Recipes: Halloween Party Treats

These are fun!

The Swedish Farmer's Daughter

Entertaining is always fun, but somehow cooking for children on Halloween is really special.  With a little creativity, a really tasty yet gruesome Halloween menu can be pulled together to make a party or dinner before trick or treating a real scream.

Eyeballs
Peel round red seedless grapes.

Infected Brains
Simmer a head of cauliflower in water tinted with red food coloring.  To top with warm pus…tint melted cheese green.

Splattered Brains
Serve your favorite tomato sauced spaghetti

Bat Wings
2-1/2 bounds of chicken wings…leave the wings whole

Marinade Ingredients:
1 cup of brown sugar
1 can of Coke
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons of soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine marinade ingredients.  Add chicken wings. Push the chicken wings down until all of them are covered with the marinade.  Put in refrigerator to  marinade overnight.

About…

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Recipe: The Day My Dad Shot Elvis…Four Roosters and Chicken Pasta Fruit Salad

This is a great salad to serve during the summer months, and who doesn’t like a great chicken story.

The Swedish Farmer's Daughter

Once upon a time on my dad’s farm lived four young roosters who needed names. A good name can make or break a soul in this world so when dad called me at 8 a.m.in the morning, while I was at work, and asked my assistance in selecting names for his roosters, I was honored.

Since I had never seen his new roosters, I asked him to describe them for me.

The first rooster was black, small for his age and the first to learn to crow. He really had a thing for the lady hens. His most distinguishing characteristic was the long feathers that hung down on either side of his beak like sideburns. We named him Elvis.

Then, dad explained he wanted his other roosters named after Civil War generals.  I am a Civil War buff, so he felt I would be the one to help him find appropriate military names. He stressed that the…

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What Is On My Mind Today? A Very Thoughtful and Delicious Gift

Last week a friend of mine sent me the most wonderful and thoughtful gift.  She knew that I am not a jam maker so she made jam from several family recipes posted on my blog and added a few of her own.  Then, had them shipped to me.

There was Rhubarb Orange, Rhubarb-Pineapple-Raspberry, Zucchini Freezer, Apple and just for good measure she included a jar of Blueberry pancake jam.

Last night my dad called and said that he and mom were coming for a visit today.  They would get here about a hour before noon. Like father, like daughter, my dad has always loved jam.  So, I told him that we would have a jam fest for lunch.

This morning I woke up early and made his Aunt Ida’s Two-Hour Buns recipe.  When you are going down memory lane you might as well go all the way.  Besides, I cannot imagine having homemade jam on anything less than warm bread right out of the oven.

Then it was time to find my last stick of butter in the house and set the table.

Our lunch consisted of milk and warm bread topped with Mary Cummins’ jams.  It really does not get better than that.

Mary, thank you!  You made my day and my parents.

God bless you for your thoughtfulness, and for sharing the products of your expertise jam making skills!  Delicious!

 

Recipes: Uncle Ing, Aunt Doris, Orioles and the Treasure Box ….Grandma’s Salad, Zucchini Freezer Jam and Kathryn Hepburn’s Brownies

My husband and I have lived in this home for over thirty years and for the first time I have Orioles at my bird feeder.  This morning I had both a male and female Oriole singing to me from my grape jelly feeder. Actually, I can still hear them singing.

Each time I see an Oriole, I always think of my Great Uncle Ing who was the first person to ever show me one of these gorgeous orange and black song birds.

Uncle Ing Kronbeck lived his whole life on the farm where he had grown up north west of Litchfield, MN.  He was the youngest in a family of six children. Esther the oldest was my grandmother, then there were Hilda, Anna, Ida, Victor and Ingvald.

Their childhood was one of hard work, poverty and a very sick mother.  My grandmother once told me that she was more of a mother to her brother Ing than her own mother.

This family worked together on their farm and survived World Wars, economic depression and contagion. Several of their family members contracted the flu during the deadly epidemic of 1918.   Aunt Ida told me she once spent an entire year lying in bed with an ice pack on her chest, due to an enlarged heart from an illness.  I do not remember anymore if it was the flu or Rheumatic fever.

Against all odds, all of the children survived to adulthood.  Not only that, but these strong people, while suffering through bouts of depression and sadness thrust upon them by the circumstances of life, always were steadfast in their faith in Jesus Christ and kept their sense of humor and wonderment of simple things.

Uncle Ing holding his daughter Marion

Uncle Ing married Aunt Doris and they had two daughters Marion and Kathy.  What probably was more important to me at the time was that they had two amazing dogs Penny and Skippy.  Penny was the softest tri-color collie in the world and Skippy was a magnificent fetcher of a Springer Spaniel.

Penny                                                                Skippy

Not only were these dogs friendly….they were generous.  They had no problem with me climbing on on top of their dog house and pretending it was my pony.  At that age anything and everything became a pony.

Skippy’s favorite toy…a cow teat holder

In those days, Sunday’s were for church and visiting relatives.  For those of you that do not know what visiting is, it is actually taking time to be with the people you love.  You share stories, laughs and very good food.

Sometimes at Uncle Ing’s home, he’d play guitar and sing us songs in English and Swedish.

      Uncle Ing played a twelve string guitar 

He would also let me sit at his “Seed Corn” sales desk and draw with his remarkable little pencils.  They came in a case that had bright colored advertisements on them.

To use the pencil and you had to pull the pencil out and insert its metal capped end into the back of the case.  They were dainty and delightful, and a perfect gift for a little girl who needed a pencil to fit into her tiny Sunday School penny offering purse.

