Latkes

Okay, I swear I was Jewish in another life. Seriously, I could live on anything in a Jewish kitchen, during Passover included. On the first or second night of Hanukkah we eat latkes, matzah ball soup, and fried doughnuts. I just love latkes with sour cream and homemade apple sauce. The kiddos eat their latkes with apple sauce. The husband is a purist at heart and likes his plain and fresh from the frying pan. Give this recipe a try and it will become a tradition during the holiday of lights. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

5 potatoes-peeled

1 egg-beaten

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 T flour or matzah

Oil

Shred potatoes by hand into a bowl filled with cold water. Once shredded, pour off water and add your egg, salt, pepper, and flour then mix well. Heat oil over medium heat in a cast iron or heavy bottom skillet. When oil is heated, drop potato mixture by the tablespoon into the hot oil and spread out a little. Cook until brown and then turn and brown other side. Serve hot with sour cream and apple sauce.

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Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

We are lovers of blueberry anything around here and these muffins are three kiddo approved!  Sean said the blueberries were a little sour but everything  else passed.  I have been enjoying one of my birthday presents with these muffins, wonderful organic tea from a great little tea shop, Gray Owl,  in Norman, OK. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 cup whole milk
1 T lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 cup sugar
1 T baking powder
1 t sea salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries


Mix together your milk and lemon juice and set aside for 10 minutes.  This willm ake your "buttermilk".  Mix all your dry ingredients together.  Now make a well in the middle and add your eggs, milk,and oil.  Mix all together gently. Now fold in your blueberries.  Place [aper liners in each of your muffin cup and fill each one 3/4 full.  Bake at 400' for 18 minutes.

Did you say Butterfinger?????

We have a long love of the Butterfinger bar I hate to admit.  I have been known to gobble down one with a Diet. Dr. Pepper while waiting for the kiddos at one of their activities.  Anyway,  this recipe is just as good as the store bought ones and so easy you will want to slap your moma!  Just not me okay??  This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.  Raven made this all by herself too!  You know this is a great way to use up all the leftover candy corn and Hershey Bars your kiddos have left from Trick or Treating, that is if you have leftovers....


Needed:

1 bag of candy corn
1 16 oz. jar of peanut butter
1 bag of milk chocolate chips

Place candy corn in a microwave safe glass bowl.  Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir.  Now heat on high for 30 seconds and stir, repeat this 4 more times until candy corn is completely melted.  When melted, pour in peanut butter and stir, stir, stir.  Line an 8x8 cake pan with parchment paper and pour mixture in.  Smooth and cover with plastic wrap.  Place in freezer for 30 minutes.

Now while that is in the freezer, melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Remove pan from freezer and cut into little rectangle "bars", if you will.  Dip each bar into melted chocolate and then place on a parchment lined cookie sheet until set up.  Store in an air-tight container.

Caramel Apple Sheet Cake

I love apples and any recipe with apples in them.  This one reminds me of caramel apples...did I mention I love caramel too????  The cake is super moist and the icing you could eat with a spoon.  Sheet cakes are great to bring to a fall party, little squares of yum!  This is so worth the work!  This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed: 

2 cups flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 baking soda
1 t sea salt
2 t cinnamon
1 cup canola oil
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 whole milk
5 apples-peeled and shredded

Mix all of your dry ingredients together.  Add in oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk and mix until all comes together.  Now fold in the shredded apples.  Now pour cake in a parchment lined jelly roll pan, smooth top evenly and bake at 350' for 20 minutes.  Cool completely.


Icing:

3 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup half and half

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 T half and half ( this is to add to the caramel mixture once it is cooled._


In a medium non-sick pan add butter, brown sugar, half and half and cream over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Now bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool completely.  Now add caramel into your Kitchen Aid with the beater on and add 1 cup at a time of powdered sugar alternating with the 4 T half and half.  You may need more half and half to get to a spreadable icing.  Ice cake and enjoy!

Sugar Cookies to die for!!!!

