Our neighbors borrowed butter from us last Sunday and later we found out why. They wanted to make chocolate chip cookies. When we got the call it was for margarine. The funny thing is I asked the Mother the next day if the butter worked out okay in their recipe. She said they only buy and only use butter, but her health conscious daughter wondered if they were perhaps the only family who prefers butter, when the first neighbor they asked only had margarine. She decided she'd ask us for margarine, which they would have used, if they didn't find butter. My husband told their daughter we only had butter:) Butter does make better chocolate chip cookies!
They were soooo delicious. When I called today for the recipe, she said, "We have all the ingredients if you need to borrow any!" Maybe I should borrow some butter:) It turns out this is the Dad's recipe he's tweaked over the years. He said he always triples this recipe. I'm glad he did, because it means we got to taste them too. And now you can too, since he's given me permission to post them here. Now go borrow some butter or whatever you don't have enough of. Looks like I need more chocolate chips this time :) Enjoy!
Geoff's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mix the wet ingredients together first.
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
The secret comes in creaming the butter and sugar a very long time in your mixer, so let it blend for 5-7 minutes until it's almost frothy. A former neighbor, who is also a great chocolate chip and other cookie maker says, his secret is to cream cold butter with the sugar.
Now add 2 eggs and
1 t vanilla.
Blend again for almost just as long, until it looks more like a nougat texture.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c flour
Mix flour mixture in with butter mixture with your hands. Feel the texture to determine if you need to add more flour. If you add more flour, add a pinch more baking soda too. You do NOT want it to be too creamy. If you wish, you can add oatmeal flour. When you blend oatmeal in the blender it makes oat flour. If you add that instead of extra flour, it makes it so the dough just barely stays together. This is a good alternate taste too.
Lastly add a 12 oz. package of chocolate chips.
His favorite chips are Ghiradelli, but any chips will do of course. He also likes to use more chips than is normally called for. He also alternates milk and semi-sweet in the same batch. I prefer this flavor of half and half as well.
If you want double chocolate chip cookies, here are a few alternatives:
Grate a big chocolate bar in to the dough. It makes it look brown and give a chocolate taste all the way through the cookie. Or sprinkle in 2 T of cocoa powder into the mix.
Make good sized cookies and bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes.
My favorite way to eat my chocolate chip cookies is hot with a mug of cold milk. I use a mug since it's half the height of a glass and I can dip a piping hot chocolate chip cookie straight into the ice cold milk and then eat it. Perfect combination.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Serve Unto Others, As They Would Serve Unto You
We had tacos the other night and I took the leftovers to my folks the next day. I was going to serve them to my Mother for lunch. I then remembered that she likes the meat plain, the way she used to make them for us. So, I fried up fresh hamburger with no seasoning for her.
So here is how she made and how I made for her . . .
Simple Homemade Tacos
Just fry the hamburger with no seasoning. Drain off fat.
The seasoning we used growing up was ketchup mixed with tabasco which we used instead of salsa, because we couldn't buy salsa.
Corn tortillas -- We used to fry them in vegetable oil growing up. We'd put paper towels between each one to get the oil off. Nowadays we just fry them in Pam or heat them in the microwave.
Serve simply with chopped lettuce, chopped onions, diced tomatoes and grated cheese.
So do unto others as they would like to be done unto and serve the foods they like, especially when they served you for years and can no longer do it for you or themselves.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Fun In The Sun Cake Contest
This year's Cake Contest theme for the annual Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet was "Fun in the Sun". On the upper left, is the sand Dad concocted for the "Building a Sandcastle" cake. We used the mold from the Hogwart's Castle bundt cake and recipe posted earlier. The sand is made of: plain sugar, brown sugar, raw cane sugar, graham crackers and oreos blended together. The sand looked so real that one parent couldn't bring herself to actually eat it because it seemed too real and others didn't dare eat it because it felt real to the touch. The other themed cake we made was "The Cub Scout Team". We used the Krazy Cake recipe posted earlier and used buttercream frosting. We used M&Ms for the "C". We found the idea on www.familyfun.com and altered it slightly. The baseball has some of the sand on it to make it look played with.
Whew! That's over and tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Good thing the kids already made their Valentine's for FHE activity.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
3 Reasons to Serve Cherry Chocolate Trifle in February
Whether you want to serve a red and chocolate dessert for Valentine's Day or something cherry to honor honest George Washington's legend of chopping down the Cherry tree, try this delicious Cherry Chocolate Trifle.
February is also time for the annual LDS Stake Relief Society Women's Conferences. This recipe, served in the 90s at the Menlo Park, California Stake Relief Society Women's Conference, was a hit.
