Cabo Cookies

These cookies are perfect as desert after a good street taco. They taste like summer in the sun and feet in the sand. They're light and chewy, with just the right mix of sweet and tart. They're a good break from the basic's, nice and simple yet, fancy enough to serve at a gathering.

Ingredients ~

1 cup margarin (I'm on a lowering cholesterol kick right now)

1/2 cup coconut butter, soften but not melted (obviously I'm not on that big of a kick)

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

zest of 3 medium to small limes, finely minced (key limes are too small)

juice of 3 medium to small limes (equals about 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, finely chopped in a food processor (it's the normal kind from the normal store, nothing fancy)

5 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 batch of Creamy Lime Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350, line baking sheet with parchment paper, a baking liner or lightly spray with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Using the cookie paddles and large bowl of mixer, combine margarin, coconut butter, shortening, and sugar till light a fluffy; add eggs and vanilla, and mix well; add lime zest, lime juice and, minced coconut. Combined flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; scrapping the sides of the bowl as you mix. Dough should be light but easy to spoon out. 

The coconut absorbs a bit of the lime juice and is yummy, go ahead and sneak a taste. Do you taste the hint of lime in each little bite of coconut? Now have some self-control and bake up the rest of the dough, you've got to have something to put the wonderful frosting on.

Using a cookie scoop, place balls of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. If you don't have a cookie scoop a spoon works just fine. My cookie scoop is a #40 which is equal to about 1 1/2 Tbls. The number of cookies you make will depend on the size of your scoop, but you knew that already. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Once baked remove from oven and leave on baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a opened up brown paper bag or paper towels to cool. Don't use a cooling rack, these are too delicate of cookies. Once completely cool top with Creamy Lime Frosting, recipe below.

Creamy Lime Frosting

Ingredients ~
1/4 cup soften butter
2 tablespoons coconut butter, soften not melted
1 lb powered sugar, sifted
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/8 teaspoon of salt (a good pinch)
about 3 tablespoons of whipping cream ( the amount of cream you use will depend on the amount of juice from your lime

Mix together butter and coconut butter; add powdered sugar, lime zest and juice; scraping bowl as you mix. Add salt and whipping cream to sugar mixture. Continue mixing until frosting is well combine and smooth.  Enjoy on Cabo Cookies or a moist lime cupcake.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

These gooey, chewy brownies were introduced to us by Grandma Judy. If only they were calorie free, they would be perfect. The only complaint I've ever had about them is that I don't make them more often. There are three main ingredients, brownies, marshmallows and chocolate frosting. Play with the amounts until you get them the way you like. You may like a thick brownie or extra marshmallows. I have made these with regular marshmallows and marshmallow whip, homemade frosting and store bought, it all depends on what's in the cupboard when the mood grabs you. Get as fancy or as simple as your budget and time permits, no matter, they are always a big hit.

Ingredients ~
basic brownie recipe, or any brownie mix
10 oz bag of mini marshmallows
2 cups chocolate frosting, homemade or brand, it's up to you

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 15x11 jellyroll pan. A 9x13 baking pan can be use, but the brownies will be thicker. If you only have a basic half sheet baking pan then you''ll need to double the brownie recipe, but don't worry about doubling the other ingredients, you should still have enough. Don't worry about having too many, there is no such thing. Mix up brownies following the recipe or box instructions. Pour brownie batter in a jellyroll baking pan and bake at 350 for as long as instructed in recipe, minus 5 minutes. Did you get that? Bake them for 5 minutes less that the recipe instructs. Cover brownies with marshmallows and remember that marshmallows puff as the cook, so don't over pack them onto the brownies or you will have a mess in your oven. Cook for 5 more minutes or until marshmallows are puffy and just starting to golden. remove from oven. While the brownies are still slightly warm top with frosting, making sure to cover every bit. Don't frost too soon or the frosting will all melt. If you forget and frost after they are completely cool you will be OK, but your mud won't be quiet as muddy. I suggest using a pizza knife to cut them with and dipping it in warm water before starting to cut. If your frosting just peels off you waited too long to frost.

