Large Biscuit Mix

This homemade version of Bisquick will yield about 5 smaller batches of biscuits, pancakes, coffeecakes, cobblers, pizza rolls or cinnamon rolls. There are so many options! Once you have the mix ready, store it in a cool place for a quick dessert or addition to a meal. You can use this mix in recipes calling for Bisquick. The original recipe (even larger) comes from the MCC Plaza Kitchen where my mom used to make biscuits on a regular basis.

Ingredients:

• 12 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup baking powder
• 1/2 Tbsp cream of tartar (optional)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups shortening

In a large bowl ( I use the largest Tupperware bowl) mix shortening into dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter. Store in a sealed container, in a cool place for up to 3 months. Does not need refrigeration, but I believe the dough may be easier to work with when mix has been refrigerated.

Quick Plain Biscuits (2 ways)

• 3 cups dry mix
• 1 egg beaten with a fork and enough milk or buttermilk to make 1 cup liquid

OR

• 3 cups mix
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk

Method:

1. Stir liquids into dry ingredients, using a fork, until all crumbs have been absorbed by the liquid. It may seem dry at first, but keep stirring and it will come together.
2. Remove to floured surface and gently shape to smooth out into a 5x8 inch rectangle, using your hands. Do not over knead as it will make them tough. Better to have them look rustic.
3. Cut into 8 pieces. Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes on ungreased baking sheet.

Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes

Our family loves the flavours of lemon and the Mediterranean or Greek food.

I have tried a few variations of recipes for lemon potatoes that I have come across, but this is what I have finally tweaked together from a variety of ideas. Make sure you make lots when you have company, it disappears fast.

• 6 large potatoes cut into wedges (peeled is optional)
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. lemon juice (more or less depending on taste, freshly squeezed is always best)
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon dissolved in
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves pressed (or garlic powder to taste)

1. Peel and cut potatoes. (When I make a big batch I omit the peeling).
2. Place in a 9x13 pan combine remaining ingredients together and pour over potatoes stirring well to coat every piece.
3. Bake at 425 for 1 hour. You may cover them for the first half hour. Stir every 20 minutes or so.

I personally don't cover them because I like the crisp edge, but that is an individual choice.
Also, my oven is a little hot and I find that they are done in about 40-45 minutes depending on how big the potatoes are.
Go ahead, squeeze just a little more fresh lemon juice on if the flavour isn't intense enough.

Taco Hand Pies

I made food for our grandson's road trip. He prefers hand held foods as they are not as messy. He likes tacos and so I thought taco hand pies would be just the thing. You can prepare the dough and filling the day before which makes it easy peasy to make the pies the following day. I love recipes where you can do the prep work ahead of time. You could make them smaller to serve as an appetizer at a party. They freeze well, thaw and reheat in oven.

Rich Flaky Dough:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter, cold and cut in cubes
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten for brushing
• 2 teaspoons water

1. In food processor pulse flour and salt a few times, add butter and keep pulsing until butter is in small pieces. You still want pieces of butter to be visible.
2. Add ice cold water slowly pulsing just until dough comes together.
3. Dump dough on slightly floured surface and gather dough together in a ball. Divide into 4 pieces and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight or at least for an hour.
4. Remove from fridge, roll out each piece 1/8" thick and cut rounds using a 4" biscuit cutter.
5. Brush edges of each round with beaten egg and water mixture, place a rounded tablespoon of taco filling mixture in the center and fold dough over to make a half moon. 
6. Press edges closed with a flour dipped fork. 
7. Once you have made all your pies, brush with remaining egg and water mixture and pierce tops 2 or 3 times with a fork.
8. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake in a 400º oven for 18 minutes until golden in color. 

Taco Filling Mixture:

• 10 oz ground beef
• 2 tablespoons taco powder
• 1 cup refried beans
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup green sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheese

*Update: I realized the taco filling mixture is for half the dough recipe. So if you want to make this amount of dough that I stated you will need to double the taco mixture.

1. Fry ground beef until browned, breaking it into small pieces while frying.
2. Remove from heat and stir in taco powder, refried beans, tomato, green pepper, and shredded cheese until well combined.
3. Yield: 44 hand held pies. They are good hot or at room temperature. Eat plain or dip in taco sauce or sriracha mayo. Taste great served with a salad.

