Shortbread Cookies

1 1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cool butter*

In a mixing bowl combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together. Put dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll to desired thickness (dough does not puff much when baked). Cut into desired shapes and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

*This recipe gets most of its flavor from the butter. Do not use margarine -they wont be nearly as good!



Mix powdered sugar, milk, and food coloring to desired consistency (I aim for similar to maple syrup) and spread on cookies. (I use a basting brush.) Let icing set up overnight before stacking cookies.*


For Spiced Shortbread Cookies:  use brown sugar instead of white and add 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, and 1/8 tsp cloves.

For Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies:  use brown sugar instead of white and add 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans and 1/2 tsp vanilla.


*For Spiced or Butter Pecan cookies you can add a little maple syrup to the icing.  I never measure this.  Just guess & taste!

Apple Butter

Leaving the peel on, core apples and chop into bite sized pieces.
Cook 3 quarts of chopped apples in a crock pot on low overnight.
In the morning put mixture in a blender and puree it.
Return apple puree to crock pot and add:

2 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Cloves
3 cups of Sugar

Simmer on low until thick and dark -1 to 8 hours depending on how you like it!

While the butter is still hot put it into CLEAN jars making sure the rim of the jar is CLEAN. Close lids tightly. Let cool at room temp. Jars should seal themselves.

The apples you use are the main flavor of the butter you end up with -this is good to consider when buying your apples. If you use an apple you like to eat raw, you will like the butter it makes! If you use a tart apple you will end up with tart butter.

You may need to adjust the sugar depending on the tartness of the apples.
When I have had really tart apples I have even added brown sugar.

Pumpkin Butter

15 oz can of pumpkin
1/2 cup Baughers Apple Cider*
1 cup Sugar
2 Tbs Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp Cloves
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan. Bring to a full boil. Simmer 15-20 minutes. While butter is still hot put into CLEAN canning jars keeping the jar rim CLEAN. Close lids tightly. Allow to cool at room temp and jars should seal themselves.

*Any apple cider should work but I like Baughers best -it has a less processed taste.

**I like freshly ground nutmeg best but you need 2x as much freshly ground nutmeg (Use 1/2 tsp of freshly ground nutmeg!)

Apple Crisp

Peel, core, and thinly slice enough apples to pile high in a greased 9x13 pan.

In a tight sealing container combine
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Make sure lid is on tightly and shake well. Evenly sprinkle over the apples.

In a medium sized bowl cut together
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter/margarine
1 tsp (or so) cinnamon
1 tsp (or so) fresh ground nutmeg (That's about 1/2 tsp pre-ground nutmeg)
until it is a crumbly consistency. Sprinkle over the apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender.

Banana Slushies

4 cups Sugar
6 cups Water
6 ripe Bananas
6 cups Pineapple Juice
3 cups Orange Juice
4 tablespoons Lemon Juice

In a large sauce pan combine sugar and water.
Bring to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Let mixture cool.

Puree the bananas.

In a large non-metal container mix bananas, juices, and sugar mixture.
Mix well & freeze. (Ice cube trays work well to freeze it)

To serve fill a glass full of frozen cubes and pour Sprite over it.
For smoother texture put cubes and Sprite in blender for a few seconds.

Optional: Add 3 cups of rum to mixture before freezing (I know -it sounds like a lot but this recipes makes a TON) or add about 1 ounce of rum to each drink.

Honey Oat Bread

In a large mixing bowl mix
2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast

In a sauce pan, combine
1 1/2 cups water
3 tbs margarine or butter
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
Heat mixture to 120-130 degrees

Add liquid to flour and yeast
Beat on low speed 30 seconds
Beat on high speed 3 minutes

Add 2 cups oats

Add as much flour as it takes to make a moderately stiff dough (2 1/4 -2 1/2 cups)

Kneed 6-8 minutes. (If you are using the dough hook on your kitchen Aide mixer use speed setting 2)

Shape dough into ball and place in greased bowl. Turn once or coat dough with oil.

Let rise until it doubles in size (45-60 Minutes) *

Turn out of bowl on to well floured surface and punch down dough.

Divide in half and shape into balls
Let it rest 10 minutes
Shape into loaves and place in greased pans.
Brush the top with beaten egg for crunchy crust or melted butter/margarine for soft crust.

Let rise until double (45-60 minutes) *

Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes
Check after 20 minutes. You may need to cover with foil to keep crust from getting to dark.
Bread is done when it makes a hallow sound when tapped.

Let cool completely before slicing.

* Ways to speed up rising times:
Microwave:
First test your microwave! Put 1 tbs margarine in a small bowl. Microwave for 1 minute in lowest power setting. If margarine is completely melted your microwave failed -sorry this trick will not work for you. If margarine is NOT completely melted you can use this trick!
Put 3 cups pf water in a 4 cup microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 8 minutes. Move bowl of water to the back of microwave and put dough in. Microwave 15-17 minutes on LOWEST temperature setting. If dough is not quite double after 17 minutes just be patient -it will get there! (and it will still be faster than the old fashioned way!)

Oven
REMEMBER yeast dies at about 140 degrees! Be careful!
Turn oven on 400 degrees for 1 minute. Turn oven off and put in dough covered with wax paper. There is not time guess here -ovens hold heat differently, so watch for it to double.

BREAD MAKING IS AN ART NOT A SCIENCE. THE ROOM TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY AND MANY OTHER FACTORS WILL ALTER THE DOUGH, HOW MUCH FLOUR YOU NEED AND RISING TIMES. IT TAKES A FEW TRIES TO GET THE FEEL FOR IT BUT DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED! HOME MADE BREAD IS TOO GOOD TO NOT TRY!

Pinwheel's Nutmeg Logs

In a large bowl beat until light and fluffy:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup softened butter or margarine
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp rum extract
1 egg

In separate bowl mix:
3 cups flour
1 tsp nutmeg

Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix well.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Divide dough into 6 pieces. On lightly floured surface, shape each piece into a long rope 1/2" in diameter. Cut into 3" lengths. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from cookies sheets and cool completely.

In small bowl, combine:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbls softened butter or margarine
3/4 tsp rum extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbls milk

Blend until smooth. Spread on top of cookies. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Store in a tightly covered container.

Makes 4 dozen