Italian Christmas Cookies

Once again my sister, Jennifer has baked some amazing cookies. They were part of her Christmas tray one year. Did I tell you that my Gma is Italian. These passed the palette of many and I'm so glad I have the recipe now, because I will be baking these babies up more than just around the holidays.


Italian Christmas Cookies
 1 Cup Butter Softened
2 Cups Sugar
3 eggs
1 carton Ricotta cheese(15oz)
2tsp Vanilla
4 C flour
1tsp Salt
1tsp Baking Soda
-cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time.
Beat in ricotta and vanilla.
combine flour, salt and baking soda, gradually add to creamed mixture.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto parchment paper lined sheets, bake for 10-12 min at 350 Remove to wire racks to cool then frost and decorate with sprinkles

Frosting:

1/4 C butter, softened
3-4 C Confectioners Sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbls milk
cream butter, sugar and vanilla, add enough milk til frosting reaches spreading consistency.  Frost cooled cookies, store in cool place or refrigerator for up to 1 wk.  yield 8 dozen

Soft Ginger Cookies

My sister Jennifer makes a tray of many cookies at Christmas time. My favorite cookies are those that are soft and moist and take a cookie that you can sink your teeth right through and then have a wonderful flavor burst across taste buds of your tongue! 

I love these cookies for those very reasons. They are rolled in sugar and then dipped in white chocolate which offers texture of the sugar crystals to sort of pop and then melt into your mouth next to the white chocolate that melts and dissolves upon touching your tongue! Oh, I'm in love!

I'm telling you these are to die for!

GINGER SNAP COOKIES without the Snap!

2 C Sugar
1 1/2 C Veg Oil
2 eggs
1/2 C Molasses
4 C all purpose Flour
4 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbls Ginger
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
Additional sugar for rolling
1 block of vanilla Almond bark
OR
2 pkgs white choc chips (10-12oz pkgs)
1/4 Cup shortening
-combine sugar and oil, beat in eggs, stir in molasses.  Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.
-shape into balls and roll into sugar, place 2 in apart on ungreased or parchment lined sheets.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 min or until cookie springs back when touched. remove to racks to cool.
-I like to just melt the almond bark in the microwave and dip half the cookie, (I tend to agree with you, too Jen)
if you cannot find the almond bark melt white choc. chips with shortening over low heat stir til smooth and dip cookies.
yield 14 dozen!

#1 NY Coffee Cake

Let me just tell you, if you put the word New York in front of any food item you better be prepared to "BRING IT" and this coffee cake does. It is absolutely all that AND a bag of chips! This recipe comes from the book Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis, Renato Poliafito. It costs about $16 and change.

These pictures do NOTHING for the pure satisfaction that your tastebuds will thank you for!

Seriously, this is a dense and moist perfect little coffee cake!

It is this delicious scrumptious crumb topping that makes it OOH so worth it!

Ingredients:

Coffee cake: Preheat oven to 350

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter or spray your pan with pam. Be sure to spray sides and bottom.

For the crumb topping:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter

For the topping combine both sugars, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Add the melted butter and combine well.
Fold in the flour until it is absorbed.
Spread onto a sheet of foil or parchment paper this will dry slightly as you make the cake.

Make the cake, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and stir together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter until it is well combined.
Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated.
Scrape the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.
 Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl before each addition, beaiting only until it is just incorporated.
Cake assemble, pour the batter in the prepared pan.
Scoop a handful of the topping and make a fist. The topping should hold together.
Break off in chunks and drop them over the cake.
Repeat to use all the topping. Remember, the topping layer will look very thick.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Rotate the pan two times during the baking process.
Cool the entire pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Let cool slightly. I think it is the best when served just barely on the warm side! But, it is just as wonderful when completely cooled. I think I may have to make this again, just so I can give you a more accurate opinion.

Blueberry pancakes!

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 TBS butter, melted
2 cups flour
2 TBS sugar
1 1/2 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 pint blueberries

Combine all dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until uniform throughout. Gently fold in the blueberries. Cook on a skillet, flipping when the batter bubbles up on top of the pancake. Makes about 12 4 inch pancakes.

