Shortcake

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. STEP 1
   Heat oven to 400°F. Grease and flour 8- or 9-inch square baking pan; set aside.
2. STEP 2
   Combine all ingredients in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Spread into prepared pan.
3. STEP 3
   Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Cut into squares.
4. STEP 4
   Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.

Toffee Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter softened
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup toffee bits
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Add the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Mix well. Add the chocolate chips, toffee bits, coconut, and pecans. Stir to mix throughout the dough.
• Scoop into 2 tablespoon dough amounts and roll into balls. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven when puffy and barely cooked through, do not let them brown.
• Let cookies cool 1 minute on the tray and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

FREEZER TIP: This cookie dough can be frozen until ready to bake. Scoop into balls and flash freeze on a paper plate or tray. Transfer the frozen dough to a zip-close freezer bag. Cookies can be baked from frozen (allow an extra 2-3 minutes for baking) or thawed and then baked.
Recipe and photo credit: Barefoot in the Kitchen

Coconut Crunch-Topped Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

BROILED TOPPING(recipe follows)



Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 8-inch square baking pan.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large

bowl. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat with spoon or whisk

just until batter is smooth and ingredients are well blended. Pour

batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center

comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare BROILED TOPPING; spread on warm

cake. Set oven to Broil; place pan about 4 inches from heat. Broil 3

minutes or until top is bubbly and golden brown. Remove from oven.

Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 9 servings.


Broiled Topping:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1/2 cup sweetened Coconut Flakes

3 tablespoons light cream or evaporated milk

Stir together all ingredients in small bowl until well blended. About

1 cup topping.






BROILED TOPPING



1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1/2 cup sweetened Coconut Flakes

3 tablespoons light cream or evaporated milk



Stir together all ingredients in small bowl until well blended. About

1 cup topping.

Zella Lane's 2 Week Bran Muffins

• 
  
• 1 cup (227g) boiling water
• 1 cup (71g) bran cereal (buds or twigs); or 1 3/4 cups (71g) bran flakes
• 1/2 cup (99g) vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups (301g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cup (170g to 255g) raisins or currants
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (454g) buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups (248g) sugar
• 2 cups (142g) bran cereal (buds or twigs); or 3 1/2 cups (142g) bran flakes

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the 1 cup of cereal. Allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm, about 45 minutes.

1. While the water/cereal mixture cools, blend together the flour, soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the raisins or currants. Set it aside.
2. Stir the vegetable oil into the cooled water/cereal mixture. Set it aside.
3. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and sugar. Combine this with the flour/raisin mixture.
4. Stir in the dry cereal.
5. Finally, add the water/bran/oil mixture, stirring till thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
6. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan, or line with paper cups, and grease the cups. Use as many wells as you like; since this recipe can live in the fridge for a couple of weeks, there's no need to bake 12 muffins all at once.
7. Heap the thick batter in the muffin cups; a generous 1/4 cup batter (about 3 1/2 ounces, or 100g) is a good amount to use.
8. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, till a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven, and tip the muffins in the pan to prevent their bottoms steaming and becoming soggy. Serve warm; or transfer to a rack to cool completely.
10. To bake mini muffins, heap the batter in the muffin cups, and bake for about 15 minutes, till the muffins test done.
11. Yield: 18 standard muffins, or 45 mini muffins.
12. Recipe from: kingarthurflour.com
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Skoby's House Vinaigrette

1 T. lemon juice
1 oz. tomato juice
4 oz. dill pickle relish
1/4 c. plus 1 t. sugar
7 1/2 oz. red wine vinegar
3/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. parsley flakes
2 T. salt
4 T. onion, diced
1 1/2 c. plus 1 T. salad oil

Combine all ingredients using a wire whisk. Mix thoroughly. Stir repeatedly to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Makes 4 cups

Foolproof Brown Rice

2 cups brown rice
10 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons salt

Bring water to boil.  Stir in rice, salt and butter.  Cook uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes.  At 25 minutes, test to see if rice is al dente.  When rice is al dente, drain and serve.

Iced Caramel Toffee Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 cups quick cook oatmeal
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Heath Toffee bits

For the icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

• Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a food processor, add oatmeal and pulse until partly ground. I pulsed mine 6 times for about 1 second each time. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter with sugars. Add eggs and beat until fully blended. Mix in the oatmeal, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and flour. Mix just until combined. Fold in toffee bits.
  4. Drop by 2 Tbsp scoop onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake for 14--16 minutes and cool completely on wire rack.
  5. For the icing, whisk together the sugar and caramel sauce. Add more or less caramel for desired consistency (each brand has it's own consistency, so you may need to use more or less). Frost each cookie and allow to set (about 30 minutes). Store in airtight container for up to 5 days for best flavor. ENJOY.  
  6. Thanks to shugarysweets.com for recipe and photo.