Ann's Famous Gingerbread Cookies

I truly love this gingerbread cookie recipe. I usually try to make a big batch between Halloween and Thanksgiving, and then again at Christmas for gifts. It makes a crispy, light gingerbread, that melts in your mouth. roll the dough thin and decorate the men with raisins, red hotsa, and sugar sprinkles. The other cut-outs I just use sugar sprinkles in various colors. This recipe originally came from "Taste of Home" magazine about 14 years ago. Grandkids love these too!! They take a little time, but are worth the effort and sit back and enjoy the compliments-

1. 1 cup butter, softened


2. 1 cup sugar


3. 1/2 cup dark corn syrup


4. 1 teaspoon EACH ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger


5. 2 large Eggs, beaten


6. 1 teaspoon vinegar


7. 5 cups unbleached white flour (I use Pillsbury or King Arthur)


8. 1 teaspoon baking soda


9. Red hot candies, raisins and sugar sprinkles in assorted colors

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and spices; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Stir in the eggs and vinegar. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into sugar mixture to form a soft dough. chill for several hours. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters and place on GREASED cookie sheets. Reroll scraps and cut them out also. Decorate with red hots, raisins and colored sugar sprinkles. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to cooling racks. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Mrs. Hoener's chocolate cookies

The absolute best cookie ever!!! This recipe came from my Great Aunt Em Garbee. She, along with my grandmother and all of their sisters were WONDERFUL cooks. They had a tea every Christmas and these were always the favorites!! The icing calls for coffee but you can use cream too. To decorate, I use red and green sugars at Christmas, pink at Valentine's and you can leave plain. Hope you enjoy these as much as my family has in the past.

1. 1/2 cup Crisco shortening


2. 2 squares unsweetened chocolate


3. 1 cup brown sugar


4. 1/4 teaspoon salt


5. 1/2 cup evaporated milk


6. 1 large egg


7. 1 1/2 cups flour


8. 1/2 teaspoon soda


9. 1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the chocolate. In a large bowl, cream the chocolate, sugar and shortening until fluffy and blended. Add egg and beat. Mix dry ingredients and add alternately with evaporated milk. Drop by 1/2 teaspoons on GREASED cookie sheet. These are small tea cookies but you can drop by teaspoons, just won't make as many. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove to cooling racks and cool completely. When cool ice with the following: 3 Tablespoons of cocoa, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon melted butter and enough hot coffee or cream to make a spreading consistency. After icing, sprinkle with colored sugars of your choice.

Mini Kisses Peanut Blossoms

This old favorite is still one of my family's favorites and particularly during Christmas. Use regular peanut butter, not organis types for this. I've tried it and it just doesn't taste right. Use Peter Pan, Jif or Skippy's, and watch these disappear!

1. 1/2 cup butter flavor shortening (I use Crisco)


2. 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter


3. 1/3 cup granulated sugar


4. 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar


5. 1 Large Egg


6. 2 Tablespoons of milk


7. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


8. 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour ( I use Pillsbury or King Arthur)


9. 1 teaspoon baking soda


10. 1/2 teaspoon salt


11. Additionqal granulated sugar for rolling cookies in to bake


12. Bag of Hershey's kisses or 10 oz. bag of Hershey's mini kisses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar, beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to peanut butter mixture, beating until well blended. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on UNGREASED cookie sheets. Bake 8- 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Place Hershey kiss in middle of each cookie (or 2 mini kisses) and press down lightly. Remove cookies to cooling rack. Cool completely. Makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen

Perfect Apple Pie

Here it is, Good ole Apple Pie for Fall holidays and because apples are always good now. I've never found an apple pie that I liked better than this basic, good apple pie. Be sure and refer to my 2 crust pie recipe, here in my recipes. Peel, bake and enjoy!!

1. 7-8 tart, large apples, pared, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)


2. 3/4 to 1 cup sugar


3. 2 Tablespoons unbleached flour


4. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


5. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


6. My recipe for a 2 pie crusts

Combine sugar, flour, spices, and dash salt; mix with apples. Line a 9 inch pie pan with crust. Fill with apple mixture and dot with butter. Adjust top crust, cutting slits for steam to escape (can make a decorative design to look nicer). Seal edges. brush crust wilk 2 teaspoons of milk and sprinkle all over with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted in slit finds apples soft and well done. The juice will often bubble out indicating the pie is done also. Cool on wire rack and serve with vanilla bean ice cream. Perfect!!!

Delicious Pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Wow!! These are wonderful and I just found them in the October/November "Taste of Home". Have already served them a couple of times and will make them for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. this recipe makes enough for a crowd. Hope you enjoy them and your family too!!!

1. 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast


2. 1/2 cup warm water (not hot)


3. 4 Organic Eggs


4. 1 cup shortening


5. 1 cup canned pumpkin


6. 1 cup warm milk


7. 1/2 cup sugar


8. 1/2 cup packed brown sugar


9. 1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix


10. 1/3 cup instant butterscotch pudding mix


11. 1 teaspoon salt


12. 7 to 8 cups unbleached flour (I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)

FILLING:

1. 3/4 cup butter, melted


2. 1 cup packed brown sugar


3. 2 teaspoons cinnamon

ICING:

1. 3 Tablespoons water


2. 2 Tablespoons butter, softened


3. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the eggs, shortening, pumpkin, milk, sugars, pudding mixes, salt and 6 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place ina greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise ina warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, divide in half. roll each portion into a 12x18 inch rectangle, brush with softened butter. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over dough within 1/2 inch of the edges.

Roll-up jellyroll style, starting with long side, pinch seams to seal. Cut each rectangle into 12 slices. Put cut side down in 2 GREASED 13 inx 9 in. baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutesor until golden brown. In a small mixing bowl, combine the water, butter and cinnamon. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth. Spread over rolls. Serve warm. Yield 2 dozen

Halloween Pumpkin Spice cupcakes

Halloween is my very favorite holiday!! These are always a big hit for all the Fall celebrations and I have friends who don't like pumpkin, that like these. They are made with a cake mix, but don't taste like it and for homeroom mothers, they make at least 24 cupcakes. I frost them with the cream cheese frosting, I use with my Carrot Cake and decorate them, according to the holiday. Enjoy!!!

1. 1 package Spice cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)


2. 1 can (15 ounces) Libby's 100% pure pumpkin


3. 3 large organic Eggs


4. 1/3 cup vegetable oil ( I use Crisco in baking)


5. 1/3 cup water


6. 1 Recipe cream cheese frosting, found with my carrot cake recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups(may make 2 or 3 more). Blend cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and water in a large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and remove to wire racks to cool completely. Ice with cream cheese frosting. Happy Fall!

Ginger Angel Food Cake with Coconut Frosting

I found this recipe in "Cooking Light" magazine. Angel Foods are my favorite cakes and this is a really good one. I increased the ginger a little to give it more flavor. It would be pretty for the holidays, too and a lighter dessert.

1. 1 cup sifted cake flour



2. 1/2 cup cornstarch



3. 12 large organic Egg whites



4. 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar



5. 1/4 teaspoon salt



6. 1 1/2 cups sugar



7. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract



8. 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. combine flour and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Place 12 Egg whites in a large METAL bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and ginger. Sift 1/4 cup flour mixture over egg white mixture and gently fold in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.

Spoon batter into an UNGREASED 10-inch tbe pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan, cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto a cake plate.

FROSTING: Please see my confetti angel food with whippy pink frosting. You will make this cooked frosting with the following additions: 1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract. Please do not tint pink or color. Top with 3/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted (Spread in pan and toast for 5 minutes or so in a 350 degree oven, until lightly browned- WATCH carefully).