Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo is a family favorite but I'd never made it until my niece Kallen requested it for her birthday dinner.  I got the recipe from a coworker who also likes to cook and he said it was THE BOMB.  He wasn't kidding, it was very good!

Fettuccine Alfredo
Source: Matt Awad

1 pkg fettuccine noodles
2 sticks butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
chopped fresh parsley
Optional: couple cloves minced garlic

In a large sauce pot, cook fettuccine as directed on package.

While fettuccine is cooking, in a 2 quart saucepan,  heat butter and whipping cream over low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted.  Remove from heat then stir in salt, pepper, and cheese.

Drain fettuccine, return to sauce pot.  Pour sauce over warm fettuccine, stir until fettuccine is well coated.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I made this recipe a few times this fall and Dan loved it.  The original recipe came from our local TV station and it called for black walnuts.  But I'm not a fan of walnuts so I substituted pecans.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree
1 (10 oz) can of evaporated milk
1 cup of light brown sugar
3 eggs (beaten slightly)
3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
1 box of yellow cake mix
2 sticks of melted butter
1/2 cups of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of toffee bits (but I used more, probably at least 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.

Pour into your prepared pan.  Sprinkle the entire box of cake mix on top, followed by pecans and toffee bits.  Pour the melted butter evenly on top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until center is set and edges are slightly browned.  Can be served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

We left Chocolate Chip Cookies for Santa this year.....and he was very happy with them.  These cookies were soft and chewy, thanks Aunt Marcia for sharing this recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Marcia Dotson

2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 package Jello-O Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1 pkg  (11.5 oz) Baker's Real Milk Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 375*

Beat butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Mix in flour, baking soda, and pudding mix.  Stir in milk chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoonfulls, 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.

Christmas Cowboy Quiche

Merry Christmas! I got up early and made breakfast for my family.  We had a breakfast casserole, caramel pecan bread, bacon, other snacks...and this new recipe I found on the Pioneer Woman's website.  Her recipe is called Cowboy Quiche: Pioneer Woman's Recipe: Click Here)

I made the quiche very plain because we have some picky eaters but when I make it again I may add in other ingredients to jazz it up.  I also cheated and used a store bought pie crust.  And I don't have a tart pan so I used a deep dish pie pan.   Below is what I made for our Christmas breakfast.

Christmas Cowboy Quiche
Source: Pioneer Woman

Unbaked Pie Crust (enough For A Deep Dish Pan)
1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
2 Tablespoons Butter
8 slices Bacon
8 whole Large Eggs
1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Press pie crust into a deep dish pie pan.

 

Fry the onions in the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat for at least 15 to 20 minutes (maybe longer), stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown. Set aside to cool.

 

Fry the bacon until chewy. Chop into large bite-sized pieces and set aside to cool.

 

Whip the eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then mix in the onions, bacon, and cheese. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.

 

Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet, cover lightly with aluminum foil, and bake it for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quiche is set and the crust is golden brown.

 

 

Glass Candy

Several years ago a friend and I got together and made this recipe for Glass Candy....it turned out pretty good and we had a lot of fun visiting and cooking.

Glass Candy

2 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup white syrup
1/2 cup water

Boil to hard crack. 

Add:
1/2 tsp cinnamon oil
red food coloring

Pour onto a greased sheet and stretch it out when cool enough. When set up break into small pieces with knife handle.

Huckie's Opera Fudge

Here is another fudge recipe, this one from Huck.  She gave this recipe to my Mom years ago.  With Christmas around the corner, let's make it!

Huckie's Opera Fudge
Source: Hilda Ethridge

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1 tbsp. white syrup
1/2 tsp salt

Butter sides of heavy 2 quart pan.  Combine ingredients and stir over medium heat till sugar dissolves and mixture boils.  Cook till soft-ball stage.  Cool to lukewarm (110*) no stirring. 

Add
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp vanilla

Beat till thick.  Quickly stir in 1/4 cup chopped candied cherries.  Pour into buttered pan.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge is a must at Christmas time!  And this recipe from my mother-n-law is easy and delicious!

Peanut Butter Fudge
Source: Lois Dotson

7 oz ja r marshmallow cream
2 cups peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milnot
1 tsp vanilla

Place marshmallow cream and peanut butter in a large bowl.  Mix together.  Cook sugar and milnot together until soft-ball stage (about 12 minutes).  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla and then pour over the marshmallow cream and peanut butter.  Mix well, till creamy.  Pour into a greased pan and let cool.