Fruit Buckle

Peach Buckle made with home canned peaches

This could be called buckle and there are those who would call it cobbler. I call it Yum! Buckle is batter with fruit added and then a streusel topping added. As the batter of a buckle bakes it rises up around the fruit. Cobblers are made with the fruit mixture first then a biscuit type crust on top. Some buckles have heavy batters and others light; some have lots of topping others very little. This buckle is a light batter that needs no eggs and the only topping is a light sprinkling of brown sugar. It's cheap and easy to make. Any fruit can be used and if you like it can be a combination of fruit. Pick the fruit of your choice, apples, peaches, pears, plums and any berry, you decide. The fruit can be frozen, fresh or canned. Before being  measured, the fruit should be cleaned, drained, pealed and/or cut, all depending on the fruit.  Don't forget the ice cream or whip cream, or both to top it off.  I love this made with summer fruit and served at a barbecue with homemade ice cream or on a crisp fall evening as dessert after a warm homemade soup dinner. Really it's great any time of year.

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk

3 cups prepared fruit

1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides and bottom of a 9x13 or 2 quart baking dish. In a medium bowl combined sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; whisk in milk; add melted butter and  whisk until all blended. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish. Sprinkle fruit on top off batter, trying to distribute evenly, Do Not Mix, Stir or Blend. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar evenly over fruit and batter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. Sprinkle remain 1/4 cup of brown sugar over top of buckle, then return to over and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream.

Chocolate Revel Bars

I can only make these cookies if I know I am going to have help eating them or I will eat the whole batch. I Love these cookies! They are gooey, chewy, bits of cookie heaven to me.

3 cups quick roll oats

2½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp salt, divided
1 cup butter or margarine at room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla, divided
1 14oz can (1⅓cup) sweetened condensed milk
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
½ cups walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven at 350. Combine oats flour, soda and 1 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup butter for 30 seconds, add brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and 2 tsp vanilla; beat well. Gradually stir dry ingredients into mixture, stir until well blended.

In a saucepan heat together sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp butter and ½tsp salt over low heat stir until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and remaining 2 tsp vanilla.

Pat ⅔ of the oatmeal mixture in the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1 inch backing pan. Spread chocolate mixture over oatmeal dough. Dot with remaining oatmeal mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool before cutting into 1 by 2 inch rectangles.

Mom's Brownies

This is my Mom's recipe and I make these brownies CONSTANTLY.  As soon as I bake a batch I'm right back at the store picking up everything I'll need for my round of brownie baking. They are super easy and idiot proof. I promise you that once you make these brownies you'll never even think about baking a batch out of a box ever again.

Ingredients:

• 1 C Butter (two sticks)
• 2 C Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 C Cocoa Powder
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 C Flour
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• 1 C Chocolate Chips (optional, but when are chocolate chips ever really optional. Don't skip them)

Method:
Heat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. In a medium pot, melt butter over LOW heat. Remove from heat and mix in sugar, cocoa, eggs and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and stir, being careful not to over mix. The chocolate chips can be mixed in or sprinkled on the top. Spread in pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Sometimes I over bake these by about 5 minutes if I know they're going to be served pre sliced on a plate at a social gathering right away before having time to cool completely. This makes them easier to slice and get out of the pan.
That's all there is to it. The best brownie recipe ever.
PS: Warm brownies are easier to slice if you use a plastic knife.

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake



Marshmallows prior to toasting



INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag of marshmallows
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Milk

THE PROCESS:
Open all the windows and turn on all the fans. Have someone stand ready at the fire alarm. Broil the marshmallows on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil on high for 3 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on the marshmallows because they may catch on fire. After the marshmallows are done, turn them out on to wax paper to cool. Blend together Ice Cream, Milk and Toasted Marshmallows in a blender until it is a YUMMY milkshake! That's it. Not a very scientific recipe. We typically use about 1/2 a container or ice cream to a tray of marshmallows, not sure how much milk. This is very taste specific. Use more milk for thinner milkshakes and less for thicker.
MAJOR THANKS to Stand in New York City for creating the Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake. Tyler had one last time we were there and couldn't think about anything else until I finally figured out how to recreate them. Now he drinks at least 1 a week.

