Table of Contents

Soups, Salads, & Side Dishes

7- Cheesy Chicken Vegetable Soup
7- Clam Chowder
7- Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes
8- Ham and White Bean Soup
8- Homemade Stuffing
9- Mexican Rice
10- Provencal Vegetable Soup
13- Taco Soup
13- Tomato Soup
14- Tony Romas Baked Potato Soup

Main Dishes
14- Caf Rio style Pulled Pork
16- Breaded Fish "English Style"
16- Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
17-Easy Baked Chicken Kiev
19- Oven-Fried Chicken with Almonds
20- Perfect Pasta Primavera
22- Shrimp Sauce and Pasta
22- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pork Loin
24- Spaghetti and Meatballs
24- Sweet & Sour Meatballs
26- Sweet & Sour Chicken

Desserts
27- Blueberry or Blackberry Cobbler
27- Brownies
27- Buttercream Frosting
28- Carrot Cake
28- Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks
31- Chocolate-Almond Biscotti
32- No Bake Cocoa-Oatmeal Cookies
32- Colossal Cookies
32- Cream Cheese Frosting
34- Dried Cranberry Biscotti
34- Fudge Frosting
36- Gingerbread Cookies
36- Gingerbread Biscotti
39- Gingersnaps
39- "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake
39- "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting
40- Lemon Bars
40- Peanut Butter Cookies
40- Peanut Butter Popcorn
43- Poppycock
44- Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
44- Pumpkin Pie
47- Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies
47- Royal Icing
48- Sees Fudge
48- Snicker Doodle Cookies
48- Sugar Cookies
50- Zucchini Fudge Cake

Breads
50- Baking Powder Biscuits
50- Banana Bread
53- Cinnamon Rolls
54- Croissants
57- Muffins
57- Pancakes
58- Pizza Crust
58- Pumpkin Bread
59- Pumpkin Pancakes
59- Quick Coffee Cake
60- Soft Bread Sticks
60- Soft Pretzels
61- Sticky Buns
61- Turtle Bread
63- Waffles
63- Wholesome Oat Muffins
64- Zucchini Bread

Sauces and Dips

67- Anthony Plastinos Spaghetti Sauce
67- Basic Cheese Fondue
68- Black Bean Salsa
68- Cheese Ball
68- Cream Cheese Dip
70- Enchilada Sauce
70- Fresh Basil Pesto
72- Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Dressing
72- Tomatillo Dressing

Cheesy Chicken Vegetable Soup

Cook till tender:
3 c chicken broth
1 c diced celery
2 c diced potatoes
1 c diced carrots
1 c diced onion

Follow directions for making a white sauce:

c butter
1/3 c flour
2 c milk
Add cheese and stir to melt:
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Then add to the vegetable mixture.

Add 2 cups cooked diced chicken, and season with 1 tsp salt and tsp pepper.

Clam Chowder
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 (6 1/2 ounce) cans clams and juice or 1 lb.

minced clams and juice
1 pt. half & half (I use milk)
1 pt. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Drain juice from clams and pour over vegetables in small saucepan. Add enough water to barely
cover. Simmer, covered, over medium heat until barely tender. Melt butter, add flour and blend,
stirring constantly. Add cream and milk. Cook, stirring with wire whip, until smooth and thick (this
is important). Add undrained vegetables, clams and vinegar and heat through. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

4 russet potatoes, sliced into inch slices
1 onion, sliced into rings
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

tsp salt
2 c milk
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 1 qt casserole dish. Layer of the potatoes into bottom of
the prepared casserole dish. Top with onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt
and pepper to taste. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and
salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened.
Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over
the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hours in the preheated oven.

Ham and White Bean Soup

Note: needs to be started first thing in the morning
1 ham hock
3 cup sorted, cleaned white beans (Navy, Great Northern, or Lima)
1 chopped small onion
2 bouillon cubes
Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. dried parsley, or cup chopped fresh parsley
Place everything in a crock pot and fill with water (about 8 - 10 cups). Turn on high and let cook all
day. One hour before serving, carefully remove the ham (make sure to remove all bones and fat
pieces). Clean the ham hock, reserving only the meat. Place about 2 - 3 cups of the beans and soup in
a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the crock pot and add the reserved meat. Stir to combine
well.

Homemade Stuffing
Melt c. butter in very large saucepan with 1/3 c. minced onion and 1/3 c. diced celery. (I usually
add lots more onion and celery.) Toast 20 slices of bread (any kind you like), let cool, cut into cubes.
Put bread into bread, pour milk over it and let it soak up enough to soak in but not make soggy.
Squeeze (gently) milk out and put bread in butter mixture. Stir well. Add tsp. salt, tsp. poultry
seasoning, 1 Tbsp. parsley, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Stir and cook for 5 min. You can add other spices if
you like. Stuff in turkey. Thats the best way. Heat up rest 350 till hot throughout.