Cherry Chocolate Trifle
Ingredients:
In large glass bowl layer:
1/2 baked Devil's food cake, cut in 1 inch cubes
1/2 chocolate instant pudding (2 small packages made with 3 c milk)
1/2 large carton cool whip
1/2 can comstock cherry pie mix
Repeat layers
Directions:
Chill a few hours before serving.
This year we get to listen to Sheri Dew at our RS Women's Conference! I wonder what they'll serve at ours and what they will serve at yours.
February is also time for the annual LDS Stake Relief Society Women's Conferences. This recipe, served in the 90s at the Menlo Park, California Stake Relief Society Women's Conference, was a hit.
Cherry Chocolate Trifle
Ingredients:
In large glass bowl layer:
1/2 baked Devil's food cake, cut in 1 inch cubes
1/2 chocolate instant pudding (2 small packages made with 3 c milk)
1/2 large carton cool whip
1/2 can comstock cherry pie mix
Repeat layers
Directions:
Chill a few hours before serving.
This year we get to listen to Sheri Dew at our RS Women's Conference! I wonder what they'll serve at ours and what they will serve at yours.
Come for the food, Stay for the Pie!
What's your favorite type of pie?
My husband's Mom is, and both Grandmothers were, great pie makers. (See pie crust recipe below.)
My husband's Mom is, and both Grandmothers were, great pie makers. (See pie crust recipe below.)
"We've all heard the phrase 'as American as apple pie.' The truth is pies originated in ancient Greece, became popular in Rome and were brought to America by the pilgrims." That's what it says on the "Baker's Square" website anyway. I went there looking for their 90s slogan that went something like "Come for the food, stay for the pie". I couldn't find it, so if you remember it, please let me know what it was.
I'm going to make My Sister-in-law's Maternal Grandmother's Pineapple Cream Pie. On our trip to a family wedding this weekend, my sister-in-law's Mother shared with me the recipe for her Mother's homemade Pineapple Cream pie, which we really like. Now, if I remember her comments correctly, her family recipe consists of *cooked vanilla pudding made with park milk and part pineapple juice and crushed pineapple. She said she used cooked pudding and her Mother used to make the vanilla pudding from scratch. I'm going to try that. I had to find a recipe on the internet though. I found this one I'll try, since it has butter in it:
Homemade Vanilla Pudding from www.allrecipes.com:
Ingredients
2 cups milk
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving. So, I'll make it and pour it into an already bake pie crust. (See pie crust recipe below).
One reader who tried the pudding recipe wrote:
"The consistency of this pudding was the best thing about it. Perfect thickness for pie or pudding. I got lumps the first time I made it, so the 2nd time, instead of heating the milk first, I put the dry ingredients in the pan & added the milk gradually while stirring, then cooked it, stirring constantly. This prevented lumps. Also it was too sweet for my taste so I cut the sugar to 1/3 cup. I liked it better with less sugar, which was surprising because I am a huge sugaraholic."
Now what crust to use? Some recipes I found use a graham cracker crust and others use regular baked pie crust to pour their cream pie filling into. Well, my husband's Mom makes up a bulk pie crust recipe mix which is quite flaky and good. I'll fill one of each.
My Mother-in-law's Pie Crust Mix
Description:
Bulk recipe for pie makers like my Mother-in-law. Good to have on hand for the holidays or family gatherings. Remember, true pie lovers only cut a pie once, so you'll need several pies:)
Ingredients:
5 lb. bag Gold Medal white flour plus 1 cup
3 lb Crisco (don't substitute)
3 T sugar (optional)
3 T salt
Directions:
Mix well. Store in a plastic container or Crisco can. Keeps well in a cool place or refrigerator. Use 1 1/2 c of mixture plus 2-3 T cold water for each crust. Mix with a fork.
My husband's favorite pie of his Mother's is boysenberry. Here is her recipe:
Boysenberry Filling:
4 c berries -- Albertson's carries frozen Marion Blackberries.
4 T tapioca
1 T lemon juice
1 c sugar
Her favorite is apricot, so you use apricots instead of boysenberries.
Mix and pour into an unbaked pie crust. Put a top layer crust on. You can double it and pour the filling into a 9x13 pyrex and roll out a crust on the top for her version of Cobbler. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes; then reduce to 350 degrees for 20 or so minutes until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
I'm going to make My Sister-in-law's Maternal Grandmother's Pineapple Cream Pie. On our trip to a family wedding this weekend, my sister-in-law's Mother shared with me the recipe for her Mother's homemade Pineapple Cream pie, which we really like. Now, if I remember her comments correctly, her family recipe consists of *cooked vanilla pudding made with park milk and part pineapple juice and crushed pineapple. She said she used cooked pudding and her Mother used to make the vanilla pudding from scratch. I'm going to try that. I had to find a recipe on the internet though. I found this one I'll try, since it has butter in it:
Homemade Vanilla Pudding from www.allrecipes.com:
Ingredients
2 cups milk
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving. So, I'll make it and pour it into an already bake pie crust. (See pie crust recipe below).
