Pecan Pie Surprise Bars

Bake-Off® Contest 22, 1971 winner Pecan Pie Surprise Bars taste just like pecan pie, but are far easier to make and more portable. The recipe uses corn syrup and pecans, key to a successful pecan pie, but in place of a fussy pie crust is a simple cake mix base. Makes 35 bars Ingredients Base 1 package (16 - 18 ounces) yellow cake mix, such as Pillsbury® Moist Supreme® classic yellow cake mix 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 egg Filling Reserved 2/3 cup dry cake mix ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 ½ cups dark corn syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 1 cup chopped pecans DIRECTIONS  Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 13 x 9 baking pan with vegetable spray. Measure and reserve 2/3 cup of the dry cake mix to use for the filling. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, mix together the remaining dry cake mix, butter, and egg until well blended. Press the base mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the cookie base for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Meanwhile, in a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, beat together the reserved 2/3 cup dry cake mix, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and 3 eggs until ingredients are combined and well moistened. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat the filling mixture for 1 minute. Pour the filling mixture over the warm cookie base. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the surface of the filling. Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes longer or until filling is set. Remove Pecan Pie Surprise Bars from the oven. Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack, about 45 minutes. Cut cookies into 5 rows by 7 rows (or in any other size you wish.) Store bars in an airtight container, with waxed paper in between layers, in the refrigerator. High Altitude Instructions Heat oven to 350º F. Stir 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into dry cake mix before removing 2/3 cup for filling. Decrease dark corn syrup to 1 ¼ cup. A Special Baking Tip for Making Pecan Pie Surprise Bars Pecan pie filling is notoriously sticky. The filling in these bars is no exception. Make sure you grease the 13 x 9 baking pan very thoroughly before adding the base and filling. As an alternative to protecting the shape of the Pecan Pie Surprise Bars, prepare the pan by lining it with aluminum foil, allowing ends of foil to extend over two sides of the pan. Coat the foil with vegetable spray. Once bars have baked and are cooled, grasp ends of aluminum foil and lift them from the pan. Peel away the foil and proceed with cutting bars. Adapted from http://www.cookie-elf.com/ Thanks For Visiting

60 Old Fashioned Christmas Cookies

These old-fashioned Christmas cookies from Grandma are the definition of comfort and joy! Included are some    - Cardamom Spritz Flavors "Lemon and Cardamom" Silver Bells Flavors "Peppermint" - Baki's Old-World Cookies - Cookie Jar Gingersnaps - Dutch Waffle [Iron] Cookies - Jam-Filled Wreaths & Hearts - Creme Wafers - Grandma Brubaker’s Orange Cookies  Flavors "Orange" Also see Orange Butter Cookies from FineCooking *Always nice to have something different from the traditional sugar, molasses or chocolate flavored cookie  See the full lising and Get the full recipes from TasteOfHome How to Store Christmas Cookies thruout December Thanks For Visiting

Pumpkin Spiced Dump Cake x2

A Pumpkin cake two ways instead of pumpkin pie for the holidays! Also called pumpkin cobbler or upside down pumpkin pie. Add a dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice to cool whip and you have a frosting for your Pumpkin Cake if you prefer not to use a cream cheese frosting. Image Credit: CincyShopper Pumpkin 'Pie' Based Dump Cake Ingredients 1-15 ounce can pumpkin 1-12 ounce evaporated milk 3 eggs 1 C sugar 4 t pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 C chopped nuts 1 yellow cake mix 3/4 C melted margarine Directions Mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Pour over the melted margarine. Top with nuts. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with Cool Whip or ice cream. Version#2 Adapted from SpendWithPennies Pumpkin Dump Cake (3 Ingredient Cake) Ingredients 1 box spice cake mix 15 ounces pumpkin canned 2 eggs Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients with a mixer on medium until combined. Spread into pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and serve with spiced whipped cream if desired. Cream Cheese Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature ⅓ cup butter softened 3 to 3.5 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Combine cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla. Add in powdered sugar a bit at a time until fluffy. Store in fridge til time of serving cake to avoid cake getting mushy. Also see these FavFamilyRecipe Cobblers Video for Pumpkin Dump Cake from TheCountryCook Thanks For Visiting

