PARADISE MACAROONS (Amber K)

PARADISE MACAROONS

2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces (1/4 C) sweetened condensed milk
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces (5/8 C) granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce (1/8 C) vegetable shortening
2 ounces (1/4 C) finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.

Cook's Note:

Alton prefers to use weight measurements for baking, to ensure the best accuracy. Please be careful if you try converting this recipe to standard measurements, especially for liquid ingredients. Two ounces of sweetened condensed milk is about 3/16th of a cup, which is less than 1/4 cup but more than 1/8 cup.

THE BEST Peanut Butter Bon-Bons (Kristi H)

As promised, here is my FAVORITE Peanut Butter Ball (Bon-Bon) recipe from my friend Julia.

Julia’s Peanut Butter Bon-Bons

1 ½ c powdered sugar

1 cup graham crackers crumbs (very fine)

½ c peanut butter

½ c butter

6 oz chocolate bark

1. Mix powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. (The finer the graham cracker crumbs, the more these will melt in your mouth- literally. I put them in my Vitamix and grind them into a powder.)
2. On medium heat, stir butter and peanut butter until melted.
3. Stir into crumb mixture.
4. Quickly shape into balls. (This usually requires 2 people balling while the mixture is still warm… of course I always quadruple the recipe when I make it)
5. By the time you are done making the balls, they should be ready to dip.
6. Heat chocolate on stovetop according to the package instructions.
7. Dip balls into chocolate using a fork and knife.
8. Place on waxed paper till dry.

ENJOY!!!

Crab Dip (Kristi H)

Crab Dip

8oz. cream cheese
1 cup shredded crab (I use the imitation)
cocktail sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (I forgot the cheese at the exchange!!!)

The order of the layers doesn't matter really, as long as the cream cheese is on bottom. I like them in the order listed. Serve with crackers.

Ginger Puffs (Kristi H)

Ginger Puffs (Soft Ginger Snaps)

Cream together the following:
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

Then add the following sifted ingredients (I don't really sift anything):
2 cups flour
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cloves, ginger, and salt (1/2 tsp of each)
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix well. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375. Cook 10 min if you like crispy edges, 8 if you like everything soft.

I didn't put any icing on these, but I think they'd be great, and prettier, with some icing drizzled over the top.

Peanut Butter Balls (Kristi H)

These are the ones I took to the cookie exchange. I got this recipe from a friend's blog, but it's not my favorite Peanut Butter Ball recipe... which I can't find. If I find it, I'll post it later. This IS, however, the easiest recipe ever.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup powdered suger
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky)
1/2 cup karo syrup

Mix everything together with your hands. It will be VERY stiff and dry. Form balls and place on wax paper. Dip them in your favorite dipping chocolate. I used fondue chips that I can easily melt in the microwave (because I found them on clearance for 25 cents a bag).

Mrs. Fields' Chocolate Chip Cookies (Karina Andersen)

-1 cup butter
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup brown sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 1/4 cup flour
-2 3/4 cup oatmeal
-1/3 cup peanut butter
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips

Cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and peanut butter; Mix well. Add salt, baking powder and baking soda; mix well. Add oatmeal and flour; mix well. Add chocolate chips; mix. Make into walnut-sized balls and bake 2 inches apart at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. May be doubled.

Cheese Ball (Karina Andersen)

-1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
-8 oz. grated longhorn cheese (I couldn't find this at the store so I used cheddar cheese)
-4 whole green onions, chopped
-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 tsp. garlic salt
-Dash of pepper

Mix all ingredients together and roll in chopped pecan nuts. Serve with crackers.

Pumpkin Cookies (Karina Andersen)

-1 spice cake mix
-1 14oz. can pumpkin
-1 cup chocolate chips

Mix the dry cake mix and pumpkin together with hand mixer, then add the chocolate chips. Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Healthier Option for a Holiday Cookie! (Laura Martin)

Ginger Cashew Pillows These are fun little things to make that won't kill you in the fat or sugar department! :) Don't have to feel so guilty indulging in these! 1/2 C Old Fashioned Oats 1/2 C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 1/3 C Toasted Wheat Germ 2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt 3/4 C sugar 1/2 C Cashew Butter (sold at whole foods or trader joes) 1/4 C Trans-free butter spread (such as Earth Balance or Smart Balance) 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 1/3 C ground flax seed 1/2 C water 18 lightly salted cashew halves 18 small pieces of crystallized ginger 1. Oven to 350. Put rack in middle position. 2. Place oats, flour, wheat germ, ginger, and salt in food processor. Pulse until fine. 3. Combine sugar, cashew butter, spread, and vanilla in medium bowl. Beat with mixer until well blended. 4. Put flax seed in small bowl and stir in water. Beat into cashew butter mixture. Then beat in oatmeal mixture. 5. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to form a ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. spacing 2 inches apart. Lightly press half of cashew on half of the balls and press a small piece of crystallized ginger on the rest of the balls. Bake 16 minutes or until puffed and golden around edges. Cool on wire rack. ENJOY!