Mexican Rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cups regular-strength chicken broth
1 or 2 canned green chilies, chopped (I've never added these to this recipe)
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced (I've never added these to this recipe)
In a 2-quart pan over medium heat, cook onion in butter until soft. Add rice and garlic; cook, stirring
occasionally, until rice is golden (about 5 minutes). Add tomatoes, broth, chilies, and salt and pepper
to taste. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until rice is al dente and all liquid is
absorbed (about 20 minutes). Turn off heat and stir in cilantro and olives (if used). Let stand,
covered, for 10 minutes.

Provencal Vegetable Soup

1 c. fresh fava beans or c. dried navy beans, soaked overnight
tsp. dried herbs de Provence
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 small leeks, finely sliced
2 carrots, finely diced
4 oz. green beans
2 small zucchini, finely chopped
1 c. fresh or frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil (for garnish)

2 garlic cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely sliced
2 small potatoes, finely diced
5 c. water
3 med. tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely
chopped
Handful of spinach leaves, cut into thin
ribbons

Place fresh or parboiled beans in saucepan with the herbs de Provence and one of the garlic cloves.
Add water to cover by one inch. Bring to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer over a medium-low heat
until tender, about 10 minutes for fresh beans. Set aside. In a large saucepan heat oil and add onion
and leeks and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the celery, carrots, and other garlic clove and
cook for 10 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, green beans, and water, then
season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, then
reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 10 min. Add zucchini, tomatoes, and peas together with the
reserved beans and their cooking liquid and simmer 25-30 min. until all the vegetables are tender.
Add the spinach and simmer for 5 min. Season the soup. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

10

Taco Soup
1 lb. cooked ground beef or chicken
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 pkg. taco seasoning
(Or cumin, oregano, chili powder)
Diced chilies- optional

Stir together and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over tortilla chips and top with cheddar cheese.

Tomato Soup
cup butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 lb. tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper
Sprigs of fresh basil, to garnish

Melt half the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 56 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15
minutes, or until pulpy. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in another saucepan. Add the flour
and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the
milk. Return to the heat, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.
Continue to cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. When tomatoes are pulpy, remove the pan
from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and pour the tomato mixture into a food processor or blender.
Process until smooth, then push through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan. Bring the tomato puree
to a boil, then gradually stir it into the milk mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into
warmed bowls, garnish with basil, and serve immediately. (Note: I bypass the step of pushing the
puree through a strainer.)

13

Tony Roma Style Baked Potato Soup

2 med. potatoes (about 2 c. chopped)
3 Tbsp. butter
1 c. diced white onion
2 Tbsp. flour
4 c. chicken stock
2 c. water
c. cornstarch

1 c. instant mashed potatoes

1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. thyme
1 c. half & half

Garnish:
c. shredded cheddar cheese
c. crumbled cooked bacon
2 green onions, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 and bake the potatoes for 1 hr. or until done. When potatoes have cooked,
remove them from oven to cool. As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan,
and saut onion until light brown. Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux. Add stock,
water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer for 5 minutes. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon.
Discard skin. Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are in size. Add chopped
baked potato and half & half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer
for another 15 min. or until thick. Spoon into bowl and top with garnishes.

Caf Rio Style Pork

Night Before:
3 to 4 lb. pork roast
2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1-1 tsp cayenne pepper
Mix together and rub on pork roast. Place in crock pot on low, overnight.
Next Morning:
Shred pork, remove any bones or fat. Place back in crock pot.
Add:
1 can coke
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped
Keep on low until ready to serve. An hour before serving, add 1 c brown sugar. Great for burritos,
salads, tacos, and with Tomatillo dressing.

14

Breaded Fish "English Style"

1 Lb. fish
8 slices trimmed white bread
1 Tbsp. parsley
tsp thyme

1 lemon (juiced)
lb. melted butter
Salt and pepper

Using fresh bread, trim crust off bread. Shred bread. Mix parsley, thyme, salt and pepper into
shredded bread. Dip fish into melted butter, then pat into bread crumbs. Place in baking dish or pan
and bake at 450 for 5 minutes. Baste with lemon juice, reduce heat to 375 and bake 10-15 minute
more. (Note: I've cooked this in an electric skillet with a little butter and didn't use lemon.)

Crock pot Beef Stroganoff

3 lb. beef round steak, " thick
cup flour
2 tsp salt
tsp pepper
tsp dry mustard

2 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

2 cans (4 oz. each) sliced mushrooms, drained or
lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can (10 oz.) condensed beef broth
cup dry white wine (optional)- can substitute water
1 cup sour cream
cup flour

Trim all excess fat from steak and cut meat into 3 inch strips about " wide. Combine flour, salt,
pepper and mustard; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly. Place coated steak strips in crock pot;
stir in onion rings and mushrooms. Add beef broth and wine; stir well. Cover and cook on a low
setting for 8-10 hours. Before serving, combine sour cream and cup flour, stir into crock pot. Serve
stroganoff over rice or noodles.

