Ginger Snaps

Mix:

1-1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses

Then add:

4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form dough into 1-1/4" balls and roll in sugar. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep dough in refrigerator between batches for best results. Makes 6-8 dozen.

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. ~Author Unknown

Miniature Cheese Cakes

1 lb. 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat cream cheese and gradually add sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and beat to mix.

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix cracker crumbs and sugar, add melted butter and toss to mix. Line muffin tins (either regular sized or miniature) with cupcake liners. Place 1 tablespoon crumb mixture in bottom of each miniature cup (more in regular sized cup) fill remainder of cup with batter. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Top with cherry pie filling when cool.

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake. ~ Hedy Lamarr

Buttermilk Pancakes

1-1/4 cups flour
1 egg
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour batter onto the griddle to form 5 pancakes. Flip pancakes when edges appear to harden and bubbles in pancakes pop. Cook pancakes on other side for same amount of time until golden brown. I usually double this recipe – but it won’t fit in a blender very well when doubled and you’ll have to use a mixer.

Never work before breakfast; if you have to work before breakfast, eat your breakfast first. ~Josh Billings

Mousse Chocolate

5 egg whites
7 ounces milk chocolate
7 ounces dark chocolate
1 pint heavy whipping cream, whipped

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Beat egg whites until stiff. Pour melted chocolate slowly into egg whites, stirring gently with whip until blended. Add whipped cream, about a cup at a time, stirring until blended. Refrigerate at least two hours, but no longer than 24. Once the mousse has been spooned out of the bowl, it must all be eaten, so if you intend to only serve part of it, refrigerate in separate bowls. You shouldn’t have trouble getting the entire batch eaten though! YUM!

Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate! ~Sandra J. Dykes

Chocolate Éclair Dessert

1 cup water
1 stick margarine
1 cup flour
4 eggs
3 cups milk
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 packages (3-1/2 ounce) instant vanilla pudding
1 carton (12 ounces) whipped topping, thawed
Chocolate syrup

Bring water and margarine to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add flour. Stir until it forms a ball. Add eggs one at a time, stirring until well blended after each. Spread dough in a greased 9 x 13” pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool. Blend milk with cream cheese. Mix in the dry pudding, stirring until thick. Spread over crust (press crust down smooth). Spread whipped topping over top and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Refrigerate until serving time.

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not! ~Author Unknown

Old Fashioned Brats in Beer

(I usually double or triple this recipe, since the brats keep nice in the refrigerator and are easy leftovers. They are also great to take camping, since you can precook the brats and just reheat and brown them over a campfire.)

1 (12-oz.) can beer
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
4 fresh bratwurst
8 oz. sauerkraut, drained (best to use refrigerated sauerkraut, not canned)
1/4 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
4 brat or hot dog buns

Heat grill. In medium saucepan or skillet, combine beer and caraway seeds. Prick bratwurst with a fork several times; add to beer mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until bratwurst are no longer pink. Remove bratwurst from beer mixture. Add drained sauerkraut and bell pepper to beer mixture; heat until hot. When ready to grill, place bratwurst on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals; cover grill. Cook 4 to 65 minutes or until golden brown, turning frequently. Place buns, cut side down, on grill. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until buns are lightly toasted. Place bratwurst in buns. Using slotted spoon, spoon sauerkraut on top of bratwurst. (Bratwurst and buns can also be broiled on a broiler pan, 4 to 6 inches from heat, using times above as a guide.)

Nobody seems more obsessed by diet than our anti-materialistic, otherworldly, New Age spiritual types. But if the material world is merely illusion, an honest guru should be as content with Budweiser and bratwurst as with raw carrot juice, tofu and seaweed slime. ~Edward Abbey

Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Pie!

2-3 chicken breasts
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 cans Cream Of Chicken Soup
1 can of milk (do not use more milk, it will make the casserole too runny)
1 can canned biscuits
Flour (for rolling the canned biscuit)

Cook chicken breasts in water until done. While chicken is cooking, use a separate pot and cook the mixed veggies and potatoes together in water until done. Skin and debone the chicken. Break into bite-size pieces. Drain the veggie mix. Add the chicken to the veggie mix. In a separate bowl, mix the soup and milk together. Add to the chicken and veggie mix. Pour into a casserole dish. Cover the canned biscuits (1 at a time) in flour, and roll flat with a rolling pin. Place the rolled out biscuits on top of the chicken, veggie, and soup mix. Continue until the casserole is covered with biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees until the biscuits are browned.

Food is the most primitive form of comfort. ~Sheila Graham