Sausage stuffed Jalapenos

We loved the bacon wrapped jalapenos so much that I was on a search to make more appetizers with this spicy pepper! I found this recipe in my Taste of Home Magazine circa September 2007.

Submitted by Rachel Oswald, Greenville, Michigan

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1 pkg. softened cream cheese

22 large jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwised and seeded

Ranch salad dressing optional

Caution: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, use rubber or plastic gloves to protect your hands. AVOID touching your face or eyes. Your skin will definitely BURN

Directions: bake 425 for 15 to 20 min.

1. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese; fold in sausage

2. Spoon about 1 tablespoonful into each jalapeno half. Place in two ungreased 9x13 in baking dishes. Bake uncovered, at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until filling is lightly browned and bubbly. Serve with ranch dressing if desired.

Yield: 44 appetizers

Pecan Sandies

Pecan Sandies have been my children's favorite cookie because of my grandmother! She had always had them for Warrior when he was young and would go to her house to dunk cookies. She only started keeping on hand chocolate chip cookies when Warrior was five years old.

This cookie recipe I happened along by chance. I was making the Girl Scout cookie knock offs and had tasted the dough and knew with just a roll in sugar and an addition of chopped pecans we would have a keeper! So, I am adapting the Girl Scout Cookie Tagalongs recipe to make this dream of a cookie. Warrior and Mr. Incredible absolutely love these! They are nice and buttery also.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
Pecans chopped finely

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk. The dough should come together into a soft ball.
Add in pecans to your liking. I did not measure this. I just eye balled it to what our preference was. Sprinkle sugar onto dough and press out with a biscuit cutter. You can place cookies closer together as these will have minimum spread unlike the chocolate chip cookies.

Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes, until bottoms and the edges are lightly browned and cookies are set. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheet and then move to wire rack. Enjoy with a tall class of cold milk. These will rally Keebler.

Grandma Eaton's famous Macaroni Salad

Ok, so this macaroni salad is my grandmother's. It is the macaroni salad that is made at every family summer get together. Either my aunts or my sister will bring this when there is a family affair! It has since been passed down to all of her grandchildren since her passing. Love you Grams!

G's Macaroni Salad

1 pound elbows macaroni
2 cans small shrimp rinsed and drained
6 hard boiled eggs
1 tall thin jar of green olives
1 can of black olives
3-4 stalks celery chopped

Ingredients
Cook macaroni until just passed done. Rinse, drain and cool. Chop eggs, olives and celery. Mix all ingredients in large bowl and Add mayonaisse until moist. As salad sets it will absorb, chill and add more mayo if needed. Decorate with additional sliced eggs and sprinkle with paprika for color! Add salt and pepper to taste.

sweet and sour meatballs

Sweet and Sour MeatBalls
1 pound of frozen cooked meat balls
1 16oz. can of pineapple tid bits, drained (reserve juice)
1/2 cup water
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 onion finely chopped
2Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons soyu

Preparation:

Thaw meatballs according to package directions. In a pan, combine pineapple liquid, water, vinegar, green pepper and onion. Stir in meatballs and cook 4-8 minutes, covered but stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot, stirring once halfway through cooking time. You may put all the contents into a crock pot.
In a bowl, mix cornstarch, sugar, and soy sauce. Whisk well to combine. Add to pan. Cook, covered, in pan 4-8 minutes or until sauce is clear and thickened. Stir in pineapple, then cook, covered, again on high for 2-3 minutes until hot and bubbly. This has a nice flavor

Chocolate Covered Pretzels, aka FLIPZ

I almost flipped when I saw the price of these FLIPZ! It is $6 for a bag less than 11oz.  My little guy insisted he needed this treat and I insisted I could make him as much as his heart desired for $6!
I blogged about these on my family blog here.
Ok, so these things are a no brainer!
1 bag of pretzels,( squares, sticks, whatever)
1 bag of quik melt or melting chocolate.

