Texasblu's Recipe Box

Vanilla Wafers

2009-10-29T13:17:00.002-06:00

Found this recipe on Serious Eats

- makes about 8 cups of cookies (it makes a lot, but I’ve never counted!)

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick or 112g)

1/4teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar (210g)

1 vanilla bean, seeds only

1 large egg white (~33g)

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk

1 1/3 cups AP flour (160g)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder (~3g)

Procedure

1. With an electric mixer, cream butter, salt, sugar and vanilla seeds until light.

2. Beat in egg white until well incorporated, scraping sides and bottom of mixing bowl to insure that all white has been incorporated.

3. Beat in extract and milk until well incorporated.

4. Whisk together flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture. Mix just to incorporate, scraping down sides and bottom of mixing bowl to insure that all flour has been incorporated.

5. Fit a piping bag with a large, plain pastry tip (I use Ateco #806, but slightly larger or smaller sizes will also work). Fill bag with about 1/3 of the batter. Holding the filled bag perpendicular to a parchment-lined baking sheet, pipe batter into nickel-sized mounds, about 1 inch apart. To make neat, well-shapedcookies, as you finish piping each round, sweep the pastry tip horizontally off to the side with a slight curving motion. (The cookies should cover 2 to 3 standard baking sheets. Batter will hold for a while after it is piped, so trays can be baked one or two at a time, as your oven allows.)

6. Bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned, rotating trays every 5 minutes or so for even coloring. Cool completely before storing. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for at least a week.

Party Pinwheels

2009-09-10T10:44:00.000-06:00

1 (8 oz.) sour cream
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, well drained
1 c. grated Cheddar cheese
5 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
Garlic powder to taste
Seasoned salt to taste

Mix all of the filling ingredients together thoroughly. Divide the filling and spread evenly over the tortillas; roll up tortillas like a jelly roll. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, twisting ends; refrigerate several hours. Unwrap; cut in slices 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. Serve with salsa or picante sauce.

Pickle Things (A sort of pinwheel)

2009-09-10T10:41:00.001-06:00

Got this off of yahoo answers - may give it a try tonight for Princess Academy!

These are so cheap & easy. They seem weird, but they are delicious & always the first to go. My family calls them 'pickle things' but you can call them pinwheels:

package of sliced ham (not deli sliced -- too thin) the stuff you find near the Oscar Mayer packaged bologna
jar of your favorite whole pickles (garlic dills work great)
package of cream cheese, softened (lite works fine)

Take a slice of ham & pat it dry with a paper towel. Spread with some cream cheese, not quite to the edge. Dry a pickle with the paper towel & place on one edge of the ham slice. Roll up the pickle and ham. Slice and serve.

They look cool and taste so good!! Very, very simple. I usually roll these up the night before & cut them the day of the party. If you cover the slices with plastic wrap, they won't dry out.

Guacamole

2009-09-10T10:31:00.001-06:00

This is SUPER cheap and easy to make because chances are, you'll have most of the items onhand (takes me about 10 minutes). It also includes the secret restaurants hold dear to their hearts: vinegar.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 avocados
* 1 small onion, finely chopped (or 1-2 stalks of green onions, also finely chopped)
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 handful of cilantro, chopped
* Splash of olive oil
* 1 capful white vinegar
* 1 tablespoon chunky salsa like Pace
* 1/2 lime, juiced
* 1 tablespoon sour cream
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Adjust and add more of the listed ingredients to attain desired taste and/or texture (sometimes I add more salsa for extra chunkiness). Chill for half an hour to blend flavors.
2. Serve with chips :)

Source(s):

Got this from yahoo answers when searching for cheap and easy appetizers! :)

Fabric Softener

2009-07-25T12:43:00.002-06:00

From the Dollar Stretcher newsletter.

2 cups of fabric softener
2 cups of white vinegar
2 cups of water

Put mixture into a smaller container. I shake well and use just as you would the full strength softener.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-07-17T14:36:00.002-06:00

From Kaboose.com - I haven't tried it yet, but I think the kids and Redbeard will like it!