I LOVE iced sugar cookies! I can eat my weight in these cookies and let me tell you, that is a LOT of sugar cookies. :) This recipe's trick is to make sure you leave the dough in the fridge overnight and then roll it out. I make this recipe every holiday for the kiddos, ya right, the kiddos. This will be one of your favorites too. Make some for Halloween and surprise your little ghouls. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 1/2 cups butter-room temperature
2 t vanilla
4 eggs-I use free range
5 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 t salt
2 t baking powder-I use Rumsford

Cream butter, sugars, salt, and eggs until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of flour and mix well. Add your last 3 cups of flour and your baking powder and mix until all come together. Place in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate overnight. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch and cutout with desired cookie cutters. Bake at 350' for 8 minutes. They will look a little soft when you take them out but will crisp up nicely as they cool. Ice with butter cream, my favorite, or royal icing.

Pumpkin Rice Pudding

I love rice pudding and always remember my mom making it for me when I was getting over some sort of illness. The raisins were one of my favorite parts. I thought that adding pumpkin to the mix would make it even better and it did!! I think this would make yet another side dish to add to the list for Thanksgiving. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3 quarts water
3 cups rice-not minute rice
10 cups whole milk
2 t vanilla
2 t salt
4 cups sugar
1 can pumpkin puree
2 T ground cinnamon
1 T ground ginger
1 cup raisins

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat and add the rice. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 7 minutes. Don't drain, now add in your milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla and simmer over medium heat until rice begins to soften. This happens in about 30 minutes, now stir in your pumpkin, raisins, and spices. Bake at 350' in a 9x13 pan that has been buttered. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Serve warm.

Tex Mex Lasagna

This is one of my favorite recipes and one that our kiddos really enjoy too, makes for an easy dinner.


Needed:

2 cans whole kernel corn-drained
2 cans black beans-drained and rinsed
1 large can Rotel
1 pound ground turkey-seasoned as you would for tacos
3 pounds of pepper jack cheese-shredded
1 can black olives-sliced
18 corn tortillas

Layer in a 9x13 pan in this order;
6 corn tortillas
corn
black beans
1 pound cheese
1 cup Rotel
6 corn tortillas
turkey
1 pound cheese
6 corn tortillas
1 cup Rotel
1 pound of cheese
black olives

Cook covered in a 350' oven for 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with corn tortillas and butter.

Yummy Corn Flake Bars

I decided to make this bar the other day and the kiddos enjoyed them.  They are super easy and at least kinda healthy  heehee, cereal is good for you right???  Make these for an after school snack or send them to your college kiddo.  This is What's Cookin on this 100' day in September.

Needed:

6 cups corn flakes-crushed
1/2 cup butter-melted
4 T sugar
1 bag milk chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup peanuts-chopped
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix corn flakes, sugar, sugar, and butter together.  Press into a 9x13 pan. Pour coconut, peanuts, and then chocolate chips on top.  Now pour on the sweetened condensed milk and bake a t 350' for 15-20 minutes.  Cool completely and cut up as you would brownies.

Apple Crisp

I really like a sweet apple crisp and if you do also, this recipe is for you. Apple crisp is really simple to make and doesn't require many ingredients. I love to use Jonathan Apples but any that you have on hand are fine. My grandmother always used Jonathan Apples so this is why I am partial to them. Give this a try when you want apple pie and don't have the time to make one. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
10 apples of your choice-peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups butter-softened
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1 T cinnamon

Place your peeled and sliced apples in a bowl and add your 1 1/2 cups of sugar and cinnamon. Stir long enough as to coat the apples very well. Now pour the apple mixture into a 9x13 baking pan. Now mix your butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and vanilla together until crumbly. I make a lot of the topping because I really like it!...never can have too much :) Place topping over apples evenly. Bake in a 350' oven for 1 hour. It may not need the whole hour so it is best to check it in 45 minutes to make sure that it does not burn. Serve with vanilla ice-cream.