Visiting Uncle Ing and Aunt Doris was one of my favorite childhood stops.  It sure beat visiting the Aunties in town as every child in our family knew that their house was dark, scary and haunted.  However, had I known then that both of my great grandparent had died in Uncle Ing’s house, I probably would have been a bit more jumpy when the back door would open and close on its own.

Everyone else had black and white milking cows, not Uncle Ing, he had the only weird brown cow in the whole community. 

What I remember most was that Uncle Ing and Aunt Doris’ home was filled with happiness and peace.

On one Sunday’s visit Uncle Ing walked us kids to a big tree in his front yard and showed us the nest of an Oriole.  It was a funny looking bird’s nest. It hung off of the branch of the tree just like a beard hanging off the chin of a Mennonite.  There, too, in the tree sat a male Oriole. It was the very first time I had ever seen an Oriole.  He was beautiful! We stood silently and listened to its beautiful song.

Beautiful memories like beautiful days and people are the real treasures of this life.  That is why I have a treasure box.  I do not think even my daughter knows about my treasure box. It is a very stained and tattered little cardboard box where I keep all of the handwritten recipes given to me by the greatly loved women in my life who have found their eternal rest in heaven.  One of those was my Great Aunt Doris.

My first year in college, I lived with my Aunt Doris during the winter months.  I had a great time.  One day we sat down at the kitchen table and she had me go through her recipes and choose which ones I wanted.  Then, in her own hand, she copied them for me.  They are in my treasure box along with Grandmother Helen Vacinek, Grandmother Esther and Great Aunt Ida’s handwritten recipes.

I get a kick out of the great interest in DNA ancestry tests.  A DNA test can only tell you what you are. It is family tradition, lore and heirlooms that tell you who you are.

When I think about it, I have come to the conclusion that it really is a shame that email and text messaging were ever invented.  It saddens me to think that future generations will not be able to take out a treasure box filled with handwritten notes, letters and recipes from the people that loved them.  The expressions of love and wisdom from past familial generations that provide comfort and strength will surely elude children of the electronic age for their communications will be no more.

I hope you enjoy these recipes. I have shared them as written by my Great Aunt Doris.

Grandma’s Salad

1/2 cup salad dressing (mayonnaise)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice – blend these and add
1 cup crushed pineapple well drained, so it’ll be a firm salad

Add
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup small marshmallows
1 cup grated carrots
Stir only to distribute evenly

Zucchini Freezer Jam

6 cups grated zucchini, peel, add water to cook for six minutes. Drain well.

Add
6 cups of sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon or orange juice
6 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice

Boil six minutes, take off stove and add
2 3-ounce packages of apricot jello. (Or, one each of lemon or orange jello.)

Pour in jars

Keep in freezer.

Kathryn Hepburn’s Brownies

This is just the way Hepburn did it

First melt two squares of unsweetened chocolate and 1/4 pound butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in one cup sugar, add two eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat like mad.

Stir in 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Not all mashed up you know, just chopped, good sized pieces, now mix all that.  

Butter an 8 X 8 inch pan and dump the whole thing quickly, stuff into 325 degree oven for 40 minutes. Cool awhile and cut into one and a half inch squares and dive right in.

Editors note, tested in the kitchen of Ladies Home Journal and is delicious because of the 1/4 cup flour they have a pudding like texture.  Pat, I’ve also made them. (No baking powder or soda) 

 

 

Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam Followed By A Good Punch!

Considering how late our spring was,  I was thinking that everything would be behind schedule. Not the case at all.

The blue-bells in Southern Minnesota are in full bloom.  This picture was taken by my daughter-in-law last weekend.

Some of the corn on the farm is already sprouted and proudly standing up in rows.

And my neighbor just informed me that when he was in northern Minnesota by Ely fishing this weekend, the water temperature was 10 degrees higher than expected. Sadly, they did not catch any fish as their bait was too big.

Yes, here in Minnesota rhubarb patches are already producing, so it is time for a few more rhubarb recipes.

This excellent jam recipe comes from the home of Terri Knowlan, and is a great way to combine the end of the rhubarb season with the beginning of the strawberry season.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
from the kitchen of Teri Knowlan

4 cups fresh strawberries washed and stemmed
2 cups chopped rhubarb
¼ cup lemon juice
5 ½ cups sugar
1 package — 1.75 ounce powdered pectin

Crush strawberries. Place in a large saucepot. Combine chopped rhubarb with strawberries then add lemon juice and pectin. Bring to rolling boil over high heat. Add sugar then return to rolling boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Pour hot strawberry/rhubarb mixture into hot jars. Leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust caps, and process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Makes 6 half-pints.

Rhubarb Punch

6 cups of rhubarb, chopped fine
6 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
one, 6-ounce can of frozen orange juice
one, 6-ounce can of frozen lemonade
2 quarts of lemon-lime soda

Put rhubarb and 3 cups of water together and boil until rhubarb is cooked.  Strain rhubarb to separate the rhubarb mush from the juice.  Drain well, you might want to press down on the rhubarb mush to get all of the juice out. Boil the juice again with the two cups of sugar.

Cool.

To the cool rhubarb juice mixture, add orange juice and lemonade, 3 cups of cold water and lemon-lime soda.

Serve in punch bowl with ice.

Recipes: Minnesota May, Open Windows, Open Houses and Graduate Gifts…Wisdom and Chewy Chocolate Brownies.