Ingredients

12 slices bacon
2/3 cup margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, chopped
1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Hush Puppies

2009-07-05T12:14:00.002-06:00

Going no milk made me look these up - I miss Long John Silvers! To make your own self-rising cornmeal use this helpful little ditty: Combine one cup cornmeal, one cup flour, one tablespoon baking powder, one teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup butter or other fat.

2 cups white, self-rising corn meal mix
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 small finely chopped onion

Slightly beat eggs, add milk. Stir in corn meal and sugar. Add chopped onion. Drop by small spoonfuls into hot oil. Cook until they become golden brown and float to top. Great with fish and tarter sauce.

Party Punch

2009-07-05T12:03:00.002-06:00

Need a quick punch for those dances or parties we're always kicking into gear? This is a great one - super easy and dynamite! Sprite makes the concoction sweeter, so my family prefers Ginger Ale (Canada Dry. Can't stand the off brands - I'm a brand snob when it comes to Ginger Ale!)

The Combination Ratio (How many cans of each depends on how big your crowd is):

1 can Hawaiian punch
1 can Pineapple Juice
1 bottle Ginger Ale or Sprite

Chill all ingredients. Mix together in the punch bowl. Add ice rings for effect.

Creeping Crust Cobbler

2009-07-04T16:27:00.002-06:00

I once made this (peach) for an entire family get together & left it in the kitchen. When I came back my husband and his ex-brother-in-law James were standing over the empty dish with spoons in their hands - the evidence. To this day I can't believe they ate the WHOLE thing! (I hate saying he's an ex-brother-in-law... he's still very much a part of the family.)

1/2 c oleo (margarine)
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 c milk
2 c. fruit (fresh or canned)
1 c. (or less) sugar

For apple or peach we like to add 1/2 tsp - put in pot with fruit & sugar

Melt oleo in 10 inch baking dish. Mix flour, sugar and baking powder; add milk and mix. Spoon over melted oleo. Heat with fruit with sugar, using less if fruit is canned. Pour over dough. Bake in a 350 F oven abt 30 min or until crust is golden brown.

Yeast Rolls or Bread (Dutch Oven)

2009-07-04T15:34:00.002-06:00

Oven Time: 5 min at 300
20 to 30 min at 375

2 c milk
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
1 pkg yeast
4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder, rounded

1) Stir together in a pan, milk, sugar and shortening, letting come to a boil
2) Cool until lukewarm, then stir in yeast
3)Add 2 c flour, stirring mixture until smooth
4)Let raise until doubled
5)Stir in the remaining 2 c flour, salt, soda, and baking powder until smooth
6)*Put dough in greased Dutch Oven (either as rolls or in a loaf) and let raise until double
7)Bake in 300 oven 5 min
8)Add coals to bring Dutch Oven to 375 F baking until bread thumps done and is golden brown

*Dough may be placed in refrigerator overnight or for a few days if kept punched down.

Easy Southern Potato Salad

2009-07-03T22:36:00.001-06:00

Texasblu's Revised Southern Potato Salad

Made this for the fourth of July. The greatest compliment I got was from Athena who said, "Mom, this is tons better than that Albertson's crap." Anyone who tried it liked it - it made just under one of those gallon sized tubs the ice cream comes in. :)

5 lb bag of red potatoes
6 eggs hard-boiled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup sweet relish
2 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 cup + a TBSP or 2 mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1 very large red onion, chopped

Peel potatoes and chop into small cubes. Place potatoes in pot of boiling water and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, sweet relish, mustard, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Gently mix together and serve warm**. (Alternate: Mash potatoes with a potato masher, add other ingredients and mix well. Serve warm**.)

