Some of our dessert recipes

I have now seperated the desserts and the other ones so that if you just want some sweet stuff you don't have look thru soups and stews.

Granola Muffins

Ingredients

½ cup butter AND ½ cup butter crisco OR 1 cup vanilla yogurt

1/3 to ½ cup sugar (to your taste)

1 ½ cups flour (optional substitutions – ½ to 1 cup wheat, ¼ cup ground Flax seed, 1/3 to ½ cup almond flour – you can do some or all, I do all)

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

3 or 4 large eggs

3 tablespoons maple syrup OR agave nectar

1 to 2 tsp maple flavoring

2 1/3 cups Granola (just about any kind of granola mix/ceral will work, your taste)

½ to 1 cup dried blueberries or cranberries

Directions

Cream butter/crisco and sugar. Mix in all other ingredients except for granola and blueberries/cranberries.

Stir in granola and blueberries/cranberries.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put paper liners into muffin / cupcake pans (makes clean up easier). Use an ice cream scoop to get the same amount into each.

Bake for 7 mins then turn the pan and bake for 4 to 5 mins more or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for a few mins then cool on rack. Makes 15 to 24 muffins, depends on how much you put into each cup.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

½ cup butter AND ½ cup butter crisco, room temperature

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour (optional substitutions – ½ to 1 cup wheat, ¼ cup ground Flax seed, 1/3 to ½ cup almond flour – you can do some or all, I do all)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Mix 6 tablespoons white sugar AND 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a bowl or container, you may have to mix up more. It is somewhat to taste, if you like a more cinnamon taste than add a little more in the mix.

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and shortening and both sugars until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and stir into the batter until blended.

Put the dough in the fridge for at least overnight to chill, it will make it easier to then roll out the balls or use the scoop.

Roll the dough into balls the size of small walnuts or use a cookie scoop and drop the balls in the mix of sugar and cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, but still soft.

If you use parchment paper it will be easier to take them off the cookie sheets.

If you use a cookie scoop you can keep the size consistant and not get your hands as dirty. Keep dipping the scoop into the mix of sugar and cinnamon to help not have the mix stick so much.

Hazelnut Cookies
Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (optional substitutions – ½ to 1 cup wheat, ¼ cup ground Flax seed, 1/3 to ½ cup almond flour – you can do some or all, I do all)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter AND ½ cup butter crisco, room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella

1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Mix with a whisk to break up any lumps.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Do NOT overmix the butters and sugar. Mix in eggs, vanilla and chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Slowly add in flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for a few hours or overnight.

Drop the dough onto prepared baking sheet by tablespoons or with a cookie scoop.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Bake in preheated oven until edges look dry and cookies are fragrant, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 minute on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

If you use parchment paper it will be easier to take them off the cookie sheets.

If you use a cookie scoop you can keep the size consistant.

Regular Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 ½ cups quick cooking oats
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
3. Mix in baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
3. Alternate between flour and an egg at a time till all are mixed in.
4. Stir in oats.
5. Place each teaspoon of mixture 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Cool on wire racks.
Alternate ingredients
1 cup raisins
1 cup craisins
1 cup nuts
An extra 1 to 2 tsps vanilla extract
An extra egg
You can roll the balls in a mixture of 1 cup sugar and 2 tsps cinnamon before placing on the cookie sheet.
You can add in any of the following: 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves, 1 tsp allspice, 2 tsp cardamom (Careful that you do not try to add all of the spices at once as it may be too much.)
You can substitute some of the white flour as follows (I do all these subs for flour in one):
¼ cup ground flax seed for ¼ cup white flour
½ cup wheat flour for ½ cup white flour
½ cup ground almond flour for ½ cup white flour
* creaming butter and sugar (reg or brown or both) means to mix it till it no longer is grainy.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oil or butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups grated carrots

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine oil/butter/margarine and sugar.

2. Mix in baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

3. Add in eggs and flour alternately. Mixing each time.

4. Stir in grated carrots.

5. Transfer to a greased 13x9x2 inch-baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes (For two 9 inch pie pans, bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or till done) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Microwave Cake In A Coffee Mug

1 large coffee mug

4 tablespoons plain flour (do not use self-rising)

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

Small splash of vanilla

chocolate syrup (optional)

whipped topping (optional)

Cherries (optional)

Add dry ingredients to mug, & mix well. Add egg & mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips (if using), vanilla, mix again. Set mug in the microwave & cook for 2½ to 3 min at 1,000 watts. Cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Some report that 2½ minutes works best. It depends upon your microwave. So, watch carefully to not over do it! Remove from microwave. Allow cake to cool a little, then tip out onto a plate, if desired.

Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with whipped topping and cherries, if desired! This can serve 2 if you care to share!

Burrebrede (Scottish shortbread)

"This is a medieval Scottish shortbread recipe. The shortbread keeps very well in an airtight tin or tightly wrapped in tinfoil."
Ingredients

1/2-cup superfine sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2-teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2-teaspoon ground ginger

3/4-teaspoon ground allspice

1/2-teaspoon salt

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1-cup butter, softened

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice and salt. Divide into two equal parts, and set one aside. Add the flour and butter to the other half, and stir until blended. It should be slightly grainy.

Press the dough evenly into an 8-inch square pan. Cut into 1x2 inch pieces using a knife, and prick with the tines of a fork. This will keep the shortbread from warping while baking. Sprinkle the reserved sugar and spice liberally over the top, brushing into all of the cuts and holes.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden at the edges. Do not brown. Cool completely in the pan, and break into pieces along the lines to serve.

Tip – This recipe is really designed to be baked in a shortbread pan, which I highly recommend.