Cracked-Top Jello Cookies

Summertime.  We have a love-hate relationship.  I hate heat and humidity and sometimes even sunshine.  But I really do love the longer days and not wearing a coat.  As a child, I usually hid in the basement where it was cool and dark until the evening hours (my parent's house did not have air conditioning).  Then, in the cooler hours, I would go for long bike rides, hang out with friends and enjoy life.  One of the summertime staples that helped me through those long, dreaded, high humidity days - were these cookies.  They are definitely a summertime cookie - fruity, sweet and slightly tangy.  You can use any flavor Jello you want - experiment with your favorites!  I made a batch of orange ones and a batch of cherry lemonade as well.

Cracked-Top Jello Cookies

Yield: 3 - 4 dozen, depending on the size

Ingredients:

1 Cup White Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Shortening

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Small Package of Jello
Food Coloring (optional)

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare your cookie sheets by greasing them.

Step 2:  In the bowl of a mixer, cream the sugars and shortening.  Add the egg and mix well.

Step 3:  Add the remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated.  Please note, the food coloring is optional.

Step 4:  Roll dough into a 1-inch balls.  This cookie dough is a bit more dry than a usual cookie, so make sure you really roll them well. DO NOT FLATTEN THEM.  

Step 5:  Bake for 13-15 minutes.  Remove from oven, remove cookies from the baking sheet and place on cooling rack.  Let cool.  

Can't help being overwhelmed with emotion each time I see my mother's handwriting!

Creamy Coleslaw

Comfort food.  That's where I rank this recipe:  Comfort Food.  Coleslaw is something I grew up with and was likely served weekly at our dinner table.  My mother grew her own cabbage in the summer.  During the winter, she bought cabbage at the store.  Regardless, it was a staple in our household.  She always made it the same way too:  sweet, creamy and a little tart.  No other coleslaw measures up to it (in my opinion).  The ingredients are simple and are likely things you usually have on-hand.  Enjoy!

Creamy Coleslaw

Serves 12 (1/2 cup serving size)

Ingredients:

5-6 Cups Shredded Cabbage (or 1 bag from the produce section at the grocery store)

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup White Vinegar

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Celery Seeds (optional)

Paprika (optional / for garnish)

Step 1:  Prepare the dressing.  In a medium sized bowl, add the mayo, sugar and vinegar.  Stir together until well combined. If using celery seeds, add them and stir until combined.

Step 2:  Place cabbage in a large bowl.  Add the dressing and mix well with the cabbage. 

You can either serve this immediately or you can cover it and store in the fridge up to 1 day in advance of serving.  Before serving, sprinkle with paprika (optional). 

Russian Teacakes

Everyone has a favorite  . ..and these are my hubby's favorite cookie.  I'm not much of a cookie baker, but I've trained taught my daughter how to make these.  She does a fantastic job and has been making them for the past 4 years as a birthday gift to my hubby, her "da-da".  They are kind like buttery, nutty and very sweet orbs of shortcake.  Around these here parts, many of us grew up with these being a Christmas staple and could often find them among the favorites of the Christmas cookie exchange.  Enjoy!

Russian Teacakes

Ingredients

1 Cup Butter, Room Temp

1/2 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar + 1 Cup for after they are baked

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 and 1/4 Cup Flour

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Finely Chopped Nuts

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla together.  Blend salt and flour together, then add to butter mixture.  Stir in nuts and chill for 1 hour.

To Bake:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roll into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Do not flatten!  They will not lose their shape and will remain a round ball.  While still warm, roll in powdered sugar.  Cool.  Then roll again in powdered sugar.  Yield:  4 dozen, 1-inch sized cookies.

Beef Paprika Hot Dish (Casserole)

Here's another great hot dish recipe!  I found this one in my vintage Minnesota cookbook.  Yum!

