Author: Ellen Abney

Gingerbread Cookies

Long lost bbuffet contributor, Ellen, here. A friend gave me the greatest gingerbread cookie recipe. Rolls and cuts like a charm and tastes fantastic.

3 C. flour
1 C. light brown sugar
1/4 C. corn starch
1 1/2 T. orange rind
1 T. ginger
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. molasses
1 T. water
1 egg
1 C. cold butter, cup into 1 inch pieces

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2tsp. vanilla
2 T. milk (add additional milk to reach desired consistency)

Mix flour, sugar, cornstarch, orange rind, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk molasses, water and egg in a small bowl; set aside.
Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Pour molasses mixture over flour; beat with mixer until dough forms a ball.
Knead 2-3 times until smooth.
Divide in half; wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut with cookie cutters, place on baking sheets.
Bake 11-13 minutes in 350 degree oven-cool on wire racks.
Decorate with icing.

Cakes Cookbook Desserts

German Chocolate Cake

This is my husband, Paul’s, favorite cake. In my cooking, I’m forever “competing” with memories of his grandmother’s baking, and the first time I made this he said it was one of the best cakes he’d ever had. I knew it had been compared to high standards, so I was impressed with myself.

4 oz. sweet cooking chocolate
1/2 C. water
2 C. sugar
1 C. stick margarine or butter, softened
4 large eggs
2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour, or 2 1/2 C. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. buttermilk

COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING:
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. stick margarine or butter
1 C. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 large egg yolks
1 1/3 C. flaked coconut
1 C. pecans, chopped

Heat oven to 350º. Grease bottom and sides of three round 8 x 1 1/2″ or 9 x 1 1/2″ pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. Heat chocolate and water in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring until chocolate is melted; cool. Beat sugar and margarine in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in chocolate and vanilla on low speed. Add remaining ingredients, except frosting. Beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into pans. Bake 8″ round pans 35 to 40 minutes, 9″ round pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely. Fill layers and frost top of cake with the Coconut-Pecan Frosting, leaving side of cake unfrosted,

COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING: Mix sugar, margarine, milk, vanilla and egg yolks in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool about 30 minutes, beating occasionally, until spreadable.

Cakes Cookbook Desserts

Fruit Filled Orange Cake

Avery and I have always enjoyed looking through cookbooks and magazines for new recipes to try. He chose this picture because of the strawberries and pineapple. It was an excellent choice. The cake is really delicious!

1 – 18 1/4 oz. pkg. reduced-fat yellow cake mix
3/4 C. water
1/2 C. orange juice
1/2 C. egg substitute
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 T. canola oil
1/2 tsp. orange peel
1 – 6 oz. carton reduced-fat orange-cream yogurt
2 C. reduced-fat whipped topping
1 C. strawberries, diced and patted dry
1 C. canned unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry

Coat two 9″ round baking pans with non-stick cooking spray; line with waxed paper. Coat waxed paper with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Fold in orange peel. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350º for 18 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack. In a bowl, combine the yogurt and whipped topping. In another bowl, combine the strawberries and pineapple. Place 1 cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of the yogurt mixture; top with half of the fruit mixture. Top with a second cake layer. Spread remaining yogurt mixture over top of cake; sprinkle with remaining fruit. Store in the refrigerator.

Cookbook Main Dishes

Hot Dog Wrap-Ups

This recipe comes from an old Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cookbook. We used to love making them when we were growing up. Emily and I still get hungry for them and make them for lunch occasionally.

2 T. butter or margarine, softened
4 slices bread
4 slices American cheese
4 hot dogs

Spread softened butter or margarine on one side of each piece of bread with a table knife. Put buttered-side down on a baking sheet. Put a slice of cheese on each bread slice. Put a hot dog diagonally across each slice of cheese. With adult’s help, turn on the oven to 375°. It will start to get hot. Fold the 2 opposite corners of the bread over each hot dog. Push 2 wooden picks through the bread and into the hot dog to keep the corners around it. With adult’s help, put the baking sheet into the oven. Bake until bottoms are golden brown. This will take about 10 minutes. With adult’s help, remove the baking sheet. Turn off the oven. Use pancake turner to put hot dogs on plates.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Tags Hot Dogs

