Nutty Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My family loves these cookies so much, even a double batch can disappear in a few days. They are hearty and satisfying from the cookie jar or still warm from the oven. These Oatmeal Raisin cookies are the perfect snack for a cold winter afternoon. This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

2 cups butter or margerine
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
6 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cups finely chopped pecans
2 1/4 cups raisins


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat eggs slightly and add to sugar-cream mixture. Add vanilla and blend until batter is uniformly smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until combined and add gradually to batter, mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats, raisins and nuts.

Drop teaspoonfuls of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Cookie will spread as it bakes. Bake in center of oven, 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool 1-2 minutes before transferring from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Midwest Classic: Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Jello

Over the past few days, I've been pulling out my beaten and battered recipe cards to find those classic dishes we prepare every Thanksgiving. Our family's recipe for Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Jello is first on the list of favorites. It's such a Midwest classic.

But this year, we seem to have a problem! Indian Trail, the company that makes a key ingredient for our Thanksgiving Jello went out of business in November 2008.

What to do?

Well, if there's one thing I've learned in my years as a Midwest Mom, it's that this part of the country is resilient and resourceful. Cora at Cora Cooks has posted her recipe for Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce. The taste and texture of hers is identical to our old favorite from the freezer section.

You still might be able to find a few tubs of Indian Trail out there... but know that they've been in your grocer's freezer for at least a year. Cora's alternative, however, will be perfectly fresh (and delicious). I suggest you give it a try.

In the meantime, here's my family's recipe for Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Jello. It's so good, I almost always make a double-batch.

Ingredients:

1 tub of Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce
or
1 batch of Cora's Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce, drained with the liquid reserved

3 regular sized packages raspberry jello
2 cups boiling water
1 cup reserved chilled relish liquid, or cold orange juice
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans (roasted, if you like)

Instructions:

Thaw the cranberry orange sauce. In a large bowl, mix jello and boiling water. Stir in juice. With a blender, mix cream cheese into jello until mixture is smooth. Stir in cranberry orange sauce and pecans. Pour into decorative serving bowl (we use a glass trifle dish) or jello mold. Chill 4-6 hours, or until jello is completely set. (To un-mold jello, place mold in a bowl of warm water for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to spill water into the jello. Put serving plate on top of the mold and quickly invert. The jello mold should come out intact.)

Enjoy!

Hearty Chicken Soup

When my family has a cold or flu, this soup is the perfect remedy. It is easy to make and the result is hearty and delicious. What a great way to warm up on a cold day!

Ingredients:

6-8 pieces bone-in chicken (I use thighs and breasts)
3 cups water
2 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
or
1 bundle fresh sage, thyme & parsley, tied with a string
1 small onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cups canned chicken broth

Cooked noodles or rice

Instructions:

Place chicken in a large saucepan, add water and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Turn off heat and remove chicken from cooking liquid. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin, cartilage and bones. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth and remove the fat (I use a de-fatting cup, but you can also skim the fat from the top with a spoon.) Return the meat to the pot with the vegetables. Add chicken broth if needed. (The ratio of ingredients to broth should be about 1:3). Cover and bring the soup to a boil. Lower to simmer again for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are fully cooked. Taste the broth. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt if necessary.

Serve soup piping hot over noodles or rice. It is important to cook and store the noodles separately so that they don't rob the soup of its moisture. Extra soup can be frozen for up to 6 months. This recipe makes a nice, big batch -- enough to serve 8 people.

p.s. -- If you're on a diet, like Whole30, this recipe can be made without the rice & noodles.  Still super-nourishing... just double the veggies or add chopped greens.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

When I'm in the mood for comfort food, I reach for this recipe. And as the weather gets colder, who isn't in the mood for comfort food?

Ingredients:

6 pieces bone-in chicken (we use legs or thighs)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
salt & pepper to taste
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs sour cream

Place chicken in crock pot. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Cook 6-8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High. 20 minutes before serving, remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Remove cooking liquid from the heat and whisk in sour cream until smooth. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones. Place shredded meat into the gravy and return to the heat. Serve warm over brown or white rice.

Enjoy!

Red Pepper Chili

Fall is the season for comfort food. When the weather turned brisk this past Sunday, this was the perfect recipe to make use of our bumper crop of Sweet Red Peppers. It warmed us inside and out.