Sodastream Machine

It has been well over 100° on Beaty's Creek for the last couple of weeks and that is hot even for Oklahoma folks!  Thank goodness for sparkling water!  I had never thought of homemade soda or sparkling water until I read about the Sodastream. My kiddos love it and have come up with some of their own mixtures that are really tasty. I love the Diet Pink Grapefruit flavor, it is pretty and tasty! The Energy drink tastes so much like Red Bull you will not be able to tell it is not the real thing. The Essences that they have for sparkling water are light but make my water intake much easier to get in. For my special treat I love their Black Current Pear, it has no corn syrup. In fact, they have a whole line of non corn syrup products! As you can tell I love my Sodastream. This would make a great Graduation or Wedding gift. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today!

Sugar Free Beet Pickles like Granny used to make

I really love pickled beets, I can eat a whole jar in one setting if I don't watch myself. If you have never tried pickled beets you are missing out. This recipe is so simple you must give it a try even if you have never canned anything before.  Back when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1976, there was little to no sugar free anything.  So my Granny West took it on herself to make me my favorites and boy were they good. When foodbuzz asked for help promoting Sweet N Low I knew I had to submit this great recipe. This winter you will not believe how good home canned food tastes! I love to open a jar of something I have canned from my garden in the winter, brings a little Spring back to Beaty's Creek. This is What's Cookinon Beaty's Creek today.





50 beets 
2 cups beet boiling water
2 cups white vinegar
1/8 cup Sweet N Low Sweetener
2 t cinnamon

Remove beet greens and save to use later. Wash beets very well and place in pot covered with water. Bring beets to a boil and boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender. My beets were not real large, (I like small beets for pickles) so they cooked for about 15 minutes, size matters on how long your beets will cook. Once boiled let beets cool and then remove beets skin.Remember to wear gloves or you will have purple hands. Now get your jars ready to go, I use pint jars for pickled beets, I like the smaller jars for pickles but you can use quart jars if you wish. Prepare your jars as you would for canning anything. Once ready pack with your beets. Now bring beet water, vinegar, Sweet N Low, and cinnamon to a boil and pour over beets in jars and seal with a flat and ring. You will process beets in a hot water bath for 12 minutes. Let pickled beets sit for a couple of weeks before you eat them.

Ding Dong Cake AKA Raven's 18th

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• I cannot believe my little Raven turned 18 last month.  Where did all that time go??  She graduated high school and is now enrolling in college,  sniff, sniff.  I know, I know this is what is supposed to happen but gosh it is hard on a mom and dad!  Raven has so many dreams and I do hope life gives her what she has given to life!  Raven is a giver and I love that about her!  This cake is my Ding Dong cake and it is what Raven picked for her birthday cake this year.  This cake is so rich and decadent that a small piece will go far.  Give this a try the next time chocolate is calling your name!  This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek!

Needed:

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• 2 boxes Duncan Hines  Devils Food cake mix( I learned years ago in a Wilton Class to only buy Duncan Hines boxed mixes

Bake cake according to directions on the box.  Saddens me to say but you know just DO IT!  I cooked mine in 4 round cake pans. Bake according to directions also....  Now go on to the next step so I don't feel like a complete loser!  Cool completely and remove from pans.

White Filling

4 cups whole milk

2 cups butter-softened

2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans-scraped

• 16 T flour
• Mix together  milk and flour. Cook until thick, then cool COMPLETELY. Mix butter and shortening until well incorporated in your Kitchen Aid mixer. Now add in sugar and vanilla beans and mix until mixture is light and fluffy. Now add in  flour mixture and beat until smooth and yummy.
• Now pick out a pretty plate and plop out your first first cake layer.  Spread the filling over cake all the way to the edge.  Make sure it is very even too.  Repeat with each layer of cake until you reach layer 4.  You will not it with filling.  Wrap cake completely with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 1 hour.
• Icing
• 2 t vanilla
• 4 sticks butter-softened
• 6 T whole milk
• 4 T cocoa
• I use a whole bag of powered sugar when I make this icing. Sometimes I need a cup more, I think it depends on the  humidity in your area.
• Mix butter, vanilla, and cocoa together.  Now add in your powdered sugar a cup at a time.  In between sugar add in a T of milk.  Once all of your sugar is mixed in you might need to add a little more milk or sugar.  Just depends if your icing is too runny or too thick.  You want it to be easily spreadable.  Now take your cake out of the freezer and ice it completely!!  You want about 1/4 of icing all over the cake.  Place iced cake in fridge until ready to serve.
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Snickerdoodles

This is Ransome's favorite cookie and mine too. I just love how the kitchen smells when they are baking and how good they taste when done. I think this is one of the easiest cookie recipes that I make and they are sure yummy! Give these a try and you will be so glad you did! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today!

