Cherry Coconut Chews

My mother’s two favorite foods are coconut and cherries. So for Valentine’s Day I made her a batch of these tasty cookies. Being a senior (with Alzheimer’s), she doesn’t bake anymore and enjoys these types of gifts.

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
1-1/2 cups coconut
18 cherries (cut in half)

Cream margarine and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla until fluffy. Mix flour with salt and soda; beat in a little at a time. Add coconut and beat till well blended. Roll into balls by teaspoonful. Place on unbaked cookie sheet. Press with bottom of a glass. Put cherry in centre. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until golden. Makes 3 dozen.

Chicken Pot Pie

I have received many good recipes from seniors over the years; and this one becomes a quick favorite of anyone who tries it.

3 cups chicken broth

3 cups cooked chicken

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup potatoes, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

2-3 dashes pepper

single pie crust

Saute onion and celery in butter until soft; about 2-3 minutes. Stir in flour and then heated broth.  Stir until smooth.  Add remaining vegetables, chicken, salt and pepper.  Transfer to large casserole dish.  Cover with pastry.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Note:  If you need a good pastry recipe, refer back to April 26th posting.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1-1/4 cups mashed overripe bananas (3 or 4)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Mash banana in large mixing bowl with a fork; then beat with electric mixer.  Add vegetable oil and sugar; then beat well.  Beat in egg and vanilla. 

Mix flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a small bowl with a wire whisk.  Add to first mixture,  just stirring enough to moisten.  Gently fold in chocolate chips.  Put into paper lined muffin cups.  Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  Makes about 10 muffins.

Pineapple Punch

Another good punch recipe that I picked up this week at a get-together:

1 can pineapple juice

2 cans frozen white lemonade (undiluted)

1 2L bottle Sprite

Mix all ingredients in punch bowl.

Jello Popsicles

Believe it or not, my husband was an even bigger fan of these popsicles than the children were.  They sure taste better than any you can buy – a great treat for these hot summer days – great for slushies, too:

1 pkg Jello

1 pkg unsweetened Koolaid (same flavor as the Jello)

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups boiling water

2 cups cold water

 

Stir together Jello, Koolaid, sugar and boiling water.  After fully dissolved, add cold water.  Makes 12-16 popsicles.

FOR DIABETIC POPSICLES:  Follow same recipe using sugar-free Jello and Splenda.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

A tasty cookie full of fibre.

1 cup margarine

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1-1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup oatmeal

1 cup bran

Beat margarine, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, and eggs together until smooth.  Stir baking soda into flour; and combine with peanut butter mixture.  Beat until smooth.

Stir oatmeal and bran into mixture by hand.

Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 14 minutes.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

 

Family Pizza Crust

This wonderful recipe makes 2 pizza crusts and is the one my family has been enjoying for years.

1 pkg active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

2-3 cups flour

Dissolve sugar in warm water.  Add yeast and let stand 10 minutes until bubbly, then stir well with a fork.

Combine milk and salt in measuring cup and heat in microwave for 1 minute.  Let cool a little so not too hot for yeast.

Combine milk and stirred yeast in large bowl.  Measure out 2 cups flour and add baking soda to it.  Add to yeast mixture.  Mix until smooth.  Stir in remaining flour as needed.  Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic.  Grease bowl and dough with vegetable oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.  Press dough onto 2 greased pizza pans.  Cover with your favorite toppings and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Ginger Rhubarb Jam

I don’t usually make jam but I stumbled across this recipe  in my Better Homes And Garden Cookbook.  I like rhubarb and I love ginger so thought I would give it a try.  It is a quick and easy recipe and the jam turned out nice even if I would have preferred a stronger taste of ginger.

4 cups diced fresh rhubarb

3 cups sugar

 3 tblsp finely snipped candied ginger

2 tblsp lemon juice

Combine rhubarb with next three ingredients in large saucepan; let stand about 15 minutes, or till sugar is moistened by juice.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently till thick and clear, 12 to 15 minutes.  Skim off foam.  Ladle into hot sterilized jars; seal.  Makes three 1/2-pints.

Corn Chowder

My granddaughter has been on here a few times looking for my recipe for Corn Chowder, so I thought I better post it for her.  It is one of those things I am very fussy about when I make it.  It has to be just so.

1 large can Aylmer’s cream corn

1 large onion

1 potato, chopped (roughly 3/4 cup)

approximately 1 cup water

approximately 1 cup milk

1 tblsp butter

salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare potato by peeling, chopping, and washing.  Put in medium size pot with onion and about 1 cup water.  (I use as little water as possible – just enough to cook the potato without going dry.)  Add salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potato is cooked.  This should only take about 10 minutes. 

Add corn and milk.  (I don’t add a lot of milk because I like my chowder thick and flavorful.)  Add butter and leave on low-medium heat until heated through; being careful not to boil.  Check at this point to see if you have enough salt and pepper. 

Quick & Easy Rhubarb Dessert

Several years ago, I tried this recipe out in a senior’s home where I was working.  He loved it so much that he never allowed me to make anything else with  rhubarb.  Once a week – all summer long – we enjoyed this dessert.

4 cups rhubarb (cut in 1-inch pieces)

1 cup white sugar

1 pkg strawberry jello (use dry)

2 cups white cake mix

1 cup cold water

5 tblsp melted margarine

Layer in greased 8″ square pan in the order given.  Do not stir.  Bake at 350 for approximately 50 minutes.  Serve with Cool Whip or ice cream.