Cherry Squares

I got this recipe more than 25 years ago from a sweet elderly neighbor and it has become a yearly must for our family; a favorite of one of our kids. The texture is somewhat like a butter tart and I cut the pieces quite small, so it' s like eating a little candy bar.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries

Method:

1. With pastry blender, cut butter into flour and brown sugar until well mixed. It will be moist and crumbly.
2. Press into ungreased 9x13 inch pan. (one that has a lid, makes it easy for storage later)
3. Bake at 350° F for about 12 min.
4. In the meantime, beat eggs slightly, add combined sugar, flour and baking powder,
   then the rest of the ingredients.
5. Spread over baked layer.
6. Return to oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Icing:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons soft butter or margarine
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 4 – 6 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

1. Beat together in small bowl to make a smooth spreadable frosting. 
2. Spread over cooled cake. 
3. Cut into 36 - 48 squares. (a wet knife helps) I cut them up before freezing and then I can lift out what I need for a cookie platter.

Cover with lid or slip into plastic bag and freeze.

Yet another Fleisch Perishky Recipe (Meat / Sauerkraut Buns)

This is my friend Frieda's recipe. The pastry is easy to work and less bready than others I have tried.  The filling is very moist and holds together well to fill the bun. I have tried every recipe of meat buns on our blog and all of them delicious. You can't go wrong no matter which recipe you use. Give this one a try as well, I know you can't stop eating just one. Get your husband and some friends to help, lots of fun that way!

Make ahead tip: The meat filling is easier to work with if it is cold, I usually prepare the meat a day or two in advance and refrigerate it. The dough can be made a day in advance as well and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days as well.

Yields about 75 Perishky

Pastry:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast (you may use instant or quick rise yeast, adding it in directly with the flour without dissolving the yeast in the water. Add the water in with the egg and sour cream. )
• 1  egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, melted and cooled a bit. 
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour or as needed to make a soft dough. 

1. Dissolve the yeast and the sugar  in the water for 10 minutes until it proofs. 
2. In a large bowl add 4 cups flour, salt yeast mixture, egg, melted butter and sour cream. Stir until it is too difficult with a spoon. Turn the dough onto a floured board adding enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. 
3. Place the dough in a large lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until double in size which is about an hour or so. 

Filling:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 large onions finely diced (I used 5 medium onions)
• 1 cup of  mashed potatoes ( I used about 3 medium potatoes, or use left overs if you have it)
• generous amount of salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and dice the potatoes add salt to taste and boil until soft. Drain and mash, with out adding milk or butter. 
2. Brown the beef with the pork and onions in a very large pan. If you don't have a pan big enough divide the meat up and brown in batches. 
3. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
4. Add the mashed potatoes, combine well and allow the mixture to cool. I usually prepare the meat a day in advance and refrigerate it until I am ready to make the meat buns. 
5. Divide the dough in 4. Roll out each piece to a 1/8" thick. Cut with 2 1/2 - 3 inch circles. 
6. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling into the center. Pinch the dough around the filling to close. 
7. Place the perishky seam side down on a parchment line baking pan. 
8. Let rise a 1/2 hour and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Sauerkraut Filling:

• 4 cups of your favorite sauerkraut, drained and rinsed 
• 1 lb bacon, diced and browned
• 1 large or medium onion, minced

1. Brown the diced bacon and drain the fat, and bacon removed to paper towel to drain. 
2. In a bit of the bacon fat cook the onion until soft. Add the drained and rinsed sauerkraut to the softened onion. Brown until it is lightly browned. Add the diced bacon back in and cool mixture before making the perishky.
3. Follow above directions for filling and baking. 

*We also did a batch with half whole wheat flour mixed with white. It also works well. I find with using whole wheat that less flour was needed.

Lemon Delight

This dessert has been a favourite at our house since 1980 

when my friend Rowena submitted it to our first church cookbook. 

Since then I've come across many versions of this recipe.  

Some use chocolate pudding mix, others a combination of chocolate and vanilla instant pudding. 

 I made it  for a dinner party this past week using a lemon pie filling instead of the

 lemon instant pudding Rowena's recipe called for. 

 We enjoyed the more intense lemon flavour the pie filling added.  It was delicious.