Heat in double boiler or in microwave. Be sure to consistently stir! and if you microwave be sure to heat for 10 seconds at a time, stirring in between heats. Dip chocolates and lay out on wax paper. You may add sprinkles or colored sugar to top, roll in nuts or coconut flakes.

My Dash absolutely loves DIPS they are pretzels dipped in melted chocolate

Prime Rib and au jus

Prime rib is a delicacy for our family. In fact, we only get it if we eat out and order it or if we are visiting my family back in New York. I told you, they eat quite well there. Anyway, it is tradition for the Eaton household to have Prime rib New Years Day and maybe another time near the summer or perhaps its around Mother's Day. Ever since my sister married her husband, Dan he has been in charge over the prime rib. So, its been for about 12 years or so. He is a good cook and is known to search out recipes. He enjoys flavorful good food.

PRIME RIB
I would choose the appropriate size for the amount of people you are serving. This was a boneless prime rib.
If I were to serve for my family. I would purchase a 3lb. boneless prime rib
- favorite steak and grill seasoning
- olive oil
-5 cloves of minced garlic
Allow your roast to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees
In a bowl mix your seasonings until well combined to make a rub for your meat.
You want to place your rib into roasting pan FAT side up (it is easier if you have a meat thermometer but it is not necessary) If you have a thermometer place in middle of prime rib. Bake at 500 for about 16 minutes
and then reduce your heat down to 325 for approximately 35 minutes or so. It says you will want your thermometer to read 120, but allow your thermometer to reach 130 if you like it less red which will lend it to medium rare
Remove from oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes prior to slicing. Mmmmmmmmm

save the juices to make au jus

Au Jus
gather remaining juices from prime rib pan
add 1 thinly sliced shallot
cook for 15 minutes to blend flavors and adjust to taste by adding garlic, olive oil, salt etc.

Antipasta Salad

I moved from Hawaii when I was almost 3 years old and the only salad that I knew of until I left the house for college was this salad right here. My dad is Italian and our town predominantly is Italian as well, so much that every year they have an Italian festival filled with live bands, amazing food, and pastries.

My children aren't really big fans of this salad but I definitely am. I believe that your children take on the tastes of the "Man of the house". It was the case with my mother and her cooking and it is now the case with me and my cooking.

Antipasta Salad

8 oz. genoa salami slivered bite sizes pieces

8 oz. of a hard salami

8 oz. of pepperoni bite size

8 oz. of sharp provolone cheese slivered into bite sizes

8 oz. of fresh mozzarella cheese bite size

1 small jar of peppercini with 3 tablespoons of juice

2 large tomatoes sliced

1 can of black olives sliced

1 14.oz can of artichokes drained and sliced in bite size

1/4 cup green olives

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 head of iceberg lettuce

6 ablespoons red wine vinegar

2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil

fresh ground pepper to taste

Any one of these items may be omitted if you do not like.

Mix and toss into large bowl, chill and serve!

Egg in the hole

I can not believe that I have not put this in my recipe blog! My children make these often and request it as well.! I first came to know these delights when I was a young child and my cousin Gina went to spend the week with her other grandmother. When she came back to visit our Grandmother she lamented about how her Grandmother M only made egg in the hole for her. Gma and I both did not know what these were and asked her to make them for us! I remember laughing vividly at how she was tortured to eat these but also remember dying to get home to make it myself. I have been hooked ever since and probably could eat them on a daily basis.

Egg in the hole

2 slices of bread

butter

2 eggs

1.  Take your slice of bread and butter it

2. Take a biscuit cutter or a cookie cutter in any shape and stamp out the middle of the bread, save that peice of bread for dipping

3. Heat your skillet or pan to medium heat and place your slice of bread butter side down on skillet

4. break your egg into the center of your slice of bread, allow to slightly cook, sprinkle salt and pepper on egg

5. When egg on the bottom of bread is firm, you can flip. (usually after a minute or so)

6. Deciding when to take your egg out of the skillet depends on how well or undercooked you want your middle. I like mine runny but not too runny! So, slightly firm.

