Strawberry Divinity 

Ingredients

3 c. sugar
3/4 c. light corn syrup
3/4 c. water
1/8 tsp. salt
2 egg whites
1 pkg. strawberry flavored gelatin **
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. flaked coconut (Optional)
1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped (Optional)

Directions

Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. Set aside for later. 

In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt.  Stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar, heat to boiling over medium to medium high heat. When it begins to boil, continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the hard ball stage. Hard ball stage is 250° to 266°.

While the mixture is boiling, beat the egg whites with a mixer at high speed.  When the egg whites are foamy, add the strawberry gelatin. Continue beating until mixture forms peaks.  

Remember to check your candy syrup boiling on the stove so you don't over cook it. When it reaches the hard ball stage, slowly pour in the hot syrup in a thin stream. Continue beating at high speed until the mixture begins to hold shape and becomes dull or looses it's shine.

If you are unsure on whether the candy is the right consistency, stop the mixer and remove a spoonful of the candy. Drop it on a sheet of waxed paper. Itf it holds it's shape, then the candy is perfect. If it flattens out, then you need to mix it more. 

At this point, mix in the flaked coconut and/or nuts to the candy.

Spoon out a heaping teaspoonful or tablespoonful of the mixture and drop it onto the waxed paper. I use two lightly buttered spoons to do this. One spoon to scoop the divinity out of the bowl and the other to help push the divinity onto the sheet of waxed paper. 

Allow the strawberry divinity to set up for at least 4 hours or over-night. 

** You can use any flavored gelatin that you like.

Peanut Butter Cookies

 Mama's Peanut Butter Cookies

Here is another recipe from my mother's recipe card collection. We make these cookies often because we love the taste of peanut butter and we have extra.  

This recipe does call for shortening, but you can use butter or butter flavored shortening.  There is a difference between using shortening or butter in your cookies. Cookies made with butter will spread more. They will be flatter and crispier. Cookies made with shortening will bake up taller and be softer. You can use butter flavored shortening as well for more flavor then using plain shortening.

Ingredients

1 c. shortening or butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. peanut butter
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°

In a large bowl, cream shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla.

Turn the mixer to low and add the baking soda, salt and flour. Mix until well blended.

Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls between the palms of your hands and place on a cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with the tines of a fork dipped in sugar. Make another fork print across the cookie so you will have the traditional "+" pattern across the top.  

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from the pan and cool on wire wracks.

 Easy Barbecued Meatballs

This dish is easy to make and so delicious! The secret to tender meatballs in to not over mix the ground beef. Then bake them in the oven, so you don't have to keep turning them.

Ingredients

3 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped fine
2 Tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
1 to 2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c. oatmeal
2 eggs
1 c. evaporated milk

Sauce

2 1/2 c. ketchup
1 to 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. mustard
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This keeps the meatballs from sticking to the baking sheet and allows for easier cleanup.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, oatmeal, eggs and evaporated milk. Mix the ingredients with your hands, making sure everything is thoroughly combined. 

Shape into 1-inch balls. 

Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through and nicely browned.  Remove the meatballs and place on paper towels to absorb excess grease. 

In a Dutch oven, combine ketchup, brown sugar, onion, liquid smoke, mustard, chili powder and garlic powder. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the barbecue sauce is thickened.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir gently to coat the meatballs. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. You can also place the meatballs in a 9 x 13-inch pan and pour the BBQ sauce over the top.

 English Toffee

 

Here is another candy recipe that we make every year at Christmas time. We also make it throughout the year as well. We love Toffee. It is so good and very easy to make. 

Ingredients

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. pecans, chopped coarsely

Directions

Line the pan with parchment paper or lightly butter the bottom of the pan for easy removal.  

Spread the chopped pecans in a single layer on top of the parchment paper or buttered pan bottom. Or you can press the nuts into the melted chocolate. You can also put half the nuts on the bottom of the pan and the other half of the nuts on the top.

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, water and salt.

Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture registers the hard-crack stage or 300°.  Watch the mixture carefully because it does have a tendency to burn. 

Gently stir in the vanilla extract. 

Pour into prepared pan. Allow to cool for a minute or two.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and spread them in an even layer when they are melted. 

If you want to put the nuts in the chocolate, you can do so at this point and press them in slightly. 

Allow it to cool  for 2 to 3 hours or you can put the pan in the refrigerator and chill the candy for at least 30 minutes. 

Remove from the pan and break into bite-size pieces.

