Wednesday, February 29, 2012

RAGGEDY ANN COOKIES

I am a big fan of Raggedy Ann and Andy.  In my younger days, my collection included a watch, sheets, blankets, towels, dolls, books, toys, tea set you name it and I had it.  I made my first Raggedy Ann when my niece, Crystal was born (that was a few years ago) she has 3 children of her own today.  I just finished another Raggedy Ann for our new granddaughter, Cora. 

When my daughter, Morgan was in Girl Scout camp one summer, she sent me a letter asking for me to send her candy and her Raggedy Ann.  She wanted the Raggedy Ann so when she looked at it she would think of me, her mother. 

Then one year at Halloween my friend Bonnie and myself dressed as Raggedy Ann and Andy.  We even won a prize. 

Made these cookies called Raggedy Ann Cookies, crisp on the edge and chewy in the middle.  With a different taste, that of Maple. And speaking of maple, its almost maple harvest in Maine.  The sugar shacks will be open for Maple Sunday very soon.       Happy Baking,  Andi

Raggedy Ann for little Cora
Raggedy Ann Cookies
The Colorado Cookbook
Copyright 1981
1 cup butter
1 cup packed  brown sugar  ( I used light brown sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Cream butter, brown sugar and eggs and flavoing til fluffy. 
In another bowl add the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon and whisk these ingredients together.  Add to the creamed butter mixture then stir in the nuts along with the coconut.  
Bake at 350 degrees.   Drop on parchment paper lined baking sheets with your cookie scoop (about 1-2 Tbsp) of batter this will depend on how big you want your cookies.  Butter the bottom of a glass, dip the glass bottom in sugar and press the cookie mounds flat.   Bake till light brown.   about 10-12 minutes  
my plate from those days
Happy baking everyone,   Andi   






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Saturday, February 25, 2012

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES AKA DO-SI-DOS



A homemade version of a Girl Scout cookie called Do-si-dos. I will still buy some Girl Scout cookies to support them but what I will do is make my own at home using this recipe.  I always make my cookies big, I only got 30 cookies instead of the suggested 48.  My cookies are hugh 3 1/2 inch, and addictive.  They were sent off with the hubby to his work, the verdict is "Homerun". That is a good thing. This recipe was found at baking bites and a keeper for me.    Happy Baking,  Andi  
 
2 1/4 cups flour
2 TBSP baking soda
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature*
3/4 cups chunky or plain peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats  (If you don't have quick oats then process whole oats in food processer to chop them up a bit)
    
Filling:
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature*
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
In a large bowl add the flour, baking soda and baking powder along with the salt and the oats.  Using your whisk blend these dry ingredients together.  Set aside
In your mixing bowl add the butter, and the peanut butter and mix.  Add the sugars and continue to mix until fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each egg.  Add the vanilla.   Carefully and at low speed add the flour mixture and mixture until all combined. 
Prepare your baking sheets with parchment paper.  Drop teaspoonfuls of batter, about 3/4 inch sized balls of dough.  Place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet.  These cookies spread alot so leave enough space between each.   Bake for about 10 minutes or till cookies are light golden brown.   Cool on baking sheet for a little before moving to a cooling rack.   I used a straw to make the hole in the center of the  cookie.   Only do this for half the the cookies, the ones with the hole will be the top of the cookies.   You can see the filling pushing thru the sandwiched cookies. 
Make your filling.  Lay your cookies in stacks of 2 each , one of them being with the hole in the middle of the cookie, this is the top. Spread your icing among the bottoms of each cookie set.  Adjust your icing between your cookies then press them together.   Makes 48 cookies
*  If using salted butter, adjust your salt intake and keep in mind that some peanut butters can vary hugely in salt content. 

Happy Baking and thank you for your visit

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

CHOCOLATE OREO CREAM CAKE

Happy Birthday to Auntie Sally, Auntie Ella and Auntie Marian......... I confess, do you see those little bitty specks in the frosting,  well, that is bits of the crushed OREO cookie!  I didn't wash the beaters after mixing the filling!   Ok, I feel better.   I saw this oreo cake filling made by Laura and told myself I have got to make this. The cake recipe comes from "the cupcake girl" Lizzie, where she takes a box mix for cakes and makes them real special by adding a little of this and a little of that.  
Thank goodness we have birthdays to celebrate!!!   Another reason for a cake. I love this cake with the OREO filling..........Its yet another keeper for the wednesday baker.   Andi

1 package chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
In a large cake bowl add the eggs and mix.  Then add all the other ingredients except the cake mix and combine.  Add the chocolate cake mix and mix till blended.  Prepare 2 round cake pans with grease and flour.   Divided the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake at 325 degrees following the  timing on the back of the cake mix.
 
