Wheat Germ Breakfast Rolls

This is a great make ahead breakfast/brunch treat.  The rolls can be frozen after baking and frosted at the last minute.  Even with a confectioner's sugar frosting these are pretty low in total sugar.   Being bite-sized, people just can't resist one or two or three....

Wheat Germ Breakfast Rolls

1½ c. Unsifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½  cup wheat germ

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Cut in 1/3 cup shortening

Add 2/3 cup milk

Stir till blended.  Turn out on floured surface.  Knead gently about 20 times.  Divide in half.  Roll out into 7x12 rectangle.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Roll up like cinnamon rolls and cut into 12 pieces.  Repeat with second half.  Place in well greased miniature muffin pans.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. 

Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze when cool.

Makes 24 miniature rolls.

Recipe x 3= 6 doz.

4 ½ cups flour

4 tablespoons baking powder

¾ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups wheat germ

1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup shortening

2 cup milk

French Silk Pie

Every year at Thanksgiving I make pies for family and friends. The past few years I have done between 60 and 65 pies on the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving.... and then cook dinner.

I get my love of baking from my grandmother, I think.  She once owned a small bakery run from her home and even into her 70's  baked pounds and pounds of cookies at Christmas.  

French Silk Pie is a favorite around here for those who don't like or cannot eat the fruit pies; it is simply chocolate deliciousness.  It does contain raw eggs, so if you are one who will not eat them,  you may want to look for something like a chocolate mousse pie.

I pie                                    2 pies                                               

1 c. butter                    2 cups butter                                        

1 ¼ c. sugar                  2 ½ cups sugar                                     

4 sq. chocolate            8 squares chocolate                           

4 eggs                           8 eggs                                                    

2 t. vanilla                    4 t. vanilla                                             

9 “ pie shell                 2 pie shells                                            

I use store-bought graham cracker crusts for these pies.  It can be made with a pre-baked, traditional crust.

Melt chocolate.  Allow to cool.

In mixer bowl, cream butter; gradually add sugar, creaming until light.

Blend in chocolate and vanilla.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating 3 minutes after each addition, on medium speed of electric mixer. (1 minute on a Kitchen Aid) 

Turn into pie shell.

Chill several hours. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls, if desired.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This recipe is originally from Taste of Home, but I changed it up a bit, and drastically reduced the amount of cheese (it called for FIVE CUPS!)  It is a great meal to make and share since making two creates the same mess as making one.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Makes 2 13x9 pans, each about 6 servings.

• 2 packages (6 ounces each) reduced-sodium stuffing mix
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 8 cups cubed cooked chicken cut in ½  inch chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 3/4 pound  ham, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 2 cups  shredded Swiss cheese
• 1-2 cups mixed vegetables (optional)

Directions

Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions.

Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix well., 

Divide into two pans.

Top with prepared stuffing mix.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer until stuffing is lightly browned.  

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and stuffing is lightly browned.

Crispy Panko Chicken

 I love watching Iron Chef America, and while I don't think I would make most of the dishes they make I did learn about panko bread crumbs.  These Japanese bread crumbs give the nicest crunch to chicken or whatever they are used to coat. 

Crispy Panko Chicken

6 servings

• 1 c panko bread crumbs (I use Italian style)
• 1⁄2  c shredded Parmesan
• (2 T olive oil
• 1⁄2  t lemon pepper 
• 1⁄4 c Dijon mustard
• 2 T water)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs chicken breasts, pounded to 1⁄4 inch 

 In a shallow dish, toss together panko, cheese, olive oil, salt & pepper.

In another dish, combine mustard, & water. 

Coat chicken breasts in mustard mixture & dredge in panko mix.

Bake on a sprayed baking sheet 25  30 min @ 400 or until golden brown.  