Needed:

1 cup butter flavor Crisco
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 eggs

Rolling mixture

1 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon

Cream Crisco, sugar, and salt together. Once creamed scrap down bowl and add in one egg at a time. Now add in 1 cup of flour, and baking powder mix until comes together continue to add flour 1 cup at a time until all has been added. Now roll all dough into 1 inch balls. Mix 1 cup sugar and 2 T of cinnamon together well. Roll each ball of cookie dough in this mixture before placing on cookie sheet. Now bake at 350' for 12 minutes. They will be soft but will crisp slightly as they cool.

Garden Fresh Pasta Sauce

Raine loves cherry tomatoes so I planted a few just for her this year.  They are already producing and my basil, for the first year, is doing great too!  I made this a fast pasta sauce the other night and it was a hit.  I went the vegan route but the rest of the family used Parmesan cheese and said it was even better!


Needed:
5 cups cherry tomatoes
2 purple onions- peeled and quartered
2 garlic  bulbs-sliced in half
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups fresh basil leaves-torn
Parmesan cheese-grated
Pasta of your choice cooked al dente




Coat veggies you are getting ready to roast with plenty of olive oil and toss with salt and pepper to your liking. Roast tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a 425' oven for 20 minutes or until tomatoes pop. Once your pasta  is done, drain and then add in your roasted veggies.  Right before serving, toss in basil leaves and Parmesan cheese. Super easy and super good!

Strawberry Sheet Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Strawberry anything is a favorite around here and I try to come up with a new recipe every once in a while.  The first time I made this was in a 9x13 pan, not a good choice.  It was still tasty but a little too banana bread like for a cake in my opinion. We are just now starting to get local strawberries but gosh there have been some incredible sales on California strawberries and they are really sweet too!

Needed:
3 cups fresh strawberries-cleaned and chopped 
2 1/2 cups sugar 
2 cups  flour
2 sticks of butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs-beaten
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla

Over the chopped strawberries, with  1/2 cup of sugar. Let them sit for an hour at room temperature so they can release some of their juices. The berries should reduce to about 1 1/2 cups. Hand  crush the strawberries, you want them juicy but still with some texture. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift 2 cups sugar and flour, and baking soda together in a bowl.

Melt the butter on low in a saucepan and then whisk it with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla. Add the liquid to the flour and then stir in the crushed strawberries.

Pour batter into a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Cake is done when a knife comes out clean from the center. Let it cool completely and then frost with whipped cream!!!

Note: The cake will be a little brown. Still tastes great!

Barbecued Meatballs

I served these with my Crack Potatoes and the combo was well received. These are really moist and if you cut your onions small enough, something the whole family will eat. Raven, on the other hand, will not touch anything that she even "thinks" may have onions. I know, silly isn't she??? This is What's Cookin on this beautiful Spring Day on Beaty's Creek!!!


Needed:
3 pounds ground round
2 t salt
3 t black pepper
1 cup of milk
1 cup of oatmeal
1 small onion-grated
1 bottle ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves-smashed
2 T molasses
1 T hot sauce

 In a saucepan add ketchup, brown sugar, 2 smashed garlic cloves, molasses and hot sauce. Cook over low heat for 2 hours. While that is cooking, start your meatballs. Mix together the oatmeal and milk and set aside. Now mix together ground round, onion, salt and pepper. When completely mixed, then add in the oatmeal. Make into to 1 inch balls and now place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Bake at 350' for 30 minutes.  Once done add to your sauce. Continue to cook for 20 minutes.  I served these with my Crack Potatoes and homemade bread.

