MY DAUGHTER’S POUND CAKE

The twins, Guinness and Blue Moon, love pound cake.  Their grandmother used to make it for them when they were little and always had one ready when they came home from college for a visit.  Guinness makes the pound cakes now and made this one for our Christmas morning.  It stuck to the pan a little and that is the reason for the lighter part on top in the picture but it sure did taste good!

1 cup butter

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 pint of cream

3 cups all-purpose flour

  Grease and flour one 9 or 10 inch tube pan or spray pan heavily.   Cream butter and sugar with mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well.  Add the flour, one cup at a time while adding cream a little at a time until all flour and cream is mixed in well.  Add the vanilla flavoring and blend well.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours or until center springs back from small amount of pressure.

 This does not have to be made in a tube pan.   Be sure and grease or spray pan heavily and let cake sit and cool before removing from pan.   Enjoy!

WHITE CHOCOLATE PARTY MIX

This recipe is one that my Southern daughter, Blue Moon, makes every year at Christmas.  We all spend Christmas Eve at the farm cooking and making goodies.   The next few recipes are a few that Blue Moon and Guinness make for the family.  I am so proud that they are carrying on the traditions of Southern Cooking. 

This is very easy to make and you will not be able to stop eating it.  A great snack anytime!

1 pound white chocolate

3 cups crispy rice cereal squares

3 cups crispy corn cereal squares

3 cups toasted oat cereal

2 cups thin pretzel sticks  (we use the small pretzel squares)

2 cups peanuts (can use any kind of nuts you like)

1 (12 ounce) package mini candy-coated chocolate pieces (we use M & M’s)

In the microwave,  slowly melt the white chocolate.

In a large bowl, combine cereals, pretzels, peanuts and candy coated chocolates.

Slowly pour the chocolate over the cereal mixture and stir to evenly coat.

Spread the mixture onto wax paper and cool.

Break into small pieces, store in an air-tight container and refrigerate to keep fresh

Enjoy!

EASY CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

This recipe can be made with leftover baked chicken,  bought chicken,  or turkey.  You can also boil a chicken and remove the meat from the bones.

4 cups chopped chicken or turkey

1 cup chopped celery

one 10 1/2 oz. can of cream of chicken soup (I use Campbells soup and broth)

two 10 1/2 cans of chicken broth

3 of the 10 1/2 cans filled with water

Place the above ingredients in a soup pot and bring to a boil.  Cover

DUMPLING RECIPE

Pour 2 cups self-rising flour into a large bowl,  cut in 1/4 cup shortening with a pastry blender or fork,  add 3/4 cup boiling water a little at a time until you can shape the mixture into a ball.   Roll out to about 1/8 inch of thickness on a floured board.  Cut into strips, then squares, like in the photo below. 

Remove lid on pot and add several squares at a time to the boiling broth replacing lid each time for about 30 seconds until you have added all the dumplings.  Once all the dumplings are added lower heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Enjoy.

GINGERBREAD MAN COOKIES

Run, run, as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man! 

Remember that old poem about Gingerbread Men?

 My grandson, Tater Tot, is coming to spend the night with me this weekend and his Nanna just had to make him some Gingerbread Men.

3/4 cup butter at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter, sugar and molasses with mixer on low.  Add rest of the ingredients and mix on low until smooth.  Divide into two equal balls, wrap with saran wrap and put in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. 

Remove one dough ball at a time and roll out on floured surface with rolling pin that has been floured.  Roll to about 1/4 inch thick.  The thinner you can get them the better because they swell up while cooking.  Dip cutter in flour, cut out cookies, and place on a greased cookie sheet.   Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.  Let sit for 7 or 8 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.  I have a large and small gingerbread man cutter.  The large one is 6 inches and the small one is 3 inches.  This recipe makes 12 large men and 12 small ones with my cutters.   Enjoy as they are or you can put icing on them.

White frosting for Gingerbread Men:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

About 5 teaspoons milk

Mix together and put in pastry bag or plastic bag with end cut off to decorate the cookies.  Add milk if needed to get right consistency.

DOUBLE THE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

These are the best chocolate cookies I have ever made.  I don’t make them often because I make myself sick on them.  Children love these cookies.   Santa loves these cookies, too.  Just leave a glass of milk and a plate of these chocolate delights under the tree and Santa may not go back to the North Pole!

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth, add in the 2 eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Mix in flour, cocoa powder,  and baking soda.  Fold in chocolate chips mixing just enough to evenly combine.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake from 9 to 12 miutes.  Allow cookies to cool for one minute before removing from baking sheet.   Makes about 4 dozen cookies but they won’t last long!  Enjoy.

SOUTHERN APPLE CRISP WITH ICE CREAM

4 cups apples peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Nuts of your choice (optional) (I use walnuts)

Place apples in casserole dish.  Combine remaining ingredients and spread mixture over apples.  Bake at 375 degrees until apples are tender and topping is bubbly.  Usually about 40 – 45 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream topping.  

Makes a great quick dessert!

SLOW COOKER CABBAGE, POTATOES, AND SMOKED SAUSAGE

This is a great recipe for dinner on a cold night  when you just need some comfort food.

1/2 head cabbage cut into chunks

5 or 6 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks

1 lb. smoked sausage cut into pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

Enough water to fill slow cooker half full

Add all ingredients to crockpot, cook on high for about 4 hours or low for about six hours until potatoes are done.

 

This goes well with a big pan of southern cornbread!