 If you are gluten intolerant, you might want to try Julie's gluten free version.  http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2011/10/lemon-dessert-squares-gluten-free.html

• 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• dash of salt
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons icing sugar divided
• Lemon pie filling -  packaged or the following:

                                  1 cup sugar
                                  1/3 cup cornstarch
                                  1 tablespoon flour
                                  1 3/4 cups water
                                  1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
                                  1 tablespoon lemon zest
                                  3  large egg yolks
                                  3 tablespoons butter
                                  1 teaspoon lemon extract
                                 

1. For crust, cut butter into hazelnuts, flour and salt to form crumbs.  
2. Press crumbs into the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan.
3. Bake at 350º for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
4. For the lemon pie filling, mix sugar, cornstarch and flour in a medium saucepan or the top of a double boiler.
5. In a large measuring cup, combine egg yolks with lemon juice and zest and beat well.
6. Add water and whisk to combine.
7. Whisk liquid into dry ingredients and heat over medium heat stirring constantly.
8. Cook until it begins to bubble and thicken.
9. Stir in butter and extract.
10. Set aside to cool.
11. Whip 2 cups whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Do not over whip. Set aside.
12. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy
13. Add icing sugar to the cream cheese a little at a time until it is well blended.
14. Measure 1 cup of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and fold gently until it is incorporated.
15. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust.
16. Spread cooled lemon pie filling over cream cheese layer.
17. Add 2 tablespoons icing sugar to the remaining whipped cream and beat just until it is mixed in.
18. Spread whipped cream over lemon filling.
19. Sprinkle with more ground hazelnuts or chopped hazelnuts and refrigerate until serving time.

Serves 16
Note: be sure the crust and lemon filling have cooled to room temperature before topping with the cream cheese and whipped cream.

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Ever the pancake lover that I am, this recipe in the Chatelaine Holiday Edition 2008, caught my eye. They may take a little longer to prepare than your average pancake, but then - these are not your average flapjack! Here is my version.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 ripe bananas, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat griddle between low and medium heat
2. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients
3. In another beat eggs, add yogurt, milk and butter. Stir in finely chopped bananas
4. Stir wet ingredients into dry, stirring until blended
5. Drop by extra large spoonfuls onto pre-heated griddle. You don't want to cook these too quick, because they are quite thick. Turn over once you see tiny bubbles forming on top. If they are too dark, turn down the temperature.

This recipe makes 16 pancakes. Left-overs can be frozen and reheated in the toaster.

Gluten Free Banana Walnut Muffins

This is my friend Irene's recipe. She baked these moist and delicious muffins for us one evening with tea. They were so tasty I asked for the recipe as I am looking for more recipes that a gluten free without the need for a large variety of gluten free flours. This recipes uses coconut flour.

• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

1. In a large mixing bowl with beaters mix mashed bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla until well blended. 
2. Add the coconut flour with the spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
3. Combine the dry ingredients with a spatula. Divide the batter evenly in 12 lined baking pans about 2/3 full. 
4. Sprinkle with additional chopped walnuts if desired. 
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Store in a resealable bag in the refrigerator. 

Prawns Magenta

How many of you remember a little quaint restaurant in Chilliwack called Harvesters IV?
It holds special memories for me...as I went into labor that evening way back in 1982.  We had the most delicious appetizer made by Jurgen, the local European chef and he shared this recipe with me which is perfect for a cold winter night.  Sometimes this has become our main meal, by just adding a loaf of fresh bread.

Prawns Magenta

• 2 stalks of celery chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces deveined prawns
• 1/4 cup wine or apple juice
• 8 ounces of tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil and add chopped celery, carrots, garlic, and onions.
2. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes
3. Add prawns to pan with wine and tomato liquids
4. When prawns turn pink, you know they have been cooked long enough.
5. Season with salt and pepper and cover at low heat again for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Pour into serving dishes and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
7. Broil in the oven until lightly browned. Serves 4.

Old Fashioned Cream of Tomato Soup

What does a cold wintry day call for but a good bowl of soup?  This soup is 'naturally' gluten free.

 I was invited to my friend, Dorothy's house for lunch some months ago and she served me a lovely tomato soup.
 I had not had tomato soup for a long time and found her's so tasty, I asked her for the recipe.
She told me that years ago she and her husband had been travelling and stopped in a town they were not familiar with and asked someone for a good place to have lunch.  They were told that they had to go to  4B's because they were known for their excellent tomato soup.
They took the advice and did enjoy the soup, so much that Dorothy asked for the recipe.
Contrary to many restaurants that refuse to share their recipes, this place was so happy to share, that they had pre-printed recipe cards for those who asked.   This restaurant is closed now, but my friend still had an original card and was happy to give it to me - the one pictured in the above photo.

The recipe is as follows ...

•  1 tbsp. chicken base paste (I used a chicken bullion cube - make sure it is gluten free if you are on a gluten free diet.) 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 oz. butter (1 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 1 tbsp chopped onion 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1 15 oz. diced tomatoes (pureed) 
• 1 16 ox. can crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz. (1 cup) whipping cream
• 8 oz. liquid coffee creamer (I used milk) 

1. Combine chicken base, water, butter, chopped onion and sugar
2. Simmer until onions are clear
3. Add tomatoes, baking soda and stir well. 
4. Add cream, milk and heat to serve. 

