Showing posts with label Grandma's Secret Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grandma's Secret Recipes. Show all posts

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Grandma's Banana Bread


This was one of those wonderful recipes I found that was handwritten by my grandmother.  They are always the best ones! I was so excited to try it and loved it!  I'm excited to share this one.  

Follow along and I'll teach you how to make this tasty bread...

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Hamburger Cookies (Fudge Filled Tea Cookies)

This is another Christmas favorite of my family.  My grandma would make these every year!  They are a soft tea cookie filled with delicious fudge.  And they look like cute little hamburgers.  Does it get any cuter than that? 


Follow along as I show you how to make these tasty treats:

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Old Fashioned Fudge

Ok, so I have to tell you a quick story.  Since we are talking about making fudge today, lets talk about candy thermometers. If you don't have one, buy one!  Unless of course you're an expert at reading the soft ball in cold water.

Not sure what I'm talking about?  Let me explain.  There is a way to tell if fudge is done without a candy thermometer.  I'm just not very good at it.  

In previous years I did not always have a thermometer and I would do the "cold water" test.  For this test you set up a glass of water with ice in it, ready for the fudge.  And when you think your fudge has cooked long enough, you drop a small amount into the cold water to see if it "balls" up.  It should then flatten as you remove it from the water.  

Well,  I thought at one time that I was capable of determining fudge this way.  But instead I learned something new!  If you perhaps tested your fudge wrong, like I may or may not have done in the past...  and it does not set up, you can pour in back into a pan and RE-cook it.  The problem is it may come out a bit dry, but it works.  (you also can't use this method if you used nuts, they get weird, just saying).  

So I'm telling you people, a candy thermometer is your friend.  They are relatively inexpensive and can save you some stressful candy making over the holidays!  

Ok, so now let's get to the recipe.  Follow along to learn how to make this amazing Old Fashioned Fudge:

Monday, December 12, 2011

Star Cookies (Snowflurries)

These star shaped snowflake looking cookies have been a favorite of mine since I could eat real food (I'm talking about as a toddler).  When I learned to talk I always asked my grandmother for a "DAR" cookie (since I couldn't pronounce STAR).  

Today, these are still my favorite cookie.  This recipe has been in the family a long time and I hope my children will make this every year for their own children when they are older.  I think Santa is adding me to the "nice" list just for sharing this recipe with you.  Aren't I nice?

If you take the time to try these cookies, you may just make them an every-year tradition like we did.

Follow along as I show you how to make these amazing jam filled star cookies:

Friday, December 9, 2011

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

There's something so impressive about a cherry covered in chocolate.  And when you bake it inside a cookie, you're just on a whole new level of cherry loving chocolateyness!  I may have just made up that word... chocolateyness?  

Anywho... this is a great treat to impress your friends and family for the holidays.  I make these every year for Christmas!

Lets learn how to make them:

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Peanut Butter Cups


Peanut butter cups are one of my favorite treats to make at Christmas time.  These cute little guys are easy to make and taste great!  I like to make mine in individual mini muffin cups or petit four sized paper cups.  

You can find colorful mini muffin cups at places like Michaels, Roberts and Hobby Lobby to wrap these cuties in to give away to neighbors and family.

Follow along and I'll show you how to make these tasty treats:

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

German Pfeffernusse (Pepper Nut) Cookies

It's always fun to make traditional cookies that have been in the family for years.  This is my grandmother's Pfeffernusse cookie recipe.  The Pfeffernusse cookie is a German pepper nut cookie containing several spices such as allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon along with anise extract that makes a tasty cookie that goes wonderfully with tea or coffee.  This is a well known Christmas cookie among Germans. 

I crave these now every Christmas.  I couldn't wait to get my batch made for the holidays!   One batch makes approximately 100 cookies and these will last all month on the kitchen counter in an airtight container.  They actually taste (get this) BETTER after sitting on the counter for a few weeks.  

