Aug 14, 2019
When the Pothiers get together for a birthday or holiday celebration it is a big crowd. Typically the easiest way to treat so many people to dessert is to make a sheet cake. Depending on the RSVPs it may be one or possibly two sheet cakes. Most everyone is familiar with the traditional chocolate “Texas Sheet Cake”, and it’s a family staple. But last year my SIL Laurel decided to mix things up and bring a “Montana Sheet Cake” to a gathering. It has since been lovingly renamed sugar cookie cake (thanks to the almond extract) by our family and it is delicious. Two weeks ago I decided to make one while visiting my family in Idaho and just 5 days after it was devoured, my SIL had purchased the ingredients for me to make it again. It’s addicting if you like sugar cookies.
Here is the recipe from Laurel, from her friend, from her niece, from her monkey’s uncle. I love how recipes float around!
SUGAR COOKIE CAKE
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cubes butter
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Heat butter and water in a saucepan until butter melts and pour over dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Add eggs, soda, extract and sour cream, mixing after each addition. Bake in a half sheet pan (18×13) at 350 for 20 minutes.
FROSTING
2 cubes of butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
5-6 cups powdered sugar
Heat all ingredients except sugar until butter melts. Remove from heat and add sugar gradually. Let cake cool before topping with frosting.
I make the frosting thick. I like it to resemble sugar cookie frosting but you can alter it to your preference.
Nov 29, 2017
I was walking in the grocery isle picking up some other ice cream tonight and from the corner of my eye, I spotted it: Peppermint ice cream. It has arrived in the stores and we can all rejoice! Here’s a favorite recipe from a few years back. Also, hit up Trader Joes for candy cane oreos before they’re out!
One of our family’s favorite treat is “Frozen Oreo Delight” (That may or may not be a family assigned name to the dessert!). But the minute peppermint ice cream hits the grocery freezer our family’s favorite dessert gets a holiday makeover. This takes just a few minutes to throw together and it will have everyone begging for more!
Here’s what you need:
Candy Cane Joe Joes
Peppermint Ice Cream (Blue Bell is my absolute favorite)
1 stick of butter
Cool Whip
Candy Canes
Crush or blend a box of Candy Cane Joe-Joes in a food processor or blender. (You can substitute regular Oreos if you don’t have a Trader Joes close). Typically we make Oreo Delight in a 9×13 glass pan, but part of the holiday makeover is making it a little more fancy by creating layers in a springform pan. Divide the crushed cookies into two bowls. Melt 1/4 butter and mix with one bowl of Oreos. Press Oreos into a greased springform pan.
Put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes until firm. Soften 1/2 of the container of peppermint ice cream. You can leave it at room temperature to soften or you can be impatient like myself and pop it in the microwave for just a bit, stir, microwave, stir. Spread over the Oreo mixture and freeze until firm.
Create another Oreo layer with the second bowl of crushed Oreos and 1/4 cup of butter. Freeze. Use the second half of the peppermint ice-cream and press into the pan. Freeze for 2-3 hours.
Once your ready to serve, run a warm wash cloth along the outside of the pan and release the spring. Top with softened cool whip, drizzle with chocolate syrup and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
Now just try and contain yourself from licking every plate as you hand them to your guests!
May 17, 2017
If I were to think of the food my childhood – it would be these: Handmade dough lovingly wrapped around hot dogs that somehow gained the name Hot Dog Diggities…or Hot diggity dogs…I’m not sure where the name came from and I’m not even actually sure what the real name was, but they were a favorite.
They were enough work that my mom didn’t make them all the time, but I remember a number of times requesting them on my birthday – they were the special meal because…well, fresh bread I suppose. Any meal with fresh bread is a treat. When we were first married, I started making them because I had more time than money and the leftovers fed us for days. They soon became Steve’s favorite as well.
I know a lot of people have variations of these – pigs in a blanket – wrapped in pre-made crescent dough but these will knock them out of the park. And as I’ve mentioned before – Costco all beef hot dogs are the only ones I use.
Here’s the recipe:
2 cups of lukewarm water
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp yeast
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
7 cups of flour (1/2 all purpose, 1/2 bread flour)
Combine water, yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in a small bowl. In a larger mixing bowl, combine butter, salt, eggs and one cup of flour. Start mixer. Once yeast is bubbly, add to mixing bowl and add another cup of flour. Mix well. (Using the whisk attachment). Switch to the dough attachment and start adding the rest of the flour until the mixtures makes a soft dough. It may be more or less than 7 cups of flour. Cover and let rest until it doubles in bulk. Once dough has nearly doubled, cook the hot dogs in a pot of boiling water. Take a small ball of dough and pull it to the length of the hot dog and start to cover the entire dog. Place them on a greased sheet, not touching. Let them rise again. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
May 11, 2017
Summer = BBQ. And BBQ = Hot Dogs. Its hot dog season.
And before you think – the way you cut your hot dog can’t possibly make a difference in the taste – let me tell you it totally does.
With very little effort – your hot dogs will taste better than ever before; the best hot dog you will ever bbq.
The supply list is pretty short: Hot dogs, skewers (metal or wooden) and a knife.
Start with your favorite brand of hot dog (mine happens to be the Kirkland All Beef hot dogs from Costco) and a skewer.
Skewer your hot dog down the middle.
Starting on one end, take a knife and cut at an angle all the way to the skewer. Rotate your hot dog until you reach the end.
Remove the hot dog from the skewer and barbecue.
The hot dogs plump up real nice and the edges of the spiral get nice and crisp. Not to mention the spiral edges give more room for your favorite condiments. Nothing beats a condiment bar with your spiral dog – we’ve even thrown a party with a hot dog bar and everyone walks away happy. Happy summer grilling!
I published this originally at I Heart Naptime.
Nov 15, 2016
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We’ve reworked one of our family’s favorite meals and we’ve made it even better; we’ve turned spicy chicken avocado enchiladas into spicy enchilada dip – it’s easier and creamier and it’s good to the very last spoonful.
Spicy Enchilada Dip
Start with prepping some of the ingredients.
Grate some Monterrey jack cheese
Tear 10-12 tortillas
Dice three avocados
Dice a small onion
Shred 3-4 chicken breasts (I cook mine in the instant pot with some green salsa)
After ingredients are prepped, make the spicy sauce.
2 tablespoon butter
2 Serrano pepper, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp flour
2 cup chicken stock
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 cup medium salsa verde
1 cup fat free sour cream
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute serrano pepper and garlic, for 1 minute. Stir in flour, constantly stirring, and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk in the sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro. Remove from heat.
Dump all the ingredients (cheese, tortillas, avocados, onion and chicken) including the sauce in a large bowl and stir well. You can adjust amounts of ingredients to your liking. If it looks too soupy, add more tortillas. Pour into an oven safe dish and top with additional cheese. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
It’s a crowd pleaser. It’s everything enchiladas have to offer without the time rolling and stuffing enchiladas. It will be the hit of your next party!
