Cracker Jack

AKA Carmel Corn

2 sticks butter or margarine

1-3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. light Karo syrup

Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add 1 t. vanilla, 1/2 t. salt and 1/2 t. soda. Pour over 6 quarts popped corn and mix well. Put in large roasting pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool on waxed paper. Keeps well in a plastic bag.

I cook it in my big metal bowl or the roaster pan. I make 2 batches in my air popper

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/cake/cream_cheese_frosting_recipe.html

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces (half of an 8-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating to spreading consistency.
Frost cooled cake.
Makes makes enough frostiing to frost a 13 x 9-inch cake. (Recipe can be doubled.)

Cook's Tip: If a sweeter frosting is desired, add more powdered sugar to taste

Pumpkin Bars!

Pumpkin Bars:
15 oz Pumpkin
4 eggs
1 2/3 c. white Sugar
1 c. Oil

Mix well. Mixture will look oily.

2 c flour
2tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt

Add to mixture. Mix well.
Pour onto cookie sheet.
Bake 350 degrees for 20-30 min

I used Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting that I found here: http://www.cooksrecipes.com/cake/cream_cheese_frosting_recipe.html
Also on this blog

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling

Cook Time: 70 minutes

Total Time: 70 minutesIngredients:

•Filling:

•1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, at room temperature

•1/2 cup granulated sugar

•1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

•1 large egg

•1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

•.

•Bread:

•1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

•1 teaspoon baking soda

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

•1/4 teaspoon ginger

•1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

•1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade

•1/2 cup vegetable oil

•2 large eggs

•1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

•1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease two 8x4x3-inch loaf pans. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg, and the orange peel; beat until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Into another bowl, sift 1 2/3 cup flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; set aside. Put pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl; beat well. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the pecans or walnuts, if using.



Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of pumpkin batter layer and then pour on the remaining pumpkin batter.



Bake in preheated 325° oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin bread recipe makes 2 loaves.

Russian Chicken

2 bottles Russian Dressing

1 packet of Onion Soup Mix

1/2 jar apricot jam

Mix together and pour over frozen chicken in a 9x13 pan

Cook at 350 for 45-60 min until chicken is no longer pink in the middle

Serve over rice.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1c oil

2c white sugar

2c zucchini

1tsp vanilla

3c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

(and my husband would tell you chocolate chips but he loves chocolate chips in anything)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Beat eggs, oil and sugar together. Stir in zucchini and vanilla.

Mix in baking soda and podwer and salt. Then add flour one cup at a time.

Bake for 60-70min or until aknife poked in the middle comes out clean

Millionaire Shortbread Bars

SHORTBREAD:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

CARAMEL FILLING:
1 - 14 ounce (396 grams) can Dulce de Leche or sweetened condensed milk

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon unsalted butter


Preheat oven
to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grease with butter (or use a cooking spray) a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan.

FOR SHORTBREAD: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and beat until the dough just comes together. Press onto the bottom of your greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden in color. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

FOR CARAMEL FILLING: If using Dulce de Leche then simply warm the caramel in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. If using sweetened condensed milk, pour the milk into a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cover and cook, over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 60 to 90 minutes or until the milk has thickened and has turned a caramel color. Remove from heat and beat until smooth. Pour the caramel over the baked shortbread and leave to set.

Note: You can also do this step in a microwave oven. Place the sweetened condensed milk in a large microwaveable bowl and cook on medium power for about 4 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time. Reduce the powder to medium-low and continue to cook for another 8 to 12 minutes, or until the milk has thicken and has turned a light caramel color. Remove from microwave and beat until smooth.

FOR TOPPING: Melt the chocolate and butter either in the microwave oven or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the caramel and leave to set. Cut the shortbread into pieces using a sharp knife.
Store the shortbread in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate nice and firm.
Yield: 16 - 2 inch (5 cm) squares