4TH OF JULY CAKE

4TH OF JULY FLAG CAKE

Submitted by Judi

We had fun making this cake on July 4 with our family.  We cut the recipe from a magazine and the contributors are Kraft and Sara Lee.

1-2 lb. strawberries

1 pound cake (Sara Lee or other), cut in slices

1-2 pints blueberries

1 16-oz. heavy cream, whipped; or 1 12-oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed.

Slice all strawberries in half. Set aside 1 cup for decorating later. Also, set aside 50 blueberries for decoration.

Line bottom of pyrex with pound cake slices. 

Next, add a layer of sliced strawberries onto cake slices. 

Next, add a layer of blueberries, about 1 cup.  

Then, add all the whipped cream to cover.

Decorate cake by making an American flag design with the set aside blueberries and strawberries - a square of blueberries upper left corner (for the states) and alternating rows of strawberries for the stripes of the flag.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Serves 15.

Tip: Melt strawberry jelly or use strawberry pie filling for presentation - to drizzle on individual serving plate, if desired. Another option: use blueberry syrup drizzle for presentation on individual serving plate beside cake. 

JUDI'S CAKE

JUDI'S CAKE

From Judi Troyer

1 box vanilla wafers, crushed*

1 box raisins

1 pkg. coconut

1 pkg. pecans, chopped

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Mix ingredients together. Lightly mash into greased pyrex square dish.

Refrigerate.

*Note:  Stir last four ingredients and then add crushed vanilla wafers gradually until the consistency is moist and chewy—the recipe can be dry if there are too many crushed vanilla wafers.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SEA SALT COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIP SEA SALT COOKIES

From Niki Reid

Preheat oven to 350.

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1  1/4 t. baking soda
1  1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 1/2 sticks (1  1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened
1  1/2 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 t. vanilla extract
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Drop chocolate chips in and incorporate them by hand.

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 1 hour. Dough can be refrigerated up to 48 hours if making ahead of time.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Roll cookie dough by hand into golf ball sized pieces, arrange on baking sheet.

Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.

Bake until golden brown and to desired level of doneness, 10-12 minutes for soft chewy cookies, 12-15 minutes for crisp cookies.

Cool cookies for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing.

Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough in refrigerator for baking remaining batches the next day.

Niki's Note:  I often make all dough into balls and freeze so it's super easy to make when I have a craving or we are entertaining.

PUMPKIN CINNAMON STREUSEL PANCAKES

PUMPKIN CINNAMON STREUSEL PANCAKES

From Rachel (Reid) Brown

Make the cinnamon streusel:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 t. ground cinnamon

6 T. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Set aside.

Pancake batter:  

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 T. light brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/8 t. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground cloves

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 large egg

2 T. canola oil

1 t. vanilla extract

Instructions:

First, make the cinnamon streusel.  In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  

Mix streusel mixture together with your hands or a fork til crumbly.  Set aside.

Now make the pancakes:

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin, canola oil and vanilla extract.  Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until combined.

Heat a griddle or pan to medium-low. Coat with cooking spray.  Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto heated skillet.  Add 2 T. of cinnamon streusel.  Cook on the first side until bubbles begin to form, about 2-3 minutes.  Carefully flip pancake over and cover generously with cinnamon streusel. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. 

Continue this process to make the rest of the pancakes.

Serve warm with maple syrup and butter.

Note from Rachel:   for another variation:  skip all of the streusel and add dark chocolate chips to the pancake batter. We LOVE pumpkin-chocolate-chip pancakes!!

CHRISTMAS TOFFEE (CHOCOLATE SALTINE TOFFEE)

CHRISTMAS TOFFEE (CHOCOLATE SALTINE TOFFEE)

From Allie Troyer

saltine crackers (enough to line your jelly roll pan)
2 sticks butter, cubed
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 - 1 cup mini M&M's or chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a large jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and then line the pan with saltine crackers.

Place the butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized pot over low or medium-low heat.  Stir until the butter is melted.  Once the butter has melted, bring to a boil for 3 minutes.  Stir constantly.

Once it's nice and bubbly and changed to more of a caramel color, remove pan from heat and pour evenly over saltine crackers.  Spread mixture with a knife...however it doesn't have to be perfect.  Try to move fast during this part so the toffee doesn't harden.

Place pan in the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes.  The mixture will spread evenly over the crackers as it bakes.

Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly.  

Melt the chocolate and then pour over the top with a spatula.

Sprinkle M&M's or nuts on top and then place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Once the chocolate has hardened, break or cut pieces off the foil and store in a container.*

*Allie's note: The toffee will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks. 

JEFF'S FAVORITE MEATBALLS

JEFF'S FAVORITE MEATBALLS

From Allie Toms Troyer

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs*
2 garlic cloves, minced, optional
1 egg
1/4 cup mozzarella* cheese, finely grated
3 T. ketchup
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 T. dried parsley or 1 T. fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients minus the meat and slightly mix them together before adding the meat.

Add meat and mix all together. 

Form mixture into one-inch balls.  Makes 24 one-inch balls. 

Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.   Makes 24 one-inch balls.  I bake 12 at a time and freeze the other 12 for a quick easy dinner for the following week.

*Allie's note:  I use Italian style bread crumbs - you can use whatever kind you wish. For the cheese, I use mozzarella but you can use whatever kind you like.

COLD DAY CHILI

COLD DAY CHILI

From Allie Toms Troyer

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 T. jalapeno, finely chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 cans Mexican style tomatoes, like Rotel (undrained)
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 T. chili powder
2 T. cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 t. paprika
1 can kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup water

Cook ground meat with onions and peppers; drain excess grease.

Add corn, tomatoes, jalapeno, sauce, seasonings and water and bring to a boil.

Add beans.  Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Serve with toppings and some corn muffins!  Enjoy!!

Toppings:  
Sour cream
Shredded cheese of your choice
Green onion, if desired

Makes 6-8 servings.