16

Easy Baked Chicken Kiev

4 whole chicken breasts (about 4 lbs. total), boned, split, and skinned
1/2 cup each fine dry bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese
1 & 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
4 oz. jack cheese, cut into 8 strips (each 1/2-inch-thick and 1&1/2 inches long)
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Place chicken breasts, one at a time, between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. With flat side of
mallet, gently pound breasts until each is about 1/4 inch thick; set aside. In a rimmed plate or pie
pan, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp. of the oregano, garlic salt, and pepper; set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the 4 tbsp. of softened butter, parsley, and remaining 1/2 tsp. Oregano.
Spread about 1/2 tbsp. of the herb-butter mixture across each breast about an inch from lower edge;
lay a strip of jack cheese over butter mixture. Fold lower edge of breast over filling, then fold in sides
and roll up to enclose filling. Dip each bundle in the melted butter and drain briefly; then roll in bread
crumb mixture until evenly coated. Place bundles, seam side down, without touching, in a 9 by 13inch baking pan. Drizzle with any remaining butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until
next day. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 425-degree oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is no
longer pink when lightly slashed (cut just a small slash so filling doesn't ooze out). Makes 4 to 8
servings.

17

Oven-Fried Chicken with Almonds

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Pinch of ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thickness and cut into 12 pieces
Sprig Italian parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, almonds, parsley,
garlic, salt, thyme, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Place the oil in a shallow dish. Dip the chicken first
in the oil, then dredge in the crumb mixture. Place the chicken in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 25
minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center of a piece registers 170F and the juices run
clear. (Do not turn the chicken during cooking.) Garnish with the parsley.

19

Perfect Pasta Primavera

The specific vegetable ingredients can be varied, per what you have available. The vegetables listed
should be used as a guide, not a rule. Whatever you use, keep in mind that the vegetables should be
crunchy. If you have vegetables cut and sauce ingredients ready, you can prepare them while the
pasta cooks.
Main Ingredients:
1 cup broccoli florets, steamed for 5 minutes
1 cup 1-inch asparagus pieces, steamed for 5 minutes
1 cup sugar snap or snow peas, blanched for 1 minute
1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash, unpeeled, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into
chunks and blanched for 1 minute
1 cup corn kernels (canned or, if fresh or frozen, blanched)
1 tbsp. finely minced garlic (3 large cloves)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces high-protein spaghetti or linguine (my favorite is linguine)

1-inch

Sauce:
2 tsp butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
Steam or blanch the various vegetables as indicated, combine them, and keep them warm. In a
skillet, saut the garlic in the oil for 1 minute, but do not brown. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms,
carrot, parsley, and pepper, and cook the mixture for 4 minutes. Add this to the reserved vegetables,
tossing the ingredients gently to combine them well. To prepare the sauce, in a small, heavy
saucepan, melt the butter, and add the flour, whisking the roux over medium-low heat for 1 minute.
Gradually add the milk and stock, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the
Parmesan and basil, and heat the sauce over medium-low flame, stirring it until the cheese is melted.
Pour the sauce over the vegetable mixture, and toss the two gently to coat. Cook the pasta al dente,
drain it, and keep it warm. Place the cooked pasta in a large heated serving bowl or platter. Spread
the vegetable and sauce mixture over the pasta, toss the pasta gently once or twice, and serve.

20

Shrimp Sauce and Pasta

1/2 pound raw medium-sized shrimp (if frozen, defrost)
1 Tbsp. olive or salad oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, with juice, or 3 medium-sized fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
(I never peel them)
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
few dashes cayenne
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt, if desired
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup pitted black olives, halved lengthwise, for garnish
Grated Parmesan
Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. Heat the oil in a medium skillet, add the onion, garlic, and shrimp,
and saut the ingredients, stirring, until the shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. remove the shrimp,
and set them aside. Add the tomatoes and juice, black pepper, cayenne, basil, and salt to the skillet.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer it, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp
and parsley to the tomato mixture, and serve the sauce over spaghetti or other pasta garnished with
olives and sprinkled with Parmesan, if desired.

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pork Loin

1 boneless pork loin roast, 4 to 6 lb.
1 clove garlic, halved
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 c brown sugar, divided

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
tsp cinnamon

Wash pork roast, trim excess fat, pat dry, and rub with garlic halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper,
then prick the roast. In a cup or bowl, combine 1 c brown sugar, the mustard, and vinegar. Rub all
over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Pour off excess juices. Combine the remaining
1/3 c brown sugar with cinnamon; Spread the mixture over the top of the roast. Cover and cook an
hour longer. Serves 6 to 8.

