Homemade Applesauce

Serve hot applesauce right from the pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a light and delicious dessert, or plain, or even can it for later.

5 apples (any kind, but the sweeter varieties will need less sugar added)
water
1/4 cup sugar

Peel and core apples and throw in a pot with enough water to almost cover the apples. Boil until tender to a fork. Drain apples. A large spoon should do the job smashing them up, I like them a little chunky. If they are too thick mix in a little water, until you like the consistency. Add about 1/4 cup sugar and taste. Add more sugar to taste. Serve hot or cold. Makes about 4 servings.

German Potato Pancakes

(All Recipes)

Makes a fabulous dinner with homemade applesauce.

2 eggs
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded (half bag frozen shredded potatoe hash browns)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (white or red)
1/4 cup vegetable oil



In a large bowl, beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in potatoes and onion. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, drop heaping spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet. Press to flatten. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Recipe and photo found here

***Sour Cream Pound Cake***

(Oma J.)

Best dessert to have in your kitchen all through the holidays

1 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
3 cups all purpose white flour (can use half wheat half white)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces sour cream (1 cup), room temperature (regular or light works fine)
1 Tablespoon almond extract (may substitute vanilla or lemon)

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy with mixer (I use my Kitchen Aid with the wire/whisk mixing attachment). Add eggs, one at a time, and beating after each egg. Add salt, baking soda, and almond flavoring and beat until blended. Mix flour alternately with sour cream, beating slowly after each addition. Bake in steeple pan or bunt pan well greased and lightly floured and remember to grease and flour the tube.

Bake at 325° degrees for 1½ hour (depending on oven may be done in 1 hour - check with toothpick). Done when lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean when inserted, also when pressed lightly the indentation should not remain. Take out of oven and cool on cooling rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides with butter knife or spatula and remember to loosen tube part. Let cake cool completely or at least until no longer hot, before removing from pan to prevent the cake from crumbling and breaking apart. Pull the tube part out and then try to loosen bottom with butter knife. Turn upside down and onto cooling rack. Serve with strawberries, vanilla ice-cream, whip cream,or plain.

Best results come when butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before starting, or at least sit 30 minutes before starting

Popcorn

3 Tablespoons oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
salt

Put oil and popcorn in a heavy pot over medium high heat with lid cracked. When popping slows turn off heat and salt to taste.

Pumpkin Pancakes

(Stephanie F. from Martha Stewart)

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 egg
6 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, nutmeg, and ground cloves.
Mix egg, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and milk and fold into dry ingredients. Heat a greased skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook about 3 minutes per side. Serve hot with maple syrup. Makes 12 pancakes.

Recipe and photo found here

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

This makes a wet dough, that bakes to a soft muffin consistency. Use the remaining canned pumpkin to make pumpkin pancakes the next day - it leaves just enough after you remove 1 cup for the cookies.

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350˚ for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

***Peanut Butter Cookies***

(Karen R.)

Add Hershey Kisses to cookies after removing from oven, while still hot, for a chocolate kick.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla util combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough till easy to handle. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional granulated sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten by making crisscross marks with the tines of a fork. Bake at 375˚ for 7-9 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 36 cookies.