One reader who tried the pudding recipe wrote:
"The consistency of this pudding was the best thing about it. Perfect thickness for pie or pudding. I got lumps the first time I made it, so the 2nd time, instead of heating the milk first, I put the dry ingredients in the pan & added the milk gradually while stirring, then cooked it, stirring constantly. This prevented lumps. Also it was too sweet for my taste so I cut the sugar to 1/3 cup. I liked it better with less sugar, which was surprising because I am a huge sugaraholic."
I found some Pineapple Cream Pie recipes with sour cream, others with egg yolks, and even ice cream, but this seems simpler.
Now what crust to use? Some recipes I found use a graham cracker crust and others use regular baked pie crust to pour their cream pie filling into. Well, my husband's Mom makes up a bulk pie crust recipe mix which is quite flaky and good. I'll fill one of each.
My Mother-in-law's Pie Crust Mix
Description:
Bulk recipe for pie makers like my Mother-in-law. Good to have on hand for the holidays or family gatherings. Remember, true pie lovers only cut a pie once, so you'll need several pies:)
Ingredients:
5 lb. bag Gold Medal white flour plus 1 cup
3 lb Crisco (don't substitute)
3 T sugar (optional)
3 T salt
Directions:
Mix well. Store in a plastic container or Crisco can. Keeps well in a cool place or refrigerator. Use 1 1/2 c of mixture plus 2-3 T cold water for each crust. Mix with a fork.
My husband's favorite pie of his Mother's is boysenberry. Here is her recipe:
Boysenberry Filling:
4 c berries -- Albertson's carries frozen Marion Blackberries.
4 T tapioca
1 T lemon juice
1 c sugar
Her favorite is apricot, so you use apricots instead of boysenberries.
Mix and pour into an unbaked pie crust. Put a top layer crust on. You can double it and pour the filling into a 9x13 pyrex and roll out a crust on the top for her version of Cobbler. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes; then reduce to 350 degrees for 20 or so minutes until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Homemade Pineapple Cream Pie
For Recipe Exchange this month we are making desserts to share. On a trip to a family wedding this weekend, my sister-in-law's Mother shared with me the recipe for her Mother's homemade Pineapple Cream pie, which we really like. She said her Mother even made the vanilla pudding from scratch. I had to find a recipe on the internet for that. I found this one:
If I remember it correctly the Pineapple Pie recipe is:
cooked vanilla pudding
make it with part milk and part pineapple juice
drained crushed pineapple juice
Categories: Desserts Title: My Mother-in-law's Pie Crust Mix
Description:
Bulk recipe for pie makers like Mom Adams. Good to have on hand for the holidays or family gatherings. Remember, an Adams only cuts a pie once!
Ingredients:
5 lb. bag Gold Medal white flour
3 lb Crisco -- only use 2/3 of the can (don't substitute)
3 T sugar
3 T salt
Boysenberry Filling:
4 c berries Albertson's carries frozen Marion Blackberries
4 T tapioca
1 T lemon juice
1 c sugar
Can use apricots instead for Apricot pie filling.
Directions:
Mix well. Store in a plastic container or Crisco can. Keeps well in a cool place or refrigerator. Use 1 c of mixture plus 2 T water for each crust. Mix with a fork.
Boysenberry Filling: Mix and put in unbaked shell & put on top crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes; then reduce to 350 degrees for 20 or so minutes until golden brown.
If I remember it correctly the Pineapple Pie recipe is:
cooked vanilla pudding
make it with part milk and part pineapple juice
drained crushed pineapple juice
Categories: Desserts Title: My Mother-in-law's Pie Crust Mix
Description:
Bulk recipe for pie makers like Mom Adams. Good to have on hand for the holidays or family gatherings. Remember, an Adams only cuts a pie once!
Ingredients:
5 lb. bag Gold Medal white flour
3 lb Crisco -- only use 2/3 of the can (don't substitute)
3 T sugar
3 T salt
Boysenberry Filling:
4 c berries Albertson's carries frozen Marion Blackberries
4 T tapioca
1 T lemon juice
1 c sugar
Can use apricots instead for Apricot pie filling.
Directions:
Mix well. Store in a plastic container or Crisco can. Keeps well in a cool place or refrigerator. Use 1 c of mixture plus 2 T water for each crust. Mix with a fork.
Boysenberry Filling: Mix and put in unbaked shell & put on top crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes; then reduce to 350 degrees for 20 or so minutes until golden brown.
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