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

This soup is a great candidate for the freezer, and will stay fresh for up to 2 months. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on the stove over low heat until warmed through. Servings - 8 Servings Ingredients  2-2½ lbs. lean ground beef 1 onion, finely diced 1 green pepper, chopped 2 14 oz. cans beef broth 14 oz. can diced tomatoes 14 oz. can tomato sauce - do not drain 20-24 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables * see note below 3 large russet potato peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes 2 teaspoons minced garlic salt and pepper to taste 6 cups water Instructions Brown the ground beef, onion and green pepper together in a Crock-pot if desired. Drain and rinse under hot water to remove the grease. Return the browned ground beef to the crock pot and add all remaining ingredients. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. ** Substitution for frozen vegetables : 1/2 cup diced green beans, 1/2 cup frozen corn, 2 stalks celery thinly sliced, 2 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced adapted from https://eatathomecooks.com/ Thanks For Visiting

Beef Stew Cheat

Beef stew made on stove-top in a heavy bottomed pot as you will be 'frying' the beef stew meat in it and then adding the rest of the ingredients for your stew. SERVES 6 (1-cup servings) 1 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch cubes 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small onion, diced 16 ounces (2 cups) beef stock 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoons salt 2 cups chopped red potatoes, bite size pieces (about 1/2") 2 cups chopped baby carrots, bite size pieces Combine flour, garlic, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in a large 1-gallon resealable bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add raw beef and shake until well coated. Warm oil and butter in a heavy bottom pot, over medium heat, once you can feel warmth when holding your hand 6 inches from the pot. Remove beef from flour and shake gently to remove loose flour. Place coated beef in pan, one piece at a time, brown on all sides. Do not crowd the pan, only add about 1/2 of the beef at a time. Once all beef is browned, add diced onions. Cook until translucent. Add beef stock, Worcestershire and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Add potatoes and carrots. Allow stew to simmer 40 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender. NOTES ** 2 teaspoons of beef base or bouillon and 2 cups of water can be substituted for the beef stock. You can also shorten your cooking time by substituting 2 cans sliced potatoes and 1 can sliced carrots; Each well drained. Adapted Recipe and Image Credit: TheSlowItalian Thanks For Visiting

Whoopie Pies From Cake Mix

These light and fluffy cake cookie sandwiches are all of the rage for your holiday gift-giving. They really are more like little soft cakes with a creamy filling. Yum!!

Fluffy Cake Cookies with Filling

• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

 Cream Cheese Filling #1

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15 oz.) container Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Flavored Frosting

  Buttercream Filling #2

• 2 sticks of butter, softened
• 3-4 cups of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

- In a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Whip together for 2-3 minutes.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or slipmat.Use a small ice cream scoop that measured 1 2/3 inches in diameter. {Use the back of a spoon to round out scoops of batter into perfect circles}
- Bake for 8 minutes. and COOL before assembling

To fill, pipe icing onto the bottom cookie (wrong side up), then top with another cookie (right side up).
NOTE: Whipping the butter and powdered sugar for 5 minutes gives it a really fluffy, airy quality.
**Try a bit of peanut butter in the filling, too.

adapted from: https://blog.jennysteffens.com/whoopie-pies-whoopie-pies-from-cake-mix