Beef Cookbook Main Dishes

Light and Lazy Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles
2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese, grated

FILLING:
1 – 15 oz. carton non-fat ricotta cheese
1 C. non-fat cottage cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 T. fresh parsley, finely chopped, or 2 tsp. dried

SAUCE:
8 oz. 95% lean ground beef
2 – 1 lb. cans unsalted tomato sauce
1 – 1 lb. can unsalted tomatoes, crushed
2 T. tomato paste
2 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
2 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

To make the sauce, place the ground meat in a 4-quart pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring to crumble, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain fat. Add all of the remaining sauce ingredients to the browned meat, increase the heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Set aside.

To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir to mix well. Set aside.

To assemble the lasagna, coat a 9×13″ pan with cooking spray. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the pan. Lay 4 of the uncooked noodles over the bottom of the pan, arranging 3 of the noodles lengthwise and 1 of the noodles crosswise. Allow a little space between the noodles for expansion. Top the noodles with half of the filling mixture, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and 1 1/2 cups of the sauce. Repeat the noodles, filling, mozzarella cheese and sauce layers.

Finally, top with the remaining noodles, sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and the top is browned. Remove the dish from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Yields 10 servings.

Cookbook Cookies Desserts

Cinnamon Sugar Butter Cookies

Post author By Ellen Abney
Post date March 22, 2008
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TOPPING:
3 T. granulated sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon

COOKIES:
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. brown sugar, packed
1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 sticks (1 C.) salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for topping. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside. In a large bowl, blend sugars with an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add the butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape sides of bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. Shape dough into 1″ balls and roll each ball in topping mixture. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2″ apart. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to cool, flat surface.

Cheese Cookbook Main Dishes Pasta

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Post author By Ellen Abney
Post date March 21, 2008
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This is an easy and tasty low-fat version of mac-n-cheese.

8 oz. elbow macaroni
2 C. skim milk
2 T. unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 C. non-fat or reduced-fat
Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

Cook the macaroni al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse and drain again. Set aside. Place 1/2 cup of milk and all of the flour, pepper and mustard in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until smooth and set aside. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk into a 2-quart pot, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the flour mixture and cook, still stirring, for about 1 minute, or until thickened. Reduce the heat to low; add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cooked macaroni. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and spread the macaroni mixture evenly in the dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese over the top and bake at 350º for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Remove the dish from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Beef Casseroles Cookbook Main Dishes

Ruby Casserole

This recipe was introduced to the Bartholomew family by Ruby Canfield. I remember eating it at Aunt Leta’s house. Her children remember eating it often, and therefore do not cook it for their own families. My family loves it. We eat it a lot during the winter and affectionately call it, “Ruby Duby”.

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
3 to 5 medium potatoes, quartered
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 C. frozen corn
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350°. Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Put beef and vegetables in a 9×13″ pan. Mix soups in another bowl, then stir into beef and vegetables. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and vegetables are tender.

NOTE: You really can add whatever vegetables are on hand. The amounts are guesses, you’ll have to gauge what kinds of veggies your family likes best and how much of them they like to eat. I usually have an extra can of soup or 2 around, because sometimes my veggies get out of hand and we prefer the casserole to be pretty soupy.

Appetizers Cookbook Dips

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 – 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 – 14 oz. jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 – 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
2 T. lemon juice
1 C. Parmesan cheese, grated

Cut cream cheese into small cubes; stir in remaining ingredients, except Parmesan cheese. Spread into shallow baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake at 350º for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers or sliced French bread.

Chicken Cookbook Main Dishes

Oven Crisp Chicken

This is our favorite chicken dish. Sometimes I cut the chicken breasts into strips to please the kids at the table.

1/4 C. fat-free ranch dressing
3/4 C. wheat cracker crumbs
1 T. fresh thyme leaves, chopped,or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. paprika
4 chicken breast halves (about 1 lb.), skinless and boneless

Heat oven to 425°. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour dressing into small bowl.
Mix cracker crumbs, thyme and paprika in a separate small bowl or plastic bag.
Dip chicken breasts into dressing; coat with crumb mixture.
Place chicken in baking dish.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and juices run clear.