Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2015/02/paper-piecings-that-begin-with-c.html 1 box gluten free cake mix, yellow or golden 1/2 cup of chopped pecans 1/2 cup of soft butter 2 packages of cream cheese 1 cup sugar 1 cup of plain pumpkin 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice 2 tbsp whipping cream 2 eggs Heat oven to 350 F.  In a medium bowl stir together cake mix and pecans.  With pastry blender or fork cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Reserve 1 cup for the top.  Put remaining mix in 9x13" pan, press down and bake 10 minutes. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add in remaining ingredients.  Beat until well blended.  Pour over warm crust in pan and sprinkle with remaining cake mix. Bake 35 minutes or until centre is set.  Cool 30 minutes and refrigerate 2 hours before cutting into bars. Note:  Received from Caroline W. at a pumpkin recipe swap.  Delicious!!

Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate-Chocolate Bar Cookies These are some of the best chocolate cookies I’ve ever made. When you’re really craving chocolate and nothing else will do, make these. The cookies are deep, dark, indulgent, and cream cheese helps them stay extra soft and moist. Use old-fashioned brick-style cream cheese. You can use lite brick-style, but not fat-free. Corrnstarch gives them softbatch-style softness and they stay that way for days, but don’t overbake them. The cookies are decadent, dense, and wonderfully thick. INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 ounces (1/4 cup) brick-style cream cheese 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 tablespoon brewed coffee (leftover from the morning brew okay) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup hot chocolate 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional) 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3 tbsp cocoa powder 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon...

1 cup soft butter 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar 1/4 tsp salt 3 tbsp finely chopped ginger 2 cups of flour Mix by hand.  Put in ungreased 8" square pan.  Bake at 300F for 60 minutes. My mom made these cookies for a recipe swap last year and I really enjoyed them.  That is saying a lot because I'm not really fond of ginger.

Ingredients Box cake mix 2 cups cool whip 1 egg Icing sugar Directions Mix together cake mix, cool whip and egg using electric mixer till smooth. Take your time because it does become quite thick and sticky. Suggestion is to let the cool whip melt a bit before adding. Cover bowl with plastic wrap for 2 hours or over night in freezer. Preheat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in icing sugar Place on cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12mins. Be watchful, you don't want them to brown. Any cake mix can be used for making the cookies. Just do remember, take your time or you'll get splattered like Mum.

This month's recipe swap was to use ginger. Since I have to work during that time of deliciousness, I baked these up ahead of time. Ingredients 1 cup of white sugar 1 egg 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup shortening 2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground clove 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon Directions Preheat oven 350F. Cream together sugar, egg, salt and shortening. Add flour, baking powder and spices. Mix together. Roll mixture into balls and then roll in white sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9 1/2mins. (Originally recipe calls for 5-6 but they came out too soft) Remove and then press with fork before placing on cooling rack. Makes between 2-3 dozen.

With boredom, often comes baking. At least for me. One of my friends from school suggested making a pie for her. Pies don't travel well to the states but cookies do. Thinking back to one of the improv nights, I looked into it and managed to find this recipe. It is easy enough and I lucked out and already had everything at home. Ingredients. 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 1/4 cups diced fresh apples (2 medium) 3/4 cup chopped walnuts Directions Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and maple syrup. With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend in the flour mixture. Once all flour has been...

Sooooo delicious. Not too soft and not too crunchy. Just right. Makes 30 1 cup butter, softened scant 3/4 cup superfine sugar (or substitute with regular sugar) finely grated rind of 1 lime 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten 2tsp orange liqueur or 1tsp orange extract 2 1/2 cups all purpose- flour pinch of salt To Decorate 1 1/4 cups icing sugar 3Tbsp white or gold tequila 3/4tsp water Mixing Time Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (If no paper, lightly grease the pan with butter.) Put the butter, superfine sugar and the lime rind into a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon, then beat in the egg yolk and orange liqueur or orange extract. Sift together the flour and a pinch of salt into the mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Scoop up tablespoons of the dough and put them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced well apart, then flatten gently. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12mins until light golden brown. Let cool on the baki...

1/2 cup butter 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking powder Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs and 1 tsp vanilla.  Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt and baking powder.  Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  Do not overcook. To make frosting: 3 tbsp butter, softened 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup confectioners' sugar Combine 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup confectioners' sugar.  Frost brownies while they are still warm. This recipe is from allrecipes.com

I am still finding recipes from my Christmas cookie swap 2 years ago. In a large bowl, mix: 1/4 cup softened margarine 1 egg 1/3 cup Splenda for baking * 1/3 cup brown sugar Blend well and then add: 3/4 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla Mix just until flour is mixed in.  Roll dough into small balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Press a chocolate rosette or Hershey's kiss or mint smoothie into centre (not all the way to the bottom) about 1/2 way.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight (covered if overnight).  Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen small cookies. Enjoy. * may substitute 8 packets Equal sweetener.

