Gingerbread Man Pancakes

"Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man."  Oh yes we can and love we every bite!

 

These pancakes are a new favorite at our house. My grandsons will eat as many as I will make them. They're perfect for a yummy Thanksgiving breakfast when the family has gathered. They taste extra yummy served with applesauce and warm maple syrup. I use my wonderful pancake pen my daughter gave me for Christmas last year, a must for every mom and grandma, to draw perfect little men or whatever shape is requested, but if you don't have a pancake pen don't let that stop you from making these for you family.

 They are yummy no matter what shape you choose. I wish I had this recipe when my kids were little and doing the gingerbread man unit in kindergarten, but I have it for the grandkids and you bet we have fun eating them up.

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk soured with lemon juice *
3 Tbs butter or margarine, melted
1 Tbs molasses
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1/2 ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Butter or cooking spray for grilling
Raisins, crannies or chocolate chips for decorating

*(to make sour milk, pour milk into a liquid measuring cup so that you are just about 2 Tbs shy of 1 cup. Add 2 Tbs of lemon juice to the milk making 1 full cup. Set aside the milk while lightly beating the egg and melting the melting the butter. The milk should lightly curdle, or you can always use real sour milk or butter milk.)

Combine egg, sour milk, melted butter and molasses . Sift together remaining dry ingredients and add to egg mixture, stirring just until moist.

 Spoon or using a pancake pen shape pancakes on to hot , lightly greased griddle. Raisins, crannies or chocolate chips can bee used for eyes and buttons. Cook until tops are covered with bubbles, turn and cook other side. Serve with butter, warm syrup and apple sauce. Makes about 3 cups of batter.

Corned Beef Brisket

Top of the morning to ya.

As a young child, I wished that I was Irish because my mom always made St. Patricks Day so fun for us. I tried to continue the fun with my kids, green four leaf clover pancakes, making sure everyone was wearing their green, destructive visits from the lepercons who left their gold scattered amongst the mess, making lepercon traps that of course never worked, but our families favorite is probable a dinner of corned beef and cabbage. This is one of the easiest things to cook and made even easier with the use of a good slow cooker. Whether you use a large pot on the stove or a slow cooker, the meal is put together in the morning and simmers all day to fill your home with the yummy smell of comfort food. To make the meal perfect add your favorite Irish Soda Bread and it never hurts to serve with a fun green drink of some kind. One important thing to remember is that you can never have too much corned beef. Leftover corn beef makes wonderful sandwiches and corn beef hash.

• 1 corned beef brisket - already in seasoning. (Why make more work for yourself?). Costco has good prices or you can find them at any grocery store meat department. They come prepackaged in a brim with a seasoning packet or with the seasonings in the brim, either will work fine. You want one that isn't too fatty and is nice and big.
• 1 red potato per person - washed and cut in half, unless they are small and then just leave them whole.
• 1 small to medium green cabbage - washed and quarted.
• 1 medium carrot per person - washed, pealed and cut in half.

Cut open the beef packaging at one end and pour the liquid into a large slow cooker. Trim the extra fat off of the meat and place meat in the slow cooker; open and add seasoning packet if needed. Fill the meat packaging with water and pour into the slow cooker. Add red potatoes, cabbage and carrots to slow cooker and enough water, if needed, to just cover the meat and vegetables. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours. Meat should be very tender when done. Remover meat to platter and cut across the grain of the meat in about half inch strips.Remove vegetables from liquid and toss with butter; add to platter and serve. Liquid can be discarded.

*If you want to make sure that your meat is plenty tender in time for you to eat with out having to worry about getting up too early in the morning, you can add the meat and liquid to the slow cooker and cook on low over night. In the morning add the vegetables and cook for 5 to 6 more hours on low or med, being careful not to over cook the potatoes and carrots or they will be mushy.

*If you choose to cook on the stove, follow the same instructions using a large stock pot. Do not start the night before and be careful to not leave the pot unattended in case it decides to boil over. They do have a mind of their own. Cook the meat at a low simmer for at least 6 hours. Vegetables can be added the last hour.

Soft Sugar Cookies

1 cup soft butter or margarine
2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
5 1/2 cups flour

Cream together butter, sugar; add eggs and beat well; add sour cream and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture. Cover dough and refrigerate for about an hour. Roll out dough on floured surface, or between plastic wrap, to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 to 17 minutes or until lightly brown, Do Not over bake or roll to thin.
Use Butter Cream Frosting to decorate.