Pflaumehkucken

My grandma Etta's German Plum Cake was a little taste of heaven on earth. I knew when she made it she loved me and that summer was coming to an end. It's a recipe she learn from my German great grandma Camilla. My mom made it every fall, I've made it for my kids and now they are getting old enough to start making it for theirs. For me this is German comfort food. Traditionally it is served at German coffee or tea. We enjoy it for dessert or as a breakfast cake.

1 small batch of any good sweet yeast dough (enough for one standard batch of cinnamon rolls)

3 cups of homemade vanilla pudding

1 pound of Italian plums, pitted and sliced (if you can't find these you can use small black plums)

Streusel  (topping)

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

Mix together till crumbly

Make up the sweet dough and let rise until ready to shape. Dough can be rolled out to fit a 9x13 baking pan or a half sheet jelly roll pan. Grease pan and line with dough so that dough comes about half the way the sides of pan.

Pour cooked pudding onto the dough. Lay the plums on top of the pudding with the skins side down. They can be placed in rows or decoratively, however you choose. Make up streusel and sprinkle over plums to cover. You do not have to use all of the streusel, but it's yummier if you do.

Let rise 45 minutes, then bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until crust is done.

For Apple Tart - use about 5 pipen apples in place of the plums.  Peal and slice apples thin. Any tart fruit is good in this cake, such as cherries or apricots.

yummy yum yums

Ever since we started buying this maple yogurt for Baysil I've been DYING to bake with it. It's sooooo yummy. (A BIG thanks to my Aunt Kristal for introducing me to the stuff way back in '04, I'm glad to finally have an excuse to keep the creamy goodness in my house). So as Will pulled out of the drive way, oops excuse me, I mean parking spot, I thought to myself... Today isTHE day. Yummy yummy yummy maple yogurt, it is time to start baking!

I wasn't in the mood for being too original or creative or homemade. I didn't want this to be the most elaborate creation I just want it to be GOOD. And good it was my friends, gooooooood it was!

I started by adding a little more than 1/2 a cup of the yogurt to a chocolate cake mix... yumdelicious. It turned out beautiful. Bay and I sampled a warm one and it was smooth moist deliciousness... couldn't really taste the maple, oh well.

Onto the frosting. Being the resourceful person that I am... (cough cough) I decided to just liven up some cream cheese frosting I had left over from my last baking excursion. (I like baking ok get over it) I added coco, more butter, sugar and some maple extract and voila.PERFECTION!

Listen you may not know this but I am quite the cupcake connoisseur... I've tried Trophy's andRoyal's here in WA. Royal was ok, don't waist your time on Trophy's. I've had a Mini's cupcake a time or two in Utah, eh, good. I'm not exsaturating when I say I'll take one of these Maple Chocolate Yum Yums (that's the name I gave them) over all of them... (notice I didn't mention the sacred Elizabethan Desserts in Encinitas.. yeah that's because nobody and i mean NOBODY beats those cupcake creations. That Elizabeth is down right magical!)

jolly ho.

Classic Cheesecake

For some reason I am thinking cheesecakes right now, so here is a basic recipe that you can go crazy with and add and play with in any way you want. The graham crackers can be changed to chocolate wafers. I have divided the filling and added melted chocolates to part to make marbled cheese cake. I have also not used crust or a spring form pan, greased a 9-by-13 lightly greased brownie batter in the pan first and then topped with filling; once baked and cooled, top with a poured ganache. Try whatever sounds good, it's all yummy. Sorry I forgot to take a picture of a slice of the cake, it is too yummy and we eat it up every time before I remember I need one.

