STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE
1 large Angel Food Cake
(Preferably an already already made as they are more dense than a home made/box one)
2 containers frozen sliced strawberries - thawed and drained
(If you prefer you can take a pint of strawberries and mash them instead)
1 large Cool Whip - Original or Lite
3 Fresh Strawberries - optional
3 Sprigs of Mint - optional
Using a serated knive, slice the top off the cake down about 1 inch
Coming in about an inch from the edge, cut around the cake with an up and down sawing motion - Now come in about an inch from the center hole and do the same thing.
With your fingers or a fork, pull out the cake in between these two cuts, making a deep well - be careful not to go all the way through the bottom of the cake
Put the pieces of cake in a bowl along with the drained strawberries and 2 cups of Cool Whip, mix, fill the well up with the mixture
Put the top on the cake
Frost with remaining Cool Whip and garnish with sliced or whole Strawberries and Mint leaves
ENGLISH BUTTER TOFFEE
1 lb. (4 sticks) Butter
2 Cups packed Brown Sugar
2 Cups chopped Pecans
12 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Milk Chocolate Chips
Butter a cookie sheet with sides
Sprinkle 1 cup of the pecans in the pan
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat cook butter and brown sugar to 300 degrees (use a candy thermometer), stirring constantly.
Pour into pan
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top - let melt a few minutes then spread evenly
Immediately sprinkle the remaining pecan on top
Let harden and then break into pieces
Store in covered container
KAREN'S APPLE PIE
Ingredients:
5 lbs. Cortland Apples3 Tablespoons Butter
½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
1-½ Tablespoons Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Ginger
2/3 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons Flour
Pastry for 2 pie crusts (home made or prepared)
Preperation:
Peel, core and slice apples into large bowl
Add all ingredients except butter
Prepare pie dough of choice and assemble in pan
Add apple mixture to pie dish
Dot with butter
Put on top crust, crimp edges, brush top with water, sprinkle with sugar
Cut slit in top center crust to vent
Place pie on cookie sheet (prevents overflow onto bottom of oven)
Bake 400 degrees for one hour
Let rest and cool for at least 2-3 hours
Serve plain or with ice cream
APPLE CRISP
heat oven to 350*
13 x 9 dish
4 apples peeled & sliced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg1/2 softened butter
Place apples in bottom of dish
Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over apples
Dab butter pieces on top
Bake 30 min. or until apples are tender
Serve warm and if desired, with cool whip or ice cream
MOLTEN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES
Ingredients:
4 squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet baking chocolate
½ cup butter ( 1 stick )
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tablespoons flour
Preheat oven to 425
Butter or spray 4 custard cups and place on baking sheet
Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl on high for one minute
Stir with whisk until chocolate is completely melted (you may have to put back in microwave for 15-20 seconds)
Stir in powdered sugar until well blended
Whisk in eggs and egg yolksStir in flour
Pour into custard cups, Bake approx. 12-15 minutes
Remove from custard cups by placing dessert plate on top of cup and turn upside down so it drops onto plate.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar and sliced strawberries….serve hot.
KAREN'S CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
2 Chicken Breasts (bone in for flavor)
2 Cans Swanson Chicken Stock
1 Medium onion (diced thin)
3 Celery Stalks (diced thin)
4 Carrots or 2 handfuls of the mini carrots (sliced thin)
2 Cups already cooked noodles of your choice (I used broad noodles)
Simmer chicken in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them along with salt and pepper to taste
Meanwhile heat up the broth and add the other ingredients
All except the cooked noodles, these will go in at the end before serving otherwise they get all mushy
When chicken is tender (about 15 minutes), remove from pan, cool just a bit so you can take them apart into edible chunks (or shredded, however you like your chicken to be in your soup)
Pour the juice the chicken was simmering in, into the broth pot for added flavor…don’t want to throw any of that down the drain!
Then add the chicken to the already simmering pot of goodies!
Simmer till vegetables are tender. I like to simmer mine for at least an hour to get the flavor through
This is a very easy and fast recipe with lots of flavor…we don’t add an other flavorings like herbs…it’s just pure chicken flavor and delish!