22

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs:
2 eggs
cup milk
3 slices bread, crumbled
2 pounds lean ground beef
cup finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, smashed, minced
1 tsp salt
tsp pepper
16 oz. thin spaghetti
Parmesan cheese

Sauce:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
tsp dried leaf basil
tsp black pepper
1 large can (28-36 oz. total) crushed Italian
tomatoes
2 cans (6 oz.) tomato paste

Meatballs: In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly; add milk and bread and let stand for about 5
minutes. Add ground beef, onion, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper; mix gently until well blended.
Shape into about 24 meatballs, about 1-inches in diameter. Place meatballs in a generously greased
large shallow baking pan. Bake meatballs at 450 for 25 minutes. Sauce: In a Dutch oven, in hot oil
over medium heat, saut onion until tender and just begins to turn golden. Add remaining sauce to
ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust
seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Add meatballs; cover and simmer 50-60 minutes longer,
stirring from time to time. Cook spaghetti per package directions; drain. Serve spaghetti topped with
meatballs in sauce; sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. grated onion
cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
tsp pepper
1 egg
cup milk
1 can pineapple tidbits

Sauce:
cup syrup drained from pineapple
cup vinegar
cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
tsp salt
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Combine all ingredients except pineapple and let stand at least 1 hour. Shape into balls. Heat 1 Tbsp.
butter and tsp curry powder in fry pan. Brown slowly and drain fat. Add sauce to meat in pan.
Cook over low heat; add pineapple tidbits and heat 5 minutes.

24

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 chicken breasts, boned and cut into -inch thick slices
1 tsp salt
Batter:
c flour
c cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
tsp baking soda
c cold water

Sweet and sour sauce:

c water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2/3 c sugar

Garnish:
1 tomato, wedged
1 small green pepper, wedged
c pineapple chunks
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
3 c oil for deep frying (375)
Heat oil in wok to 375. Rub salt into chicken pieces. Dip into batter and deep fry in oil until golden
brown. Bring sauce to a full boil stirring constantly. Arrange tomato, pepper and pineapple chunks on
top of chicken, pour sauce over and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

26

Blueberry or Blackberry Cobbler

cup all-purpose flour
cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
tsp salt, if desired
cup skim milk
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups blueberries or blackberries, cleaned and washed
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, and mix the
batter until it is smooth. Pour the melted butter into a 1- or 1-quart casserole-type baking dish.
pour in the batter, and sprinkle the blueberries on top. Bake the cobbler in a preheated 350 oven for
40 to 45 minutes or until it is lightly browned.

Brownies
Sift the first five ingredients into a mixing
bowl:
1 cups flour
2 cups sugar
cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Add the next four ingredients and mix

thoroughly, then stir in nuts:
1 cup butter
4 eggs, unbeaten
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts

Spread batter in a well-greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool and frost
with fudge frosting.

Buttercream Frosting
Cream and beat until fluffy:
1 cup butter
Add:
2 tsp vanilla, and 4 c powdered sugar (one cup at a time beating well after each addition)
Add: milk 1 tbsp. at a time until desired consistency

27

Carrot Cake
2 c flour
2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
Sift together above ingredients, then add:
1 c. oil
8 oz. can crushed pineapple plus syrup
4 eggs
c nuts, optional
2 c grated carrots
Mix together. Grease two 9 pans or one 9x13 pan. Fill and bake at 350 for 35- 40 minutes or until
done.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks

c butter
c butter, softened
1 c packed brown sugar
c granulated sugar
tsp baking soda

2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
2 c coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate
1 c chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening and butter with an electric mixer on
medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar and baking soda. Beat
mixture until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until
combined. Beat in as much as the flour as you can with the mixer. With a wooden spoon stir in
remaining flour. Stir in chocolate and, if desired, nuts. Press dough evenly into a foil lined 9x13
baking pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Cool in pan for one hour
on wire rack. Preheat oven to 325. Holding securely to foil lining, gently remove cookies from pan
and place on a cutting board, leaving cookies on a foil lining. Cut crosswise into 9x slices. Place
slices cut side down about 1 apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cut
edges are crispy. Carefully transfer cookies to wire rack. Cool. Makes 18 cookies.

28

Chocolate-Almond Biscotti
1 c sliced almonds, toasted, divided
1 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
2/3 c cocoa
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
3 c all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350. Grease a large cookie sheet. Process c of the almond in a food processor until
ground. Beat butter using mixer for 3 minutes. Add sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and
salt; beat until combined. Beat in eggs and almond extract. Beat in as much of the flour as you can.
Stir in remaining flour, ground almonds and c sliced almonds. On wax paper shape dough into two
14 long rolls. Place rolls on prepared cookie sheet at least 5 apart; flatten slightly. Bake 25-30
minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 hour. Cut
each roll diagonally into thick slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 minutes. Turn slices; bake 7-9 more minutes or until cookies are dry and begin to crisp (do not
over bake). Remove cookies to wire rack; cool completely.

