Classic Butter Cookies

May need to be doubled for large gatherings.
Yields: 2 1/2 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Cream the butter until light. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and almond extract.
2. Gradually blend in the flour. Cover and let chill for at least an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.)
4. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut in desired shapes, using lightly floured cookie cutter. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter

Beat until soft and creamy. Apply to cooled cookies, with sprinkles.

Are you ready for Patricks day?

It doesn't matter if your Irish or not, celebrate this day with your family with a big dinner! And guess what? You can get lots of the recipes you need on this blog!

Click here for recipes.

Pumpkin Bread...

...From the "Homestead Blessings Cookbook". I highly recommend getting this recipe book for yourself! It has lots of wholesome, wonderful recipes and tips for you and your family!

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 3 cups raw sugar (or if you prefer, I used regular)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (I used olive oil)
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 cups cooked pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups pecans

Instructions:

Mix all wet ingredients together; sift in dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Fold in nuts. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Makes 2-4 loaf pans or 2 Bundt pans. Fill pans half full, because it will rise 1/3 to 1/2 again. This freezes well.

Note: "What a blessing! When changing a recipe from white flour to whole grain flour, double spices, or sometimes triple them. Whole grain baked items tend to be more bland and spices are rich in trace elements, so use them generously." From: Homestead Blessings Cookbook

Fudge truffle Cheesecake

Do you want a special dessert for Valentines Day? This would be a great choice for all the chocolate lovers out there!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together crushed vanilla wafers, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and butter or margarine by hand. Press ingredients into a 9 inch springform pan.
3. In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, making sure that they are very smooth.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy with an electric mixer. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Mix in melted chocolate, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
5. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 55 minutes. The cake will seem underbaked in the center, but will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven.

Prep time: 30 min Cook Time: 1 hr Ready In: 2 hrs

Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups powdered milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

dash of salt

Sift together the ingredients.

To serve, add 4 T of mix to 1 cup boiling water.

~V.L.S.

Russian Teacakes

1 C butter, softened
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour (I used GLUTEN FREE Mama (GFM) almond blend flour and 2 tsp xanthan gum)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C finely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Work in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown.  While warm, roll in powedered sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

~I like to make these around Christmas every year.  They are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!~

---VLS

Green Bean Casserole

This casserole makes a wonderful addition to Christmas dinner...

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. ea.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
8 cups cooked cut green beans
4 slices cooked crisp bacon
1 can (6 oz.) French Fried Onions

Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans, bacon, and 1 1/3 cups onion in 3 qt. casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min. or until hot. Stir.
Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 min. more.

~V.L.S.