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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Norwegian Christmas Cookies

We just love our exchange student daughter from Norway!   Last night she and the other Scandavian girls in our town shared their Christmas traditions with their host families at a Christmas party.  I made these "thumb print" cookies.  She'd never seen or heard of them before, but I know they make thumbprint cookies in Finland.  They were tasty, but who can go wrong with butter and sugar?

Norwegian Butter Cookies
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Any flavor jam or jelly (raspberry is my favorite, pictured here with strawberry jam)

Norwegian Christmas Cookies with Red Jam in Thumbprint IMG_1444
Cream butter and sugar well.  Add sifted flour and salt.  Mix until dough forms a ball.  Chill overnight.  Shape into 1/2 inch balls.  Press an indentation into each cookie ball with your thumb.  Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes.  Take out of the oven, let cool.  Fill each indentation with jam or jelly.

By the time they finished baking they'd spread and my son asked, "Did a giant make these thumbprints?"

I also made Finnish gingerbread cookies and Finnish Christmas tarts to share.  She and another Norwegian girl made cookies with potato starch flour.

Norwegian Christmas Cookies
1 1/2 cups potato starch flour
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla sugar (I get mine at IKEA.  I imagine you can just use vanilla.)

My husband and I looked at each other and said, "There can't be that much potato starch flour in the recipe, but there is and they are delicious!  They crumble in your mouth and leave it feeling a bit sandy.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Raspberry Pie

ingredients
1 bottom pie crust
4 oz. light cream cheese
1 small pkg. rapberry Jello (four 1/2 cup servings)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar to taste
4 cups clean raspberries (chilled if possible)
1 cup ice
1/2 cup boiling water

directions
Put cream cheese on counter to soften.
Bake pie shell.  I keep my Mother-in-law's bulk pie mix on hand.
Cool on rack.
Set aside 1 Tbsp. of cream cheese. When pie shell is cool,
use rubber spatula to gently and completely cover pie shell
bottom and sides with an even layer of softened cream cheese.
Leave the top 1/2 inch or so of crust plain.  Put pie crust into
fridge to chill.

Filling
Set out one cup of raspberries.
Microwave 1/2 cup of water for 1 minute.  Pour into blender.
With blender on low speed, slowly add Jello/cornstarch/sugar mix
until fully dissolved.  Add tablespoon of cream cheese.
Blend in the cup of raspberries.
Add the cup of ice and increase speed to blend thoroughly
until all ice dissolved and ingredients are completely incorporated.
If desired, continue at high speed until sauce is both thickened and
light in texture like a chiffon.

Option 1:
Fold sauce mixture into the remaining 3+ cups of raspberries and
pour into chilled pie shell.

Option 2:
Pour layer of sauce into shell.  Top with layer of raspberries.  Add
another layer of sauce.  Add raspberries.  Etc. until shell is full.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes and serve.



Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Savory and Sweet Pies for Supper


Tonight I used my mother-in-law's pie crust mix as the crust for both savory quiche and apple pie. So we had pie for dinner and pie for dessert!

This is the quiche base I used.
3 /4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk (or any you have on hand works)
3 large eggs
 2 oz cheese
Pour in pastry/pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until filling is just set. The center will giggle slightly when moved. I baked the apple pie at the same time at the same temperature.

 It is creamy and velvety. Add whatever meat (optional), vegetables, and cheese mixtures you desire. Tonight I simply added  feta cheese and sauteed tomatoes, onions and garlic.

At dinner when I asked "What did you learn today?", as we usually do at dinner time, our youngest said, "I learned I like quiche!"He ate 3 pieces.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

My Mother-in-law's Pie Crust Mix

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 = 21 cups if you don't have a 5 lb. bag on hand
 

3 lb Crisco (don't substitute) I like the butter flavor, but she uses original.
3 T sugar (optional)
3 T salt


Directions: Mix carefully, but well until the mix has pea sized balls. Store in a plastic container or Crisco can.  Keeps well in a cool place or refrigerator.
 
For every 1/2 cup of mix you use, add 1 T cold water.  I end up using 1 1/2 c of mix with 3 T cold water for each regular sized bottom crust.  For 1 cup use 2 Tablespoons of cold water.  

Mix with a fork.  The less you work the dough both in preparing the mix and in rolling it out the flakier it is.  You want enough to go over the edge of your pie pan.  





Fold the pie crust under and pinch about every inch to make a design. Press fork in the bottom and around the sides to vent.






 
Sunday my husband made strawberry pie filling to go in these 3 pie shells I baked for him.   Our youngest had a piece of crust left.  Thinking he must not want it I asked him if I could eat it.   He said, "No! I'm saving it.  It's the best part!  I wanted fewer strawberries!"


My husband's favorite pie is boysenberry.  What's your favorite pie? 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

I came home to my husband and kids having made these yummy cookies today.  Here's the recipe and a photo.  Enjoy!

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.
  3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Snow Ice Cream

Dawn's Snow Ice Cream


Ingredients:8 to 10 packed cups freshly fallen snow (avoid the yellow stuff!)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 or 2 handfuls mini chocolate chips (optional)
OR Peppermint extract mixed with a tiny bit of cocoa powder...yum.
Directions:
If you know in advance that it’s going to snow, place a clean container outside to collect the snow. If the snow is already on the ground, just find a clean area and scoop some up. Place 8 cups of the snow in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and extract, then check the consistency. If it’s too mushy, add some more snow. When you’ve got it just right, stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon into cones or serving bowls and enjoy immediately.
This ice cream won’t freeze well. You’ll end up with a brick. So plan to make it just in time to enjoy!
Makes about 6 to 8 servings.
This recipe shown is a "shortcut" recipe and not a very good one at that. If you've ever had real Snow Cream, you would notice the difference at first bite.
I use my grandmother's recipe, which she got from her mother. My grandmother passed away last year just shy of her 101st birthday. It's the real deal and tried and true!
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 - 2 teaspoons vanilla
3 - 4 cups milk
Sugar to taste (about 2 cups)
A dash of salt
1 large bowl of fresh, clean, powdery snow (not crusty or packed)
Pour milk and beaten egg into a saucepan and heat on low, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. When the mix begins to form tiny bubbles, slowly add the vanilla and then the sugar, all the while stirring the mixture. Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit. Gather fresh snow and divide into individual dishes. Carefully pour the milk mixture over the snow, stirring until you get the consistency you want. Add more snow or milk mixture, if needed. Refrigerate leftover milk mixture.