Funeral Potatoes

Although the name is a little depressing these potatoes are very comforting; maybe that's why they're always served at funerals. These have been an Easter basic at our house for as long as I can remember. They can be put together the day before and kept in the fridge. Let them stand at room temp for a while before baking them, if you do store them in the fridge. 

¼ cup butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream
8 to 10, half cooked potatoes, grated

⅓ cup chopped green onions

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Extra butter

In a small pot, heat butter and soup on low heat till butter melts, cool.  Add sour cream.  In a large bowl, combined remaining ingredients; pour soup mixture over top and gently stir. Place mixture in 9 by 13 baking dish; top with dots of butter.  Bake at 350° for 45 mins.

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.

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.

7 Layer Cookies

I have loved this recipe since I first made it in 1975 when I was in the 8th grade (Now do the math and you can guess my age). It has always been a part of our families Christmas cookie list.

1/2 C margarine
2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 C shredded coconut
1 12 oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips
1 11 oz pkg butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopper nuts
1 15oz can sweeten condensed milk

Melt butter and place in a 9x13 baking pan, add graham cracker crumbs, mix and spread evenly; sprinkle over this in layers, the coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts. Drizzle sweeten condensed milk over the top of all of this. Bake at 350 for 30 mins. Cut into 1 inch squares after cool.

Hot Butterscotch

At the request of my children,especially our son Kyle, who is serving on a full time proselyting mission for our church right now in the Pennsylvanian Pittsburgh mission, I am posting this recipie. This recipe was given to me by Cindy Chandler, a friend from our active duty days in the US Air Force, while we were living in Germany. It is the perfect drink for those cold days during the holiday season. It is a virgin version of Hot Butterscotch Rum. Don't think about the calories, just enjoy!

1 lb brown sugar

1 lb powder sugar

1 quart vanilla ice cream

(I always use more like, 1 1/2 quarts. Experiment to get it the way you want it)

1/2 lb butter, soften

Mix together. Put into a freezer proof container and store in freezer.

Put 2 spoonfuls in cup, fill with hot water and stir. Sprinkle with nutmeg and enjoy.

Basic Bread

After my cookie recipe, this bread recipe is the second most common one I am asked for, so here it is. Once you get the basic recipe down the possibilities are endless. I use variations of this recipe for wheat bread, cinnamon rolls, baked apple fritters, deep fried scones, and the list goes on. Use your imagination, but don't give up after the first try it takes a little practice.

Important information I learned from the 3 women who taught me to make bread. Their memories live on every time I bake a loaf of bread -
Grandma Cope always said, "Good bread dough feels like a babies bum when you pat it". I learned from Grandma Farrer that, you need to learn the sound the dough makes when kneaded with a dough hook. There is a rhythm to it as it is being kneaded, if made right. From Sister Palmer, use water and oil to make bread except on special occasions.


In your mixer bowl, add in this order without stirring
2 Tbs of yeast
2 1/4 C really warm water (not hot)
2 Tbs sugar.
Let ingredients rest for 5 mins. Once the yeast has grown, while mixing slowly,add
3 C flour (whatever kind or combination of flour you want)
Next add
1/2 to 1 C sugar (or any kind of sweeter you want i.e. - brown sugar, honey, molasses)
1/4 C oil or melted butter
2 tsp salt
2 C flour.
If using a hand mixer, start to knead by hand.
Once all this is added in mix or hand knead until all is smooth.
Slowly add
1 to 2 C flour until dough is easy to handle. Do not add too much flour.
Knead for 8 to 10 min if using a dough hook with your mixer. If kneading by hand, knead for 10 mins. Dough should have the firmness of a babies bum.
Let dough rest covered in an oiled bowl for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. Punch down dough and let rest for 10 more min. On a floured surface, shape dough into loafs or rolls and place on lightly greased baking sheets or loaf pans. If desired, you can also place on a baking sheet lightly dusted with corn meal. Let dough rise for 45 mins to 1 hour or until double in size.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 25 to 30 mins, or until golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of a loaf. Let loafs rest on cooling rack for at least 30 mins before slicing.
* this for Elder Porterfield -
I use vegetable oil to make the bread and to fry scones. Never fry in canola, it is too gummy after frying and messes up your pans