1 ¾ -cups fine graham cracker crumbs

¼-cup sugar

½-teaspoon ground cinnamon

½-cup butter or margarine, melted

3 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

1-cup sugar

1-teaspoon vanilla

¼-teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1-cup sour cream

Combined first 3 ingredients, add melted butter; stir well. Press firmly on bottom and 1 to 2 inches up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at º325 for 10 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.

With mixer beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy, gradually add 1 cup sugar and salt, beating well; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; scrape sides of bowl occasionally. 

Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Pour batter into prepared crust.

To help keep you cheese cake from being to dry, cover the bottom of the spring-form pan with heavy foil, coming up the sides a few inches, making sure the bottom ans sides are sealed. This can be done before you pour the batter in the pan. Place the spring form pan, with foil covered bottom,  onto the center of a shallow baking pan, such as a jellyroll pan with about one inch of water, like you do when baking a custard. 

Now place the pan into the center of the oven. Bake at º325 for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until lightly brown. Turn off oven and leave in closed oven for 30minutes. The cheese cake will not look completely solid at this point, but will continue to cook in the warm oven. After the 30minutes remove the cake from the baking pan with water and place the cheese cake on a rack till completely cool. Refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours or over night.

Top with your favorite topping.

Individual Cheesecakes

You can't have Valentines Day without these for the kids. You can make them heart shaped by putting one regular marble between the liner and the pan

paper muffin liners

14 vanilla wafers

4 3-oz packages cream cheese, soften

⅔-cup sugar

2 eggs

1-teaspoon vanilla

your choice of fresh fruit or pie filling

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Place a vanilla wafer in each cup. Set pan aside.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until fluffy; gradually add 2/3-cup sugar and mix well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well until smooth. Fill liners two-thirds full with mixture. Bake at ˚350 for 10 minutes. Cool in muffin pan, then remove and chill. Top with your choice of fresh fruit or pie filling. Makes about 14

Pumpkin Bread

Another recipe from my mother. I just typed it up, the rest is all her...
This bread makes a a great gift for the holidays. It can be made in any type of loaf or cake pan, but is fun and cheap made in cans.  Medium bean cans work well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Eggs
• 3 C Brown Sugar
• 2 C Pureed Pumpkin
• 1 C Vegetable Oil
• 2/3 C Milk
• 4 C Flour
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

METHOD: Beat eggs, add brown sugar, pumpkin, oil and milk. Mix well. Add Flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, soda, cloves and cinnamon- mixing well.

Pour into clean and greased cans (large fruit cans work well).

Bake at 350* for 60 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in cans 10 min.

Removes from cans and cool thoroughly on wire rack. Wrap in wax paper and then foil.

Store at least overnight before serving. Best if stored in freezer for at least one week. Makes 4 Can loafs.

I'm just going to add a few notes from personal experience: This bread really expands as it bakes. Only fill the cans 1/2 way. Also, make sure to place a cookie sheet underneath them when they bake. The cans have to be greased REALLY well with Crisco, don't skimp. Last, when I've made this in the past on my own, it makes at least DOUBLE what is says. This may or may not be human error on my part, but be prepared none the less.

Cocoa Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

Obviously, I did not invent this recipe... But the Christmas is around the corner and I thought it should be posted. I copied it nearly verbatim out of the cookbook my mother put together for me when Tyler and I were married. Maybe she can add some insight concerning the two different cooking temperatures.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 2/3 C Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/4 C Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 C Margarine
• 4 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Mint or Peppermint Extract
• 3 1/2 C Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 C Cocoa
• 2 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Mix Sugars and Margarine together until blended well. Add the Eggs, Vanilla and Mint. Mix well. Add the Flour, Baking Soda, Salt and Cocoa. Mix Well. Stir in Chocolate Chips. Drop spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, 2 in apart. Bake at 375* or 350* for 10-12 minutes.

