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Sharing Experiences Panel Discussion
Holiday Baking: Stirring it up in the Kitchen

RESOURCE AND RECIPE LIST

The Top 10 Baking Tips adopted from www.baking911.com

Tip #1:  Read through the recipe & gather the ingredients make sure all pans and equipment are clean and dry, wash & dry hands before starting.

Tip #2:  Pre-measure the flour & other ingredients. Use the best & freshest ones you can find. Prepare any in advance, if necessary.  (Use the proper measuring cups- liquid and dry)

Tip #3: Use the appropriately sized baking pans & properly prepare them.  

Tip #4: Adjust oven shelves & preheat the oven. Use an oven thermometer.

Tip #5: Carefully follow each mixing step in the recipe. DO NOT Over- or Under-Mix.  Each step has a purpose. Use a kitchen timer to help you keep track of how long to mix, etc.

Tip #6: Don't crowd the oven & avoid opening the oven door during baking. With certain recipes, rotate pans halfway through baking. (Have several clean hot pads/mitts at the ready.)

Tip #7: Pay special attention to baking times. Let your eyes, nose, as well as other indicators be your guide.

Tip #8: Cool baked goods thoroughly before serving or storing. (Counter space and cooling rack ready for hot baked good when it is removed from the oven. Make sure there is a clear traffic path to it.)

Tip #9: Finishing Touches. Consider how you mightfinish off or decorate your creation.

Tip #10: Store baked goods properly. (Clean containers or new plastic bags.)

For tips on baking cookies, bar cookies, drop cookies, sliced cookies, etc., visit:

www.HomemadeCookiesAndMore.com

Two resources for purchasing cookbooks:

 www.horizons-blind.org

 www.helpinghands4theblind.com

Recommended by a Seminars@Hadley participant (there is a button for both English and Spanish versions of this site):

www.comidakraft.com/en/Pages/home.aspx

Volunteer Braillists and Tapists

(Provides braille cookbooks on loan or for purchase. Lots of them are on plastic paper so easily wiped off when used in a busy kitchen.)

Phone: 608-233-0222

Website: www.vbti.org

Patti’s, Linn’s and Dawn’s Favorite Recipes

Peanut Butter Squares

Ingredients:
  1. 3 sticks margarine
  2. 1 package graham crackers, crushed
  3. 1-1.2 cups chunky peanut butter
  4. 1 pound powdered sugar
  5. 12 ounces chocolate chips
Directions:
  1. Melt 2 sticks of margarine and peanut butter in microwave. 
  2. Add cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. 
  3. Stir to form thick dough, then press into 9 by 13 baking pan. 
  4. Melt remaining stick of butter and chocolate chips in microwave, and then pour over peanut butter mixture. 
  5. Cool to room temperature, and then cut into squares.

Sugar Cookies

I like this recipe because it involves no rolling out dough or using cookie cutters.

Ingredients:
  1. 1 stick margarine
  2. 1 cup granulated sugar
  3. 1 egg
  4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  5. 1 teaspoon soda
  6. 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  7. 2-1/2 cups flour
  8. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  9. 1 teaspoon vinegar
Directions:
  1. Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and beat until light and fluffy. 
  2. In separate container, combine oil and vinegar. 
  3. In another separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. 
  4. Alternately add oil and dry ingredients to egg mixture. Sir with spoon to blend between each addition. 
  5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet.  Press cookies flat with the bottom of a glass. 
  6. Sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. 
  7. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Doggie Treats

Ingredients:
  1. 1-1/2 cups hot water
  2. 1/3 cup margarine or meat drippings
  3. 3/4 cup non-fat milk powder
  4. 1 egg, beaten
  5. 1 cup uncooked oatmeal
  6. 1 tsp. beef bouillon granules
  7. 3/4 cup cornmeal
  8. 3 cups whole wheat flour
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In large bowl, pour hot water over the oatmeal, margarine and bouillon granules.  Let it stand for 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in powdered milk, cornmeal and egg.  Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Knead 3 to 4 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to make very thick dough.
  5. Roll dough out to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into shapes.
  6. Bake treats on a baking sheet for 50 minutes. Turn oven off and allow the biscuits to cool overnight, drying out.

EASY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Ingredients:
  1. 1 pkg. yellow cake mix
  2. 1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
  3. 1 egg
  4. GOOEY BUTTER:
  5. 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  6. 2 eggs
  7. 1 lb. box confectioners' sugar
  8. 1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
  1. Mix together cake mix (just the mix, not the other ingredients called for on the box) with butter and 1 egg. (I melt the butter right in my glass cake pan.)
  2. Pat into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
  3. Cream together cream cheese, 2 eggs, powdered sugar and vanilla.
  4. Pour over cake mixture. Spreading to the edges.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
  6. Dust with a bit of powdered sugar when cool.

