Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup flour

Cooking Method:
Blend shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy in mixer. Sift together all dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients alternately with orange juice. Add another 1/2 cup flour (usually will be needed). If the dough still seems too soft to roll, refrigerate; don’t add more flour unless you absolutely have to.
Roll out dough to 1/8″ thick, and cut into circles. Put 1 teaspoon filling in center and pinch into hamantaschen shape. Bake at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup water
4 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 cups brown sugar
3-1/2 cups boiling water

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa. Stir in the water, margarine, and nuts. The batter will be very thick. Spread batter in a 9″x13″ baking dish.
Mix brown sugar with 1/2 cup cocoa and sprinkle over batter.
Place pan in oven and then pour boiling water over the batter. Bake for 45 minutes. Bubbles will appear around the edges. The top will be firm but will “float.”
Serve warm.

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 (18-1/4 ounce) box of golden butter cake mix (can substitute any yellow cake mix)
4 eggs
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges in light syrup
1/2 cup canola or other vegetable oil

Icing:
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour two 9″x2″ cake pans and set aside.
Combine the cake mix, eggs, oranges with syrup, and oil in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and the oranges have pureed into the batter–about 4 minutes.
Divide equally among pans.
Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean (about 30 to 35 minutes).
Remove cakes to rack to cool for about 5 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.
Make Icing: Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream the whipped topping, pudding mix, and pineapple until smooth.
Assembly:Put one layer on a cardboard cake round. Spread with frosting.

Repeat with remaining layer and finish frosting cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups skim milk
1 vanilla bean
4 eggs
8 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons potato starch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup light brown sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a heavy saucepan, slowly heat the milk with the vanilla bean; do not boil or the milk will curdle. Remove and split the bean, scrape out the seeds, and return them to the milk.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg whites, sugar, potato starch and vanilla. Slowly whisk this mixture into the hot milk. Cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon.
Divide the custard into eight 6-ounce ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish with 2″ sides. Pour hot water into the baking dish, until the water comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the ramekins from the dish and place them on a rack to cool. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.
Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle each custard lightly with brown sugar, spreading it evenly to the edges. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil for about 1 minutes, until the sugar is melted and bubbly. Watch carefully. Remove and serve immediately, or chill until served.