My family has been making these delicious chocolate chip bars since 1949. They are extremely good with chewy, gooey centers.
We like making them all year, but we really look forward to them during the holidays. They make great treats for kids at Halloween, and are a special treat during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We also like to give them as homemade gifts during the Christmas holidays.
Chocolate Chip Bars
Batter ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1 16 ounce package chocolate chips
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar together. Add egg yolks, vanilla and water. Mix until well blended.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Add to wet ingredients and stir until well combined. Pour into greased 9x9 inch baking dish. Spread entire package of chocolate chips over layer.
Icing ingredients:
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff
1 cup brown sugar, packed
Preparation:
Beat stiff egg whites and brown sugar until fluffy. Spread over chocolate chip layer.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F until top is golden brown.
Tip: For a double dose of chocolate, add 1/2 cup powdered cocoa to flour, salt and baking powder when sifting. Add to wet ingredients and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
Visit Cuisinart Stand Mixer and check out the new Cuisinart Stand Mixer. It's perfect for mixing dough.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Cranberry Christmas Canes
This recipe makes a lovely baked treat to use during the Christmas holidays. They taste great too.
Cranberry Christmas Canes
For Dough:
1 cup milk
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
1 cup butter or margarine
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
Scald milk and let cool to lukewarm.
In a large mixing bowl mix flour, sugar, salt and lemon peel. Cut in butter until like coarse meal.
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add to cooled milk. Mix in beaten eggs.
Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.
Cover dough tightly and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Prepare filling when you are ready to bake.
For Filling:
1 1/2 cups cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup raisins, finely chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons orange peel, grated
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preparation:
Grease a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Divide chilled dough in half. Keep one half chilling while rolling the other half. Roll into an oblong about 18 inches long and 15 inches wide. Mark dough into thirds lightly down its length. Each third will be 5 inches wide.
Spread 1/4 of filling down both outside lines of center third. Starting at one end, fold one side over top of other side and seal edges. You now have a 6 inch by 15 inch strip of dough. Cut dough into 1/2 strips. Strips will be 6 inches long with filling in the center section.
Twist and lay on greased cookie sheet, shaping to form a cane.
Repeat with other half of dough and filling.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned at 375 degrees F.
Cranberry Christmas Canes
For Dough:
1 cup milk
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
1 cup butter or margarine
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
Scald milk and let cool to lukewarm.
In a large mixing bowl mix flour, sugar, salt and lemon peel. Cut in butter until like coarse meal.
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add to cooled milk. Mix in beaten eggs.
Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.
Cover dough tightly and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Prepare filling when you are ready to bake.
For Filling:
1 1/2 cups cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup raisins, finely chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons orange peel, grated
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preparation:
Grease a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Divide chilled dough in half. Keep one half chilling while rolling the other half. Roll into an oblong about 18 inches long and 15 inches wide. Mark dough into thirds lightly down its length. Each third will be 5 inches wide.
Spread 1/4 of filling down both outside lines of center third. Starting at one end, fold one side over top of other side and seal edges. You now have a 6 inch by 15 inch strip of dough. Cut dough into 1/2 strips. Strips will be 6 inches long with filling in the center section.
Twist and lay on greased cookie sheet, shaping to form a cane.
Repeat with other half of dough and filling.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned at 375 degrees F.
Scottish Baps Recipe
When perfectly done, these baps are a little chewy. Let them rise all night for the perfect morning roll.
Scottish Baps or Rolls
Ingredients:
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve 1 envelope of yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Set aside.
Scald 1/2 cup milk. Add 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 tablespoons butter. Stir until dissolved and let cool to lukewarm.
Add milk mixture to the dissolved yeast in large mixing bowl and stir well.
Add 1 1/2 cups flour to liquid mixture in the large mixing bowl and beat well. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, a little at a time, and mix to attain a soft dough.
Grease a large bowl for rising. Form dough into a ball, place it in the bowl and turn over, so that the top is greased as well. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Separate dough into 12 pieces. Form dough into ovals about 2 inches wide and 3 inches long. Place on greased baking sheet. Brush tops with milk. Cover lightly with cloth and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place rolls in preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven when lightly browned.
Visit Kitchen Aid Mixers to find a great deal on KitchenAid Mixers for the special cook on your gift list.
Scottish Baps or Rolls
Ingredients:
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve 1 envelope of yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Set aside.
Scald 1/2 cup milk. Add 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 tablespoons butter. Stir until dissolved and let cool to lukewarm.
Add milk mixture to the dissolved yeast in large mixing bowl and stir well.
