Category: Recipes

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Cheese Nips

These little doo-dads are really good and pretty easy to make. I just whipped them up in the regular mixer—they turned out fine.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour –plus 1/2 cup divided & reserved for kneading and rolling
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 pkgs dry cheese powder from 2 boxes macaroni & cheese
  • 3 tablespoons shortening
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (for tops, optional)

Directions

Sift together 1 cup flour, baking soda, baking powder and cheese powder in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening with a fork and knife with a crosswise motion until dough is broken down into rice-size pieces. Mixture will still be very dry. Stir in buttermilk with a fork until dough becomes moist and sticky. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the reserved flour over the dough and work it in until it can be handled without sticking, then turn it out onto a floured board, being sure to keep 1/4 cup of the reserve flour for later. Knead the dough well for 60 to 90 seconds, and the flour is well incorporated.


Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray a light coating of cooking spray on a baking sheet.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use the remaining reserve flour to dust a rolling surface.
Roll about one-third of the dough to just under 1/16th of inch thick. In other words—really, really thin. This is important. My first batch was too thick and came out like tiny little cheese biscuits.

Trim the edges square (a pizza cutter or wheel works great for this), then transfer the dough to a lightly greased baking sheet.
Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough. Simply pick up one end of the dough onto a rolling pin, and roll the dough around the rolling pin. Reverse the process onto the baking sheet to transfer the dough.

Use a pizza cutter to cut across and down the dough, creating 1-inchsquare pieces. Use the blunt end of a skewer or broken toothpick to poke a hole in the center of each piece.
Sprinkle a very light coating of salt over the top of the crackers
Bake for 8-10 minutes, mix the crackers around (so those on the edge don’t burn) and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until some are just barely turning a light brown.

Repeat the rolling and baking process with the remaining dough.
Makes approximately 300 crackers–depending on how thin you roll them. Mine tasted great, but should have been thinner.

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Pecan Sandies

…you know, like Keebler makes. Yummmm. Sadly, one of the more expensive cookies. But wait—we’ve found the recipe!

Pretty darn easy too. I had no idea. So–prepare to be thrilled…

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3-1/2 cups flour

1 cup pecans–finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure dry ingredients together and set aside. Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla  and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly and mix well, then add nuts. Scoop or roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. If you like your Sandies crunchy then flatten each one with the bottom of a glass dipped in cold water. If you like them softer then leave them alone. Bake for about 12-14 minutes.

Milk and cookies and saving tons of money all at the same time! Wahooooo!

Unless, of course, you open the door to those cute little Girl Scouts that are out and about this time of year.

dun-dun-dun…

I’m going on a sugar fast…

soon….

any time now…

Really.

Blast those darn girl scouts…


Pecan Sandies
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup pecans--finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Measure dry ingredients together and set aside.
  3. Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly and mix well, then add nuts. Scoop or roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  5. If you like your Sandies crunchy then flatten each one with the bottom of a glass dipped in cold water. If you like them softer then leave them alone.
  6. Bake for about 12-14 minutes.

 

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Keeping Secrets

One year at Christmas time my little, then three-year-old Lyndi, wanted to help me wrap some presents for Daddy. Seemed harmless enough, so I let her do all the easy stuff–you know, “hand Mommy the tape,” and “pick which paper,” that sort of thing. The whole time I carefully explained to her that all these presents were secrets until Christmas morning and to be sure not to tell Daddy or it would spoil his surprise. We even practiced. Oh, how she promised to keep the secret.

Then Daddy came home.

She ran up to him and grabbed his legs and said, “Guess what? We wrapped your Christmas present today.”

Uh-oh, I think.

“It’s a secret…”

Good girl, good girl…

“…so I can’t tell you…”

That’s right, good job!

“…what it is…”

Well done!

“…but it ticks.”

…sigh…

If you’d have known this particular little sweetheart, you wouldn’t have been able to be mad at her, any more than I could at the time. Especially, since–from what I’m told, I was the very same sort of kid. Apparently, Christmas secrets or any other kind were just not safe with me. I don’t remember being the surprise spoiling blabber-mouth, but according to my siblings…I was.