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Rice Pudding

This Rice Pudding Recipe is probably from a Nestle Carnation Evaporated milk label ages ago.  Rice pudding is a great way to use last night’s left over rice for dessert the next day ). Ingredients :: 2 cups water 1 cup white rice, medium or 1 cup short grain 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces 1 (12 fluid ounce) can Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk 1 (14 ounce) can Nestle Sweetened Condensed Milk 1⁄2 cup raisins 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 1 pinch ground cinnamon Directions :: Place water, rice and cinnamon stick pieces in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove cinnamon stick pieces. Stir in evaporated and sweetened condensed milks, raisins, vanilla extract and salt; bring to a boil. Stir a small portion of rice mixture into eggs. Add egg mixture to rice mixture; mix well with wire whisk. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Serve warm or chilled. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving. click to enlarge recipe photo https://www.foodnetwork.com/ -VIDEO Top image source: EagleBrand for their Creamy Rice Pudding Thanks For Visiting

Fleischküchle (FLESH-KEEK-LUH)

Fleischkuechle (FLESH-KEEK-LUH) is a type of meat pie made with dough. simply put... like a HotPocket only homemade and they freeze very well! The deep fried dumplings with seasoned ground beef I loved as a kid... enjoyed while hot yet you bite off the top corner and then pour some ketchup into the center and YUM YUM!! lso pronounced fly(sh)-keek-la, fleish-kik-lahs, buletten, fleischpflanzerl ::INGREDIENTS:: 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 t. salt 1 t. garlic powder 1 t. baking powder 1 t. pepper 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup warm water 8 ounces extra lean ground beef 1 small onion, diced 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 quart (for deep frying) oil ::PREPARATION:: In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, milk and warm water. Add salt, baking powder, garlic powder, pepper and enough flour to make dough no longer sticky to touch. Let dough rest approximately 4 hours. Form the beef into golf ball sized balls, and place each one onto one half of a dough circle. Fold the other halves of the circles over to enclose the dough. Seal the edges using a saucer or pressing with your fingers. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C), or over medium-high heat in a large deep skillet. Fry the Keuchle until golden brown, turning once. It should take about 10 minutes total for each batch. Do not try to add cheese chunks!!  ONLY KETCHUP is needed ... Enjoy ::Tips & Hints:: If the meat mixture is to wet, add breadcrumbs. also mustard is a must for seasoning. Bread slices or olls, two or three days old, soaked in milk or water may be used instead of 'dough' mixture above. Can also be made with chopped onion and water in the blender, then add that to seasoned hamburger for a spreadable meat. Then take a dough ball about the size of a lemon and roll out to a circle just slightly smaller that the size of a plate. Spread meat mixture on 1/2 of the dough, fold over and seal by pinching or with a fork. Prick twice with a fork to let steam escape while deep frying. They are flat, and about the size of 1/2 of a plate, but can be made smaller. If made correctly there is a little grease that makes the inside dough slightly oily. Image Souce: OnlyInYourState : ND Also adapted from: Sandy's Recipe Also see these Beef Empanada --- Meat and Cheese Empanadas - oven baked and with pillsbury pie crust instead of dough. Thanks For Visiting

Yaki Mandu Version 2

Yaki Mandu is a Korean dumpling that can be steamed or fried. They look a lot like Chinese pot-stickers. Yaki means fried in Japanese and Mandu means dumpling in Korean. They're great for parties or as an appetizer. There's a lot of prep in making these and they take some time, but as quick as you can fry them they'll be gone!  click image to enlarge  Original recipe yields 25 servings Ingredient 1 pound ground beef  1 ½ cups vegetable oil for frying  ½ cup finely chopped green onions  ½ cup finely chopped cabbage  ½ cup finely chopped carrot  ½ cup minced garlic  4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided  1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds  ½ teaspoon monosodium glutamate (such as Ac'cent®)  1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste  2 eggs  1 (16 ounce) package wonton wrappersv 3 tablespoons soy sauce  2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar  1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, or more to taste Directions Step 1 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Step 2 Heat vegetable oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Step 3 Mix green onions, cabbage, carrot, garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, monosodium glutamate, salt, and pepper into ground beef mixture; cook and stir until liquid is evaporated and vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer beef mixture to a bowl and mix in 1 egg. Step 4 Crack the second egg into a bowl and beat well. Step 5 Hold 1 wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand and brush a thin layer of beaten egg on 1 edge. Scoop about 1 teaspoon beef mixture into the center of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half, corner to corner, to make a triangle and pinch the edges shut, crimping with your fingers to make a seal. Press the air out by cupping your fingers over the dumpling in your palm and pressing lightly. Step 6 Fry wontons in the hot oil until 1 side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer wontons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain using a slotted spoon. Step 7 Whisk soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds together in a bowl until dipping sauce is smooth. Serve alongside wontons Thanks For Visiting

