Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

scant tsp. salt

1/4 cup shortening*

1 egg

milk, soy milk, or water

Fork together dry ingredients and the shortening like you would for a pie crust.  Make hollow in dry ingredients and shortening mixture. Drop in 1 egg in center and mix.  Add enough milk (water or plain soy milk also work) to reach desired consistency. Roll out on floured surface and cut into small squares with the back (blunt side) of a table knife.. Gently slip dumplings into boiling chicken broth and cook for about 15 minutes after all dumplings are immersed.

Broth: I place boneless skinless chicken thighs in a slow cooker with baby carrots and celery. Add water to partially immerse. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours or until you get home from wherever. I pour into large pot on stove and add 32 ounces chicken broth. Bring to a boil and drop in dumplings. I make 1 1/2 batches of dumplings for this amount of broth. Keep some extra broth on hand for reheating after refrigeration in case too much broth is absorbed.

*I’ve also used vegetable oil which results in a dumpling that is more like a noodle.

a simple dessert with a little flair

10 minutes total / 1 serving per banana

I grabbed this online when I wanted to make a simple honey and banana recipe.  I added a pat of butter, and the lemon mentioned at the end is great.  Jen and I had it over vanilla ice cream and would recommend it.

Ingredients

Directions

The page with this recipe was torn from a Lands’ End catalog years ago and was attributed to “Joan Carstensen, Quality Assurance”.

1/2 cup corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup raw peanuts (or can use dry roasted – not salty)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder

Stir corn syrup, salt, peanuts and sugar together in a 1 1/2 quart bowl. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir. Microwave anothery 3 minutes on high. Add butter and vanilla. Microwave on high for another 1-2 minutes or until caramel colored. Add baking soda and pour on greased baking sheet. Cool well. Break apart and store in air-tight container.

Ingredients

• 8 apples
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peal, core and slice 8 apples into greased baking dish.
3. Crumble together flour, sugar, baking powder, egg, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples.
4. Pour melted butter over crumble.
5. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.
6. Bake for 35 minutes.

Aunt Marg usually doubled this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white Karo syrup
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. vinager
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. soda
• 3 quarts poped popcorn

Directions

1. Boil Karo, white sugar, vinegar, salt and butter to 290 degrees
2. Add soda and beat well
3. Pour over corn and stir until all covered

One of Aunt Marg’s delicious treats.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 lb. raw peanuts
• 2 tsp soda

Directions

1. Boil sugar, Karo, and water until it forms a softball (238 degrees)
2. Add peanuts until they are well done (~280 degrees)
3. Remove from heat add soda and beat
4. Pour onto buttered cookie sheets to cool

4 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups sugar
3 oz. package lemon Jello

In a large saucepan, slightly crush 2 cups of blueberries. Add remaining berries and sugar, mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Pour hot jam into jars or containers. Cover and cool. Freeze.

Notes:
1. Aunt Nancy uses figs (because they are plentiful in the south) with any flavor Jello she wants the jam to be flavored. For example, she chops the figs and combines them with strawberry Jello for a faux Strawberry Jam. She says you cannot tell the difference. I’ve also read this works with shredded zucchini (and tomatoes, but I did not read up on that) rather than figs.

2. I think this recipe would work well for many other mixtures of fruit such as blueberries with raspberry Jello.

3. I’ve read this works with frozen blueberries as well.

2 tea bags steeped in hot water 2-3 minutes
1 large can frozen orange juice
1 small can frozen lemonade
½ cup sugar
3 ½ cups water
½ cup bourbon

Combine all ingredients and freeze. (I use a 9X12 Rubbermade container with a lid.) When ready to serve, sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes and then shave off slush into glasses. (Unlike the night we had it when it was never frozen and I had to blend it with ice!)

1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice
1 bottle dry red wine
1/2 cup triple sec
1/4 cup sugar
fruit as garnish (orange slices, pineapple, etc.)

Megan said, “The second time I made it (for New Year’s Eve), I added 1/3 cup pineapple juice to make it a little sweeter.  Some of my friends are not fans of red wine and I didn’t want it to be too dry.  After it was made, some people added a little Sprite to fit their tastes.”

1 shot vodka
1 shot butterscotch liquor
1 shot Baily’s
1/2 shot Hot Damn
whipped cream
ground nutmeg

Mix all ingredients with ice in shaker and strain into martini glasses. Beat whipped cream until it forms soft peaks. Garnish drinks with whipped cream and nutmeg.