Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from an old cookbook from my grandma. These cookies have always been a family favourite, so I decided to bake them myself.

Ingredients

2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 packages (6 ounces each) semisweet chocolate pieces

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix thoroughly shortening, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased  baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool slightly before removing baking sheet. Makes about 7 dozen cookies.

Changes

Instead of chocolate pieces I used small m&m's, and didn't add any nuts. I also baked using a convection oven, so I lowered the temperature to 325 degrees and for only 9 minutes. It is easier to make evenly shaped cookies by using an ice cream scoop to place onto the pan.  I then served them after they were still slightly warm, adding a scoop of ice cream inbetween two cookies, making an ice cream sandwich. 

Dutch Apple Pie

The recipe can be found here. 
I used two different recipes for this pie, because the recipe online said "your favorite pie crust." I used a pie crust recipe written down in a note book, that my family has used forever, so I don't know really where it came from, but it tastes great! I also had to make a half batch of the pie crust, because I did not need to make a crust topping (It was a crumble topping). 

Ingredients: 

1 your favorite homemade pie crusts or 1 ready-made pie crust (see below for recipe)
5 1/2 cups peeled cored sliced cooking apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup butter or 1/3 cup margarine, room temperature

Directions:

1
Preheat oven to 375°F.
2
Fit pie crust into pie plate.
3
In a large bowl, mix sliced apples, lemon juice, both sugars,flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4
Pile into crust.
5
Prepare topping:.
6
In a medium bowl, with a pastry blender or a fork, mix flour, both sugars, and butter until coarsely crumbled.
7
Sprinkle evenly over apples.
8
Bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.

Pie Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold shortening or lard
5 tablespoons cold water (or more)

Directions:

Cut fat into flour and salt, until it has the constancy of rolled outs. sprinkle cold water while tossing the mixture with a fork. Form into a ball and cut in half. Wrap in wax paper and let chill for 30 minutes. Let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then roll out on floured surface. 

Lemon Squares

I made these squares for my Fun Food Fact Friday presentation. I found this recipe in an old school cookbook.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 4 beaten eggs
• 6 Tbsp. lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups sugar

 Directions
Crumble together 2 cups flour, icing sugar, butter, and margarine. Spread into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake  at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the following mixture over the top. Mix eggs, lemon juice, salt, 4 Tbsp. flour, baking powder and sugar. Spread over base. Return to oven and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with icing sugar while warm. Cut into squares when cool.

Things I changed: I didn't have the right kind of margarine so I used all butter. Also, the squares were still pretty gooey, next time I'll put them in for longer.
  

Week 4 (or something like that) BAKING!

This week's category is baking.

Muffins
Cookies
Squares
Breads
Rolls

It's different than desserts - we'll do that later.

Enjoy!

Lasagna Soup

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com 
Serves 4
Takes 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 can (14 ounce) beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or corkscrew-shaped pasta
• 1/4 cups parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook beef with garlic in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
2. Add broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Heat to a boil.
3. Stir in pasta. Cook over medium heat for 10 min. or until pasta is done. Stir in cheese. Serve with additional cheese if desired. 

Changes : I didn't use the garlic powder, and I just sliced 2 tomatoes used 2 1/2 cups of egg noodles because I have a bigger family.

Ham & Potato Soup

I found this recipe from an old school cookbook


Ingredients

- 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 1/3 cup diced celery
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
- 3 1/4 cups water
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk

Directions

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper.

2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork,  and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as to not allow lumps to form until all the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Stir the milk mixture into the pot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
Changes
I used chicken broth instead of chick bouillon cubes and I also added some sliced carrots and served with croissants.

Wonton Soup

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This week I made wonton soup.
Ingredients:

1/2 pound boneless pork loin,coarsely chopped

2 ounces peeled shrimp finely chopped

1 teaspoon brown sugar 

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root

24(3.5 inch square)wonton wrappers

3 cups chicken stock

1/8 cup finely chopped green onion

Directions :

1. In a large bowl, combine pork, shrimp, sugar, wine, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon chopped green onion and ginger. Blend well, and let stand for 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Place about one teaspoon of the filling at the center of each wonton skin. Moisten all 4 edges of wonton wrapper with water, then pull the top corner down to the bottom, folding the wrapper over the filling to make a triangle. Press edges firmly to make a seal. Bring left and right corners together above the filling. Overlap the tips of these corners, moisten with water and press together. Continue until all wrappers are used.
3. FOR SOUP: Bring the chicken stock to a rolling boil. Drop wontons in, and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onion, and serve.