31

No Bake Cocoa-Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 cube butter ( cup)
cup water

cup peanut butter

3 cups oats

Combine sugar, cocoa, butter and water and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Add peanut butter and oats.
Mix well and drop by the teaspoonful on waxed paper.

Colossal Cookies
cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups crunchy peanut butter

1 tsp baking soda
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
3 cups regular oatmeal
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Beat together butter, both sugars and eggs. Add vanilla, peanut butter and soda. Mix in oatmeal. Stir
in chips. Drop 2 Tbsp. per cookie on cookie sheet. Bake 7 minutes at 350. Do not overbake. Let cool
on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
c butter, room temperature
a few tbsp. milk

1 tsp vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar

Blend cream cheese and margarine together. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and blend again. If too
thick to spread, add milk 1 tbsp. at a time.

32

Dried Cranberry Biscotti

2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
tsp salt
1 c sugar
c butter at room temperature
2 large eggs
tsp almond extract
1 c dried cranberries
1 egg white
Preheat oven to 350. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder
and salt in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, butter, and
extract together. Mix in flour and then dried cranberries. Divide dough in half. Using floured hands,
shape each piece into a log directly on the baking sheet. Whisk egg white and brush top and sides of
each log. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden. Cool completely. Slice logs with serrated knife and
bake 10 minutes on baking sheet without parchment. Turn biscotti over and bake an additional 5
minutes. (A double batch makes 3 logs the same size as the chocolate-almond biscotti recipe. Cook for
30 minutes.)

Fudge Frosting
2 cups sugar
cup light corn syrup
cup milk
cup butter

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, cut up

tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate and butter melt.
Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Remove from heat and beat until lukewarm.
Stir in vanilla and beat until a smooth, spreading consistency.

34

Gingerbread Cookies
c brown sugar
. butter
c molasses
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
tsp salt

Cream brown sugar and shortening. Beat in molasses, egg, and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients,
and add to creamed mixture, beat well. Roll out on lightly floured surface- thickness. Cook on
greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Gingerbread Biscotti
c butter
c packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
c molasses
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon
tsp ground cloves
tsp ground nutmeg
1 c slivered almonds
c finely minced candied ginger (optional)
White chocolate coating (optional) for
decoration

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter and sugar until there are no lumps
of sugar. Beat in the eggs, then blend in molasses. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,
ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Blend until smooth. Fold in the almonds (and candied ginger, if
using). Divide the dough in half onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Spray your hands generously
with nonstick spray (dough will be sticky) and form each half into a log about three or four inches
wide and one inch high. Place them two inches apart. Bake dough for 35 to 40 minutes or until a
wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Lower oven temperature to 300. Cool logs for 10
minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut each log into onehalf-inch slices. Place the slices cut-side down on baking sheet and return to oven to toast. Remove
after 10 minutes and flip all the cookies over. Toast an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and
let cool. Optional white chocolate coating: melt coating or white chocolate chips per the package
directions. Dip cookies halfway into coating, or use a spoon to drizzle quickly back and forth. Let set
completely before storing. Makes 2 to 2 dozen.

36

Gingersnaps
1 cup sugar
cup butter
2 eggs
cup molasses

3 cups flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
tsp cloves

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and molasses and mix well. Sift dry ingredients, then add to wet
ingredients and mix well. Place in refrigerator to chill. Roll in balls, then in sugar. Bake at 350 for 10
minutes.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2 c sugar
1 c all-purpose flour
c Hersheys cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

2 eggs
1 c milk
c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c boiling water
"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa,
baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium
speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes;
remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate
Frosting. 10 to 12 servings.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

c butter
2/3 c Hershey's cocoa
3 c powdered sugar

1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading
consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

39

Lemon Bars
2 c flour
c butter
c powdered sugar
4 eggs

2 c sugar
c lemon juice
c flour
tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Mix first three ingredients and press into a 9x13 pan. Bake 20 minutes. Beat
together next five ingredients and over top of crust. Bake 20 more minutes. When cool cut into
squares.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
tsp salt

Bake on greased cookie sheet for about 10 minutes at 350.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

1 c Karo syrup
1 c sugar
3/4 c popcorn, popped

1 c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Pop the popcorn and put in a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Stir together
Karo syrup, sugar and peanut butter in a pan, and cook, while stirring, over medium heat until it
comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over the popcorn and mix well. Spread
out on a cookie sheet to dry, or form into popcorn balls.