Classic Grandma's Fluffy Pancakes

The extra baking powder makes these pancakes more than double in height creating the most soft and fluffy texture. Ingredients 1½ Cups all purpose/plain Flour 4 Teaspoons Baking Powder Pinch of Salt 1 tablespoon sugar (optional) 1 Egg 1¼ Cups Milk ¼ Cup Melted Butter + more for cooking ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Essence Instructions In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt with a wooden spoon. Set to the side in a smaller bowl crack in the egg and pour in the milk.Add the melted butter and vanilla essence to the egg and milk and use a fork to mix together until everything is well combined. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Fold the batter together with a wooden spoon until there are no longer any large lumps. To cook the pancakes heat a heavy based pan like cast iron over medium low heat. When the pan is hot add a small amount of butter and ⅓ cup of the pancakes batter. Cook the pancake for 2-3 minutes each side. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve the pancakes stacked high with butter and maple syrup. Enjoy. Notes: Baking powder has no flavour so it shouldn't leave your pancakes with a bitter taste. Baking soda needs an acid to neutralize the bitter flavour but these pancakes don't have an acid so baking powder is used. If your baking powder is leaving a bad taste in the pancakes consider trying a different brand of baking powder. Also: You can add other flavourings to the pancakes such as blueberries or chocolate chips. Add the extra ingredients at the same time as you combine the wet and dry ingredients. Thanks For Visiting

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Here's an easy Retro Hershey Recipe from 1983 for Chewy Chocolate Cookies CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES: Retro Ad & Recipe Ingredients 1-1/4 cups butter, softened 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoon salt 1 cup finely chopped nuts, optional Directions Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl. Add eggs and vanilla; blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt: blend into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts, if desired. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 (F) for 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake. Cookies will be soft. They will puff during baking, flatten upon cooling.) Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute: remove to wire rack to cool completely. Pinterest Retro-Ads Thanks For Visiting

Classic: Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

A mix between a soup and a casserole, chicken pot pie was something my grandmother frequented! Ingredients: 1 pound of boneless chicken breast – cubed 1 cup each sliced carrots, green peas 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup butter 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper 1/3 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon celery seed 2 cups of chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 2 9-inch pie crusts Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook chicken and veggies (minus onions) for 15 minutes in a saucepan, then add water and boil for 15 minutes. DRAIN WATER. Cook onions in butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Now add chicken, broth, and milk. Simmer. When the mixture is all cooked together, place in pie crust. Photo Credit Flickr – edwin.bautista Thanks For Visiting