OREO FILLING

8 ounce package of cream cheese    ( you can also use reduced fat)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups of Cool Whip (extra creamy)
12 oreo cookies, coarsely crushed   (I purchased 2 snack size packages of cookies, each had 6 regular size cookies)
I crushed the cookies in a pastic bag then put them in the medium size mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients mix with the hand mixer and set aside.
CHOCOLATE ICING:  I had extra icing left
1/3 cup plus 1 TSp cocoa powder
6 TBSp of softened butter
4 1/2 cup cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla  
5-6 TBSP milk or more if needed
In a medium size mixing bowl, add the ingredients and carefully mix and blend the icing.  

Remove your cakes from the baking pans after they have cooled.  If wanted you can level your cakes after they have baked and cooled.  Lay one of the cakes on the cake platter and spread the entire OREO filling over the top ot the cake.  Being careful not to rip or tear the cake.  Level the next cake and place that on top of the OREO filling.   Frost the entire cake with icing.     Enjoy and happy baking, my friend. 


Your comments make me happy.........and something to crow about!!!!

This chocolate OREO cake is crowing at

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This cake was featured at country Moma Cooks and Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Sunday, February 19, 2012

MAINE BLUEBERRY PIE

I like two kinds of pie, warm or cold. 

Maine Blueberry Pie
Marjorie Standish
Cooking Down East
copyright 1969

Pastry for a 2 crusted pie
4 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
dash of salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp of butter



Mix all the above ingredients except the butter in a large bowl. Mix and pour into a prepared pie dish with the bottom pie crust. Cut up the butter in little pieces and dot the top of the blueberries. Prepare the top crust, lay on top of berries and flute the pie edges and cut slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to vent. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes. Check after about 30 minutes to see if crust is getting dark, if so cover the pie with foil.


Saturday, February 18, 2012

CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

Been using a lot of cinnamon lately, this bread is so easy to make, I didn't even use the mixer.  Just a spoon and a couple of bowls.  And this is what the outcome is!  Cinnamon Swirl Bread, so good.  The directions suggest to wrap and allow to sit overnight before slicing!  I don't think so, smelling that cinnamon in the oven and having to wait...no way...I sliced it asap!  This is a keeper for sure.   I saw this on Pinterest everyone's newest addiction! So I tracked it down to a blog called "whisk and a prayer" and also from all-recipes.    Enjoy    Andi  

1/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a  9x5 inch loaf pan. I lined mine with parchment paper and spray the paper. 

 In a small bowl add the 1/3 cup white sugar and the 2 tsp cinnamon.  Mix this well and set aside.  I didn't even use my mixer I did it by hand mixing.
In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt and the 1 cup of sugar and whisk this together well. In another medium size bowl add all the liquid ingredients and mix.  Then add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix just enough to combine.    Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan then sprinkle half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top.  Pour the remaining batter on top and spread to edges of pan with a spatula.  Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon/sugar and then using a knife draw thru the cinnamon into the batter in a swirl pattern to marble the bread.   Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes per directions.  Mine was baked in 40 minutes.  The top of the bread is crusted while baking so I inserted a cake tester under the crust to test for doneness.  The tester should come clean.   Allow to set for 10 minutes in the pan then carefully remove to a cooking rack.  
Happy Baking   Andi

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

ICED OATMEAL COOKIES


Hello, my friends, here is yet another wonderful cookie.  One more recipe to add to my addiction! These cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle, with a nice thin coating of cinnamon icing on top.  A keeper for sure, I found these cookies on shugary sweets, that sounds like me!  Made by Aimee.  She has more cookies and lots of goods on her blog. I only took a couple of pictures, my baking pans are looking pretty seasoned.  Thank you Aimee for a delicious oatmeal cookie.............






