This one is a no-brainer: it's a recipe from America's Test Kitchen (foolproof), it's easy (thankyouverymuch), and it is perfect for any sweet dough application, like sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, hot cross buns, or Entenmann's-like danish. Oh, the deliciousness.
This basic recipe makes enough dough for three Entenmann's-sized danishes. My favorites are cream cheese and cinnamon (additional recipes to follow).
But here's where it all begins...
Basic Sweet Dough
3/4 c. buttermilk (or clabbered milk), warm
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled until just warm
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) yeast
1 tsp. salt
Whisk together the buttermilk, butter, and eggs.
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together. (I use a stand mixer for this, but if you don't have one, you can always do it by hand--it'll just mean more kneading)
Let your stand mixer mix the dough on medium-low for 10 minutes, or knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed.
Knead the dough by hand on a floured counter top until it's smooth and elastic--about 1 minute. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
How you proceed depends on what you're making next; I divide it into three even portions when I'm making danishes/coffee cakes, but use the whole recipe of dough to make a 9x13 pan of sticky buns or cinnamon rolls.
Showing posts with label Sweet Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sweet Stuff. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Moist Chocolate Cake
I love cake. I always have. I love most cake flavors, but for my birthday, my mom always makes me chocolate. And because she loves me, she LEAVES THE FROSTING OFF. There are some frostings I don't mind, but I love cake so much, I figure, why ruin a good thing? Cake is so good by itself.
Another reason I like cake? Because box mixes go on sale so frequently I can stock up, and when the mood strikes, I can have cake at a few moments' notice. I know some people have an aversion to boxed cake mix (my mother-in-law, to name one), but what can I say? My palate isn't so refined that I can't still enjoy Betty Crocker's convenient mixes.
In fact, until recently, I had only ever made cake from a mix--I wasn't scared to try one from scratch, but I just didn't see the point in going to the trouble when I liked the box variety just fine. But a while back, I complied a cookbook of some of my husband's family's favorite recipes. Among the 30 dessert recipes was one for my mother-in-law's Moist Chocolate Cake. When, last week, I got a hankering for chocolate cake and had no chocolate mix on hand, I knew I had to try it.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good. I sampled a piece while the cake was still slightly warm (because my willpower is lacking, apparently), and it was light and airy, with a tiny bit of crunch on the top. It was divine, I tell you. Now, it is pretty delicate, and if you're looking for a cake to decorate for your child's birthday party, this is probably not the one. I suspect it wouldn't stand up to heavy frosting. But if you want a fluffy, tender, soul-satisfying cake whose rich chocolate flavor you can augment with some sweetened whipped cream or fruit or some sort of gooey, drippy glaze, then, friend, look no further.
Or better yet, in my opinion, eat it plain. Eat it for breakfast on a Sunday morning while huddled over a heating vent, like my kids did a couple of days ago. Eat it in a house, with a mouse. Eat it with ice cream scooped on top. Whichever way you do it, you're going to love this one.
Moist Chocolate Cake
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. cocoa powder
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. hot coffee
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Stir together dry ingredients.
Add oil, coffee, and milk. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat for two more minutes. Batter will be VERY RUNNY.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (The original recipe says 25-30 minutes, but that MUST be a typo.)
My mother-in-law likes to top the cooled cake with 2 cans of cherries or 2 cups of sliced strawberries, and mounds of Cool Whip. I, as you know, like it plain. But do whatever suits you!
Another reason I like cake? Because box mixes go on sale so frequently I can stock up, and when the mood strikes, I can have cake at a few moments' notice. I know some people have an aversion to boxed cake mix (my mother-in-law, to name one), but what can I say? My palate isn't so refined that I can't still enjoy Betty Crocker's convenient mixes.
In fact, until recently, I had only ever made cake from a mix--I wasn't scared to try one from scratch, but I just didn't see the point in going to the trouble when I liked the box variety just fine. But a while back, I complied a cookbook of some of my husband's family's favorite recipes. Among the 30 dessert recipes was one for my mother-in-law's Moist Chocolate Cake. When, last week, I got a hankering for chocolate cake and had no chocolate mix on hand, I knew I had to try it.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good. I sampled a piece while the cake was still slightly warm (because my willpower is lacking, apparently), and it was light and airy, with a tiny bit of crunch on the top. It was divine, I tell you. Now, it is pretty delicate, and if you're looking for a cake to decorate for your child's birthday party, this is probably not the one. I suspect it wouldn't stand up to heavy frosting. But if you want a fluffy, tender, soul-satisfying cake whose rich chocolate flavor you can augment with some sweetened whipped cream or fruit or some sort of gooey, drippy glaze, then, friend, look no further.
Or better yet, in my opinion, eat it plain. Eat it for breakfast on a Sunday morning while huddled over a heating vent, like my kids did a couple of days ago. Eat it in a house, with a mouse. Eat it with ice cream scooped on top. Whichever way you do it, you're going to love this one.
Moist Chocolate Cake
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. cocoa powder
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. hot coffee
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Stir together dry ingredients.
Add oil, coffee, and milk. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat for two more minutes. Batter will be VERY RUNNY.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (The original recipe says 25-30 minutes, but that MUST be a typo.)