Bon Bons

This recipe for Bon Bons came from my Mother-n-Law, Lois.  Very easy to make and so good!  She kept these stored in the fridge and just put out on a pretty Christmas platter just before serving them.

Bon Bons
Source: Lois Dotson

2 1/2  boxes powdered sugar (16oz)
1 can Eagle brand milk
1 stick butter
1 box angel flake coconut
12 maraschino cherries - chopped

Mix well, roll into balls and chill. 
Dip into melted chocolate almond bark. 
Let cool/set up on waxed paper.

Cat Turds

Most people call these "Minute Cookies"....but my family isn't most people.  My brother started it really.  He came over one day and I had a batch of these cooling on waxed paper and he walked in and said it looked like I had cat turds cooling on the table.  So the name stuck and now we call them Cat Turds.

Cat Turds

Mix in a large skillet:
1 stick butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa

Boil 1-2 minutes, remove from heat and add:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups quick cook oats
**optional -- add a big spoonful of marshmallow fluff

Mix well and drop onto wax paper.  Let cool/set.

Huckies Cookies

When I lived at home I baked a lot.  My dad loved my baking and my Grandpa lived just up the road and he loved getting special deliveries of my homemade cookies, cakes, and other desserts.  I've made many cookie recipes...but this is my absolute favorite.  If I could only make one cookie, this would be it. 

Huckie's Cookies
Source: Hilda Ethridge

Cream:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening

Beat in:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 cups sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 cups oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cook on a greased cookie sheet 10-12 minutes in a 350* oven.

Pumpkin Crunch

Several years ago I worked with a lady named Jonnie Metzker and she was one of the funniest people I know.  Also one of the sweetest.  She made this Pumpkin Crunch for an office party and I twisted her arm and made her share her recipe.

Pumpkin Crunch
Source: Jonnie Metzker

1 can pumpkin
1 cup milnot
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix all together and pour into a 12x9 baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam cooking spray.

Topping:
1 box cake (spice, yellow, or white)
sprinkle over pie filling.  Melt 2 sticks of butter and drizzle over cake.
(chopped nuts may be sprinkled on before the butter if you like)

Bake in 350* oven for 30 minutes

Frozen Ice Cream Dessert

I can remember sitting in Huckie's kitchen eating this glorious dessert!  I loved it so much that I asked her for the recipe....I was probably only 12 years old at the time....and I was already collecting recipes.

Frozen Ice Cream Dessert
Source: Hilda Ethridge "Huck"

1 package Oreo cookies, crushed
2 sticks butter
1/4 cup cocoa
 vanilla ice cream
1 can milnot
1 cup sugar
1 container cool whip


Recipes uses 2 pans....a 9x13 pan and a 9x9 pan.

Crush the Oreo cookies then melt 1 stick butter.  Combine butter and cookies and press into pans.  Chill.

Slice 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream on crusts and freeze.

In a sauce pan, melt 1/2 stick butter then add the cocoa, sugar, and milnot.  Boil 15-20 minutes or until thick.  Cool well.  Spread over ice cream and spread cool whip over the dessert.  Serve and enjoy.

Banana Pudding

This recipe came from a co-worker and good friend, Traci Culbertson.  Traci and I worked together at Oxford Home Health and she was involved in arranging Dan and I on our first date (blind date).  This was also the first dessert I ever made for Dan.  At some point I decided that I needed to test out the theory of the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.  So I whipped up a Chicken Pot Pie  and this Banana Pudding.

Banana Pudding
Source: Traci Culbertson

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 1/4 cup milk
2 sliced bananas
vanilla wafers

Mix cream cheese and 1 cup milk on low speed till blended well.  Then add pudding and remainder of milk for 1 minute on low speed.  Then layer wafers, bananas, and pudding mix.  Chill in fridge.

Strawberry Ice Cream Pie

My sister-n-law Marcia makes the best Strawberry Ice Cream Pie...so good!  You'll want to make this pie soon....real soon.  I think it's important to pass down recipes from family members and I want Katie to remember all the good cooks we have in the family.

Strawberry Ice Cream Pie
Source: Marcia Dotson

1 package frozen strawberries
1 box strawberry jello
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 container cool whip
1 pre-baked pie shell

Thaw strawberries.  Drain into a measuring cup.  Add water to equal 1 cup. Bring to a boil on the stove.  Add to strawberry jello, stir till dissolved.  Mix in softened vanilla ice cream.  Set in fridge until it starts to set up  (about 10-15 minutes)  Fold in strawberries.  Pour into a pre-baked pie shell.  Chill in fridge.  Top with cool whip.