1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar   I used light brown
2 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP baking powder
2 cups quick oatmeal
2 cups flour


-  In a food processor, pulse the oats until partly ground.  Don't make a fine powder, leave some chunks.  Pulse the oats about  6 times at 1-2 seconds each. set aside.
-   Melt the butter and allow to cool.
-  Using your stand mixer if you have one, or a big mixing bowl add the cooled butter and mix along with the sugars.
-.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix after each addition.
-  I used a large bowl and added all the dry ingredients and using my whisk I combine the ingredients well then add to the creamed butter and sugar.  Mix.
-  Prepare cookie sheets with parchement paper and using my cookie scoop which holds about 2 TBSP I scooped the dough onto the paper and baked them for about 14-15 minutes.   If you want them crunchier, then bake a minute or so more.   Remove from oven allow to cool for a little then move to cooling rack.  Cool completely before icing.
In a small bowl make the icing.  The amount of ingredients you use will depend on the size of your cookies.   I made my cookies bigger and got 2 1/2 dozen, 3 inch cookies   I used 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 8 TBSP heavy cream, a good sprinkle of cinnamon.  I still had some icing left.  

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

LEMON TUNNEL-OF-LOVE TEA CAKE

Well, they say when you are given lemons to make lemonade.  I made "Lemon Tunnel-of-Love Tea Cake.  Having quest tonight for dinner, the heck with dinner I want cake.  I cut a piece of the cake that I used to take the photo.  Had to taste it, make sure its good cause I don't put just any recipe on my blog.  If I don't like it , I don't post it.  This was approved by me.  Then I get to have another one tonight with the company! This cookbook came from favorite daughter, Morgan.  I have made red velvet cake from here and was very impressed also.  Great recipes so far..... Dinner is smelling good, roast pork with carrots, onions, garlic and mashed potato.  And homemade applesauce...........and Lemon Cake. Wish you could come over for dinner and cake.  Happy baking everyone,  Andi

6 ounces of softened regular cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/3 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup
2 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup of canola vegetable oil
1 TBSP of lemon zest ( about 2 small lemons)
1 1/4 cup of buttermilk
Prepare your bundt pan with grease and flour lightly.   Set this aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
In a small bowl add the 6 ounces of cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and then add the egg.  Mix and set this aside. 
In a large bowl add the dry ingredients and using your whisk mix these ingredients then add the oil, 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and the lemon zest and mix.  Then add the remaining cup of buttermilk and mix just enough to incorporate the ingredients. Don't over mix.  
Pour about 1/3 to 1/2 of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.  Spread to make a little tunnel in the batter if possible.  Spoon in the cream cheese mixture and try to keep this in the center of the cake.  Then carefully spoon on the remaining batter and spread to the edges of the pan covering the cream cheese mixture.  Bake in the middle of the oven for about 50-55 minutes.  Until the top is golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.  If you check with the toothpick or cake tester, there should be only traces of cream cheese and no loose batter.  Let cool in the cake pan for 15-20 minutes then invert to your cake platter.   Allow to cool completely.
Icing:
In a small bowl add 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and about 2 TBSP of lemon juice. Mix in a little at a time till you get the consistency you want.  Spoon over the top allowing to drizzle down the sides of the cake. I sprinkled the top with more zest from the lemon.  

Monday, February 6, 2012

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH FLUFFY WHITE ICING

 

Chocolate Cake Challenge for the month of February 2012!  No cupcakes has to be a cake, a real cake.  This challenge wasn't to difficult, who doesn't like chocolate cake.  We all follow along with Tina from Mom's Crazy Cooking.  She does all the hard work to link us all up, sent out e-mails to keep us all focused. Thank you Tina. I went out into blog land and found a cake recipe.  I found my cake at my baking addiction, made by Jamie and is a super easy moist chocolate cake.  A keeper for sure.  Its all made in one bowl, how easy is that.  But, the icing was a bit of a prolbem.  I have a recipe for a fluffy white icing that my mom made for a 100 years.  I wanted this icing!  It creamy, not real sweet, doesn't harden, just a nice frosting.  I searched and searched  then I found it!  I found it!  So happy and so was Dorothy when she made it and posted on her blog crazy for crust.  This is weird but she posted this on what would of been my mother 92 birthday 1/23!  It's ok Mother would be happy she was a baker.  For what ever reason I can't post a comment on Dorothy's blog.  So Dorothy thank you.  It's a great recipe.  This was my mom's go to frosting.  So on to the cake and icing.................happy baking, Andi.

