Royal Icing

Royal Icing is the glue that holds gingerbread houses together. It really isn't for eating.

4 cups powdered sugar
3 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla

Beat at high speed for 7-10 minutes until very stiff. Cover with wet towel to keep from drying out while you use it for gingerbread houses. Makes 3 cups.

Royal Icing Meringue Recipe*
3 level TBS Wilton Meringue Powder Mix
4 cups powdered sugar
6 TBS water (1 TBS less for stiffer icing)

Beat all ingredients at medium speed for 7-10 minutes. (10-12 minutes high speed for portable mixer) until icing forms peaks. Cover with damp cloth to keep from drying out. Makes 3 cups

*To give royal icing decorations a shiny, snow-like effect, add 1 TBS corn syrup to 1cup royal icing.

Vanilla Frosting for cakes and sugar cookies

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
About 2 TBS milk

Mix pwder sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. (Add more milk if too thick, but be careful, not too much).

Pictures of yummy cookie pie class for Relief Society

Single Crust Pie Crust

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening (frozen is better)
3-4 TBS ice water

Sift together flour and salt. Cut in shortening to flour with pastry cutter until shortening is about pea size. Sprinkle a little water and toss. Continue to sprinkle water and toss until mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball. Roll out of floured pastry cloth or pillowcase. Work from the center in all directions until your pie crust is about 12 inches. Carefully put your hand in middle and use cloth to fold over your hand. Carefully place in pie plate. Shape crust. Bake according to pie directions.

Gingerbread

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/3 cup water

Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Beat in molasses. Blend dry ingredients. Alternately add blended dry ingredients and water to the butter-sugar mixture. Dough will be stiff so change to a dough hook or blend by hand. Work dough until it is a smooth consistency. If dough sticks to hands dust hands with flour. Careful not too much flour or your dough will be dry and hard.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet (if using a jelly roll cookie sheet, flip over). Roll out gingerbread 1/3 to 1/2 recipe at a time onto cookie sheet. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out gingerbread men. Push raisons or red hots onto men for buttons.(If using for gingerbread houses, cut out pattern AFTER cooking while dough is fresh and hot from oven.) Bake at 375*F for 9-10 minutes (longer if you are making big cookies or are cooking a big piece for gingerbread houses) Dough should look dry and cooked, and be a little soft in middle.

Peanut butter Blossom Cookies

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Bag of hersey's kisses

Cream together peanut butter, butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Mix into flour that you've sifted soda and salt into. Mix well. (If you have a Bosch you can use cookie paddles or dough hook. For a Kitchen Aide or other stand mixer use dough hooks) Shape into rounded tsp size balls. Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375*F for 9 minutes, pull out and press a candy kiss into the center of each cookie. Bake another 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

Fudge

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 can evaported milk
2- 12 oz packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 lb butter
2 TBS vanilla

Boil sugar and milk and stir constantly for 7 minutes. Be really careful because you could be seriously burned if you splash this on yourself. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and butter and beat for 3 minutes. Add vanilla (Don't forget!) Beat vanilla in. Pour into a buttered 13x9 pan. Refridgerate until firm. Cut into bite size pieces.

Ohio Buckeye Candy aka Peanut butter Bon Bons

1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 stick of butter
1 pkg. dipping chocolate

Combine first 3 ingredients. Roll into small balls and freeze overnight. Melt dipping chocolate. Using a toothpick, pick up ball and dip in chocolate covering only 3/4 of the ball. Work fast. Place on wax paper and refriderate. Enjoy!

My first attempt at giant cupcakes.

Got a cool new cake pan that makes giant cupcakes, so I had to try it. They turned out cute, but I think I still need some practice...

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Cream, sugar, shortening, and butter. Mix in eggs. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Chill in refrigerator for 2+ hours. Roll into balls. Roll balls in 2 TBS sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. Place balls on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min. at 400*F.

Quiche American

9 inch deep dish pie shell
4 oz. Swiss cheese
1 cup cooked and cubed chicken
6 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning

Place cheese and chicken in bottom of shell. Beat eggs, milk, salt and poultry seasoning. Pour over chicken. Bake at 375*F for about 45 minutes or until done.

Yummy Sugar Cookies

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening (or 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup shortening)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1 TBS + 1 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar and beat. Add eggs, milk, orange peel and milk. Beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients and stir well. Split dough and wrap in cellophane. Pat into patties. Refridgerate 3 hours. Roll out dough between lightly floured plastic wrap. Cut and bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes at 375*F. (P.S. Wash unpeeled oranges before grating)