Add 1 1/2 cups flour to liquid mixture in the large mixing bowl and beat well. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, a little at a time, and mix to attain a soft dough.
Grease a large bowl for rising. Form dough into a ball, place it in the bowl and turn over, so that the top is greased as well. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Separate dough into 12 pieces. Form dough into ovals about 2 inches wide and 3 inches long. Place on greased baking sheet. Brush tops with milk. Cover lightly with cloth and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place rolls in preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven when lightly browned.
Visit Kitchen Aid Mixers to find a great deal on KitchenAid Mixers for the special cook on your gift list.
Round Kitting Looms
If you would love to create your own homemade items from yarn, but never learned how to knit or crochet, you should check out round knitting looms. They will enable you to knit delightful items simply by wrapping yarn around the loom. Lifting a stitch over the wrapped yarn, using a small pick-up tool, is all it takes to get started and complete your first project.
Loom knitting can be dated back as far as the Middle Ages. Although it eventually fell out of popularity, it has once again become a popular past-time. Today, modern round knitting looms are widely available at many craft stores. They come in different colors for different sizes of finished projects.
You can even make your own knitting loom. Take a piece of board about 12" wide and cut it into a round shape. Cut a large circle out of the center of the board. Drive nails evenly spaced, about a 1/2" apart, around the top of the outside edge of the board. This makes the knitting surface. You can use something as simple as a crochet hook or large sewing needle as the pick-up tool. Before I decided to invest in the more costly manufactured looms, I made my own round loom and practiced with it.
The simplest items knitted on a round loom are hats and socks. They may be simple to make, but it doesn't take away from their usefulness. You can be quite creative and achieve any look you want simply by using different colors of yarn. Just tie a new color to the yarn you are already working with any time you like. This will create a totally unique look.
Although I recommend you start learning how to loom knit by making a hat, there are many other items that can be made using a round loom. You can make scarves, pillow tops, dish cloths and even afghans. The list doesn't stop there, either. Try searching for "round knitting looms" on the internet and you will find many different patterns available, along with detailed instructions on how to make them.
If you buy a round knitting loom kit, it will come with instructions on how to make a basic hat. After you make your first one, you will be hooked. Once you tire of hats, be sure to do a search so you can add to your list of things to make.
Loom knitting can be dated back as far as the Middle Ages. Although it eventually fell out of popularity, it has once again become a popular past-time. Today, modern round knitting looms are widely available at many craft stores. They come in different colors for different sizes of finished projects.
You can even make your own knitting loom. Take a piece of board about 12" wide and cut it into a round shape. Cut a large circle out of the center of the board. Drive nails evenly spaced, about a 1/2" apart, around the top of the outside edge of the board. This makes the knitting surface. You can use something as simple as a crochet hook or large sewing needle as the pick-up tool. Before I decided to invest in the more costly manufactured looms, I made my own round loom and practiced with it.
The simplest items knitted on a round loom are hats and socks. They may be simple to make, but it doesn't take away from their usefulness. You can be quite creative and achieve any look you want simply by using different colors of yarn. Just tie a new color to the yarn you are already working with any time you like. This will create a totally unique look.
Although I recommend you start learning how to loom knit by making a hat, there are many other items that can be made using a round loom. You can make scarves, pillow tops, dish cloths and even afghans. The list doesn't stop there, either. Try searching for "round knitting looms" on the internet and you will find many different patterns available, along with detailed instructions on how to make them.
If you buy a round knitting loom kit, it will come with instructions on how to make a basic hat. After you make your first one, you will be hooked. Once you tire of hats, be sure to do a search so you can add to your list of things to make.
German Rye Bread and Dip
This German rye bread recipe makes 2 loaves of hearty, dense rye bread. The bread is very good by itself, or serve it with the German bread dip recipe for a special presentation. If you are planning to serve the bread with the dip, prepare the dip recipe first and let it chill while making the bread recipe.
German Dip
1/2 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon dill seed
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Mix well until all herbs are mixed throughout. Place in refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving.
Rye Bread
Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/3 cups warm milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup sorghum molasses
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3 1/3 cups rye flour
2 1/2 cups white bread flour
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
Preparation:
1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine milk, sugar, and salt. Beat in molasses, butter, dissolved yeast mixture, caraway seeds and 1 cup of the rye flour.
3. Adding a small amount at a time, mix in the remaining rye flour. Add the white flour, a small amount at a time, and mix until the dough is stiff enough to knead.
4. On a floured board, knead for a few minutes, adding as much white flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Knead until dough forms a soft, smooth ball.
