Strawberry Shortbread

These dainty little cookies are great for a tea or with strawberry ice cream! You may not need as many as this makes, so feel free to cut the recipe in half!

Shortbread Cookie

2T. strawberry preserves

1c. butter softened

1/2t. almond extract

2 2/3c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/8t. salt

Strawberry Glaze

2T. strawberry jam

2c. powdered sugar

1/4t. almond extract

1T. milk

To make the cookie: Mix together the preserves, extract and butter till creamed. Drop onto film wrap, and shape into a log about 6in. long (using a spatula works great for the shaping) refrigerate 1-2hrs. or till firm.

Cut the butter mixture into the rest of the cookie ingredients. Just till mixture starts to cling together. Knead with you hands till dough is smooth. Form into a ball.

Roll out into 1/4in. thickness. Cut into desires shapes. Bake at 325 for 12-16min. Or till edges are slightly browned. Cool completely then icing them.

To make icing: MIcrowave the jam for 30sec. in the microwave. Then whisk in the powdered sugar, 1T. milk, and extract. You may need to add more powdered sugar, or milk to form your desired consistantcy.

Yields 76- 11/2 in. cookies; 54-2in or 30 2 1/2 in.

Mmmmmmmm Homemade Vanilla Ice cream!

TWD Chocolate pudding!

Well, unfortunately, Esther and I are not pudding fans. We made it and gave it to our family who liked it very much.....................we both had a bite, but decided that we're still not pudding girls :)

Sorry Dorie :( We had some fun thinking of different toppings to serve the pudding though.

The Cranberry Macadamia nut one was for Dad, and the peanut one we gave to the kids.

Looking really forward to next week's "Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler"

Pumpkin Pound Cake

1 1/2c. butter softened
2 3/4c. sugar
6 eggs
1 t.vanilla
3c. flour
3/4t. cinnamon
1/2t. baking powder
1/2t. salt
1/2t. ginger
1/4t. cloves
1c. canned pumpkin

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Then mix in the vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with the pumpkin. Just till blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9x5 in. loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 65-80 min. Or till toothpick inserted comes out clean.

You can 1/2 the recipe to make 1 loaf if 2 is too much.................

Big Daddy Biscuits

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk



DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

Mexalian Dinner

We had lots of bell peppers, onions, chicken, and pasta, so what do you do with those. Hum?!?!

Have Mexalian! (unique name!?!?)

It was a first time Hannah experiment that tasted, pretty good I think. Well everyone else liked it as well, so don't think I'm bragging ;o)

To have a Mexalian dinner yourself, here's what to do...................

Char grill some chicken, ( marinating it first with some Mexican spices such as chili powder, salt, cumin, and red pepper is great, but you could also use Italian dressing!) and cut juline style, or chunks. Your preference. Then slice bell peppers, any color will work, yellow, red, green, orange................and a few cloves of garlic. Oh and don't forget those lovely onions that make you cry :)

Saute those in a bit of olive oil till El dente.

Cook up however many noodles you want. Drain them.

Then the final step is to throw it all together! And whala! You've got Mexalian!

To give your meal more of an Mexican feel, bake up those Honey Wheat rolls with a Crunch posted below..........................or just whip together a salad if you don't have enough time.........