Ingredients:

3-4 Red Bell Peppers, seeded and diced
1 white onion, diced
2 chopped dried or fresh serrano chiles, with seeds
olive oil

1 lb chuck steak, cut into cubes and browned
or
1 lb leftover steak or beef pot roast, cubed

1 large can tomato puree
or
2 cups fresh pureed tomatoes from the garden

1-30 oz. can of pinto beans, rinsed
2 cups water
1 1/2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
Scant 1/2 tbs dried oregano
Scant 1/2 tbs dried basil
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
Sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Gently sweat peppers and onions with a sprinkle of salt until translucent. Add chiles and beef and stir. Add tomato puree, beans, water, and spices. Stir to combine. Bring chili to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat, cover, and simmer gently for one hour. To thicken, remove lid to let liquid reduce and stir occasionally to keep beans from sticking. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Serve hot with sour cream and freshly chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Christmas Cookie #3: Cream Cheese Cookies

These cookies are so beautiful to look at, and so rich that one tiny mouthful is enough to satisfy. As they bake, the dough turns a gorgeous white that contrasts so beautifully with the cherry. They are my favorite cookies of the season.

Ingredients:

2 cups butter, softened
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup splenda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks
5 cups flour
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 jar maraschino cherries

Cream butter, cheese, sugar, and splenda. Blend in egg yolks and vanilla. Add flour gradually, followed by nuts. Roll dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Cut each cherry in fourths. Press 1/4 cherry into the top of each cookie. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Christmas Sweets: Sugar & Spice Pecans

This recipe always gets raves from my neighbors. The secret to it is the salt and periodic stirring as the pecans bake. Even when I make a large batch, I run out!

Ingredients:

2 lbs of pecans (32 ounces)

2 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Beat egg whites to a light froth. In a large bowl, mix with pecans and toss to coat. Mix sugar, salt, and spices separately and pour over pecans, tossing again to distribute evenly over the nuts. Place in a single layer on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet (I divide the mixture between two sheets). Bake at 225 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Christmas Sweets: Homemade Butter Mints

This recipe is one of my favorites because it is so fun to make and the results are strikingly festive (and delicious!) There is no need to bake and no need for a candy thermometer. The only requirement is to set aside some space for the candy to set undisturbed for 24 hours. Homemade Butter Mints travel well, and I include them in all our gift packages of holiday goodies.

Ingredients:

9 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup corn syrup

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

green and red food coloring, (I use paste, but liquid will work.)

In a large bowl, cut together sugar and butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until butter is in large chunks. Add corn syrup, salt, peppermint, and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to come together, then work into a dough with your hands, kneading constantly until dough is smooth and uniform. Divide dough into two parts. Make a well in the center of each and put a small amount of food coloring in the well. Knead each ball of dough until the color is distributed uniformly.

On large sheets of waxed paper in an area where you will rest your candy, roll dough between your hands into "snakes" a little larger in diameter than a pencil. Once you have all the dough rolled, set a timer for 10 minutes. When the buzzer rings, begin cutting the snakes, starting with the first ones you prepared, into pillows. Allow them to set for 24 hours. Store in an airtight container or a large Ziploc bag. Keep in mind that the mints are semi-soft, so protect them from being crushed.

Enjoy!

Christmas Cookie #2: Fresh Ginger-Lemon Cookies

I love the taste of these gentle ginger cookies. They are a far cry from the heavily spiced taste of ginger snaps or gingerbread. I love to eat them with a nice, hot cup of Earl Grey. They are a crisp mouthful of buttery ginger-lemon goodness -- a great taste of the holidays.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tbs fresh ginger, finely ground in the food processor
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure lemon extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the sugar and butter, add vinegar and mix thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients, one at a time, beating after each addition. The dough should be thick, but not stiff or dry. Roll dough in 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Gently press into 1/2 inch rounds with your fingers or the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake 14-16 minutes, until golden. Cool completely.

Enjoy!

Christmas Cookie #1: Surprise Sugar Cookies

My family is crazy over Christmas cookies. We bake them. We exchange them with friends. We use and re-use old recipes, adapt recipes, and try new recipes. Because Christmas cookies are such a fun and important part of our holiday celebration, I thought I'd spend December posting old stand-bys and new favorites.

