Gingerbread Cutouts

The cookies after being baked...


Preparing the table and making a mess...

The cookies iced and finished...


Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat till combined.
Beat in molasses, egg, and vinegar. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour.
Divide dough in half, cover, and chill for three hours, or until easy to handle.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface from 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch in thickness. Place 1 inch apart on greased sheet. Bake at 375 for 5 to 6 minutes.

Angel Lush

I made this cake for my dad's birthday. It's VERY good! It's good as it is beautiful!

Ingredients:

1 package (4-serving-size) vanilla instant pudding

1 can (398 ml) no sugar added crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup thawed light cool whip topping

1 prepared (store-bought or homemade) angel food cake

10 fresh strawberries

Mix dry pudding mix and pineapple (with juice) in medium bowl. Gently stir in the whipped topping.

Cut the cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place bottom cake layer, cut side up, on serving plate; top with some of the pudding mixture. Cover with middle cake layer and spread on more of the pudding mixture.

Top with remaining cake layer; spread with remaining pudding mixture. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Top with strawberries just before serving.

Cowboy Cookies

These cookies are VERY good! I love the crunch that the cereal adds! I have made them for my orchestra twice now, and everyone loved them!



Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups cereal (rice krispies, bran flakes)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut or chocolate chips (or peanuts)

Cream butter and sugars. Add dry ingredients. Then add the cereal, chocolate chips, coconut, and oats. Mix well, you may need to add some milk. Roll into balls and flatten with fork. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes.

Mini Pizzas

These pizzas are a treat around our house. They're even better than regular pizzas!


Ingredients:
Pizza sauce (recipe on my blog)
Pitas
Your favourite pizza toppings
Cheese


Preheat oven to 400.

Spread pizza sauce on the pitas. Sprinkle on the pizza toppings and then add cheese.
Put the pizzas in the oven and bake until the cheese on top is slightly toasted.

Banana Hazelnut Split Cake

This is such a good cake!
I made it for my grandma's birthday. I especially like it because I LOVE whip cream!

1 cup margarine or butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 mashed bananas
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons sugar
Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1 pint fresh strawberries


Mix butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs...and vanilla, bananas and buttermilk.
Combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Add to banana mixture; stir until blended.
Pour into two well greased nine inch round cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes...or until set in centre.
Allow cakes to cool completely.


To assemble:


Whip cream, vanilla and sugar until stiff.
Split each cake layer in half horizontally.
Spread the bottom half of each cake with a generous layer of Nutella, and reassemble to form two cakes.
Create a flat top on one of the cakes by shaving off the rounded top.
Set this layer on a cake plate...and spread with whipped cream, sliced strawberries and more whipped cream.
Gently set remaining cake layer on top.
Frost with whipped cream. Garnish with strawberries.

Hot Chocolate

For 4 servings you need:

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
4 cups of hot milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Serving for one:

1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon sugar
a bit of boiling water
1 cup hot milk
a drop of vanilla extract if you want, but is just fine without

Stir together the cocoa powder and sugar.
Add the boiling water to dissolve the cocoa and sugar.
Add the hot milk.
Top off the cocoa with your favorite toppings like, marshmallows, whipping cream, sprinkles, or a sprinkle of cinnamon

Corn Muffins

These Corn Muffins are a staple at our house whenever we have chili! They are easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup thick sour milk
1/4 cup oil.

Mix together dry ingredients.
Combine the eggs, sour milk, and oil together and then stir into the dry ingredients until just moistened.
Pour into greased muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.