Easter Springtime RICE KRISPIES® TREATS™

Snap, Crackle, Pop!!! Springtime themed and flavored RICE KRISPIES® TREATS™ to enjoy anytime of the year using Chocolate Rice Krispies™, even the Fruity Rice Krispies™ offers delightful brightly springtime colored treats also. Basic recipe to make these simple easter/Springtime Rice Krispie Treats using just the right ratio of butter, marshmallows, and rice which can easly be adapted to the specialty treats listed below with a simple cookie cutter, added flavoring, or some molding. Best Basic Ingredients 6 tablespoons salted butter, (cut into small pieces) 16 ounces Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows 7 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal #4 Variation: COTTON CANDY KRISPIES ½ stick butter (4 tablespoons) 2 packages Malvi Cotton Candy Marshmallows 1 package Three Tarts Vanilla Bean Marshmallows 5 cups Rice Krispies More Cute Easter Rice Krispie Treat ideas Ooey-gooey, rich, and chewy treats with white chocolate drizzle, pastel fruit marshmallows, and spring sprinkles from Norine's Nest, or even try these fruit-flavored cereal rings, such as Froot Loops, from The Food Network to aquire the same colorful concept. Chocolate Easter Rice Krispie Treat cake from Annie’s Noms. Rice Krispie Nests with mini Chocolate eggs. "Grassy" look may be created with a green tinted frosting The prettiest cereal Treat Cake using a Tupperware Jello Mold is from The Novice Chef. Note: You can also use a Lamb Cake Mold also as mentioned in the previous post Use plastic eggs to create Rice Krispie Eggs from Passion for Savings. Easy oval shaped [cookie cutter] Easter Egg Treats with Pastel M-M's from This N’ That with Olivia or you could just create a large Cross for easy display also if you do not want to cut out smaller shapes. PINTEREST offer tons more colorful suggestions. https://howtomakecerealtreats.com/20-easter-rice-krispie-treats/ View the results from the 20 recipes taste tested to find the BEST Rice Krispie Treats Click photo to enlarge

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Lemon Pudding Poke Cake

A easy cheat for a tangy springtime dessert or maybe even Easter.Note" You are substituting the cake box ingredients with these ingredients and baking the cake as normal. What is a poke cake? Simple – bake a cake, poke it full of holes, and then pour something (sweetened condensed milk, jellies, pudding, curd, Jello etc...) over the cake and let it seep into the holes that you poked. Ingredients 1 (18 ounce) lemon cake mix 3 egg whites 1 ⅓ cups water ⅓ cup vegetable oil 2 cups cold milk 2 pkg. (3 ounce) Instant Lemon Pudding mix 8 oz. Cool Whip topping (optional) Directions Mix cake mix, egg whites, water and oil for the cake batter THEN bake as directed on package in 13x9-inch baking pan. Note** you will want your cake to spring back when lightly pressed so do not overbake. Remove from oven. As soon as you remove it from the oven, poke holes all over the cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Holes should be at 1-inch intervals. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Immediately pour about half of the thin pudding mixture evenly over warm cake and into holes to make stripes. Let remaining pudding mixture stand until slightly thickened. Mix remaining thickened pudding with 1/2 container of Cool whip topping and Spoon over top of cake, swirling to "frost" cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Store in refrigerator. Lemon Cake Variations Image source: Lemon Curd Poke Cake from FaithfullyGlutenFree Frost and serve with Lemon Pie Filling and only use 1 box of pudding mix for filling in holes. White cake mix and Lemon Jello filled into the holes, then a Lemon Pudding layered with cool whip for the traditional Jello Poke Cake. Jell-O Lemon Bars using a cake mix and lemon gelatin from SixSistersStuff And Last but not least Your basic Jello Lemon Pudding Cake -w- Lemon Glaze or A Lemon Cake to Die for! Also check out this Lemon Pudding Cake Goodness and video from TheWhoot Thanks For Visiting

No-Bake Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

8 Ingredients is all you need for this little twist on the typical No Bake Cereal Peanut Butter Bar Ingredients 6 Cups Rice Chex Cereal 1-1/4 Cups Roasted, Salted Peanuts, chopped 1 Cup Brown Sugar 1 Cup Corn Syrup 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon Salt 6 oz Milk Chocolate Chip Directions Line a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and set it aside. In a large bowl, gently combine the Rice Chex and chopped peanuts. Set aside. In a 4-cup measuring cup, stir together the corn syrup and brown sugar. Microwave on high for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt until everything is fully blended. Pour the mixture over the cereal and nuts, and gently stir to evenly coat. Pour the caramel-coated cereal mixture into the prepared pan. Gently spread it out and press evenly into the pan. Let cool to room temperature. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars. Let the chocolate harden, then cut into bars. Store the bars in an airtight container. Thanks For Visiting

