Will's Favourite Peanutbutter Cornflake Squares

½ cups brown sugar

½ cup corn syrup

½ cup peanutbutter

3 cups Cornflakes

1 cup nuts (optional)

Melt sugar, syrup and peanutbutter together (in the microwave works). Stir in remaining ingredients. Press into 8x8” buttered pan. Refrigerate.

Domino Squares

Base:

½ cup melted butter

¼ cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

Combine all ingredients well. Press firmly into 9x9” pan. Refrigerate.

Middle:

¼ cup butter

2 Tablespoons INSTANT vanilla pudding powder

2 cups icing sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

Cream icing sugar and butter well. Add pudding powder and milk and mix to a creamy consistency. You can add flavoring and/or coloring to this layer.

Top:

3 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate

1 Tablespoon butter

Melt together. Spread on top.

Poppy's Favourite Oatmeal Cookies (aka Crispy Crunch Cookies)

375º
12 minutes

1 cup butter

1½ cups brown sugar

1 egg

1¼ cups oatmeal

1½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup coconut

1 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)

½ cup nuts (optional)

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. 

Combine flour, salt, soda and powder. 

Mix oatmeal into creamed mixture. 

Add flour mixture. 

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 12 minutes.

Potatoes Extraordinaire

5 lbs potatoes

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup butter

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Peel and cook potatoes as usual in salted water.

Drain.

Mash well.

Add the cream cheese in pieces, while mashing or whipping slowly on mixer. Mix in the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth & fluffy.

Scrape into a 2 quart casserole. Put dabs of butter on top and sprinkle with paprika.

Heat through in a 350 degree oven.

You can make these a day ahead and reheat to eat – it will just take a little longer from cold.

Lemon Square Dessert

350º
20 + 25 minutes

1 cup melted butter/margarine
½ cup icing sugar
2 cups flour

Mix everything together. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350º. While that is baking prepare the next part.

4 eggs, well beaten
2 cups sugar
½ cup lemon juice (approx. 3 lemons)
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 Tablespoons flour

Beat the eggs and sugar together. Whisk in the lemon juice. Measure the flour and baking powder but don't mix them in until the crust is done baking. Pour the liquid over the baked crust and put it right back in the oven for 25 minutes.

Allow to cool and sift 1 cup icing sugar over the top of the squares. Cut and serve.

Swedish Meatballs

300º
2 hours

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
½ cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Mix everything together. Roll into balls of the desired size – I use a ½ ounce scoop to portion the meat. Brown – either in a frying pan or on a foil lined cookie sheet. Place in a casserole dish.

1 10 ounce can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of hot water
2 packets of beef oxo

Dissolve the oxo in the hot water. Mix in the soup and pour over the meatballs. Bake with a lid on the casserole.

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

1 ¼ cup graham crumbs
¼ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix thoroughly and press firmly into 9” pie plate. Bake in 350° oven for 5-7 minutes


1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package cream cheese
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling

Whip together milk and cream cheese until smooth. Continue whipping at low speed while slowly pouring in lemon juice and vanilla. Once the lemon juice is all incorporated, whip at med-high speed for 1 minute. Pour over cooled crust and refrigerate until set – 1 hour. Refrigerate can of pie filling at same time. Before serving, spread pie filling over pie.

Chocolate Chip Bars

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips
¼ cup nuts (optional)

Put butter in a micro-proof mixing bowl. Microwave on Hi for 45 seconds to soften. Beat in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and nuts.

Butter a 12 x 8” micro-proof baking dish. Sprinkle with chocolate and nuts. Microwave on 50% power for 16 – 17 minutes, or until no longer doughy. Rotate dish once during cooking.

Peanutbutter Muffins

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup softened margarine or butter
¾ cup peanutbutter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients together.

Cream butter, peanutbutter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in milk and vanilla.

Stir in dry ingredients just until moist. Overmixing makes the muffins heavy. Add the chocolate chips just before the dry ingredients are all moist.

Spoon into 18 large muffin cups. Bake in 350° oven about 20 minutes, until just golden.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 9” pie shell, baked and cooled (either graham or pastry)

1 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
dash of salt
1 ½ cups hot water
2 tablespoons butter
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice

Measure all ingredients first.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over moderately high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Stir a moderate amount (like 1/3 cup) of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and then add the egg yolks to the hot mixture. Bring to a boil and cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly stir in lemon juice, mixing well. Pour into pie shell.

ALTERNATE MICROWAVE INSTRUCTIONS

Measure all ingredients first.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in an 8 cup microwavable container. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is thick, stir once or twice.

Stir a moderate amount (like 1/3 cup) of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and then add the egg yolks to the hot mixture. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly stir in lemon juice, mixing well. Pour into pie shell.

Meringue

3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar.

Beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar and cream of tarter and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over lemon pie filling. Bake in 350° oven 12 - 15 minutes, until just golden.

Mom’s Good Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup soft margarine
½ cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 – 2 cups chocolate chips

Sift flour and baking soda together.

Beat butter and sugars together very well. Add vanilla and eggs and continue beating until the batter is nice a silky – most of the sugar will have dissolved and you won’t feel much of the graininess. This is key to a soft cookie when fully baked.

Add the flour and baking soda and mix it in. Add the chocolate chips near the end.

Drop by teaspoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 8 –10 minutes in 350° oven.

My kids prefer to bake only about 5 minutes so they are still doughy in the middle; better yet we eat the dough raw.