Winter 2018 was a very long one.  First there were months of cold and then, just when a person would think spring was on the way…April blizzards.  One right after another.

This morning is beautiful! The grass is getting green, birds are singing, and there is a mama and papa wild duck couple waddling around just outside the fence of my backyard.  Color, joy and romance have returned to the great state of Minnesota. It is finally warm enough to throw off the winter blankets and throw open the windows.

Oh sure, there are still piles of snow here and there, and it will be sometime before any of the flowers that survived the April 2018 rabbit scourge bloom, but if one tries as hard to ignore the remaining snow drifts as one does those extra insulation pounds…it looks like spring, smells likes spring, feels like spring and sounds like spring.

The month of May in Minnesota sends gardeners to their knees, farmers to the fields, hikers to the woods, and friends and relatives to graduation open houses.

Most graduation party menus include more that just salads and sweets.  There is usually a meat entree, beans and a couple of fruit or vegetable appetizers.  To wash all the great food down or just stay hydrated on a hot afternoon–a tangy cold beverage or punch recipe is always greatly appreciated by party goers.

I hope that these kitchen-tested recipes for salads, meats, bars, cookies and beverages make hosting an open house for your loved one easy.

Salad Recipes

– Coleslaw with Lemon Dressing

– Stairway to Heaven and Luscious Lemon Jello Salad

– Four Roosters and Chicken Pasta Fruit Salad

– Chicken Pasta Fruit Salad

Easy Sweet and Sour Cabbage Salad

An extra large bowl

1 green bell pepper finely chopped
3 packages of fresh coleslaw mix

Dressing:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium-sized saucepan bring sugar, oil and vinegar to a boil.
Poor over the cabbage and chill over night.

This recipe comes from the home of my mother-in-law Lois Turgeon.

Italian Pasta Salad

A extra large bowl

1 box of tri-color Rotini pasta, cooked
3/4 cup of onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup of ripe olives, drained and sliced into thin circles
1/2 cup of pimento stuffed green olives, drained and sliced into thin circles
1-1/2 cups of red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 head of fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 package of sliced pizza pepperoni, cut slices in half

Pour one 16 ounce bottle of Kraft Tucson House Italian Dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss together until evenly coated with dressing. Chill overnight.

Rhubarb Salad

This is rhubarb season in Minnesota and when I saw this recipe for a rhubarb salad in the Trinity Lutheran Church from my hometown of Grove City, MN,  I had to include it.  While this recipe gets rave reviews in the cookbook, I have never made it, so you are on your own.

2 cups of chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
One 3 ounce package wild strawberry jello
3/4 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
One 3 ounce package of softened cream cheese

Simmer rhubarb, sugar and water until rhubarb is tender and cooked.  This takes about 10 minutes. Stir in jello, cool.  Add celery, nuts and softened cream cheese. Pour into gelatin mold.

Chill until set, un-mold and serve.

Chinese Coleslaw

An extra large bowl

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 Tablespoons oil
1/2 large head of cabbage shredded or chopped
8 green onions, finely chopped, include the green tops
6 Tablespoons RICE vinegar. (not use rice wine vinegar)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 packages of chicken-flavored Ramen noodle soup mix.

In a skillet, brown sesame seeds and sliver almonds in the two tablespoons of oil. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the chopped or shredded cabbage and 8 green onions. Set aside.

Dressing:
In a small bowl mix together the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, oil and pepper.  Stir in the flavor packets from the two Ramen noodle soup mix packages.

Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and gently toss together until the cabbage is evenly coated. Refrigerate overnight.

Just before serving break up the Ramen noodles and add to the salad with the toasted sesame seeds and almonds for

Bar and Cookie Recipes

– Grandmother Esther’s Fabulous Lemon Bars

– Apron Protocol and Pineapple Bars

– Stuck in the Mud Fudge Bars

– Grandma’s Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies.  (Roll the cookies in sprinkles that match your school colors)

– Butter Cookies: A Century Old Recipe from a Century Old Farm ( Cut out the shape of your school mascot and frost cookies in your school colors.)

– Spring Calves and Buttery Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

–  New Tried and True Cookie Recipes: Chocolate and Caramel-Filled Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies, Rum Raisin Oatmeal Cookies, Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies and Rollo Candy Double Chocolate Pretzel Bites

– Church Ladies Critique and Chewy Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies

MEAT

Whether is is a pork,beef, lamb, chicken or turkey graduation meat entree’s are usually sauced, shredded and served on a bun.  The key to getting the meat tender enough to shred with a fork, is to cook it at a low temperature slowly over a long period of time. Barbecue grills, smokers, ovens and crock pots can all be used to slow cook meat.

Poultry needs to be cooked at a higher temperature than beef, pork or lamb.  I slow bake poultry at about 300 degrees until the juices run clear and the meat easily pulls away from the bone.

A three to four pound roast will make about eight large sandwiches or 16 mini-sandwiches or sliders. To prepare Beef, pork and lamb in your oven season the meat, cover it and at 250 degrees for about eight hours. The roast should be basted  frequently with your favorite sauce.

Barbecue sauce:

1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 thick slice of lemon
1 onion, finely diced
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke

In a large saucepan combine vinegar, water mustard, pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, salt, lemon, onion and butter.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat.  Use as a baste or sauce for pork, beef, lamb, turkey or chicken.

Yield: 2 cups which is enough for 3-4 pounds of meat

Easiest and Best Barbecue Sauce Ever

2 jars of Heinz chili sauce
1 3/4 cups of concord grape jelly

In a medium-sized sauce pan combine the chili sauce and grape jelly.  Cook over medium heat until grape jelly is melted.