Mud Puddle Cake

This is an all-time family favorite.  My mom saw the recipe in the newspaper some time in the 70's and we've been making it ever since.  It is delicious frosted or unfrosted.  And best of all, it is actually better the day after it is made, so it is good for parties when you need to make something ahead of time!  I have shaped this and decorated this cake into dinosaur cakes, Lightning McQueen's race track, Hungry Caterpillar cupcakes and lion cupcakes with Crunch and Munch manes.  It works for ANY occasion.

Mud Puddle Cake

1 13x9 pan or 2 8x8 pans (make one, freeze one!)

Preheat oven to 350

• 3 cups sifted flour (I never sift in real life though)
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda.
• ¾ cup oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• 2 cups cold water

Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl.  Add wet ingredients and blend till smooth.  Bake for 35-40 minutes  (test for doneness.) 

This is a very moist cake that seldom fails.  It goes well with 100 Thousand Dollar frosting.

Yeast Breads

There is nothing better than bread, fresh from the oven, to accompany dinner or as an afternoon snack for those who cannot wait for dinner!  Yeast dough was one thing I learned to make as a teen so I could make cinnamon buns for a certain someone, proving the old adage,  "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach"!  It still works and we've been married more than 30 years.

Here are my favorite yeast bread recipes and some tips for making it.

Tips for Yeast Bread

• Use water that feels warm to the touch, not hot. 
• Buy yeast in bulk and store in freezer. It can be purchased at stores like Sam's Club or places like the "Amish Market."
• Grocery store packets of yeast are over priced.  They contain 2/3 tablespoon of yeast.
• If using whole wheat flour, knead for a longer period of time to develop the gluten. 

Our Daily Bread

(basic dough for loaves and rolls)

Adapted from LLL’s “Whole Foods for Whole Families”

Makes 2 loaves of bread or 48 rolls.  

Oven Temp:  350°

2 cups warm water

1-2 cups dry milk (optional)

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 ½ teaspoon salt

up to 4 eggs

2 tablespoons yeast

1 cup wheat germ

6-7 cups flour

Mix all ingredients, except for 3 cups flour until batter is smooth.  Add remaining flour and knead with dough hook for about 8 minutes by hand.  If you are using a Kitchen Aid mixer, knead 4-7 minutes (more for smaller capacity mixers, less for 5-6 quart mixers)   Use the larger amount of flour if you use four eggs. 

Let rise about one hour.  Shape into loaves or rolls. This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread or 48 rolls.  Let rise about 1 hour ( a little less for rolls.)  Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes for bread; 30 minutes for rolls.

Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from LLL’s “Whole Foods for Whole Families”

Makes 48 cinnamon rolls.

Oven Temp: 350°

2 cups warm water

1-2 cups dry milk (optional)

1/2 cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 ½ teaspoon salt

up to 4 eggs

2 tablespoons yeast

6-7 cups flour

Topping for one 13x9 pan

4 tablespoons melted butter

about ½-3/4  cup brown sugar

about ¼ cup light Karo syrup.

Place brown sugar evenly in 13x9 pan.  Drizzle with melted butter and Karo Syrup.

Mix all ingredients, except for 3 cups flour until batter is smooth.  Add remaining flour and knead with dough hook for about 7 minutes.  Use the larger amount of flour if you use four eggs.  This is a soft dough.

Let rise about one hour.  Divide dough into fourths.  Roll each portion of dough into a rectangle.  Spread  about 2 additional tablespoons of melted  butter over dough.  Sprinkle with sugar (I use a handful or two. Sprinkle  with cinnamon.  Add raisins if desired. Roll from long side.  Slice rolled dough into twelve 1 inch sections.  Place in prepared pans.  Let rise about 20 minutes.  Bake at 350° forabout 30 minutes. Immediately turn rolls out onto a foil or parchment lined tray (or be prepared for lots of scrubbing.

These freeze well.  Thaw overnight before serving.  Reheat individual servings in microwave 10 seconds per roll or a whole pan in the oven till soft and warm.