** Note, it says to serve warm, but we like it cold too.

Crispy Graham Crackers with Molassess and Cinnamon

2009-06-14T19:22:00.003-06:00

1/2 c. white flour
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. cold butter cut into chunks
2 TBSP honey
2 TBSP molasses
1/4 to 1/3 c. cold water
1 tsp vanilla

* Mix flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon
*Add cold butter - cut in until crumbly.
* Add honey and molasses, water and vanilla.
* Mix until dough forms a ball.
* Roll very thin between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper. 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick.
* Place on cookie sheet, cut into squares, prick with a fork.
* Bake @ 350 F approx. 15 min.

Wheat Thins

2009-06-14T19:17:00.002-06:00

1 1/2 c. flour (all purpose)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBSP butter (at room temp)
2/3 c. milk
salt (or other dried herbs and seasonings) for sprinkling

1) In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter and mix until you have a coarse meal.

2) Slowly blend in the milk just until you have a dough that will hold together. Divide the dough into 2 pieces for rolling.

3) Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/8" thickness. Sprinkle with salt and roll over lightly with the rolling pin again. Cut the dough into 2x2 inch squares. Poke each square several times with a fork.

4) Transfer squares to an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 325 F for 20-25 min., until crackers are golden brown.

Graham Crackers with Wheat Germ

2009-06-14T18:55:00.002-06:00

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for working
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. untoasted wheat germ
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c. unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
3/4 c. packed light-brown sugar
2 TBSP high-quality honey

Directions:

Preheat over 350 F. Whisk flours, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl - set aside.

Put butter, brown sugar, and honey into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 min., scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture, and mix until combined.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface, and divide into quarters. Roll out each piece between 2 sheets of floured parchment paper into rectangles a bit larger than 9 x 6 inches, about 1/8" thick.

Using a fluted pastry wheel, trip the outermost edges or each rectangle and divide into three 6 x 3" rectangles. Pressingly lightly, so as not to cut all the way through, score each piece in half lengthwise and crosswise, to form four 3 by 1 1/2 inch crackers. Stack parchment and dough on a baking sheet and chill in freezer until firm, about 20 min.

Remove two sheets of dough from freezer. Pierce crackers using the tines of a fork. Transfer to large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, rotating halfway through, until dark golden brown, 8 to 9 min. Repeat with remaining dough. Let cool on sheet 5 min; transfer crackers to wire racks to cool completely.

Homemade Window Cleaner

2009-06-14T18:49:00.002-06:00

We were told in RS today that you can substitute Jet Dry for the ammonia. They said it makes it even less streak free. Be careful when you make your own housekeeping recipes - follow them EXACTLY because mixing chemicals can release poisonous gases!

1 pint rubbing alcohol
2 TBSP ammonia
1 tsp dish soap (dawn)
2 drops blue food coloring
1 gallon water

Pour first 4 ingredients into a 1 gallon container. Fill up with water. Put into a spray bottle for windows and household cleaning.

Homemade Spray and Wash

2009-06-14T18:48:00.001-06:00

1/3 c. ammonia
1/3 c. whisk
2 c. water

Mix well. Spray on stains before washing.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

2009-06-14T18:39:00.002-06:00

This is a different recipe than the ones I've seen where you only used 1/2 or 1/3 of the Fels Naptha Bar. I just acquired it from RS today - so I have no one to credit it to. If you're in the Idaho Falls area, all these ingredients are at WINCO. I just happened to buy them this Sat.

4 c. hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 c. washing soda
1/2 borax

Grate bar of soap into a saucepan with the 4 c. of hot water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

To make it easy to use, pour it into an old laundry detergent container.

Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavendar, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 5 gallons.

Top load machine: 1/4 c. per load (approx. 320 loads)
Front load machine: 1/8 c. per load (approx. 640 loads)

Whole Wheat Bread

2009-06-14T18:33:00.001-06:00

Mix:

3 TBSP SAF yeast
5 1/2 c. warm water
2 TBSP salt
7 c. whole wheat flour

Knead 10 min.

Add: 5 to 6 cups white flour one at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer.