Beef Paprika

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs Ground Beef

1 Cup Chopped Onion

2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

2 Tablespoons Flour

2 Teaspoons Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

1 Tablespoon Paprika + additional for serving

7-Oz Can of Mushrooms or 1 Cup Fresh Sliced Mushrooms

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Sour Cream

1/4 Cup Parsley

12-Oz Egg Noodles (dry weight) - Cooked and Drained

Brown the beef, onions and garlic together in fry pan  Stir in flour and seasonings.  Add mushrooms, water and soup.    Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Blend in sour cream; remove from heat.  Stir parsley into the noodles and add to the meat/mushroom sauce.  Pour into a greased casserole pan and place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 1/2 hour, or until heated through.

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Made these recently as I was craving chocolate chip cookies.   Every time we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house, you could count on there being chocolate chip cookies to be eaten.  

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield:  6-7 dozen cookies

1 Cup Shortening

2/3 Cup Cup White Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 and 1/3 Cup Flour

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Step 1:  Cream together the sugars, shortening, eggs and vanilla thoroughly.

Step 2:  Spoon flour into dry measuring cup.  Level off and pour measured flour onto waxed paper.  

Step 3:  To the flour, add the baking soda and salt.  Stir thoroughly.

Step 4:  Add the dry ingredients mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Step 5:  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Step 6:  Drop by teaspoon fulls onto greased baking sheet.

Step 7:  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Please note, adjust the bake time as necessary for your oven.  15 minutes was a little long for me.  I ended up baking them for about 10 minutes per sheet.

Brownie "Dump" Bars

There are a few recipes that always seemed to be repeated every few weeks at my Mom's house when I was kid.  Scotcharoo's (sans the frosting), White Cake w/ Almond Frosting, and Brownie "Dump" Bars.  And it's the Brownies that keep reappearing at my own household.

Please Note:  this picture was taken late at night . .. and it seems that the brownies tend to disappear in the blink of an eye.  I'm lucky I was able to capture a photo before they were all gone!

The recipe comes from a community cookbook called "Recipes in Rhythm" - it was a cookbook published for a marching band fundraiser.   And when you open the book, it falls right to the page with this recipe on it.  How convenient for me :) It's a basic, reliable and no-frills brownie - made in one bowl. Everyone needs a recipe like this in their arsenal for when your craving something simple and sweet.  Or to feed all the neighborhood kids because your house is party-central.

Brownie "Dump" Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sugar

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 and 3/4 Cup Flour

1 and 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

5 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Chocolate Chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 pan.  "Dump" all ingredients (except chocolate chips) into a large bowl.  Mix with spoon until all ingredients are moistened and combined.  Spread into greased pan.  If using, sprinkle with chocolate chips on top.  Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  

Please note, I did not use chocolate chips this time.  I was fresh out (as in I-ate-them-last-night).

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Caramel Glaze

Comfort Food.  In April.  This is wrong.  I shouldn't need comfort food in APRIL.  For Pete's Sake!  April showers are supposed to bring May flowers . . . and by showers, it should be RAIN showers, not snow showers!  However, here we are in MN with snow showers in April.  I really shouldn't be that surprised.  After all, I am  a lifelong Minnesotan (except for those college years).  And many, many moons ago - it snowed on my senior junior prom night . . .which was in May.  Any who, as I am rambling . ..  the snow showers thwarted the spring in my step and the grayness outside coupled with the cold, wet snow made me hungry for Oatmeal Cake.  By far, this is one of my favorite cakes.  Whenever my mom would make it, I could hardly stand the wait to eat it.  Or to sneak/pick at the coconut when she wasn't looking :)

Mmmmmmmm . .. so soft, moist and laced with cinnamon.  You can't even tell there is oatmeal in it.  And look at that frosting . . .if that's what you want to call it.  I prefer to call it caramelly, coconutty l-o-v-e.  Yes, yes . . .my love.  Just look at it . ...all browned with all that butter and toasted - how could I not pick a strand or two of coconut off the top when Ma wasn't cooking?