Sausage Burgers

I had never eaten a sausage burger until I started dating my husband. His family had always fixed them and I was ready to start the tradition for my family. I remember the first time I fixed them for my parents while still living at home. They were surprised that something so simple could taste so good. Give this a try the next time you grill burgers for something a little different. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

3 pounds ground chuck
1 pound mild breakfast sausage
1 T salt
1 T pepper


Mix all of the ingredients together and form into patties. Grill until completely done. We top ours with cheese but that is up to you.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

As I've said several times, my mom could live on peanut butter and ice-cream.  This cake is one of her absolute favorites and the kids just love it with a cold glass of milk.  Spring is upon us here on Beaty's Creek and it is gardening time a little early.  I have been out planting like crazy so hopefully we don't get a winter cold snap.  This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.




Needed:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 vanilla bean-scraped
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Icing: 
2 cups butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar


 In a saucepan heat peanut butter, water, and butter together until it melts together.  Pour into a bowl, now add in your sugars and stir until well blended.  Now add in all the dry ingredients.  Mix until all comes together, now add in the milk and vanilla bean and stir.  Now pour into a parchment lined jelly roll pan.  Spread out smoothly and bake at 325' for 15 minutes.


Mix butter and peanut butter in a saucepan.  Heat until boiling, then remove from heat.  Pour into your bowl and add in powdered sugar a cup at a time until all is added.  Now add in the milk and whip until creamy.  Frost cake while icing is still slightly warm.

Cinnamon Knots

I was tired of the same old cinnamon roll and wanted to make something a little different. This recipe was perfect and was quick to make also. Give these a try when you are wanting to bake someting homemade for your family. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

2 T yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup butter-melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
2 eggs-beaten
1 t salt
5 cups flour


Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
2 cups sugar
4 T cinnamon
Mix sugar and cinnamon together for later
3/4 cup butter-melted


In your Kitchen Aid Mixer bowl, add yeast to the warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes now add warm milk, butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough flour to form a soft dough. Keep kneading in the bowl for 8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Should double in size. Now punch dough down and divide into 20 balls. Roll each of the balls into a rope and then dip into melted butter and then tie into a knot. Now place on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar mixture. Continue this with each ball of dough. Once you are done, cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Now bake in a pre-heated 325' oven and bake for 15 minutes. Eat hot from the oven.

Strawberry Pie

In honor of Pi Day!! Natalie Mikles from the Tulsa World ran this recipe and I could not wait to make it. It is so good that I will be making it a lot!! Thanks Natalie. ;) You must try this recipe while strawberries are at their peak. I made fresh whip cream to go on top. This is "What's Cookin" on Beaty's Creek today.


Needed:


2 cups water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 (3-ounce) box strawberry Jell-O
1 quart strawberries, sliced
1 (9-inch) baked pie crust
Whipping cream
1. In a saucepan, bring water, cornstarch and sugar to a boil. Boil until thick and clear.
2. While hot, add Jell-O. Mix. Set aside.
3. Once slightly cooled, mix in the strawberries. Pour into a baked pie crust. Keep in refrigerator until cool. Serve with whipping cream and whole strawberries.


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Crack Potatoes

I read recipe after recipe for these potatoes on Pinterest but all of them called for frozen potatoes. So I decided to health it up a little, not by much but a little in my mind. I made these along side my BBQ meatballs and all loved them. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek this garden making morning!


Needed:


3 cups sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese-shredded finely
1 pound bacon-cooked crsip and crumbled
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Bottle Ken's Ranch Salad Dressing
4 pounds potatoes-washed and shredded *read note below

*Important note about your potatoes. Shred them into a big bowl of cool water and let them sit in the water for at least one hour. After 1 hour, pour water off and rinse shredded potatoes very well. This will remove the starch that makes potatoes mushy and not tasty when fried.

Combine first 5 ingredients, and now mix in shredded potatoes. Spread into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400' for 45-60 minutes. Serve hot!

