Holiday Pretzel Treats

I made these treats with Anthony the other night when I was in Austin, but I didn't have my recipe and put it in a 350 degree oven. I noticed that the pretzels burned, even though I only left them in the oven long enough to melt the chocolate. When I got home, I noticed that it was suppose to be in 170 degree oven.  They are also much more festive if you buy some hugs Kisses. They are the white chocolate ones.I couldn't find them, so I bought some mini-reases chocolates. These were all I had left, when I thought to take a picture.
Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/holiday-pretzel-treats

Ingredients:
bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
Hershey's Kiss and/or Hershey's Hug
M & M candies

1. Heat the oven to 170 degrees. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's hug.

2. Bake for 4-6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M & M candy into the center of each Kiss.

3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bgs and tie on colorful ribbons for a nice gift.

Lemon Tea Cakes

My mom gave me this recipe in the cookbook she made for me. The recipe came from my great grandmother, Cora Ashley.  I added the lemon juice and lemon zest because I thought it needed a little added flavor.  I think I would probably glaze them with a lemon juice and powdered sugar next time.  I needed them to be a little sweeter for my taste.  I had a dozen left-over from the book celebration, so I made some lemon icing.  I used about 1/4 of an 8oz. cream cheese, zest of one lemon, and juice of one lemon and enough powdered sugar to make it the right consistency.  I probably won't make these cookies again. Not worth the calories.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and soda. Mix well and add flour. Turn dough onto a floured surface, working by hand until you can handel the dough. Rool out about a 1/2 thick and cut with a round cookie cutter.  My mom said that one time she rolled them in wax paper and put them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.  I put them in overnight. Then she sliced them and baked at 350 degrees about 13-15 minutes.  I sprinkled them with sugar.  Next time I will ice them. I admit it, I love sweet things.

Berry Good cobbler - Paleo style

If you have been on the Paleo diet
for a while, you may be craving
something sweet.  This is one option.
The coconut milk saves it.  It is not
like your grandmother's cobbler, but it will do if you are desperate, and believe me when I say I was desperate.  This comes from Sarah Fragoso's Everyday Paleo



Ingredients:
3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (or other berry of your choice) I used blueberries
1 egg
2 T. coconut oil
Drizzle of honey
1 1/2 cups almond meal
2 T. cinnamon
"So Delicious" unsweetened coconut milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pour the blackberries into a pie pan.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, almond meal, coconut oil, and cinnamon. Stir well until the mixture starts to crumble. If you wish, drizzle a bit of honey on top of the blackberries.
4. By hand, evenly crumble the almond meal mixture on top of the blackberries and bake for 35 minutes
5. Serve in bowls with cold "So Delicious" coconut milk poured over the top.

Peach Melba Shortbread Bars

I had some homemade peach preserves from my Fredricksburg peaches that I was excited to use. They turned out really good.

Recipe is from Southern Living April 2011


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/peach-melba-shortbread-bars

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter
1 cup peach preserves
6 teaspoons raspberry preserves
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Garnish with powdered sugar
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1st 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until crumbly.  I used my food processor for this step. Reserve 1 cup of flour mixture for the top.
2. Lightly grease an 11" X 7" or 9" square pan. Press remaining flour mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
3. Bake 350 degrees F. 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Spread peach preserves over crust in pan. Dollop raspberry preserves by 1/2 teaspoon over peach preserves Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup flour mixture over preserves. Sprinkle with almonds.
5. Bake 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes. Let cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Dust with powdered sugar.

Strawberry Crepes

When you have a limitless supply of strawberries right outside your door you make strawberry crepes, strawberry jam, and strawberry pie. This is my version of strawberry crepes. They were wonderful. I probably should have made enough for everyone to have 2.  We had these for our July 4th celebration in Oregon.
This recipe is adapted from November 2007 Cooking Light


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/strawberry-crepes
Ingredients for the Crepes:
6 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
To make the crepes, heat a non-stick fry pan on top of the stove. Mix the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large measuring cup so you can pour easily
Pour about 4 tablespoons of mixture into the prepared skillet. Tilt it all around so the mixture covers the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 4 minutes. Then start to lift the sides of the crepe and tap in the middle with the spatula.  Turn the pan over onto a plate.  Put a piece of parchment paper over the first crepe and continue to cook. This recipe should make about 8 crepes. Put parchment paper between each crepe and set aside while you make the filling.

Ingredients for the filling:
3 cups of fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Cream cheese
powdered sugar
You can mash about a 1 cup of the strawberries so that you have some liquid in the mixture. Place first 3 ingredients in a pot over medium-high heat and cook until the strawberries have become very thick. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and zest. Stir and set aside to cool.
Putting together the Crepes:
Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoon on one end of each crepe and top with about 2 1/2 teaspoons of strawberry mixture.  Roll the crepe into a log. Place on a plate and add additional strawberry mixture. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar.

ice cream sandwiches

Use your favorite cookie recipe and then fill it with your favorite ice cream.  I had some cookies and cream and some mint-chocolate chip.  I made about 1/2 dozen of each.  My older grandsons are coming next weekend and I wanted to have some of each.  I'll let them decide which they like best. Mia is ready for the spoiling to begin.  We are also going to see Pinkalicious at the Majik Theater and then we will come back and make pink cupcakes. Oh what fun.

Baked Custard

I have a fond memory of my mom making what she called egg custard.  I used to get it at Luby's just to bring back the memory.  Now I can make them at home.  This is probably her recipe, but I recopied it and now I'm not sure.



Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/baked-custard

Ingredients:
4 eggs - beaten lightly
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups hot milk
nutmet for the top
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients well and slowly add 3 cups of hot milk. Pour into 6 ramekins and sprinkle top with nutmeg. Place on a baking sheet in a hot water bath. (Pour hot water in the baking sheet so it will surround the custard) Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes