Pecan Bars

from Our Best Bites Cookbook

I ran across this cookbook at the library while I was browsing the non-fiction section (cause I'm cool like that).  I've tried a few recipes from Our Best Bites blog and liked them, so I thought I'd see if the cookbook has all the same recipes.  This is the first recipe I tried, and it's not on their blog.  The original recipe called for 6 TB butter, and 6 TB shortening, but I changed it because I didn't want to measure out 6 TB shortening.  (I'm lazy and 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cups shortening sounds much easier to me).  That is the only change I made.  These are good, but really rich.

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cups shortening
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups flour

Filling:
2 TB flour
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 TB butter, melted
3 TB orange juice
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter, shortening, and powdered sugar.  Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix until combined.  Press evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Bake for 13-14 minutes.
3. Mix the filling ingredients together, and spread over the hot crust.  Return pan to oven and bake 20 minutes more.
4. Remove from oven.  While still warm, spread with glaze.  Cool completely and cut into bars.

Waffles

from Joy of Cooking

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In another bowl, mix wet ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk

Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.  Combine.  Cook in hot waffle iron.

Double Recipe:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 eggs
1 cups butter
3 cups milk

Snickerdoodles

from my mom

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 TB sugar
2 TB cinnamon

Heat oven to 400.  Mix butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and eggs.  Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt.  Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls.  Mix 2 TB sugar and cinnamon.  Roll balls in cinnamon sugar.  Place apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.

Sausage Bowties

from my sister-in-law, slightly adapted

1 package bow tie pasta

1 pound sausage

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or half & half)

1 TB basil

1/2 tsp oregano

salt to taste

3 TB minced fresh basil

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta until al dente; drain and set aside.  Brown sausage, onion, red pepper flakes, and garlic until meat is cooked and onion is tender.  Add tomatoes, cream, seasonings, and salt.  Simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.  Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through.  Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Old Style Vanilla Ice Cream

from my mom

4 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 cups milk
4 cups heavy cream
4 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Beat eggs.  Gradually add sugar to eggs.  Continue to beat the mixture until it is very stiff.  Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Pour into freezer container (ice cream maker) and freeze.  Makes 4 quarts.