Chocolate Gravy

On Christmas morning, I always made chocolate gravy and biscuits.  I have made it occasionally at other times, but it is mainly a Christmas morning treat. 

This year, I measured as I made it.  I never had a recipe for this, just knew the ingredients.  

It is yummy over hot biscuits, topped off with a pat of butter.  

 1/4 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour 

3 cups milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon butter 

Use whisk to blend and stir while cooking until thickened. 

Ruby Arnold’s Sugar Cookies

 

After many recipe failures, my friend Carla discovered her mother always used Parkay margarine and Crisco oil.  Brands sometimes make all the difference! 

Cream together two sticks of Parkay at room temperature with one cup granulated sugar and one cup powdered confectionery sugar.  

Add one cup Crisco oil, one teaspoon vanilla, and two eggs, then beat well.

Add 4 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour, one teaspoon soda, and one teaspoon cream of tartar and a dash of salt. 

Chill the dough for three hours or longer.  

Make into small balls, dip in sugar (I use cake decorating sugar crystals, they are bigger) and press with a glass. (I use my hands)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes  (I bake at 325 in my convection oven)

REMOVE FROM COOKIE SHEET IMMEDIATELY!   After they cool, they will crumble! 

                                                   

Pumpkin Pie

 2 eggs

16 ounce can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Large can of evaporated milk 

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

     (Optional: 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, or 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice)

Pie shell, unbaked 

Beat all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350degrees until tests done when toothpick comes out clean from center (45 minutes or so)

This recipe will make two small pies, or one deep dish   

Fresh Apple Cake

 

3 cups chipped apples (I usually use Granny Smith apples, but have used other kinds, and have also used pears)

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

3 egg yolks

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. Soda

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans 

1 tsp vanilla

3 beaten egg up whites 

Chip the apples and add the sugar and oil to them, let them set about an hour.   (They will get juicy!) 

In the meantime, combine flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.  

After apples have set, add egg yolks, then the dry ingredients. Batter will be stiff.

Beat the egg whites until peaks form, then fold them into batter.  Add pecans.

Bake at 325 degrees in a greased Bundt pan approximately 1 hour 25 minutes or until it tests done when inserted tooth pick comes out clean   

Brioche Bread

 INGREDIENTS

 2 ½ cups flour

 3 tbsp  sugar

 1 tsp salt

 1 tbsp dry yeast

 1 egg

 ⅔ cup warm milk 

 1 12 tbsp butter

 3 tbsp cream cheese

  

1.  Whisk flour with salt and yeast, make a well in the center add sugar, milk and egg.  Blend on low speed with dough hook.
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3.  Add cream cheese and softened butter.  Mix u til smooth.  Remove to a bowl and cover the dough, set aside for 1 hour.

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2.  Cut into 8 portions, roll each into a ball, then set aside for 20 minutes.

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2.  Press out excess air and roll again. Place into a round baking pan, set aside for 1 hour.

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2.  Dust with flour and bake at 300F until golden brown. I used a powdered sugar sifter to dust the flour on top. 

Double Tree Cookies

 I’ve had the cookies at the DoubleTree Hotel, and they are always so good.  I never could quite figure out what was different from an ordinary chocolate chip cookie  

I didn’t have walnuts, so I substituted praline pecan pieces I had on hand in these, and I don’t have parchment paper to use on my cookie sheets.  They cooked fine.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter , softened
• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2 2/3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.
• With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.
• Remove bowl from mixer and stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
• (If the dough seems overly soft, refrigerate it for about 20 minutes before baking.)
• Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
• Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.
  

  

  
  
  
  

Air Fryer Lava Cakes

 I don’t know where I found this recipe.  I jotted it down and tried it in the air fryer I was given as a Christmas gift 2020.   My machine will hold four ramekin dishes, so sometimes I double this recipe and make four instead of two.  

Melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter in microwave until just warm enough to melt chips and stir smooth. 

Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 egg and the yolk of another egg. 

Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/8 tsp. salt. 

Stir in 3 tablespoons plain flour and mix until batter is smooth. (I use a mini whisk)

Pour into two ramekin dishes and place in air fryer, then cover with foil and tuck it so it won’t blow off when the machine comes on. Cook 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes the. Remove foil and cook another 2-4 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes then run a knife around the edges and invert the dish into a dessert plate.  Can be topped with whipped cream, ice cream, nuts, fruit, or as is.   To make it pretty I sprinkle powdered sugar on it before serving.  I sprinkled chopped pecans and a few chocolate chips on these while they were cooling down, so there’s a little surprise at the bottom when they are turned onto the dessert plate! 

My air fryer takes the longer cooking times. These are pretty quick to make and you don't have a big cake to tempt you for days!  Just two servings!