The first is Surprise Sugar Cookies -- they are crisp and tasty and they disappear fast! And the surprise is just how easy they are to make! We made a batch today (my three-year-old and I) in about a half hour. With her helping. A lot. (Get the picture?)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. white vinegar
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
Red and green colored sugar sprinkles, mixed together

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine butter and 3/4 cups sugar and beat until light and creamy. Add baking soda and mix until incorporated. Add vinegar. Gradually mix in flour and vanilla. (The dough should be quite thick.) Roll dough into 1 inch balls.

Roll the balls in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, mixed with the colored sugar sprinkles -- this is a great job for the kids. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet (cookie will spread quite a bit, so leave plenty of room). To make it easier to bring the cookies from the sheet to a cooling rack, I line my cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Julia's Pumpkin Cake

I made this cake for my family last night and they loved it! It has a moist texture and just enough sweetness without being too sweet. I used fresh pumpkin puree (from my Perfect Baked Pumpkin recipe), but you can use canned if you need to. This is one of my favorite fall sweets and it's so easy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pumpkin puree

Mix brown sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs. Sift in the flour, soda, salt, and spices. Mix well with an electric mixer until there are no lumps (3-4 minutes on medium). Add pumpkin puree. Mix again for one minute. Bake in greased and floured 9x13 cake pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out completely clean. Cool completely and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. (so yummy!)

Enjoy!

NanaJane's Minestrone Soup

My mother had a wonderful way of making this soup just when we needed it most -- after a day of leaf-raking or chopping wood for the woodstove. It was such a welcome feeling to walk into the warm house and smell this wonderful soup on the stove. One bowl would turn you from chilled-to-the-bone straight into warm-n-cozy. (I think it's magic.)

Ingredients

1 Tbs oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup green beans
2 cup tomatoes, smashed (canned work best)
1 cup of white beans (canellini, navy, Lima etc.)
1 zucchini, cut into half-moon slices
1/4 cup fresh parsley (or1 Tbsp dry)
1 tsp basil and 1 tsp oregano, dried
1 bay leaf
8 cups of beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. small pasta (any variety)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta and cheese, and cook over low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cook pasta separately, then add to soup right before serving. top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve with nice, crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Megan's Cranberry Bread

Megan bakes this bread every year and gives it away as gifts. It is so tasty and moist, with a hint of citrus and those tangy, tart cranberries. We look forward to it every November!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fresh orange zest
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbs water
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup raw cranberries

Mix dry ingredients and add egg. In a saucepan, melt butter and add water and orange juice. Pour wet ingredients into batter and mix well. Fold in pecans and cranberries. Bake in greased loaf pans at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

"Impossible" Coconut Custard Pie

This is a recipe from my childhood. We called "Impossible Pie" because it is crustless. I can think of no circumstance in which it could be considered healthy. It is decadent and wonderful and best in small slices.

Ingredients

4 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Blend all ingredients until fully incorporated. Pour into a 10 inch greased and floured pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

NanaJane's Pumpkin Pie

The secret ingredients of this classic recipe are honey and molasses. They give NanaJane's pumpkin pie a flavor that's just different enough to set it apart at Thanksgiving time.

Ingredients:

One 8-9 inch pie crust, unbaked

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cup mashed pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1 Tbs molasses
1 Tbs honey
1 can of evaporated milk

Blend together the eggs and pumpkin. Add sugar, salt, spices, molasses and honey. Mix well. Stir in evaporated milk. Pour custard carefully into crust and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for 40-45 minutes. If crust starts to get too brown, cover the edge with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!

Tante Dedi's Porkchops with Dill Gravy

When I was seventeen, I spent a summer in Northern Germany. It was my first trip outside North America. I was fortunate enough to spend part of my time with a friend's Great Aunt in her beautiful home called the Hahnheider Hof. She prepared this recipe for us, and took the time to teach it to me (as I spent time learning German from the local children, Silke, Ole, and Jan.) It remains one of my favorites to this day. I cannot prepare it without thinking of her.