My mother-in-law likes to top the cooled cake with 2 cans of cherries or 2 cups of sliced strawberries, and mounds of Cool Whip. I, as you know, like it plain. But do whatever suits you!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Quick and Easy Donuts
Don't they look scrumptious?A few years ago, Vicki, a woman from church, told me that sometimes, on Saturday mornings, she makes homemade donuts for her family. Vicki is one of those women you just secretly loathe, just because she's pretty AND nice AND talented AND organized AND has perfect children AND AND AND. You know the type. So anyway, I figured she had some old family recipe that she slaved over every Saturday morning in the name of love. But then she told me that she uses buttermilk biscuits...from a can. In that moment, I loathed her a little less. Because how can you loathe anyone who introduces you to the ease and magic of making donuts at home using a 35-cent can of biscuits? I made them this morning for my kids, and it took all of 5 minutes, start-to-finish.
Quick and Easy Donuts
1 can refrigerated buttermilk donuts
vegetable oil or shortening
Optional toppings:
sugar, powdered sugar, cinnamon, chocolate frosting, sprinkles...the sky's the limit!
Pour vegetable oil about 1/2 inch deep in a skillet. Place over medium heat. Splash a few drops of water into the cold oil. As the oil heats, the water will pop. when the water droplets have about stopped popping, your oil is ready to use.
Separate the biscuits and poke a hole in the middle of each to give it that classic donut shape and also to make sure it gets cooked evenly. Drop donuts into the hot oil (I always try one by itself first to make certain the oil is the right temperature), frying for about 45 seconds on one side, flipping, and frying about 45 seconds on the other side. It really will be to your advantage to do a test donut first to gauge how hot your oil is running. Your time may be slightly different. In any case, don't walk away, because these little gems cook up FAST!
When the donuts are a deep golden brown, remove and drain on a cooling rack. When the donuts have cooled to the touch, toss them with powdered sugar, plain sugar, or a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Or melt a small amount of frosting in the microwave and twirl the tops of your donuts in the frosting, topping with nonpareil sprinkles. Or mix powdered sugar and a little bit of milk for glazed donuts--twirl donuts in the glaze mixture or drizzle over top. Use your imagination! Ooh...I bet if you didn't put the hole in the middle, you could use a food syringe and fill the donuts with jelly or pudding or custard! I've never tried it, but I bet it would work.
I buy my biscuits from Aldi, and they really are about 35 cents. For ten hot, homemade donuts, that's not bad!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Best Ever Banana Bread
Here's another recipe that was the result of a years-long search for a recipe that was what I thought it should be. I can honestly tell you that I tried dozens of recipes for banana bread, ranging from easy, Bisquick-based recipes to more complicated, superlative-laden recipes. This is the first time I've ever made a recipe that labeled itself "Best Ever" and ended up believing that the recipe authors were telling the truth.
For me, banana bread has to meet a few criteria to make the grade. It must first of all be moist, because, hey--no one likes a dry bread, really. It should be dense, but light; nothing too fru-fru for me, please, but I'd prefer it not also be suitable as a doorstop. And it should be addicting.
I believe this last point is what made my banana bread quest so daunting: there are plenty of Just Fine banana bread recipes out there, but few Really Good, Really Addicting ones. There are so few breads that make you guiltily slink back to the loaf promising yourself just one more little sliver--for the third time. The ultimate test of the addiction factor comes when I put it in front of my family: if they all feel they must sneak a bite or two when I'm not looking and end up eating the whole thing in a day, well, that's a pass. Then there are recipes like the coffee cake I tried last week: it was okay, but it took us four days to finish the thing. That's a fail.
Now, I realize that most superlatives are subjective. And this banana bread might not fit the bill for your family. That's okay. All I'm saying is, this banana bread never lasts more than six or seven hours in our house, and that's something, when you consider that two of our family members weigh about 30 pounds and have stomachs the size of a walnut.
One more note before you try this recipe: Sometimes, I get a little decadent and mix up a streusel-type substance to put in the middle. It usually involves brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, ground nuts, and melted butter, but I've never even attempted to write down any sort of recipe for it. So if streusel sounds good to you, find another recipe somewhere that has streusel in it, and just steal it away and insert it into this recipe. I'll never tell.
Oh, and I take back that other thing about that last paragraph being the last one. I have one more thing to say: use rrrriiiipppe bananas--I mean, bananas so ripe, they're nearly black and too smooshy to eat. They'll make the most flavorful bread for you.
Thank you. The End.
Best Ever Banana Bread
from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking, a Taste of Home book
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed banana (2 or 3 medium)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. buttermilk *
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease (I use cooking spray) and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan. (Actually, I use a bundt pan, because it bakes up a bit more quickly and makes for a prettier bread. But use what you've got!)
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. (Seriously, don't go overboard with the stirring.) Fold in the nuts, if you're using them.
Add batter to loaf or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour (less--ore like 45 minutes--for a bundt), or until loaf tests done. (That's what they say in the recipe. Here's what I say: Insert a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Also, if the edges of the loaf are pulling away from the sides of the pan, that's a good indication of doneness, too.)
Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes in pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
This bread is a better-the-next-day bread, so I usually bake it at night. When it's cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, and it'll be so moist and tasty the next day, you won't believe it. In fact, don't even try to eat it the same day, because you'll probably be disappointed, and you'll want to rename it Pretty Average Banana Bread and never make it again.
