Oatmeal Cream Pies

(from "The Amish Cook's Baking Book")

These were amazing. So amazing that the only way I could make them is if I sent them all away with Tyson to work. Thanks to all the brown sugar, these cookies are soft and get even softer as they sit out.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 tablespoons boiling water

Cream:
1 1/2 cups butter cream frosting
1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream fluff stuff

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside (or use parchment)
Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs in a large.
In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, flour, and baking powder. Add to the reamed mixture.
Add the cinnamon and oats. Mix well.
In a small dish, add the baking soda to the boiling water, and then stir the mixture into the rest of the batter. Mix well.
Drop by tablespoons onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake until the cookies are firm and just starting to turn golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. (what??!!! I cooked mine for 6-8 minutes, and they were perfect)
Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

For the cream filling. Mix the butter cream frosting and marshmallow fluff with a beater for 1-2 minutes.

* I am not sure what the cook book actually used for the cream filling, I forgot to write it down. So I came up with my own.

Nutella Fudge Brownies

No No No! I want this recipe erased from my memory. It is too good and too easy. I am going to make it too often and get too fat!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Nutella
1 egg
5 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a mini muffin pan with paper cups (12)
Mix the Nutella and egg in a bowl until smooth and well blended. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined.
Spoon the batter into the 12 mini muffin cups.
Bake for 11 - 12 minutes.
Set on a rack to cool completely.

*This recipe is adapted from finecooking.com

Pretzel Rolls

I saw these at Wegmans and Knew I had to make them. I made these twice last week, all I needed was a bowl of that artificial cheese dip and my life would have been complete.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
pretzel salt


Directions:

In a bowl of a stand mixer combine the water, yeast and sugar and let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes
Add the flour, salt and butter. Mix the dough until combined and dough cleans the side of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise until double.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 20 little balls.
Place the balls on the baking sheets and let rise about 30 minutes or until doubled.
Place oven racks in the lower 2/3 position.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda and lower the heat to a simmer.
Put the rolls into the water and poach for 30 seconds, then carefully turn the roll over and poach for another 30 seconds.
Remove the rolls onto a dry tea towel to drain. Be very gentle. Place rolls back on parchment lined baking sheets.
Glaze each roll with the lightly beaten egg. Top each roll with pretzel salt. Cut an X or slash into the top of each roll.
Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes.

The Best White Fluffy Frosting

This is the best frosting ever. It's an oldy, but a goody. It is often used on top of red velvet cake, or is great as a cupcake filling. Don't be afraid of the unusual ingredients.!!

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Butter
1 cup Granulated Sugar (not powdered sugar)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk and heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. You want it to be really thick, like brownie batter thick.
Remove pan from heat stir in the vanilla and cover the mixture with plastic wrap or wax paper so no skin develops. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and ALL the graininess is gone (this can take a while,... 5-10 minutes)
When Flour and milk mixture has cooled, stir vanilla into the mixture. Then add the mixture to the butter and sugar and beat until it is combined and resembles whipped cream. If it looks separated, keep beating, another 5-10 minutes.
If there is any leftover after "taste testing" Spread it on your favorite chocolate cake and enjoy!!

*Some recipes use half butter and half shortening, I haven't made it like this, but I am sure it would be just as good.

Black Bean and Brown Rice Cakes

These patties can be served alone or as a veggie burger. In the picture above I made burgers out of mini corn tortillas, tomato, lettuce, cilantro and veggie cheddar cheese with jalapeno. YUM!!
Ingredients:

2 can black beans (or about 3 cups) rinsed and drained.
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cups cooked brown rice
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse half of the beans with the scallions, jalapeno, and cumin until a chunky paste forms.
In a large bowl, combine the bean puree with the rice and the remaining beans. Season with salt and pepper
Divide mixture into eight 3 inch wide patties. (to freeze, wrap patties in plastic)
Oil a baking sheet and place in oven for 5 minutes. Carefully place patties on hot baking sheet and bake 12 minutes. Let rest on sheet for 5 minutes before removing.