty. I let it cool for a little while, but served it while it was still warm. Goes great with vanilla ice cream too. Think cobblerish dump cake?

Liz's Jello Salad

1 (6 oz.) box lemon Jello
1/2 c. hot water
1 (8 oz.) carton whipped topping
3/4 c. grated Cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, not drained
3/4 c. Miracle Whip salad dressing

 

Dissolve Jello in hot water. Mix in in all other ingredients. Pour into a baking dish or salad bowl. Chill until firm.

Baklava

Tyler Florence's Baklava

(I make this for Easter - my family loves baklava and over the years I have found this is one of the best recipes out there. -Lexi)

Ingredients

• 1 pound shelled walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 pound blanched almonds, toasted
• 1/2 pound shelled pistachios, toasted
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 pound unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound phyllo pastry sheets

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Finely chop the nuts in a food processor or coffee grinder. Transfer nuts to a bowl and mix in brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and cloves.

Brush a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with melted butter and set aside. Cut a piece of cardboard into a 13 by 9-inch rectangle. Unroll the phyllo dough and lay the sheets flat on a work surface. Set the cardboard template on the stack of phyllo and trim the excess so they fit the pan. Keep the pastry covered with a damp, not wet, towel as you work to prevent drying out.

To build the baklava, you will alternate 3 layers of dough with 2 layers of nuts. Start with a stable base of 8 sheets on the bottom, brushing each with melted butter. Spread 1/2 the nut mixture evenly over the stacked sheets. Cover with 4 sheets of phyllo, painting each with melted butter, then sprinkle again with remaining nut mixture. Top the last layer of nuts with 8 layers of phyllo as you did for the bottom. Drizzleany remaining butter over top.

If you have time, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the butter will set and make the baklava easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, make 5 cuts across lengthwise, then cut diagonally to form diamonds. Baklava is more difficult to cut after it is cooked because the pastry becomes so flaky. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and flaky. If the top browns too quickly during baking, tent with foil.

Orange Scented Simple Syrup:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup orange blossom honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 large strips orange peel
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves

To make the syrup: combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and letsimmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Remove the orange peel, cinnamon stick, and whole clove; set aside to cool.

Remove an end piece of the baklava and tilt the pan to allow the butter to collect in the corner. Spoon out the excess and discard. With the pan flat, pour the syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Allow to stand for several hours before serving.

Desert Parfait

Desert Parfait

Ingredients: 

Pinot Noir

Sugar

Fresh seasonal fruit

Granola (your favorite kind)

Yogurt (I used greek goddess, honey flavor) 

 I used almond and raisin granola I bought at Sunflower Market, & strawberries and grapes because they were in season and on sale.

 Add 1cup pinot noir wine and 1/2 cup sugar to a sauce pan and boil down rapidly to create a rich and flavorful simple syrup. (optional -you can also add cinnamon sticks, 3 whole cloves and 1 whole star anise here and simply take them out after simmering and before adding the fruit.)

 Dice up fruit and add to simple syrup. Toss in liquid to coat. (At this point you can either boil the fruit down to make a compote or you can leave the fruit al dente)

 Remove fruit and liquid from heat and cool rapidly (you can also through it in the freezer for a minute)

Once fruit is cooled you are ready to assemble your lovely desert parfait alternating between the yogurt, granola and fruit.

These are a sure crowd pleaser at family meals or parties. Caution if you are making these in advance don't layer the granola into the parfait...hold it to the side and add right before serving to prevent a soggy oatmeal like texture in your parfait.

Black Forrest Cake

In honor of "Eat chocolate cake day", which I refused to let pass unobserved, my mom and I whipped up this beauty.

The recipe is to come, as my mom's recipes are never really measured. She is working on the specifics.

Happy weekend!

Baked apples

 

This is the dessert that would tell me cool weather had arrived, when I was a kid.  There are a few ways to do the apples: The whole apple, cored;  Peeled and cut up; or in a sauce, though that's my least favorite.  Either way, it is a great way to use up apples!

This recipe is easily adapted to amounts, so you can have it for two or for twelve.

-Any kind of apple in the desired quantity chopped up.

-Coat in brown sugar and cinnamon generously (if using whole apples, stuff with brown sugar)

-Top with butter

-Bake at 350 for 30 min or until apples are softened.

Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

I first discovered these lovelies over a year ago. So completely and delightfully delicious! It is a Paula Deen Recipe, the Queen of Butter. These cookies are so super easy and cheap to make. Thus making them perfect for this blog. I made them for my nephew's mission farewell luncheon/open house thing this past weekend. They didn't last long. Hope you love them as much as I do!

