by jphilo | Feb 10, 2022 | Recipes
My husband is spending the weekend at our son and daughter’s-in-law farm. I was invited too, but am staying home in hopes of shaking the cough that is the last vestige of a virus that likes me much more than I like it.
The guys will watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, so I’m sending a batch of shortbread for them to enjoy. This is our son’s favorite cookie, and I can’t believe the recipe hasn’t been featured here before. (I’m also sending crumb top apple pie for my daughter-in-law.) Both recipes are from the Betty Crocker Cookbook that was a wedding present in 1977. Shortbread been a cookie staple at our house for over 40 years.
With only 3 ingredients, it’s easy to make. It tastes best after a few days stored in an airtight container at room temperature…if it lasts that long.
Super Bowl Shortbread
1 1/2 cups softened butter (preferably made with butter made from Snippy’s cream)
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
Heat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar. Work in the flour. If the dough is crumbly, mix in 1 to 1 tablespoons softened butter.
Roll dough 1/3 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use a small water glass to cut into rounds. Place 1/2 inch apart on a hot, ungreased baking stone. Bake for about 20 minutes or until set. Remove from stone to cool.
by jphilo | Jul 2, 2014 | Recipes
The sour cherries, also known as pie cherries, are ripe! Thanks to generous neighbors who invited us to pick their tree clean, over the weekend the man of steel and I froze enough for three pies. And, there were enough left over to make a small cherry cobbler, the perfect size for the two of us.
I halved this recipe from the 1976 Betty Crocker Cookbook, which was a wedding shower gift from my Grandma Josie Hess. The cookbook she was pleased as punch to give because it was the latest thing in cooking. The one she inscribed with the famous words, “May you have many happy hours planning delicious meals for a happy, contented husband.”
The cherry cobbler was mighty tasty, though as usual I cut the sugar significantly, and Grandma’s inscription has me smiling again.
Cherry Cobbler
1 1/4 cups sugar (I used 2/3 cup)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (I almost doubled that, and the fruit was still runny)
4 cups sour cherries
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening (I used coconut oil)
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
Heat oven to 400º. Measure flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening. Add milk and stir with fork. Set aside.
Put cherries in medium saucepan. Blend larger amount of sugar with cornstarch. Add to cherries and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens.
Pour into ungreased 2 quart baking dish. Spoon small dollops of flour mixture onto hot fruit until surface is covered.
Bake 20–30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Best served warm!
by jphilo | Oct 6, 2010 | Recipes
Apple season is in full swing, and I’m loving it. Honey Crisps for eating, cider for drinking, Jonathans and Haroldsons for baking, discounted bags of seconds for applesauce. Life is good!
Apple crisp is one of the oldest and most popular apple desserts around. And why shouldn’t it be? It’s easy, quick, and not as loaded with sugar and fat as other desserts. Plus, it perfumes the house while it bakes and tastes heavenly. This recipe comes from my Betty Crocker Cookbook, a wedding shower from Grandma Josie in 1977. It still holds up, though I use less sugar and more oatmeal and apples than the original recipe required.
Apple Crisp
6 cups sliced pared tart* apples (about six medium)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup softened butter
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a square, nine inch pan. Place apple slices in pan. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake 30 – 45 minutes, until apples are tender and bubbly. Topping should be golden brown. Serve warm with milk, light cream or ice cream.
*Jonathans, JonaGolds, Haroldsons or Granny Smiths are tart baking apples.
