Spingerles Cookies

2 Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Flour (I used Wheat flour)
Anise extract to taste
1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest or Juice

In a bowl mix everything up really good.  When the dough forms knead it lightly for about a minute or so.  Place dough back into bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day roll out the dough again and using a springerles roll or cookie plates cut out cookies.  I didn't have either so I just used cookie cutters and cut them out as cookies.  Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 15-20 minutes, not letting the cookies brown you just want them to be cookies not bricks or mush. 

These cookies are delicious if you like the flavor of black licorice.  If you cook them too long and they become hard and crunchy (like mine) they are really good as tea or coffee cookies. 

Ginger Spiced Molassas Sugar Cookies

2 1/4 Cups Flour (I use wheat flour because it is better)
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
3/4 Cups Butter (I used Smart Balance) At Room Temperature
3/4 Cups Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Unsulfured Molasses
Candied Ginger (optional)
Granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, butter, sugar, egg and molasses.  After all these ingredients are combined slowly add the flour.  Once the entire mixture is mixed up well you can add ginger is using.  Roll into balls and roll around in some granulated sugar.  Place on baking sheet and flatten with a fork like you would with peanut butter cookies.  Bake for about 12 minutes depending on oven.  Cool and enjoy.

Meringue Chips (they were supposed to be cookies)

3 Teaspoons Meringue powder (mine turned out wrong because I didn't follow directions and used 3 Tablespoons!!!)
1/4 Cup Cold Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place Meringue powder, water and half of the sugar in a small mixing bowl.  Whip it at high speed for about 5 minutes.  Slowly add the sugar and the vanilla.  continue to whip at high speed for about 5 more minutes until the meringue mixture is stiff and dry (kind of like marshmallow cream but a little thicker).  Spoon into a cookie decorator or decorating bag tipped with a large tip.  Pipe onto a baking sheet that has been covered with foil or parchment paper.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until dry but not brown (another mistake I made was not paying attention to the time).  When cool loosen gently from foil or parchment paper.

These look weird, and not at all like Meringue Cookies, but trust me, they are still very tasty!!

My Papaw's Chili

1 Pound ground Beef (I used Ground Turkey)
1 Medium onion browned with hamburger meat
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 or two cans of Pinto Beans (can use kidney beans if you prefer and the amount of cans depends on amount of chili you want to make)
Chili Powder, Salt, Pepper and Coriander to taste
The Recipe calls for 1-2 Cans diced tomatoes but I cut up 3 tomatoes and used them instead

Cook and brown the meat.  In a crock pot drop in all the ingredients, including the meat and about 1/4-1/2 cup of water.  Let simmer on high for about 6 hours them put the crock pot on low for about 2 more hours.  You can add more water if you want to make the chili thinner it is all up to you, just add it slowly so that you don't make it too thin.  Also you can add some green bell peppers if you want (He did), but since I don't like green peppers I didn't add any.

 

Yes Chili doesn't photograph as well as it tastes, but trust me this is so delicious!!!

Rum Balls

1 6 Ounce Package of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Rum (I used Malibu Rum...but use any kind you like)
3 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
2 Cups Crushed Vanilla Wafers (about 44 wafers)
Sugar to roll the balls in

In a saucepan melt the chocolate over a low heat.  Stir in the rum, sugar and corn syrup.  Slowly add the vanilla wafers.  Remove mixture from heat.  You may not be able to roll the mixture into balls until it cools a little.  When it is cool enough to handle roll the mixture into small balls and roll in sugar.  Store in an airtight container for several days before eating (let's the rum settle in and makes them more delicious). 

Microwave Peanut Butter Fudge

12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
12 Ounces Peanut Butter, I used Nutty Peanut Butter
14 Ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk

In a microwavable bowl cook up the chocolate chips and peanut butter.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the peanut butter is slightly boiling.  Mix the peanut butter and chocolate until combined.  Add the milk and stir the mixture completely.  Pour the mixture into a greased pan (about 8in) and refridgerate until chilled (about 2 hours).  Cut and eat up, but not at once because that will make you sick.

Sorry no picture for this one either.  Really all fudge does photograph the same and I didn't make this a great big house of fudge or a nice cat sculpture. 

Oh and this fudge...less sugar and the healthiest of the fudge made thus far.  Great recipe for those who can't have a lot of sugar...especially if you use dark chocolate chips.

Rum Fudge

2 1/4 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk
1/4 Cup Light rum
1 Cup Marshmallow Cream
1/4 Cup Earth Balance Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 6OZ Package of White Chocolate Chips

Have a 9inch pan greased and ready for your fudge.  In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, mix together sugar, evaporated milk, rum, Marshmallow Cream, Butter and salt.  Stir this mixture constantly with a large wooden spoon and bring to a boil.  Boil this for about 4-5 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add the chocolate Morsels until completely melted.  Spread in the pan and let cool.  Cut and enjoy.

All fudge looks the same when photographed and I am sorry but I didn't feel like making fancy designs like pyramids and a Spinx.  So just look at the picture for the Microwave Fudge and imagine it in white.

Microwave Chocolate Fudge

2 Cups Marshmallows (either mini or regular or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
14 Ounces Condensed Milk
18 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 Pinch Salt

In a microwavable bowl mix marshmallows, milk and salt.  Cook in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture has melted.  This will bubble to the top of the bowl...do not let it bubble over or you will have a big mess on your hands.  Stir the mixture together until it is smooth.  Add the chocolate chips and the vanilla until the chocolate chips have melted.  Spread fudge in a pan of your choosing (a square pan about 8in is good).  Refridgerate until firm (about 2 hours).  When firm cut and eat.

Sugar Coated Pecans

1 Egg White
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Pound Pecan Halves
1 Cup White Sugar
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Cover one baking sheet with foil.  In a bowl mix water and egg white until they become nice and frothy.  In another bowl mix together sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Add the pecans to the egg and water mix and make sure they are all well coated.  After covering with egg and water mixture pout the pecans into the sugar mix and toss them.  Spread them out on the baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.  Once cooked drop them onto a piece of wax paper and let cool.  Enjoy.