Nanny's Sugar Cookies

Andy visiting Nanny and Flippo's house to show off his fish.

Nanny was Moo Moo's sweet neighbor, who never turned any of us away when we came running to her door as children.  She often had a tin of delicious homemade sugar cookies to share, which is probably why we visited so often.  These cookies are crisp and sandy tasting, with a crunchy sugar coating.  The recipe makes a big batch, so you'll have plenty to share with your own neighbors.

Nanny's Sugar Cookies


1 C. softened butter (the real thing)
1 C. powdered sugar
1 C. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 C. wesson oil
2 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
4 1/4 C. flour

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the wesson oil and the vanilla.  Add the salt, soda, and cream of tartar to the flour.  Slowly add the flour mixture to form a dough.  Cover and chill for several hours.  Scoop the cookies with a small ice cream scoop onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with PAM.  Once on the cookie sheet, flatten with a glass that has been dipped in sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Check at about 10 minutes to make sure they are not too brown.

Green Chile Corn

This is my mom's recipe.  It feeds a big crowd!  I made this for Aaron's 30th birthday party and I loved it because it was super quick, easy, and it disappeared almost immediately.

Green Chile Corn

1 gallon corn (drained)

1 lb. cream cheese (softened)

1 stick butter

3  - 7 ounce cans chopped green chiles

1/4 t.  cayenne pepper

1 T. garlic salt

Melt cream cheese and butter in large pot.  When melted, add corn, chiles, cayenne and garlic salt.  Pour into baking dish.  If not baking immediately, refrigerate or freeze at this point until ready to bake.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Momma Sudie's Perfect Cheesecake

This is a fabulous cheesecake! Mom has made it for years and it always turns out perfectly! She made dozens of these cheesecakes as the groom's cake at our wedding. They were delicious with her homemade raspberry sauce! The secret is baking the cheesecake for only 35 minutes and then letting the residual heat in the oven slowly finish the cooking. The result is a cheesecake with a crack-free, smooth top that is a beautiful presentation.

Below, I've included a tip about not over beating the cream cheese/sugar mixture or you could get a cracked top. Never fear...I've made this mistake before. Momma Sudie's wise advice was to slightly sweeten some sour cream and spread it over the top. Gravity takes care of the rest! The sour cream fills in any cracks and leaves you with a perfectly smooth top. After chilling, simply garnish as desired.


Momma Sudie's Perfect Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 9 whole grahams)
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter

Filling:
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 pint (2 c.) sour cream
1 t. vanilla

Mix crust ingredients together and press into the bottom and a little up the sides of a greased 9 or 10" springform pan.

In food processor or mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. (Hint: don't over mix or the cheescake may crack when baking) Add eggs and mix. Add sour cream and vanilla. Pour into crust. Bake 350 for just 35 minutes. Turn oven OFF. Let sit in oven with door cracked for 1 hour. Allow to come to room temperature and chill. Garnish as desired or serve with fruit topping...or chocolate sauce...or caramel sauce...or praline sauce...or...

April's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love to make chocolate chip cookies.  According to my friends and family, my cookies are pretty darn good!  I like to make these and freeze them immediately, stacked and double wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil.  I find that freezing them allows me to keep them on hand, and also prevents my husband and me from eating them all.

My recipe is derived from the traditional Toll House recipe, with a few changes.  It is very important to cream the crisco and sugar well--this gives the cookies a better texture.  Also, be sure to keep the dough cool as you scoop it, and use an ice cream scoop for consistency.  When baking, be sure to pull the cookies out the moment before they start to turn a little bit brown.  They will continue to firm up after they come out of the oven.

April's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 C. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt, plus a pinch

1 stick butter flavor crisco

1 C. brown sugar, loosely packed

1/2 C. white sugar

1 1/2 t. good vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 C. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.  In large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, add crisco, sugars, and vanilla.  Cream well until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until well combined.  Add the flour mixture a spoonful at a time until just incorporated.  Add chocolate chips and mix on low for a few moments.  Scoop cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets with an ice cream scoop, spacing 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.  Bake for 8-12 minutes, or just until the cookies barely begin to lightly brown around the edges.  Allow the cookies to firm up for a few minutes before removing them from the cookies sheets, then cool and enjoy!

