Black Walnut Cookies

Black Walnut Cookies was a favorite recipe of my Dad.  Mom always made them in a rectangular shape, so that the cookie was good for dunking in a cup of Arco Coffee.  How excited I was to find Arco Coffee on Amazon.com!

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups sifted flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond

Cream together the shortening, butter/margarine. and brown sugar using a fork.  Add the eggs and flavorings.  Mix. Set aside.

Sift soda, salt, and baking powder with the flour.  Add to the butter mixture and stir until blended. 
Stir in the walnuts.

Roll into a log and wrap in wax paper.  Place in freezer.  When ready to bake the cookies, remove the dough from the freezer and slice.  Bake at 350' F on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam.  Bake approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Papaya Poached in Cinnamon Lime Syrup

Papaya Poached in Cinnamon Lime Syrup

Delicious Mexican dessert published in Bon Appetit.  This dessert is light enough to enjoy at the end of the meal.  For a garnish, I used whipping cream and a twist of lime.

For information on Mexican cooking lessons, contact Janice Thomas at the Savory Spoon Cooking School in Ellison Bay, WI.

Scrambled Egg Casserole

One of my favorite recipes to prepare for company, because it can be made ahead of time.

18 eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. half and half
3 Tbsp. butter
1 can (10 1/2 oz. cream of mushroom soup
6 oz. jar drained mushrooms
5 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 1/4 cups)
3-4 slices fried crisp and crumbled bacon

Beat eggs and half & half together.  Melt butter in a large skillet, add eggs and scramble.  Put scrambled eggs in a 3-quart casserole dish.  Pour on soup, mushrooms, and cheese; top with bacon.  Bake at 250'F for 45 -60 minutes.  10-12 servings

Tip:  This recipe can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, and baked the next day.  Remember to increase the baking time to 1 1/2 hours.

Nutritional Tip:  Changes can be made to this recipe to make it healthier.  Use low fat cheese, low fat & low salt soup, fresh mushrooms, olive oil instead of butter and replace the bacon with turkey bacon.  I am also thinking that Egg Beaters could replace the eggs...haven't tried this yet.  I like to add broccoli to the dish.

Delicious Brownies

Brownies:

1/2 cup softened margarine
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 pound can of chocolate syrup


Place ingredients in a mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until blended.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.  Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350'F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in the center of the brownies, come out clean.  Frost when cool.

Frosting:

1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
6 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Measure sugar, milk, and margarine into a sauce pan and cook on low until mixture begins to boil.  Stirring occasionally. (Over-stirring will create a crystallized frosting.)  Boil one minute and do not stir while boiling.  Remove saucepan from heat.

Add chocolate chips and stir until melted.  Cool at room temperature until the frosting begins to thicken and then frost the brownies.  It is important that the frosting doesn't get too thick or it will be impossible to use as frosting.

PS:  I have cooled the frosting by placing the saucepan in a bowl of ice water, but be very careful that the frosting doesn't set up to quickly.

Favorite Meat Loaf

3 lbs. hamburger
2 eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 diced onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 slices of bread torn into pieces (the ends work great)

In a large bowl add the above ingredients.  Using your hands, mix well.  Shape meat mixture into a Teflon lined loaf pan and gently press down.  Bake in a preheated 350'F oven approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160'F.

Mom's Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1/2 cup Imperial margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350'F.  Cream shortening and sugar using a fork or pastry blender until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat thoroughly using a wooden spoon.  (Do not use a mixer.) Add sifted dry ingredients.

Roll into balls about the size of a walnut or use a cookie scoop. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with the base of a glass dipped in sugar or press with a pottery cookie stamp (The design will not be sharp as in the advertisement.)  Bake until lightly browned...8-10 minutes.

Enjoy frosting Mom's Sugar Cookies?  Here is a recipe...Wilton Buttercream Frosting.

Chicken Fricassee

Delicious recipe that I received while taking a ProStart Class from the National Restaurant Association.  Fresh herbs make such a difference in dishes, so I planted oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, and chives in my garden.  What fun!

8 chicken pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp. thyme
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup white wine (My favorite for cooking is "Broke Ass"....seriously.)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
1 Tbsp. fresh chives

Preheat over to 350'F.

Combine salt, pepper, and thyme.  Season chicken with spice blend.  In a heavy saute pan, heat butter and olive oil over a moderate flame.  Saute chicken on both sides, but don't let it brown.  It will take about 7 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken pieces to an oven proof casserole dish.

Pour diced vegetables into saute pan and sweat for 5 minutes.  While stirring frequently, sprinkle flour over the vegetables and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.  Whisk wine into the flour and vegetables.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add chicken stock and cream.  Bring to a boil.

Pour sauce over the chicken and cover the casserole.  Place in a 350'F oven for 40 minutes.  Transfer chicken and sauce to serving platter and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Now that summer vacation is here, Greg is anxious for his DW to start cooking.  Since Greg has dinner ready for me every night during the school year, it really is payback time!!!  So, I am off to the kitchen to bake the Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies.  Here's a link to one of my favorite recipes.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies 


Another favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is from a 1976 Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles
(Click for recipe.)

One of my students brought me this treat.  All I can say is, "Yum!"

Rosemary Chicken with Red Potatoes

2 tsp. chopped, fresh Rosemary
1 large clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 chicken pieces with skin removed
1 lb. 1-inch cubed red potatoes with skin
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup dry white wine (I like "Broke Ass" Wine...it is inexpensive and delicious in cooking.)

Preheat the oven to 425'.  Spray Pam in the bottom of a roasting pan.  Combine Rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Set aside. Clean and rinse the chicken and place in roasting pan.  Spread the herb mixture evenly on top of the chicken.  Next, add the potatoes and carrots.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Add the wine to the pan and roast 15 minutes longer.  Stir.  Continue roasting for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 180'F.

Kyle’s Barbecue Chicken

3 Tbsp. oil

2 pkgs. Drummies or Chicken Pieces (thigh, wings, legs, breasts)

1 ½ jars of Masterpiece BBQ Sauce

10 oz. jar grape jelly

2 Tbsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce (This amount is too hot for me, so I usually use 2 tsp.)

1 tsp. liquid smoke


In a frying pan brown chicken in 3 Tbsp. oil and set aside. Remove excess grease from pan, but don’t clean the frying pan. Put BBQ Sauce and grape jelly in fry pan at low heat, until jelly melts. Add hot sauce to taste and add liquid smoke. Heat all of the ingredients until they are blended, stirring frequently so that the sauce doesn’t burn. Add chicken to the frying pan and simmer for one hour until tender or place the chicken in a slow cooker.