 Sugar Cookies

 

Sugar Cookies are great any time of the year. Every year for Christmas, we make holiday shaped sugar cookies.  I still use my mother's cookie cutters. As my kids and I make cookies together, I remember back to the times when my mother and I made sugar cookies together. Her dad lived with us as well and he would sit in the kitchen and wait to have those cookies come out of the oven so he could begin eating.  Her dad loved to eat cookies! I think they were his favorite food ever!!

Ingredients

2 c. butter, room temperature
2 c. sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 Tbs. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
6 c. flour
Extra sugar for top of cookies

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.  

Pour in the vanilla and mix well. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed in.

Turn the mixer down to low and add the baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix in the flour, 2 cups at a time.  The dough should be thick, stiff, and not sticky. It should not be crumbly either.

Fill a small bowl with sugar to roll the balls in.

Remove a tablespoonful of dough. Gently roll the dough between the palms of your hands into a 1-inch ball. Roll the balls in the sugar, coating all sides evenly. 

Place the sugar cookies on a cookie sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. 

Dip the bottom of a glass in sugar and then flatten each sugar cookie ball. Dipping in sugar will keep the dough from sticking to the glass and it will give just a bit more sugar on the top.  

Bake 6 to 8 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the cookies.  Watch the cookies and remove from the oven just before they turn brown all around the edges. Do not over bake.  The cookies will come out of the oven puffy, but as they cool, they will fall. So when you see that, it is nothing to worry about.

Allow the cookies to cool for 4 to 5 minutes, then remove and place the cookies on wire racks to cool.

If you want to make shaped or cutout sugar cookies, remove some of the dough from the bowl.  Roll out on a lightly floured surface until it is 3/8" thick. Cut out in shapes with a cookie cutter. If the dough sticks to the cookie cutter, you can either dip the cookie cutter in flour, or sugar to keep it from sticking. 

Frost or decorate if desired.

 

Divinity

 Every year, my mother would make Divinity. She would bring it out after we were all in bed sleeping and leave it under the tree as a gift from Santa.

You don't have to wait until Christmas to make this delicious, melt in your mouth candy. Although, for best results, it should be made on days with low humidity.  

Ingredients

4 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
3/4 c. water
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Place wax paper on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.  Set aside.

In a large, heavy saucepan, mix sugar, syrup, and water over medium-low heat.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  

Cook without stirring over medium heat to 260° or hard ball stage, on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. 

While the candy is cooking, prepare the egg whites. Put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl. With the mixer on high speed, beat them until stiff peaks form. 

When the candy is the right temperature, pour the hot liquid in a thin stream into the egg whites with the mixer on medium speed.  Do not turn off the mixer while doing this. 

Pour in the vanilla.  Continue beating until the candy starts to hold its shape and the mixture becomes slightly dull.

Quickly drop from a teaspoon or tablespoon onto waxed paper. I use two lightly buttered spoons to do this. One spoon to scoop the divinity out of the bowl and the other to help push the divinity onto the sheet of waxed paper. 

Set aside in a cool location to set up. 

Spicy Cheese Whiz 

Sometimes, we will make Spicy Cheese Whiz, put it on crackers and that will be our supper.  It is a wonderful treat with simple ingredients.  But Spicy Cheese Whiz is great on so many other foods as well. You can serve it with nachos, enchiladas, tacos or use it with macaroni.  You can omit the hot peppers, or add as many as you like. We always use a variety of different cheeses in ours as well. Experiment with what you like best.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds cheese, cubed (We use American, Cheddar, and or Pepper Jack Cheese)
2 cups evaporated milk
2 or more hot peppers, chopped (optional)
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3 beaten eggs

Directions

Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Set aside

Place the cheese in a medium, large heavy saucepan. Pour in one can of evaporated milk and add the hot peppers.  Cook and stir over low heat, cook and stir until cheese is melted.  

Pour in the other can of evaporated milk, salt, and dry mustard. Mix well. 

Add the cream cheese and stir until melted.

Remove from heat. Pour a tablespoonful of cheese sauce into the eggs, beating well as you add the cheese. Add at least 3 tablespoons of the cheese sauce into the eggs to temper them. If you don't do that, they will cook in the cheese, and you will have pieces of egg instead of a smooth cheese spread or dip. Pour the tempered eggs into the cheese, stirring constantly. 

Return the heat to low.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Remove the pan from the heat. 

You can use immediately or allow it the cheese to cool. If you want to let it cool, remember to stir it frequently. This will prevent a skin from forming on the top. To store, place in a container with a tight-fitting lid and place in the refrigerator. It can last up to 2 weeks, although ours is gone long before then.