Thumbprint Cookies

I remember often having these at Christmas growing up, but seldom make them now. But since I have 4 jars of mint jelly on my shelf, I decided this year I would add them to the list. I think they’re even better than I remember…

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg, separated

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts

Jelly

Cream together sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla and egg yolk. Stir in flour and salt.

Shape dough into 1” balls. Beat egg white slightly. Dip balls in egg white and then roll in nuts. Press thumb into center of each cookie.

Bake on ungreased baking sheets at 350 for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove immediately and let cool. Fill “hole” with jelly.

Pumpkin Dessert

I love this recipe for a quick and easy pumpkin dessert. I’ve already made it twice this week! It works great now that I have my own “pumpkin” in the freezer.

1 yellow cake mix

1/3 cup melted butter

1 egg

Reserve 1 cup of dry cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix with butter and egg. Mix well and spread into bottom of greased 9x13 pan.

3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup milk

Mix well with wire whisk and pour over cake mix mixture in pan.

1 cup cake mix

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup chopped nuts

Mix cake mix and brown sugar in bowl. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Kentucky Christmas Cake

This is also known as Jam Cake. I found the recipe in my search to try to find things to do with all the jam that I made last year and that is still in my freezer. I don’t know what I was thinking, we hardly eat jam???

I have to admit that the recipe intrigued me: coconut, bourbon-soaked pecans, raisins and blackberry jam. When I saw the lavender-colored batter, I was even more intrigued. It should have dawned on me that it would be purple from the jam but would I want to eat a cake that was purple? But it wasn’t purple at all after baking. I was kinda disappointed. :o(

Well, it turned out much better than I thought and is really yummy warm. I will be making this one this Christmas for sure! But be sure if you make it, to either eat it after cooling a bit out of the oven or after warming it a bit in the microwave…

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup blackberry preserves
• 1 cup chopped pecans (you can soak them in bourbon for a few days prior to baking cake)
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Lightly grease one 10 inch tube pan and set aside.

1. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs separately, beating well after each.
2. Sift together soda and flour; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Mix well.
3. Add jam, pecans, coconut and raisins. Mix well and pour into prepared pan.

1. Bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Playdough

This is truly the best homemade playdough recipe I have ever found. It’s totally safe and non-toxic but doesn’t smell like something you should eat, tempting kids to pop it in their mouth and then spit it right back out all over their shirt. It doesn’t use so much salt that it sucks all the moisture out of your hands when playing with it. But the best part is that it is almost impossible to dry out. Even left open for days, it can be smushed up a bit and as good as new! And the hours of quiet entertainment is well worth the time it takes to clean up the mess… :o)

1/2 cup salt

1 cup flour

2 Tbsp oil

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup water

food coloring

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches playdough consistency. Remove and let cool.

Have fun!

Pumpkin Bars

As I have said before, I love Fall because of all the yummy baking I get to do. Yesterday I had some Hubbard squash that had to be used and my friend Melody sent me a recipe for pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. They were so yummy that I had to share the recipe. Thanks Melody!!!

4 eggs
1cup oil
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 (16oz) can pumpkin
2cups flour
2 tea. baking powder
2 tea. cinnamon
1 tea. salt
1 tea baking soda
FROSTING:
1 (3oz) softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tea. vanilla
Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light & fluffy. Then add the rest of the ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread batter in greased 15x10x1 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
FOR FROSTING: Cream together cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add powdered sugar a bit at a time, beating until smooth.

Raspberry Oat Bars

Last summer I made LOTS of jam with all the berries were had. It seemed like a good idea until I realized, we really don’t eat much jam… So now I have almost an entire shelf in the freezer of jam from last summer. Needless to say, I didn’t make any jam this year. :o)

In an attempt to clear more freezer space, I am on the search for good desserts that use jam. This recipe was the first I’ve tried and it was a hit! They are really easy and really yummy!

1 yellow cake mix

2 1/2 cups quick oats

3/4 cup margarine, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 splash milk

1 1/2 to 2 cups raspberry jam

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 pan.

Mix together cake mix, oats, margarine, milk and vanilla so that it makes nice crumbs and there is no dry mix left. Press a little over half in the bottom of the pan. (Reserve some for the topping)

In another bowl, mix jam and lemon juice. Spread over the crust. Sprinkle top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is lightly brown. Do not overbake! Cool before cutting into bars.

3 Meal Roast - #3 Taco Salad

If you happen to have any of your chili left over, just pop it back in the fridge and heat it up the next day for taco salads.

Put Fritos or broken up tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl.

Spoon some chili on top of the chips.

Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Now top with your favorite toppings:

lettuce

salsa

tomato

onion

olives

sour cream

(I was so enjoying my taco salad and my company for lunch that I forgot to take a picture, but picture will be posted soon)