This dip is a favorite at our house by young and old alike.
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 jar salsa
grated cheddar cheese
Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream together with electric beater. Spread on serving dish (I use a pizza pan for the teens; a fancier 9″ round flan pan when serving the ladies). Top with salsa and then grated cheese. Cover and chill until ready to use. Scoop out with tortilla chips.
When making muffins, you need two bowls – one for your dry ingredients and one for your wet ingredients.
I use a wire whisk to stir my dry ingredients; and I use an electric beater to mix my wet ingredients.
Here is the most important part – once you combine the two, you should stir as little as possible – only until the dry ingredients are moistened. This makes all the difference in whether your muffins will be tender or tough.
I like using liners for the muffin tins. It means you don’t have to grease the tins which means a little less fat being used; and it makes for easier clean-up.
Remove your muffins from the pan as soon as you take them out of the oven; and put them on a cake rack to cool. This will prevent the bottoms from getting soggy.
Those little prepackaged half cup servings of applesauce are so convenient; but they can not compare in taste to the homemade applesauce our mothers and grandmothers prepared at home.
6 medium apples
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
dash of cinnamon
Peel, core and slice apples. Put in saucepot with water; cover and simmer until apples are tender (15-20 minutes). Mash. Mix sugar and cinnamon together; and stir into applesauce. Bring to a boil, Makes 3 cups.
Brownies are a real favorite in our house. This recipe is so tasty that we never bothered with frosting – just threw in some walnuts (which are heart-healthy); and enjoyed them with a tall glass of milk.
2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts
Melt margarine. Stir in cocoa. Blend in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to cocoa mixture. Stir in walnuts. Put in greased 8″ square pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Do not overcook if you want them fudgy.
When I was fourteen years old, I made my mother a chocolate cake for her birthday. Her favorite way to have it was frosted with whipped cream.
Everybody was finished eating and waiting for the cake – which was still warm. I whipped the cream and frosted the warm cake.
Big mistake!
As I carried the cake to the table, the top layer slid off and went sailing across the kitchen.
So, my tip for the day to the beginner cook is to let your cakes completely cool before frosting.
These muffins are so light and tasty, your family won’t even know they are good for them.
1-1/2 cups All Bran cereal
1-1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1-1/4 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Combine cereal and milk; let stand for five minutes to soften. Then add molasses, vegetable oil and egg. Beat with electric mixer until well combined.
Combine dry ingredients; add to wet ingredients. Stir just till mixed. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
Take out of pan and let cool on cake rack.
I have acquired quite a collection of cookbooks over my 43 years of cooking. But I do have a favourite – one I always go to first if I am looking for a recipe for something I haven’t made before. This book also has all these neat baking tips in it that even the well-seasoned cook benefits from.
It is called the “Better Homes And Gardens New Cook Book” and I call it my old faithful. I have had this book for so long the pages are falling out but I wouldn’t dream of replacing it.
My children were young when I got my copy from my brother as a Christmas gift. He got his copy as a wedding gift and knowing I would love it as much as he did, he bought one for me.
When my children grew up and went out on their own, I got them each their own copy. The recipes turn out as good as the ones in my book but it was a reprint, so not all the recipes were the same.
For anybody who likes to serve fresh rolls with a meal, but hates to knead them, this recipe from my old faithful is for YOU:
Basic Rolls
3-1/2 cups flour
1 pkg active dry yeast
1-1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 egg
In mixing bowl combine 1-1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, sugar, shortening, and salt just till warm; stirring constantly till shortening almost melts. Add to dry mixture; add egg. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough. Shape into ball.
Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 1-1/2 – 2 hours. Punch down; turn out on floured surface. Cover, let rest 10 minutes. Shape into rounds and put on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen rolls.
