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Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust

1/2 pkg. (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 Tablespoon milk

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 tub (8 ounces) cool whip, thawed

1 cup milk

2 pkgs. (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding

1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin (Store extra pumpkin in freezer in bags measured out for recipe because it only lasts about 1 week in the fridge)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  1. Mix cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon milk, and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth.  Gently stir in 1/2 of the whipped topping (about 1 1/2 cups).  Spread on bottom of crust.
  2. Pour 1 cup milk into bowl.  Add pudding mixes.  Beat with wire whisk 1 minute.  Mixture will be thick.  Stir in pumpkin and spices with wire whisk until well mixed.  Spread over cream cheese layer.
  3. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.  Garnish with remaining whipped topping.  Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

*HELPFUL HINT: Soften cream cheese in microwave on high for 15 to 20 seconds.

We don’t usually put cool whip on top.

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Grandma Dennis’ Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 sticks margarine

3 Tablespoons Cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour and sugar in a big bowl.

In a saucepan place margarine, water, cocoa.  Bring to a boil

Pour over flour and sugar.  Mix

In another bowl add baking soda, vanilla, eggs, salt, milk

Add to above mix.

Pour into greased cookie sheet pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Make frosting last 5 minutes of cook time.  Frost while cake is hot.

FROSTING

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick margarine

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

5 Tablespoons milk

1 – 1 pound package of powdered sugar (I always use more than 1 pound)

1/2 cup nuts

In a saucepan add margarine, cocoa, milk.  Melt, but don’t boil.  Then add powdered sugar.  Thin enough to spread, but not runny.  Then add vanilla and nuts.

Pour in sections across the cake and carefully spread or you will take off the top of the cake.

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Apple Cake

1 cup sugar

1  1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups grated apples

 

Mix all together.  Spread in greased 9X13 pan.

Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup nuts.

Sprinkle on top.

Bake 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Top with ice cream or whipped topping

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Tamales

Meat

In a crock pot put your desired meat – Beef, pork, chicken

Add

1  1/2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cook on high for about 8 hours or until soft and you can fork it apart.  Chicken would take less time.

Cornmeal shell

corn husks

2 cups cornmeal

2/3 cup shortening

2 cups chicken broth (yes use it all or almost all of it) (We like to use the extra juice from the seasoned meat instead to add more flavor to the shell.)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

You can add a little chilli powder to add some flavor to the shell, but you don’t have to.

Mix cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in shortening.  Add chicken broth. It will be pretty soupy.

Soak husks in hot water for a few minutes till soft.

Place cornmeal mixture onto corn husks.  Spread out and leave a little room at the ends to fold over.  Place in steamer.  Or you can place in instapot and steam.  You can place vertical and only close off the bottom end of the corn husk if you prefer.

Steam about 45 minutes to 1 hour is what Becky said. We have found in the instapot it takes 10-15 minutes.  Maybe that’s why they were so dry before?  Maybe in any steamer 10-15 minutes?

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Cinnamon Bun Popcorn – Tammy McKay

12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels)

1 cup roughly chopped pecans

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup karo syrup

1 stick real butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 squares almond bark

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a very large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a big microwave-safe bowl.  Glass is a good idea like a 2 quart size.  Use a bowl larger than you think you need.

Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture.  Pour corn syrup over the top of everything.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Just to soften the butter a bit.  Then stir to combine.  Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes.  Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda.  When combined, pour over popcorn, and stir until it’s coated.  Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan.  Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take a piece out and let it cool.  “Sample”.  If it’s not crunchy enough, bake for another 5 minutes.  When it’s done, give it a final stir and let it cool off for a bit while you melt your almond bark.  (Just nuke in the microwave according to package directions)  If you want, you can spread out your caramel corn on a clean piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.  I always do because this sometimes sticks to the hot foil if I leave it on the original pan.  Use a fork and drizzle the melted almond bark over the popcorn mixture.

When it’s hardened (pop it in the fridge to speed up the process) break into chunks and enjoy.

I’ve experimented and found baking at 300 degrees for 13-15 minutes works great as well.  Much faster.

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Chocolate Mousse – cooked

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1  1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Beat egg yolks in a small bowl with electric mixer on high about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.  Gradually beat in sugar.

Heat 1 cup whipping cream in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until hot. Gradually stir at least half of the hot whipping cream into egg yolk mixture; stir back into hot cream in saucepan.  Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not boil). Stir in chocolate chips until melted.  Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, just until chilled.

Beat 1  1/2 cups whipping cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high until stiff.  Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream.  Pipe or spoon into serving bowls.  Immediately refrigerate any remaining dessert after serving.

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Chocolate Mousse

8 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet is rich, milk chocolate is lighter)

6 Tablespoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

 

Melt chocolate and water in saucepan.

Whisk in vanilla.

Allow to cool.

Whip the cream.

Add the confectioners’ sugar

On low beater, blend in the chocolate.

Scoop the Chocolate Mousse into a clear glass bowl.  Chill in fridge

Garnish with grated chocolate.

 

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Peanut Butter Brownie Pie

2 cups crushed Nutter Butter cookies

1/2 cup butter – melted

1  1/2 cups brownies – broken apart

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1  – 8 ounce Cool Whip

1  – 8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)

2 teaspoons vanilla

chocolate shavings

In a mixing bowl combine crushed Nutter Butter cookies and melted butter. Pour into a pie dish and press into place to form a crust.

Create a brownie layer on top of the Nutter Butter crust.

In a large bowl combine peanut butter, sugar, Cool Whip, cream cheese, and vanilla.  Beat together to a smooth consistency.  Pour into pie pan.

sprinkle chocolate shavings over pie.

Place in freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.

Remove pie from freezer a few minutes before slicing.

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Waffle Cones

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

2 Tablespoons melted butter

Mix all together and cook on Waffle Cone Maker.

Roll into cone shape or place in bowl for waffle bowl.

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Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

3 cups flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1  1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in a bowl, set aside

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl.  Mix in vanilla.  Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Roll out the cookie dough onto a floured counter.  Cut into desired shapes brushing extra deposits of flour off the top (it does disappear once baked though so don’t overly fret if they go in the oven looking white)

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 8-11 minutes (8 for 1/8 inch-thick cookies, 11 for 1/4 inch cookies), until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  You can frost, but they don’t need it.