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Easy peasy applesauce crisp

2 c. applesauce
1 c. coarse graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. chopped nuts or rolled oats

Place applesauce in bottom of a buttered nine-inch square baking dish or other shallow wide dish. Mix cracker crumbs, brown sugar, butter and nuts together until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over applesauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream or Ice Cream. Makes about 6 servings.

Chocolate Layer Dessert

Crust:

1 C chopped pecans
1 C flour
1/2 C butter

Combine and press into 9x13 pan bake at 300 degrees 20-25 min and cool

1 (8 oz) tub non-dairy whipped topping (thawed)
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese at room temp
2 C powdered sugar
2 (6 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding
4 C milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 chocolate bar, grated

blend together thawed whipped topping, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.
Spread over cooled crust refridgerate 2 hours

Combine pudding, milk, vanilla, with an electric mixer until mixture begins to thicken
spread over cream cheese layer
Refrigerate overnight

Garnish with shaved chocolate.

To serve, cut into squares and garnish--if desired with berries or a mint leaf. serves 10-12

Crockpot Homestyle Apple Brown Betty

6 Cups of your favorite cooking apples
1 cup breads crumbs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 C melted butter
1/4 Walnuts finely chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt

Coat crockpot with cooking spray.  Place apples at the bottom
Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and spead over apples

Cover and cook in crock pot on LOW 3-4 hours or on HIGH 2 hours until done.

Peanut Butter Fudgy Bars

Courtesy of Pillsbury

Base:

1 pkg Pillsbury Moist Supreme Golden Butter Recipe Premium Cake Mix

1 cup Peanut Butter (crunchy or creamy - your call)

1/3 cup water

1 egg

Top:

1 (16-oz) can Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Dark Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup+ M&M's

(optional) 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Heat oven to 350F

Line cooking pan with foil or parchment paper (13x9 or your choice)

Mix base together and spread into cooking pan.

Bake 20-25min or until puffed and light golden brown. Cool completely before topping.

Combine frosting and 1/2cup peanut butter. Spread over cooled cake bar. Top with candies and nuts. Cut into individual serving sizes. (Chill to set frosting faster)

Raspberry Dessert

1 angel food cake broken in pieces  --put in glass baking dish set aside

1 large pkg or 2 small Raspberry Jello
1 1/3 C boiling water


Mix Jello and water
Add 2 pkg. Frozen Raspberries
Let Jello set
Mix in 2 pkg Dream whip, whipped not quite stiff
blend together and pour over broken cake

Mix slightly and refrigerate 3 hours.

Mango Lassi

So I'm thinking mangoes are my new favorite fruit. We are getting them a lot in our Bountiful Baskets. So yes, this is another BBasket recipe post :) But this one is a smoothie. And OMG! It is so yummy! I first had a Mango Lassi when I lived in California. It is an Indian drink (and no, not Native Americans, but people actually from India). So I looked up a recipe for one and came across this one. I altered it a little bit though.

Here is my version of the recipe.

2 mangoes (from BBasket) peeled, flesh removed from the seed thingie in the middle and roughly chopped

1/2 a carton of vanilla yogurt (from the 2lb carton)

about 3/4 cup of milk (I eyeballed it)

a large handful of ice

1/2 cup of sugar (you can add more, but my mangoes were really ripe and very sweet)

Place all ingriedients above in a blender (I just bought the Ninja Master Prep this weekend and it is awesome!) and combine until very smooth and thick. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Fudge Stripe Ice Cream Sandwiches

2 cookies
Large spoonful of ice cream
Squirt of canned coolwhip
Half a strawberry sliced and fanned.

Stack and eat!

FYI--it is a bit messy.  Have napkins on hand.

Frosty Dark Chocolate Shakes

In a blender or smoothie maker, mix in the following...  I eyeball the amounts...

Crushed ice
Dark chocolate ice cream
milk
chocolate syrup

Blend until thick but smooth.  If it is too runny, add more ice cream, too thin, add more milk.  As a rule, you can ALWAYS add more chocolate.  :)

Pour into glasses and (optional) top with whipped cream, and add a cherry ( ifound green ones and thought they were festive. 

Bella Brie

Brie with most of rind removed

Butter

Brown Sugar

Kahlua

Walnuts or Pecans

Sliced Green Apples

Sweet Crestini's or thinly sliced crusty bread

Place the Brie on an oven safe platter.

Combine butter, brown sugar, kahlua, and walnuts in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly to ensure all ingred combine fully.

Pour hot sauce over Brie and then bake in 350 degree oven until Brie begins to shimmer (you just want the Brie to be warmed through and soft) this happens very quickly so don't walk away.

Remove from oven and serve immediately with apple slices and sweet crestini! YUMMMM!