Date Ball Cookies

1 package chopped dates
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 package coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 to 4 cups rice krispie cereal




Instructions

In a bowl, beat eggs and sugar, stir in chopped dates.

In a medium sized pot, melt butter and add the egg and date mixture. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes.

Remove from stove, add vanilla extract, cereal and nuts. Make teaspoon size balls, roll into the coconut flakes and place on a tray to set

Pound Cake

Ingredients

1 lb. butter
3 cups sugar
9 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
4 cups flour
2 heaping tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract




Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a bowl add eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and set aside
In another owl combine flour and baking powder and set aside

In another bowl cream butter and sugar until smooth. Alternately add some of the liquid mixture and then the dry mixture, blending after each addition until all ingredients are incorporated and blended well.

Pour mixture into a greased angel food pan. Tap pan on table to get the air bubbles out. Bake for 1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.



Notes

This recipes makes a nice big cake and can be served many ways. My favorite is just to toast it and slap on butter.

This looks like a pound cake recipe? What's it called?

Sorry. It is a pound cake recipe. I will go back and edit it. Thanks.

Wow -- I tried this recipe for "Peppermint Crunch Bark" from the King Arthur Flour site for the first time today... and all I can say is YUM !!

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups Merckens bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into coarse pieces
3 drops peppermint oil (3 to 5)
2 cups Merckens white chocolate bar, chopped into coarse pieces
1/4 cup peppermint crunch or finely chopped hard peppermint candies

Directions:
1. Gently melt the dark chocolate, heating it on very low heat or over hot water until it barely melts

2. Stir in the peppermint oil, then spread it into an 8" x 12" oval on parchment paper or foil.

3. Allow the chocolate to set, but not harden completely.

4. Melt the white chocolate the same way, and mix it with about half the peppermint crunch.

5. Spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate.

6. Sprinkle the rest of the peppermint crunch on top, pressing it in gently.

7. Allow the candy to cool until hardened, then break or cut it into chunks.

8. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage..

-

I did modify it a bit... I used 12 oz. Nestle chocolate chips and 12 oz. Ambrosia white chocolate from the grocery store, mixed 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract into the chocolate layer and 1/4 tsp into the white chocolate layer. I also added 2 tsp of vegetable oil to the while chocolate as I was melting it. Used some candy canes that had been in the cupboard since last year for the "peppermint crunch." Spread the chocolate layer out on a jelly roll pan lined with foil sprayed with Pam, let it set, then spread the white chocolate layer on top of it. Awesome!!

Sandy, this sounds awesome. Last year I discovered the bags of crushed candy cane that Fleet Farm now carries at this time of year. It makes life in the kitchen so much easier, but it tends to become a solid mass once it is opened even though it was stored in a glass jar. I found that I can eliminate that problem by putting a paper towel in the jar when I store it after opening the bags.

Hash Brown Casserole {Without Cream Soup}

CREAM SOUP SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS
•2 tablespoons butter
•3 tablespoons flour
•1/2 cup chicken broth
•1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
•Dash of salt and pepper

CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
•30-32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns - thawed
•1 batch cream soup substitute
•8 ounces sour cream
•1/2 cup butter, melted
•1/2 of a small onion - diced
•2 cups cubed ham
•2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon black pepper



Instructions

CREAM SOUP SUBSTITUTE DIRECTIONS
1.In a small sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk in flour and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
2.Slowly stir in chicken broth, then milk. Stir until it begins to thicken. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Season with a dash of salt and pepper.

CASSEROLE DIRECTIONS
1.Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2.In a large bowl, stir together thawed hash brown potatoes and melted butter.
3.Stir in cream soup substitute, sour cream, onion, ham, and 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir well.
4.Season with salt and black pepper.
5.Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese (or more if you'd like).
6.Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Slow Cooker Instructions: Combine all ingredients and cook in your slow cooker for 5-6 hours on low.

Freezer Instructions: Assemble casserole. Do not bake. Cover well and store in your freezer for up to 3 months. Allow casserole to thaw completely in your refrigerator before baking, following the instructions above.

I normally do not post recipes that I have not tired yet but this casserole (with the real cream soup) originated in the Cracker Barrel restaurants and it is made without eggs which is different from all the other breakfast casseroles I have made so I decided to include this along with another casseroles using eggs for our day after Christmas breakfast.

This recipe is from http://www.centercutcook.com

Karen, good tip about the already-crushed peppermint candy... I didn't realize that was sold anywhere but I imagine it's a way to use up broken candy canes and such that they can't sell. After I smashed my candy canes up they also wanted to solidify into a mass pretty quickly, I'll have to remember that about the paper towel!

Frank, that hash brown casserole sounds delicious -- but then, I don't think I've ever met a hash brown casserole I didn't like, or any dish from Cracker Barrel that I didn't like, either (good thing we don't have them nearby...) The cream soup substitute reminded me of a recipe I found a little while back when I wanted to make a dish for supper that called for cream of mushroom soup, which I didn't have in the cupboard and running to town for some is about a 20-mild round trip. The recipe can also be used to make other "cream of" condensed soups, just substitute whatever you like for the mushrooms. The flavor of this soup was so much better than the canned stuff, and I think it would make an excellent soup to serve on its own if one used the fresh mushrooms that it actually calls for (I used a can of "pieces and stems," chopped up).