40

Poppycock
10-12 cups popped corn
1 1/3 cups walnuts
2/3 cups almonds
cup clear Karo syrup

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix popcorn and nuts in a large bowl. (You can use chopped nuts or whole nuts.) Combine sugar,
butter, and Karo syrup in quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium high heat. Stir
constantly, about 10 minutes, or until mixture turns a light caramel color. Remove from heat. Stir in
vanilla. Pour over popcorn and nut mixture. Coat well. Spread on cookie sheet. Let the caramel
harden. Break apart. Store in a tightly covered container.

43

Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Cake: powdered sugar
c all-purpose flour
tsp baking powder
tsp baking soda
tsp ground cinnamon
tsp ground cloves

tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 c granulated sugar
2/3 c pure pumpkin
1 c chopped walnuts, optional

Filling: 1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1 c sifted powdered sugar
6 tbsp. butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 15x10 jellyroll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper.
Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves,
and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in
flour mixture. Spread evenly into pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake
springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off
paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack. Beat cream
cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread
cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Pumpkin Pie
Cup granulated sugar
tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
tsp ground ginger
tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4 cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in
pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie crust. Bake in
preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40 to
50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.

44

Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter
cup brown sugar
cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

1 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
tsp nutmeg (optional)
3 cups oats

Heat oven to 375. Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking
soda, salt and spices. Add to egg mixture. Mix well. Stir in oats. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8-9 minutes for chewy and 10-11 minutes for crisp cookie. makes 4 dozen. Note: May add
raisins, chopped nuts, cinnamon chips or any type of chocolate chips. Omit cinnamon and nutmeg if
you add chocolate chips.

Royal Icing
3 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar
3-3 c confectioners' sugar
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to foam. Add the cream of tartar and beat until
the whites are stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the confectioners sugar, beating for about 5
minutes until it reaches spreading consistency. Keep it covered and refrigerated until needed.

47

Sees Fudge
Put in a large bowl:
lb. butter
2 c chopped nuts
2 tsp vanilla

18 oz. chocolate chips

1 pt. marshmallow cream

Put in a large pan:

4 c granulated sugar
1 large can evaporated milk
Bring milk and sugar to a rolling boil and boil exactly 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the
dry ingredients. Stir until thoroughly dissolved. Pour into 3-8x8 cake pans.

Snicker Doodle Cookies

Mix together:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Sift together and stir in:

2 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
tsp salt

Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Roll in mixture of 2 Tbsp. sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Sugar Cookies
. butter
c butter
1 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs
3 c flour
tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Cream shortening, butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, salt, and baking
powder and add to wet mixture. Roll out and cut out favorite shapes (chilling dough may help). Bake
on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 7-9 minutes.

48

Zucchini Fudge Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 c all-purpose flour
1 c cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda
tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
3 c shredded zucchini (generous 3 cups)
3 c prepared chocolate frosting

In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating eggs after each addition.
Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed
mixture alternating with buttermilk. Stir in zucchini. Pour into three greased and floured 9 round
baking pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool for 10 minutes; remove
from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost between layers and top and sides of cake. Or to
make muffins, sprinkle tops with chocolate chips and bake for 15 minutes.

Baking Powder Biscuits

2 Cups flour
1 Tbsp. Baking powder
tsp. salt
Cup butter or shortening
Cup milk
Stir together and cut in butter or shortening with a pastry blender. Stir in milk just until all flour is
moistened. Roll out or press to 1/2" thick. Cut circles with an upside-down glass or a biscuit cutter.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Banana Bread
1 c. sugar
c. oil
1 c. bananas (approximately 3 large bananas)
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
tsp. salt

Mix sugar and shortening until smooth. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Mix separately the flour,
baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold in dry ingredients. Bale ion two greased loaf pans. Bake at
375 for 40-45 min.

50

Cinnamon Rolls
1 c milk
1 cube butter or margarine
c sugar
Scald milk- add butter, sugar, and c cold water- pour into mixer- add 2 c flour and 5 tsp yeast. Mix
(very lightly). Add 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt, 4 c flour- mix for ten minutes, let rise one hour. Roll out dough
into large rectangle, inch thick. Spread melted margarine over top. Mix cinnamon and brown sugar
and sprinkle over melted margarine. Roll the long way. Cut into 1 inch thick slices. Lay down on a
greased baking dish, space out to rise. Let raise one hour. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Glaze with
4 oz cream cheese mixed with 2 cups powdered sugar and 1-2 tsp vanilla. If too thick, add milk a little
at a time.