Easter Lamb Cake Mold

I’ve been wanting to make this traditional 3-d lamb cake for Easter.... but after reading a few reviews i may have to create a 3-D Rice Krispy Lamb Cake instead... If your feeling confident and adventourous Read on... They need to be more dense OR they need to be spongey/bouncy. Cake mix cakes are too light.  "Due to the nature of the cake and the fact that it has to support more of its own weight, regular cakes recipes are a bit too crumbly for lamb cakes. Lamb cakes have to be somewhat dense and stiff so they don’t fall apart! I suppose in theory you could bake a chocolate cake in half a lamb mold and serve it on its side, but presentation is definitely an aspect of the traditional cake, and seeing them sitting up on their own is part of the “magic.” Btw — if you fill up the cast iron lamb cake mold enough so that the cake COMPLETELY fills the mold when baked it still oozes out even though the rising cake does not lift the top of the mold. If you just fill to the top of the front of my mold the cake doesn’t quite fill out the back, which makes for a shallow, tippy lamb. You really kind of have to mound up the cake batter in the front of the mold and then put the back part on (which is where thicker batter is useful) if you want a fuller, more stable lamb More information (and lots of links and recipes to click)here and here, including Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe.  http://www.midcenturymenu.com/category/desserts/lamb-cakes-frostings/ http://www.midcenturyeveryday.com/2017/05/its-lamb-cake-time/           http://www.midcenturymenu.com/2016/03/complete-lamb-cake-tutorial-with-tricks-tips-and-tested-vintage-recipes-plus-lamb-cake-easter-giveaway/ http://www.midcenturymenu.com/2012/03/10-tips-for-the-perfect-retro-easter-lamb-lambie-cake/ My aunt made one of these for me in 1963. She used a star-shaped cake decorator tip to make wooly-looking lamb fur. And she made lots and lots of spring flowers and grass out of frosting that created a bed for the lamb. It was amazing! Adapted from http://4real.thenetsmith.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=27216&PN=1 and http://www.midcenturymenu.com/2012/03/10-tips-for-the-perfect-retro-easter-lamb-lambie-cake/ Thanks For Visiting

BEST Salted Caramel Sauce

A few things I’ve learned about making salted caramel sauce [the hard way]: There is a sliding scale of acceptable caramel flavor. From the very light in color and, in my opinion, light on taste to the almost burnt, dark, sultry caramel that I prefer. The final taste will depend on when you add the butter to stop the cooking process. The caramel pictured in this post is that middle ground – universally accepted as a delicious, well-prepared caramel. I added the butter when the sugar had just turned amber in color and you could smell the cooking caramel but it did not have even a hint of a burning smell. My favorite caramel is cooked just a little bit longer (only another 15 to 20 seconds or so) and I add the butter when the sugar turns a deeper, rich amber color and there is just the slightest hint of burning scent when you waft the vapors (just like they taught in middle school chemistry). I have burned more caramel using a thermometer than I have using the senses God gave me, thus I dispense with the thermometer. I suggest you do the same. It’s just one extra dish to wash…unless you are trying to make candy (soft ball or hard crack) to which process a thermometer is essential. Have your butter and heavy whipping cream at room temperature. If you add a cold liquid to the hot sugar, it will seize up and you won’t be able to recover it.If you have a gas stove that delivers consistent, even heat, then feel free to whisk your sugar as it melts (as per the Brown Eyed Baker), but if you are cooking on an induction stovetop like me, then I find it best to refrain from whisking. Honestly cooking caramel on a gas stove is so much easier. Sigh. Some day. Be sure to whisk in the fleur de sel IMMEDIATELY after the cream otherwise it won’t completely incorporate. I also can taste the difference between Maldon’s Fleur de Sel and regular sea salt. I think it’s worth the splurge! 🙂 The Golden Rule of caramel making is DON’T WALK AWAY. Stand your ground at the stove. Don’t let your cat pester you into feeding her or your husband ask you to look at something. Your caramel focus will be broken and something will go horribly wrong. I know. These things happen. Warm, simple and sweet, this sauce is the perfect topping on ice cream,  cakes, cookies, and sweet breads. Yield: makes 1 pint Time: 20 minutes Basic Ingredients 1 cup heavy cream 1 1⁄2 cups sugar 2 1⁄2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tsp. kosher salt Instructions In a medium saucepan, combine the cream with the butter and salt. Place over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until the butter has melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and keep warm. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar with 1⁄4 cup water over high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the color of dark amber, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and then pour the warm cream into the caramel. Stir until the caramel dissolves, and then serve or let cool completely. Store cooled caramel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Also visit... "AmericanHeritageCooking" for another easy recipe and tips Thanks For Visiting