Ingredients
4 boneless center-cut pork chops
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
1 egg
2 tbs water
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tbs fresh dill weed (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tbs corn starch
1 cup sour cream
1 lemon, sliced

Lightly tenderize the pork chops -- I pound them to about 3/4 inch thickness, thinner if I want them to cook faster. Beat the egg with the water and set aside. Dredge the chops in seasoned flour, dip them in the egg mixture, and bread them with the breadcrumbs. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes on a platter. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil. Brown the chops over medium heat until golden, about 4 minutes per side. (If chops are thick, you may want to finish them in the oven. If thin, skillet cooking will be enough.) Place chops on a heat-proof dish and place in a warm oven. Pour chicken stock into skillet and heat, scraping up any bits left on the cooking surface. Reduce by half. Mix dill, corn starch, and sour cream. Remove pan from the heat and gently whisk in sour cream mixture. Return to the heat and gently heat through until thickened and bubbling.

Squeeze lemon slices over breaded chops and serve with dill gravy on top or on the side. I always prepare boiled potatoes with this dish. Potatoes with this gravy are to die for (even though it is definitely a diet-buster, it is so worth it.)

Enjoy!

NanaJane's Pumpkin Muffins

When I was a girl, my mother would serve these muffins as a surprise addition to her oven-fried chicken dinners. I looked forward to their moist texture and perfect sweet-spiciness. Pumpkin muffins were a welcome sign that Fall had arrived. I am so blessed to be able to pass on this recipe to my own children. I love to see their delighted eyes when they spy this delicious treat on our supper table.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
(see Perfect Baked Pumpkin)
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts or raisins (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add wet ingredients. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until the batter is just moistened and lumpy. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. (Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar if you like.) Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and serve piping hot.

Enjoy!

Perfect Baked Squash or Pumpkin

As we get farther into fall, I start to get the yen for all things pumpkin! This is the time of year when we go with the children to choose the pumpkins they'll make into jack-o-lanterns. When we do, I try to get a pie pumpkin and bake it whole. It makes the perfect base for pumpkin pie, soup, or pumpkin muffins. The same method works for both butternut or acorn squash, two other fall favorites!

Ingredients

1-2 pie pumpkins
or
1 medium-sized acorn squash
or
1 large butternut squash

Wash the pumpkin or squash. Remove the stem. Prick the outside skin several times with the tines of a fork. Place on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. (If making butternut squash, turn the squash over after 30 minutes.) Check for doneness by piercing with a knife. The flesh should be nice and soft. If done, remove the pumpkin or squash from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Slice it in half, scoop out and discard the seeds. Now the pumpkin or squash is ready to cut up into other dishes or to be pureed in the blender or food processor.

Cooking these vegetables whole allows the sugars to remain in the flesh and the flavor to intensify without the need for a lot of other seasonings. If you want to make squash as a side-dish, try serving it cut and very lightly salted, or sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. It is delicious.

Enjoy!

Jeff & Katie's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Jeff and Katie stopped by our house earlier this week, and I made them these cookies. As our children played with them and their young daughter, the heaping plate I brought to the table was reduced to crumbs. Fortunately, I had set some aside for Jeff and Katie to bring home! (I wonder whether Katie decided to share.) Well, with this recipe, I guess she can just make more!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa (I use Droste)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup Splenda for baking (or white sugar)
2 eggs
1 tbs vanilla
1 tbs milk
1 bag peanut butter chips (12 ounces)

Mix together the flour, cocoa, soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside. In a large mixing bowl, blend the butter and shortening for about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and blend until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, blending after each addition. Add vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as you go. Add milk and mix thoroughly. The batter should be very light-textured. Add chips and mix in gently.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop from a teaspoon about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute in place and then move to a cooling rack. This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

Grandma's Chicken-Broccoli Bake

When NanaJane makes this dish, it is called Chicken Divan. Grandma has a variety of homespun names for it. I found it filed under three such names in my recipe box... all the same recipe, and all delicious. This is an all-in-one dinner just perfect for a rainy day.

Ingredients

8 cups cooked rice
(I prefer jasmine rice, but brown rice is also delicious)
8 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
salt & pepper to taste
seasoned salt to taste
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
6 tbs. fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons worth)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbs. onion, minced
10 oz. frozen broccoli
(or 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli, blanched)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 casserole dish, place rice in an even layer. Cover evenly with cooked chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, soups, lemon juice, garlic, and onion. Spread rice and chicken with half this mixture. Layer the broccoli on top, followed by the remaining half of the soup mixture. Sprinkle cheese over all and top with breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!