Broccoli Cheese Soup in Bread Bowls

This has always been my favorite soup! So creamy and "healthy", okay maybe not so healthy but it sure is creamy and cheesy. It is starting to look like Spring on Beaty's Creek but I still think old man Winter is going to come a knocking. I made this soup on the last cold spell that we had and everyone thought I was a boss, yes, a Boss! Email me and I can tell you why this is funny. Raine liked dipping her bread and Raven ate her bread bowl up before her second bowl. Give this a try before Spring has sprung and soup will be the last thing you want until next Fall. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek!

Needed:


1 stick butter
2 cloves garlic-smashed
1 small onion-chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups half-and-half
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups broccoli florets (about 2 heads)
2 large carrots-diced
4 cups cheddar cheese-grated

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Now add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until just golden, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Now add bay leaves , salt and pepper. Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Take out the bay leaves. Puree the soup in the pot with a immersion blender until smooth, you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Now add the cheese and half and half to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted and the consistency you want . Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Serve in bread bowls. Recipe for bread bowls follows.

Bread Bowls

Needed:

2 T yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 t salt
2 T canola oil
7 cups flour


Mix yeast, salt, and warm water together in your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Let sit for 3 minutes. Now add in your oil and begin adding in your flour a cup at a time. Now knead in your mixer for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Once double in size cut dough in to 8 equal pieces of dough. Roll into balls and place in a parchment lined baking sheet. Let them rise for 30 minutes. Place in a 400' oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and then cut top off and scoop out some of the bread so you can fill with soup. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I am addicited to Pinterest and I am NOT ashamed...... Maybe I should be.... But I am not! A friend of mine pinned this recipe and I thought I would try it. I changed it a little here and there. This is so easy to make in the morning and is good reheated in the microwave for these cold February afternoons on Beaty's Creek. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

Cake
3 cups flour
1 t salt
1 cup sugar
4 t. baking powder
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 eggs
2 vanilla beans-scraped
1/2 cup butter-melted

Topping
1 cup butter-softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 T cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.



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Peanut Butter Cookies

I have decided to not buy anymore store/boxed cookies this year. Have you looked at what is in their list of ingredients? Well I did and wished I had not, so I decided to make all of our cookies this year. Sounded good at the time.....Well it is still good but I am rather busy hee hee. Ransome is a little cookie monster to say the least and Raine loves cupcakes, so when I bake cookies, I then have to bake cupcakes. I forgot to mention Raven no longer likes store sliced bread and wants homemade bread for toast and sandwiches. NO problem right??? I have two really great recipes for sandwich bread that I will be sharing soon. Now back to the cookie post. I seem to always have peanut butter in my pantry, as I am sure many of you do, so peanut butter cookies it is. This time I added chocolate bells I had left from Christmas so these are extra good! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek!


Needed:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup shortening
1 t baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 bags of kisses


Mix both sugars, peanut butter, and shortening. Now add baking soda to mixture. Stir well.
Stir in the eggs one at a time. Now add the flour. Roll dough into balls.
Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Press with fork to make criss-cross design. Bake at 350' for about 8-10 minutes. As soon as you take the cookies out place a chocolate kiss or in my case chocolate bell in the center.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

I am sure you have seen those cute iced sugar cookies in the grocery store. You may have even bought them a time or two. Maybe....Well now you will NEVER buy them again. Why you ask? Because you can make them at home! In my oh-so-humble opinion they are better! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek this Springlike Winter's day. Hate to curse it but....What is up with this weather?




Needed:

Cookies

4 1/2 cups ap flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 sticks butter-room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
5 t vanilla
1 vanilla bean-scrapped




In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour. Once chilled, make a golf ball size ball and flatten slightly place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350' for 10 minutes. Don't bake until crisp, you want them soft. They will be slightly golden around the edges only. Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes and then place on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Frosting:

5 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter-melted
1 T vanilla
8 T milk-might need a little more and you might not. ;)
Food coloring
Sprinkles

Mix powdered sugar, melted butter,vanilla, and food coloring together. Stir in your Kitchen Aid slowly. Now add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until all has been added. Whip frosting until smooth. Now frost those cookies nice and thick. heehee Store the cookies in an air tight container and enjoy!!