**HOMEMADE CONDENSED CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP**
(Makes "1 can" of condensed soup)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 small Shallot, minced {about a quarter cup}
1/2 cup minced Crimini Mushroom
2 1/2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
1/2 cup Whole Milk
1 pinch Kosher Salt {go easy so you don't over salt when adding to the recipe}
2 pinches Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
1. In a 10 inch skillet melt the three tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once melted add in the minced shallot, stir to coat in the butter and sauté until just about soft {3-5 minutes}.

2. Add in the minced crimini mushrooms, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Sprinkle with the 2-1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour and let the flour cook for a minute or two. Whisk in the whole milk and vegetable broth until smooth.

4. Bring to a simmer and cook until it has thickened {about 5-8 minutes}.

5. Use as a substitute in any recipe calling for canned cream of mushroom soup!

6. Note: Store this in an air-tight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or freeze and simply defrost when needed!

Source: www.simplyscratch.com

Karen - I have a terrific recipe for cream of mushroom soup using evaporated milk instead of heavy cream which I will post a little latter.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tables onions, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbls butter
2-3 tbls flour, separated
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup light cream or evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions
Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add in onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until onions are soft

Blend in 2 tbls flour and stir

Add in the chicken broth and heat until slightly thickened while stirring frenquently.

Stir in cream or evaporated milk with additional tbl flour and seasonings. Add to soup. Heat to thicken while stirring frequently.
Note - I used the evaporated milk and I used extra flour in the milk at the end because I like it bitthicker.

Franklin, your recipes are out of sight. I will be cutting and pasting into word like mad. I don't have anything so wonderful, although the garlic rolls and cardamom bread I have are both good.

@MotherRaphaela one more thread to check out for recipes

Mary, my favorite spice is cardamom. Would you post that recipe here when you have time?

CDsSister said:@MotherRaphaela one more thread to check out for recipes

Marilyn, that link just goes to her profile... can you point us to the thread?

I was just about to ask for the recipe and to tell you about the profile.

Sorry to confuse everyone. In another forum MR asked if there was a place on ATP to exchanger recipes. So I was drawing her attention to this one.

Sorry, Marilyn -- I obviously read your post entirely wrong! Hope to see MR here!

Egg Fu Young

1/2 pound fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cut into small pieces
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp sherry
5 eggs
1 tsp light soy sauce
4 tbls oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
4 water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
4 cups oil

Sauce
1 cup chicken stock or broth
2 tbls light soy sauce
1 tbls cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbls. water

Instructions
Dry shrimp. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, cornstarch, and 1 tsp of sherry. Mix well

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sherry. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbls of oil in wok or frying pan. Stir-fry onions, scallion, and water chestnuts 1 minute. Add mushrooms. Stir fry 30 seconds. Remove contents ndset side.

Heat 2 tbls oil in same pan. Stir=fry shrimp and bean sprouts until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat and let cool.

Add all ingredients to egg mixture.

To make the sauce, bring stock or broth to boil. Add soy sauce. Thicken with dissolved cornstarch. Season with pepper to taste and set aside.

Heat the 4 cups of oil to 400 degrees, testing by adding a piece of the scallion. (it should turn brown quickly). Gently ladle 1/4 cup egg mixture in into pan and deep fry until golden brown. Fold over and fry other side until golden brown. Remove and keep warm while you cook the rest of the egg mixture. Serve with the sauce.



Notes

I have tried different recipes for egg fu young and this is by far the best one. I make my own fried rice but you can use any rice to put the fu young on top of.

You can substitute shredded roast pork, beef, chicken or turkey for the shrimp

CARDAMOM BREAD
1. Sift flour, salt and cardamom
2 1/4 cups flour ( use regular unbleached flour, not cake nor bread)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom

2. Sprinkle yeast over warmed milk in large pan
2/3 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees)
1 pkg yeast

3. Stir in:
2 TB sugar
1 well beaten egg
The flour mixture from Step 1

4. Then add 2 TB butter and mix well
5. Knead 8 minutes and put in a greased bowl for one hour (the dough is very soft)

6. Punch down and cut into three pieces. Roll into 3 pieces 24" long each
7. Braid and form a circle; brush with 2TB butter
Cover with damp cloth; let rise 45 minutes

Bake 12 minutes @ 425 degrees

Frost with:
1 cup confectionary sugar
2 TB milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup blanched almonds.
End recipe

I put my mixture in my kitchen aid and let the dough hook do the kneading for several minutes. Then I finish up by hand to make a nice soft ball. I also, after the first raising, roll out flat maybe 8x12 and spread with finely chopped pecans, finely chopped candied fruit; roll up; raise and bake in a log form. Works great. You could try buttering lightly the rolled out flat; haven't tried that. Haven't tried putting brown sugar on the rolled out dough but that is a thought also.

Very easy and very quick to make. Very delicate crumb.

Oh, that sounds good, Mary -- I love baking breads !