Sauce is great with meatballs, chicken wings, chicken, turkey, beef and pork.

Yield: about 4 cups and is enough for 6-7 pounds of meat.

BEANS

Three-Bean Salad 

1 can, 16 ounce, green beans
1 can, 16 ounce, yellow wax beans
1 can, 19 ounce, kidney beans
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Drain and rinse beans. Combine beans in a large mixing bowl.  Add red bell pepper and onion.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together sugar, vinegar and oil.  Pour over beans.  Season with salt and pepper. Toss ingredients together until evenly coated. Chill overnight.

Yield:  8 servings

Three-Bean Bake

This recipe can be made in either the oven or a crock pot.

Preheat over to 300 degrees.  Grease 9 X 13 X 2 inch baking dish

1/2 pound of ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound of bacon, diced, fried and drained
1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoon cider vinegar
2 cans (16 ounce, each) pork and beans
1 can (15 ounce) kidney beans
1 can (15 ounce) butter beans

In a large skillet, brown beef and onions. Drain off fat.  Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, salt, mustard, vinegar and fried bacon bits.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Next, add all of the beans.  Mix together well.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until bubbly.  If you are using a crock pot, cooking times will vary depending on if you use the low or high hear setting.

Yield:  8 servings

Crock Pot Vegan Baked Beans

2- 28 ounce cans of vegetarian baked beans
1 onion, finely diced
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup ketchup

Add all of the ingredients into a large crock pot. Mix together thoroughly.  Cook for at least an hour or until onion is tender   Keep warm in crock pot until ready to serve.

APPETIZERS

Dip for Fresh Strawberries

1 cup of sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar. With a electric hand-mixer beat until light and fluffy.

Serve with fresh strawberries for dipping

Yield: 1 1/4 cups.

Fruit Pizza
Make the glaze first as it has to be completely cool before you put it on the fruit. 

Glaze:
3/4 cup water
1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup unsweetened orange or pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

In a medium-sized saucepan, on medium heat,  while stirring constantly to prevent scorching, boil the glaze ingredients together until thick.  Cool and paint over fruit with a pastry brush.

Crust: 
2 sticks of butter or margarine
2 cups of flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a medium-sized bowl mix ingredients together with your clean hands.  Press dough evenly into to bottom of a pizza pan.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Crust should just start to brown. Cool completely.

Filling: 
One 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix together with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled crust.

Toppings:
Artfully arrange sliced fruit and berries over cream cheese filling.  Fruit can include: strawberries, blue berries, raspberries, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, peaches etc…

Use a pastry brush to cover fruit with glaze. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve cut into wedges or squares like you would a pizza.

Hummus

One 12-ounce can of chickpeas
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1/3 cup of lemon juice
1 garlic clove, fresh
3 Tablespoons of water
Olive oil

In a food processor puree chickpeas. Add lemon juice, sesame oil, garlic and water. Pulse a couple of times to combine.

Transfer hummus to a small serving bowl.  Smooth out with knife, and add just enough olive oil to cover the surface. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Stir in oil just before serving.  Serve with pita bread triangles.

Yield: 4 servings

Vegetable Pizza

Two, 8-ounce packages of refrigerated crescent rolls. (16 count)
Two, 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing mix
6 cups of assorted fresh vegetables, finely chopped
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

To make pizza crust, unroll crescent rolls, press seams together and pat into a 15-1/2 X 10-1/2 X 2 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees  for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Set aside.

The pizza filling is made by stirring together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and dry dressing mix in a small bowl. Spread filling evenly over the cooled crust.

On top of the filling sprinkle the finely chopped fresh vegetables. Vegetable options could include: broccoli, cauliflower, green, red, orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced green onion, black olives, green olives, celery or shredded carrots.  Try to pick vegetable of different colors to make pizza more colorful.

Top with the shredded cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve cut into squares.

Yield: 32 appetizers.

BEVERAGES

Rhubarb Punch

6 cups of rhubarb, chopped fine
6 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
one, 6-ounce can of frozen orange juice
one, 6-ounce can of frozen lemonade
2 quarts of lemon-lime soda

Put rhubarb and 3 cups of water together and boil until rhubarb is cooked.  Strain the mixture to get the juice.  Boil the juice again with the 2 cups of sugar. Cool.

To the cool rhubarb juice mixture, add orange juice and lemonade, 3 cups of cold water and lemon-lime soda.

Serve in punch bowl with ice.

Sherbet Punch

This recipe is easy, tastes great and you can change the color of the punch by just choosing different flavors of sherbet and sliced fruit or berries.

1/2 gallon of lemon or lime sherbet.
2 quarts of Sprite
Lemon and lime slices

Fill punch bowl 3/4 full of cold Sprite. With an ice cream scoop add 1/2 of sherbet.  It will float and become foamy on top. Stir gently 3-5  times.  Add fruit slices on top of the punch bowl. Serve

Yield: Serves 24. (enough for two bowls)

Methodist Champagne

Two, 46-ounce cans of pineapple juice
1 quart ginger ale
1 quart sparkling white grape juice
Two, 6-ounce cans of frozen lemonade concentrate

Chill  pineapple juice, ginger ale, and white sparkling grape juice.  Combine chilled juices and ginger ale with thawed but cold lemonade concentrate. Stir until combined and serve in punch bowl with ice rings.

