Snickerdoodle Pound Cake

½ cup softened butter (1 stick)

1 cup sugar, granulated

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp vanilla

½ cup sour cream*

1½ cups flour

Topping:

1½ tbsp brown sugar 

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the softened butter with sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Once it is smooth, beat in ½ cup sour cream*. Then add flour, beating until smooth. Pour into a buttered 9"x5'x3" loaf pan (or pan lined with parchment paper). 

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, then sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake. It looks like a lot and it is, but it makes for a delicious crust. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Let it cool in the pan completely before serving.

*substitute any of the following for the sour cream: whole milk with a tbsp of lemon mixed in (let sit for 5 minutes), Greek or plain yogurt, or buttermilk.

Variations: Add in ½ to ¾ of chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips or the combination of your choice.

Summer Macaroni Salad

1 package (16 oz) elbow macaroni

1 cup mayo

3 to 4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 small sweet red, yellow or orange pepper; finely chopped

2 small green pepper, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Cook macaroni according to package directions. 

In a small bowl, mix mayo, milk, vinegar, sugar and seasonings until blended. In a large bowl, combine macaroni, peppers, onion and celery. Add dressing; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, about 2 hours.  Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

If desired, mix a little extra mayo, milk and vinegar and add to macaroni after it has been refrigerated.

Adapted from tasteofhome.com

Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

2 small-medium zucchini squash, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 or 2 small-medium yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 to 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

⅓ cup balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil, or canola/vegetable oil

1 to 2 tbsp honey

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the chopped vegetables evenly in a large sheet pan. Lay the chicken strips on top of the vegetables.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, oil, honey, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables .

Toss everything together until the chicken and vegetables are coated with the sauce. Arrange the ingredients in an even layer making sure that the chicken pieces are not overlapping each other.

Bake for 20 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Variation: After cooking, add 1 to 2 cups of cherry tomatoes.

Adpated from www.melskitchencafe.com/sheet-pan-balsamic-chicken-veggies 

Carrot Salad with Raisins

6 to 8 medium carrots (about ¾ lb)
¾ cup raisins
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½  tsp sugar or honey (or to taste)
2 tsp lemon juice

Peel carrots, rinse under cold water and then dry them with paper towels.

Using a food processor or a box grater, shred the carrots coarsely. In a large bowl, combine the carrots with the raisins.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, and lemon juice. Add the dressing to the shredded carrots and raisins and toss to mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and chill until serving time.


Variations:

Add ½ to ¾ cup drained pineapple chunks or drained crushed pineapple

Add one medium shredded sweet apple

Replace some (or all) of the raisins with dried cranberries

Add 4 to 5 tbsp of blanched slivered almonds or sunflower seeds

Adapted from www.thespruceeats.com

Orange Cookies with Sweet Orange Glaze

COOKIES:
2½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp orange zest
1 cup butter
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 egg

GLAZE:
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp orange zest
fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper;  set aside.

Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the orange zest, rubbing them together with your fingers until the zest is completely incorporated into the sugar.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and the orange zest-infused sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and orange juice and mix until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Using a medium cookie scoop (or 2 tablespoonfuls), scoop out the dough and roll them  into balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges, but still pale in the middle. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the cookie sheets, and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to achieve the desired consistency. Spread glaze over the top of the cooled cookies, and allow to set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Store a room temperature in an airtight container.

NOTES: You can substitute orange zest and juice with lemon, lime or even grapefruit juice. Or add 1 cup of mini chocolate chips to the orange cookies.

Make ahead:

Fully baked, cooled, and iced cookies can be frozen by placing cookies on a baking sheet, placing sheet in freezer until the cookies are completely frozen. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper, and freeze up to 3 months.

from www.browneyedbaker.com

M&M and Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1 cup M&M’s
½ cup chocolate chips
Sea salt (otional)

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Swirl it until brown in color and it reaches a nutty aroma. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix in browned butter. Gently blend in eggs, careful not to overmix.

Combine baking soda, baking powder, and flour and fold into butter/sugar/egg mixture until combined. Fold in the M&M’s and chocolate chips.

Make large balls and place on parchment paper. Freeze or chill for 4 plus hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle cookie balls with sea salt, if desired. Bake for 12 minutes.

from www.julieblanner.com

Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding

⅓ cup long grain rice
1 quart milk
⅓  cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Place rice in a saucepan and add water just to cover; cook until water is absorbed. Add sugar and milk. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until thickened.