White Cheese Dip

There's a nip in the air and lots of football on TV, which makes me hungry for some game day snacks!  This cheese dip is a recipe from my mom's party repertoire.  It is fabulous, and it was the first dish I ever made for a big party.  It tends to disappear quickly.  You can substitute regular velveeta for mexican if you can't find it.

White Cheese Dip

Five cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 onion cut in half moon shapes
1 red bell pepper cut in small pieces
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped or 2 T. dried
12 artichokes marinated in oil, cut into fourths
2 cans Rotel with juice added
2 t. garlic salt
2 t. ground cumin
½ t. cayenne pepper

Sauté the above ingredients in the oil from the marinated artichoke hearts.    

1 lb. cream cheese
8-ounces Asadero Mexican cheese from United
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated or cubed
1 lb. box Mexican Velveeta cheese (It is the white one with jalapeño peppers)

Add the cheese stirring often.  This will stick and burn if not watching.  You can add a little bit of milk if the mixture seems too thick.
Serve in a crock pot or a large hollowed-out bread round.  Sprinkle with Cayenne pepper and garnish with pepper tops of different colors. 

Serve with warm tortillas or tostado chips.

PUMPKIN PIE CRUNCH

This recipe is great for fall even if you aren't a pumpkin pie fan. This was one of the first recipes Taylor & Kristin learned to make...that's how simple it is.

PUMPKIN PIE CRUNCH

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin (not pie mix)
1 can (12 oz.) canned evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice (2t.cinnamon, 1t. ginger, 1/2 t. cloves)
1/2 t. salt
1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. (2 sticks) melted butter or margarine

Grease Bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spices and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Top w/ pecans. Drizzle w/ melted butter. Bake at 350 50-55 minutes until golden. Cool completely. Serve w/ sweetened whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pecan Pie Bars

Fall has arrived! These decadent bars cut nicely with a buttery, thick crust. They are always a big hit!

Pecan Pie Bars

Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. white sugar
3 T. light brown sugar
1/4 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in chunks

Pecan Pie Filling:
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup (karo)
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. whipping cream
2 large eggs
pinch salt
2 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 11x7" pan.

For crust: In a food processor, blend flour, both sugars, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and pulse to break in butter until mixture barely begins to hold together. Press into bottom of prepared pan and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. REDUCE oven temp. to 325.

For Filling: In a medium bowl, using a whisk, blend all filling ingredients (except pecans). Once well mixed, fold in pecans.

Bake 25-35 minutes in a 325 oven or until filling is just set. Cool well before cutting into bars.

Note: Sometimes, I add about 1/2 c. chocolate chips to the filling for chocolate/pecan pie bars. Delish!

Moo Moo's Banana Ice Cream

Legend has it that once upon a time in Clarendon a banana truck caught on fire outside Poops's veterinary clinic.  Moo Moo--being the resourceful mom that she was--salvaged countless boxes of smoky green bananas and kept them in a dark closet, pulling a few out at a time to ripen.  I imagine that this alleged banana incident was the root of some of Moo's delicious banana recipes.  My mom still harbors a deep-set disdain for all things banana, but she will occasionally make an exception for Moo's banana ice cream.

Moo Moo's banana ice cream is a much-loved favorite in my family.  It is YUMMY!  You can make it at home, but it will never be as good as when Moo Moo makes it for you.

I am including two recipes.  The original is straight from Moo Moo, and is for her 6 quart ice cream maker.  My ice cream maker is only 4 quarts, so I have also included an altered recipe for a smaller batch.  You may need to make additional changes depending on the size of your machine.  It is best to use bananas that are a little bit too brown to eat, but not quite brown enough for banana bread. You can mash your bananas with a little bit of lemon juice and freeze them ahead of time if you want.

*This recipe calls for raw eggs.  If you are serving this to young children, pregnant women, or the elderly (or if raw eggs just creep you out), use egg beaters or pasteurized eggs instead.