Bread Quiche/Christmas Morning Wife Saver

Serves 10 – 12 people

1 loaf of bread – white, whole wheat or a combination

½ cup chopped of each add in – anything you like in an omelette is good, like, ham, onion, green or red pepper, mushrooms, etc. or none, if you prefer.

4 cups grated cheese – cheddar is good, monteray jack mixed in is good – any kind you like will work.

3 cups milk
6 eggs

Grease a 9 x 13” pan. Lay bread slices on the bottom to cover. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese on the bread. Sprinkle your add ins over the cheese. Lay another layer of bread slices over your add ins. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese over the bread. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Mix the eggs and milk together well. CAREFULLY pour over the top – be sure to get all the bread edges. Sprinkle the top with another ½ cup of ham, bacon or some cornflake crumbs if you like. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered in 325° oven for exactly 1 hour; it will puff up and turn golden brown.

PeanutButter Treats

1 6 ounce package butterscotch chips
½ cup peanutbutter
½ cup margarine
½ of a small package of colored mini-marshmallows (10 ounces)

Melt butterscotch chips, peanutbutter and margarine in a double boiler over low heat. Remove from heat.

Mix in marshmallows and pour into an 8” square pan. Chill.

Ice Box Stop and Go Cookies

4 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ cups shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup ( ½ and ½ ) red and green Maraschino cherries

Combine dry ingredients.

Cream the shortening, brown sugar and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add dry ingredients in about 4 – 5 parts, mixing well after each. Stir in cherries and nuts.

Divide into 4 parts. Roll each part into a firm log (use wax paper to lift back and forth to make the log). Refrigerate overnight or until you are ready (you can freeze the logs and thaw in the fridge).

Slice into ½” thick slices. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375° F about 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

Family Favourite Brownies

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter/margarine
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients and set aside.

Melt butter then stir in sugar and cocoa. Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Mix in the dry ingredients and nuts.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13” pan. Bake at 350° F about 35 minutes.

Or, make your own two bite brownies by filling mini-muffin tins about ½ to 2/3 full and bake at 350° F about 12 – 15 minutes.

Apple Crinkle

4 cups diced apples
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup melted butter

Combine first 3 ingredients well and spread in a greased 8” square pan.

Mix the rest of the ingredients into a crumbly mixture and spread over apples. Press to form a crust.

Bake at 350° F about 30 minutes, until all golden brown.

Oatmeal Pancakes

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups milk
¼ cup canola oil
2Tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup flour (I use whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Combine oats and milk in the mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or several hours so the oats absorb the milk.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Mix the oil, eggs, raisins and brown sugar into the oats and stir well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Add nuts, raisins or whatever.

Spoon onto preheated griddle, lightly greased if its not non-stick (about 1/3 cup per pancake).

Cook until the bubbles are breaking but closing slowly then flip. Cook until edges are dry.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar
2 Tablespoons ketchup

Combine sugar, salt and cornstarch in small saucepan. Stir while adding water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mix in ketchup and continue stirring until thickened.

Delicious over meatballs – just pour the sauce on and cook in the oven for ½ hour or so to infuse flavor.

Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk
½ cup canola oil
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour (I use half whole wheat, half all purpose)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional) (you could use 1 cup chocolate chips instead)

Combine oats and milk in the mixing bowl. Let stand 20 minutes so the oats absorb the milk.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Mix the oil, egg and brown sugar into the oats and stir well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Add nuts, raisins or whatever.

Spoon into 12 large muffin cups or 18 medium (about ¾ full).

Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes.

Mrs. Brown’s Belgium Cookies

1 cup icing sugar
1 pound margarine
4 cups flour
1 cup cornstarch
4 Tablespoons milk
pinch of salt

Blend all of the ingredients well; add milk last, 1 Tablespoon at a time. Divide dough into 2 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough an hour or more then let it stand on the counter 15 minutes before rolling.

Sprinkle surface with flour to prevent sticking. Roll dough using enough flour to keep your rolling pin from sticking. It helps to lift the dough and make sure it isn’t sticking to the counter too. Cut with cookie cutters or a glass of the size you want (remember that the backs have to line up to make a sandwich so your cutters have to be symmetrical).

Place cookies on an UNGREASED cookie sheet with a bit of space between.

Bake in 350° oven until golden on the edges; about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Spread strawberry or raspberry jam on one cookie and place another on top.

Ice with an icing sugar and milk mixture that will run enough to set smooth but not enough to run right off the cookie (about 1 cup of icing sugar to 1 Tablespoon of milk should do it). Place a cherry (or other decoration of your choice) on each cookie as you ice it. Let set until icing is dry.

Chocolate Balls

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 ounces unsweetened bakers chocolate
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
coconut

Melt chocolate in milk in a double boiler. Mix crumbs in well.

Roll mixture into balls; roll each ball in coconut as you go. Place on waxed paper to cool. Refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Hint: grease your palms with margarine to reduce sticking

Totally Awesome Toffee Squares

Base:
Make a 9 x 13” pan of Rice Krispie Squares

Middle:
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

Bring these ingredients to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Boil 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches the soft ball stage on a candy thermometer or forms a soft ball when dripped into a glass of cold water.

Cool for a couple of minutes then pour over the base. Cool completely.

Top:
½ cup chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon margarine

Melt chocolate chips and margarine together; mix well. Spread over toffee. Cool completely.