Follow along as I show you how to make these tasty, spiced Christmas cookies:

Friday, November 25, 2011

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

So, I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting to post this one for a while now.  Well... I've been waiting for Thanksgiving to be over so I can start posting everything Christmas!  No offense to Thanksgiving.  I love every holiday, Thanksgiving included, but it is the gateway holiday to an extra special time of year. This is my absolute FAVORITE time of year!

  Can you tell I'm excited? 

Christmas is the time of year that my grandma always shined.  She would start baking goodies right after Thanksgiving and go strong until every special treat was made and in the freezer to await the special day.  I have so many recipes to post and I'm sorry if you are coming by for dinner recipes this month... I will still be posting those, but my main focus is cookies, fudge, candy, etc.  

I thought I would start you off slow, with a simple recipe that everyone needs to get through the coldest time of the year.  Who doesn't love hot cocoa?  The base of this recipe came from my grandma, but I tweaked it a bit making what I think is the best ever hot cocoa mix!  Ok ok, I'll get on with it already...

Here it is:

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Fig Bars (Fig Newtons)

Ever since I was a kid I have had an obsession with Fig Newtons.  Maybe it's because my grandma always kept them in the pantry for my grandpa and she would let us snack on them when we came by to visit (ok sometimes I snuck them without asking).  Occasionally I even hid in the pantry while playing hide and go seek just so I could grab a newton!  So when I found a recipe for Fig Bars buried in my grandma's cookbook I knew I had to make them!  

These taste like the traditional fig flavored bars.  I love the way they turned out and I'm excited to try this recipe with lots of different flavors!
Follow along and I'll show you how to make these tasty little treats! 

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Snickerdoodles

 Yummy!  On of my all-time favorite cookies is the Snickerdoodle!  I will put cinnamon and sugar on anything I can get away with.  This recipe comes from my a stash of my grandma's handwritten recipes so I knew I HAD to try it!  So glad I did.  These were delicious!  Mine baked into a nice crunchy cookie (soft when still warm), but you can refrigerate the dough if you want for a few hours and cook for a shorter time to achieve a softer cookie. 
This recipe made about 4 dozen cookies and they were very easy and quick to make.   Here's what you'll need:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Curried Pumpkin Soup

I didn't know that I like Pumpkin Soup until I tried this soup.  There is a mild pumpkin flavor that is not overwhelming with the perfect blend of spices such as curry powder and bay leaves that slowly simmer to make a beautiful creamy fall soup that will make the house smell heavenly.  
This soup can also be prepared a day before, refrigerated, and slowly reheated.  This is a nice soup to serve along with thanksgiving dinner; just make it early and reheat before serving.  

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Crisp Buttermilk Chicken

I love fried chicken, but I hate all of the calories and grease.  So, what better way then to make a fake-out chicken that is baked and still tastes awesome!  Buttermilk goes great with chicken and the cornflakes give it a nice golden crunch that keeps you wanting more.  This one is going to be a keeper for us, I think you'll like it too.  

Pumpkin Bread

I just love Fall!  My house smelled glorious when I made this bread and it tasted oh so good.  This pumpkin bread, lightly spiced, and filled with the perfect blend of crunchy and soft with raisins and pecans didn't last long in my house.  A double batch is a very good idea.  

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Chinese Hamburger Hash

If you're looking to use up some ground beef, and perhaps want an easy to make casserole, this dish is for you.  The casserole goes together quickly but allow for the long baking time.  This takes a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake.  The kids and husband gobbled it up and I thought it tasted great for a fall night with a crisp cool air outside.  

Friday, September 23, 2011

Caramel Corn

 Yum!  I love this recipe.  You really can't go wrong with popcorn, brown sugar and corn syrup.  But this must be the best, easiest caramel corn ever.  This recipe comes from my Grandma's old cookbooks filled with handwritten recipes and I was delighted to find it.  You may even want a double batch, since it gets eaten so fast. 

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