Sugar Cookies

These are the softest and tastiest sugar cookies I've ever made. They are definitely a frosted cookie recipe. If you want cookies to eat without frosting, Mom's recipe has better flavor for that. The trick to soft sugar cookies is to make sure you don't roll them out too thin. (Dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.) And don't let them brown. They should still be white when you take them out of the oven. That way they stay soft. Give this a try for Valentine's Day.

1 C butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C sour cream (add in thirds)

Mix together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and last the sour cream in thirds.

Chill 3-4 hours. This is a sticky dough so it must be chilled to be able to work with it. Resist the temptation to add more flour before you refrigerate it, but when you are rolling it out have your flour handy or you'll go crazy.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

Frosting

1 cube margarine
6 T milk
1 T vanilla
4 C powdered sugar

Tortellini Soup

I made this the other night and it was a real crowd pleaser. Tasted great in this cold weather.

1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C water
2 cans beef broth (or 2 C water and 2 bouillon cubes.)
1/2 C apple juice
3 carrots (I just cut up several baby carrots.)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 C sliced zucchini
1/2 - 1 green pepper, chopped
4 T parsley, chopped
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
8-oz. cheese tortellini
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Brown sausage with onion and garlic. Add rest of ingredients except cheese and tortellini and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Add tortellini 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each bowl of soup with Parmesan cheese.

Granola

Mix
6 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ or wheat flour
1/2 cup coconut
1/2-1 cup nuts chopped (mom uses walnuts but any nut will work)
Add
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Bake
20-25 minutes @ 350 degrees stirring often
This has been my life saver for my cereal cravings before I go to bed. I think my other pregnant sisters can relate:)

Ginger Cream Cookies

I got this recipe out of the cookbook that Robyn's stake made...the one Mom gave us. I loved it, and it was a big hit.

COOKIES

2 cubes butter
1 c. molasses
1 c. white sugar
1 rounded tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
3 beaten eggs
1 T. baking soda, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
6 c. flour, approximately

Preheat oven to 350. Bring butter, molasses, sugar, spices, and salt to a boil, then cool. Add 3 beaten eggs. Add 1 T. soda dissolved in 1/4 cup water - the batter will foam up a bit. Then slowly add, cup at a time, 6 cups of flour (measured after sifting.) This may take a bit more flour. You should be able to handle the dough lightly. Roll the dough, a bit at a time to 1/4" thick. Using cookie cutters, cut cookies (she had really explicit directions on what to use, but we just used Christmas cookie cutters and they were really cute AND good.) Place on cookie sheet and bake. I greased the pan, but it didn't say to grease the pan. This should yield about 4 dozen cookies. Bake for 8 minutes at 350. Ice when cookies are still warm.

ICING

1 cube butter
1/3 c. cream, half and half, or milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar

Brown butter till brown stage, then add rest of ingredients. Ice cookies while they are still warm Store in an enclosed container and they will stay soft and good for weeks!

Easy Butter Toffee

1 cube butter
1 cube margarine
3 T. water
1 c. sugar
Chocolate chips
Chopped pecans

Butter a 9x13 pan and layer with chopped pecans. combine the first four ingredients and boil until amber. Pour mixture over pecans. Top with chocolate chips. Once chocolate chips are melted, spread over toffee. Let sit. Once hardened, break into chunks. Enjoy!

Apple Pudding

This is the recipe as Anne had it published. The pudding is the same as the normal recipe, but there is less butter in the caramel sauce.

1 C all-purpose flour
1 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 C shredded peeled tart apples (about 2 large)
1/4 C chopped walnuts

CARAMEL SAUCE:
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 C water
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Combine egg and apples; add to flour mixture and mix well.  Stir in walnuts.  Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

For sauce, in a small nonstick saucepan, combine the brown sugar, flour and salt.  Gradually add water; stir until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened.  Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Serve with warm apple dessert.  Yields 9 servings.

NUTRITION FACTS:  1 piece with 2 tbsp. sauce equals 251 calories, 4 g fat (1g saturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 264 mg sodium, 52 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Chicken Enchiladas

3-4 large chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. sour cream

2 T margerine

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 t chili powder

1 can green chiles

8 tortillas*

1 c cheese

Cook chicken breasts (I usually just boil them and then shred the chicken.)

Stir soup, sour cream, and chili powder together and set aside. Melt margarine in saucepan. Cook onion in the margarine until it is tender. Stir in chicken, chiles and 3 T. of soup mixture (I put a little more depending on how many breasts I used. I like the chicken mixture moist.)

Put chicken mixture in tortillas, roll, and place in pan. Cover with remaining soup mixture. Cook covered at 350 for 15-20 min. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and cook 5 min. longer or until cheese is melted.

*We usually make about five with this amount of chicken mixture, but we stuff them pretty full.