Monday, November 24, 2008

Lemon Meringue Pie

This is another of my grandmother's recipes that my mom makes every year.

1 graham cracker crust (I usually buy one, but if your feeling ambitious...)

Mix together and stir till smooth:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 c fresh squeezed lemon juice

Pour into graham cracker crust.

For the meringue:
Beat 3 egg whites on high. As the eggs begin to set up, slowly add 1/4 c sugar. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully smooth meringue over the pie filling and then pat it with a knife or spatula to raise peaks all over the top.

Bake in a 300 degree oven until top is golden brown (at least 1/2 hour). Cool on a rack and let set up in the fridge. The colder it is served, the better it will taste. 

My favorite rolls

Got this recipe from a cute little old lady in my neighborhood in Utah. They take a little effort, but they are soft and flaky and delicious!

Mix together:
3/4 cup sugar (or honey)
3/4 cup shorting (or butter)
1 cup potato flakes
1 Tbsp. salt
3 cups scalded milk (microwave for 5 minutes)

Stir in 2 cups flour

Add:
4 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp yeast SAF

Stir in 4 1/2-5 cups flour (this makes 6 1/2 to 7 cups total)

Let rise until double (about 1 1/2 hours). Make into rolls by dividing dough in half. Roll one half of dough into a rectangle. Spread soft butter over and fold into thirds. Flatten with rolling pin. Cut with pizza cutter into strips no more than one inch wide. Twist and knot. Repeat with other half. Cover and let rise 3 hours. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Makes about 36 rolls.

Yams

I'm making these later this week so I'll have a photo to add then. It will probably make more sense with the photo.

So I love yams. I know some people don't, but I always have. My mom has always done yams the way her mom did them--in rick-racked orange peels.

Buy as many oranges as people you plan to serve. Cut off the top 1/4 of the orange, carefully scoop out the inside. With scissors, cut a rick-rack or zig zag pattern around the top edge of the orange.

Bake them well (as if for mashed potatoes), mash them up, and add butter, brown sugar, a little juice and/or zest from the oranges, salt, and pepper to taste. You could also add pecans or sprinkle some on top at the end. Fill oranges with yams.

When you are getting close to serving, place marshmallows on top of yams and heat in oven until marshmallows are browned.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Carrot Puff

We first ate this at a wedding lunch for some good friends. Max says that this should be the only way to eat carrots--lots of sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

1 pound carrots--cut in1" pieces, cover with water and cook to tender, then drain

Process them in the blender with 3/4 cups milk

Add: 
3 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix well

Put into 1/2 quart baking dish, bake at 350 for 30 minutes until center is set and a knife comes out clean.

Double this for a 9 x 13 pan and bake a bit longer.

Can garnish with orange slices and grated carrots or parsley.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Yikes.....Thanksgiving.....need.....help.....

So, this year, we find ourselves alone for thanksgiving....which means that I will be doing all of the cooking. So, I could really use your recipes!... Anything that you love to make or have for thanksgiving!
Don't disappoint me girls! I DO NOT want to be having cold cereal on thanksgiving!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Pumpkin Soup



The idea for this recipe came from a couple of things: a recipe that my sister in law, Kristy gave me for pumpkin soup got me thinking, and I had a pumpkin that I used for halloween decorating that I wanted to try and use! Jared was very skeptical about me making soup out of a pumpkin, but he loved the finished product!

Cut your pumpkin in half and clean out the seeds, then place each half face down on a cookie sheet. Bake at about 375 for about 45 minutes or until you can poke a fork through the outside. Let it cool for a minute and then scrape the pumpkin out of the shell. I suppose if you wanted a really smooth soup, you could food process it, but I like my soup a little chunky, so i just mashed it with a potato masher. And all of these measurements are approximate since all pumpkins are different sizes!

32 oz chicken broth (1 box)
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk (I used 2 % b/c that's what I had, but you could use whole, or even light cream if you wanted to)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt (or more, according to taste)
1 1/2 - 2 tsp chili powder

So, put your pumpkin in a large saucepan / pot. Add your chicken broth and milk and mix until it is a consistency that you like. Bring it to a boil. Add all of your spices and the sugar. Lower your heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Garnish with Cilantro, cheese, sour cream and extra chili powder. yum!

* if you don't have a pumpkin, you could always just used canned. I think this recipe would work best with about 30 oz of canned pumpkin.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies


These little cookies are my favorite for fall. So tasty! Make these!
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil & egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and combine. Dissolve the soda in milk and add. Mix. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Mix. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm in a 350 degree oven. (Really make sure these are done, this is a cake-like cookie and will be gross after a couple of days if they are not completely done).
Quite honestly, I don't know what the meaning of the dissolving of the milk and soda is. All I know is that these cookies are magically delicious.