Peanut Butter Blossoms

Notes:

- There are several versions of this cookie.  I combined the recipe we have from 1980 with the one on the Hersheys web site.  They are just a little different but I like the "old family recipe".

- My Mom always gave us the job of unwrapping all the Hershey's Kisses while she started to mix the dough.  (We were always surprised that there was enough candy left for all the cookies - I think she knew better and planned ahead)

- There are many flavors and colors of  Hersheys Kisses available.  My favorite is the traditional milk chocolate but the caramel filled kisses are really good too! You can also make chocolate-peanut butter cookies or use other candy centers.

- Use the butter flavored Crisco sticks if you can find them.

- This is another one of those "roll the dough into a ball" cookies.  It's a good idea to just continue rolling until all the cookies are ready to bake. Bake each batch on a cooled pan.  (One in the oven, one cooling off if you make a big batch)  

- Don't over-bake. These are better soft.  Adjust the baking time if you need to after the first batch.

- You should make a double batch!  They disappear very fast, especially when warm. 

- Even though these are easy to make they make great looking gifts.

The Recipe:

-Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

-Whisk flour mixture together in a separate bowl and set aside.

½  cup shortening

½  cup peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar (plus a separate ½ cup to roll dough balls into)

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla 

-Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture and beat into the moist ingredients.

-Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

-Bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookie sheet from oven and immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Bake 3 mins more. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Snickerdoodles

A few notes:
-For the basic cookie you roll the batter into 1" balls and then coat with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. You could roll them in colored sugar, add extra sugar to the top before baking or decorate with a swirl of royal icing but they are pretty sweet without added icing.

-There are lots of recipes in old cookbooks and on the internet but there a very few that vary the basic ingredients.  The oldest recipes use a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda.  Newer recipes call for baking powder. 

-Some recommend 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening.  Shortening melts at a higher temp making a thicker cookie.  I like to use all butter.  You can gently flatten the rolled dough into a disk with the bottom of a glass or criss cross with a fork to flatten before baking but the all butter ones will probably melt flat on their own.  If the cookies spread too thin, try chilling the balls of dough, and maybe even the pan, before baking.

- You should NOT grease the baking pan.  Bake the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet or line pans with parchment paper.

-I bake the cookies at 375 degrees (recipes differ from 350 - 400 degrees)

The Recipe:

All purpose flour - 2 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder - 2 tsp

-Whisk flour mixture together in a separate bowl and set aside.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. (about 2 minutes)

2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

-Add the eggs, one at a time and finally the extract to the mixer and beat until combined with the butter and sugar.

-Add the flour mixture in a little at a time until combined with the wet ingredients.

-Mix
1 - 2 Tbs of Ground Cinnamon
4 Tbs of Granulated Sugar

-Roll the dough into 1" balls and then roll into Sugar and Cinnamon mixture.

-Place the balls about 2" apart on the pan and gently flatten a bit with the bottom of a glass or a fork.

-Place pan in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to chill before baking.

-Bake (375 degrees) for 8 - 10 minutes - just until the edges start to brown.

-Place on a wire rack to cool and store in an airtight containers.

Resources: My Mom's recipe file, www.Food.com and SmittenKitchen.com

Funnel Cake

 1 Large egg
 2/3 cups milk
 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
 1/4 tsp. salt
 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
 3/4 tsp. baking powder
Also:  
 Vegetable oil and a deep skillet
 Food thermometer
 Medium funnel
 Large ladle
 Metal tongs
 Paper towels
 Powdered sugar

1. Beat egg in a large mixing bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in milk slowly, stirring constantly with the whisk.
 
2. Combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a separate large mixing bowl.
 
3. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture slowly, beating constantly with the wire whisk. Continue beating until the funnel cake batter is smooth.
 
4. Pour vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet to a 1-inch depth. Heat the oil to approximately 375 degrees F, using a food thermometer to check the temperature.
 
5. Place your finger over the hole in the bottom of a medium-sized funnel. Fill the funnel with one large ladle of batter and remove your finger, allowing the batter to run out into the hot oil. Move the funnel from the center of the pan outward in a circular motion to create a round funnel cake.
 
6. Fry the homemade funnel cake for two to three minutes in the oil or until golden brown. Turn the cake over using metal tongs, and fry for two to three minutes on the opposite side, until golden brown.
 
7. Remove the funnel cake from the oil with the tongs, and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar while it's still warm, and serve immediately.

For more by Willow Sidhe, ehow - Homemade Funnel Cake

Homemade Lemonade

Old-fashioned lemonade is favorite at summer fairs. It's also known as a Lemon Shake Up. To make it at home place 2 tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar in a large glass or drink shaker (like a martini shaker) half full of crushed ice. Now cut a lemon in two, slice each section in two or three pieces, squeeze the juice of the lemon and fill the glass with plain ice-cold water. Shake throughly, pour from shaker into glass.

Adapted from "The Dispenser's Formulary or Soda Water Guide" published by D. O. Haynes & Co., New York, in 1915.  For more information on this recipe see Homemade Dessert Recipes.com

Caramel Apples

Ingredients
    * 6 Granny Smith apples
    * 6 wooden sticks
    * 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
    * 2 tablespoons water
    * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil. I like to use squares of wax or parchment paper under each apple. Greasing a metal pan does NOT work.
 2. Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan. Place on the aluminum foil and chill until ready to serve.
3. If desired, dip apples into chopped nuts, cookies, candies or sprinkles.  Drizzle with chocolate or melted caramel.


Cooking Option: place the the caramels and water in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 1 minute at a time until melted stirring as needed to combine.

Check out Kraft Foods and All Recipes for more ideas.

Bird's Nest Cookies

1 can of chow mein noodles
Pkg of White Almond Bark or Wilton Candy Melts
Egg shaped pastel candies

Melt the candy over low heat according to package directions.  When it's melted sitr in noodles.  Spoon onto wax paper and let the nests cool slighty.  Dip one side of the egg candy into the melted candy and place on top of the nests.  When completely cool tuck each nest into a cookie bag for party favors.

Olive Tapenade in Puff Pastry

1 pkg. puff pastry sheets (frozen)
1 container olive tapenade about 8 oz
parchment paper for baking sheet

-Thaw 1 unopened pkg of pastry sheets in the refrigerator overnight.
-Roll out both sheets of dough and spread 1/2 of a 7oz container of premade olive tapenade evenly over each sheet of pastry, using knife to spread the filling.
-Roll the filled sheets of dough into a log shape and pinch the seam to close.
-Use a sharp serrated knife, to cut each roll into ½” thick pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
-Bake in preheated 425 oven for 15 minutes until golden. Serve warm.
-You can make these in advance, freeze and reheat for 2-3 mins in a 425 oven.

Note: try herbed cheese spread for variety