Italian Bread

Makes 2 large loaves

Oven Temp: 400°

2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

6 cups bread flour

Mix all ingredients except 2 cups flour. Beat with flat beater until smooth.  Add remaining 2 cups of flour and knead with dough hook for about 8 minutes.  Let rise one hour.  (this amoint of time can be increased or decreased by ½ hour as your schedule dictates.)  Shape into two long loaves. Let rise 30-60 minutes.  Bake at 400°  for 25-30 minutes. 

This dough can be rolled out and used for pepperoni bread.  Roll out in long rectangle.  Cover with ¼ lb. thinly sliced pepperoni.  Sprinkle with 8 ounces of Italian blend cheese.  (We like 6 cheese blend.)  Roll rectangle from long edge.  Pinch seam to seal tightly.  Place on parchment paper lined baking tray,seam side down.  Make 5 or 6 slits in the top to allow steam to escape.Lt rise about 20 minutes.  Bake at 400°  for 25-30 minutes.  Cool on wire rack. If side splits open, place loaf on the other edge to allow cheese and pepperoni to slide back in.

Herb Bread

Makes 4 one pound loaves

Oven TempL 350°

1 c. warm milk or water

1 egg

2-4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

¼  tsp dried oregano

¼ 1 teaspoon dried dill

¼ teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 – ½ cup freshly chopped onion

3 ½ cups bread flour

1 tablespoon yeast ( a package is not a tablespoon.)

Mix all ingredients, knead till dough is elastic and smooth.  Rise till doubled.  Punch down and shape into small loaves.  Rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so.

I never make this the same way twice, so don’t be afraid of messing up the herbs.  It always tastes good no matter what I seem to put in.  Measurements for herbs can be adjusted to personal taste. 1/4 c. Pamesan cheese is also a nice addition.

Creamy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole.

I like to cook, but I am not a purist and have been known to stock a variety of cream of something soups and the like in my cupboards.  Sometimes you just need the convenience that these types of things afford.  Sometimes on a Friday night, after a long week, you just need to be able to throw something together without a lot of fuss.

  The following recipe is a take-off of a recipe on a Stove-Top Stuffing box.

• 1 box of Stove-top stuffing prepared as directed (but I never really put the margarine and no one cares!)
•  4-6 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (could be cream of anything)
• 1/3 cup onion dip (because I had that, and not the sour cream called for.)
• 1/2 teaspoon chervil
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/3 teaspoon celery seed.

Mix all the soup, dip, and herbs.  Place chicken in a baking dish. Top with soup mix.  Then top with stuffing.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through and stuffing is nicely browned.

Some Cookie Recipes

My grandmother was an amazing cookie baker.  She baked and sold cookies during the holidays and it was always a treat to get a box of her assorted varieties.  Here are a couple of favorite recipes that others have asked for recently.

Grandmom called these cookies "Crescents" when she rolled them in a crescent shape and then coated them with powedered sugar.  Others call the Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes or "Those Little White Ones".  Whatever you call them, they are delicious!

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 cup butter
 2 teaspoons vanilla
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 2 cups finely chopped or ground pecans (walnuts can also be used)
 1/3 cup granulated sugar
 2 cups all purpose flour
 1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and water until light.
Blend in flour, salt and nuts.  Using the lowest speed of the mixer,  blend until well mixed.
Using about 1 teaspoon dough, shape into a ball (or use a cookie scoop.)
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  These can be spaced closely, as they do not spread much.  (I fit 70 on a half sheet pan.)  Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  When cool, roll in confectioner's sugar.

Pressed Butter Cookies 

Gertrude Young

2 C Butter 

4 eggs

2 ¼ C sugar 

½ tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract 

5 1/3 C flour

Cream butter and sugar until very light. 

Add extract. 

Add eggs, 2 at a time. 

Continue beating until thoroughly creamed. 

Reduce Mixer speed to lowest speed & add flour and salt. 

Do not over mix. 

Put through press in a variety of appropriate shapes. 

Bake in preheated 400° oven for 9 minutes. T

he cookies should be lightly browned on bottom and around edges. Yield: about 3 lbs cookies.

