Monthly Archives: July 2009

Jul11

Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

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Honey Peanut Butter Cookies
Honey PB Cookies 7

Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

I haven’t made cookies in a while and had a hankering for a peanut butter cookie. I am still trying to re-create the kind my mom used to make when I was growing up. Though that cookie was the more traditional peanut butter cookie, this one is a wonderful variation to the “sandy”, crunchy peanut butter cookie. It is moist, soft, chewy and very “peanut buttery”. It was very easy to prepare and is a “keeper”.

Honey-Peanut Butter Cookies

Slightly adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup honey*
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Powdered sugar for rolling

Directions:

Beat the shortening, peanut butter and honey then add the eggs and mix well. Separately, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to peanut butter mixture and mix well. 

Round dough into 1″ ballsand roll in powdered sugar. Place on un-greased baking sheets and bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on cookie sheets. Remove and place on paper towels or a brown paper bag to cool completely. Store tightly covered.

*I was only able to squeeze 3/4 cup of honey, so I compensated with 1/4 cup molasses. I think if anything it added to the cookie and would not hesitate to use it again.

Honey PB Cookie ving 

Honey PB Cookies

Jul9

Birthday Cake – Sour Cream Pound Cake

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Birthday Cake – Sour Cream Pound Cake

 

Sour Cream pound cake 6 copy 

This recipe was one of my first posts on this blog. Since then I believe I have improved my photographs and my posting ability, so I thought it would be good to repost it. This is a versitile recipe, I have used it for a Bundt cake, as a loaf cake (with nuts) and now as a layer cake. I used three 8″ round pans. When I put it together it was huge. I didn’t realize how tall it would be.

IMG_1680 

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, room temp
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond or lemon extract
  • 8 oz. sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat desired pans with baking spray. (1 Bundt pan, 3 (8″) round pans, 2 (9″) round pans, or loaf pans)

In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda and salt, set aside. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon extract. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately ending with flour. Spoon batter into pans. Bake loaf and round pans 45 – 60 minutes,  and bundt pan 60 to 75 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. For loafs you may add 3 -5 cups of chopped pecans.

 Birthday Cake Version:

For round cake, (birthday cake), slice off top layer and frost – if desired frost inside layers slightly and layer with thin sliced strawberries. Frosting recipe follows: (Oh, enjoy the layer you slice off – it is the best part of the cake.)

Buttercream Frosting:

  • ½ cup softened butter
  • ½ cup butter flavor shortening
  • 16 – 24 oz. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 -3 Tbls milk

Cream butter, Crisco until smooth, slowly add powdered sugar, add vanilla and milk to desired consistency.

*I frosted the inner layers with strawberry buttercream frosting and a layer of sliced strawberries – see the picture… And I had another layer to put on the top!

 

SCPC 2

Jul7

Hawaiian Pork Roast

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Hawaiian Pork Roast

Hawaiian Pork Roast

We are home from camp this week, which means I have the opportunity to prepare dinner for the family. We were heading out to the mall, so I decided on slow cooking a pork roast. It’s a good thing I chose this cooking method, as we totally lost track of time. At 5:30 we were still shopping and we normally eat dinner at 5. This meal was ready when we arrived home. It is always a family favorite.

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Jul4

Fresh Strawberry Cake

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Fresh Strawberry Cake

 

Strawberry Cake soft

It’s Independence Day 2009. We are celebrating with family and a hot grill. On the menu? Hamburgers, brats and hot dogs of course. Since this is a dessert post, that’s the most I will talk about dinner.

This is a well known cake among cake mix cakes, and I have no lost pride in using one. As always, it is a wonderful finale to dinner.

Fresh Strawberry Cake

Ingredients: 

  • 1 (18 oz) white or yellow cake mix
  • 1 (4 serving size) strawberry jello mix
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, slice and mashed

Strawberry Frosting:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 16 – 24 ounces powdered sugar
  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup mashed strawberries

 Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray three 8″ pans, or two 9″ pans.

Combine cake mix and dry jello powder in mixing bowl, stir to combine. Add oil, water, eggs and strawberries. Mix thoroughly, about 2 minutes on medium. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan then remove to cooling rack.

Frosting Directions:

Combine the butter, sugar and strawberries and beat until smooth. Layer and frost. Store cake in refrigerator for most flavorful results.