Pie Crust

 This recipe is a great crust recipe, it is very flaky and easy to make. You can use all butter, shortening, lard or a combination of butter and shortening, depending on your needs and wants. Sugar can also be added depending on you wants. There are lots of *tricks for making pie crust and I will list some at the end. The best advice is to practice. This recipe is for a double-crust pie but, hey if you are not making a double-crust pie, use it for two single-crust pies. You can never have enough pie, at least not at our house!

2 ⅔ cups all- purpose flour plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, shortening, lard or a combination of butter and shortening as long as it equals 1 cup ( I like ¾ shortening with ¼ butter. I have also had desperate times when I used margarine and it worked fine)

½ cup cold water

Makes one 9-inch pie

Sift together flour and salt, cut in butter (or whatever fat you are using) with pastry blender or 2 forks until mixture resembles small peas.

Drizzle water over flour mixture a tablespoon at a time. Using a table fork, blend the water with the flour mixture and continue adding water just until it holds together when you press together to make a ball. The dough should be evenly moist, Not Wet.

Turn dough out on a lightly flour surface. Make the dough into a ball, then divide the dough in to 2 equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the frig for 20 minutes.

Leaving one ball of dough in the frig, take the other ball of dough out of the frig, unwrap and place on a lightly floured surface. If dough is too cold let it rest for 5 minutes. Lightly scatter top of dough with flour. Press dough with rolling pin to form an X and continue rolling out, making sure to roll from all directions, to about a 13 inch circle, about ⅛ inch thick for a 9 inch pie pan.

To move the dough to the pan, place rolling pin in center of the dough and fold dough over the rolling pin, gently lift and center dough over the pie pan, unfold the dough evenly in pan without stretching the dough. Press the dough to the bottom and sides of pan. Trim over hang to about 1to 2 inch overhang.

If making a single crusted pie trim dough to 1 inch overhang, tuck under overhang and then flute the edges, fill and bake as called for in recipe.

For double crusted pie, roll out the second ball of dough the same as the first except only rolling to a 11 to 12-inch circle, then cut vents in it using a knife or small cookie cutter. Fill bottom crust, gentle place top crust to pie using the same method as used for the bottom crust, making sure to center the crust over the pie. Trim edge to make it even with the bottom crust, tuck both top and bottom under and flute, then finish and bake according to recipe.

*Just a few Hints -

Cold is important when making a god crust. Any fat you are working with should be cold, even shortening or lard.

For good cold water, fill a cup with ice then add water, use the water for the crust, adding it to the crust 1 tablespoon at a time.

Use your hands to touch the dough as little as possible. Warm hands brake-down the fat in the crust.

To repair tear in the crust - A tear in the dough is pretty normal and rich dough is more likely to get a tear. Just use a little cold water, either using a pastry rush or your finger dab or brush cold water and moisten the area and gentle reconnect the break or add a small piece of dough and press it gently into place stretching as little as possible.

Buttercream Icing

I keep being asked for this recipe, so here it is for you. This is the icing recipe I use for almost all of my icing needs. My kids have great memories of leftover icing in gramcracker sandwiches. I made the cake above for my daughter, Kaira Fern's baby shower when she was pregnant with our grandson, Mack. This recipe makes about 6 cups.

1 1/2 C good quality vegetable shortening
1/2 C margarine
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract *
8 C sifted powdered sugar (2lbs)
4 Tbsp cold water**

Cream shortening and margarine. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time beating at medium speed and scraping bottom and sides often. When all the sugar is added it will look dry. Add water, 2 Tbsp at a time while still beating at medium speed and scraping after each addition until light and fluffy, add vanilla.

Store in an air tight container in the frig when not in use. This icing can be stored for 2 weeks in the frig. Remix before using again.

*for whiter icing use clear vanilla extract, found at specialty stores, also higher quality margarine are lighter in color.
** for thinner icing substitute some or all of the water for light corn syrup. Experiment a little with it till you know what you like. I like to add light corn syrup to the regular recipe to thin it down for writing on cakes.