Serve with crackers and a salad - and you have a meal that satisfies. 

Easy brown sugar garlic chicken thighs

This is an easy chicken recipe that your family will love and can be prepared ahead earlier in the day and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to put dinner in the oven.  I often use bone in chicken thighs because they always stay moist and the flavour is great.  Go ahead and use boneless chicken breasts or a whole cut up chicken if that is what you prefer.

• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• cajun seasoning

1. Place chicken in a parchment paper lined baking pan. 
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Melt butter in fry pan on low heat and add garlic, stirring to combine and soften  Keep a close eye on the garlic that it does not burn.  As you see it just begin to turn colour, remove from heat and add brown sugar and stir to make a paste.
4. Divide the paste between the chicken pieces and sprinkle with cajun seasoning as you would season with salt.
5. Bake for 45- 50 minutes.  
6. Drain juices into a fry pan, add a bit of finely diced onion, tomato and peppers and simmer until softened, and add to cooked rice.  

Healthy Quinoa Salad

Some of you have asked if we ever have some healthy dishes. Here's a salad that is chopped full of powerhouse nutrients. I have joined a group of ladies this past fall, for a 7-week challenge.  No junk food nor refined sugars. Truly this has been a challenge, but I've noticed how quickly those extra pounds can sneak on.  So this week I chose kale and quinoa.  I'm very content to eat the same old, but during this time I challenged my self to eat healthier and wiser, hoping to see some beneficial results.

Kale is known as one of the powerhouse of nutrients, high in antioxidants.  Quinoa is also known as an ancient grain which is high in fiber and protein and very low in fat and it's gluten free. 

You'll notice that we only use olive oil and lemon juice for the dressing, keeping things light.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups spinach
• 2 cups kale
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/4 cup red onions.
• 1/4 cup pure virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon  
• I/2 pound cooked shrimp (optional)

1. Cook quinoa as per instructions.  I cooked my quinoa in my rice cooker. 
2. Layer spinach on the bottom of the platter.
3. Chop up kale and drizzle pure olive oil on leaves.  It gives a perfect healthy shine.
4. Combine kale and spinach to form a bed of greens.
5. Spoon cooked quinoa on greens.
6. Combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onions in bowl and mix well with 1/4 cup olive oil.
7. Spread over quinoa mixture. 
8. Optional: Top with some freshly cooked shrimp.
9. Take your lemon pieces and drizzle juice over the whole salad.
10. Add your favorite seasoning spice on top.
11. Let the juices and oil marinate your salad.

It's simple, nutritious and it's paid off.

How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Happy Valentine's Day!  

We all have those we can show love to today whether it be co-workers, neighbors, friends or family... or maybe even a sweetheart!  

If you haven't yet considered how to show love I'd like to offer you this very easy and quick but most delicious way of presenting your affection. 

• about 1 pound chilled strawberries
• about 250 grams or 1 cup chopped good quality dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1. Wash and dry the strawberries.  Use a paper towel to make sure the strawberries are moisture free.
2. Place chopped chocolate in a narrow measuring cup.  (easier to dip berries into deep chocolate)
3. Place in microwave and heat on 50% power for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate has melted.
4. Gather all the green stems together and use that to hold the strawberry.  Dip the strawberry and then let it drip off before placing on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Place chocolate chips in a pastry bag.  Melt the white chocolate chips, again at 50% power for less than a minute.  Squeeze the bag to make sure all the chips are melted.
6. Cut a little hole at the bottom of the pastry decorating bag and squeeze out a drizzle over all the strawberries.  
7. Place in a refrigerator to set.  

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Since I am not really the biggest chocolate fan, I often reach for sweets that are pale in colour and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are hard to resist. Macadamia nuts are sometimes hard to find in the grocery store, but I have friends who bring them back from their Hawaiian vacation.  That makes the cookies all the more special!  Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I've added a variation below with a splash of red just for the occasion.

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white chocolate (about 8 ounces, coarsely chopped) *
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped roasted macadamia nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
4. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, stirring until blended.
6. Add white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoon two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet...or use a cookie scoop. 
8. Flatten slightly with dampened hands.
9. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edge. 
10. Remove from oven and let cool for several minutes.
11. Move to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen large cookies

*White chocolate chips can be used instead, though the chunks are much preferred over here.

Valentine Version: 
 

Add 1 cup of dried cranberries along with the white chocolate chunks and the macadamia nuts.

