Ginger Snaps

This is the same recipe as another one on this site referred to as Molasses Sugar Cookies. The difference is that this one is made with butter instead of shortening. Jennifer Robertson made these cookies and brought them to Princess Academy December 2007. I must say I prefer the flavor of the butter over shortening. Butter is better for you too.

Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger

Cream butter and sugar together. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add egg and molasses to creamed butter and beat well. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill one hour. Roll into 1" balls; roll balls in granulated sugar. Place balls 2" apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

Donna's Apple Stuffing

I do not like to cook my stuffing in the turkey. So, I created this dish that I can bake in the oven.

Ingredients:
1 lb. of dry stuffing
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 stick of butter
1 cup celery, sliced into moons
1 diced onion
1 cored and sliced apple

Directions:

Saute' onions and celery in melted butter until celery turns bright green. bring stock to a boil. Toss all ingredients together and mix with a fork until all is moist and mixed. Pour into a 4 quart casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Royal Icing

Ingredients:

3 egg whites, room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
A drop of peppermint extract if desired

Directions:

Beat thoroughly in mixing bowl until icing holds stiff peaks, then keep bowl covered at all times with damp cloth. (It will dry out if you don’t.) This will dry hard.

Gingerbread House

I never had gingerbread houses as a child. However, when I married I gained a sweet sister-in-law, Beatrice Jackson, that taught me how to make them. I lost her recipe and I requested it from her this morning. She sent it and I am posting it here so I can find it easily.

Ingredients:

2-3/4 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup oil

Directions:

Mix thoroughly and chill several hours (overnight or longer). Roll dough on an oiled piece of foil. (It helps to place the foil on cookie sheet with sides, and then roll the dough while in pan.) Bake on foil-covered cookie sheet with sides at 300° for 20-30 minutes. Place pattern on hot bread and cut IMMEDIATELY. Lift out pieces carefully and cool on cake racks. The gingerbread should be very hard when cool. (If necessary, the pieces may be laid back on the cookie sheet and placed in the oven for 5-10 minutes longer.) The roof sections will break off if the dough is not thoroughly baked.

Make Royal Icing to use in the assembly and decorating of the gingerbread house. Royal Icing is can be located under the label of "Frosting," in this blog.

If decorator tips and parchment bags are used in applying icing to gingerbread, use a #4 writing tip to draw windows, and a #30 tip to cover cut edges along sides and seams and roof.

CANDIES may be a multitude of various colors and shapes: gumdrops, candy canes, mints, hard candies, chocolate chips, silver balls, colored sugar and sprinkles, etc. Be sure to place candies in icing right away before it hardens.

ASSEMBLY:

Draw windows and roof lines with icing. Add candies.
Use icing to fasten one side of house to foil-covered slab.
Put icing on seam of this piece, then add other sides of house, fastening in place with icing.
Very carefully, put icing along roof edges on ends of house pieces. Attach one roof piece at a time, holding until hardened. Repeat with other roof piece. Hold, and PRAY that it doesn’t fall in!
Attach door with icing and decorate its seams with icing.
Decorate outer seams of house sides with icing. Candy canes look nice in the corner edges.
Put icing along rooftop edge. Fasten chimney pieces together with icing. Attach chimney to roof. Decorate with candies.
May add icicles with writing tip. Decorate yard with icing and candies.

Donna's Turkey Pasta Salad

I was going to head to the store to "buy" something to make for the Relief Society potluck dinner tonight. I stopped short and went to the storage room, and to the refrigerator, to see what I could create. This is what I made.

Ingredients:

1 lb package rotini
12.5 ounce can turkey
1 lb package frozen green peas ( rinsed in warm water)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1/8 cup real bacon bits

Mix all ingredients and chill. Serve.

Options:
You can add red pepper, cooked carrots, or sliced radishes for color and zip.

Donna's Berry Elegance

We served this at my son, Jonathan's, wedding reception.

Ingredients:

1 box White Cake Mix
2 small boxes instant white chocolate pudding
1 -- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (softened)
12-18 ounces of fresh blueberries (rinsed and well drained)
16 ounce Cool Whip
Almond slices and or coconut

Directions:

Bake cake in a jelly roll pan, according to box instructions (I use a pampered chef stoneware jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes). Cool cake completely. Prepare pudding according to pie directions. Blend in softened cream cheese. Rinse and thoroughly drain blueberries. Thaw cool whip. Place cake on the bottom, spread pudding cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled cake. Equally distribute berries over pudding layer. Spread cool whip over berries. Sprinkle almonds (and or coconut) over top. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

This is best when assembled just before serving.

Optional: Blackberries, Raspberries, or Strawberries

Donna's Chocolate Raspberry Delight

We served this at my son, Jonathan's, wedding reception.

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 small boxes instant Devil's Food pudding
1 -- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (softened)
12-18 ounces of fresh raspberries (rinsed and well drained)
16 ounce Cool Whip
Almond slices

Directions:

Bake cake in a jelly roll pan, according to box instructions (I use a pampered chef stoneware jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes). Cool cake completely. Prepare pudding according to pie directions. Blend in softened cream cheese. Rinse and thoroughly drain raspberries. Thaw cool whip. Place cake on the bottom, spread pudding cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled cake. Equally distribute raspberries over pudding layer. Spread cool whip over berries. Sprinkle almonds over top. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

This is best when assembled just before serving.