*Buttermilk: I never purchase buttermilk. Instead, for this recipe, I put a teaspoon of lemon juice in the bottom of a 1/3 cup measure, and then fill it not quite to the top with milk. Give it a good stir, let it sit for about five minutes, and you've got the thickness and tang of buttermilk without the added expense of it. For other recipes requiring more buttermilk, use this formula: 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar, plus enough milk to measure 1 cup total.
For me, banana bread has to meet a few criteria to make the grade. It must first of all be moist, because, hey--no one likes a dry bread, really. It should be dense, but light; nothing too fru-fru for me, please, but I'd prefer it not also be suitable as a doorstop. And it should be addicting.
I believe this last point is what made my banana bread quest so daunting: there are plenty of Just Fine banana bread recipes out there, but few Really Good, Really Addicting ones. There are so few breads that make you guiltily slink back to the loaf promising yourself just one more little sliver--for the third time. The ultimate test of the addiction factor comes when I put it in front of my family: if they all feel they must sneak a bite or two when I'm not looking and end up eating the whole thing in a day, well, that's a pass. Then there are recipes like the coffee cake I tried last week: it was okay, but it took us four days to finish the thing. That's a fail.
Now, I realize that most superlatives are subjective. And this banana bread might not fit the bill for your family. That's okay. All I'm saying is, this banana bread never lasts more than six or seven hours in our house, and that's something, when you consider that two of our family members weigh about 30 pounds and have stomachs the size of a walnut.
One more note before you try this recipe: Sometimes, I get a little decadent and mix up a streusel-type substance to put in the middle. It usually involves brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, ground nuts, and melted butter, but I've never even attempted to write down any sort of recipe for it. So if streusel sounds good to you, find another recipe somewhere that has streusel in it, and just steal it away and insert it into this recipe. I'll never tell.
Oh, and I take back that other thing about that last paragraph being the last one. I have one more thing to say: use rrrriiiipppe bananas--I mean, bananas so ripe, they're nearly black and too smooshy to eat. They'll make the most flavorful bread for you.
Thank you. The End.
Best Ever Banana Bread
from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking, a Taste of Home book
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed banana (2 or 3 medium)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. buttermilk *
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease (I use cooking spray) and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan. (Actually, I use a bundt pan, because it bakes up a bit more quickly and makes for a prettier bread. But use what you've got!)
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. (Seriously, don't go overboard with the stirring.) Fold in the nuts, if you're using them.
Add batter to loaf or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour (less--ore like 45 minutes--for a bundt), or until loaf tests done. (That's what they say in the recipe. Here's what I say: Insert a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Also, if the edges of the loaf are pulling away from the sides of the pan, that's a good indication of doneness, too.)
Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes in pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
This bread is a better-the-next-day bread, so I usually bake it at night. When it's cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, and it'll be so moist and tasty the next day, you won't believe it. In fact, don't even try to eat it the same day, because you'll probably be disappointed, and you'll want to rename it Pretty Average Banana Bread and never make it again.
*Buttermilk: I never purchase buttermilk. Instead, for this recipe, I put a teaspoon of lemon juice in the bottom of a 1/3 cup measure, and then fill it not quite to the top with milk. Give it a good stir, let it sit for about five minutes, and you've got the thickness and tang of buttermilk without the added expense of it. For other recipes requiring more buttermilk, use this formula: 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar, plus enough milk to measure 1 cup total.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Chocolate Pie
A month or so after Charis was born, I had a craving for a Chocolate Pie. The only way I had ever thought of making a Chocolate Pie was to use a box of pudding mix--either instant, because it's easy and takes 5 minutes, or cook-n-serve, if I wanted to be really fancy. Now, in my life, I have not been a very discriminating pudding consumer; I was always more than satisfied with these box mixes. But now, at a time when I wanted Chocolate Pie--yea, NEEDED Chocolate Pie, I had nary a chocolate pudding mix box in the house. Shootfire.
Luckily for me, my mother was staying with us at the time, and she suggested that we make Chocolate Pudding from scratch. Pshaw! I thought. I don't know if I want it that bad. But she hauled out the Hodgson Mills cornstarch box and showed me the recipe for vanilla pudding, and, by george, it did look easy. She suggested adding chocolate chips to the hot pudding to make it a chocolate pudding--so we did.
Land sakes, it was good, and much simpler than I expected. The resulting pudding was much richer and tastier, and less chemical-y than its boxed counterpart. We layered it in a cooked pie shell (I use Pillsbury Pie Crusts because I have never met a crust recipe whose flavor I like better, and hey, how easy is pre-made?) with a whipped cream topping, and it was divine. Now, it's one of Abe's most requested desserts.
Chocolate Pie
1 pre-baked 8"-9" pie shell
2 c. whipped topping of choice (I usually use Cool-Whip, but we've also used the real stuff, and it's wonderful, too.)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips (I prefer Hershey's Special Dark Chips)
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk until smooth, then whisk in the egg yolks.
Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat, and let boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat, and add the vanilla and chocolate chips, stirring until the chocolate is all melted.
Pour into prepared pie shell. Cover surface with plastic wrap or waked paper to prevent a tough skin from forming. Chill until firm, about 3 hours. Remove wrap, top with whipped topping, and serve!