YUMMY APPLE CRISP

Here is an apple recipe that tastes as good as an apple pie, but you don't need to bother to make a crust!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
  1. 2/3 cup oatmeal
  2. 1/2 cup brown sugar
  3. 1/4 cup flour
  4. 1-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  5. Dash of salt
  6. 1/2 cup butter
  7. 7 cups diced apples, peeled
  8. 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  9. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  10. 1/2 cup raisins
  11. 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  12. 1/3 cup coconut (optional)
Directions:
  1. In a large bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, raisins, nuts, granulated sugar, and coconut.
  2. Grease an 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch pan. Spread the apple mixture in the pan. (It will heap up higher than the pan in the middle. But, the apples will cook down so pile on those apples!)
  3. In a small bowl, mix the oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. Melt the butter in the microwave in a bowl large enough to add the other five ingredients from the small bowl.
  5. Make a crumb mixture by adding the oatmeal mixture to the melted butter.
  6. Spread the crumb mixture over the other ingredients already in the pan.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Your kitchen will smell wonderful before the apple crisp is done.
  8. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I love this recipe because the cookies are sturdy and so mail well not risking so much breakage.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Ingredients:
  1. 2 cups flour
  2. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
  6. 1 cup granulated sugar
  7. 2 very large eggs
  8. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  9. 1 cup brown sugar
  10. 1-1/2 cups oatmeal
  11. 1/2 cup coconut
  12. 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  13. 3/4 cups chopped pecans
Directions:
  1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar.
  3. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla into the creamed mixture.
  4. Add the flour mixture one-half at a time.
  5. Mix in the oatmeal and coconut. This batter becomes very stiff!
  6. Add the chocolate chips and pecans.
  7. Roll the batter into one-inch balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. The dough is easier to work with if you chill it for about half an hour first.
  8. Bake for about 11 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool.
  9. Snitch a couple to try while they are still warm!

Rum Balls

Ingredients:
  1.  7 ounces vanilla wafers, crushed
  2. 2 cups powdered sugar
  3. 2/3 cup finely chopped nuts
  4. 2 tablespoons cocoa
  5. 1/4 cup rum
  6. 1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions:
  1. Combine crumbs and sugar; stir in nuts and cocoa.  Stir to blend. 
  2. In separate container, combine rum and cream.  Pour into crumb mixture and blend until the mixture is moist. 
  3. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls.  Roll each ball into powdered sugar and chill.

Sugar-Covered Pecans

Ingredients:
  1. 2 pounds pecan halves
  2. 3/4 teaspoon salt
  3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 1 cup sugar
  5. 1 egg white
  6. 1 tablespoon water
Directions:
  1. Combine pecans, salt, cinnamon and sugar in mixing bowl. 
  2. In small separate container, beat egg white and water until frothy. 
  3. Pour egg white mixture over pecan mixture and blend until moist.  Spread mixture into greased 9 by 13 baking dish. 
  4. Bake at 200 degrees for 1-1.2 to 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to keep nuts coated.  Remove from oven when nuts are dry and toasty. 
  5. Cool completely. Store in air tight container.

Caramel Chews

Ingredients:
  1. 36 vanilla caramels--unwrapped
  2. 3 tablespoons light cream
  3. 1 cup cornflakes
  4. 1 cup rice cereal
  5. 1 cup coconut
  6. 1 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
  1. Melt caramels with the light cream in the top of a large double boiler.
  2. In a separate bowl, toss together the cornflakes, rice cereal, coconut, and chopped pecans.
  3. Pour into the melted caramels if the double boiler is big enough. Otherwise, pour the melted caramels over the dry ingredient mixture. Stir well.
  4. Butter hands well! Drop by teaspoonful on waxed paper or roll into small balls with hands. Mixture will be hot. Cooling it a bit will still let you roll the balls.
  5. Store in cool place in a tightly covered container.