KAREN’S SUNDAY NIGHT PIZZA
I have been making this for all our married life – it was a Sunday night supper when our boys were growing up and a family favorite.
This makes a large jelly roll size pizza – enough for a family of 5 at least
(2) 6.5 oz. bags pizza crust mix
(1) 15 oz. Dei Fratelli pizza sauce
(4) cup pkg. shredded Mozzarella Cheese
(1) small onion – quartered and sliced thin
(1) 7 oz. can stems & pieces mushrooms/drained
1/2 cup green olives or black olives/sliced
(2) small Roma Tomatoes/sliced thin
3/4 lb. ground Sirloin or Italian Sausage
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
You will need a sheet cake pan or large round pizza pan
Prepare pizza crust as directed, let stand about 5 min. for easier handling
Grease pan, pat out dough to come up the edges of pan
Then layer these ingredients:
Mushrooms
Olives
Onions
Tomatoes
Then take your ground Sirloin and pinch flat pieces off…. this makes the meat cook faster
Salt, pepper and Oregano
Top off with the shredded cheese
Bake 425 degrees for 25 minutes
Let stand about 5 minutes to set up some.
I don’t use a pizza cutter – I use a large butcher knife….I cut up and down, if you try and draw the knife across it pulls the cheese and toppings off.
CHICKEN ENCHILADA DIP
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (2 breasts)
CHICKEN IS OPTIONAL...many times I make this without the Chicken
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese - softened
1 cup mayo (I use Hellmann's)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. mild cheddar cheese
1/2 of 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chili peppers (I use the whole can)
1 can Del Monte Zesty Tomatoes - do not drain
Tortilla Chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place chicken in casserole dish with about 1 cup of water (or chicken stock) in bottom, season chicken with salt and pepper, cover, cook about 10-15 minutes in microwave.
You can prepare it the same way using a pan on the stove as well, remove, cool just enough to shred.
Mix all ingredients.
Place mixture into a medium baking/casserole dish.
Bake uncovered for 30 min. at 350 degrees until edges are golden brown
Serve with any kind of Tortilla chip
MAYONNAISE CAKE
This is a cake I grew up with and it's so rich and moist and doesn't require oil or eggs
1 CUP SUGAR
2 CUPS FLOUR
2 TEASP. BAKING SODA
4 HEAPING TABLESPOONS COCOA
DASH OF SALT
1 CUP MAYONNAISE
1 CUP COLD WATER
1 TEASP. VANILLA
Sift dry ingredients and set aside, Mix water, mayonnaise and vanilla in large bowl then add dry ingredients
Pour into greased, floured 9x13 pan
Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes
Frost with Butter Cream Frosting or Cream Cheese Frosting
BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
1 cup of vegetable shortening
1 lb of powdered sugar
4 to 6 tbsp water
2 tsp of butter flavoring or vanilla extract
To make the butter cream icing, slowly cream the vegetable shortening and powdered sugar together.
As the shortening and sugar start blending, slowly add flavoring and 4 tbsp of water.
Mix on medium speed until the icing is smooth and creamy.
If a thinner consistency is desired, simply add the remaining 2 tbsp of water
HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS
Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and grease it
Make sure your edges of the foil are not bunched up…try and make it smooth.
Container large enough to coat marshmallows:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
*Put in bowl and set aside
Large bowl:
1/2 cup water
2 packages unflavored Knox Gelatin
*Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let sit to gel up
Heavy medium saucepan:
1/2 cup water
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
*Mix water and sugar in pan and heat to boiling, boil for 2 minutes
*Whisk the hot mixture into the gel, blending well
*Chill for at least 10 minutes
*At highest speed beat this mixture until it turns white and becomes thick like meringue
*Beat in vanilla
*Pour into prepared pan
*Chill about an hour and a half
*Use ends of foil to lift marshmallows from pan
*Use sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuttings and cut into small squares
*Coat the marshmallows in the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture, shake or pat off as much excess powder - they become very sweet otherwise
*Store in covered airtight container
