Waffle Day Waffles

This glorious recipe comes from a little booklet published a number of years ago by Family Life Network, and titled ‘Join Us at the Table’.  It’s simple, and doesn’t involve separating the eggs, which I can appreciate. :D

Waffle Day Waffles

3 eggs                              1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. flour                            1/2 c. oil

3 tsp. baking powder       1 1/2 c. milk (or more)

Combine all wet ingredients, beat till foamy, then mix into dry ingredients.  Use your waffle iron instructions to cook (bake?) the waffles if you’ve never made them before. (grin)

I usually make a sweet milk sauce and some thickened berries or other fruit to serve with these.  This time we had less time and real cream, so whipped it was.  Yum!

Lemon Sugar Cookies

I was going to label these Crack Cocaine cookies, but I wasn’t sure anyone would take a joke in the proper manner, so I didn’t.  Our youth pastor actually asked if these were laced with it, because he came back for, oh, say, about 10 of them.

1 c. margarine                   2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. sugar                         4 1/2 c. flour

2 eggs                              4 tsp. baking powder

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 Tbsp. lemon juice              1 tsp salt

Cream margarine and sugar together.  Beat in eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to other.  Beat until smooth, refrigerate until firm.  Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut with cookie cutters.  Bake for 8 minutes at 350.  Cool. 

I used a crinkle cookie cutter and an apple corer to cut out the middles of half the cookies, so they show icing through the tops.  The first time I set out to ice them, I used lemon extract, lemon rind and juice along with the regular ingredients for butter icing.  The second time (it makes ALOT when you use a small cookie cutter) I used strawberry jello powder to flavour the icing…. both flavours were delicious.

Portzelky

Even the name is daunting. Who would know just by sight that we actually say it "port-zel-chuh"? Out of love for my sweetheart and love for the little yummies themselves, I devote an afternoon or two each year to making these treats.

A neighbor of ours in Agassiz brought a bowlful over for us a few years ago, calling them "Olle bolle" which I can only imagine means "oil balls" in Dutch. Aptly named, you could wring the grease from them and fill a glass. (though the thought was very appreciated, since I know how long I spend at the fryer to make ours!

This recipe is fantastic. The trick is all in the oil temperature. I received a deep fryer for Christmas this year, so I tried it out at Mom H's with these beauties and set the dial at about 365 or so. When one side is nice and brown, you flip them over with a spoon until done.

I always eat them with a little bowl of sugar to dip as I go. My dh is a purist... down the hatch they go. So that they stay yummy after the first day, I pop the rest into a freezer ziploc and stow them in the freezer. A little microwave zap brings them to a yummy perfection.

Portzelky (New Years Cookies)

4 eggs

2 c. scalded milk 6-7 c. flour (approx)
1/2c. melted butter 2 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 c. warm water 2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt 2 c. raisins (approx)
1/2 c. sugar

Beat eggs in really big bowl while milk is scalding (in microwave) and butter is melting (also in microwave). Add sugar and salt to eggs. Slowly beat in butter, milk and water. Add 3 cups of flour, with baking powder and yeast on top. Beat this together and then continue adding flour until your dough is soft but a touch sticky. Cover bowl and place in warm oven to rise. (Tip: Mom always said to let the oven heat just long enough so you can keep your hand on the rack comfortably)

When dough has doubled, drop spoonfuls into hot oil until done.

Just try not to eat too many! I dare you.

The dough after it has risen

Frying the first side.

After the flip.

The finished product!

Jan's Munchies

Oh - these are so good. I've gone through a pail at our house already. Brace yourself.

2 cups Golden Grahams
2 cups Cheerios
2 cups peanuts
2 cups pretzels

Combine in large bowl.

Melt 2 cups of white chocolate dipping wafers in a pot on low-med, stirring constantly. Once it's all melted, pour all over the bowl contents. Stir well, spread on a wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheet. Once cool, break into pieces and store in an ice cream pail in a cool spot. DO NOT EAT ALL IN ONE DAY. Your stomach will despise you. Just eat a little every hour, and you'll be fine.

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

These were a raving hit. I think. My family LOVED them. I think they were divine. If only I had working tastebuds. This killer of a cold has wiped out my olfactory factory. (did I get that right Pchick?) Anyways... even though there's three separate parts, it doesn't take long, and it's all worth it. (I think) This comes from the Apr/May 2007 Taste of Home cupcake special. How can you go wrong with Taste of Home? It's adapted a little, but generally the same.

Lemon Curd:
3 Tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (one lemon's worth)
4 1/2 tsp. butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Batter:
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp b. powder
1/4 tsp. b. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. buttermilk (I used 1 tbsp. vinegar and 2% milk)

Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. icing sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. lemon extract

In a small pot, cook and stir sugar, lemon juice, butter, egg and lemon rind. Bring to a gentle boil, cook 2 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and lemon peel. Add flour,`b. soda, b. powder and salt, mixing while adding the buttermilk.

Fill cupcake papers... I used 15, so I filled the remaining 9 on the second pan with water. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely.

Make frosting while you wait, but DO NOT FROST YET. (avoid my mistake) I filled my cake decorator tool with the lemon curd, and with a long skinny tip, I poked into each cupcake, squirting enough curd to gently round the cupcake. THEN you frost the cupcakes, and they look and (I hear) smell wonderful.

wha????

Tell me what's wrong with this recipe:

Crunchy Barbecued Chicken

Barbecue flavored potato chips add a crunchy texture to this dish. Serve it at your next 4th of July party or Labor Day picnic.

Serving: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

5 cups low-fat ranch salad dressing
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 10-oz package fat-free barbecue potato chips
4 halved boneless skinless chicken breast

Okay... anyone spotted the ridiculousness yet? (okay, already with just 5 ingredients I am naturally a bit skeptical) How about the 5 CUPS of dressing? This seems a bit inane.

I was surfing for some ideas of good meals for a busy week... looks like I'll keep surfing... I love ranch, but that seems excessive.... anyone?

Parmesan Chicken

This little number is an easy fix on a weeknight, or any night! I served it to some friends tonight, with spaghetti, Greek tomato sauce and Caesar salad. I found it on the Taste of Home website.

1/2 c. parmesan
1/4 c. fresh breadcrumbs (I used one bun)
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. paprika
parsley, salt & pepper
1/4 c. butter (approx)
6 chicken breasts (fresh or thawed)

Mix dry ingredients. Dip breasts in butter (snicker, snicker), dredge in flour. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. (I flip after 18 minutes or so)