Luckily for me, my mother was staying with us at the time, and she suggested that we make Chocolate Pudding from scratch. Pshaw! I thought. I don't know if I want it that bad. But she hauled out the Hodgson Mills cornstarch box and showed me the recipe for vanilla pudding, and, by george, it did look easy. She suggested adding chocolate chips to the hot pudding to make it a chocolate pudding--so we did.
Land sakes, it was good, and much simpler than I expected. The resulting pudding was much richer and tastier, and less chemical-y than its boxed counterpart. We layered it in a cooked pie shell (I use Pillsbury Pie Crusts because I have never met a crust recipe whose flavor I like better, and hey, how easy is pre-made?) with a whipped cream topping, and it was divine. Now, it's one of Abe's most requested desserts.
Chocolate Pie
1 pre-baked 8"-9" pie shell
2 c. whipped topping of choice (I usually use Cool-Whip, but we've also used the real stuff, and it's wonderful, too.)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips (I prefer Hershey's Special Dark Chips)
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk until smooth, then whisk in the egg yolks.
Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat, and let boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat, and add the vanilla and chocolate chips, stirring until the chocolate is all melted.
Pour into prepared pie shell. Cover surface with plastic wrap or waked paper to prevent a tough skin from forming. Chill until firm, about 3 hours. Remove wrap, top with whipped topping, and serve!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Christmas Morning Sticky Rolls
I got the idea for this one from my dear mother-in-law. She makes these delicious rolls every time we get together for Christmas (which, except for this year, is not usually Christmas Day). In fact, she usually makes at least two pans of them, because they go FAST. They are ridiculously easy to prepare, and perfect for Christmas morning, since you do all of the work (if you can call it that) right before you go to bed the night before.
The recipe calls for a bundt pan or a tube pan. Easy enough. The first year that I pulled my wonderful husband away from his family on Christmas morning so that he could celebrate with mine, I thought I'd bring a bit of home to him and make these rolls. The only glitch was that the pan that I found to use wasn't a bundt or tube pan, it was an angel food pan. With a removable bottom.
I didn't honestly think anything of it . . . until I smelled the acrid odor of burnt sugar and saw smoke billowing from the oven. Putting two and two together ("Get there FASTER!") I realized that using the angel food pan with removable bottom was misguided. The caramel syrup that had leaked out of the bottom of the pan and charred on the bottom of the oven was proof enough of that. My mom and I tried to salvage the rolls, but to no avail. So let this be a lesson to you: bundt or tube. Not angel food.
And now for the recipe, which is pretty darn similar to my mother-in-law's, with only a few modifications.
Land sakes, you're going to love this one.
Christmas Morning Sticky Rolls
1 pkg. frozen yeast rolls--use 12-14 (or 16; whatever) rolls
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 3 oz. pkg or half of a 6 oz. pkg. cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding (instant pudding will not work)
1/2 c. brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Spray a tube pan or bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan, if using.
Evenly distribute rolls in the pan, then sprinkle pudding mix evenly over them, followed by the brown sugar. Evenly.
Pour melted butter or margarine evenly over all. "Evenly" is a good word to make it seem like you're actually doing something which requires skill. Some versions of the recipe instruct you to mix the melted butter and brown sugar together, then pour it over. It’s up to you—I’ve done it both ways.
Cover pan with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise (on the counter--you don't even have to put them in the refrigerator!) 6-8 hours or overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Loosen rolls from the side of the pan with a knife and immediately invert onto a serving plate. Leave pan over the rolls for a couple of minutes to allow all of the caramel mixture (and nuts) to pour out. Remove pan and serve warm.
Serves shockingly few, because everyone will want to eat the whole pan. Move fast so you get some!
The recipe calls for a bundt pan or a tube pan. Easy enough. The first year that I pulled my wonderful husband away from his family on Christmas morning so that he could celebrate with mine, I thought I'd bring a bit of home to him and make these rolls. The only glitch was that the pan that I found to use wasn't a bundt or tube pan, it was an angel food pan. With a removable bottom.
I didn't honestly think anything of it . . . until I smelled the acrid odor of burnt sugar and saw smoke billowing from the oven. Putting two and two together ("Get there FASTER!") I realized that using the angel food pan with removable bottom was misguided. The caramel syrup that had leaked out of the bottom of the pan and charred on the bottom of the oven was proof enough of that. My mom and I tried to salvage the rolls, but to no avail. So let this be a lesson to you: bundt or tube. Not angel food.
And now for the recipe, which is pretty darn similar to my mother-in-law's, with only a few modifications.
Land sakes, you're going to love this one.
Christmas Morning Sticky Rolls
1 pkg. frozen yeast rolls--use 12-14 (or 16; whatever) rolls
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 3 oz. pkg or half of a 6 oz. pkg. cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding (instant pudding will not work)
1/2 c. brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Spray a tube pan or bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan, if using.
Evenly distribute rolls in the pan, then sprinkle pudding mix evenly over them, followed by the brown sugar. Evenly.
Pour melted butter or margarine evenly over all. "Evenly" is a good word to make it seem like you're actually doing something which requires skill. Some versions of the recipe instruct you to mix the melted butter and brown sugar together, then pour it over. It’s up to you—I’ve done it both ways.
Cover pan with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise (on the counter--you don't even have to put them in the refrigerator!) 6-8 hours or overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Loosen rolls from the side of the pan with a knife and immediately invert onto a serving plate. Leave pan over the rolls for a couple of minutes to allow all of the caramel mixture (and nuts) to pour out. Remove pan and serve warm.
