Thursday, December 27, 2012

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Makes 2-3 dozen


Ingredients:

½ cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoons baking powder

⅛ teaspoons baking soda

1-½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cups powdered sugar


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.


In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice.
Scrape sides and mix again.
Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar.
Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly.
Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate.
Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar.
Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Soul Sweet 'Taters

Ingredients
    •    4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds)
    •    1 cup granulated sugar
    •    1 cup milk
    •    2 large eggs
    •    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    •    1 teaspoon salt
    •    1 cup packed dark brown sugar
    •    1 cup nuts of your choice, chopped
    •    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    •    6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on the oven rack and bake until fork-tender, about 45 minutes. When the potatoes are finished cooking, let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Slice them open lengthwise and scrape out the flesh with a fork into a large bowl. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
Add the granulated sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla and salt to the bowl with the sweet potatoes. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until combined and slightly lumpy-you don't want it to be perfectly smooth.
Now, in a separate bowl, mash the brown sugar, pecans, flour and butter with a pastry cutter or fork until thoroughly combined. The mixture should resemble a crumble.
Spread the sweet potato mixture in a 14-cup oval-shaped baking dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

No Bake Lemon Cream Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust or pre-baked pie crust

Directions
    1.    Place the pie crust in the freezer.    
    2.    Using a large bowl, add an 8-oz. package of softened cream cheese at room temperature, beat with an electric hand mixer on medium until fluffy.    
    3.    Add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, stir in 1/3 cup of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 cup sour cream.    
    4.    Blend ingredients well.    
    5.    Take chilled pre-made pie crust, evenly spoon in the mixture and chill in refrigerator for about 2 hours.    
    6.    To garnish, zest a lemon peel with a hand grater or use fresh fruit (strawberries or blueberries).
    7.     Garnish with whipped cream.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Pomegranate Salad

1 6 oz pkg cherry jello
1/2 c. sugar
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 lg. pomegranate, seeded
1pkg. raw cranberries, chopped
2 apples, chopped
2/3 c. chopped nuts (optional)
Cool Whip or Whipped cream

Dissolve jello as directed, using pineapple juice as cold liquid, add sugar, then fruit. Place in fridge to set up. Before serving, garnish with whipped topping.