Swedish Apple Pie

This pie is delicious and a wonderful dessert to make when you are craving some apple pie but don't have the time to make a crust.  However, please don't think it's some sort of second-rate apple pie in a pinch.  It's so tasty I make it even when I *do* have the time for an old fashioned apple pie.  It's in a class all by itself.  :)  Oh my gravy it's good! 

5-6 medium apples, sliced
 OR use your apple slices from your food storage (I buy mine in bulk from the LDS Home Storage Center, everyone is welcome - find one near you here)
I use 2.5 - 3 cups dried apples, rehydrate for 5 minutes in 4 cups boiling water - drain excess

1 T sugar
1 T cinnamon
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts
small splash of vanilla

Fill pie plate 2/3 full of apples.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  In a medium bowl, stir the rest of the ingredients until combined.  Pour over apples.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.

Food Storage:  I *always* make this with my dehydrated apples so everything in the recipe comes from items I have on hand.  Remember you can substitute shortening for butter or margarine, and use your powdered eggs and then all the ingredients are shelf stable.   A fresh tasting dessert without much effort and no runs to the store for ingredients!

Lion House Oatmeal Cookies

From the Lion House Recipes cookbook:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 cups quick rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups flour
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts
(for my family we just add about a cup and a half our our desired mix-ins:  cinnamon or chocolate chips, craisins, nuts, etc.)

Cream together sugar and shortening.  Add eggs and milk and mix well.  Then add rolled oats.  Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth.  Stir in desired mix-ins.  Drop on cookie sheet and back at 375 degrees F for 10 or until lightly browned.  Makes 5-6 dozen cookies. 

Notes:  We have successfully substituted margarine and butter for shortening when we've run out.

Food Storage:  Shortening is a great item for your food storage since it's shelf stable.  I always bake with my powdered eggs and powdered milk and the rest of the ingredients are all dry and store well in your pantry.

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I found these cupcakes here after searching for a recipe online that a gal had made and nicely let me sample. I think these would be easy to add whole wheat flour to from food storage.

the Cupcakes...

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (abt 4 medium bananas)

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

the Frosting...

2 sticks (1 cup) margarine, softened

12 oz cream cheese

6 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add butter, banana, eggs and vanilla. Stir but do not overmix! This is the secret to yummy muffins! Spoon into prepared muffin pan. This made 12 regular muffins for me as well as a full mini-muffin pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

The frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until combined. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Ice the cupcakes.

I topped with Skor bits - chopped nuts are also yummy!

Chocolate Pudding

3 cups milk (see note)

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa or carob powder

2/3 cup sugar

Good dash salt

3 tablespoons margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a two quart sauce pan combine the cornstarch, cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix it very well. Gradually add the milk, whisking it in until the mixture is smooth. Heat the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring the pudding to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the margarine and vanilla. The pudding will thicken as it cools. You can pour the pudding into a pretty serving dish, or small individual cups. I pour it into small individual cups with lids and send it in the children’s lunch boxes. Store it in the fridge either way. Makes 6 servings.

Note: Feel free to use powdered milk! I mix my dry milk in with the other dry ingredients and then add the appropriate amount of water. For 3 cups of milk I use 9 Tbs (1/2 cup plus 1 Tb) of non-instant powdered milk (this is the kind you buy at the LDS Cannery and the kind I use). If you are buying your dry milk from the grocery store follow the directions on the box.

I frequently forget to add the margarine and it still is delicious!

For another variation - I sometimes use Magic Mix to make pudding. If you follow the link you will find the recipe I use. I recently found another Magic Mix recipe from Washington State University that doesn't involve any fat that I'm going to try. It uses corn starch to thicken the sauce and since I use that trick myself to cut fat I'm eager to see how it goes!

Oatmeal Bars

This is a recipe I found that was originally from www.makeandtakes.com. These bars are one of the snack foods that I make weekly for lunches for my kiddos. They can be for sack & at-home lunches or after-school snacks. They freeze very nicely if you prefer to do that.

As a side-note - making snacks and getting everything ready on Sunday for the upcoming week is a great way to save time and money. Other easy snacks that you can find us assembling on Sunday: jello, homemade chocolate pudding, pretzels, veggies like carrots/baby tomatoes/celery, cookies (for lunches I like to pretend they are healthy so I make things like oatmeal-raisin and I alway use wheat flour). I love the inexpensive multi-colored baby snack cups with lids that you find at Wal-Mart to package up the treats!

2 1/2 cups oats (I use whatever I have - quick or regular)

1/2 cup Rice Krispies

1/4 cup coconut

1 cup M&Ms or chocolate chips

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup margarine, soft

1/4 cup honey (spray your cup with Pam so the honey doesn't stick)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Press into in 9x13 pan and smooth out the top. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then score the bars into the size you'd like (don't cut all the way through). Let the bars set completely and then cut into bars and store in a sealed container.

Pie Crust

This is an easy crust that I've used when I need a quick crust for quiche or pie.

2 c all-purpose flour

1 t salt

1 c shortening (I use margarine as well)

1/2 cold water

Combine flour and salt. (Easy on the dough setting of my Cuisinart - just pulse till mixed). Cut in shortening - or just pulse again after adding your shortening or margarine. It will mix best if you cut it into smaller pieces as you add it to the mixing bowl. Add the water and mix just until combined. Keeping the fat pieces intact in your dough (not completely pulverized) will hold up your pastry layers and make a flaky crust. If you overmix you will lose that. The crust won't be bad, just not as flaky. Divide dough into half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Four hours is ideal but I've often just put it in for the 1/2 hour or so that it took to mix up my filling.