Moo Moo's Original Banana Ice Cream Recipe
6 eggs (or equivalent amount of egg beaters, see above*)
3 C. sugar
1 T. vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cans evaporated milk
5-6 large bananas, mashed with a little bit of lemon juice to prevent browning
Milk to fill freezer

In mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, add eggs and sugar and beat well until light.  Add vanilla, condensed milk and evaporated milk and bananas and stir to combine.  Chill this mixture very well.  Prepare ice cream freezer.  Pour ice cream mixture into freezer container and fill to the top with milk.  Cover and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

4 Quart Banana Ice Cream Recipe
4 eggs (or equivalent amount of egg beaters, see above*)
2 C. sugar
1 T. vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk, minus a spoonful or two
1 can evaporated milk
4 large bananas, mashed with a little bit of lemon juice to prevent browning
Milk to fill freezer

In mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, add eggs and sugar and beat well until light.  Add vanilla, condensed milk and evaporated milk and bananas and stir to combine.  Chill this mixture very well.  Prepare ice cream freezer.  Pour ice cream mixture into freezer container and fill to the top with milk.  Cover and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.  

Cinnamon Rolls

My mom makes amazing cinnamon rolls.  She learned from her sister, my Aunt Sandy.  This recipe has been a staple of family holidays since before I was born, and both my mom and aunt have sold thousands of these rolls in their lifetimes.

Making these rolls takes several hours, so don't try to make them if you are short on time.  They are addictive, and especially good while they are still warm from the oven.  You literally cannot eat just one.

This recipe takes some practice to perfect, but it is worth it!  You will end up with several pans of rolls to share (or not, if you choose.)  They make excellent gifts.  They can be eaten right away or frozen for later.  If freezing, you can wait to ice the rolls and briefly re-warm them in the oven once thy have thawed.

I forgot to take some photos of making the dough, but I will take some next time.

After the dough has risen for about 1 hour, punch it back down and allow to rest for 15 minutes

Divide dough in half,  form one half into a ball on lightly floured surface (this is too much flour.)

Roll dough out into oval, brush with butter up to 1/2" from the edge, sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon.  Mmmmm......

Roll up from center seam.  Using a serrated knife, carefully cut into 1" rolls.

Place 1/2" apart in greased pan.  Allow to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Bake, ice, and enjoy!  

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough recipe
2 packages dry yeast
1/4 C. Warm water
1 1/4 C. boiling water
2 sticks butter
3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 C. cool water
2 eggs
8 C. flour, divided

Making the dough
1) Combine packages of yeast and warm water.  Set aside.

2) In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 1/4 C. boiling water, butter, sugar, and salt.  Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

3) Add the cool water, eggs, and yeast mixture to the mixer bowl.  Add 4 cups of flour and blend with the paddle attachment until a very wet, sticky dough forms.  Continue to add the remaining flour, a little bit at a time, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  You may not need to use all the flour.

4)  When the dough starts to pull away from the bowl, switch to the dough hook attachment to knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour if needed to create a smooth, elastic dough.

5) Place dough in a warm, greased bowl, turning to coat the top of the dough.  Cover and let double in bulk.  This will take about 1 hour.  Punch the dough down after it has risen.  Knead lightly, cover, and allow to rest 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare to roll out and fill the cinnamon rolls.

Filling (measurements are approximate)
2 sticks melted butter
2 C. sugar
6 T. cinnamon

Making the rolls
1) Divide dough in half.  Roll each half of the dough into an 8x15" rectangle (or oval, in my case) on a lightly floured surface.

2) Brush with melted butter up to 1/2" from the edge.  Sprinkle heavily with sugar and then cinnamon.

3) Cut rectangle (oval) in half lengthwise, and roll each side up tightly, starting from the center seam.  With a bread knife using slow and even strokes, cut the logs into 1" rolls.  Be careful not to mash the rolls as you cut.  Place the cut rolls in a well greased pan, 1/2" apart.  Cover rolls and allow to rise in a warm place until double in bulk (approximately 1 hour).

4)  Bake rolls in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Drizzle with icing (recipe follows.)

Icing
1 C. powdered sugar
approximately 2 T. milk

Combine sugar and milk, adding milk a little bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency.  Icing should be runny enough to easily drizzle over warm rolls.

No Knead Bread

This is a bread recipe that I found and LOVED.  It is so easy and super impressive.  It makes a dense, chewy artisanal loaf of bread with a crisp crust that crackles as it cools.  It takes almost no time to put together, but be advised that you will have to wait overnight before you bake it (totally worth the wait, by the way!)  This bread with a little bit of butter and some HEB jelly is my idea of heaven!


Steph is much more practiced in making this (and many other types of bread) than I am, but here is a video link and the basic no-knead bread from Jim Lahey:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU


Basic No Knead Bread Recipe

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting

1 1/2 cups water
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.