Aunt Nedra's Fudge Sauce

My dear Aunt Nedra is an amazing cook. 

My sisters and I with Aunt Nedra (minus Joan)

My sisters and I visited her last fall.  She made a delicious lunch for us, including cream puffs with fudge sauce over the top.  I took a picture of the recipe, but as you can see, the picture didn't include the amounts.  I emailed her and got the amounts.  It is easy and delicious over cream puffs or ice cream.

Fudge Sauce

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 lb butter

1/4 c. cocoa

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 c. milk

Put together over medium-high heat and stir till smooth. Bring to a boil. Let it boil for a 

minute Serve. It will go grainy if cooled. To reuse,this sauce, add some milk, reheat and stir.

Power Muffins

I made these for my kids and they disappeared pretty fast--I've made 2 batches in less than a week. They have fruits and veggies in them as well as whole wheat--healthy and yummy!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour (I sifted mine because I grind my own wheat)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

4 Tbsp butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup brocolli florets, steamed

1 small zucchini, halved and chopped in 2 inch chunks, steamed with broccoli

1 1/2 medium carrot

1/2 medium Apple

1 medium banana

2 Tbsp apple juice

1/4 cup Applesauce, unsweetened

1/4 cup plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together flours, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon (dry ingredients). Set aside.

3. In a mixer or a large bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla (wet ingredients). Beat well and set aside. 

4. Shred carrots. If you don't want shreds in your muffin then combine your carrots with the rest of the fruits and veggies in the food processor in the next step.

5. In a food processor or Blend Tec blender mix up steamed broccoli, steamed zucchini, Apple, banana, apple juice, and applesauce. 

6. Combine fruit and veggie purée, carrots (if you want the shreds), and yogurt into the wet ingredient mix and beat until well mixed.

7. Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until incorporated.

8. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray unless yours does not need it--mine are silicone and do not need it.

9. Scoop the mixture into the holes. Fill each spot about 3/4 full.

10. For mini muffins bake in a 350 degree oven for 13-18 minutes. My oven is hot and only took 13 minutes.

11. For regular size muffins bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

12. Bake until tops are slightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean or the bounce back when touched lightly. 

The original source for these muffins came from superhealthykids.com.

Ham and Ham Sauce

I got this recipe many years ago from my sister who got it from her mother-in-law, who is a wonderful cook- in her 90s and still going strong.  It is our Easter tradition to have this ham and sauce with Funeral potatoes, asparagus, rolls, and strawberry pie for our Easter feast.  We have it for Christmas sometimes, too. 

I

Glazed Ham

Large bone-in ham, spiral cut is good

Glaze:

1/2 cup vinegar

2 cups orange juice

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon ginger

Mix the glaze ingredients together and pour over the ham.  Bake at 300 for about three hours in a roaster oven or large covered pot(enameled cast iron pot.)  Baste with the glaze while roasting.  Don't turn the heat higher as the glaze may burn!  (Voice of experience!)   Serve with Grandma Stratford's Ham Sauce.

Grandma Stratford's Ham Sauce

Beat 1 egg.  Put it in a 2 quart saucepan.  Add:

5 T. water

5 T. vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 T. flour

1 T. dry mustard

pinch of celery seed

1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Cook on medium heat until thickened.  Cover and cool completely.  

Whip 1/2 cup whipping cream.  Fold it into the above mixture.  Serve with the ham.  

Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese

My kids loved this but still don't know they were eating squash instead of cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. sea shell noodles, uncooked
• 3-4 cups cubed butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 and ¼ cup cheese, I used medium cheddar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Optional: fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium low heat.
3. Meanwhile, peel the butternut squash and remove the seeds. Cut into large chunks.
4. Boil the squash until completely tender and then drain. OR if you have a pressure cooker cook on low pressure for 5 minutes with the vegetable broth, using quick release. Then place the squash in the blender with the butter, lots of salt, pepper, broth, paprika, and milk.
5. Pulse until smooth.
6. Pour the sauce over the cooked noodles and add the cheese. Stir until melted.
7. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve with parsley if desired.

Snickers Cake

Years ago, my sister in law, Ada, made a Snickers Cake.  It was really good.  At that time, I made a note in this blog as a recipe to post sometime, but I never got the recipe.  So recently I looked for the recipe online.  I found there are many different versions of Snickers Cake on the Internet.  I tried this one.
This cake is very moist.  I think I would reduce the amount of caramel sauce so it's not quite so moist.

Snickers Cake
1 box devils food cake mix, made according to the directions on package
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups hot caramel sauce (1 jar smuckers or my homemade recipe)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 snickers candy bars, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
caramel sauce
chocolate sauce

Bake cake in 9 x 13 pan as directed
While baking, mix condensed milk and caramel topping until well bleneded.  When the cake is done and while it is still hot, poke holes in it with a fork or straw.  Pour milk mixture over the cake.  Allow to cool completely.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the cake.
In a chilled bow, whip together the cream, sugar and vanilla.  Whip on high spead for 1 -2 minutes.  Stir in the chopped snickers.  Spread over the cake.  Sprinklke chopped peanuts on top.  Drizzle caramel and Chocoalte sauce on top.  Chill

Just a pinch recipes

I since have talked to Ada and found that this is not the recipe she used.  She shared with me the one she did use.  So, I guess the experimenting will have to continue!  Tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

Copycat Outback Bread

My new favorite bread recipe!
I have loved the bread at outback, and this copycat recipe tastes a lot like it.  It is really delicious, especially as toast. Michelle gave me the recipe, and said I could post it.  Thanks, Michelle!

Molasses Bread
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tablespoons instant yeast
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup and 1 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons oil
1/3 cup honey
2 tsps. salt
3 T. dough enhancer (optional)
3 cups whole wheat flour
3-4 cups white bread flour
2-3 Tablespoons butter, melted
Oats for sprinkling, if desired

Fit the electric mixer with a dough hook.  Add the water, yeast, molasses, cocoa, oil, honey, salt, dough enhancer, and 2 cups whole wheat flour.  Mix well.
Then add, the other cup of whole wheat flour/  Star add the white flour gradually until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Knead for 5-7 minutes.  The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
Turn the dough into a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap or a light towel, and let rise until doubled 1 -2 hours.  Punch down the dough and divide into three equal pieces.  Form into tight oval loaves and place on parchment-lines baking sheets, two loaves per sheet.  Cover with greased plastic wrap or a light towel and let rise until puffy and doubled.  Right before baking, using a very sharp knife, slash the bread with three deep slashes (this is for show and is optional)
Preheat oven 375.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and brush with the melted butter and you can sprinkle on oats, if desired.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Soup Season! My favorite season of the year. This is a very delicious version of Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 T. butter
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth or stock (or I like to do 1 quart stock and 2 cups chicken broth made with BTB)
1 3/4 cup chunky sala
1 cup frozen petite white corn
1 can black beans,drained
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded OR 1 whole rotisserie chicken deboned and shredded OR two or three cans chicken breast
Tortilla strips or chips
Garnishes for topping the soup: Cilantro, sour cream, avocado, lime juice 
Melt butter in large sauce pan. Add green pepper, onion, and cumin. Saute' until tender. Stir in broth, salsa, corn, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for a few minutes. Add chicken. Heat through. Ladel into bowls and top with tortilla strips. Add garnishes of your choice. The lime juice is delicious.