Ice Ring:
Use a ring shaped jello mold and fill 2/3 full with water.  Add colorful fruit such as cherries, blue berries,raspberries, strawberries or citrus slices.  Freeze.  Unmold and add to punch when it is time to serve.

Easy Classic Red Punch

2 large cans of Hawaiian Fruit Punch
1 quart of ginger ale
1 quart of Sprite

Mix together and serve in a punch bowl with ice.

Classic Red Punch

4 packages of orange or cherry Kool-Aid
8 quarts of water, cold
Two, 46-ounce cans of Hawaiian Punch, chilled
Two. 46-ounce cans of pineapple juice, chilled
1 can, 6-ounce frozen lemonade

In a very large container mix together punch ingredients.  After well mixed  and right before you serve add 2 quarts of ginger ale.  Add ice and serve your large crowd.

Pineapple Raspberry Punch

5 cups of pineapple juice
1 quart of raspberry cranberry juice
1 pint of raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Chill all of the ingredients.  Combine in a punch bowl with ice.

My gift to this year’s graduates is a little advice and this recipe for chewy, chocolaty, fudge brownies.  Successful adulting often requires less beer and more chocolate.

Chewy Cocoa Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly grease a 9 X 13 baking pan.  Line the bottom with parchment paper.  Set aside.

1 cup butter, melted and cool
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the melted butter, oil and sugars.  Beat with electric hand mixer until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until the mixture is smooth and becomes a lighter shade of yellow. This takes just over a minute or so.

In a small bowl sift dry ingredients together: cocoa, flour and salt.  With a mixing spoon or rubber spatula foal dry ingredients into the egg and sugar mixture. Mix until JUST combined.  Over mixing will make your brownies more cake like and less chewy.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread the batter evenly in the 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center of the brownies is set to the touch.  The middle will still be soft and if you check with a toothpick at this time it was come out covered in batter.  Remove brownies from the oven and cool.  Dust with powdered sugar, cut into squares and serve.

Congratulations to all of this year’s graduates! May your future be as bright and colorful as this morning’s sunrise! 

Blogger’s note:  Food poisoning is a very real hazard during any potluck or party, however the heat of summer greatly increased the likelihood that you or your guests could be come very ill.  To a cancer patient such as myself with a compromised immune system, food poisoning can be deadly.  Be sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.  Take extra precautions when handling raw meat or poultry.  Always wash your hands, any surface you are working on or any utensils you use when working with raw meats.

Also, remember that some of your guests may have food allergies or are on medications that require them to avoid certain foods. Nuts, shellfish and for heart patients grapefruit juice come to mind.  Know what you are serving and accurately share all of the ingredients with guests who ask for that information.  A little bit can make a person very ill and in some extreme cases food allergies and drug interactions can be deadly.

Then, too, if you are serving alcohol at your event, do not and do not let your guests drink and drive.

Recipe: Christmas Trivia and George Washington’s Eggnog

The Swedish Farmer's Daughter

You cannot beat a nicely spiked cup of Eggnog on cold winter days such as the ones we are experiencing.

Then, too, Christmas Trivia is always a good read.

Christmas Trivia:

George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Day 1776.

It was in 350 A.D that Julius I, Bishop of Rome chose December 25 to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ.

The first Christmas tree decorated in the White House was during the Franklin Pierce Administration.

Calvin Coolidge in 1923 lit the first Christmas tree on the White House lawn.

When it pays to send the best… The first official White House Christmas card was sent by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He asked a friend, Joyce. C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, for help. Hallmark has supplied the official presidential holiday cards ever since.

The first tinsel was made in 1878 and distributed in Nuremberg, Germany. These icicles…

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Recipes: First Day of School, Rotten Apples, Cabbage Rolls and Refrigerator Pickles

The first day of school is always exciting, even if the only thing you are looking forward to is getting back with your friends and recess. Yesterday was the first day of the new school year for many of Minnesota’s youngsters.  I really enjoyed checking out all of the Facebook posts of happy, and some not so happy faces, setting off to tackle another year of education dressed in new duds, and toting backpacks that in some cases looked almost as big as the child.

I will never forget one of my preschool students, a very petite three-year-old girl who marched into each class session with a look of determination and a backpack that absolutely dwarfed her. I never knew what she kept in that backpack, but she always had room left inside to cram her papers in to bring home.  Honestly, when that child unzipped that enormous backpack and begin pushing her crunched up papers in, over half of little girl disappeared.  I felt obliged to stand ready to fish her out of that thing, should it gobble her up completely.

As far as I am concerned when school begins, summer ends.  Yes, autumn is here!  It is now time to clean out the house and garden, and begin cooking and baking at will. For the most part, the hot humid days of summer are over. Windows can again be flung wide open, unless you are allergic to rag weed then you have to wait until after the first frost for any window flinging. And, turning the oven on to bake is no longer torture. It takes the chill off of your home and produces wonderful aromas that dance throughout the house.

I was going to try a recipe for rum cake today, but as a teenager I promised my grandmother that I would not be a drinker of alcohol and a promise made, is a promise kept.  Therefore, the only distilled or fermented beverages in my home are used for cooking, and as luck would have it, I am out of rum.  I do have rum extract, but making a rum cake using that stuff, would be an insult to cakes everywhere.  Due to a lack of planning on my part, and my refusal to buy alcohol on a Sunday, there will have to be a rain check on the rum cake.  Disappointing I know, but we must soldier on all the same.

I do have two new recipes that will help use up some of those end of the growing season vegetables.