Eclair Cake

from my roomie Wendy at WSU

1 8oz tub Cool Whip

2 small boxes vanilla pudding

1 box graham crackers

1 tub chocolate icing

Prepare pudding as directed. Mix in Cool Whip. Layer graham crackers in 9x13" dish. Pour half of pudding mixture on top of crackers in dish. Put another layer of crackers on top of the pudding. Layer again with the rest of the pudding mixture and a final layer of graham crackers. Warm icing in microwave for one minute or until easy to spread/pour. Spread icing atop the top layer of graham crackers and refrigerate overnight.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

a la Lynette

She made this to give to our family last week and it was delicious! She made a boxed German Chocolate Cake mix (splitting the batter between 2 round pans) and iced it with this. Then she drizzled chocolate over the top. The presentation was beautiful and the cake was delicious!

1 c evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 lb margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, margarine and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add coconut and pecans. Beat until cool and of spreading consistency. Makes 2 2/3 cup filling.

Zucchini Bread

from allrecipes.com

3 c flour

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

3 t cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1/4 t baking powder

3 eggs

2 c white sugar

3 t vanilla extract

1 c vegetable oil

3 c grated zucchini

1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour salt soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder.

Beat eggs in separate bowl. Add sugar, vanilla and oil. Add zucchini. Add dry ingredients and mix. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans. (Unless you're Shelly and then you sprinkle the pans with sugar).

Bake for 1 hour.

Sugar Cookies

I had these cookies and frosting at a Ward Valentine's Dance while we were in college. Oh my! They were so soft and delicious that I made sure to get the recipe! And of course in the subsequent years and moves I lost it. Fast forward 7 or 8 years and, thanks to Facebook, I reconnected with Kristin and begged for the recipe once again. Now I commit it to the blog - never to be lost again!!!

2 c. butter

4 c. sugar

4 eggs

2 t. vanilla

2 c. sour cream

1 t. baking soda

8 t. baking powder

2 t. salt

10 c. flour

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix well - will be very sticky. (You can refrigerate the dough to help with rolling). Place dough on floured surface and sprinkle flour over the top of the dough so it won't stick to the rolling pin. Roll out dough to about 1/4" thickness or a little less. Cut into desired shapes and bake at 350F. Start with 7 minutes and add a minute or 2 as needed. You don't want them browning on top so keep a close eye on them! This makes a lot so reduce quantities as desired.

FROSTING

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. Crisco

1/8 t. salt

2 t. vanilla

1/3 c. cold water

2 lb powdered sugar (I sometimes use less to make a softer frosting that sticks better to the cookies)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Color as desired and frost cooled cookies.

Glazed Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

from My Kitchen Cafe

1 yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 oz) box of instant vanilla pudding
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
1/2 cup pinapple or orange juice (I used pineapple)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)
4 eggs

Mix yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and poppyseeds. Add juice, oil, and sour cream and mix. Add 4 eggs one at a time, mix well. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (don't overbake).

When the cake is about 10 minutes from being done start the glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

Bring ingredients to a boil and keep bubbling until ready to pour over cake. You can either pour the glaze over the cake while it is in the pan or turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and pour the glaze over the cake that way. It is really like syrup that soaks in. (Some commenters have said that glazing the cake in the pan makes it hard to remove because the glaze gets sticky. I glazed it out of the pan and it worked great.) Give it a few minutes to soak in and then turn it out onto a cake plate. Optional: dust top of cake with powdered sugar.

Danish Puff Pastry

From Lynette

For dough:

1 c. flour

1 cube margarine

2 T cold water

In mixing bowl, blend four and margarine together as for pie crust.  Add 2 Tb cold water, mix until blended.  Divide dough in 1/2 and pat out 2 strips, 10" by 4.5-5", on ungreased cookie sheet.

Filling:

1 c. water

1 cube margarine

1 tsp almond extract

1 c. flour

3 eggs

Cook water on stovetop until boiling - add margarine.  Remove from heat and add almond extract.  Pour in flour, stirring until smooth and blended.  Add eggs one at a time and blend in thoroughly by hand.  Spread on top of dough strips.  Bake for 1 hour in 350F oven.  Frost with butter cream icing and top with chopped nuts or sliced almonds.

Butter Cream Icing:

1/3 c. soft margarine

3 c. confectioner's sugar

1 tsp almond extract

about 2 T milk

Blend margarine and sugar.  Stir in almond extract and milk and beat until smooth.

Glazed Poppy Seed Bread

from Heather

3 eggs
1 1/8 C. oil
2 1/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. milk
3 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. butter extract
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds

Beat eggs, oil & sugar. Add flour, salt, baking powder & milk. Then, add extracts and poppy seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in two bread pans or use smaller loaves.

GLAZE:
1/4 C. orange juice
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. butter, almond & vanilla extracts

Prick bread while warm and drizzle glaze over entire bread. (I warmed this up first in the microwave for a minute to melt the sugar).

Pretzel Turtles

Set out mini pretzel twists on a cookie sheet.Place 1 Hershey's ROLO on each pretzel. (Chocolate candy with caramel center.)Place cookie sheet in a 170 degree oven for 2 minutes...or until chocolate is soft.Press a whole PECAN into the center of each ROLO. Allow to cool (helps to place in fridge for a few minutes) and ENJOY!!!

Pretzel Hugs

Set out mini pretzel twists on a cookie sheet.Place 1 Hershey's HUG (or KISS...it's up to you!) on each pretzel.Place cookie sheet in a 170 degree oven for 3-4 minutes...or until chocolate is soft.Press an M & M into the center of each Hershey's HUG. Allow to cool (helps to place in fridge for a few minutes)