5. Grease a large mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and turn to grease top of dough.
6. Cover dough with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 or 2hours, or until double in size.
7. Punch down dough and divide in half. Form each half of dough into the shape of a round loaf. Place loaves on a greased baking sheet. Cover loaves and let rise in a warm place 1 or 2 hours, or until double in size.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F before placing loaves in oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bread sounds hollow when tapped and top has browned.
Serve warm with butter, or break a loaf of German Rye Bread into pieces and serve with chilled German Bread Dip.
Visit a German Collectibles Haus to see the newest Steinbach Smokers for the holiday season.
German Dip
1/2 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon dill seed
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Mix well until all herbs are mixed throughout. Place in refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving.
Rye Bread
Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/3 cups warm milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup sorghum molasses
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3 1/3 cups rye flour
2 1/2 cups white bread flour
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
Preparation:
1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine milk, sugar, and salt. Beat in molasses, butter, dissolved yeast mixture, caraway seeds and 1 cup of the rye flour.
3. Adding a small amount at a time, mix in the remaining rye flour. Add the white flour, a small amount at a time, and mix until the dough is stiff enough to knead.
4. On a floured board, knead for a few minutes, adding as much white flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Knead until dough forms a soft, smooth ball.
5. Grease a large mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and turn to grease top of dough.
6. Cover dough with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 or 2hours, or until double in size.
7. Punch down dough and divide in half. Form each half of dough into the shape of a round loaf. Place loaves on a greased baking sheet. Cover loaves and let rise in a warm place 1 or 2 hours, or until double in size.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F before placing loaves in oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bread sounds hollow when tapped and top has browned.
Serve warm with butter, or break a loaf of German Rye Bread into pieces and serve with chilled German Bread Dip.
Visit a German Collectibles Haus to see the newest Steinbach Smokers for the holiday season.
Easy Slow Cooker Bread Pudding
If you have been looking for an easy dessert to prepare and serve for a special meal, you have found it. Making bread pudding in a slow cooker couldn't be easier. It also turns out just as delicious as the traditional way of preparing it. You can use any type of dried fruit in this recipe. Mixed fruits, raisins, dried apricots, and dates all work well.
Slow Cooker Bread Pudding Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 16 ounce loaf of day old white bread
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup dried fruit, chopped small
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Tear the bread slices into pieces about 1 to 2 inches in size. Place bread into the slow cooker. Pour milk over the pieces of bread, covering as much surface of the bread as you can. Let the bread soak for 20 to 30 minutes. (I like to let the bread soak while I am chopping the dried fruit.)
Stir the dried fruit, chopped apple and nuts into the bread mixture in the slow cooker.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter, egg and spices. Mix very well. Pour over bread mixture and mix until spice mixture is blended throughout the bread.
Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours. A knife blade inserted in the center will come out clean when bread pudding is done. If you aren't ready to serve the pudding immediately, it holds its texture well when turned to WARM setting for up to an hour.
Hint: You can also substitute a fresh pear in place of the apple for a subtle difference in taste.
For the best deals on Steinbach Nutcrackers visit A German Collectibles Haus.
Slow Cooker Bread Pudding Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 16 ounce loaf of day old white bread
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup dried fruit, chopped small
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Tear the bread slices into pieces about 1 to 2 inches in size. Place bread into the slow cooker. Pour milk over the pieces of bread, covering as much surface of the bread as you can. Let the bread soak for 20 to 30 minutes. (I like to let the bread soak while I am chopping the dried fruit.)
Stir the dried fruit, chopped apple and nuts into the bread mixture in the slow cooker.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter, egg and spices. Mix very well. Pour over bread mixture and mix until spice mixture is blended throughout the bread.
Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours. A knife blade inserted in the center will come out clean when bread pudding is done. If you aren't ready to serve the pudding immediately, it holds its texture well when turned to WARM setting for up to an hour.
Hint: You can also substitute a fresh pear in place of the apple for a subtle difference in taste.
For the best deals on Steinbach Nutcrackers visit A German Collectibles Haus.
How to Roast Stuffed Poultry
If you purchased a frozen bird, allow it to thaw completely in the refrigerator before attempting to cook. Check the wrapper the bird came in for weight and approximate cooking time for stuffed birds. Write down the amount of cooking time, as required by weight, for your bird. Remove the bird from the plastic wrapper. Remove any poultry parts from the inside of the bird and rinse them. Set aside for later use. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out. Allow to drain. Pat the inside of the turkey with dry paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Sprinkle the inside of the bird with salt. Stuff just before planning to begin roasting. If stuffing is made in advance, be sure to store it separately in the refrigerator. Fill the body and neck cavities lightly with seasoned stuffing. Stuff lightly, making sure not to press stuffing into the bird too tightly. Allow about 1/2 cup of stuffing for each pound of poultry. Any extra stuffing may be baked in a separate pan during the last hour of cooking.
