Sunday, October 30, 2011

Enjoy these recipes from the Tour of Homes reception

Lemon Bars (From the AAUW "Savoring the Seasons" Cookbook)
2 c. flour                                                              4 eggs
½ tsp. salt                                                            2 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar                                       ¼ c. flour
1 c. soft butter                                                  6 T. lemon juice
Mix flour, powdered sugar and salt; cut in butter. Press into greased 9X13-inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Beat eggs; add ¼ c. flour, sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust. Bake an additional 25 minutes. Sift powdered sugar on top.

Missy’s Sinful Snack (from AAUW Savoring the Seasons" Cookbook)
3 c. corn or rice chex                                       20 caramels cut in halves
2 c. small pretzel twists                                   12 oz. white chocolate chips
1 c. peanuts or mixed nuts

Combine cereal, pretzels, nuts, and caramels in a large bowl. Melt the white chocolate chips and pour over the mixture. Stir until coated and then spread it onto wax paper. When cool, break into pieces.


Cider Citrus Sparkle Punch (from AAUW "Savoring the Seasons" Cookbook)
2 qts. (8 c.) apple cider, chilled
6-oz. can lemonade concentrate, thawed
28-oz. bottle ginger ale, chilled
Ice cubes or mold
In large pitcher or punch bowl, combine cider and lemonade concentrates. Add ginger ale and ice; stir to blend. If desired, garnish with apple or lemon slices. 24 (4-oz.) servings.


Creamy Fudge (from AAUW  "Savoring the Seasons" Cookbook)
6 oz. can (3.4 c.) evaporated milk                             8 oz. Hershey bar
10 big marshmallows                                                   1 stick butter
2 c. sugar                                                                        1 c. pecans, coarsely chopped or broken
6 oz. (1c.) semi-sweet chocolate chips                   1 tsp. vanilla
Combine milk, marshmallows, and sugar and bring to boil and stir for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat well until well-mixed and a little stiff. Turn out into a buttered 9-inch square pan. A glass pan makes it easier to cut the fudge into small pieces. The fudge is rich, but oh-so-good!

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars (Adapted from “The Best of Byerly’s” and “Junior League at Home” Cookbooks)
¾ c. butter, melted (1 ½ sticks)
1¼ cups flour
1 ¼ cups rolled oats
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

1 cup flaked coconut

½ cup sliced almonds (or other nuts, such as walnuts)

1 cup raspberry preserves

Grease 9x13 pan. Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, melt butter, and add flour, oats, sugar, soda, slat, and extracts. Mix until crumbly. Add coconut and almonds and stir well.

Reserve 1 cup mixture; press remaining mixture in greased pan. Spread preserves evenly over crust, leaving ½ inch around edges. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.
Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Cool completely; cut into 48 small bars (8 across, 6 down).


Molasses Crinkle Cookies (From Old Betty Crocker Cookbook)
¾ cup soft shortening (use ½ butter, ½ Crisco)
1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

2 ¼ cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses thoroughly. Blend dry ingredients and mix well with butter mixture. Chill in refrigerator. Heat oven to 375. Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. Dip tops in sugar. Place, sugared-side up, 3” apart on greased baking sheets. Sprinkle each with 2 or 3 drops of water.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 375. Makes about 4 dozen.


Pinwheel Refrigerator Cookies (From The Star Tribune – Adapted from “The Betty Crocker Cookbook”)
1 ¼ c. unsalted butter (2 ½ sticks), at room temperature

1 ½ c. powdered sugar

1 egg

3 c. flour, plus more for rolling out dough

½ tsp. salt

¼ c. unsweetened baking cocoa powder (not cocoa drink mix)

Directions:
With an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, and egg on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms. (You may need to use your hands to shape it into a ball.)
Remove dough from bowl and divide in half; return half to mixing bowl. On low speed, beat in cocoa powder until evenly mixed.

Divide each flavor of dough in half. On a floured surface, roll plain dough into a rectangle about 8-by-10 inches. Shape the edges to make all sides straight. Repeat with the chocolate dough, then place it on top of plain dough and roll up tightly. (You may need to run a knife or metal spatula under the dough to loosen it form the counter.) Repeat with remaining dough.
You can also make a simpler bulls-eye cookie by dividing and rolling the chocolate dough into two cylinders 8 inches long, then dividing and rolling the vanilla dough into two rectangles 8 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Place the chocolate tubes on the vanilla dough and wrap, pressing the seam to seal.
Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into ¼ inch slices. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.) Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Gently transfer to wire rack to cool.


Friday, October 21, 2011

Tickets on sale for Holiday Tour of Homes

Four families are opening their doors to welcome you for the holidays at the 2011 AAUW Holiday Tour of Homes, Saturday, Nov. 5 from noon to five p.m.  The four homes aer a stately 1920s manor, a 1930s bungalow, a modern family abode and a "tree" house for empty-nesters.

The tour includes a reception at the beautiful new PioneerCare at 1131 Mabelle Ave.

Tickets are on sale for $15 at The Flower Mill, The Market on Union Avenue, Service Foods, Wild Rose Floral and Gifts, and the Lake Region Hospital Gift Shop.  Or you can buy tickets the afternoon of the event at Pioneer Care.

For more information, email ffaauw@yahoo.com

We hope to see you there!