Beat egg in a small bowl. Add a small amount of hot rice pudding; mix well. Add egg mixture back to pudding and stir until blended. Add vanilla.


Cool and refrigerate, If desired, before serving, sprinkle with cinnamon.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 medium onion diced or 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp olive oil
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
½ tsp dried oregano
4 large fresh basil leaves to ½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp pepper
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup half & half
10 oz. cheese tortellini (preferably Trader Joe’s)
½ cup shredded parmesan

Place the onion, garlic and olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, pepper, chicken stock, and half & half and stir to combine. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Place the tortellini into the soup and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the tortellini are tender and cooked through.

Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetable Soup

Use at least two, ideally  more, of the vegetables listed below.

3 lbs vegetables (see list)
4 peeled garlic cloves (optional)
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Chop the vegetables into evenly sized 1-inch pieces. Place them on the baking sheet and toss with garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until vegetables are browned in spots and tender-crisp, about 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables to a pot (remove thyme sprigs) and add broth. Simmer soup until vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes. Let soup cool, then use an immersion blender to puree to your desired consistency. Reheat to simmer and serve.

Veggie List:
Carrots*
Plum tomatoes (seeds removed)
Onion*
Parsnips*
Sweet Potatoes*
Winter Squash
Red Pepper
Fennel Bulb

*I used mostly rainbow carrots and sweet potatoes, a few parsnips and a small onion and simmered them in chicken broth.

from www.writes4food.com

Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

SUBMITTED BY RHEA SMITH

2 cups coconut milk
2 cups whole milk
3 tbsp sugar
½ cup basmati rice
¼ cup raisins
½ tsp ground cardamom*
¼ cup sliced almond
¼ cup chopped pistachios

Boil coconut milk and whole milk and sugar; bring to a boil. Add rice and simmer over low heat until thickened and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in raisins and cardamom and simmer for about 5 minutes. Garnish with nuts. Serve warm or cold.


*Cardamom is very distinct and hard to replicate but in a pinch (or if you’re looking to experiment with alternatives), you have options. Allspice or equal amounts of cinnamon and cloves or cinnamon and nutmeg can be substituted for the cardamom.


In 2019 Rhea and her husband Mike generously donated their time and talents to the Ridgefield Public Library. Mike gave an interesting and educational presentation on Southern India, showing photos of their trip and sharing their experiences. And Rhea made and served a delicious Kheer. Rhea says “good food should be shared” and happily gave me the recipe!

Plov (Central Asian Rice Dish)

SUBMITTED BY RHEA SMITH

2 lb. leg of lamb cut into 1” or 2” cubes (or use chicken or no meat at all)
2 cups basmati rice
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 large onions, sliced thin
4 carrots, sliced in matchsticks
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
½ cup barberry (optional)*
2 cups boiling vegetable broth

Place rice in large bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside. Toast cumin, coriander seeds and peppercorns until fragrant and grind in a spice grinder. Set aside.

Saute the lamb in some oil until brown. Set aside. Stir in onions and carrots and saute until onion is golden and carrots are tender. Add lamb and mix. Sprinkle spice on top. Add garlic and stir to distribute ingredients. Reduce heat to medium.

Wash and drain rice and pour over lamb mixture in an even layer. The rice should be covered in about ½ inch of liquid. Add water if necessary. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well before serving.

*raisins or currants soaked in lemon juice can do a good job of replacing barberries


In 2020 Rhea and her husband Mike generously donated their time and talents to the Ridgefield Public Library. Mike gave an interesting and educational presentation on Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, showing photos of their trip and sharing their experiences. And Rhea made and served a delicious Plov. Rhea says “good food should be shared” and happily gave me the recipe!

Vanilla Biscotti

6 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted
⅔ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
2 to 4 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond extract, optional
1½ tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse white sparkling sugar, for sprinkling on top, optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one large (about 18” x 13”) baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs; the batter may look slightly curdled. At low speed, add the flour, stirring until smooth; the dough will be sticky.

Plop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Divide it in half, and shape it into two  9½” x 2”, about ¾” tall. Straighten the logs, and smooth their tops and sides. Sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired, pressing it in gently.

Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Let logs cool about 5 minutes, then use a sharp chef’s knife or serrated knife to cut the log crosswise into ¾” slices. Set the biscotti on prepared baking pan, Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, until they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden.