No Bake Pastel Marshmellow Goodies

Easter Cross Bars, Cathedral Cookies, or simply Easter Marshmellow Bars. Whatever you name them these are ooey and gooey goodness anytime of the year!

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting and Tips

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups (213g) all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup (106g) granulated sugar 1/4 cup (55g) packed light-brown sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup (118g) finely grated carrots Chopped pecans or cinnamon , for decoration (optional) Frosting 5 oz cream cheese , softened (don't over-soften it) 6 Tbsp (3 oz) butter, softened 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups (220g) powdered sugar Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for 20 seconds, set aside. In a larger bowl, blend together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Blend in egg and vanilla extract. With mixer set on low speed, add half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined, then mix in carrots, then mix in remaining 1/2 of the flour mixture just until combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is properly incorporated. Since the dough is pretty wet here (it won’t resemble your typical chocolate-chip cookie batter), you’ll want to chill the dough before baking it. It never firms up as much which is what will give you the soft cake-like cookies, but the chilling helps to keep the dough from spreading too much. Scoop dough out with a medium 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop and drop onto baking sheets lined with silicone liners, spacing cookies 2-inches apart.  Bake in preheated oven until set (they should still be soft to the touch though), about 11 - 12 minutes. You want to err on the side of slightly underbaked cookies to keep these soft and cake-like. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. After 5 - 10 minutes of cooling on rack finish cooling completely in an airtight container so they don't dry. Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and top with pecans if desired. For the frosting: In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar and whip again until light and fluffy (if slightly runny chill in freezer about 5 minutes then mix one last time).  If doing the carrot decoration set aside about 2 Tbsp of tint green and 2 Tbsp to tint orange Tips for these carrot cake cookies Chop, grate and chop again To ensure that the carrots can cook through in enough time, you’ll want to very finely shred the carrots. Do not Overmix, just stirThe wet and dry ingredients are combined and mixed until just combined. You don’t want to overmix once the flour is added because that will yield denser cookies. The more you mix flour, the more time the gluten has to activate which will make your final cookie much denser than intended. Be precise when measuring the ingredients. The most important measurement is the flour. If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour you are likely packing in way too much flour which will completely mess up the texture of your cookies. Make sure you spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level the top with the back of a butter knife. Use the right temperature of ingredients.You’ll want to use room temperature eggs always when baking. Soaking refrigerated eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes is a quick way to do this. Otherwise, pull the eggs out about 30 minutes before use. When at room temperature, eggs and butter form an emulsion which traps air. While baking in the oven, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy baked good. Chill the dough. When you chill dough the butter solidifies which allows it to melt slower when it’s baked. This creates a thicker cookie which prevents the cookie from going flat and becoming crispy. Chilling the dough also gives the sugar time to absorb more of the liquid and become more concentrated. A more concentrated sugar is going to give you a chewier and sweeter cookie. The recommended chill time on these cookies is one hour. Thanks For Visiting