Bake: 425 F for 8 min
Bake: 350 F for 15 - 20 min.

Makes 4 loaves.

Apple Pie Filling or Apple Cobbler from Dehydrated Apples

2009-06-14T18:29:00.002-06:00

4 c. dry apple slices
3 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cinnamon
2 to 3 TBSP cornstarch

Mix water, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and cornstarch in a saucepan.

Heat until thick, then add the 4 cups of dry apples. Simmer on low heat about 10 min. Use as pie filling or for cobbler.

Wheat Salad

2009-06-14T18:24:00.002-06:00

1 1/2 c. uncooked washed wheat

Put in a saucepan, boil slow for 2-3 hrs. Cool and drain.

Mix:

1 (8 oz) cream cheese softened
1 large vanilla instant pudding
3 TBSP lemon juice
1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple

Fold in:

2-3 c. cooked wheat
1 (12 oz) Cool Whip
1 c. chopped nuts

Cool and Serve

Peach Cobbler

2009-06-14T18:12:00.002-06:00

~Ida Ryan

2 QTS peaches or 2(29 oz) cans of peaches sliced or drained
(2 cans of apple or cherry pie filling can be used)

Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray.

Pour sliced peaches in bottom of pan.

Mix together the following dry ingredients.

2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Add 2 cubes butter or margarine - cut butter into the above dry ingredients with a pastry blender or fork.

Add 2 eggs - blend slightly with fork.

Spread the topping mixture over top of peaches. Bake at 375 F for 30-35 min. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping.

Homemade Saltines

2009-06-14T17:55:00.003-06:00

4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c. shortening
1 1 /3 c. milk
salt to taste

Mix flour, baking powder and shortening; add milk and blend well. Form a ball of dough and cut into four pieces. Roll dough out very thin. Cut with a cookie cutter or use a pastry wheel with crinkled edges. Place on cookie sheet. Prick with a fork 4-5 times and sprinkle with salt. Bake 375 F degrees 8 to 10 or until golden (watch crackers carefully so they don't burn.)

Almond Milk

2009-06-14T17:53:00.001-06:00

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups filtered water
1 cup raw almonds that have been soaked 4 hours
Sweeteners and/or flavorings, such as pinch of salt, raw honey, vanilla, nutmeg, etc. (optional)

PREPARATION:

Soak almonds 4 hours and strain.
Place filtered water and soaked almonds in blender.
Blend on high speed for 1 minute.
Pour contents from blender through nut milk straining bag.
Close bag and strain almond milk by squeezing milk through bag.
If desired, sweeten with raw honey or vanilla.

Enjoy!

Note: Nut milk bags can be found on the internet. Alternatively, you may use cheesecloth, any bag made of fine mesh, or a fine-mesh stainless steel strainer.

Homemade Chocolate Chips

2009-06-04T17:44:00.004-06:00

For those times when your just OUT, or if you suffer from allergies and can't have the store bought stuff (or you just don't want to put all the preservatives in your body), here are some links to some really great looking recipes:

Healthy Choc Chips and Trail Mix recipes

Sugar Free Choc Chips

Choc Chips made with Aguave Nectar

Hope that works out for someone! I was just looking because all the store bought junk has milk in it! :P

Chocolate Syrup

2009-05-08T21:28:00.002-06:00

Got this from the recipezarr. I wanted to make some chocolate milk and I was out of choc. syrup, and I was already in my jammies. So just hopped online and grabbed this recipe. Easy, tasty, and quick. For mine, I only used a 1/2 c. cocoa and it was good enough for me. Some people say to add 1/4 c. light corn syrup if you need it to have that molasses type feel to it (like using over ice cream) but since I was throwing it in a glass of rice milk I didn't care, so I didn't bother. Oh - and I added the vanilla at the end of the boiling like a reviewer said to do. Tasted good to me.

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 dash salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Stir together.
Boil 2-5 minutes, stirring rapidly, until sauce begins to thicken.
This must be stored in the fridge.