53

Croissants
1 c warm water
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 can (5.33oz) evaporated milk
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
5 c flour
c margarine, melted
1 c cold margarine, cut into inch slices
1 Tbsp. cold water
1 egg
1- Combine warm water and yeast in 1 qt. bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add evaporated milk, sugar, 1
egg, salt and 1 c flour. Beat to make a smooth batter. Blend in melted margarine.
2- Measure 3 cups flour and add cold butter slices in large bowl. Cut in with pastry blender till butter
is in pieces no larger than kidney beans (if using a steel blade in processor, process on/off 15-20 times).
Stir in remaining 1 c flour.
3- Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until
flour is moistened. Cover tightly and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled or at least 4 hours or up to 3
days ( I do overnight)
4- Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead about six times. Divide dough into four equal
parts. Shape one part at a time keeping the others in the refrigerator.
5- Roll each part on well-floured surface into a circle about 17 inches diameter. Cut into eight equal
part. Roll up each wedge staring at wide end and rolling towards the point. Place on ungreased cookie
sheets about 1 inch apart. Curve ends of each roll to form crescent shapes.
6- Cover loosely and let stand in warm place to double, about 1 to 2 hours. Mix cold water and egg
and brush over top when ready to bake.
7- Bake in oven at 325 until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Makes 32 rolls.

54

Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp baking powder
tsp salt

1 cup milk
1 egg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a muffin pan, or line with paper baking cup liners. In a bowl, sift
together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; make a well in center. pour milk into a 2-cup glass
measure and add egg and butter; blend well. Pour liquid all at once into flour well. (This method
allows you to mix the batter with fewer strokes, avoiding over stirring.) Stir just until dry ingredients
are moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fill each muffin cup full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until
tops are lightly browned. Makes 12 muffins.
Jam Muffins: Prepare muffins, but just before baking, place tsp of your favorite jam in center of
batter in each muffin cup.
Blueberry Muffins: Prepare muffins, but increase sugar to cup and stir cup fresh or frozen
(thawed) blueberries into flour mixture before making the well.
Cornmeal Muffins: Prepare muffin, but substitute 1 cup yellow cornmeal for 1 cup of the flour.

Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour (this can be a mix of whole wheat, white flour)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk or 1 1/4 cup buttermilk or 3/4 cup plain or flavored yogurt mixed with 3/4 cup water
1 egg
1 Tbsp. oil
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the center. Mix all wet ingredients and pour into
the well. Stir with a fork just until all the flour is moist (batter should be lumpy). If necessary, add a
little more milk until the right consistency. Bake on a hot, greased griddle.

57

Pizza Crust
1 c hot water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 c flour
1 Tbsp. oil
tsp salt
In a large bowl, pour the water then sprinkle the yeast over it. sprinkle the sugar over the mixture
and stir. Cover and put in a warm place for 15 minutes. Then add the oil, salt and flour. Stir until all
the flour is moistened. Flour a breadboard and put the dough in the flour. Sprinkle more flour on top
of the dough, as needed and knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Roll out dough and place on a
greased pizza pan. Cover the crust with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, then add any desired toppings.
Then bake the pizza for about 8 minutes at 475.

Pumpkin Bread
3 c. pumpkin
c. oil
tsp. cinnamon
tsp. salt
1 c. nuts or raisins

3 c. sugar
3 c. flour
tsp. cloves
3 tsp. baking soda

Mix above ingredients and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

58

Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. vinegar

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar,
baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the
pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium
high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.
brown on both sides and serve hot.

Quick Coffee Cake

1 cups flour
cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
tsp salt
cup milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

Cinnamon-nut topping:
cup each firmly packed brown sugar and
chopped nuts
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. softened butter
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare topping; set aside. Lightly grease an 8-inch square or round baking
pan; set aside. In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour milk into a 1-cup
glass measure; stir in egg and butter. Pour all at once into dry ingredients and stir just until flour is
moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle cinnamon-nut topping evenly over batter. Bake
for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

59

Soft Bread Sticks

1 Tbsp. dry yeast
1 c warm water (put a pinch of sugar into the warm water and yeast.)
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp salt
4 to 4 c flour
Dissolve yeast into warm water (with a pinch of sugar). Stir in honey and salt. Add flour and mix
until dough forms into a ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead. Divide into 12-18
pieces and shape each into a long thin rope. Arrange onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Brush with
melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt, parmesan cheese, or leave plain. Let rise for 15- 20
minutes until light. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Soft Pretzels
1 1/3 cup warm water
1 package (about 1 scant tablespoon) active dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
tsp. salt
3 cups flour
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. coarse salt
Pour the warm water into the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and then sprinkle the
sugar over the yeast. Cover and let stand until the yeast is bubbly, about 5 10 minutes. Add the salt
and 1 cup flour, stir until blended. Add 2 more cups of flour, cup at a time, stirring to blend after
each addition. Sprinkle a little of the remaining flour over a clean kitchen surface. Turn the dough out
of the bowl onto the floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, sprinkling more
flour if the dough is sticky. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 15
inches long, then shape the rope into a pretzel. Place the pretzel on a greased baking sheet. In a small
bowl, beat the egg and the water. Brush the egg over each pretzel with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the
coarse salt over the pretzels. Bake until golden brown, about 12 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

60

Sticky Buns
24 frozen buns
c butter
c nuts
pkg. butterscotch pudding mix, regular (NOT instant)
c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Grease a Bundt pan. Place nuts around the bottom of the pan. Place frozen rolls in the pan and
sprinkle with dry pudding mix. Heat together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan until
hot and pour over rolls. Cover and let sit overnight (or 8 hours). In the morning, bake at 50 for 20
minutes or until done.