7. When you flip your egg is when I add the extra peice of bread and toast that lightly.

8. Pull both the egg in the hole and the piece out and repeat for however many egg in the holes you need to make.

Fried Plantains

About 9 years ago the Mr. and I took a trip to San Juan Puerto Rico and had an amazing delicacy of food! One of my favorites was they would serve plantains in every form and fashion and in the most delicious way.
I'm going to share the easiest and quickest way. They are good and flavorful and can be sprinkled with salt, confectioners sugar or honey. (I do not recommend all three at the same time)
They are wonderfully crisp on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside! I sliced mine on the thin side so that they would be more like chips! You may also choose to use ripe yellow and brown plantains but I chose green to have more of a dried banana chip.

Fried Plantains
Place approximately 2 tablespoons of oil in a hot pan and bring it to medium-high heat, add 2-3 peeled and sliced plantains in a single layer. Allow them to soak in salted ice water in a bowl.

Allow to cook leaving for a minute or two, or until a golden crust forms on the plantain.

Flip over and fry for 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place on plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Lemon Chiffon Cake! ooh LaLa

The lemon chiffon cake recipe comes straight from Martha Stewart herself! Let me tell you it is light it is airy, it is beautiful it is ::Sigh:: heaven! A perfect perfect cake on a summer day or to welcome spring or for anything. I have to say, naturally I'm inclined to choose the chocolate cake but this has one my heart over!

Lemon Chiffon Cake - from Martha Stewart Living

3/4 cup cake flour

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar, divided
3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp grated lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees

1. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup sugar. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the three egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and water.

3.Stir in the dry ingredients.

4. In an electric mixer, beat the three egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat on high until soft peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the tablespoon of sugar, beating on high for 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

5. Stir 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the batter, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold the remaining 2/3 into the batter. Pour into an ungreased 7″ tube pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

I used a 9x13 pan or you can use two 9 inch pans, I wanted my layers thin, so I could stack them.
If you choose to double the recipe use a 10 inch tube pan and bake longer.
6. Bake 45 minutes or until a skewer poked into the cake comes out clean and the top is golden.

7. Cool the cake upside down.  Let cool to room temperature, and then run a knife between cake and pan and turn out onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Oh excuse me! I just can't put my fork down!

LEMON CURD also from Martha Stewart Living
Ingredients

8 large egg yolks

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

Directions

1.Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 8 to 10 minutes, and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

2.Remove saucepan from heat. Add salt and butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
Makes 2 cups
It is really a simple recipe!

KFC coleslaw...mmm good

Last summer I went home for my nephew's graduation party! The Eaton family never disappoints when they have get together, parties or gatherings! The food is always plentiful and top notch! My blog should actually be called the EATON FAMILY recipes because this is where the majority of my recipes come from! My sister, Jennifer is a wonderful mom, cook and baker! Yes, she does it all and does it well! I secretly envy her. It's ok because she doesn't blog. If she did she would put me to shame.

This recipe was taken from here. It had 275 reviews and was given 5 stars! It is a definite keeper if you love slaw! Eat it plain, serve it with chicken, bbq or on top of a hot dog. Anywhere you serve it, one thing is for sure it will be GONE!

KFC Coleslaw
If you want to take an easy way out! you can buy the pre mixed slaw packages and then just pulse them slightly in your food processor! Huge time saver!
Prep time 15 minutes, total time 15 minutes! The longer you allow to set up the better it becomes!

8 cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)

1/4 cup diced carrott

2 tablespoons minced onions

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

To have the right consistency you need to make sure that your cabbage and carrots are finely diced.

A food processor will come in handy. Be careful not to over process! Do it until it looks good to you.

In a large bowl you will add slaw and your minced onions together

 Using regular blade on food processor process remaining ingredients until smooth and then pour over your slaw mixture! mmm mmm good!.

  Cover and place into fridge. It will be best to marinate and sit a few hours to over night.

