Sorry everyone

Hi everyone,
   So I'm sorry that there hasn't been a post in a while.  There was Thanksgiving, of which we cooked two since my brother wasn't home for the first, and then I hit the ground running for finals Now that finals are done, I've managed to lose a set of keys and hurt my lower back.  So once I can stand again, (I'm secretly hoping tomorrow) I'm going to start making the dough for the cookies that are coming up.  I'll give you a little preview:
   My great-grandmother's sugar cookies, ginger snaps, a bunch of different kinds of biscotti, some chocolate cookies with peppermint pieces and maybe a few others. 
So once again, I apologize for the delay and I promise to get posting again.  I'll also try and post some of the things we make for Christmas... yummm 
Stay tuned, delicious things are soon to come 

Update

Hi everyone,
  I know it has been a week or so since my last post, but it is coming.  Thanksgiving was a week where I cooked two meals for the family, both turkey and both traditionally Thanksgiving themed.  This week, I'll be working with leftover, Turkey Tetrazzini.  I'm also making sugar cookies to send to my adopted soldier.  I'm thinking about doing some snickerdoodle and possibly homemade gingerbread men, we will have to see.  I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Let me know what you're favorite Thanksgiving dish is, I love finding out what others make!

~ Clem

Beef, Lentil, Potato and Green Olive Soup

So I know the title of this soup sounds unusual, but let me tell you, the salty kick of the green olives makes you want to eat this soup continuously!  I took the recipe from the Taste of Home website, Beef, Barley and Lentil Soup switched out some ingredients that I didn't have, added some that I needed to get rid of and made some delicious soup.  With a great piece of crusty bread, this was ideal for the partially rainy day that was today. 

Beef, Lentil, Potato and Green Olive Soup

1 pound lean ground beef (80% lean)

1 tablespoon onion powder, you can use one small onion chopped, but I don't like onions

1 bag small butter potatoes

1 cup chopped celery (I used giant chunks and took them out since I don't like celery either)

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1/2 cup Bulgar (or Barley)

8 cups water

2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 can tomato sauce (I used homemade tomato sauce, you can used stewed tomatoes)

1 large can drained, green olives

1/2  teaspoon pepper

In a large pot, cook the ground beef until it is done and cooked through.  Drain most of the grease off and put the ground beef in a seperate bowl.  In a little bit of the leftover grease, saute the carrots, celery and onion until soft, probably ten or so minutes.  Add the water, bouillon, salt, chili powder, pepper, potatoes, lentil, bulgar (barley), and ground beef back into the pot.  Make sure everything is in the pot, except the green olives, and cover.  Bring to a boil on medium heat, let boil, covered for about 40 minutes.  Turn off the heat, remove from the burner and stir in the green olives. Serve hot and with warm, crusty bread!

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies with Caramel Kisses

So I've never made Peanut Butter Blossom cookies before, but I decided that they would ship well overseas.  Not wanting to make the usual, I decided to substitute Caramel filled kisses for the regular solid kisses.  I'll be honest, these were not my best cookies.  I didn't realize that they were done when the timer went off because they honestly didn't turn brown and they barely cracked.  So as a warning, just take them out when the timer goes off.  Mine were still very good, but not as moist as I had hoped.  I would like to try these one time with peanut butter filled kisses, yummm!  My cookies were delicious though and the caramel was a nice touch!

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies with Caramel Kisses

48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates Caramel Filled

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoonbaking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.     
Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
 Shape dough into 1-inch balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet.    Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each
cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
About 4 dozen cookies.

Recipe from  Peanut Butter Blossoms

Molasses Cookies

I have never made a molasses cookie before, nor have I ever eaten one.  The closest I have come to enjoying molasses was in pecan pie.  Let me tell you though, these cookies have changed my mind.  Slightly crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside and a little bit of spice and sweet, equals a mouth watering and most perfect combination ever!  Not only are they delicious, the house smelled amazing when I baked them.  I followed the recipe found on the Taste of Home website, but I made a few spice changes.  I rolled my molasses cookies in cinnamon sugar and then added more cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves.  Here is the Taste of Home link Mom's Molasses Cookies but my recipe follows.

Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup shortening

1-1/4 cups sugar, divided

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon reserved for cinnamon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

In a large bowl, cream shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, molasses, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Roll into 1-1/4-in. balls; roll in remaining sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 10-14 minutes or until tops crack and edges are slightly firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 5 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My chocolate chip cookie recipe is always asked for!  I took the recipe from Crisco and added a little bit more vanilla and some extra love, and amazing cookies!  I normally make this recipe in quadruple or more and put it in the freezer.  They freeze well and still make great cookies!  Here is the link Chocolate Chip Cookies and then here is my actual recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2  tablespoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups allpurpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

HEAT oven to 375ºF
Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. I use a little ice cream scoop.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. As soon as they come out of the oven I sprinkle them with just a tiny dusting of salt.  Brings out the sweet taste just a little bit more. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely. 

Pumpkin Spice cookies

So I shipped out my first two packages of cookies to my adopted soldier.  I sent pumpkin spice cookies, molasses, chocolate chip and peanut butter blossom with caramel kisses.  These pumpkin spice cookies I found on the Betty Crocker website, Pumpkin Spice Cookies I didn't make the brown butter icing because I couldn't ship it in my box.  When I tasted the batter, I felt that it needed more spice, so I changed the measurements and added nutmeg.  It tasted EXACTLY like a pumkpin pie.  I had rave reviews.  Here is my recipe for just the cookies. 

Pumpkin Spice Cookies
2/3 cup granulated sugar                                         
2/3cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup (from 15-oz can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)                                           
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspon of nutmeg, depending on how much nutmeg you liked.  I used 1/2 tsp

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Beat in pumpkin and eggs until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
On greased cookie sheets, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls. 
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until light brown.

The brown butter recipe is on the link above, but these cookies are great without frosting.