Turtle Bread
2 to 3 cups flour
1 package of quick-acting active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp salt

cup water
cup milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1 egg
2 raisins

Mix 1 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Heat water, milk and butter to
125 to 130; stir into yeast mixture. Stir in egg. Stir in enough of remaining flour to make the dough
easy to handle. Sprinkle a surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface; knead until
smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Shape a 2-inch piece of dough into a ball for the head. Shape 4 walnut-size pieces of dough into balls
for the feet. Shape 1 walnut-size piece of dough into a tail. Shape remaining dough into a ball for the
body; place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Attach head, feet and tail by placing 1 end of each
under edge of body to secure. Press raisins into head for eyes. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Heat the
oven to 400. Make crisscross cuts in body, " deep, to look like a turtle's shell. Bake until golden
brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 1 turtle bread.

61

Waffles
1 1/3 c. flour
tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar

2 eggs
c. melted butter
1 c. milk

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Make a well in the
center of the flour. Measure milk into a glass measuring cup. Add egg yolks, sugar and butter and mix
well. Pour into the center of the dry ingredients, stirring just until all flour is moistened. Batter
should be lumpy. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the
batter, folding just until the egg whites are evenly mixed in. Bake in a waffle iron.

Wholesome Oat Muffins

cup + 2 tbsp. oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 cups white whole wheat flour or whole grain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
tsp. baking soda
tsp. cinnamon
tsp. salt
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat the oven to 425. Coat a 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper
baking cups. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup of the oats and the buttermilk. Let soak for 30
minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and
walnuts. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in
the flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared
muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons oats over the
muffins. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes
out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove to the rack to cool completely.

63

Zucchini Bread
3 eggs- beaten
1 c. oil
1c. brown sugar
1c. white sugar
2c. grated zucchini
3 tsp. vanilla
1c. nuts- optional

3c. flour
1 tsp. salt
tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together eggs, oil, sugars, zucchini and vanilla. Mix together flour and spices and add to wet
ingredients. Cook at 325 for 1 hour.

64

Anthony Plastinos Spaghetti Sauce

8 cans (15 oz.) tomato sauce
3 cans tomato paste
4 to 5 cloves garlic
5 to 6 chopped onions
2 Tbsp. basil
2 Tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. curry
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
Short ribs
Saut onions and garlic in olive oil. Brown short ribs and drain grease. Add all other ingredients and
simmer 8 hours. Add 1 Tbsp. sugar an hour before serving.

Basic Cheese Fondue

3 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground dry mustard

2 c milk
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 c shredded cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add garlic and saut for 1 minute. Add flour and
mustard and stir the roux until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in the milk and Worcestershire
sauce, stirring until thick and almost boiling. Remove from heat and gradually stir in Cheddar cheese.
Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish.

67

Black Bean Salsa

Combine:
2 cans black beans
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen or canned corn (drained)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, diced
red onion
c cilantro leaves

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Cheese Ball
2 - 8oz. cream cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. pimento, minced (optional)
1 tbsp. green pepper, minced (optional)
1 tbsp. grated onion
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp lemon juice
Chopped walnuts
Mix together and chill. Shape in 2 balls and roll each in chopped walnuts.

Cream Cheese Dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 regular (1 pt.) jar marshmallow cream

1/8 tsp ginger

Fresh fruit

Bring cream cheese to room temperature; cream and mix with marshmallow cream and ginger. Serve
with fresh fruit as dip.

68

Enchilada Sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 cups water
1 8-ounce can tomato paste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Heat the oil, flour and chili powder together in a large pot. Allow to cook for a minute or two,
stirring constantly. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer. Stir well to combine and
dissolve tomato paste in water. Allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 c fresh basil leaves, packed
c freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c pine nuts or walnuts
2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you use walnuts
instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first before adding the
basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times mores. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the
food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add
the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste.

70

Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Dressing

c. sugar
1- Tbsp. onion juice
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/3 c. cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients except the oil and the poppy seeds in an electric blender until they are well mixed.
Add the oil gradually while continuing to blend. Stir in the poppy seeds and refrigerate.

Tomatillo Dressing
1 c buttermilk ranch dressing packet
1 c buttermilk
1 c mayo
2 tomatillos, husks removed and diced

bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (w/o seeds makes it milder)

Blend all ingredients well in a food processor or blender. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

72