Serves shockingly few, because everyone will want to eat the whole pan. Move fast so you get some!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Pumpkin Muffins
Here's another tasty, easy seasonal treat! I got this recipe from friends at church, Jon and Shea. (Whose daughter, incidentally, is promised as a bride for my son.)
A little disclaimer: one of my least favorite things in life is pumpkin pie. Pumpkin anything, really. So I first tasted these muffins just to be polite. Jon and Shea are my friends (and perhaps more importantly, fellow Waiting for Guffman fans), so I didn't want to be rude about their baked goods, even though I knew these muffins they made had pumpkin in them. More confusingly to me, I had been told by one person that they were pumpkin muffins, but then Jon himself told me that some of the muffins were spice and some were carrot. Huh?
I still didn't understand, but then I tasted the "carrot" pumpkin muffins. They were good. Really good. Dense, moist, flavorful...they had all the hallmarks of a perfect muffin. The next day, at a meeting at church, I tried the "spice"pumpkin muffins. Hey, I still didn't really get it, but I didn't care. A good muffin is a good muffin, no matter what it's called or what's in it.
I finally broke down and got the 411 from Jon. The muffins are really easy, he told me. You just combine a box of cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and water.
Suddenly things became clear.
Later that week, I went to the store to buy canned pumpkin (because heretofore, canned pumpkin had never had a purpose in my pantry) and a spice cake mix, and whipped some of these up for Abe. He ate three for breakfast the next morning.
So here's Jon and Shea's recipe...
Pumpkin Muffins
1 box cake mix of your choice (carrot, yellow, and spice apparently work very well--I've also heard that chocolate works great, too)
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling--just plain pumpkin)
Water*
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, and *the amount of water called for on the cake mix box.
Portion into a muffin pan whose cups have been greased or lined with muffin papers. A 1/4 c. measuring cup works perfectly for this task and creates uniformly-sized muffins.
Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Immediately remove from pan to a cooling rack.
I'm not a frosting girl, myself, and wouldn't normally put frosting on a muffin, but the carrot variety are quite good with a cream cheese frosting.
Yield: approx. 20 muffins
A little disclaimer: one of my least favorite things in life is pumpkin pie. Pumpkin anything, really. So I first tasted these muffins just to be polite. Jon and Shea are my friends (and perhaps more importantly, fellow Waiting for Guffman fans), so I didn't want to be rude about their baked goods, even though I knew these muffins they made had pumpkin in them. More confusingly to me, I had been told by one person that they were pumpkin muffins, but then Jon himself told me that some of the muffins were spice and some were carrot. Huh?
I still didn't understand, but then I tasted the "carrot" pumpkin muffins. They were good. Really good. Dense, moist, flavorful...they had all the hallmarks of a perfect muffin. The next day, at a meeting at church, I tried the "spice"pumpkin muffins. Hey, I still didn't really get it, but I didn't care. A good muffin is a good muffin, no matter what it's called or what's in it.
I finally broke down and got the 411 from Jon. The muffins are really easy, he told me. You just combine a box of cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and water.
Suddenly things became clear.
Later that week, I went to the store to buy canned pumpkin (because heretofore, canned pumpkin had never had a purpose in my pantry) and a spice cake mix, and whipped some of these up for Abe. He ate three for breakfast the next morning.
So here's Jon and Shea's recipe...
Pumpkin Muffins
1 box cake mix of your choice (carrot, yellow, and spice apparently work very well--I've also heard that chocolate works great, too)
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling--just plain pumpkin)
Water*
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, and *the amount of water called for on the cake mix box.
Portion into a muffin pan whose cups have been greased or lined with muffin papers. A 1/4 c. measuring cup works perfectly for this task and creates uniformly-sized muffins.
Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Immediately remove from pan to a cooling rack.
I'm not a frosting girl, myself, and wouldn't normally put frosting on a muffin, but the carrot variety are quite good with a cream cheese frosting.
Yield: approx. 20 muffins
Monday, October 22, 2007
Caramel Corn
"Are you kidding me???"
-Me, after my first bite of this caramel corn.
Well, I had never made caramel corn before. It's just so darn easy to buy, you know? But last Christmas, I was in a pinch and was making a basket of goodies for some extended family members as Christmas gifts. I purchased some lovely baskets and filled them with (if I recall correctly) homemade hot chocolate mix, a batch of Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (refrigerated, of course), chocolate covered pretzels, and this caramel corn. So, you know, meant for dieters. And those on South Beach.
Suffice it to say that my baskets held less caramel corn than I had originally intended, mostly because we ate some of it. Okay, half of it.
Give it a try sometime this fall! Fresh, still-warm-from-the-oven caramel corn has very little to do with the store bought stuff. It's a wonderful treat!
My Amish Friend's Caramel Corn
(from Allrecipes.com)
7 quarts plain popped popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine (or butter)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Line two large baking pans with parchment paper. If you have no parchment paper, just grease them really well. Divide the corn between the two pans.
Preheat the oven to 25o degrees.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, margarine (or butter). Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to blend. Let the mixture boil for 5 minutes, and be sure to stir constantly.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will be light and foamy. Pour immediately over the corn and stir to coat. Don't stress out about the "coat" part, though--the next step is to bake it for an hour, stirring to redistribute every 15 minutes. That redistribution will get it plenty coated.
