food

Almond Pastry

From the kitchen of: Kelly Ackley.

  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  • Betty Crocker Smooth & Creamy Vanilla frosting
  • Chopped walnuts (or almonds)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 1 stick of butter to 1 cup of flour & bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1 or one-and-a-half teaspoon almond extract. Quickly stir in 1 cup of flour & mix well until smooth & no lumps. One at a time (important) stir in 3 eggs.

Separately…

Mix 1 cup flour, 3 TBSP water, and 1 stick butter until smooth. Roll into a ball and divide in half. Pat out each half into two strips (onto a cookie sheet). Spread above mixture on each layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour–no more, no less!

Let cool and then frost and add nuts.

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Apple and Cheese Torte

From the kitchen of: Tami Putney.

  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 3/4 Cup sugar, divided
  • 1 teasp. vanilla, divided
  • 1 Cup flour
  • 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 4 thinly sliced apples
  • 1/2 teasp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespn. milk
  • 2 tablespn. toasted and slivered almonds

Cream together butter, 1/4 Cup sugar and 1/2 teasp. vanilla. Add four and when it’s well blended press the mixture into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9" spring form pan. Beat the cream cheese, 1/4 Cup sugar, the egg and 1/2 teasp. vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared crust.

Toss the apple slices lightly with 1/4 Cup sugar and cinnamon. Layer evenly over the cream cheese. Bake at 450 degree F. for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven to 400 degrees and continue baking for 30-45 minutes or until the apples test "done". Cool the pan and then remove the sides of the pan and place on a serving plate. Combine the powdered sugar and milk, drizzle over the torte and garnish with almonds.

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Apple Squares

From the kitchen of: Tami Putney.

Try to avoid eating very many of these squares on the day you make them, as they improve immeasurably on the second and third day! This recipe originally came from a Pillsbury bake-off. Makes 12-15 squares)

  • 2 cups unbleached white flour
  • 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • 1-2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 apples)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and margarine. Blend at low speed, until the mixture forms fine crumbs. If you want to include them, stir in the nuts now. Place 2 3/4 cups of the crumb mixture into an ungreased 13×9 inch pan. Press down firmly. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the apples) to the remaining crumb mixture. Blend well. Stir the chopped apples into the batter. Spoon the batter evenly over the crumb base in the pan. Bake at 350 deg. F for 30-40 minutes. If you use the larger pan, bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool before cutting. Better yet, let it wait 24 hours before cutting. Store loosely covered.

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation, 40 minutes baking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

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Irresistible Apple Pie

From the kitchen of: unknown.

  • 6 cups sliced, peeled Jonathan apples (about 6 pounds, or 6 medium apples)
  • 2 tablespoons of orange juice
  • 1/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss apples and orange juice in large bowl. Combine brown sugar, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Toss with apples until coated. Set aside and make pie crust.

Pie Crust

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup Crisco (3/4 stick)
  • 5 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in Crisco using pastry blender or 2 knives until all flour is in to form peas-sized chunks.

Sprinkle with water, one tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with fork until dough forms into a ball. Divide dough into two equal parts. Press between hands to form two 5 to 6 inch pancakes.

Four pancakes lightly on both sides. Roll bottom crust between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap on dampened countertop.

Peel off top sheet. Trim one larger than the upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Flip into pie plate. Remove other sheet. Trim edges even with pie plate.

Finishing Up

  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar

Spoon filling into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter. Moisten pastry edges with water.

Roll top crust the same way as the bottom. Peel off top sheet. Flip onto filled pie. Remove other sheet. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Flute. Cut slits in top crust for steam to escape.

Brush top crust with milk. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover top with sheet of foil to prevent overbrowning.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 10 to 20 minutes longer or until apples are tender, filling in center is bubbly, and crust is golden brown. Cool pie to room temperature before serving.

Makes one 9-inch pie.

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Baklava

From the kitchen of: unknown.

  • 3 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/2 pound walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/2 pound blanched almonds, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 pounds filo pastry
  • 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

In a saucepan, combine 3 cups of the sugar, the water, honey, lemon juice cinnamon stick and whole cloves, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves, and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, almonds, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves and set aside.

Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn’t dry out and become brittle. Remove 8 filo sheets, fold, cover and refrigerate for the top layer. Using a pastry brush, brush a 15 1/2 by 11 1/2 by 3 inch baking pan with some of the melted butter. Lay a filo sheet on the bottom of the pan, brush with butter, and repeat using a total of 8 sheets. Sprinkle a handful of the nut mixture over the top filo sheet. Layer 3 more filo sheets, brushing each with butter, and sprinkle again with a handful of the nut mixture. Continue until all the filo sheets and nuts are used, being sure to brush each sheet with butter. Use the reserved 8 sheets of filo for the last, top layer.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Using a long, very sharp knife, cut the baklava into small diamonds: First make 6 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts. Cut straight down until the tip of the knife touches the bottom of the pan, and keeping the knife straight, cut in a straight line all the way. Next, cut diagonally across the lengthwise cuts to form diamonds, starting in one corner and making cuts until you reach the opposite corner.

Heat the remaining butter until it bubbles and pour it over the top of the pastry. Bake for 1 1/4

hours or until evenly golden and flaky. Remove to a rack and spoon the cooled syrup over the entire pastry. Cool in the pan, then serve pieces individually, placing them in decorative paper cups if desired.

Yield: 55 to 60 diamonds

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Bread Pudding

From the kitchen of: Arline Groenwoldt.

  • loaf bread, 1 pound
  • 3 eggs
  • enough milk to make sloppy
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • raisins (optional)

Bake 350 degrees until knife comes out clean. (25 to 30 minutes)

Lemon Sauce

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon or 2 corn starch
  • juice of two lemons
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Cook all except nutmeg, let cool, add nutmeg.

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Black-Bottom Cupcakes

From the kitchen of: Katie Mineart.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup salad oil
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat well, fill muffin tins 1/3 full.

Filling:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Top each muffin with one tablespoon of the filling. Bake at 350 degrees, 30-35 minutes.

Notes: This is an old family favorite from my grandmother that used to be unique to our family. But I’ve seen other people produce versions of it (including on in our companies coffee shop) in recent years.

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Chocolate “Better Than Sex” Cake

From the kitchen of: Rosie.

  • 1 german chocolate cake mix
  • 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can Hersheys chocolate fudge
  • 1 9 ounce can cool whip
  • crushed hershey bars

Mix cake mix according to package directions. When cool, poke holes in cake with handle of wooden spoon. Pour milk in cake, spread fudge on top. Spread cool whip over fudge, put crushed hershey bars on top. Refrigerate, enjoy.

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Chocolate Crazy Cake

From the kitchen of: Pat Mineart.

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons soda
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3/4 cup oil
  • 2 cups cold water

Mix well. Pour into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 27 minutes.

For frosting, my mom’s recipe for chocolate cake frosting is very good.

I’ll have to ask my mom how she picks between this recipe and the “Save a Day” Cake recipe, or test the two and see which I prefer.

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