Pumpkin Bread

Huck was a very sweet lady that was our neighbor, fellow church member, and like a Grandma to me. She was very dear to my heart.  I can remember going to her house and staying all day.  We would bake, work on quilts, play with dolls, and go on adventures like feeding hay with her son in the snow.  Huckie was an excellent cook!  I only have a few of her recipes but I cherish those!

Pumpkin Bread
Source: Hilda Ethridge "Huck"

Preheat oven to 350*    Bake for 1 hour    Makes 3 loaves

3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp soda
2 cup pumpkin
1 cup nuts

Mix well and put into greased loaf pans.  Bake for about an hour or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes then loosen sides of loaves from pan and remove bread from the loaf pan.  Let cool about 2 hours.  Wrap tightly and this keeps for about 4 days or refrigerate and it will keep for about 10 days. 

Angel Food Cake Icing

When your name is Angel....you get a lot of Angel Food Cakes made for you.  I do love Angel Food Cake but I don't like a lot of the overly sweet icings that you often find on these cakes.  This is my favorite icing for an Angel Food Cake and my Mom would make this and add food coloring to make the cake any color I wanted for my birthday.

Angel Food Cake Icing
Source: Judy Short

4 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
Mix well and then put in pan.  Cook slow till real thick.  Let cool. (OK to put in the freezer to chill it.)

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Beat 5 minutes till smooth and fluffy.  Then add the cooled stuff and beat 5 more minutes until fluffy.  (add food coloring now)  Put on cooled cake.

Yum Yum!

Raw Apple Cake

Years ago I worked at Oxford Home Health and I acquired this recipe during this time frame....I think it came from Sue Porter but my recipe doesn't say this so I'm just going off memory.  I do remember it being very good and I made this cake for my first Thanksgiving with Dan's family while we were dating.

Raw Apple Cake
Source: Sue Porter

1 1/2 c veg. oil
2 c sugar
3 eggs
3 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 c apples, raw and chopped fine
1 c coconut
1 c nuts
2 tsp vanilla

Combine first three ingredients then add the next 4 ingredients.  Mix well then add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Icing
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Mix thoroughly and put on cake while the cake is still warm.

Pina Coleda Cake

Pina Coleda Cake is another family favorite that is often requested by my nieces.  My Mom has been making it for years.  It's one of those recipes you don't want to lose!

Pina Coleda Cake
Source: Judy Short

1 yellow cake mix
2 cups coconut (lightly toasted in the oven)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 can Cream of Coconut (reserve 1 cup)
1 container Cool Whip

Mix together bake in a greased and floured 9x13 pan for 25-30 minutes.
Punch holes in hot cake and pour reserved cup cream of coconut over cake.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  top with cool whip and coconut.  Store cake in the refrigerator.

Jello Cheesecake

Oh how I love this Jello Cheesecake.....there were many years that I would request this for my birthday cake instead of the traditional cake.  I'm not sure where Mom got this recipe but I'm so happy she found it.

Jello Cheesecake
Source: Judy Short

2 pkg Jello  (strawberry or cherry)
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 sticks butter, melted
3 oz cream cheese, soft
2 tsp vanilla
1 can evaporated milk  (chilled)

Dissolve Jello in boiling water.  Chill till slightly thickened. 

While that is chilling, mix crumbs and 2 tbsp. sugar, then stir in butter.  Press 3/4 of the mixture into a 9x12 pan.  Chill.

Place cream cheese in large mixing bowl, ad vanilla and remaining sugar, Mix until smooth.  Add Jello and beat.  Fold in the chilled evaporated milk.  Pour into crust.  Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top.  Chill before serving and keep refrigerated.

Ma's Banana Cake

This was my Grandma Esther's recipe for banana cake and I've made it many times over the years.  After Grandma passed away I used to make it for Pa and take to him.  He always loved it so much.

Ma's Banana Cake
Source: Esther Haney

2 1/2 cup flour, sifted
1 tsp soda
1 1/4 cup smashed bananas
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. shortening
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp vinegar to the milk)

Cream sugar and shortening.  Add eggs and beat.  Add milk and vanilla and beat.  Mix in dry ingredients and beat well.  Add bananas.

350* for 30 minutes -- put in a large loaf pan

**It's been awhile since I've made this recipe....my memory is of making it in a 9x13 pan but the recipe says loaf pan.  I guess you could do either,  just need to adjust the cooking time.