Doughnuts

These are very simple and very yummy!

1/2 cup water, lukewarm
2 pkg active dry yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/3 cup shortening
2 eggs

Start by dissolving the yeast into the water and let sit about 5 minutes.  Milk the shortening into the milk on the stove--don't scorch the milk!  Place sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and pour the milk mixture over it.  Wait until it cools down just a little bit, do NOT pour hot milk over it.  Add the yeast and eggs mix well.  Add the flour 1 cup at a time.  When the dough starts to pull away from the bowl, pour it onto a floured surface and knead until dough becomes smooth and a little stretchy.  Place in a greased bowl and grease the top of the dough.  Let raise until double in size.

Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch think and cut into circles.  I used a circle cookie cutter but you could also use a tin can that has been opened so the lid has the smooth edges and the can itself is sharp.  (sorry I can't remember the name of the can opener that does that)  Cut out your doughnut hole using a smaller cookie cutter or a medicine pill bottle.

Move doughnuts to a greased cookie sheet and let raise an additional 40-60 minutes.

Heat oil (or shortening) to about 350° F  Once hot place doughnuts in oil.  This part is very fast so be careful.  I would put 6 doughnuts in the oil and by the time I dropped the last one it it was time to start turning.  You want to turn them when they are just a light brown.  Same with the other side, by the time I got them all flipped over it was time to take them out.  Place on a plate covered in paper towels to absorb some of the oil.

Now you can cool them and frost them, or glaze them.  I just dipped mine straight from the plate before they cool down into a bowl of sugar.  We love sugar doughnuts at our house :)  Let cool and ........ENJOY!!!

For the glaze you would combine 1 TBS warm water, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth.  You may need to add a little bit more water but you want it a little bit thick!

Summer time Chicken Pasta Salad

(I know this picture doesn't make it look very good but it is hard to get a good picture of it, you will just have to take my word on how good it really is)

This is so easy and SO SO SO Yummy.  It is my favorite thing to eat in the summer when you get carried away with other things.

Mix together the day before serving:

12 oz bow tie pasta, cooked

6 oz spiral tri-colored pasta, cooked

4-5 cooked, diced chicken breasts

3 green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup water chestnuts

1 up pineapple tidbits

2 cups mandarin oranges

1 cup green grapes

1 cup red grapes

1 package Cranraisins

Four hours before serving:

 Toss the above with a mixture of 8 oz Coleslaw dressing, 1 cup mayonnaiise and 8 oz ranch dressing (any brand)

Serve just in a bowl, on a croissant roll, in a carved out tomato or on a lettuce leaf and it is great anyway!!!

Serves about 15-20 people!!

Fondant Glazed Petit Fours

4 egg whites

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2/3 cup milk, at room temp

Fondant:

2/3 cup corn syrup

2/3 cup hot water

7 cups powdered sugar

6 drops lemon extract

food coloring

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 f

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry, set aside.  In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment cream the butter until smooth.  With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and mix.  Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix well.  

Sift the flour 3 times with the baking powder.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter mixture and mix.  Add 1/2 of the milk to the butter mixture and mix well.  Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix.  Add the remaining milk and mix.  Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth.  Fold the egg whites in.

Pour the batter into a parchment lined jellyroll pan (I use a large cookie sheet with sides) and smoth the top with a spatula.  Bake until firm to the touch 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool in the pan then chill.

To make the fondant:

Whisk the corn syrup into the hot water until dissolved, then whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Stir in lemon extract.  Divide into smaller bowls and color with food coloring, adding color until you achieve desired shade.

To make petit fours:

Cut the cold cake into small squares, rectangles, and circles using small cookie cutters.  Place the cakes on a wire rack over a pan to catch the drippings, inverting them in order to have the golden layer on the bottom.  If the fondant has become stiff, just whisk until smooth again.  Either dip the cakes into the fondant and place on the rack to drain or ladle the fondant over the cakes making sure all sides are coated.  Once they are set, they should be coated again.  Let dry and decorate.  (I found the easiest way to pour the fondant is to place a big bowl of fondant in the sink and leave the petit fours on the cooling rack.  I just put on some plastic gloves and grab handfuls of the fondant and pour over the cakes that way.  Messy but easier than trying to dip and not get fingerprints on them or using a ladle)  

I have made these twice now.  Once for a tea party and once for my niece's baptism.  I haven't decided if I will ever make them again or not.  They are very messy and time consuming.  

Good Luck and.....ENJOY!!!

Oreo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup peanut better
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 package of regular oreo cookies (not double stuffed)

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully mixed in.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  Slowly stir in flour mixture, 1/3 at a time until completely incorporated.  Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place 1 tablespoon of cookie dough on top of an Oreo cookie and a second tablespoon underneath.  You want just enough dough to cover the Oreo so that your chocolate to peanut butter cookie ratio is equal.  Gently press the dough down around the Oreo, sealing the cookie dough edges together so that no Oreo shows through.  Transfer the cookie to a prepared baking sheet and repeat leaving about 1/2 inches between each cookie.

Bake for 8-11 minutes or until cookies have just started to brown around the edges.  Do not over bake!!!  Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.  Store in airtight container.....ENJOY!!

Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cupcakes

BY FAR my favorite cupcake I have made yet!

Vanilla Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

Preheat the over to 350°F.  Line regular sized cupcake pans with 24 liners
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside.  in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Scrape down sides of the bowl.  Add the oil and vanilla, mix until incorporated.  Add the sour cream.  Mix until just blended in.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and mix until just blended.  Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full with batter and bake until golden brown and the center springs back up.  About 18-20 minutes.  Cool completely.

Chocolate chip Cannoli cream filling:

16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini semisweet morsels

In a mixing bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Stir in the mini morsels.  With a cupcake injector--stick tip into middle of cupcake and squeeze throughout.

Fresh whipped cream frosting:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup mini semisweet morsels, for garnishing

(I also add about 1 teaspoon vanilla to mine)

Beat the cream and sugar together in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment until the cream is whipped and as thick as frosting.  Put in a decorators bag with desired rip and frost cupcakes.  Top with mini chips.......ENJOY!!!!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

So there are two different ways to make these.  I make mine from scratch but I will post both ways on here and you can decide what one you want.  They both taste the same but I just love all homemade stuff a lot better than boxed stuff.

From Scratch

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp
1 large egg
Preheat oven to 350° F

Mix everything into a large bowl until all the way combined.  Roll into marble sized balls.  Place on cookie sheet and flatten with palm of hand or bottom of a cup.  If you want a perfectly round cookie you can use a small circle cookie cutter.  Bake for 6-8 minutes.  Just depends on what you are in the mood for, soft cookies like oreo cakesters or hard ones like the real oreos.  Let cool.  Match up the cookies by size and frost the middle.

FROSTING:

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Combined shortening and butter together until well mixed and creamy.  Add vanilla (or butter flavoring if you want a more butter cream taste) and powered sugar a little at a time until you get he right consistency for frosting and the taste you like.


Out of the box Oreo Cookies

1 devils food cake mix
1/2 cup shortening
2 large eggs

Combined and make the same as above and bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes.
Frost with any flavor tub frosting!  ENJOY