April 16: French Bread

From my favorite cooking blog "Jamie Cooks It Up"

1 TB shortening
1 TB salt
2 TB sugar
1 C boiling water
1 C cold water
1/3 c lukewarm water
1 TB yeast
5-6 C white all purpose flour
1 egg

Place the 1 C hot water in the microwave for 3 minutes to boil. Dissolve the yeast into the warm water. Stir it around until it is well mixed. Combine the salt, shortening, and sugar in the bottom of your Bosch mixer with a fork. The dough hook doesn't work very well for this. You need to smash up the mixture until it resembles corn meal. Pour the boiling water over the shortening mixture. Pour the cold water over the mixture. Pour the warm water and yeast into the mixer. Begin to add the flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of your mixer. Let the dough mix for 8 minutes. 

Separate the dough into three parts and place on a a large jelly roll pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes. Letting it sit will make it much easier to shape. Spread the dough out on the jell roll pan.  Roll the dough up. Then bring the ends over the top of each other and turn the dough over, seam side down. Do this to all 3 balls of dough. Spray a sharp knife with cooking spray. Make 3 diagonal slits on top of the loaf.  Make an egg wash by whipping the egg in a bowl til frothy. Cover loaves with egg wash.  

Place loaves in a 170 oven for 15 minutes. Turn the heat up to 400. Bake for 15 more minutes. Turn the heat down to 350. Turn the pans around in the oven and bake 10 more minutes. 

April 15: Chocolate Layer Dessert

This dessert, known by many names, is truly divine.

1 recipe butter pecan crust
1 8 oz tub non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
2 8 oz pkg cream cheese, at room temp
2 c powdered sugar
2 6 oz pkg chocolate pudding
4 c milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 c whipping cream, whipped, flavored with sugar and vanilla
1 chocolate bar, grated

Prepare butter pecan crust and set aside. To prepare the first layer, blend together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in non-dairy whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate 2 or more hours. Combine pudding, milk and vanilla with an electric mixer at low speed until mixture begins to thicken. Spread on top of cream cheese layer and refrigerate overnight or several hours. Before serving whip the whipping cream. Spread on top of pudding layer. Garnish with grated chocolate. 

Butter pecan crust:
1 c chopped pecans
1 c flour
1/2 c butter, softened
Mix pecans, flour, and butter and press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes. Cool. 

April 12: Texas Brownies

This recipe is a favorite from Grandma Scott.

2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 c water
1/4 c cocoa
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the flour and sugar. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, shortening, water, and cocoa. Stir and heat to boiling. Pour boiling mixture over the flour and sugar mixture. Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla. Mix well, using a wooden spoon or high speed on electric mixer. Pour into a well buttered jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until brownies test done in the center. While brownies bake, prepare the frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 c butter
2 TB cocoa
1/4 c milk
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla until frosting is smooth. Pour warm frosting over brownies as soon as they are out of the oven. Cool. Cut into bars.

April 11: Asian Chicken Pasta

This recipe comes from a Kraft cookbook.

1 8 oz pkg spaghetti noodles
1 10 oz frozen cut broccoli
1 c salted peanuts
3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 16 oz bottle Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame dressing

Cut chicken breasts into bite size chunks. Saute in a bit of oil until chicken is done. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and frozen broccoli. Cook for about 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Drain. To the pasta and broccoli, add cooked chicken chunks, peanuts and dressing. Mix.

April 10: Buttermilk Whole Wheat Pancakes

From my friend Kris who makes delicious whole grain recipes.

Whisk together in a bowl:
2 eggs 
1 c milk
2 c buttermilk
Sift into milk mixture:
2 c whole wheat flour 
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
Whisk together and bake on griddle.

April 9: Frog Eye Salad

1 c sugar
2 TB flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 c pineapple juice
3 beaten egg yolks
1 box Acini de Pepe
2 11oz cans mandarin oranges
1 13 oz can crushed pineapple
1 13 oz can pineapple tidbits
2 8 oz Cool Whip
1 pkg colored mini marshmallows
Fruit: apples, bananas, maraschino cherries, fresh peaches and nuts, opt

Boil Acini de Pepe in water 10 minutes or until tender. Cool and blanch. Drain all fruit to make 1 3/4 c juice (add water if necessary). Combine 1 3/4 c juice, sugar, salt, flour and egg yolks. Boil over medium heat until thick. Add the Acini and refrigerate overnight. Next day add the rest of the ingredients, including canned fruit which was drained. 

April 7: Jello Cool Whip Salad

Fast, simple and yummy are some of the words that describe this salad.


1 6 oz pkg orange Jello
1 lb container cottage cheese
1 lg container Cool Whip
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

Mix dry Jello with cottage cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Fold in fruit.