Line your countertops with waxed paper, and dump the corn onto the waxed paper to cool. When the corn has cooled, break it into pieces to separate. Store in an airtight container!
Serves 1 (if that 1 is me.)
-Me, after my first bite of this caramel corn.
Well, I had never made caramel corn before. It's just so darn easy to buy, you know? But last Christmas, I was in a pinch and was making a basket of goodies for some extended family members as Christmas gifts. I purchased some lovely baskets and filled them with (if I recall correctly) homemade hot chocolate mix, a batch of Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (refrigerated, of course), chocolate covered pretzels, and this caramel corn. So, you know, meant for dieters. And those on South Beach.
Suffice it to say that my baskets held less caramel corn than I had originally intended, mostly because we ate some of it. Okay, half of it.
Give it a try sometime this fall! Fresh, still-warm-from-the-oven caramel corn has very little to do with the store bought stuff. It's a wonderful treat!
My Amish Friend's Caramel Corn
(from Allrecipes.com)
7 quarts plain popped popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine (or butter)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Line two large baking pans with parchment paper. If you have no parchment paper, just grease them really well. Divide the corn between the two pans.
Preheat the oven to 25o degrees.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, margarine (or butter). Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to blend. Let the mixture boil for 5 minutes, and be sure to stir constantly.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will be light and foamy. Pour immediately over the corn and stir to coat. Don't stress out about the "coat" part, though--the next step is to bake it for an hour, stirring to redistribute every 15 minutes. That redistribution will get it plenty coated.
Line your countertops with waxed paper, and dump the corn onto the waxed paper to cool. When the corn has cooled, break it into pieces to separate. Store in an airtight container!
Serves 1 (if that 1 is me.)
Monday, September 17, 2007
Chilly Chocolate S'mores
I made this one up just tonight, and it went over BIG. And why wouldn't it? It's chocolate. And chocolate chips. Mini marshmallows. Graham Crackers. So much yum, in such a compact little package.
It's really quite simple, and it was born of a serious chocolate craving, which, I am happy to report, this cool treat more than satisfied.
Here's my recipe for
Chilly Chocolate S'mores
1 sm. pkg. sugar free and fat free instant chocolate pudding
1 c. milk
4 oz. whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed (about 1/2 a container)
1/2 c. mini marshmallows
1/4 c. chocolate chips (or more if you want--this ain't rocket science)
9 whole graham crackers
Whisk together pudding mix and milk until no lumps remain, then stir in cool whip until well combined. Toss in your marshmallows and chocolate chips, and stir (you'll probably want to switch over to a spoon at this point, unless you want to fish marshmallows out of your whisk later).
Line a 9x9 in. pan with plastic wrap to facilitate easy removal of the chocolate mixture later.
Pour chocolate mixture into plastic wrap-lined pan, and place another piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture. Press down gently to smooth chocolate into an even thickness in the pan, then wrap loose ends and place pan flat in freezer. Chill at least 1 hour--or until firm, but not solid.
Lift plastic wrap out of pan and cut frozen mixture into 9 even squares. Break graham crackers in half, and make sandwiches out of two graham halves and one square of the frozen chocolate mixture.
You can eat all of them right away, if you wish, but I bet you could also make them up into sandwiches, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, pop into a plastic bag, and freeze for future consumption (though I don't think our current batch will make it that long). In that case, I think you'd have to thaw them for a few minutes before you eat them. I'm also experimenting with simply refrigerating them, but I'll have to get back to you on that one.
Makes 9 cool sandwiches. (Each sandwich is about 156 calories.)
This recipe could have many different incarnations--watch:
1) Graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding, and drained crushed pineapple
2) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, banana cream pudding, and banana pieces
3) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips
4) Cinnamon graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding
5) Chocolate graham crackers, strawberry cool whip, vanilla pudding, diced strawberries
6) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, butterscotch pudding, chocolate pieces
7) Graham crackers, cool whip, cheesecake pudding, blueberries, 1/4 tsp. lemon peel
8) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, cheesecake pudding, chopped maraschino cherries
9) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, banana cream pudding, crushed chocolate sandwich
cookies
10) Graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding, diced canned peaches
You could also make a basic concoction (say, cool whip and vanilla pudding) and swirl in chocolate fudge sauce or caramel, or even your favorite preserves, thinned for a few seconds in the microwave. Just mix the cool whip, milk, and pudding, and pour into pan. Drizzle swirls of topping over pudding mixture, chill for a few minutes in the fridge (just to set the topping so it doesn't stick to the plastic), then cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm.
The possibilities are endless.
Now, here's another idea: there's this very easy, very refreshing Jello pie--Cool 'n' Easy Pie--which sets up with a fairly similar texture in the fridge. I've never tested this theory, but I imagine you could use the basics of this Pie recipe and make up a few thousand other spins on this Chilly Sandwich idea, what with the wide range of gelatin flavors available in the grocery store these days. If you give it a try, let me know!
It's really quite simple, and it was born of a serious chocolate craving, which, I am happy to report, this cool treat more than satisfied.