Ingredients 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Candy Cane Mint Candies 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine , softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg ...

1 pkg. (350 g) Chips Ahoy! Cookie s, finely crushed, divided 1 pkg. (250 g) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese , softened 2 pkg. (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate REMOVE 1 Tbsp. cookie crumbs. Mix cream cheese and remaining crumbs until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Refrigerate 30 min. MELT chocolate squares as directed on package. Dip balls in chocolate; place in single layer on parchment- or waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. ...

Leftover uses! I am using up some pb/marshmallow/chocolate squares I make every year, but this works just as well with Reese PB cups. Cookie dough: (Blue Ribbon Chocolate Vhip Cookies ~ Mrs fields Cookie Book ~ pg 10) In a large bowl with an electric mixer blend 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 1/2 cup white sugar with 1 cup room temperature margarine/butter at medium speed. Add 2 eggs and 2tsp vanilla JUST until blended. Do not overmix. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda 1nd 1/4 tsp salt on low speed. In microwave in a bowl warm up your pb/chocolate (depending on you microwave) for 35 seconds. Not to melting, just until soft. ***You can include some stale mini marshmallows at this time too! Just add to the chocolate when you start. They added a lovely texture. Quickly dump into cookie dough, and mix at low. I needed to use a wooden spoon as mine got pretty thick (I used a lot of chocolate and marshmallow!). Using a cookie scoop, place 15 balls onto a non stick cookie sheet. Mine did n...

Ingredients * 2 large egg whites, at room temperature * * 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar * 2/3 cup white sugar * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped semisweet chocolate ** * 1 cup finely chopped walnuts *** * I used egg whites sold in the carton ** I prefer milk chocolate chips because semi sweet make them too sweet *** I usually leave all the nuts out but you can add them Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not at all dry. (Be careful not to over beat.) Add the sugar gradually, about 3 tablespoons at a time. When 1/2 of the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding remaining sugar in batches, until all of the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is very shiny and tight. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Working one...

Ingredients: 1/2 cup powdered orange flavored drink mix (like Tang) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups vanilla baking chips 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Step 2: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer cream 1 sticks (1/2 cup) of softened salted butter or margarine with 1 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat well. Step 3: Gradually add cookie mix, stirring until ingredients are well mixed. Step 4: Roll dough into tablespoon size balls. Place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Step 5: Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on cookie sheet. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling surface. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.  These were awesome!  Especially if you like the combination of orange and vanilla, this will be a winner for you.  Sweet, but oh-so-good!!

I was invited to a cookie swap at Annie's last week. Am I ever glad I went. I received some really delicious cookies. But what to make? I had to get out one of my old cookbooks and come up with a sure-fire cookie recipe. What better way to remember which recipes are best than to look for the pages with the most spills on them . . . LOL . . . And that's how I chose this recipe . . . Cereal Jumbles 1/3 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 well-beaten egg 1-1/2 tbsp milk 1 cup sifted enriched flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup finely cut dates 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flakes** ** I went to 3 different stores and could not find any wheat flake cereal. I ended up using Presidents Choice On Track cereal. It was a good decision. And I've been really enjoying eating the leftover cereal. ** Cream shortening; add sugar gradually, and blend. Add egg and milk. Sift together flour, baking powde...

These squares turned out wonderfully. I made them for a cookie exchange with the ladies. YUMMY! 4 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening 2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) chopped nuts Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 15 x 10-inch pan. Combine the oats, sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt and mix well. Press the mixture into the pan, using your lightly greased hands to help the process along. Bake the squares for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. In a medium saucepan set over very low heat, melt the chocolate and shortening together, stirring constantly until smooth. Spread the mixture evenly over the oat base and sprinkle on the chopped nuts. Cover very loosely and chill the sq...

Well, I have finally had the time to try and few new recipes. I did not have the time to really sit and study the book so I just opened it up and found a recipe I like on the page. My recipes are Saucy Cauliflower, David's Favourite Casserole and Sesame Sun Refrigerator Cookies. The book I am using this month is Whole Foods for the Whole Family from La Leche League International. Here we go: Saucy Cauliflower 1 whole head cauliflower, steamed 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup white sauce (2 T butter, 2 T flour, 1 cup milk) 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1 T. melted butter. Place cauliflower in greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Stir cheese into white sauce; poor over cauliflower. Toss bread crumbs with butter; sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes six servings. David's (don't ask who is he is, it is the just the name in the book) Favourite Casserole 1 lb. ground beef 1 onion, chopped 2 cups tomatoe sauce 1/2 tsp. salt dash of pepper 8 oz noodles cooked ...