Windmill Spice Cookies

When I was growing up in the 1930s-40s, we didn’t have cookies very often.  My mother didn’t care to make them and we seldom had store-bought cookies.  Once in a great while, when there was a small amount of change left in the food budget, Mother would let us get a few large, brown, spicy windmill cookies that were sold in bulk from a big tin container in our corner grocery store.  I loved these cookies, particularly the bits of sliced almonds scattered here and there.

Sadly, the “windmill” cookies found now in plastic wrappers aren’t shaped like windmills, don’t have almonds and don’t taste nearly as good as I remember.  I found a recipe about 25 years ago that I thought was very reminiscent of the wonderful cookies of my childhood.

WINDMILL SPICE COOKIES

• 1 cup margarine
• 1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream margarine and sugar, add egg and mix well.  Stir together the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture.  Mix well.

Roll out on floured board to desired thickness (I like the crisp ones about 1/4″ thick).  Cut with floured cookie cutter and place an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.   Press sliced almonds into the cookies.

Bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

I have a nice collection of Dutch items and one of my favorites is this piece my daughter made for me a few years ago.  I love the Delft scenes all around the border.

Read Full Post »

Easy Potato Yeast Rolls

 

I make bread at least once a week, and these are the rolls I bake most often.  They are quick and easy to make, delicious, and freeze well. 

EASY POTATO YEAST ROLLS

• 2 packages fast acting yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tlbsp. salt
• 1/2 cup dry potato flakes
• 6-7 cups flour, divided
• 2-1/4 cups water heated to 130 degrees F
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

In large bowl of electric mixer, place yeast, sugar, salt, potato flakes and two cups of flour - mix together to blend.  Pour in 130 degree water and oil.  Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes with regular beater.  Insert dough hook and beat 6-1/2 minutes longer, adding flour 1/2 cup at a time, using enough to make dough elastic and no longer sticky.  Cover dough and let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

                              **************

Punch down dough and form into approximately 24 rolls.  Place rolls on lightly greased cookie sheets, cover and let rise 30 minutes.

                                ***************

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake rolls approximately 12 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from cookie sheets to rack to cool. 

Read Full Post »

Quilter’s Hooded Jacket

 

Last summer, I was looking for a pattern for a hooded jacket that would be good to wear in the fall and spring.  I found just what I was looking for by A Little More Effect Pattern Company, 10736-124 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5M OH1.  It’s called A Quilter’s Hoodie #0351. 

I chose flannel fabric and a flannel lining to get the warmth I wanted for early spring/fall temperatures and liked the pockets and zipper opening.

I didn’t quilt the jacket at all but used the coordinating fabrics to good advantage and I liked the way it turned out.  It’s very comfortable.

I entered the jacket in the sewing division of the Warren County (Ohio) Fair and won a blue ribbon.

As I usually do when I make jackets, I used leftover fabric to make a small purse to carry in quilt shops, antique shows, etc., where I don’t want to haul around a heavy purse. 

Read Full Post »

Tropical Pork Chops

This recipe is adapted from one by Robyne on mycookingblog.com.  The dish is really good, flavorful, filling and just fun to eat.  The grilled bananas are wonderful.

TROPICAL PORK CHOPS

• 2 firm bananas
• 4 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 4 lean pork loin chops (1/2″ thick)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 tsp honey mustard (Woeber’s Reserve)
• 1 cup water

Cut bananas in half crosswise, then lengthwise.  Cook bananas in 2 tsp. olive oil in non-stick skillet.  If necessary, add 1/2 tsp. additional oil to keep bananas from sticking.  Remove browned bananas to a warm plate and place in a 170 degree F oven to keep warm.

Rub the pork chops with garlic, sprinkle with ginger.

Add remaining olive oil to skillet.  Brown chops on both sides, remove chops to warm platter.

Melt honey in skillet; add mustard and water, stirring to blend.

Return chops to skillet; spoon sauce over them.  Cover, simmer about 10 minutes or until chops are thoroughly cooked.