Remove the biscotti from the oven , and transfer them to a rack to cool. Store airtight at room temperature; they’ll stay good for weeks, if they last that long.

from www.kingarthurflour.com

Sicilian Chicken

SUBMITTED BY SANTA FROMM

8 to 10 pieces of chicken
1 head of celery, cleaned and chopped in larger pieces
½ pound of green Sicilian olives, not pitted, smash them up with pitts intact
fresh oregano, to taste
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
Olive oil
red wine vinegar only

You can use either dark or white chicken meat depending on what your family preference is. Wash, clean and remove skin of chicken (skin can be left on, if desired). Make certain to pat dry. If you like, lightly salt and pepper each piece. Take your chicken and place in a skillet with olive oil and fresh oregano until completely cooked. After chicken is cooked, set aside.

In the same skillet, cook celery until tender, add red pepper flakes to desired level of heat and Sicilian olives. While cooking add about ¼ cup of red wine vinegar and about the same amount of water. Let that all cook and add the chicken back. Heat completely. Delicious, I serve just with some crusty Italian bread.

This is a family favorite, easy to prepare and actually tastes so much better the day after. I cook by smell and taste, rarely measure when cooking a savory meal. So let your creative juices flow.

Ever-So Easy Fruitcake

SUBMITTED BY MARIE CUTILLO THOMPSON

2½ cups unsifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (28 oz) jar None Such Ready to Use Mince Meat
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated!!)
2 cups (1 pound) mixed candied fruit
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts ( I use walnuts)

Optional is to add some bourbon to the mix. I add probably less than a ¼ cup to the mincemeat jar, swirl it around and dump into bowl.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously grease and flour 10” fluted tube pan. I usually buy 5”x 9” foil pans and make 3 smaller loaf cakes because I give as gifts or take out for company.

Sift together flour and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, blend into dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Turn out of pan. If I am freezing them I just loosen around the edges and freeze in foil pan.

Tips: To store cake, cool thoroughly, wrap well in aluminium foil and refrigerate or freeze. I wrap mine with Saran Wrap a few times and then with heavy duty foil wrap at least twice. I make them in mid November so that by Christmas they have aged a few weeks. If wrapped well and kept in back of freezer they will last a good year and even taste better then.

Back in the late 70’s and early ‘80’s I was a big coupon and label lady. I would send away for every free thing that any food company offered. In 1981 I got this booklet from Eagle Brand products and my in-laws and husband saw this recipe. They had been buying a fruit cake from a company in Texas and requested I try making this one. So I did and they loved it. Soon I was making one for all my in-laws.

Then one year my husband brought some into the Police Dept where he worked and the guys came in wondering what is was they were smelling.  That started me making more of them to bring in at holidays so that everyone could have some. Then my Dad (after many years of turning his nose at it) decided to try one piece and then there was another order every year for him.

One year my husband came home and asked me if I would be willing to share my recipe with a baker, a friend was getting married at Christmas. They loved my fruitcake and wanted it as their wedding cake. I know it sounds silly to feel honored by this since I was following a recipe from a book but heck I did.

Now I make them for my son’s father-n-law, he loves mince pie and fruitcake and is thrilled I make him one very year. Funny as it sounds in all the years I have been making them, I myself never ate any until the last 4 or 5 years and I find myself saying every year what took me so long to try it. Hope if you try this you love it as much as the Thompson family has for over 39 years.

Baklava Thumbprints

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½  tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Topping:
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
½ cup honey
¾ cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and aslat; gradually beat tinto creamed mixture. Wrap dough in plastic; refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For topping, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2½ inches apart on parchment -lined baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes. Press a deep indentation in center of each cookie with the back of a rounded spoon. Fill each with honey and walnuts; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Return to oven and bake until edges begin to brown, 7-9 minutes longer. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Easter Doll Dough

SUBMITTED BY JOANNE SERHAT:

8 cups flour
7 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
Anise seeds
1 tsp baking powder

Mix dry ingredients.  Mix wet ingredients and sugar with mixer. Then add to dry ingredients. Mix to form a soft dough. Rollout using cookie cutters. Brush with egg. Bake at 350 degrees.

Have fun! I use cloves to decorate.

This is a recipe handed down from my Mom’s Mom. We make it at Easter but can be made anytime. Traditional shapes were dolls but I also rollout and use cookie cutters.

Jam and Nut Thumbprint Cookies

½ cup butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
⅔ cup any flavor fruit jam

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease cookie sheet or cover with parchment paper.

Separate egg, reserving egg white. Cream butter, sugar and egg yolk. Add vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well.

Shape dough into balls. Roll in egg white, then nuts. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from oven. With thumb or spoon, dent each cookie. Put preserves in each thumbprint, Bake for another 8 minutes.