28. October 2007 by admin.

Do you get in the baking mood when the weather starts to turn crisp and the leaves turn  to beautiful golds, reds, and rust? Fall is that exceptional time of year that seems to say, “Come on, let’s bake!”

When I was growing up my Mom made wonderful oatmeal cookies. I particularly liked them because they were crisp and without raisins.  (As a little girl, raisins weren’t on my favorite foods’ list.)  The wonderful aroma of these oatmeal cookies is an invitation to pour a glass of milk, grab some homemade goodness, and sit awhile to enjoy that wonderfully caramel-sweet flavor that is in an Oatmeal Crispie.  The dough is shaped into a log and refrigerated before slicing, so it does take some preplanning before you bake. I hope you enjoy these wonderful cookies as much as I do.

OATMEAL CRISPIES

1 cup shortening                                        1-1/2 cups sifted flour

1 cup brown sugar                                     1 tsp. salt

1 cup white sugar                                       1 tsp. baking soda

2 beaten eggs                                              3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1 tsp. vanilla                                                1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Sfit four, salt, and soda together. Thoroughly cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Add oatmeal and nuts. Form dough into 2-3 logs that are about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs well in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, cut off 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes. They will spread some while baking. Enjoy!

Until next time,

The Baker 

“Life is short. Eat Dessert first.”

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1. October 2007 by admin.

In the following recipe, 1 cup of butter is one of the ingredients. Now I know some of you buy margarine to use in your cooking and baking.  With any recipe that I use that calls for using either butter or margarine, there never is a doubt in mind which I will use to help guarantee a rich, lip-smacking end product. Butter is the only choice for me! The fat in butter helps tenderize the product and make a wonderful flavor as well! 

Baking is an act of love from you to those who eat your tasty treats. If you take precious time from your schedule to make a snack or delicious dessert and want an excellent food product as the result of your efforts, I encourage you to use the richest ingredients you can find such as butter. When friends or family taste your treats, you will receive many pats on the back for your labor of love. 

Fresh buttered popcorn seems to be a staple food in my family. I like to dress up popcorn with more goodies. 

The following is an often requested recipe I received from a friend many years ago. Let me know if you try my POPCORN CRAZY DESSERT CRUNCH. I know you will love it!

2 quarts popped corn, 2/3 cup almonds, 1-1/2 cups pecans, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup clear corn syrup.

Mix popped corn, almonds, and pecans on cookie sheet. Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a 1-1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring occasionally 10-15 min. til color is a light caramel. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over popped corn and nuts and stir. When cool, break apart and ENJOY!

Until next time,

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Dessert First.”

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