* If you have a special occasion to celebrate...they bake up fabulously for a cookiegram! Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9" round cake pan or pie plate...and form an 8-inch cookie with about one cup of cookie batter, spreading evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes...or until golden. Cool. Write your message with melted chocolate or decorator icing. I used a 'writing tip' on a Ziploc bag...and then there's no mess to clean up.

Speaking of special occasions, it happens to be Marg's birthday today. It's time for 'cake' and coffee.

 

No Bake Chocolate Pudding Cheesecake

Happy Valentines Day

The creamy layers in this dessert sit on top of a chocolate crumb crust. Whipped cream, paper thin chocolate chard's and a fresh strawberry add a special finishing touch.

Crust:

• 3/4 cup chocolate crumbs
• 1/4 cup graham crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Stir together crumbs. Add melted butter.
2. Press mixture into a 10" spring form pan.
3. Bake in 350º oven for 7 minutes. Cool.

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups whipped cream, or cool whip

1. Beat cream cheese till light and fluffy. 
2. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well. 
3. Fold in whipped cream or cool whip.
4. Spread mixture over cooled crust. 
5. Place in refrigerator. 

Chocolate Pudding Layer:

• 1 large box chocolate pudding and and pie filling (box calls for 3 cups milk)
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1. Cook pudding according to directions on box. 
2. Cover with wax paper and cool until luke warm. (the wax paper keeps the pudding from forming a 'crust' on top.
3. Beat cream cheese into luke warm pudding until well blended.
4. Spread over cream cheese layer.
5. Place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Whipping Cream: ( I like to only put this layer on no more than 1 hour before serving so the cream is really fresh tasting)

• 2 cups whip cream
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp instant vanilla pudding (this stabilizes the cream)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Add all ingredients into a cold bowl.
2. Beat until cream is whipped and soft peaks form. 
3. Spread whipped cream over chocolate layer. 

Optional: Fill a piping bag with extra whipped cream to decorate the top. Decorate with chocolate and strawberries. 

Valentine Sugar Cookies with Dragged Dots

Everyone can show someone love on Valentine's Day and so I'm giving you this post a week early so you can try this fun cookie with an artistic twist! 

Today's recipe is a joint effort between me and my grands aged between 5 and 9.  

I baked the cookies ahead of time and outlined them and then tucked them into the freezer until we had time to decorate.  

The recipe for the cookies is fairly straight forward and I enjoyed them baked simple and plain.

This recipe is large, making about 10 dozen cookies so if you not wanting such a big batch, go ahead and make half a recipe.

Sugar Cookies

• 2 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups icing sugar / powdered sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or use three teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste.
3. Stir together the dry ingredients and stir into the batter until combined.
4. Preheat oven to 400. F.
5. Divide dough into four pieces so that it is easier to manage.
6. Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters of your preference.  Same size cookies should be on a cookie sheet. 
7. Bake for about 9 minutes but watch carefully as they will go from white to brown quickly once they reach that baked point.  They should be lightly brown underneath and the edges should be starting to color.  Under baked sugar cookies are as bad as overbaked.  
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Fill the pan again after it has cooled. 

Spreadable Royal Icing

To make the icing for these cookies,  you will want icing that holds it shape for the piping.  When you have finished piping all the cookies, add a bit more warm water to the icing for the next step when you will want the icing to puddle inside the dried piped area.  

• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• warm water to make icing the right consistency (start with a few tablespoons and add teaspoons after that)
• food coloring 

1. Combine all icing ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer for a few minutes until the icing holds it shape but is smooth and glossy.  Keep the container covered at all times while you are not using it.  It can stay on the counter covered a few days while you complete your decorating.
2. Add icing to a piping bag with a small round tip for outlining cookies.
3. After all the cookies have been outlined, add additional warm water to make an icing that will puddle and be easily spread out.  Divide the icing into small containers with lids or use plastic wrap.  Add color as desired.

Now is where you can use your imagination and just have fun.  Only decorate one cookie at a time as the icing will start to harden quickly and you will not be able to drag the dots into a design.

Fill the outlined area with icing, using the back of a small spoon to spread it out. 

Using a piping bag with a very small tip or hole, squeeze dots of icing and then take a toothpick to pull the dots into a design.

Each cookie is unique and a masterpiece waiting to happen.

Once the cookies are finished.  Allow to dry for a few hours before stacking into freezer bags.

Enjoy your cookie baking!  I hope this inspires you to pull out your baking sheets and gather a few friends to create some beautiful cookies together!

Share your cookies on Instagram and add #mennonitegirlscancook