Triple Berry Crisp

OVEN 350

1 1/2 cup blueberries

1 1/2 cup raspberries

1 1/2 cup blackberries

4 Tbsp. white sugar

2 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix all berries and sugar together. Set aside. In a second bowl combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a buttered 9x13 pan. Cover with berries. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture on top of the berries. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serves well with ice cream.

Ice Cream In A Bag

2 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup half and half (milk is okay too, but the creamier the better)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbsp. rock salt
1 pint sized ziploc bag
1 gallon sized ziploc bag

Fill gallon bag half full with ice. Add rock salt and seal. Pour sugar, half and half, and vanilla into pint sized bag and seal. Place pint sized bag into gallon sized bag and seal. Shake for 5-7 minutes. Open small bag and enjoy!

Chocolate Spoons

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1-2 Tbsp. peanut butter
12 plastic spoons

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. In a microwave safe dish (a liquid measuring cup works best), heat chips and peanut butter on 50% power until chips melt. Stir. Dip spoons into chocolate mixture and place wax paper. Chill until spoons harden.
**Variations: Have kids decorate spoons with sprinkles, colored sugars, mini-candies, etc. During the hoildays, sprinkle spoons with crushed peppermint candy.

Puppy Chow

1 box Chex cereal

½ cup chocolate chip

½ cup butterscotch chips

1 cup peanut butter

½ cup butter

½ lbs. powdered sugar

In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, melt chips, peanut butter, and butter together. Pour over top of cereal. Gently mix until cereal is covered. Let cool for 10 minutes. Put coated cereal in a gallon bag, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and shake bag. Keeps well in the freezer.

Peppermint Meringue Kisses

OVEN 200

3 large egg whites

¾ cup sugar

Crushed peppermint candies

Line 2 baking sheets with wax or parchment paper. In a large bowl combine egg whites and sugar. Place bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and egg mixture feels warm to the touch; about 5 minutes. Remove from water bath. With a mixer on high, beat until very stiff peaks form; about 6 minutes. Spoon mixture into a large freezer bag. Fit with a stat piping tip or snipe a corner. Pipe kisses onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with peppermint candy. Bake at 200 until crisp throughout; about 1 hour. To cool, turn off oven but leave kisses in the oven with door closed for 1 hour. Makes 4 dozen kisses.

Chocolate Malt Cake

OVEN 350

Cake:

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

2/3 cup softened butter

1 ¾ cups sugar

3 eggs

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

2 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ cup milk

Grease three 8x8 baking pans, lightly dust cocoa powder on each pan. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat 30 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beating on low until combined. Divide into pans. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Frosting:

2 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup malt powder

2 packages of chocolate chips (11.5 oz.)

In a saucepan over medium=high heat bring cream just to boiling. Stir in malt powder. Add chocolate chips and do not stir. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mixture will be thin. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. After chilling, set bowl of frosting in a larger bowl of ice water. Beat frosting with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until fluffy( the frosting will turn light brown.)

Assembly:

Cakes

Frosting

2 cups malt balls (1 cup coarsely chopped, 1 cup whole)

Stack cakes, spreading ¾ cup frosting between each layer of cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake, reserving some for piping. Pipe edges for finish. Top with chopped and whole malt balls. Keep in refrigerator.

Best Quick Sugar Cookies

PREHEAT 375

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon almond flavoring (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cup flour

In a medium bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Beat until it is smooth and fluffy. Add milk, egg, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in salt, baking powder, and flour. Blend it until it makes a nice smooth dough. Drop by spoonfuls onto an oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Other Ideas: add food coloring to dough mixture

Form dough into small balls and roll in colored sugars

Flatten out and use cookie cutters

Banana Mallow Pie

Graham cracker crust for a 9 inch pie

1 small package vanilla pudding

1 cup whipping cream OR a tub of Cool Whip

2 bananas, sliced

1 ½ cup marshmallows

Prepare pudding mix using 1 ¾ cup milk. Chill. Fold in cream and marshmallows. Put sliced bananas in crust. Pour filling over bananas. Chill for several hours or overnight.

*from the kitchen of Katie G.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

I know everyone says they have the best recipe ever...but I actually have the best recipe ever! Baking cookies is an art. I have literally spent years perfecting this recipe. I have tried every variation and have come up with the most perfect method for successful cookies every time!
So get ready. I am about to reveal my biggest secret!
(If a cookie recipe is my biggest secret, does that make me a bit lame?)


OVEN: 375

1 cup Crisco
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. water
2 1/4 cups flour
chocolate chips

In a non-metal bowl, cream shortening and sugars together. Use a wooden spoon, not an electric mixer. Baking Hint: Add an extra tsp. of brown sugar to keep cookies soft for days. Mix in salt, baking soda, vanilla, water, and eggs. Add 1 1/4 cups flour and mix throughly. Add the other cup of flour and mix. Add chocolate chips (as many as you want, a whole bag for choco-holics like me). Eat several spoonfuls of dough because it is GOOD! Drop about a teaspoon worth of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for about 6-8 minutes. Watch carefully...there is a small window of opportunity to get the baking just right. Take the cookies out of the oven when the edges and tops are just starting to brown. After removing from the oven, so not take off the pan for a few minutes. The cookies will continue cooking on the hot pan for a few minutes. When they start to fall, transfer to a cooling rack.

Happy Baking!