Marie Calendar's Famous Golden Cornbread (copycat!) and Honey Butter

1-1/4 c flour
3/4 c cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 c whole milk (it is possible to use low fat or skim milk, but whole milk makes it taste better)
1/4 c shortening
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees --- Combine all dry ingredients in medium bowl --- Add the milk, shortening, and egg and mix only until all ingredients are well combined - do not over mix --- Pour batter into a greased 8x8-inch pan --- Bake 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown --- Let cool slightly before slicing.

Honey Butter
1/2 c butter softened
1/3 c honey
Mix together

Sydney found this recipe on the internet years ago and it is the one she always makes as her family likes a soft, moist cornbread.

Orange Slice Cookies

1 c light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 c white sugar
1 cut butter flavor crisco, or 1/2 c shortening, 1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 c quick oats
2 c orange slice candies, finely snipped*
1 c flaked coconut

• In a large mixing bowl, cream sugars and shortening  until light and fluffy.  
• Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to blend.
• Stir the dry mixture into the creamed mixture.
• Stir in oats, orange slice candy and coconut.
• Shape into 1-inch balls
• Place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned
• Remove to wire cooling racks

*to cut the orange slice candy- put 2 T flour in a soup bowl, spray kitchen shears with Pam, cut the candies in half and then about 5-6 more snips. Put the snipped candy pieces in the flour so they don't stick together.

Launa made orange slice Christmas tree ornaments for the grandkids but Kirt thought they looked like a pizza.  So when she sent the ornaments she also sent a box of orange stuff- jello, kool-aid, whack chocolate orange, etc...and a bag of orange slice candies and this recipe.

Broccoli Salads

Broccoli Cranberry Salad

 3-4 heads of broccoli, chopped
 1 bag craisins or raisins
1 small-medium red onion, chopped
1 c sunflower seeds or chopped nuts of your choice
1 jar or small bad bacon bits

Dressing #1

1 cup mayo
2 T white vinegar
4 T sugar

OR

Dressing #2

3/4 c mayo
1/4 c white vinegar
1/4 c sugar

1. combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl and mix well
2. combine last 3 ingredients in small bowl and mix well
3. combine mayo mixture with broccoli mixture and mix well
4. salt and pepper to taste
5. tastes way better if it has time to sit in the fridge before serving, over night is best

Broccoli Cashew Salad

1 bunch of tender broccoli tops- cut up
1 c grated cheese
1 c raisins or craisins
1 c cashews broken up or chopped nut of your choice
1 very small red onion, chopped up
Combine all ingredients and toss, add dressing and toss again

Dressing - use one from the recipe above.

Julia said her family always liked this salad when other brought it to a potluck, but she had to finally get the recipe off the internet. They have tried different combinations of cashews, sunflower seeds, raisins, & craisins, etc.

No Bakes

1 c butter
2 c sugar
1 c milk
pinch of salt
Melt together over Medium heat til milk boils white.

In a bowl- have ready:
6 c Quick Oats
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c peanut butter

Pour oats mixture into the heated mixture and stir.  Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Let cool.

For half the recipe:

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1/2 c milk
pinch of salt
Melt together over Medium heat til milk boils white.

In a bowl, have ready:
3 c Quick Oats
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c peanut butter

Pour oats mixture into the heated mixture and stir.  Drop by spoonfuls ont a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Let cool.

Elaine told us about hos she made them as a student at BYU and she and her roommate were taking them to the drive-in as their treat. Unfortunately they were left on the top of the car and when they went over a bump they fell off. Guys in the car behind them scooped them up and drove off with them.

Crock Pot Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces (can use chicken tenders)
2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 pkg dry Zesty Italian dressing mix
4-8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
Red onion, chopped

In a crock pot, add chicken, soup and dressing mix.
Mix to coat chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is no longer pink.
30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese, sour cream and red onion.
Stir until melted.
Serve over rice or noodles.

Judy got this recipe from her daughter Jennifer, who got if from a RS sister in Hollister. Her family loves it!

Home Made Oreo Cookies - Super Easy!

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs

Mix, mold, roll balls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Match up with canned frosting in between.

Charlene says "even if you only have a cake mix and can of frosting you can make a quick and easy last minute dessert!"

The Recipe Club begins...

It was the first meeting of our recipe club on 3/15/2012. We shared food, fun and fellowship. Along with the recipes which were shared we had some great conversations. In addition to the stories that went specifically with the recipes we shared some of our cooking mishaps:

• Annie told about when she was make 10,000 baking powder biscuits when working in food service- she used baking soda instead of baking powder
• Charlene told an experience of when her kids worked at McDonald
• Elaine told us about an applesauce cake that was made ahead and an apple was stored in the middle, It was wrapped and set aside for the flavors to blend. When she went to share it at a jewelery party it was somewhat fermented, everyone said it was very delicious and they all really enjoyed themselves
• Launa told of making an anniversary cake for her parents when she was younger- the frosting kept turning out too runny, so she dumped it down the toilet and tried again, several times. Finally, she asked for help from her mom who when they read the recipe it was noted that she was adding in 1 cup of milk instead of 1 Tablespoon of milk.

Attending:
Jolene, Annie, Judy, Elaine, Leslea, Bertha, Muriel, Julia, Megan, Paige, Launa, Charlene

Please join us next month- 7:30 pm, April 12th

Yeast Cornbread

Next time, I’m going to double this recipe.  This bread is good stuff.   My sister gave me the recipe, but I think it originally comes from Taste of Home Magazine.  Don’t be afraid of the yeast in this recipe.  It’s very easy to make.
Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 1/4 cups warm water, divided
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 3 Tbs. butter, softened
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 – 2 3/4 cups flour

Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water in a mixing bowl.  Add all the other ingredients, except the flour and beat until smooth.  Gradually mix in enough flour to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 6-8 minutes.  Work in extra flour if needed.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it to bring up the oiled side.  Cover lightly with a clean towel and let rise about an hour.
Punch the dough down and shape it into a loaf.  Put it in a greased loaf pan and cover it with the towel again.  Let it rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Brown Bread

10 c whole wheat flour

1 c raisins (soak in water for ½ - 1 hour)

4 tsp soda

Mix together in a large bowl.

In medium bowl mix 2 ½ c milk and ½ vinegar –

let sit 10 minutes.

Mix together:

1 c honey

1 c molasses

3 c milk

Add the sweet milk mixture to the sour milk mixture, mix well and add to the flour mixture. Stir.  Pour into 3 large, greased loaf pans.  Bake for ½ hour at 350 degrees, check and then bake for an additional 15-30 minutes depending on loaf size and oven.

I started to use this bread almost exclusively when I was told not to have white sugar or white flour. We love it.