Linzer Cookies

Linzer Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened 

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Powdered sugar

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer; gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Roll each portion to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut circle shape,Cut centers out of half of cookies with a 1 1/2-inch shaped cutter. Place all cut outs on lightly greased baking sheets. Or follow instructions on your Linzer cookie cutter kit. 

Bake at 325° for 15 minutes; cool on wire racks. Spread solid cookies with jam; sprinkle remaining stars with powdered sugar. Top each solid cookie with cut out top.

Christmas Teacakes

1 cup butter, NO substitutions
1/2 cup POWDERED  sugar
1 teasp. Vanilla
2 1/4 cup a.p flour
1/4 teasp. salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla well. Add flour, salt, nuts and mix well. Chill dough.

Preheat oven to 400º while dough is chilling. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool slightly so you can gently roll hot cookie balls  in powdered sugar. When completely cool, roll again. Store in air tight container.
Makes about 4 dozen.

Thawing and cooking a turkey safely

Thawing turkey for Thanksgiving dinner can seem a bit overwhelming with all the preparations for family coming over for the holiday!!!  Your busy cooking, cleaning and preparing and you forget to thaw the turkey.Start by realizing that it will take several days for your turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. .  You can keep the turkey thawed for a day or two in the fridge prior to cooking.  Besides using the refrigerator, you can use the cold water method. I personally use the fridge method and then resort to the cold water if I guessed wrong on thawing time or forgot to pull the turkey out of the freezer. 

How to Thaw a Turkey Safely In The Fridge

When you remove the turkey from the freezer keep the turkey in its plastic wrapper. Place the turkey on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices.   Allow about 24 hours for ever 5 pounds of turkey following the time table below as a guideline.   Remember that you can keep the turkey in the refrigerator for a day or two extra once its thawed. 

4 to 12 pounds = 1 to 3 days

12 to 16 pounds = 3 to 4 days

16 to 20 pounds = 4 to 5 days

20 to 24 pounds = 5 to 6 days

How to Thaw a Turkey Safely In The  Cold Water

Thawing a turkey in cold water  requires a bit more action on the cooks part.   Again keep the turkey in the wrapper and allow 30 Minutes per pound for the turkey to soak in cold water. You will need to change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed.  Use the timetable below as a timeline to thaw your turkey. 

4 to 12 pounds = 2 to 6 hours

12 to 16 pounds = 6 to 8 hours

16 to 20 pounds = 8 to 10 hours

20 to 24 pounds = 10 to 12 hours

Approximate Roasting Times for Stuffed Turkey

6 to 8 pounds             3 to 3-1/2 hours

8 to 12 pounds           3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours

12 to 16 pounds         4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours

16 to 20 pounds         5-1/2 to 6 hours

20 to 24 pounds         6 to 6-1/2 hours

Approximate Roasting Times for Unstuffed Turkey

6 to 8 pounds             2-1/2 to 3 hours

8 to 12 pounds           3 to 4 hours

12 to 16 pounds         4 to 5 hours

16 to 20 pounds         5 to 5-1/2 hours

20 to 24 pounds         5-1/2 to 6 hours

Easy Caramel Rolls

2 loaves of frozen bread dough (even I cheat at times)

Cinnamon

3 Sticks of Butter or less if you desire

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup White Sugar

1 1/2 Vanilla Ice Cream

Raisins (optional)

Pecans (optional)

Thaw your bread according to the package directions.  With a rolling pin, roll one dough out about 1/4 of an inch thick in an oval shape on a floured surface.  Take one stick of softened butter and smear over the dough; using half on each loaf.  Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the butter; about 2 Tbls per loaf.  Then lightly sprinkle some brown sugar over the cinnamon, add desired amount of raisins.  You will probably use about 1/2 cup of brown sugar per loaf.  Roll the dough up so you have a long tube. Repeat with the second loaf. Cut the rolls so they are about 3/4 of an inch thick.  You should get 12 rolls per loaf.  Transfer the rolls to 2  greased 9x13 pans 

In a sauce pan, melt 2 sticks of butter and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of ice cream.  Add 1 cup each of brown sugar and white sugar.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute.  Pour mixture evenly over the 2 pans of cinnamon rolls.  Allow the rolls to rise at room temperature until they are almost double in size.   You can place them on top of the stove while waiting for the oven to preheat.

Preheat oven to 350.

  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  When rolls are finished allow them to cool a few minutes then flip them out on a cookie sheet and allow to cool.

Coconut shrimp or chicken with Dipping sauce

Baked coconut shrimp or chicken

2/3 cup  BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted

1 pkg.  SHAKE 'N BAKE Chicken Coating Mix

1  egg

2 Tbsp.  water

1 lb.  uncooked extra-large shrimp, peeled with tails left on, deveined

HEAT oven to 400°F.

COMBINE first 2 ingredients in pie plate; set aside. Whisk egg and water in separate pie plate until blended.

DIP shrimp, 1 at a time, in egg, then in coconut mixture, turning to completely coat both sides of each shrimp with egg before coating with coconut mixture; place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Press coating mixture firmly onto shrimp to secure.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until shrimp are done.

**COCONUT CHICKEN FINGERS,  Prepare as directed, substituting boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips, for the shrimp and increasing the baking time to 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is done.

Dipping Sauce

½ Cup Sour Cream

¼ Cup Non Alcoholic Piña Colada drink mix

¼ Cup Crushed Pineapple

2 Tbs Sugar

Combine all ingredients for the dipping sauce into a medium sized bowl and mix them together.

Place in refrigerator to allow sauce to chill. 

Glazed Apple Cinnamon muffins

  1/4cup butter, softened

  1/3 cup sugar

  2 tablespoons brown sugar

  1 egg

  1/2 cup milk

  1-1/2 cups flour

  2 teaspoons baking powder

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  1 medium tart apple, peeled and finely chopped

  1/2 cup chopped pecans

  1/4 cup flaked coconut

  GLAZE:

  1 cup powdered sugar plus 1 Tbls.

  2 tablespoons unsweetened apple juice or water

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until well mixed. Beat in egg. Stir in milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in the apple, pecans and coconut.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over muffins while slightly warm. Serve warm. Yield: 12 muffins.

Beef stew

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

1 to 2 pounds stew meat

1 Tbls oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cups water

1 tsp seasoned salt

2 tsp beef bouilon

1/2 tsp pepper

salt to taste

potatoes

carrots

celery

In your favorite stew pot brown meat that has been coated with flour.

Add onion, water, seasoned salt, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add vegetables and cover 

and simmer for 30 minutes or till done.

I use about 2 celery stalks, 4 carrots and about 5 potatoes.

Use the amount of veggies that you like. 

Add more water if needed - it usually is. Thicken and enjoy. The flour from the browned meat usually thickens it well for me.