Pie Crust

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
8 to 10 tablespoons cold water

Directions:
In medium bowl, stir flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Divide dough in half; form each half into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface (or pastry cloth), use your hands to slightly flatten 1 dough ball. Roll from center to edges into a circle 12 inches in diameter.
To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate. Crimp edges as desired. Repeat with remaining ball. If making a double crust pie, place top pastry on and cut slits to allow steam to escape. Otherwise, this makes two pie crusts.

Notes:
To protect the edges of the pie from overbrowning, fold a 12-inch square of foil into quarters. Cut a 7-inch circle out of the center. Unfold and loosely mold the foil over the pie's edge.

Source:
Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 can (29 oz.) 100% LIBBY'S pure pumpkin pie
2 cans (12 fl. oz. each) evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shells

Directions:
Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie shells.
Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Notes:
Best pumpkin pie recipe! Be sure to top with real whipping cream (found in the milk section of the grocery store). Beat the whipping cream on high, adding powdered sugar to sweeten. Also, I like to use homemade pie crust. The one in Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book is great. As for the pies, I usually have to bake them at least 10 minutes more to get the knife/tooth pick to come out clean.

Source:
LIBBY'S 100% Pure Pumpkin can label

Play Dough

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tatar
1/3 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
food coloring

Directions:
Stir flour, tartar, and salt in a saucepan. Add and stir the water and oil. Cook over low/medium heat, stirring. Once the dough begins to thicken, add the food coloring. Continue to stir until the mixture becomes quite thick and gathers around the spoon. Remove to wax paper, knead a little. Divide and place in airtight storage containers or plastic bags.

Notes:
I love homemade play dough. This is much softer and more maleable than store bought. Also, it's fun to make all the colors you want for so cheap.

Source:
Musings from a Stay at Home Mom

Salmon Spice

Ingredients:
4 pounds salt
1 pound sugar
1/4 ounce allspice
1/4 ounce cloves
1/4 ounce nutmeg
1/2 ounce curry powder
1/2 ounce paprika
9 ounces chili powder
9 ounces black pepper
1/8 ounce garlic powder

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Store for use. Best used when sprinkled over salmon, dotted with butter and lemon slices, and grilled.

Notes:
Best salmon ever!!!

Sources:
Shari Lindsay

Company Carrots

Ingredients:
2.5 lbs carrots, cut in strips
1/4 cup cooking liquid
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced onion
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup saltine cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
fresh parsley
paprika

Directions:
Simmer carrots in a large pot of water until tender, about 8 minutes. Save 1/4 cup of the liquid used to cook the carrots. Drain the rest and place carrots in a 9x9 baking dish. Combine the liquid, horseradish, mayonnaise, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour over carrots. Sprinkle saltine cracker crumbs on top. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle on fresh parsley and paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Source:
Shari Lindsay

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast

1/4 cup flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

spaghetti sauce

2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Slice chicken breast into pieces. Drag each piece through the flour, egg, and then bread crumbs to create a breading around the entire piece. Brown the breaded chicken pieces in olive oil on a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in a small baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over each piece. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Source:

Carolyn Duede

Dyed Easter Eggs

Ingredients:

food coloring

vinegar

water

hard-boiled eggs

crayons

Directions:

Combine 1 teaspoon food coloring with 2 teaspoons vinegar in a cup. Add water to the halfway point. Decorate the eggs with crayons. Gently place the eggs in the dye. Let them sit for a bit, then remove.

Source:

The Easter Bunny's Assistant by Jan Thomas

Thai Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

6 oz. dried vermicilli

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 green onions, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
lime wedges for garnish

Directions
1. Cook vermicilli according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine soy sauce, vegetable broth, peanut butter, lime juice, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until peanut butter is melted.
3. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
4. Stir in cooked chicken, red pepper, green onions, and cilantro.
5. Serve with lime wedges.

Source:

Carolyn Duede

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned)

1 cup raisins

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Makes:

4 dozen cookies

Bar Variation:

Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered.

Makes:

24 bars

Source:

Quaker Oat box

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter, additional

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups quick oats

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together sugars, butters, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Spray cookie sheet (jelly roll pan). Press and spread batter until it fills the pan, evenly. Bake 12-15 minutes. Spread additional peanut butter on top while still hot. Allow to cool completely, then frost with 1 recipe of chocolate frosting.

Notes:

These are killer!

Source:

BYU 6th Stake Enrichment, February 24, 2007

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cups chicken stock, or chicken broth

Nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Notes:

Looked too basic to be good. Don't be fooled. It's AMAZING! Very delicious. :)

Servings:

a very generous 6

Source:

Food Network

Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup walnuts, very finely chopped

whipped egg white

Directions:

Cream shortening and butter together. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir in flour and salt. Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll in egg white, then nuts. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 375 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and press thumb into each cookie. Return to oven and bake 8 minutes more.

Frost centers with butter cream frosting, tinted green or red.

Yields:

A baker's dozen.

Notes:

Very unique cookie recipe, very delicious. Great for parties and display. Grandma recommends pushing the dough into the nuts a bit, so they stick well--a good idea. My thumbs sometimes get burnt if I press them into the hot cookie, so instead, I try to use something similar-sized, like a small measuring spoon.

Source:

Grandma Jean

Ginger Snaps

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar, plus additional sugar for rolling dough

3/4 cup butter

1 egg

1/4 cup light molasses

2 cups flour (sometimes more, if dough is very sticky)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon dry ginger

Directions:

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and molasses, and blend well. Sift together dry ingredients and add to the sugar and butter mixture. Form dough into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

Notes:

The one and only ginger snap recipe for me. Thanks, Grandma Jean! I love her cookie recipes because they aren't massive. This makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on how big you roll them out.

I often add extra flour if the dough is really sticky. Just enough so it is no longer wet, but still very soft. I find that my cookies come out nice and plump, not flat, if the dough is not so wet. This applies to all cookies. Also, I like my cookies soft and chewy, so I remove them just before they start to get the golden color on the edges, and allow them to sit on the hot cookie sheet a minute after baking.

Source:

Grandma Jean

Candela's Rustic Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour (all-purpose flour, but you can do half and half with wheat or other flours)

2 teaspoons of salt

2 tablespoons of sugar or honey

2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast

1 3/4 cups of warm water

*1 tablespoon wheat germ (you can add more)

*1 tablespoon flax seed meal (you can add more)

*1 tablespoon lecithin (helps the bread stay moist and elastic for longer)

*optional ingredients

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in kitchen aid for about 8 min at level 2 speed. Then oil the same bowl and move the dough around so it's all well coated and stays moist.

Let it rise for about an hour in a warm place free of draft.

Either shape into one big, round, free form bread loaf, or divide dough into two smaller loaves. Let rise for another hour or hour and a half (until double).

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes (longer, if necessary). Using a spray bottle, spray clean water onto bread just before putting it into the oven, and once every three minutes at the beginning of the baking period. This helps the loaves stay tall for longer and develops and nice crust.

Remove from oven and pans, and enjoy!

Notes:

This recipe got me started on flax seed meal and wheat germ. Now I'm trying to add them to everything I bake! Thanks, Candela. :) I love the idea of spraying the bread with water, it makes the crust awesome! Because this is such a long bread recipe, I use rapid rise yeast, and follow the instructions on the jar, heating my water to 120 degrees and letting the dough rest for 10 minutes to replace the first rise.

Start to finish:

About 3 hours

Source:

Candela Rice