I post these recipes here to share with friends, family, and also for myself. (Sometimes you don’t want to risk misplacing a good recipe!) FYI, My original website crashed in 9/2017. It might take me a while to get all of the recipes back online.
Basic Roll Dough: this makes a lot! You may want to cut the recipe in half.
This recipe is a little softer and sweeter than most. In other words, it’s really good.
7 cups flour (may use up to 1/2 cup less if desired)
2 package active dry yeast (I actually use bulk yeast, and my measurement ends up being just a little bit more than this. No worries though. Two packs will fluff up nicely enough.)
3 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
In mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour and yeast. Mix. In sauce pan, combine milk, sugar, shortening, and salt. Heat over medium heat until shortening almost melts, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Add milk mixture to flour and yeast and mix immediately. Add eggs. Mix. Gradually add remaining flour and knead into soft ball. I use an electric mixer with a bread hook. No work. So easy. By the way, you can’t really knead dough too much. The more you knead, the softer the bread. After kneading is done, place dough in greased/sprayed bowl. Spray top of dough with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. Punch down. If desired (for softer rolls) let rise again. Punch down and let dough rest 10 min. Roll out as desired. See instructions below for a few ideas. Place prepared rolls onto greased/sprayed baking sheet(s) or in greased/sprayed baking pan(s). Spray rolls with cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise 30 minutes or until double in size. Carefully remove wrap. Bake at 350 for 10 — 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat. Butter tops and enjoy. Store leftover rolls in fridge in airtight container.
To make cinnamon rolls, on a floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangular shape 1/2 inch thick. Butter generously. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar in desired amounts. Add chopped walnuts and/or raisins if desired. Roll dough lengthwise. Using string/thread, cut rolls into desired width by placing string/thread under dough, bring it over the top, cross and pull. The dough should cut smoothly and cleanly. Remove any wayward walnuts. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10 min or until golden brown. Glaze and enjoy.
Glaze: 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk (add more milk for a runny texture), 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup butter. Mix, then whip until smooth and fluffy. Frost cinnamon rolls immediately when they come out of the oven.
To make soft wheat bread, substitute 1/3 — 1/2 flour in recipe as wheat flour. Makes 2 — 4 loaves depending upon size of pan.
To make rolls in the shape of croissants, on a floured surface, roll dough out into circular sections as if making a pizza. Slice into crosswise sections like a pizza. Roll each triangle piece from the large end to the small end. Shape and place on baking sheet leaving space for dough to rise between each roll. Spray with cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise 30 min or until double in size. Remove wrap and bake as in recipe above.
To make pizza crust, make dough as in recipe above. After the dough has risen once, roll dough out in cornmeal — thin. Place dough on pizza pan. Add sauce and toppings. Bake in hot oven 12 — 15 minutes or until done.
Because this dough is sweet, it also makes the best scones, or fry bread, AKA Navajo Tacos. For the best flavor use olive oil. Fill wok 1/3 — 1/2 full of olive oil. Heat olive oil in wok to 400. Shape scones or fry bread into 1/2 inch thick patties. Slip dough into hot oil being careful not to splash. My wok holds between three and four pieces at a time. (As dough cooks shape next set of patties.) Cook until golden brown on one side. Using tongs, flip and cook the other side. Using tongs, remove cooked bread and place on glass platter lined with paper towels. Continue shaping and frying patties until dough is gone. As you fry the bread, use paper towels between the layers of bread on the plate so that any excess oil will be absorbed. For scones, serve with honey. For fry bread, AKA Navajo Tacos, serve with hot chili, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tomatoes.
Since most recipes on this site are my own recipes, sometimes my instructions can be confusing. Sorry about that. If there is anything that doesn’t make sense, feel free to email me for clarification. Also, all measurements in my kitchen are akin to olden day measuring. I use my hand to measure teaspoons and tablespoons. I heap things sometimes when I want a little different texture. In other words, feel free to change things up and make these recipes your own.
Here’s more than enough deserts to keep your taste buds happy, starting with my family’s favorite.
Blueberry Muffins:
Yields 24 muffins
Preheat oven to 400
In mixing bowl mix/sift together:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
After mixing dry ingredients, set aside. In another bowl combine:
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup olive oil. May substitute veg. oil, or melted shortening
All at once, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until moistened. Do not over mix.
Add 2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed, well drained blueberries. Fold in gently.
Bake at 400 in greased muffin tins for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Serve warm. Refrigerate to keep fresh.
Perfect Pie Crust
I got this recipe from a professional pie chef. She said that this recipe was passed down from the pioneers who settled the Boise, Idaho area. It’s easy to make (yeah, … I seriously said that!) and delicious.
Enough for 1 small (2 crust) pie. This is the 8 inch disposable tin size. Double the recipe for larger pies.
1 rounded cup of flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco
Mix together with fingers until fine crumbs form. (Do not knead)
Add 1/4 cup water all at once. Form dough.
To make a pie shell, place dough on the BACK side of tin (Upside down), poke all over with fork, bake on BOTTOM shelf of oven at 375 for 10–12 minutes. It will separate from the tin when done. Give a little shake to see if the pie crust moves. If it does, it’s done. Let cool. Remove crust from bottom of pan and set inside tin. Since the crust was baked on the outside of the tin, the crust will be the perfect size after cooking because it shrinks.
