Cooked Play Dough

Okay - so this isn't actually something you eat.  But it is a recipe that we have used in our family for years.  As a little girl, I loved playing with play dough, but I hated the feeling of traditional salt dough on my hands and my mom rarely bought the commercial stuff.  When I was in 4-H, my leader taught us how to make this version of play dough. It has a great smooth texture and lasts for a long time if stored properly.  We love it!

Cooked Play Dough

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cream of tartar (or 1 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp citric acid powder)
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Food Coloring

Method:
In a medium saucepan, mix all ingredients.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  When the dough becomes harder to stir and gathers on the spoon, dump onto wax paper.  Allow to cool until able to handle and then knead 10 to 15 times until smooth.  Store in an airtight container.  Will keep about 2 weeks (longer if kept in the refrigerator).

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Many people have their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe all locked up, but I have run across a lot, who never seem to have much luck with them.  When I give them this recipe and method, it always becomes their go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  These are delicious, practically foolproof, and they could not be easier.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened) - the real stuff, no margarine or shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use just a little less)
1 egg
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Method:
Cream together, butter, sugars, egg, soda, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occassionally). Add flour and stir until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until just incorporated. Drop by tbsp on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 F for 9 - 11 minutes.

Cream of Chicken Soup Mix

I have started using this Cream of Chicken Soup mix in place of the cans of condensed cream soup for my recipes.  It is much cheaper and less processed than the canned stuff and it works every bit as well.

Cream of Chicken Soup MixAdapted slighly from 1 orange giraffe.

1 cup non-fat dried milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
scant 1/4 cup chicken bouillon (if you have cubes you have to smash them up)
4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper

(For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream soup, mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cup water. Cook until thick)

This batch doesn't make much, so if you like it, you will have to adjust all these amounts to make this stuff in bulk.

I made a little label with the instructions on how to use the mix and then taped it to the front of my container.  When my recipe calls for a can of cream of chicken soup, I can simply whip up a batch of this and add it as always.

Pork Carnitas

I found this recipe in my mom's most recent neighborhood cookbook.  She always purchases a copy for everyone in the family and I am so grateful.  There are always so many good recipes in them.  This recipe has become a favorite in our house.  I told Christy to try it and she has made it for several of my other family members.  We have yet to meet anyone who is not a big fan of these carnitas.

Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:

One 4 pound pork roast
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp onion powder
pepper
1 T. beef boullion
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
2 T. chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 - 1 cup water

Method:

Brown pork roast on all sides (I have also used pork sirloin chops).  Combine all other ingredients in a slow cooker.  Transfer the browned pork to the slow cooker and Cook on high for 4 hours.  Remove, discard fat, and shred.  Add cooking liquid to the shred to your taste.  Serve on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings. 

No Bake Cookies

These are the no-bake cookies that I grew up on, and honestly, no other has ever compared to them in my opinion.  These are chocolatey and chewy without ever getting grainy.  I love them.  To me, they are the perfect no-bake.  My mom got this recipe from one of her old ward cookbooks.  I copied it down years ago, so I couldn't tell you which ward for sure, but I seriously think it came from her student ward in Laramie, Wyoming back before I was ever born.

We have have enjoyed these several times this summer.  It is nice to make a cookie that doesn't require turning on the oven.  Plus, we just keep these puppies right in the refrigerator, so they are always cold and perfect for a hot summer day.

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla (I like to add 2 tsps.)
1 cup coconut
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

Method:
Combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk in saucepan and bring to boil.. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.  Drop by teaspoon (I use my 1 tsp cookie scoop - so easy) on wax paper while still hot.  Cool completely before serving.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Easy Cheese Danish

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 Tbsp. ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest of one lemon

2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined.

Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 minutes.

Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm. (My husband actually likes them best at room temperature with a little powdered sugar glaze.)

Sweet Muffins

A recipe my Grandma Teichert gave me years ago while I was learning to make muffins in 4-H. Still just as tasty today as I remember them back then.

Sweet Muffins

1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp soda dissolved in 1 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsps vanilla
pinch of salt (to your preference)
1/2 cup nuts

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.


And here is the recipe in her handwriting.