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Date Cake

My love of dates has been as long as I can remember. They were my "candy" as a young diabetic, of course that was only 2 per serving, but I loved them sooo much! Now I eat dates all the time! I like to use them in my whole wheat bread as the sweetener. I enjoy them in my granola and I love this recipe for a delious breakfast type bread or cake if you will. To me this cake is moist like a fruitcake and would be great with dried cherries too. Give this a try and you will be glad you did! This is What's Cookin this 2012 morning on Beaty's Creek!

Needed:

4 large eggs-separated
1 pound dates-chopped
2 cups pecans-chopped
1 cup ap flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 T baking powder-I use a aluminum free
1 t sea salt
1 t vanilla

Position a rack in the lowest rack in your oven and preheat to 325'. Generously coat an angel food cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with a donut-shaped piece of parchment paper. This makes for the easiest removal of your cake. You will wonder why you have not done this before!

In one bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Set aside.

In a separate, very large mixing bowl, stir together the dates, pecans, flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix together egg yolks, salt, and vanilla in a small bowl and mix until thick. Fold into the date-flour mixture. Now fold in your egg whites and mix until no more white streaks show up as you mix. It will be VERY THICK. Now place into your prepared angel food pan

Bake for about 70 minutes, or until browned and a tester comes out clean. Cover with lose foil after 1 hour to keep cake from getting too dark. Cool completely in the pan. Once cool, loosen with knife and romove from pan.






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Quinoa Salad

I am trying new ways to use quinoa in my everyday life. It is such a great replacement for rice in meals like stir fry and beans, give it a try. I will tell you to make sure and rinse your quinoa very well before cooking. If you don't it will have a bitter taste. Everyone really liked this salad but my husband thought the dressing was a little too sweet. It is like a sweet oil and vinegar dressing, if you don't like sweet you can leave the honey out. Everyone else loved it so there you go. I am still trying to get used to using quinoa, I just can't get out of my rice dependency, hee hee I am trying though. This is What's Cookin on this very windy Winter's day on Beaty's Creek.


Needed:


1 cup quinoa-rinsed and drained
1 t sea salt
1 garlic clove-minced
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes-cut in half
1 cup cabbage-finely shredded and chopped
1 cucumber-peeled and diced
Pepper to taste

Dressing

1/2 cup Canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 T local honey
2 T Dijon mustard
1 t cayenne pepper

To make Salad: Bring quinoa, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Set aside, covered, 10 minutes.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in separate saucepan. Add corn and cook 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drain again. Stir together corn, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, and quinoa in bowl.

Dressing: Mix all ingredients in a jar and shake until smooth. Stir into Salad.






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Dirty Rice

We are far from from Fat Tuesday but this recipe is total Cajun if I do say so myself. I love me some good ole' Cajun food. This recipe is so good with a bunch of Tabasco poured on top too. This is What's Cookin Beaty's Creek this cold winter's day!




Needed:

1 pound pork sausage
1 pound chicken livers-chopped
1 onion-chopped
1/2 cup celery-chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper-chopped
7 cups cooked rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the sausage, livers, onions, celery, and green pepper all together. Salt and pepper as you go. Once all is cooked thoroughly, add in your rice one cup at a time. Between each cup stir well. Serve hot with some Tabasco and crispy cornbread.





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Santa's Whiskers

I am sure all of you have heard of this recipe, not me. I usually have heard of ALL cookie recipes because I LOVE cookies!! I am a Cookie Monster for sure! A friend of mine mentioned these on Facebook and I could not wait to hear what they were. Were they white chocolate covered pretzels I thought? Never in a million years would I have guessed what they were. These are really good and a very pretty cookie too! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek in this New Year!

Needed:

1 cup butter-room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 cup chopped red candied cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut



Cream together butter and sugar (make sure butter is at room temperature). Mix in vanilla. Now stir in flour, cherries and nuts. Form in to one long roll and roll in coconut. Now wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge overnight. Remove from fridge and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Bake at 325' for 12 minutes or until golden.





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