Thumbprint Cookies

Sorry again about the bad picture...I didn't realize that there wasn't a great picture until everyone ate all the cookies.

1/4 cup brown sugar (I was all out of brown sugar so I mixed white sugar w/ molasses)
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
Jelly of choice (I used homemade strawberry jelly)
Heat oven to 350. Mix together everything except the flour and salt, mix until creamy. Add the remaining ingredients. Shape into balls, place on baking sheet, press thumb in each, *add enough jelly to thumbprints to fill. Back 10 minutes or until brown. PLEASE make sure to let the cookies cool before eating, the jelly will be VERY hot!!! *You can add the jelly after baking, but I preferred it baked onto the cookie.
Yields: 1-1/2 dozen

With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Sorry for the picture, it's not the best; I didn't clean up as I went so the table was mess by the end.

4 Cups Cake flour (or 3-1/2 cups flour + 1/2 cup corn starch) 1 tsp baking soda
1 TBS+1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBS ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 lg eggs
1 cup butter milk (or 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup lemon juice, let sit a minute before adding)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin ( I used frozen homemade puree from a jarrahdale pumpkin)
Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with paper (I only have 12 papers so I was forced to just use nonstick spray).
Sift together all dry ingredients (except the sugar). In separate bowl cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy; add the eggs.
Now, alternate adding butter mixture and the butter milk to the flour mixture. Once combined add the pumpkin. Divide the batter amongst the cup cake pans and bake 15-20 minutes (until the a tooth pick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out cleans.
Wait until cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.
Frosting:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
7oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar (or more for desired spreading thickness)
14/-1/2 tsp vanilla (depends on your taste)
Mix the butter and cream cheese together; add the sugar and then the vanilla.

Yields: 32 Cupcakes

 

With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Soft Pretzels

1 pkg yeast (2-1/2 tsp yeast)
2 tbs warm water
1-1/3 cups warm water
5 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
Water and baking soda
Sea Salt (if desired-we were out)
Preheat oven to 475.
Dissolve the yeast in the 2 tbs water. Stir in the remaining water, flour and brown sugar, beat until smooth. Knead until smooth and elastic.
In sauce pan, add 2 tbs of baking soda to each cup of water; use enough to fill the pan. Bring to boil.
Tear off dough, roll into pencil shape with hands,shape into pretzel shape*. Place the twisted pretzel into the water/soda mixture for 15 seconds or until golden or yellow in color. remove and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Yields 12 medium-small pretzels.
*You could also just so pretzel sticks

I ate my pretzels plain, with store bought cheese dip and spaghetti sauce. This is a really good recipe it reminds me of the pretzels you'd get in the mall!

With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 shallots (or 1/4 small onion), thickly sliced lengthwise
1/4 tsp season salt
1/4 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
8 sprigs thyme (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife thinly slice the potatoes length wise. Brush baking dish with half of the butter and oil mixture.
Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots (or onions) throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 hour. Add thyme (if using) and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 45 minutes more.

With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31 

Olive Garden Bread Sticks

1-1/2 cups warm water
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs yeast
1 tbs salt
2 tbs butter, softened
4-5 cups flour  
Topping:
3 tbs butter melted
sea salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Parmesan Cheese 
For the dough:
Pour the water into a stand mixer with the sugar and yeast, let that sit for about 10 minutes.
Add salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Mix the dough on low. Add the rest of the flour a half cup at a time, until dough scrapes the sides of the bowl clean.
Mix the dough about 5 minutes on medium speed, until it's soft and easy to work with.
Roll the dough out into a long log, spray a knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 12-14 pieces.
Roll those pieces into about 6 inch long snakes.
Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray, and lay the bread sticks out leaving about 2 inches between each one.
Place them in the oven with the temperature turned to 170 degrees. Let them rise for about 15 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, brush them with the 1-1/2 tbs of melted butter and sprinkle them with salt.
Now preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake them for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
While they are baking combine the rest of the melted butter with 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
When the bread sticks are golden brown, remove them from the oven and brush them with the butter/garlic mixture and sprinkle desired amount of Parmesan.Yields 12-14 bread sticks.

With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Italian Potatoes

5 lbs potatoes, sliced into chunks and boiled
1-lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
16 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 bottle Italian dressing
Preheat oven to 350-you can use a crock pot if you like, but it'll take a few hours on the low temperature and all you're doing is melting the cheese and warming the dressing.
Layer the potatoes, bacon and cheese in a baking dish and repeat in that order until all are used. Pour the dressing over top and place dish in oven for 30-45 minutes, until the cheese in melted.
*You can really modify this recipe to your liking (add less cheese, bacon, dressing, or change up the cheese choice, etc.) and also to a single serving really easily (one potato, a little bacon bits, cheese and a little bit of dressing).  
With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Indian Taco

1lb cooked ground beef
2 cans diced tomatoes; undrained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 tsp chili spice
Mix everything together in a skillet, heat to a boil simmer on low for and hour. Serve with black olives, onion, fresh tomatoes and lettuce, over Indian bread (recipe below).
Indian Bread
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 slightly rounded tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar (optional-I like it with the sugar)
3/4 cup milk
water (enough to get the dough to come together-add 1/4 cup at a time)
Mix everything together and let sit for 30 minutes. Heat oil in skillet. Grab a plumb size amount of dough and press it into a thin circle. Fry 30-60 seconds on each side (until golden and the center is done). Enjoy!
*As a note, the bread is really good drizzled with honey and/or powder sugar for dessert!
With hungry thoughts from the kitchen;
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31