Creamy Vanilla Cheesecake

Five 8 ounce packages of cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream cheese at slow speed just until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time until blended, add vanilla. 

Do not beat any longer than necessary, you don't want air added to the mixture.

Pour into prepared crust.
Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Then turn the oven off, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake set for 30 minutes.   Remove and cool completly, then cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

Cooling the cheesecake properly keeps the texture right and keeps it from sweating when you place it in the refrigerator. 


Grahan Cracker Crust :
1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup softened butter

Combine crumes and butter, press into bottom and up the sides just a little of 10 inch springform pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes then fill with cheesecake mixture and continue. 


Rachel Ward gave me this recipe in the early 80s.  It gets raves every time I make it.  I have shared it many many times and everyone loves it.  Cheesecakes are not hard to make, you just have to follow the steps of baking/cooling/chilling

Refrigerator Hot Rolls

I’m not sure where I got this recipe.  I’ve made them for years and years, especially back when I had large crowds for Thanksgiving. I made double batches then! When my kids were still home, I cooked big meals every night and used this often.  I could make out a muffin pan of small rolls, they would rise in a warm space while I cooked the evening meal. I’d bake them right quick to serve with supper.  

The dough keeps very well in the refrigerator for 10 days or so.  It DOES make better rolls if it is very well chilled, so I always make it the day before I want to have hot rolls.

Dissolve 2 packages of yeast in 1/4 cup warm water then set aside (4 1/2 teaspoons)

Cream 3/4 cup sugar with 1 cup shortening

Add 1 cup boiling water and stir til shortening is dissolved.

Add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 cup cold water

Add 2 eggs and stir with wire whip until blended

Add yeast mixture

Add 6 cups of plain flour, 2 cups at a time until all is added

Let rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use,

at least long enough to be completely chilled

　

To use:

Remove dough and punch it down until smooth

Shape rolls and let them rise until doubled in size. I use muffin pans and put two or three small balls of dough for cloverleaf rolls, or shape them for sandwich buns.

Bake 400 degrees until browned

Butter the tops while hot for soft rolls

This dough will keep well for 10 days to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. You can use all of it, or a little at a time.

I can make four dozen small rolls from one batch of dough.  I use a full sheet baking pan.

Too Easy Blonde Brownies

Ingredients :

1 large roll of chocolate chip cookie dough
6 Snicker bars


This is what I have.  I have the fun size instead of regular size candy bars.  I think three of these might equal one bar.  On my jelly roll pan, I used almost two sleeves of cookie dough, and 9 fu size candy bars cut up. 

Cut the cookie dough into chunks and press into a buttered cake pan
Make sure the dish is well buttered and that there are not holes left, that the cookie dough is pressed firmly and solidly across the bottom. 

Slice the Snickers candy bars into thin pieces and place across the cookie dough.

Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 



Trashay Morden gave me this recipe 12/21/12 along with a tray of them for the staff of A Total Change.  They are wonderful ! 

We lost Trashay during the Covid pandemic.   Tragic loss to all who loved her.  

Divinity

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
chopped nuts optional


Combine sugar, syrup, water, and salt.  Cook in heavy saucepan til sugar dissolves and mixture boils.  Cook without stirring til it reaches a hard ball stage. 

 While it is cooking, and as it nears being ready, beat the egg whites til they are stiff enough to form peaks.

When syrup is at the hard ball stage, gradually pour the syrup over the beaten egg white, beating at high speed as you do so.   Continue gradually adding the syrup to the egg white until all syrup is used, continue to beat until the mixture holds its shape.  (5 minutes or more ) Stir in chopped nuts if you want nuts in it.

I have never accomplished the art of dropping the divinity onto waxed paper and making attractive dollops as some people do.  I pour mine into a buttered glass dish and cut it into squares. 


This was my daddy's favorite candy.  He called it 'that white stuff'. 

He always made sure I have plenty pecans to make candy at Christmas. 

