Chewy sugar cookies can turn any frown upside down.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

decorative sugar for rolling

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla.

Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.

Scoop tablespoon size ball of dough and roll it into a ball.  Roll the ball in sprinkles or sugar.  Place on sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until edges start to brown.

I worked with this recipe.

My neighbor gave me some pomegranates and there are very few things you can bake with them, so I made up my own.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 2/3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ cup orange juice

¾ cup buttermilk

Orange Glaze

1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

2-3 Tablespoons orange juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

Seeds of one pomegranate

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bundt pan.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.

In separate bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Beat in the juice. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated.

Spoon the batter evenly into the bundt pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes inside the pan.

Invert onto a wire rack set over a large plate or serving dish. Allow cake to cool before glazing and serving.

To make the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and vanilla together. It will be very thick. Whisk in 1 or more Tablespoons of juice, depending how thick you’d like the glaze. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top.

I had no idea why I started to make this last night but and then I realized that someone uttered the words “Lemon Meringue Pie” yesterday.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

12 tablespoons very cold butter

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup very cold Crisco

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Filling

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

8 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces

1 cup water

¼ cup corn starch

Meringue

8 egg whites

2/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Crust:

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl and whisk. Add the butter and shortening. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter and Crisco. Add water slowly and form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll out dough and place in pie plate. Blind bake for 45 minutes until cooked. Take out and set aside while you make the lemon filling.

Filling

In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, zest, and egg yolks; whisk in lemon juice and salt. In separate bowl whisk together water and corn starch then whisk into egg & lemon mixture.

Add butter and place pan over medium-high. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted, mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and small bubbles form around the edge of pan, about 5 minutes (do not boil).

Don’t chill curd. Pour it directly into cooled crust and smooth top. Refrigerate until chilled and set, 3 hours (or up to 1 day).

Preheat oven to 350 degree.

Meringue

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, sugar and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Pile meringue on pie, making sure it touches the crust all around. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

I worked with this recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cream, Butter, Sugar Pie. You can thank Judit for turning me on to this masterpiece.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

6 tablespoons very cold butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons  cup very cold Crisco

3-4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

4 tablespoons cornstarch

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 ¼ cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla

Topping

4 tablespoons butter, melted

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Crust:

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl and whisk. Add the butter and shortening. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter and Crisco. Add water slowly and form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll out dough and place in pie plate. Blind bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until partially baked. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and sugar until blended. In a medium saucepan, bring the cornstarch-sugar mixture, melted butter and heavy cream together over medium heat, stirring constantly. The mixture is done when it’s thick and creamy. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and smooth out the top. Drizzle on the melted butter and evenly sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar. Bake for approx. 25 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for about 1 minute, watching carefully. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating for at least one hour to set. Store in fridge.

 

I worked with this recipe.

Add sugar to any vegetable and they taste better. That’s my motto.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour

½ cup oats

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 scoops protein powder (use a flavor that will compliment or no flavor)

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cups melted butter, cooled

3 large eggs + 1 egg white

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup yogurt

1/2  cup shredded carrots

1/2  cup shredded zucchini

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together cooled melted butter, eggs, milk, and yogurt. Stir in grated carrots and zucchini.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. Fill muffin tins ¾ full and bake for about 20 minutes.

Cool on rack.

 

I turned 49 today. So I bake a couple little cakes.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

¼ cup vegetable shortening

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

¼ cup whole milk, room temperature

¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 teaspoons vanilla

Decorations

Fresh Whipped Cream

Fresh Strawberries

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º F. Coat a jelly roll pan with butter and flour.

Cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Slowly add sugar ½ cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milks and vanilla into measuring cup and whisk together with a fork. Add to butter and shortening mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Gently stir all ingredients until well combined. Stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, making sure to have all ingredients mixed well.

Pour cake into prepared pan and smooth to make even. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in pan for about 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled, use circular cutouts to make 6 even circles.

Make whipped cream. Slice strawberries. Take on circle and add strawberries and whipped cream, then add the next circle and continue until there are three layers of cake.

I got the recipe here.

My nephews’ Grandmother passed away the other day. We spent many holidays together over the years and I always loved her Greek cookies. She gave me the recipe a few years ago and this is the first time I made them.  Thank you, Dina.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 sticks of butter, room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 fresh orange juice

shot of brandy

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, vanilla and oil and beat until well combined.   Sift dry ingredients together and add slowly until a dough forms.  Add juice and mix until combined. Make a flat disk 2″ thick, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so.  Roll out to doubt 1/4″ thick and use any cookie shape you like.  Use flour so you can work with dough easier.  It warms quickly.  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle on sesame seeds or poppy seeds.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool and eat.  They are even better the next day.

Grab a cup of coffee and a slice of this cake.  It is better than Calgon.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 stick butter, softened.

2 cups sugar

3 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cup buttermilk

3 whole egg whites, beaten until stiff

FOR THE TOPPING:

1-1/2 stick butter, softened

3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don’t overbeat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9 x 13 baking pan.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until toothpick comes out dry in cake part. Cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture part will still be sticky.

I got the recipe here.

Marcus is a beautiful man that sits near me at work and always samples my baking.  When he asks for Jam cookies he gets them.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup jam or other filling

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk the measured flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl to aerate and remove any lumps; set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl, and add the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until incorporated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.


Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough just comes together, about 45 seconds.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and form it into a disk. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Using your hands, roll each portion into a 10-by-1-inch log. Carefully transfer 2 of the logs onto each prepared baking sheet. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make a 1/2-inch-wide and 1/2-inch-deep trough in the center of each log, leaving a 1/2-inch border at each end. Place the jam in a piping bag and pipe the jam into each of the troughs. Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom and bake until the cookie logs are light golden brown around the bottom edges, about 10 to 12 minutes more. Place the baking sheets on wire racks and let the logs cool for 15 minutes. Pick up 1 of the parchment sheets and carefully transfer the two logs to a cutting board. Cut each log on the diagonal into 1-inch-wide pieces. Transfer the cookies to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining parchment sheet and cookie logs. Let the cookies cool completely.

I followed this recipe.