Whip Cream

Cream (heavy whipping cream should do the trick)
Vanilla to taste
Sugar to taste

Using a hand mixer, mix the chilled cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add a little bit of vanilla and sugar and mix enough to taste. Modify the amount of vanilla and sugar and mix just a bit more. You don't want to mix the cream too much or it becomes very thick. I've used this for whip cream in chicken salad, and for angel food cake. It's a pretty good.

Homemade Ice Cream Cones

One would think homemade ice cream cones are hard to make, but they are actually quite simple! These were a piece of cake for me to make and tasted great. Of course they aren't as crispy as store bought waffle cones, but have enough crisp to them to taste like a real cone.


2 large eggs
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter , melted and cooled
2 - 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (50 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil and pastry brush

In a medium sized bowl whisk together (or use a hand mixer) the eggs and sugar until frothy. Whisk in the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter should be quite thin (like a crepe batter) so add more milk if the consistency is too thick.

Heat a 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) saute pan over medium heat until it is hot. Reduce the heat to medium low and brush the pan lightly with vegetable oil. Pour or ladle about 3-4 tablespoons of batter into the pan and immediately tilt or rotate the pan so the batter forms a thin 5-6 inch (13-15 cm) circle. Place pan back on the heat and cook until the batter is set and you can see the underside is golden brown (3-4 minutes). Slip a metal spatula under the crepe and gently flip it over. Cook until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and slide the crepe from the pan onto your work surface. While the crepe is still hot, quickly start at one edge and roll the crepe into a cone shape. Squeeze the tip of the cone to seal it so the ice cream won't drip out. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Continue making the rest of the cones, lightly brushing the pan with vegetable oil each time. These cones are best if eaten the same day.

The Cook's Tips:

1. I've made these with molds, and without. They ultimately will work with or without, but now that I have some cardboard molds made by Handsome Hubby, I love them. He cut circles out of a cereal box and formed them in the shape of cones, about 5-6 inches long. Then, he covered them in tinfoil and I'm able to use them over and over again.

2. Sometimes the tips don't stay shut when you pinch them closed. Melt a bit of chocolate and drop it in the bottom of the cone to seal it. Helpful and yummy!

3. You really do need to roll the "crepe" around the mold as soon as possible after removing it from the heat. I flip the finished "crepe" onto wax paper then roll it onto the mold. To seal the edges and tip, I press gently on the counter from the inside of the cone mold. You can stick the handle of a kitchen utensil in there as well to seal the bottom.

Recipe courtesy http://joyofbaking.com/IceCreamCones.html

Angel Food Cake

Sift together with fork: 1 C flour, and 3/4 C sugar. Set aside.

12 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavor
3/4 C. sugar

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, and almond until stiff enough to form soft peaks but still moist and glossy. Add 3/4 C sugar, 2 T at a time, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Sift about 1/4 of flour/sugar mixture over white. Fold in carefully. Repeat until all mixture is added. Bake in ungreased tube pan for 35-40 minutes, @ 375 degrees.

Recipe courtesy of my Mother-in-law.

Pat-in-Pan Pie Crust

1 1/2 C plust 3 T flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. vegetable oil
3 T. cold milk

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in pie pan and mix with our fingers until blended. In a measuring cup. combine the oil and milk and beat with a fork until creamy. Pour all at once over the flour mixture. Mix with a fork until flout mixture is completely moistened. Pat the dough with your fingers, first up the sides of the plate, the across bottom. Flute the edges.

Shell is now ready to be filled. If you are preparing a pre-baked crust, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prick the surface of the pastry with a fork and bake 15 minutes, checking often and pricking more if needed.

Recipe courtesy of my friend Paula from Spain.

Fruit Pizza

1 tube Pillsberry Sugar Cookie Dough (or knock-off brand)
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. sugar
1 C. heavy whipping cream
Fruits

Spread cookie dough on ungreased pan (small jelly roll or 2 round pans). Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or just until a tinge of golden brown appears on the edge. Allow cookie to cool completely.

Beat together the cream cheese and sugar. Add whipping cream and beat on high till soft peaks form. Spread evenly on cooked cookie. Top with your favorite fruits, arranged colorfully. (Suggestions include: strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, peaches, cherries, grapes, bananas,) Dip fruit in lemon juice to prevent browning.

Stawberry Angel Cake

Mix together:
3 small pkg. strawberry jello
2 3/4 C. boiling water

Add:
2-10 oz. frozen strawberries
1-angel food cake broken into pieces

In large bowl, fold all above ingredients together. Place in 9x13 pan. Cool at least 1 hour. Cover with cool whip. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Layered Brownie Bars

1/2 C. margarine.
3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat well until fluffy.

Add:
3/4 C. flour
2 T. cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes in greased 9x13 pan.

Remove from oven and cover evenly with 2 cups mini marshmallows. Return to oven for 3 minutes. Let cool.

Melt the following:
1- 6 oz. bag of chocolate chips
1 C. peanut butter

Stir in 1 1/2 C. Rice Krispies and spread over marshmallows.

Recipe courtesy of my Great Grandmother Spear.

Strawberry Pie

1 C sugar
1 1/2 C water
2 T cornstarch
1-3 oz pkg. strawberry jello
2-3 C fresh strawberries, sliced
1 graham cracker crust (Make your own! Mix crumbled crackers with enough melted butter to make it a paste you can push into a pan)

Cook sugar, water and cornstarch until thick. Add jello. Cool. Add fresh strawberries. Pour into crust. Refrigerate. Top with your choice of whipped topping.

Marshmallow Puffs

1 stick margarine
1 can Eagle brand milk (or knock-off brand)
1 pkg light caramels
1 pkg large marshmallows
1 large box Rice Krispies

Melt marg. milk and caramels together in double boiler until smooth. Dip marshmallows into caramel mixture, then roll in cake pan filled with Rice Krispies. Let cook on wax paper. Store in air tight container.

Recipe courtesy of my Mom.

Brownies

2 sticks margarine or butter
2 C sugar
1 C flour
2/3 C cocoa
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Mix together and pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake @ 350, for 30-35 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of my Great Grandmother Spear.

Scotch-a-Roos

1 C sugar
1 C white corn syrup
1 C peanut butter
6 C rice krispies
12 oz pkg chocolate chips
6 oz pkg butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and syrup in 3 gt. saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add rice krispies till well blended. Press mixture into buttered 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in microwave till well blended. Pour over rice krispies.