A 2 crust pie (filled) is baked on the BOTTOM shelf of oven at 375 fro 1 hour. Add 20 — 25 minutes for frozen pie. Before baking 2 crust pie, frozen or fresh, dot top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Cream Pie Filling:
5 cups milk
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1 small package cook and serve pudding (Vanilla, Chocolate, Butterscotch)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract if making vanilla
Beat all ingredients together. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when thick. Place plastic wrap directly on pudding and cool completely. Place in baked pie shell. Top with cream.
Apple Pie Filling (enough for 3 pies)
1 large can sliced apples in water (#10 can)
Bring to a boil and thicken with the following ingredients that have been mixed together.
6 cups sugar
7/8 cup clear gel (or substitute with 7/8 cup corn starch)
1 tsp apple pie spice
Stir until thick and remove from heat.
The MOST INCREDIBLE CHOCOLATE PIE EVER!
This will take a little time, but boy is it worth it! I make this every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yum!
1 ten inch pastry shell: (Homemade is obviously the best. And with the easy pie crust recipe above, why not? Make the crust. You’ll be glad that you did.)
4 egg yolks: Save the egg whites if you wish to make Meringue for pies. If not, discard. I prefer whip cream.
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
Save egg whites if you wish to make meringue for pie
Prepare and bake pie shell. Set aside.
In medium bowl, beat egg yolks; set aside. In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and corn starch. Mix well. Whisk in milk. Cook and whisk over medium-high heat for 16–19 minutes or until slightly thickened. Whisk 1/4 of mixture into yolks. Whisk yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook and whisk at medium-low for 5–6 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir in chocolate until it melts. Pour into pastry. Cover the pudding only immediately with plastic wrap to prevent a pudding skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled with whip cream or see the directions for meringue.
If you wish to top with meringue
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat 15–30 seconds until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed for 1 1÷2−2 minutes. Turn mixer on high and beat for another 1 1÷2−2 minutes. Spread evenly over warm pie — seal to pastry. Bake 15 minutes until meringue is golden brown. Turn off oven. Cool pie in oven with door ajar for 2 hours. Cool on a rack at room temp. away from drafts for 3 hours. Serve.
Oreo Truffles: Easy
2 sleeves of Oreos: crushed
1 eight oz package cream cheese
Chocolate to cover: Melt in double boiler.
Smash oreos. Mix with cream cheese. Roll into balls. Dip in chocolate to cover. Set on wax paper until dry. Wrap individually. SHARE WITH FRIENDS!
Snicker Doodles
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter, shortening, sugar, and eggs. In Separate container, combine flour, cream of tarter and salt. Blend well. Add to creamed mixture. Mix well.
Form dough into balls and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8–10 min.
Let sit one minute. Remove from cookie sheet and place on rack to cool.
Annette’s Famous Lemon Cookies
Boy are they easy. Boy are they GOOD!
1 package dry lemon cake mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 finely chopped almonds (some of it should turn to powder)
1 package white chocolate chips
Powdered sugar to garnish
Mix cake mix, butter, egg. Add chopped almonds and powder. Mix well. Add chips. Bake 350 for 10–12 min. Let stand 1–2 min. Cool on rack. Garnish with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Note: Batter will be thick. These cookies are pretty hard on an electric mixer. You’re gonna die when you taste them. They are so stinking good.
Rice Krsipie Marshmallows:
This is different than what you are thinking, and REALLY good!
1 pound package Large Marshmallows
1 pound package carmels (54 carmels)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup butter
1 15 oz box Rice Krispies
Melt butter, milk and carmels in a double boiler. Put 1 marshmallow on a fork. dip it into the carmel mixture. Roll immediately in Rice Krispies. Put the finished product on wax paper to cool. Keep the carmel warm enough to coat each marshmallow.
Note: If the carmel mixture is too warm, the marshmallows will start to melt! This recipe will make enough for a whole bag of marshmallows. Trust me, these are GOOD. And I don’t eve like marshmallows.
Aunt Jan’s Layered Strawberry Cake
1 white cake mix
1 package Junket Danish Dessert
3 boxes fresh strawberries. Slice (Can use raspberries)
8 oz cream cheese: soft
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 pint whipping cream: Whip
Make the cake mix according to the directions on the box. Place half of the batter in a 9×13 pan. Bake. Let cool. (You can use the other half of the batter to make cupcakes or throw it out.)
Prepare Junket Danish Dessert according to directions as cake cools. Fold in strawberries.
Filling: Whip cream. Fold in sugar and cream cheese. Layer on top of cold cake.
Drizzle strawberry topping over filling. Serve
World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is a big batch. You might want to cut it in half.
1 pound butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
Cream together
Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla
Gradually add 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour premixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda.
Add desired amounts of milk chocolate chips and/or vanilla chips. Also add walnuts or pecans if desired. (The nuts are my favorite part. Yummy!)
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 min.
Homemade Caramels/Licorices Caramels
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt Butter: Add sugar, milk, syrup, and salt. Cook and stir to 244 degrees; firm ball. Add coloring. Pour into buttered foil lined pan, cool. Peel off foil. Cut into 1 inch squares. Wrap in wax paper.
Blonde Brownie
3/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pound (2 1/4 cup) brown sugar
2 3/4 cup flour
1 package (12 oz) butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix together and pour into a greased, floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. You may wish to cut off the edges when serving.