Oatmeal Cake

1 1/2 Cups Boiling Water

1 Cup Quick-Cooking Oats

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Shortening

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 1/2 Cup Flour

1 Teaspoon Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Place oats into bowl and pour the boiling water over them.  Stir and let stand until cool (I usually do this at night and let it sit until morning).  

Combine the sugars, shortening, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla into mixer bowl and mix well.  Add in the oatmeal continue to mix.  Add remaining ingredients and all combined. 

Pour into greased 13x9 cake pan.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes.

Coconut Caramel Glaze

6 Tablespoons Butter

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Cup Nuts (Walnuts or Pecans are great)

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Coconut

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium heat until the sugar and butter are melted and incorporated together.  Spread the warm mixture over the top of the cake.  Broil until browned.

And I will leave you with these final words:  yes, you can have it for breakfast.  It's oatmeal.  Especially since it's April.  And still snowing.

Pacific Chops and Polynesian Rice

I have a confession.  Shh….. come closer.  Can you hear me whisper?  Are you sure?  Well, ahem, I have a bit of a confession . . . . I love cookbooks.  Not just any cookbook though:  I love old cookbooks.   I love the colors, the graphics, sometimes the foods/recipes . . .I find great pleasure in reading these old books.   And sometimes, I even make one of the recipes.  Like last night.   

I knew I wanted to make pork chops for dinner.  However, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with them.  It’s still winter-y here in MN and our outdoor grill is out of gas.  And I don’t have the patience for our little charcoal grill (don’t even ask).  So, what do?  I’ve got cabin fever, friends!  I didn’t want to bread and bake them.  I didn’t feel like just frying ‘em up any old way.  And then there it was – it was staring me down.  It was laying on the floor . . .likely a casualty of my toddler rummaging the book shelf and it was looking for a good time:  Patio Parties.  Published by Minnegasco circa 1959.

Hm.  Looks interesting enough with it’s bright neon green pages.  I wonder  . . .. 

Oh my.  This little gem “cookbook/pamphlet” has 7 dinner party ideas inside it.

1. Oriental Dinner &      2. Come For Brunch

3. Mid-West Wing Ding    &       4. Sportsman’s Luck

5. Children’s Frolic       6. Winter Cookout

7. Just for Fun

Each menu has 5 recipes in it . . .typically an appetizer, a salad, a protein, a side dish and a dessert.  Intriguing.  Each one has a “Set the Mood” area with table-scaping and decoration ideas.  

And what did I decide on?  Well, first things first – I’m not making a 5 dish meal tonight.  However, in the Oriental Dinner area – they had two recipes I was willing to try (and had ingredients on hand):  Pacific Lamb Chops and Polynesian Rice In Foil.   Granted, I did need to make a few adaptations to the recipes:  swapped out the lamb and used pork chops instead and I didn’t use a grill, I cooked them on the stovetop.  As well, for the rice dish – I didn’t make the individual serving packages and grill them.  Instead, I made it family style and placed it in a casserole dish and baked it.   That’s right baby – I  Minnesota-fied it!

Here are the recipes as they appear in the book.

Pacific Lamb Chops

¼ Cup Melted Margarine

½ Cup Soy Sauce

Pinch of Garlic Powder

6 Shoulder Lamb Chops, cut ¾ inch thick

Salt

Combine margarine, soy sauce and garlic powder.  Dip chops in mixture and place in shallow dish.  Pour remainder over the chops and marinate about an hour.  Remove chops from marinade and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Grill on preheated gas grill over medium to high flame for 8 to 10 minutes on each side.  (If drippings cause some flare-up, change position of chops on grill).  Serves 6.

Polynesian Rice in Foil

4 Cups Hot Cooked Rice

2 TB Butter or Margarine

1 Cup Think Strips of Green Pepper, about 1 inch long

1 Can (13-oz) Pineapple Chunks, drained

½ Cup Bottled Barbecue Sauce

Combine rice and butter;  toss lightly.  Add remaining ingredients.  Place individual servings (generous ¾ cup) of rice mixture on six 12x8inch pieces of aluminum foil.  Double fold seam on top and fold edges securely.  Place foil packages directly on preheated gas grill and heat over low to medium flame.  Turn once.  Allow 10 to 15 minutes per side.  Serves 6.