The first recipe is delicious and a boon for time management…Crockpot Cabbage Rolls. These cabbage rolls are prepared with a sweet and spicy tomato sauce.

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls

12 leaves of cabbage
1 cup of cooked brown rice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced onion
1 pound of extra lean ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Put the cabbage leaves into the boiling water for about two minutes. Drain.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, egg, milk, onion, ground beef, salt and pepper. Place about 1/4 of a cup of the meat mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Tuck ends of leaf in and roll up, just like a burrito or egg roll.  Place rolls in the crockpot.

In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

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This second recipe is a bit of pure tasty nostalgia.

Fall on the farm meant cricket serenades, swimming in huge piles of harvested corn and beans, apple wars with siblings, cousins and neighbor kids and pickles.

Apple fights were as much of fall tradition as a good snowball fight is in the winter. Throwing rotten and/or wormy apples at a worthy or whiny opponent was not done out of spite or to advance yuckiness.  It was not to create additional suffering for your target or laundry for your mother.  Nor was it to increase your thrill or justify the level punishment that would be meted out should you be caught. It was not to enjoy the sound of a good splat.  Not at all.  Rotten apple throwing was a matter of religious observance.

We were all Lutherans and wasting food in any form was highly frowned upon by those in authority and who were observant. Therefore, good tree apples had been long ago banned for use as weapons or ammunition in broad daylight. While good apples delivered a much smarter sting, sadly, we had to be content to use their softer rotten treemates to teach the unsuspecting how to, “take it like a man.”

With all of the flinging, fight, fun and frolic of fall, it is important to remember that it is also the time of year for pickles. I have always loved eating pickles.  My Great Uncle Ed would often hand me a very tart dill pickle and dare me to try it while loudly declaring, “That will grow hair on your chest!”  Eventually, it became clear to me that I needed to cut back on of my dill pickle consumption and focus on sweet pickles, as I began to have nightmares about displaying a hairy bosom in a prom dress.

This recipe for sweet pickles tastes just like the bread and butter pickles canned and shared at every family get-together by my grandmother and great aunts.  However, these are much easier to make and keep well for about two months in the refrigerator.  I hope you make and enjoy…..Sweet Spicy Refrigerator Pickles.

Sweet Spicy Refrigerator Pickles

6 cups cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 cups onions, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups of sugar
1-1/2 cups of cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, scant

Place sliced cucumbers and onions in a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium-sized sauce pan combine and whisk together:  sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, and cloves. Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Pour boiling vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions.  As the mixture cools, press cucumbers under the vinegar mixture.  Cool.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before you serve.

Another pickle recipe on this blog:  Watermelon Pickles the Happy Pickle

 

 

 

Graduation Party Recipes for Meats, Beans, Appetizers and a Couple of Punches

It is that time of year again. I actually saw a sign for a student’s graduation party this weekend already. I hope that these recipes help make that day easier to prepare for and meet with the approval of your guests.

Congratulations to all of the new graduates. May your futures be filled with bright opportunities and excellent adventures.

The Swedish Farmer's Daughter

Most graduation party menus include more that just salads and sweets.  There is usually a meat entree, beans and a couple of fruit or vegetable appetizers.  To wash all the great food down or just stay hydrated on a hot afternoon–a tangy cold beverage or punch recipe will be greatly appreciated by party goers.

This blog and the recent blog of salad, bar and cookie recipes should help complete any time-pressed host or hostess’graduation party menu.  This blog contains meat, bean, appetizer and beverage recipes.

MEAT

Whether is is a pork,beef, lamb, chicken or turkey graduation meat entree’s are usually sauced, shredded and served on a bun.  The key to getting the meat tender enough to shred with a fork, is to cook it at a low temperature slowly over a long period of time. Barbecue grills, smokers, ovens and crock pots can all be used to slow cook meat.

Poultry needs to be…

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Recipes: A Southwestern Buffet for a Houston, Texas, Superbowl Day

I must confess,  I have always enjoyed playing football more than watching it.  Football was a big deal in my hometown.  I think most of the school-age, able-bodied males were on our school’s team.

It seemed to me that there was a social hierarchy of sorts on our football teams. In stead of shirts and skins, our team appeared to be divided up between the spindly and the timber legged.  The town’s kids were usually on offense in a backfield position.  There they could avoid contact and injury by being protected by the barn cleaning, rock picking country types. If you were a farm boy it rarely mattered how far you could throw a pass or run a football, chances were that you would find yourself on defense or in the offensive line.

Special teams were a mixed bag that took on life of their own. This group of fine young men was usually made up of the younger brothers of farm boys.  These normally easy going guys were used to taking a pounding.  Once that uniform was on they knew no fear. One of my favorite high school football memories was made by the youngest son from a family of boys who was our punter.  He was a farm neighbor of ours and I had hunted ducks with him many times.  For lack of a better name, I will call him Goober.

During this particular play, Goober’s center hiked the ball right over his head. Goober had been sent out there to punt and he was determined to fulfill his mission. So, he punt kicked the oncoming rusher right in the stomach.   The “woof” could be heard all over the field.

Thankfully the opposing play was not injured. I am pretty sure the refs insisted that Goober not return to the football field for the remainder of the game.  He was cheered like a returning war hero by his teammates and hometown crowd as he left the field.  When asked why he kicked the guy, Goober said that he had to kick something and the guy was there.  Thankfully he did not take that attitude when we were hunting together and the ducks didn’t show up.