Peppermint Topped Brownies! (Laura Martin)

10 Tb butter 6 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (either in chip form or broken into pieces) 3 eggs 1 1/2 C sugar 1 Tb vanilla 1/4 tsp salt 1 C all purpose flour 1/2 C cocoa powder 1/2 tsp. baking powder bag of peppermint swirl candies (best ones are walmart brand called starlight mints!) 1/2 lb. semisweet chocolate 1 C whipping cream 1. Oven 350. Grease 9 X 13 pan. In medium saucepan, stir butter and bittersweet chocolate over very low heat until just melted (do not let simmer or boil). Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Slowly pour chocolate-butter mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Into a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, then whisk together. With a clean rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined. 3.Spread batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until brownies are firm and a toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a few crumbs clinging to it. Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. 4. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Line a level, rimmed 11 1/2- by 16-in. baking sheet with parchment. With a pencil, draw a grid of 1 3/4-in. squares on parchment (5 rows of 8), leaving about a 1-in. border, and turn parchment over. Place a mint in the center of each square. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, or until completely melted into 1 large sheet, but remove before candy begins to turn yellow. Immediately score peppermint squares with a pizza cutter, using pencil lines as your guide. If scored lines don't hold, re-score quickly. Let candy cool completely. Gently break into squares along score lines. Arrange, bake, and score remaining 40 candies the same way (you'll have extra squares; pick the prettiest). 5. In the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over simmering water, combine chopped semisweet chocolate and whipping cream. Cook, stirring often, until melted and blended. Remove from heat and let ganache cool until just warm. Pour ganache over cooled brownies in pan and allow to set until firm, about 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour in the refrigerator. 6. Place peppermint squares bottom side up on ganache, leaving enough room between squares to cut brownies. Cut brownies into squares along edges of peppermint tops, wiping knife clean between cuts. Remove brownies from pan, discard (or eat) scraps, and return brownies to pan. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap does not touch peppermint, and refrigerate 3 hours (to soften candy a bit). Serve slightly chilled. Note - do not let plastic wrap touch brownies! Everything sticks to them. These can be made a couple days ahead and left in fridge! ENJOY! Thanks - myrecipes.com

Molasses Sugar Cookies (Robin)

Molasses Sugar Cookies
¾ cup margarine or combination Crisco/marg.
1 cup sugar ¼ cup molasses
½ tsp. Cloves ½ tsp. Ginger
1 tsp. Cinnamon 2 tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp. Salt 1 egg
2 cups flour

Beat softened margarine, sugar, molasses, spices and egg well. Add flour. Mix. Chill in refrigerator or freezer. Roll into one inch balls, roll balls in granulated sugar. Place 2in. apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake—cookies will flatten and harden as they cool. (using parchment paper on cookie sheets works really well, otherwise cookies can stick some) Note: For holiday look roll in red or green sugar.

Easy Chocolate P.B. Crunch (Robin)

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch
2 cups chocolate chips
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1/3-cup confectioners sugar
3 cups Rice Krispies
Heat chocolate and peanut butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat, add sugar, and stir vigorously until smooth.
Place cereal in large bowl, add 1 cup chocolate mixture—stir until cereal is coated. Shape into 10-inch circle on ungreased baking sheet (or pour onto a plate). Leave a slightly raised border around edge. Pour on remaining chocolate mixture, spread to border. Chill for 30 min. or until firm.

Bread Recipes (from Shiloh)

Kathy's Rolls

4 c. warm water

1 c. sugar

1 cube margarine, melted

6 Tbsp. yeast

Mix together and let stand for 15 minutes.

Add:

2 Tbsp. Salt

4 eggs

Enough flour to make a soft dough, about 10 cups (maybe even 12 cups)

Mix and let stand for 15 minutes. Form into rolls and let raise in greased pans until double in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Rub roll tops with butter. Enjoy! Makes 48 rolls (or more, if you make your rolls small).

Notes: This recipe makes a lot of rolls so you might want to half the recipe. Also, this recipe should not be done in a bread maker.

Dinner Rolls

(from the Magic Chef Owner's Manual for breadmaker #310, p. 35)

½ c. water

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 c. flour

2 tsp. active dry yeast

Add ingredients in the bread pan in the order they are listed. Select setting to "Dough." Press Start/Stop to begin. When display reads 0:00, press Start/Stop to cancel. Remove dough with a rubber spatula and place on a floured surface. Divide into 18-24 pieces and shape into round balls. Place balls on greased baking sheet. Cover them and let rise for 30-40 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Banana Bread

(This recipe is from my grandma who was a great cook.)

5 ripe bananas per loaf or 1 ½ c. mashed bananas

1 ½ c. sugar

2 or 3 eggs depending on size

1 ½ c. to 2 ½ c. flour (for moist cake use less flour)

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

Nuts, optional

Mix together in order given. Stir ingredients together until well moistened. (You don't need to get all the lumps out.) Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, in a greased loaf pan. Makes one loaf. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes: Check loaf while it is baking so that it does not overbrown. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the loaf is done.