Here's my recipe for
Chilly Chocolate S'mores
1 sm. pkg. sugar free and fat free instant chocolate pudding
1 c. milk
4 oz. whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed (about 1/2 a container)
1/2 c. mini marshmallows
1/4 c. chocolate chips (or more if you want--this ain't rocket science)
9 whole graham crackers
Whisk together pudding mix and milk until no lumps remain, then stir in cool whip until well combined. Toss in your marshmallows and chocolate chips, and stir (you'll probably want to switch over to a spoon at this point, unless you want to fish marshmallows out of your whisk later).
Line a 9x9 in. pan with plastic wrap to facilitate easy removal of the chocolate mixture later.
Pour chocolate mixture into plastic wrap-lined pan, and place another piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture. Press down gently to smooth chocolate into an even thickness in the pan, then wrap loose ends and place pan flat in freezer. Chill at least 1 hour--or until firm, but not solid.
Lift plastic wrap out of pan and cut frozen mixture into 9 even squares. Break graham crackers in half, and make sandwiches out of two graham halves and one square of the frozen chocolate mixture.
You can eat all of them right away, if you wish, but I bet you could also make them up into sandwiches, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, pop into a plastic bag, and freeze for future consumption (though I don't think our current batch will make it that long). In that case, I think you'd have to thaw them for a few minutes before you eat them. I'm also experimenting with simply refrigerating them, but I'll have to get back to you on that one.
Makes 9 cool sandwiches. (Each sandwich is about 156 calories.)
This recipe could have many different incarnations--watch:
1) Graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding, and drained crushed pineapple
2) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, banana cream pudding, and banana pieces
3) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips
4) Cinnamon graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding
5) Chocolate graham crackers, strawberry cool whip, vanilla pudding, diced strawberries
6) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, butterscotch pudding, chocolate pieces
7) Graham crackers, cool whip, cheesecake pudding, blueberries, 1/4 tsp. lemon peel
8) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, cheesecake pudding, chopped maraschino cherries
9) Chocolate graham crackers, cool whip, banana cream pudding, crushed chocolate sandwich
cookies
10) Graham crackers, cool whip, vanilla pudding, diced canned peaches
You could also make a basic concoction (say, cool whip and vanilla pudding) and swirl in chocolate fudge sauce or caramel, or even your favorite preserves, thinned for a few seconds in the microwave. Just mix the cool whip, milk, and pudding, and pour into pan. Drizzle swirls of topping over pudding mixture, chill for a few minutes in the fridge (just to set the topping so it doesn't stick to the plastic), then cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm.
The possibilities are endless.
Now, here's another idea: there's this very easy, very refreshing Jello pie--Cool 'n' Easy Pie--which sets up with a fairly similar texture in the fridge. I've never tested this theory, but I imagine you could use the basics of this Pie recipe and make up a few thousand other spins on this Chilly Sandwich idea, what with the wide range of gelatin flavors available in the grocery store these days. If you give it a try, let me know!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
Pancakes are another food item I've experimented with a bit. I love a good pancake, but I think really good ones are hard to come by--sometimes they're too thick, sometimes too thin. Sometimes chewy, sometimes crumbly. Sometimes they taste like fried wallpaper paste. Mmm-mmm good.
The title of this recipe is Good Old Fashioned Pancakes, so I had high hopes. They were pretty good the first go-around, but I thought they could be improved, so I made a couple of adjustments. Just minor changes, really, but they really added a punch of flavor.
So tomorrow morning, when you're in the mood for pancakes, give these a shot!
Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg*
1 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and nutmeg*. (I just use a whisk or wire mesh sieve to accomplish this--no need for an actual sifter.)
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, syrup, egg, and butter. Mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled pan or griddle over medium heat. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, scoop batter onto griddle. When bubbles come to the raw surface, it's time to flip.
To keep warm, place finished pancakes in a single layer in a warm (200 degrees) oven until all the pancakes are done. Serve hot.
Yields: 8 servings
*Nutmeg: why freshly ground? It really is a totally different flavor than bottled ground nutmeg. (Like the difference between fresh and dried cilantro, but that's a topic for another time.) Plus, while bottled ground nutmeg starts to lose its flavor after just a couple of months after opening, a whole nutmeg will keep more or less indefinitely, and be wonderfully flavorful every time. I use a Microplane grater or the really really fine grating side of my box grater to grind it.
I purchased a container of 16 whole nutmegs a year ago at an Amish store for $1.69, and even though I use nutmeg every time I make a cream sauce, these pancakes, or apple pie, I'm still on my first or second nutmeg. So not only is it more flavorful, it's cheaper, too!
The title of this recipe is Good Old Fashioned Pancakes, so I had high hopes. They were pretty good the first go-around, but I thought they could be improved, so I made a couple of adjustments. Just minor changes, really, but they really added a punch of flavor.
So tomorrow morning, when you're in the mood for pancakes, give these a shot!
Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg*
1 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and nutmeg*. (I just use a whisk or wire mesh sieve to accomplish this--no need for an actual sifter.)
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, syrup, egg, and butter. Mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled pan or griddle over medium heat. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, scoop batter onto griddle. When bubbles come to the raw surface, it's time to flip.
To keep warm, place finished pancakes in a single layer in a warm (200 degrees) oven until all the pancakes are done. Serve hot.