Peanut Butter Balls

1 stick softened butter
1 box powdered sugar
1 pound peanut butter

6 ounce package chocolate chips and 1/2 bar parrafin for dipping


Stir butter, peanut butter, and sugar til blended.  Roll into balls and dip in chocolate

I don't remember who gave this recipe to me, but I know it was in the early 70s when I started making it.

Martha Washington Candy

Ingredients :

1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 box powdered sugar
1 can coconut
1 cup chopped nuts


1/2 bar parrafin and 6 ounce package of chocolate chips for the dipping chocolate


Mix all the ingredients together and chill overnight.  Roll into balls and dip in chocolate


Ruby Pemberton gave me this recipe in the early 70s

Milky Way Cake

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs, beaten separately
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. soda
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecans
8 Milky Way bars melted with 1 tablespoon butter or margarine





Cream 2 sticks butter or margarine with sugar. Add beaten egg yolks then the beaten egg whites
Stir in the buttermilk and stir til smooth
Add soda
Add flour and vanilla
Beat til smooth

Add nuts and melted candy bars. Stir till smooth


Bake in greased and floured pan at 325 degrees til tests done with toothpick inserted.

I have used round pans and made a layered cake, but get a better response when I use a 13x9

Frosting :

2 cups sugar
1 small can evaporated milk
1 stick butter or margarine
large bag chocolate chips
1 jar marshmallow cream

Cream the sugar and milk, add butter or margarine and bring to a soft boil. 
Cook til it reaches a soft ball stage then add Chocolate chips and marshmallow cream

Beat til smooth
When cooled enough to reach a consistency that is manageable, frost the cake and swirl the top to make it look like a giant Milky Way Bar



This was my grandmother's recipe. I have it handwritten in her handwriting. 

Texas Millionaires

Ingredients :

1 cup White Karo
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 sticks butter
2 cups evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 quart chopped pecans

For dipping:
1/2 stick parrafin
1 large Hershey bar or large bag chocolate chips


Stir syrup, sugars, butter, 1 cup of the milk, salt, and vanilla in saucepan. Bring to a soft boil and add the other cup of milk so that the mixture continues to boil.   Cook until a soft boil stage according to candy thermometer.  (...or use cool water in a bowl to check for soft ball stage)

After the mixture reaches soft ball stage, stir in the pecans and pour into a large glass dish, sprayed with Pam or buttered well.

Chill overnight.  Cut into pieces and dip in chocolate. 

Candy handles easier when thoroughly chilled, so work with a few pieces at a time and keep the rest in refrigerator.





Edna Phelps gave me this recipe in the early 90s, it was a family recipe handed down to her. 

German Chocolate Pecan Pie

I haven't tried this.  Yet.   (.....just a matter of time....it's got yummy written all over it !! )

German Chocolate Pecan Pie


Ingredients.
 

 1 cup light corn syrup

 3 eggs

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 (9 inch) deep dish prepared pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

     Whisk the corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl until light-colored and well blended. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bottom of the prepared pie crust. Pour the corn syrup mixture over the chocolate chips.

     Bake in preheated oven until top is set, 55 to 60 minutes.

 

Cool completely on a rack before serving, about 2 hours.

My Granny's Pecan Pie Filling

I found my grandmother's pie recipe, handwritten, in a drawer in her kitchen after she passed away.  I have it still, though the paper has come into pieces, it is a treasure.

Beat:
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup Karo syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add 1 cup pecans

Pour into unbaked pie shell

Bake 350 degrees until center of pie tests done.


Pecan pie is absolutely the easiest pie to make in my opinion. And maybe the yummiest !  (well....except of course for chocolate !! )

 

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Elthie Meads gave me this recipe, no idea what year, but a very long time ago.


Blend 3 eggs with 1 can of cherry pie filling.

Fold in one dry chocolate cake mix.

Bake in a greased and floured pan at 350 degrees aprox 35 minutes.  Frost when cool.

Frosting:


Mix in a saucepan:

 5 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil and boil for one minnute then add 6 ounces of chocolate chips.  Mix well and pour over cooled cake.