Fold neck skin over to the back of the bird and fasten with a skewer. This will help keep the stuffing moist while baking. Turn the wingtips to the back of the heavy wing bone, to rest against the neck skin. Close the body cavity by tucking the ends of the legs under the band of skin at the tail, or by fastening legs together close to the body with a string.
If you are roasting a whole turkey, insert a meat thermometer into center of inner thigh muscle, making sure the thermometer does not touch the bone. If you don't own a meat thermometer don't worry, it isn't required for satisfactory cooking of a turkey.
Place the bird breast side up in a shallow pan, or start a heavy bird, one that weighs 18 pounds or more, breast side down until half done. Then turn over and allow to finish cooking. This allows for more even cooking. Always cook a goose breast side up. To prevent over browning, cover the bird loosely with aluminum foil, or use a turkey bag purchased from a store. Do not cover pan and do not add any water or broth.
Salt the gibblets and neck that were removed from the bird and seal in aluminum foil. Roast along with the bird. If you prefer, you can simmer them in salted water until tender.
Baste a chicken or turkey several times with drippings while cooking. Ducks and geese are fat enough that they do not require any basting.
Near the halfway or two-thirds point of cooking, cut the string to release the legs of the bird. Also remove the aluminum foil, or tear open the cooking bag to allow the turkey to brown.
Cook until meat thermometer in thigh reaches 180 to 185 degrees F. If you are not using a meat thermometer, test for doneness by pressing the fleshy part of the drumstick with protected fingers. If the meat feels soft, the poultry is done. You can also test for doneness by moving the drumstick. If the drumstick moves up and down easily, and the leg joint breaks or gives easily, the bird is done.
Plan the roasting time for a large bird so it will be done about 30 minutes before serving. Allowing poultry to stand for a short time makes it much easier to carve.
You can apply the same principals to roasting stuffed chicken, turkey, duck or goose.
To view hundreds of Steinbach Nutcracker figurines for the holiday season, visit A German Collectibles Haus.
Sprinkle the inside of the bird with salt. Stuff just before planning to begin roasting. If stuffing is made in advance, be sure to store it separately in the refrigerator. Fill the body and neck cavities lightly with seasoned stuffing. Stuff lightly, making sure not to press stuffing into the bird too tightly. Allow about 1/2 cup of stuffing for each pound of poultry. Any extra stuffing may be baked in a separate pan during the last hour of cooking.
Fold neck skin over to the back of the bird and fasten with a skewer. This will help keep the stuffing moist while baking. Turn the wingtips to the back of the heavy wing bone, to rest against the neck skin. Close the body cavity by tucking the ends of the legs under the band of skin at the tail, or by fastening legs together close to the body with a string.
If you are roasting a whole turkey, insert a meat thermometer into center of inner thigh muscle, making sure the thermometer does not touch the bone. If you don't own a meat thermometer don't worry, it isn't required for satisfactory cooking of a turkey.
Place the bird breast side up in a shallow pan, or start a heavy bird, one that weighs 18 pounds or more, breast side down until half done. Then turn over and allow to finish cooking. This allows for more even cooking. Always cook a goose breast side up. To prevent over browning, cover the bird loosely with aluminum foil, or use a turkey bag purchased from a store. Do not cover pan and do not add any water or broth.
Salt the gibblets and neck that were removed from the bird and seal in aluminum foil. Roast along with the bird. If you prefer, you can simmer them in salted water until tender.
Baste a chicken or turkey several times with drippings while cooking. Ducks and geese are fat enough that they do not require any basting.
Near the halfway or two-thirds point of cooking, cut the string to release the legs of the bird. Also remove the aluminum foil, or tear open the cooking bag to allow the turkey to brown.
Cook until meat thermometer in thigh reaches 180 to 185 degrees F. If you are not using a meat thermometer, test for doneness by pressing the fleshy part of the drumstick with protected fingers. If the meat feels soft, the poultry is done. You can also test for doneness by moving the drumstick. If the drumstick moves up and down easily, and the leg joint breaks or gives easily, the bird is done.
Plan the roasting time for a large bird so it will be done about 30 minutes before serving. Allowing poultry to stand for a short time makes it much easier to carve.
You can apply the same principals to roasting stuffed chicken, turkey, duck or goose.
To view hundreds of Steinbach Nutcracker figurines for the holiday season, visit A German Collectibles Haus.
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