Yields: 8 servings
*Nutmeg: why freshly ground? It really is a totally different flavor than bottled ground nutmeg. (Like the difference between fresh and dried cilantro, but that's a topic for another time.) Plus, while bottled ground nutmeg starts to lose its flavor after just a couple of months after opening, a whole nutmeg will keep more or less indefinitely, and be wonderfully flavorful every time. I use a Microplane grater or the really really fine grating side of my box grater to grind it.
I purchased a container of 16 whole nutmegs a year ago at an Amish store for $1.69, and even though I use nutmeg every time I make a cream sauce, these pancakes, or apple pie, I'm still on my first or second nutmeg. So not only is it more flavorful, it's cheaper, too!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Double Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
I haven't posted anything sweet yet, so I thought it was high time I did! This cookie recipe is one of our favorites. I found it after searching for a recipe that replicated a cookie dough that Abe bought in a fund-raiser--it was a "gourmet" cookie dough, made with all natural ingredients (nothing that ended in -ate), so I thought that with a little searching and tinkering, I could find one that was similar enough to make at home. I tried several, and finally (as is often the case) found this one in a cookbook I already owned, Mrs. Fields Cookie Book. Her recipe called for regular cocoa powder and regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I revised it to use dark chocolate cocoa and dark chocolate chips, thereby satisfying my dark chocolate yen.
Typically, I only make six or eight cookies at a time and keep the dough in the fridge in an attempt to slow our cookie consumption, but I must admit that this effort is only partially successful; the dough is every bit as delectable unbaked, and it is ever-so-easy to grab a spoonful anytime I pass the fridge. As tasty as these cookies are, I seem to pass the fridge more frequently when this cookie dough is tucked inside.
Double Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 c. dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 c. white sugar
1 c. softened salted butter (I wouldn't substitute if I were you)
3 lg. eggs (at room temperature)
2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 bag (12 oz.) dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugars, then add the butter and cream to form a grainy paste.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat at medium speed until fully combined.
Add the flour mixture, a bit at a time, on low speed, then add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 1 1/2 in. apart. Bake for 18-22 min.Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool. (I use parchment paper to line my cookie sheets--it facilitates easy cleanup, nothing sticks, and you can slide the whole sheet of baked cookies onto the cooling rack without even using a spatula. One less thing to wash!)
Now, these really take no time at all to whip up, and I regularly have the dough all made before the oven is even hot enough to put them in, but sometimes, you just don't plan ahead enough to bring the butter and eggs to room temperature, or you don't have vanilla, or you just don't want to dirty all of your measuring implements. I get that. So I offer you the quickest, easiest recipe for cookies ever. They aren't quite as good as homemade-from-scratch cookies, but when you've got an itch for cookies that you need to scratch as quickly as possible, this one is the one.
Couldn't Be Easier Cookies
1 box cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
Mix. Roll into 1/2 in. balls, and bake at 350 until golden brown, 10-14 min.
Here's the beauty of this one: you can tailor it any which way you like, depending on your craving or on what you have on hand. Use chocolate cake mix and chocolate chips (about half a package) for Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies. Use a white cake mix and roll the dough balls in colored sugar for sugar cookies. Use a yellow cake mix and roll in cinnamon sugar for Snickerdoodle look-alikes.
Like I said, these aren't quite as wonderful as homemade cookies, but they are great in a pinch! (As proof, I offer this evidence: I've made them three times in the past three weeks...)
Typically, I only make six or eight cookies at a time and keep the dough in the fridge in an attempt to slow our cookie consumption, but I must admit that this effort is only partially successful; the dough is every bit as delectable unbaked, and it is ever-so-easy to grab a spoonful anytime I pass the fridge. As tasty as these cookies are, I seem to pass the fridge more frequently when this cookie dough is tucked inside.
Double Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 c. dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 c. white sugar
1 c. softened salted butter (I wouldn't substitute if I were you)
3 lg. eggs (at room temperature)
2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 bag (12 oz.) dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugars, then add the butter and cream to form a grainy paste.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat at medium speed until fully combined.
Add the flour mixture, a bit at a time, on low speed, then add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 1 1/2 in. apart. Bake for 18-22 min.Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool. (I use parchment paper to line my cookie sheets--it facilitates easy cleanup, nothing sticks, and you can slide the whole sheet of baked cookies onto the cooling rack without even using a spatula. One less thing to wash!)
Now, these really take no time at all to whip up, and I regularly have the dough all made before the oven is even hot enough to put them in, but sometimes, you just don't plan ahead enough to bring the butter and eggs to room temperature, or you don't have vanilla, or you just don't want to dirty all of your measuring implements. I get that. So I offer you the quickest, easiest recipe for cookies ever. They aren't quite as good as homemade-from-scratch cookies, but when you've got an itch for cookies that you need to scratch as quickly as possible, this one is the one.
Couldn't Be Easier Cookies
1 box cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
Mix. Roll into 1/2 in. balls, and bake at 350 until golden brown, 10-14 min.
Here's the beauty of this one: you can tailor it any which way you like, depending on your craving or on what you have on hand. Use chocolate cake mix and chocolate chips (about half a package) for Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies. Use a white cake mix and roll the dough balls in colored sugar for sugar cookies. Use a yellow cake mix and roll in cinnamon sugar for Snickerdoodle look-alikes.
Like I said, these aren't quite as wonderful as homemade cookies, but they are great in a pinch! (As proof, I offer this evidence: I've made them three times in the past three weeks...)
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