The best football games from my youth were not played in town on a regulation-sized field, but were played on our farm’s football field.  Our front yard was a huge rectangle. Many neighborhood football games were played on that lawn. We didn’t even have to quit when it became dark outside, because our farm yard light lit the whole thing up.  The goal lines were trees.  A big elm tree to the north and a small box elder tree to the south in front of the grainery. Both trees and the grainery are gone now.

Some of the best athletes in our school were either my brothers, cousins or neighbors. Many a weekend found us playing no-pads, no-refs, no-whiner tackle football. For quite a few years I was only allowed to watch the big boys play, because I was too small and wheezy.

It wasn’t long before I was playing football with the boys.  Once my asthma improved, I had grown up, and filled out some….I was asked to participate.

One of the last football games that I ever played in our yard took place a couple of days before I was to start college.  As fate would have it, I was an offensive end.  As I sprinted at a dead run out to catch a long pass, the tip of my foot went right into a gopher hole and down I went.  It was quite obvious that, at best, I had just severely sprained my ankle.

I hobbled off to the house for ice and before long my whole foot and ankle were purple. The next morning the situation had not improved and a visit was paid to our family doctor–Dr. Schnell.  The foot and ankle were wrapped and I was instructed that I had to use crutches.

My cousin had wanted crutches so badly that for years she tried to break her own leg. Here I was living her dream, and I did not want to be on crutches. Not ever! Especially not on my first day at a new school. To me crutches were attention grabbing ugly instruments of arm pit torture. Worse yet, they are a complete failure as a fashion statement and never match any outfit.

The next morning, I got up and did my best to meet the challenge of coordinating clothes, color, and crutches. Then, I rode with my brother to college for my first day of higher education.

Freshman orientation was being held in the gym, which was sunken and there were a lot of steps to get down to it.  There I stood at the top of the stairs leaning on my crutches and holding onto my books trying to figure out how to successfully complete the journey into that required educational abyss. Without warning a couple of football players scooped up me, my crutches and books and carried us down.  Their football brawn clearly was put to practical good use and was greatly appreciated.

With only days to go until kick-off, it is time find recipes, complete a menu and purchase groceries for Superbowl Sunday.  Since the game is in Texas, my menu choices lean towards Mexican fare.  I hope that you enjoy these recipes and this Sunday’s game!

BEVERAGES:

Fruit Punch Ole’

1 quart fresh orange juice
1-6 ounce can of frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed and made with water
1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup triple sec
1 quart club soda, chilled
1 pint orange sherbet

In a very large punch bowl combine orange juice, pineapple juice concentrate made with water, lemon juice, tequila and triple sec. Mix well and chill.  When ready to serve, stir in club soda and put scoops of sherbet in to float.

Makes just over a gallon.

This recipe can be found in the cookbook, Classic Southwest Cooking, Classic Southwest Recipes Authentic Family Favorites by Sheryn R. Jones

Spanish Coffee

3/4 cup kahlua
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 cups of hot brewed coffee
Whipped cream
Chocolate curls

Stir Kahlua and sugar into hot coffee.  Pour into four coffee mugs and top each with a dollop of whipped cream.  Garnish with chocolate curls.

This recipe can be found in the cookbook, Classic Southwest Cooking, Classic Southwest Recipes Authentic Family Favorites by Sheryn R. Jones

Russian Hot Chocolate

1 fluid ounce vanilla flavored vodka
3/4 fluid ounce amaretto liqueur
1 cup of hot chocolate

Into a mug of hot chocolate add the vanilla vodka and amaretto.  Stir to blend.  Top with whipping cream.

APPETIZERS:

Pico De Gallo

8-10 Roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
1 medium-sized red onion (finely diced)
1 jalapeno pepper (to control heat remove seeds and finely dice)
2 medium-sized cloves of garlic (finely minced)
juice of one lime
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

In a medium-sized bowl combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno pepper and minced garlic. Mix together.  Add cilantro, sale, pepper, olive oil and lime juice.  Mix well.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Tipsy Chili Con Queso Dip

2-10 ounce packages of Velveeta cheese, cubed
1-10 ounce can of diced green chilies (mild, medium or hot)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 can of beer, divided
1-4 ounce can of taco sauce

In a double boiler on low-medium heat, melt cheese.  Stir constantly to prevent scorching

When cheese has melted, add green chilies, onion, 1/4 cup beer and taco sauce.  Stir until combined.  Thin cheese with beer until your dip is the desired consistency. Drink the rest of the beer.

Serve dip warm with chips.

This recipe can be found in the cookbook, Classic Southwest Cooking, Classic Southwest Recipes Authentic Family Favorites by Sheryn R. Jones

Many Layer Taco Dip

1 package of taco seasoning mix
1- 16 ounce can of refried black beans
1-8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1-16 ounce container of sour cream
1-16 ounce far of salsa
4-5 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 large white onion, finely diced
1 can  black olives, drained and sliced
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

In a small mixing bowl combine until smooth the taco mix and refried beans.  Spread the mixture onto a large platter or into a 9 X 13 pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl with an electric hand-mixer combine sour cream, cream cheese and diced onions. Spread over bean layer. Top with an even layer of salsa.  Garnish with additional layers of diced tomatoes, bell peppers and black olives.  Top with Cheddar cheese.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve with chips.

Spicy Cheese Ball

1-8-ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup of crumbled blue cheese
1-1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup onion, minced
1-1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
dash of cayenne pepper
Parsley, finely chopped

In a medium-sized mixing bowl add cream cheese, onions and Worcestershire sauce. Blend together with an electric hand-mixer on low.  Beat at medium speed until fluffy.  Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Cover and chill for at least eight hours.