Some hints for pressed cookies

1. Do not chill dough unless recipe calls for it (few do).

2. Decorate before baking with candied fruit, cherries, nuts or colored sugars.

OR

3. Decorate after baking with thin icing [confectioners sugar and water] & assorted toppings or chopped nuts.

4 Use butter instead of margarine because butter improves in flavor in storage.

5. Flavoring can be changed to suit (ie: Vanilla, lemon, etc.).

6. Food coloring can be added as desired. I add mine during creaming if I’m just making one color.

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp is a recipe that has been around for ages. My recipe comes from my classic Betty Crocker Cook Book, circa 1979, the source of many great time-tested recipes.

For a 9x13 pan

Fill pan 2/3 full with 6-8 cups peeled and sliced tart apples. My favorite apples are Staymans for baking.

Mix the following ingredients until crumbly

• 1 cup - 1 1/3 cups brown sugar (depending on tartness of the apples)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 2/3 cup butter (10 tablespoons)

Spread on top of sliced apples and bake at 375 degrees for 45 -60 minutes until apples are tender when pierced with a cake tester. and top is a toasty brown.

Peach Salsa

This recipe for peach salsa comes from Great Salsa Recipes. It was amazing.






-2 cups ripe peaches, chopped
-1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
-3 Tablespoons lime juice
-1 clove minced garlic
-1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
(or 1/2 tablespoon dried cilantro)
-2-3 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers
-1/2 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and chill at least two hours before serving.

For a marinade, I pureed this mixture (minus the jalapenos) and marinated pork chops in it for grilling. I am sure it would be just as nice with chicken.

Lasagna Casserole

This recipe is from a "Quick Cooking" cookbook and may be a lot like something you already fix, but we liked the flavors. It feeds 8-10 people easily and is great for sharing with a friend in need if you are feeding fewer people.

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 - lb ground beef
• 1 tsp. crushed garlic
• 26-32 oz. spaghetti sauce (to taste)
• 1 lb. medium shell pasta (We also like Piccolini miniature bowtie pasta in this)
• 15 oz. container cottage cheese
• 3 cups Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano*
• 1/2 teaspoon basil*

(*or 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning)

Brown chopped onion with 1 lb of ground beef and garlic to taste. Add 26-32 ounces of spaghetti sauce (depending n how much sauce you like.)

Boil medium shell pasta till just tender (I've also used campanelle curly pasta; it is fun). Drain. To pasta add 15 ounce container cottage cheese and 2 cups grated Italian blend cheese (or mozzarella), 1/3 cup parmesan and 2 tablespoons parsley flakes. Mix well. Stir in sauce. Pour into greased 9x13 pan (which will be very full) or two smaller casserole dishes. Cover and bake about 45-50 minutes till hot and bubbly. Add remaining grated Italian blend cheese to the top and heat till melted.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This is a lovely, rich pound cake with the taste of brown sugar melded with butter- what could be better? It's a great cake to take to events, or to make for a bake sale since one recipe can make two loaf pans or one bundt pan.

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 lb. brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan or two 8" loaf pans.

Cream butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat just until all ingredients are blended.

Put batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour, to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test for doneness. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes before turning out to cool.

This cake is so rich it needs no frosting!

Lucy's Pancakes

1 ¼ cup flour

1 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Blend dry ingredients. Beat in wet ingredients until batter is smooth. Use about ¼ cup batter for pancakes (size can be adjusted to preference. Pour batter hot griddle, over medium heat. I use a cookie scoop to measure the batter out. It helps keep the size even. Cook on the first side till bubbles appear and begin to pop on the uncooked surface. Flip pancake and cook till second side is nicely browned.

I almost always double this batch to feed the family and a have a few leftover for snacking.

It is easy to prep this ahead. I mix the dry ingredients in a zip top bag and with a permanent marker write the liquid ingredients on the bag. I do a bunch of these and keep it on hand for quick pancakes.

If you want to add things to your pancakes, we have found that stirring chocolate chips ( or blueberries or whatever) into the batter helps to distribute the ingredient more evenly and keeps it from burning on the griddle.