Classic: Meatloaf

There ARE secrets to getting a moist, flavorful meatloaf It's in the saltinecrackers!! with just a few ingredients including beef, egg, saltines and a simple ketchup-based topping You've got the best homemade meatloaf for Meatloaf sandwiches! 1 pound of Ground Beef (93% lean OR leaner) 3/4 crushed saltine crackers 1/2 cup ketchup (Heinz is my favorite) 1/2 cup minced onion 1 egg 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon each of thyme, salt, and pepper Plus additional 1/4 cup ketchup, dash of mustard and 1 tblsp brown sugar for sauce. Set oven at 350 Degrees. Bake in a Bread pan for best results! Bake for 45 min – hour, and brush with brush with sauce mixture during last 10 minutes, if desired. Adapted from ShawnsQualityMeats – Meatloaf Image Credit BEEF - ItsWhatForDinner Thanks For Visiting

Classic: Grandma's Apple Pie

This is one of our most beloved recipes. My apple pies always got soggy and this one didn't. It's got a different method of adding the good stuff so that it stays perfectly ooey gooey and not soggy. Ingredients 2 9 inch pie crusts 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup water dash nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced Directions Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pie pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F . Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes. Let it cool for 30 minutes before cutting into it (this is the hardest part!). Perfer your own Homemade Pie Crust: click here Thanks For Visiting

Taco Soup

aka: 'Santa Fe' Soup, 'Tex Mex' Soup or '7 Can' Soup. The leftovers make fantastic burrito filling. Another thing that is good about this recipe - very low fat and freezes well! It basically uses 3 cans of varied color/texture tomatoes, cans of beans and 1 can of corn. Add in your taco seasoning and tah-dah - SOUP!! Ingredients: [12 servings $1.80 per serving usa] 1 pound ground beef  1 medium (1 1/2 cups) onion chopped   1 (15oz) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 (15oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 (15oz) can black beans, undrained (optional) 1 (15oz) can corn kernels, undrained 1 large can (26oz) of diced tomatoes 1 (10oz) can diced *Rotel tomatoes and chilies, undrained  1 (8oz) can tomato sauce 1 (14 oz) can beef broth 1 packet (2 tbsp) taco seasoning ..Secret ingredient...  1 packet ranch dressing mix -gives it a tangy  Optional Taco Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese sour cream diced tomatoes corn chips or mini tostitos black olives sliced green olives sliced INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add onion and cook onion until soft, 5 minutes, then add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. 2. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese and taco topping choices; stir, breaking up tomatoes with spoon. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 5 min., stirring occasionally. 3. Serve with optional taco toppings. TIPS FOR TACO SOUP - Be sure to drain and rinse tomatoes/ corn and beans so soup isn’t overly salty (if you need to reduce sodium in the recipe for dietary restrictions use low sodium beef broth, unsalted tomato sauce/canned tomatoes and unsalted beans.) Then you can add sodium to your taste desired, - Like it extra spicy? Add 2 – 4 jalapenos! - Make sure to drain the excess fat from the ground beef for the best flavor. HOW TO THICKEN TACO SOUP Thicken taco soup by adding a few tablespoons of tomato paste, until you reach the consistency you want. You can also add more meat and black beans to add bulk to the soup. CAN YOU FREEZE TACO SOUP? This taco soup recipe is totally freezer-safe. You can freeze taco soup before you cook it or after. I prefer to use a gallon size freezer safe bag and make sure to seal it well so that none of it leaks. It will keep about 6 months frozen. HOW TO MAKE TACO SOUP IN A SLOW COOKER Directions. In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain, and set aside. Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chille peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours Adapted from: KRAFT kitchens See more Tex Mex Meals: Frito-Pie/ Tater-Tot-Taco-Bake/ Layered-Doritos-Casserole/ Beef-Taco-Casserole/ Thanks For Visiting