When chilled shape the mixture into the shape of a football. Roll in parsley until covered. Place on a serving plate.  Cover and chill for two hours or until firm.

Serve with small crisp crackers.

This recipe comes from the home of my mother-in- law Lois Turgeon

Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2 cans artichokes, drained and chopped
2/3 package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups of Miracle Whip salad dressing
1 Tablespoon sugar
Pinch of garlic powder

In a large mixing bowling combine ingredients together.  Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly hot.

Serve with crackers.

This recipe comes from the home of Shawn Peterson. 

ENTREES:

Buffalo Wing Ring

Dipping Sauce:
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup of Blue Cheese

Mix together in a small bowl and chill.

Bread:
4 Tablespoons onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter

4 to 4-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 packages yeast

1/2 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten

In a frying pan saute onions in butter, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients together.

In a small bowl use a microwave to slowly heat water and milk to a temperature of 110 degrees.  If you don’t have a thermometer, your milk and water solution should be about lukewarm.  If it gets too hot, it will kill your yeast and your bread will not rise.

Add warm water mixture to dry ingredients.  Add onions.  Mix together until combined, then knead until smooth.  Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Filling:
2 cups of cooked chicken
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce or barbecue sauce
1/2 cup Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

On a lightly floured surface roll dough out into a large rectangle like you would to make a jelly roll.  Be careful not to roll so thin that you get holes in your dough. I would keep the dough about 1/2 thick.  Spread chicken filling over dough leaving about an inch wide margin around the edges.  Top with the cheeses.

Roll up and seal the edges.  Shape into a ring. Place on a greased cookie sheet with sides. Brush top and sides of bread ring with beaten egg.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until nicely browned.

Remove from oven and transfer to serving platter. Slice and serve with dipping sauce.

Mexican Lasagna

Grease a 9 X 13 pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef or shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 can of mild diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup of water
1 envelope of taco seasoning.
1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can of Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can of refried pinto beans
3 cups of shredded Mexican cheese blend
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

In a large skillet, cook ground beef, green pepper, chilies and onion until meat is completely browned and cooked.  (If using cooked shredded chicken, put a tablespoon of oil in the skillet.  Cook green pepper, chili pepper and onion until onion is translucent. Add cooked shredded chicken. Heat  chicken up thoroughly.)  Drain off juices and grease.  Add water and taco seasoning.  Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.  Simmer for one minute.  Stir in black beans and tomatoes.  Return to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Place two tortilla in the greased 9 X 13 pan.  Spread with half of the refried pinto beans. Top beans with half of the meat mixture.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat layers ending with two tortillas on top. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted.  (I usually bake mine for about 45-50 minutes and remove the foil for the last 10 minutes so the cheese well brown.)

Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Cut into serving-sized pieces.

Yield: 9 servings.

Tamale Hotdish is another great game day entree with southwestern flair.

DESSERTS:

Margarita Pie is outstanding. To serve a crowd double the recipe and make this dessert in a 9 X 13 pan.

8 or 9 inch pie tin

Margarita Pie

Crust:
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 ½ cups pretzels, crushed
2 tablespoons sugar
Combine butter, pretzels and sugar in pie plate press down to form crust and freeze,

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condense milk
2 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1/3 fresh lime juice
1 ½ ounces of tequila
1 ounce of triple sec
2 eggs whites

In medium mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, sugar, lime juice, tequila and triple sec and mix well.

In a metal or glass bowl beat egg whites until slightly stiff and fold them into egg-sugar mixture. Spoon mixture. Spoon mixture into graham cracker crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Let pie cool.

Topping:
½ cup whipping cream, whipped
¼ cup sugar
Lime slices

In a small bowl, whip cream until it holds peaks.Fold sugar into whipped cream and spread over cooled pie. Chill pie several hours before serving. Garnish each piece of pie with then lime slice.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Brownies:
1 box of brownie mix that uses oil, eggs and water
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of mini-chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl make brownie mix according to package directions.  When completely combined add vanilla and chocolate chips. Stir until combined

Pour batter into a greased 9 X 13 pan and bake for 25 minutes.  Watch carefully. The brownies are done when a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Cookie Dough Filling: (Egg Free)
1 cup salted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup  milk
1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1-3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping:
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

In a medium-sized bowl use and electric hand mixer to combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix until smooth and fluffy.  Add milk and vanilla.  Mix until combined. Stir in flour until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread cookie dough over cooled brownies.  Top with remaining chocolate chips.  Press chips down into dough. Refrigerate until the dough is very firm. Usually a couple of hours. You can speed this process up by putting the bars in the freezer.

Use a sharp knife to cut brownies into 2-inch squares. Have a paper towel and glass of water nearby to clean off knife, should it become sticky.

Fudge Revel Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 pan. 

Dough:
1 cup of butter, softened
2 cups of packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups of quick cook rolled oats

In a large mixing bowl with and electric hand mixer cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix until well combined. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and blend until smooth.

Filling:
2 Tablespoons butter
1-14 ounce can of sweeten condensed milk
1-12 ounce package of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

In a small saucepan on low heat melt the two Tablespoons of butter.  Add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Add vanilla. Stir.

Evenly spread 2/3 of the dough in the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan. Spread hot filling over the dough.  Drop remaining dough on top of the filling using a teaspoon.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the bars begin to brown.

Removed from oven and let cool.  Cut into squares and serve.

This recipe comes from the kitchen of my mother Carole Larson.