Sugar Cookies

I love this recipe because it is not too sweat and it is very soft. Just perfect for a mountain of fluffy butter cream icing!

3/4 cup butter room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 cup flour


Cream butter, sugar and egg until very light and fluffy.
Add sour cream, vanilla and lemon
Sift together flour, salt and baking powder and add to cream mixture.
Mix to a soft dough.

Place dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and roll dough out until about 1/4 inch thick.

Place plastic covered dough in the refrigerator for three hours or over night.

Cut out cookie shapes and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Heat oven to 350 degrees and cook cookies for 8-9 minutes. Take out when the first cracks appear on cookies.

Coconut Cream Cake

The longer this cake sits the better it tastes! And it is worth the wait.

Cake:
1 cup butter, room temp
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups sour cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups shredded coconut (plus more for topping)
12 ounces cool whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine the flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.
Stir in the vanilla.
Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn them out to cool completely.

To make filling, whip the heavy cream until stiff.
Fold in sour cream, then gradually add the powdered sugar.
Stir in the vanilla then fold in the coconut.

Split each cake layer in half, spread filling in between layers and on top of the cake.
Place the cake in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 days before serving. When ready to serve, remove from fridge and frost with cool whip and sprinkle with coconut if desired.

*This is a recipe from Paula Deen, so you know it has to be good!

Italian Love Cake

This one has become a tradition, i usually make it once a year. I would make it more, but it is huge.

cake:
2 pounds ricotta cheese
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 package fudge marble cake (and whatever ingredients the directions on the box call for)

icing:
one 5.1 ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup cold milk
8 oz cool whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan.
For the cake, mix the ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla and set aside.
Prepare the cake mix according to package directions and pour into prepared pan.
Spread ricotta mixture directly on top of the batter.
Bake for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.

For the icing, stir the pudding mix into the milk, then fold in the cool whip. Spread icing on the cake and refrigerate overnight.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This one I have only made once, but it was really really yummy!

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup ground pecans
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese room temp
3/8 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the melted butter or margarine and mix well. Firmly press mixture into one 9 inch spring form pan. ( i prefer to cut a circle of parchment paper for the bottom of the pan too)
Combine 3/4 cup of the white sugar, the pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and set aside.
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and mix well. Add the whole egg, remaining egg yolk and the whipping cream, beating well. Add cornstarch and vanilla and lemon flavorings, beat batter until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Place pan in a water bath, or at least put another pan of water in oven below cheese cake.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 min. Do not over bake. Center may be soft but it will firm up when chilled. Let cheesecake cool in oven with door cracked for 5-10 min, then close oven door and let cool completely. Refrigerate...... for a day. I know that is hard! but it is worth it to wait a day.

Beef Bourguignon

2 pounds topside or round steak, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
flour, salt and pepper
3 slices bacon
1 tblsp vegetable oil
12 pickling onions
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 tsp dried thyme
6-8 oz button mushrooms
2 bay leaves

Coat meat in a flour, salt and pepper mixture.
Cut bacon into small dices and quickly cook in oil. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add meat into pan and brown it on all sides, you may have to do this in batches.
Remove all meat, add onions and cook until golden.
Add everything to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 1 1/2 hours.

Can be served over potatoes, rice, or noodles. Or with good crusty bread.

*This is another one of Tyson's favorite. I think he requests it for every birthday dinner.!!

Flour Tortillas

Thanks to my dad, we now have a handy tortilla press. The kids love to help with it and we all love to eat these so much that I really need to from now on make a double batch.

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup boiling water

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Cut in shortening.
3. Add water slowly, and mix to combine.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes.
5. Cover with a moist towel and let rest for 10 minutes
6.Divide the dough into about 10 pieces and roll each piece out to desired thickness, about the size of the soft taco tortillas. (cover dough with moist towel so they don't dry out.)
7.Cook on a frying pan over medium to medium high heat. No oil or spray, just a dry pan. Flip tortilla when bubbles form. (I again like to cover the cooked tortillas with a hot moist towel, so they stay moist and hot for serving)


*OK, so a little time consuming, but so worth it. And cheap. Hmmm.... I should try making a whole wheat version.

Cream Cheese Swirl Blondies

9 tblsp softened butter
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

cream cheese swirl:
6 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tblsp softened butter
2 tblsp flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. line a 8 inch pan with foil and butter lining.
Whisk flour, powder and salt.
Cream butter and sugar for 3 minutes, add eggs and vanilla, mix. Add flour mixture

For cream cheese swirl, beat all ingredients until smooth.

Pour half of the Blondie batter into the pan.
Spread 2/3 of cream cheese mixture over batter.
Spread remaining batter over cream cheese.
Dollop the rest of the cream cheese mixture, then swirl with a knife through all layers.

Bake for 45-47 minutes. coll completely on wire rack. The foil lining makes it possible to remove the entire Blondie from the pan, and cut it all nicely and stuff.


*This is Tysons favorite, so I go all out and use my Madagascar vanilla bean on this one.