Too Easy Turtles

Doris Barling gave me this recipe in 2007



Melt 1 large bag of caramels with 1 stick margarine. Stir until smoothly blended.

Stir in 3 cups of pecans.  Drop onto buttered wax paper.

Cool, then dip in chocolate. 

Rice Krispy Treats

Gladys Raney gave me this recipe in 1991

Mix:
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
1 Tablespoon butter

Bring to a rolling boil.

Add:
1 cup peanut butter
4 cups Rice Krispie cereal

Mix and pour into buttered dish.  Cool, then cut into squares.

Too Easy Peach Cobbler

This is a great dessert when peaches are in season.  It makes 4 good size servings.  Don't hesitate because of the ingredients, you won't believe how yummy this is !!!  Thanks to Nancy Carlow for sharing this with me many years ago!

Ingredients:

5-6 fresh peaches, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1 egg
1 stick melted butter
5 slices of bread, with crusts removed (I use stale bread when I have it)
cinnamon to taste

Place the sliced peaches in a buttered or sprayed 8x8 dish

Cut each slice of bread into 5 strips

Place the bread strips over the fruit in a criss cross fashion

In a bowl, mix the flour and sugar, add the melted butter and the egg. Mix until smooth.

Carefully spoon the egg batter over the sliced bread, careful to cover completely.

Sprinkle with cinnamon (and sugar if you like)

Bake at 350 degrees until browned (about 30-45 minutes)

Southern Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
3 cups minute oats (quick cook type)
1 cup nuts (optional, I don't use them)

Cream the shortening and sugars

Beat in the eggs and vanilla

fold in the flour, salt, soda, then the oats (and nuts if desired)

Roll into small balls and place on greased cookie sheet

Bake at 350 degrees aproximately 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Less cooking time means a chewier cookie

Dark Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients: 

 3 six ounce packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1 fourteen ounce can Eagle Brand Milk (sweetened condensed) 

dash of salt 

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup chopped nuts 

 In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips with the sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat and stir in salt and vanilla, then nuts. Spread in an 8 inch square pan lined with wax paper. Chill and cut

Fast Fixin' Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

 1 Package Cake Mix 

 1/4 cup cooking oil 

2 eggs 

1 1/2 cup water 

1 can pie filling 

 Mix the cake mix, oil, eggs and water and put in a 9x13 pan sprayed with baking spray or greased and floured. Spoon the pie filling over the batter. Bake 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. 

 Flavors can be mixed according to your creative taste. Icing is optional

Boiled Cookies

I made these when I could barely reach over to stir them without getting burned.  They’ve always been a weakness, I can eat every single one of them all by myself! 

Ingredients: 

 2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup cocoa 

1/2 cup butter 

 2 cups raw oats ( old fashioned oats gives heavier finished texture, quick cooking oats a finer texture)

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1 can coconut (I’m not sure they still put coconut in cans, so a small bag or approximately one cup)

 In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, butter, cocoa, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

(Overcooking will cause cookies to be less chewy and more crumbly.  I like chewy.) 

Add peanut butter and stir til smooth, then add oats and coconut. Stir til cooled some and it gets thick. 

 Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper (I spray it with Pam, makes it easier to get cookies off later) Makes about 2 dozen cookies.  I use a small cookie dough scoop. 

Introduction

I have been working behind a salon styling chair since July 5, 1973. I've been privileged to have been up close and personal with lots of women. 

 I've been loved and mentored. 

 I've been challenged and encouraged. 

 And I've had a lot of great recipes given to me !!

 I was making one of them tonight and it is so ragged I can hardly read it. In fact, the book that I have all of them written in has come apart, the ink faded and smeared, the pencil written pages almost unreadable. I've considered re-writing them, but have put off that task. 

 Tonight, I thought...hey, just blog them ! You can share them as you go, and when you get them all in the blog, then just submit it to the Blot2Print site and have it printed, brand new and nicely printed !! So, here goes.