Having lived a million years, since that time–I think I’m a little better at it…but sometimes it’s still really hard. I love to share surprises more than anything, which makes keeping a secret for very long–a trial. Probably why I have the “Secrets” tab on this very blog. I need to tell someone!

Then this very cool thing happened. Our household recently discovered a notebook stuffed full of “secret” famous recipes–just waiting to be tried and shared. And what-do-you-know, I’m really good at both things!  This could be the healing enterprise that I need…and the cool, famous restaurant favorites that  you need!  Hee hee hee.

So stand by. I’ve got some great recipes coming. Some from the “Secret Notebook” and some serendipitous finds from other places.

In fact, we’ll start with Brazilian Limeade, served at places like Tucano’s, from my sweet friend Susette.

What you choose to do with the secrets….

…is up to you.

 

 

PS—You are welcome to request a restaurant favorite and I’ll go on a hunt for it as well.  ;}

 

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Brazilian Limeade

Brazilian Limeade 2

Brazilian Limeade

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.

Add sweetened condensed milk.

You may want to taste test it at this point. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk. Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance .

Serves 6

Brazilian Limeade
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins)
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 6 c. cold water
  • 6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
  1. Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use.
  2. Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use dishwashing soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you're using the WHOLE lime, baby.
  3. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.
  4. Place ½ of the limes in your blender.
  5. Add ½ of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times.
  6. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher.
  7. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher.
  8. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer- into the trash.
  9. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.
  10. Add sweetened condensed milk.
  11. If it's bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
  12. Serve immediately over lots of ice.
  13. This does not keep well, so don't make this in advance .

Posted on

Soft Breadsticks

bread sticks

My wise and all-knowing daughter April made the most amazing bread sticks the other day…almost exactly like the ones that are famous around these parts. They were incredible. So, I begged and pleaded and she finally, finally said I could share the recipe…but only here.

So baby…

…you’re getting the exclusive.

Directions:

2-1/2 cups warm water

2 Tablespoon yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

more yeast

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, let sit.

mixer hook

Pour into mixing bowl and then add the following:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon salt

3-4 cups flour

dough hook

Using dough hook attachment, beat until smooth. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead in machine 2-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

dough resting

Place in greased bowl then turn to grease the top.

covered dough

Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 45 min. to 1 hour…

dough rising

…until double in size.

punched dough

Punch down and divide in half.

cutter

Roll out on floured surface and cut into strips for small bread sticks.

Or divide into 10-12 pieces for large bread sticks or rolls.

Combine 1 beaten egg with 1 T milk.

Brush on breadstick and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

spacing

Or, dip in melted butter and roll in…

topping

…Parmesan cheese with garlic herb seasoning.

Then let rise.

golden

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown.

Remove and cool on wire rack.

garlic rolls

Now go–impress your friends.

You’ll be famous!


5.0 from 1 reviews
Soft Breadsticks
 
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Ingredients
  • 2-1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 Tablespoon yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 3-4 cups flour
  • 1 beaten egg'
  • 1 T milk.
  • or
  • melted butter
  • Parmesan cheese
  • garlic herb seasoning
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, let sit.
  2. Pour into mixing bowl and then add butter, salt, and flour.
  3. Using dough hook attachment, beat until smooth.
  4. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.
  5. Knead in machine 2-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  6. Place in greased bowl then turn to grease the top.
  7. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 45 min. to 1 hour......until double in size.
  8. Punch down and divide in half.
  9. Roll out on floured surface and cut into strips for small bread sticks.
  10. Or divide into 10-12 pieces for large bread sticks or rolls.
  11. Combine 1 beaten egg with 1 T milk.
  12. Brush on breadstick and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  13. Or, dip in melted butter and roll in......Parmesan cheese with garlic herb seasoning.
  14. Then let rise.
  15. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown.
  16. Remove and cool on wire rack.