CANDY COOKIE MIX IN A JAR

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Ingredients:
  1. 1/2 cup sugar
  2. 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  3. 1 teaspoon powdered vanilla
  4. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  5. 2 cups flour
Jar Directions:
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they are evenly distributed, making sure all brown sugar lumps are crushed.
  2. Put in a jar for storage.
  3. Include candy bars such as peanut butter cups, Butter fingers, etc) with jar mix when giving as a gift.
Gift Tag Directions:
  1. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, beat one cup softened unsalted butter or margarine until it is smooth.
  3. Add one large egg and continue beating until the egg is combined.
  4. Add the Candy Cookie Mix from the jar and one cup candy bar chunks (peanut butter cups, butter finger, etc) and blend on low just until the cookie mix is incorporated.
  5. Form the cookies into 1-1/2 inch balls & place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden on the edges.
  7. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

(Makes 3 dozen cookies.)

MAGIC COOKIE BAR MIX IN A JAR

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish).

Jar Ingredients:
  1. 1 6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
  2. 1-1/3 cups flaked coconut
  3. 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  4. 1-1/2 cup Graham Cracker crumbs (in plastic baggie)
Directions:
  1. Layer the chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans in a clean glass container:
  2. Put the bag of Graham Cracker crumbs in the jar on top of layered ingredients.
Gift Tag Directions:
  1. When getting ready to bake this recipe, set a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk in a bowl of very hot water. Let it stay there until you need it. This will heat the milk a bit and make it easier to pour and spread.
  2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish).
  3. In a 13 by 9-inch baking pan, melt 1 stick butter in the oven. Sprinkle cracker crumbs evenly over the butter.
  4. Pour the 14-ounce can of condensed milk evenly over the crumbs. Top evenly with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Press down firmly.
  6. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

RECIPES AND TIPS FROM SEMINAR ATTENDEES

From Penny:

When filling muffin cups, use a "Jar Filler" type of funnel.  It's a funnel with a very wide opening at the bottom.  It will allow you to fill your muffin cups without spilling the batter over the edges of the cup, efficiently and neatly.

From Jan:

The following recipe may be changed to any flavor you like are what ever you may be in the mood for.  Our family really enjoys this pie. (Jan)

Strawberry Fluff Pie

Boil 1/3 c. water and dissolve 1 pkg. strawberry sugar-free jello in it.

Add to:

8 oz. Cool Whip Lite

2 cartons low fat Strawberry Yogurt

Mix and pour all in a graham cracker shell, and chill at least 1 hour to set

From Jackie:

Thank you for a fun seminar!  One final mixing tip I have is that if I am using a hand mixer or egg beater to beat something, I set the bowl in the empty sink and mix there.  It keeps a lot of the spatter off the kitchen walls, etc.

I have also attached two favorite recipes.  The Apple Raisin Bread is fun and easy because you just chop everything up and mix it all at once. The Pink Stuff recipe is a family favorite, and also pretty easy to make.

One last thing - I subscribe to Good Housekeeping.com and they have lots of great recipes, already on the computer.

Happy Holidays,

-Jackie

APPLE-RAISIN BREAD

3     cups chopped unpared apples
3     cups flour
22  cups sugar
13  cups vegetable oil
4     eggs, beaten
1     tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
2     teaspoons ground cinnamon
12  teaspoons salt
12  teaspoons baking soda
1     teaspoon ground cloves
2     teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup raisins
2     cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 325o.  Generously grease bottoms only of 2 baking pans, 9x5x3 inches.  Beat all ingredients on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 1 minute.  Beat on medium speed 1 minute.  Pour into pans.  Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans.  Cool completely before slicing.  Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 2 loaves

(From Betty Crocker's Baking Classics)

"Pink Stuff"

Combine:

2 C. margarine, melted
2 C. graham cracker crumbs (26 squares)

and press into 9x15" pan.  Freeze.

Melt together:

2 oz. bitter chocolate
2 C. margarine

Add:

2 C. powdered sugar
2 egg yolks

Cook 2 minutes.  Cool.

Beat:

2 egg whites until stiff, and add to cooled chocolate mixture.  Spread over frozen crumb crust.  Freeze.

Soften:

1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream

and spread over chocolate.  Top with chopped nuts, sprinkle decorations, or whatever else you might like.  Freeze.

From Dannie

I have one of those aprons that the Demo Ladies in Costco and Sam's Club use...given to me by a former employee of the Demo Ladies. It has three large pockets in front. I put paper towels in both the left and right sections so they are readily available if needed. The middle picket is where I put the spices AFTER I take out the measure needed for a recipe as it is more convenient for me to put them all back at the same time and then I don't have to try to remember where I put one and they are clear of the counter. I have also used that middle pocket for the 1/4 tsp measure as sometimes in baking there are a number of measuring spoons and it is harder for me to recognize the difference between the 1/2 and 1/4 if they are laid out on the counter. This keeps it straight for me...the one on the counter is 1/2 and the one in the pocket is 1/4.

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