Deluxe Hot Cakes

My mom was on health kick in the early 80's and this is one of the recipes she made us.  I loved these pancakes.  Especially with homemade strawberry jam or strawberry syrup on top.

1 1/2 cup sifted whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 T raw sugar
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk
3 T oil
2 egg whites, beaten

Combine in order given, folding in beaten egg whites last.  Bake on a lightly greased hot griddle.

Quick Orange and Lemon Cake

Another cake my mom and I found somewhere.

1 lemon
1 orange
1 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup + 2 T sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
3 T milk

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 7-inch round cake pan with waxed paper, lightly greased with butter.  Grate the peel of the lemon and orange, then cut each in half and squeeze the juice from half of each.  Combine the juices in a bowl.  Place all ingredients except the orange and lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a blender and mix thoroughly.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes.  Remove from oven and leave in the pan.  While still hot, sprinkle the top with reserved sugar.  Then drizzle the mixture of lemon and orange juice over it.  Makes 6-8 servings.

Alice's Apple Cake

My mom and I discovered this recipe years ago.  I can't remember where we got it, but it is sooooo good!

3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice
1 T grated orange peel
2 cups grated unpared fresh apples
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325.  Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.  Sift flour, baking soda and cinnamon onto waxed paper.  Combine sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, orange juice and orange peel in a large bowl.  Beat with electric mixer until well blended.  Stir in flour mixture until well mixed.  Fold in apples, walnuts and coconut.  Spoon into prepared tube pan.  Bake in slow oven for 1 1/2 hours or until top springs back when lightly pressed.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.  Transfer cake from pan to a serving plate with a raised edge.  Puncture top of cake all over with a toothpick.  Spoon hot Buttermilk Sauce (below) over warm cake several times.  Let stand for about an hour.  Pour extra sauce into a small picture and serve with cake.

Buttermilk Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk

Combine in medium saucepan.  Stir until boiling.

Old-Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies

My cousin Rica shared this recipe with me when she was living with my mom and going to Utah Valley Community College.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and sour cream.  Sift dry ingredients together and beat into sour cream mixture.  Roll onto lightly floured board, 1/4" thick.  Cut in assorted shapes.  Bake on greased cookie sheet, 2" apart for  8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  If desired frost cooled cookies with icing (below).  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Soft Sugar Cookie Icing

1/2 cup butter
31/2-4 cups powdered sugar
1 egg, optional
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 T milk or cream

Cream butter.  Add 1/3 of the sugar and beat well.  Add egg, vanilla, salt and cream or milk; beat until smooth.  Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until smooth.

Aunt Val's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend until fluffy.  Add:
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt, heap a little
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, heap a little
1 pkg. instant french vanilla pudding
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips
Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Slam cookie sheet on counter when you pull them out.  Makes 5 dozen.

Avocado Hummus

I got this recipe from my cousin Annie.

1 ripe avocado
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 T olive oil
2 T water
juice of one lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
handful of cilantro
1 green onion, minced

Put avocado flesh, garbanzo beans, olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and thyme in blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Pulse in cilantro and green onion.  Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or fresh veggies.

Awesome Huckleberry Muffins

From the kitchen of:  Misti Stoddard

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup huckleberries or blueberries

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 T cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients.  In 1 cup measure pour oil, then egg.  Then pour milk until it reaches 1 cup mark.  Add to dry ingredients.  Fold in berries.  Pour into lined muffin tin.  Sprinkle with topping.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T country-style Dijon mustard
4 onion buns
1 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 med. onions, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T Worcestershire sauce
4 slices ripe tomato

In a medium bowl stir together ground beef, salt, and pepper.  Form into 8 large 1/4" patties.  In a small bowl stir together blue cheese, cream cheese and mustard.  Place about 2 T cheese mixture on top of each of 4 patties.  Top each with remaining meat patty.  Press around edges to seal.  Place hamburgers in 10" skillet.  Cook over med. heat, turning once, until desired doneness (12-15 minutes for medium).  Place hamburgers on buns.  In same skillet with drippings place mushrooms and onions; add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Cook over med. high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender (4 to 5 minutes).  Meanwhile, place tomato slice on each hamburger; top with grilled mushrooms and onions.

Turkey Burgers

From the kitchen of:  Paul and Misti Stoddard

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
2-4 T milk

Mix all ingredients well and form into patties.

Mexican Rice

From the kitchen of:  yourhomebasedmom.com
We definitely need to double this for our family!  We love it!

2 T olive oil or vegetable oil

1 cup long grain rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 small can tomato juice

salt and pepper

Heat oil in a skillet.  Add the rice.  Stir frequently and slightly brown the rice over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth and tomato juice.  Add some salt and pepper, stir thoroughly.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover tightly with a lid.  Simmer/cook for about 20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and let sit with lid on for 10-15 minutes.