Okay . . . .  now here’s my version:

Pacific Lamb Pork Chops

¼ Cup Melted Margarine

½ Cup Lite Soy Sauce

Pinch ½ Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

6 Shoulder Lamb 4 Pork Chops, cut ¾ inch thick

Salt

Combine melted margarine, soy sauce and garlic powder.  Add to marinade-container with chops.   Dip chops in mixture and place in shallow dish.  Pour remainder over the chops and Marinate about an hour.  Remove chops from marinade and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Grill on preheated gas grill   and cook in frying pan over medium to high flame for 8 to 10 minutes on each side.  (If drippings cause some flare-up, change position of chops on grill).  Serves 6.

Gather up the ingredients and be sure to place a towel ontop of your stove because you don't want your viewers to see the nasty rings around the burners :)

Now, I have to say.  I love this marinade pan.  It's from Tupperware.  I feel like I've had it forever.  It's two pieces and is designed to have a tight seal and can be flipped upside down with ease.  Awesome.  No dripping, no spilt marinade.  For this recipe, place your oleo (margarine) in the top half of the marinade pan and microwave until melted.  Then add in the soy sauce (gawk at my pale and pasty hand) and a healthy amount of garlic powder.  Doesn't the swirl of the soy sauce look like some groovy art project?  And a word about soy sauce:  use lite or low-sodium soy sauce.  Once you try it, you will be addicted.  It is very flavorful and not salty!

Now that the marinade is ready, carefully pour it over your chops.  And if you have a handy-dandy pan like mine, seal the lid tight.  And if you don't, seal or cover whatever container you may be using.  And then for me and my container:  shake shake shake, shake shake shake.  

Let them sit for a while.  When ready to prepare, grill or pan fry them.  Don't they look delicious?  Aha.  And I'm glad you noticed:  there are only 3 of the 4 chops in the pan frying away.  That's because my pan was too small.

Polynesian Rice in Foil

4 Cups Hot Cooked Rice

2 TB Butter or Margarine

1 Cup Thin Strips of Green Pepper, about 1 inch long

1 Can (13-oz) Pineapple Chunks Tidbits, drained

½ Cup Bottled Barbecue Sauce

Combine rice and butter;  toss lightly.  Add remaining ingredients.  Place individual servings (generous ¾ cup) of rice mixture on six 12x8inch pieces of aluminum foil.  Double fold seam on top and fold edges securely.  Place foil packages directly on preheated gas grill and heat over low to medium flame.  Turn once.  Allow 10 to 15 minutes per side.  Place into buttered casserole dish (covered) and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.  Serves 6.

Gather up those ingredients!  Do you have a rice cooker?  I absolutely love mine!  Go ahead and prepare your rice however you usually do it.  While it's cooking, prep the green pepper.

According to the recipe, you need to cut thin 1-inch strips of green pepper.  I'm such a rule follower.  Or am I?  haha.

And because I Minnesota-fied the recipe, I buttered a casserole dish and then placed my rice and remaining ingredients into it.  I love this casserole dish.  It was my granny's.  Rest in Peace Granny!  And rest assured Granny, I use this dish with lots of love :)  I miss my Granny.  She was freakin' awesome.

And stir it up to get all good and combined.  Most people will likely use a spoon or a rubber scraper.  Me?  I opt for gloved hands.  I'm just groovy like that.

And into the oven you tasty casserole you!  I'll see you in about a 1/2 hour after your all nice and warm and hopefully delicious. 

And voila!  A Polynesian delight circa 1959.  A big thanks to Minnegasco :)  And by the way.  It was delicious.  My hubby added a little wasabi to his chop, but other than that - the family voted to eat it again!