Print recipe

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp King Arthur Flour Black Cocoa, optional*
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong black coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or a 9x13 inch cake pan.  Set aside

2.  Using your large mixing bowl with the whisk attachment combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix these ingredients together until combined.   Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  The batter will be thin.  Divide the batter evenly between the two baking pans.  Or if only using the one pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes for the round pans and 35- 40 minutes for the 9x13 baking pan.   Always watch your oven and check your cakes.  Test when a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove your cakes to a cooling rack.   Cool completely before icing. 

* Black Cocoa is optional - It give a depth of flavor and color to the cake.

  
Fluffy White Icing
Double this recipe if going to frost a two layer cake.  

4 Tbsp Flour
1 cup milk
Using whisk combine the above into a small saucepan and cook over medium high heat and continue to whisk this until a thick paste is formed.  Place in the refrigerator until cool. 
In the bowl or your stand mixer add:
1/2 cup butter, softned
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
In your stand mixer with the whisk attachment add the ingredients and mix this well on medium speed.  Then add the cooled paste and continue to beat on high speed until fluffy.    

Happy Baking, Andi
 



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Saturday, February 4, 2012

SOUR CREAM SCONES

I found a new blog and fell in love it's called stonegable. Unfortunately, Yvonne has moved on to other callings.  Her blog is beautiful, and it shows. The  photos, the layout, the recipes.  The blog is still available to look at and get ideas, and recipes.  Yvonne will not be adding to the blog.  Go take a look and I think you will agree with me.   
Today's Sour Cream Scones come from Yvonne at Stone Gable.  Little scottish quick bread, usually in triangle shapes not as sweet as muffins but served warm with butter and jelly. So, if any are leftover then get out the cast iron skillet and butter a scone and let it toast.  Serve warm with jelly!  Yummy  Life doesn't get much better than that.  This is also posted on Paula
Deen.



2 cups all-purpose flour
3 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 TBSP of butter, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk
Heavy cream for brushing top of scones
dusting sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
In your food processor, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.  Add the cubed butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms.   Pulse in the sour cream and the egg yolk until combined. 

Raspberry Jam made August 2011

Lightly dust your bread board with flour.  Turn the sticky dough out onto the board, knead this dough until it comes together and forms a ball.   Gently pat this dough into a square shape about 7 1/2 inch square and 3/4 inch high.   Using a sharp long knife cut this into 4 equal pieces.  Then cut each smaller square diagonally, with a X, making 4 smaller triangles.  Total of 16 triangles.
Move the 16 triangles onto the parchment paper and brush with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 12-14 minutes.   Watch closely and bake only till the scones are light brown on the bottom.  
Remove from oven allow to cool then remove to a cooling rack.  
Happy Baking everyone and I hope you enjoy     Andi   at the wednesday baker


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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

HOMEMADE GUM DROPS



These little gems were seen on cook with sara.  I had to try making them.  They are cute, sweet and tasty.  Favorite daughter Morgan made these for christmas gifts. How about for Easter, in pastel colors.  So cute.  Thanks Sara for sharing. Go check out Sara's post.   




Homemade gum drops

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2 cups sugar  
super fine sugar (optional) or use regular sugar to roll
1 1/3 cups applesauce
2 packages's (3 ounce) any flavor gelatin jello
2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
1 tsp lemon juice



Prepare a 9x13 inch cake pan with  non-stick Reynolds wrap allowing a over hang on each end. 

In a large saucepan add the 2 cups of sugar, applesauce, 2 packages of any flavor jello, and 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin and 1 tsp of lemon juice.  Let this set for a minute.  Then mix together and cook over medium high heat stirring constantly and bring this to a boil.  Allow to boil for one minute.  Remove from stove top and pour into the prepared baking pan.  Place on a level surface in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. Or until firm. 



Remove from the refrigerator and using the overhang of the foil lift this out and place on a flat surface.   Pull the sides of the foil down all around the gelatin.  You will have about a 1/2 inch high gelatin. I layed another piece of non-stick foil on the work surface and then flipped the gum drops unside down and peeled off the foil then I  dipped a pizza cutter in hot water and made my cuts. Try to keep your rows even. Keep dipping in hot water to keep the blade warm and that helps to cut the gum drops.  

Then start pulling the cut pieces apart.  You will have red fingers. Layed them onto the orginal piece of non stick foil to allow them to dry .  They need to dry for about 8 hours or until slightly sticky.  Then roll them in super fine granduated sugar.  Store in air tight containers you will get about 1 3/4 pounds of gum drops.     
Have fun
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