Ground Hog pancakes

To Go with our ground hog hot chocolate! We had to have ground hog pancakes and I again, I bow to Gourmet Mom on-the-Go!
I have to admit hers came out cuter but what my kids don't know won't hurt them! I'm a firm believer of that, policy especially when it comes to food related things! Who says you have to tell them that the brownies they love so much are filled with yummy delicious pureed vegetables! NOT ME! Mums the word! The ingredients needed:

GROUND HOG PANCAKES
Pancake batter
green food coloring
donut holes
mini mm's ( you will use these for eyes and nose) I did not use them. You may omit
mini marshmellows
peanut butter or butterscotch chocolate chips
and half an apple for each pancake you make.

A few of the ingredients! Go ahead and assemble the faces of the ground hog and
slice your apples in half! The apple helps to make the mound of the pancake.
Make your pancake batter according to directions and add green food coloring until it
is the color to your liking!

Assemble ground hog head

Take your donut hole and place your butterscotch or peanut butter chip on both sides of the hole.
These will form the ears. I used melted chocolate and dotted my eyes with a toothpick
and then I used red gel to make the nose! Gourmet mom's pancakes were cuter but like I said, use
what you have and your kids will still believe you are the bomb!

Place half an apple on bottom of plate. You could add peanut butter if you so desire.

Then place your pancake on top of the apple.

Cut a small hole out of the top of your pancake. I just dug a hole out. It looked more

realistic. Place your ground hog donut head in hole.

My little ground hog was so scared with what he saw that he dropped little ground hog
pellets all around his hole before he retreated back in!

Such a cute and adorable breakfast! Can't wait for the rest of the day! and once again, thank you
Gourmet mom on-the-go

Ground Hog Hot Chocolate

You all know how I absolutely adore celebrating any holiday possible! When I came across this I just knew I would add these to our day! You can even end the day with playing wack a mole!
These are absolutely the cutest things to have waiting for your children at all ages! An unexpected surprise was they slowly began to sink back into their hole as the hot chocolate melted them! It lended for squeels of delight!
I have to thank this fabulous woman! I love her sight and go there for many holiday ideas! (I can think up a few of my own occassionally).
For in detail pictures and directions please click GOURMET MOM. but, I am absolutely sure you will want to bookmark her and sign up to have her wonderful ideas sent straight to your email! I did! So, here's the main link.
Now, let me share, what you will need:
Ground Hog Hot Chocolate
Hot cocoa, mug and saucer
chocolate wafer cookies. ( I got mine at walmart and used their thin mint double fudge)
mini marshmellows (I cut the mini in half and then halved the half)
chocolate quik melts (choc chips won't be strong enough to hold your ground hog to the cup)
green sprinkle sugar
I used heart candies for the nose. You could use anything red.
Pictures should be self explanatory

He is absolutely adorable!

To make the face! I took one chocolate mint double fudge wafer and

used quik melt to stick two chocolate chips to the top to make ears.

I then took a mini marshmellow and cut that in half and then cut the half

in half again! Making 4 eyes total! I took two marshmellows and glued

them using chocolate to the wafer cookie and then used a tooth pick with

some melted chocolate and made eye balls on my marshmellows.

Be sure to use some of that melted chocolate to draw his shadow on the saucer.

Next for the nose and mouth. I couldn't find those adorable sprinkles that

Gourmet mom used so I just went to the cake aisle and improvised. You do

the same. Other suggestions could be red hots, sprinkles or even making your own

with a small heart cookie cutter and a fruit roll up.

I didn't think my ground hog stood up tall enough so I chose to glue my ground

hog head to another wafer making his body. I then used the quik melt and put it

onto the wafer and placed him to the inside rim!

With the whipped cream spray a generous amount, a huge mound right

behind your ground hog and sprinkle with green sugar! Also be sure to

sprinkle some green sugar on your saucer! VOILA, he is done!

OH no, there goes our ground hog! He is going back into his hole! This

year he didn't see his shadow! So, I just turned the saucer around.

bye bye Phil.

My daughter chose to save him with her spoon! I let mine rest

peacefully back in his hole and it flavored my cocoa very nicely!