Remove chops to dinner plates; top with bananas.  Spoon remaining sauce from skillet over chops.

Yield:  4 servings

I served the chops with rice plus steamed broccoli.  Asparagus would also go nicely with this dish.

For dessert, we had a favorite – chocolate pudding (a low fat version that is delicious).

This made a very nice Sunday dinner.

Read Full Post »

Low Fat Chocolate Pudding (with Bisquick)

I found this recipe in a 1982 Bisquick flyer and I believe the recipe is much older than that.  It’s one of my favorite desserts, very rich and thick, yet acceptable for a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.  My husband used to like it with sliced bananas and whipped topping.

LOW FAT CHOCOLATE PUDDING

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup low-fat Bisquick baking mix
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup of dry milk mixed with 3 cups of cold water
• Optional:  1 tsp. chocolate flavoring

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, Bisquick baking mix and cocoa.  Heat 1-1/2 cups of milk and whisk into dry mixture.  Whisk in the remaining cold milk, one-half cup at a time until smooth.  Cook over medium-high heat until thick, bring to a boil and continue cooking for one minute, stirring constantly.  Add the chocolate flavoring if desired.

Leave in the pan until room temperature and stir occasionally to prevent film from forming.

Pour into 6 individual serving dishes.

Read Full Post »

Fluffy Pineapple Dessert

My oldest daughter was here on Sunday and we wanted something for supper that was satisfying, yet relatively healthy and not as heavy and rich as the food we’ve been eating for the past two weeks.

I got some leftover Thanksgiving turkey breast from the freezer and heated it on the stovetop with some broth and seasonings.

For our vegetables, I tried Sweet Rosie’s method of roasting vegetables – wonderful – be sure to include the whole cloves of garlic.

For dessert I went back to an old family favorite from the 1970s – Fluffy Pineapple Dessert.  This is really delicious and it makes a lot, way too much for two people.  But by the time I sent some home with this daughter, saved some for the youngest daughter and kept some for myself, it was just about right.

FLUFFY PINEAPPLE DESSERT

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (I used the non-fat kind)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple (in pineapple juice), drained
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 16 oz. container of whipped topping (I used Cool Whip Lite)

In a large bowl, combine milk and lemon juice; stir until thick.  Add crushed pineapple and nuts; mix well.  Fold in whipped topping.  Pour into 9×13 pan and refrigerate for several hours.

This dish was very popular at square dance potluck dinners.

Read Full Post »

Hodgenville Ham Pudding

This is our family’s favorite way of using up leftover baked ham.  It comes from a favorite cookbook, “What’s Cooking in Kentucky”.  This is a typical 1950s era luncheon dish, probably served with a gelatin salad of some kind and a super-rich dessert.

The cookbook says that when President Dwight Eisenhower visited the birthplace of Lincoln at Hodgenville, Kentucky, the Women’s Club served lunch to the visitors.  President Eisenhower asked for a second helping of this pudding and the recipe, saying he was an amateur chef and wanted to add it to his collection.

HODGENVILLE HAM PUDDING

• 1-1/2 cups of buttery cracker crumbs (such as Ritz or Town house) – divided
• 1 cup grated cheese – divided (I like cheddar)
• 1 cup finely chopped ham – divided
• 2 Tblsp. diced pimiento – divided
• 2 hard boiled eggs, diced – divided
• 1-1/2 cups white sauce (recipe follows) – divided

White Sauce

• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1-1/2 cups milk

In medium saucepan, combine flour, salt and pepper.  Whisk in cold milk until smooth, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble.  Continue stirring for 2 minutes and then remove from heat.

Butter a 9x9x2 baking dish.

In bottom of baking dish place 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs.  Moisten with 1/2 cup white sauce.  Add 1/2 cup grated cheese, 1/2 cup diced ham, 1 Tlbsp. diced pimiento, and one diced hard-boiled egg.

Add another 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup white sauce, 1/2 cup grated cheese, 1/2 cup diced ham, 1 Tblsp. diced pimiento, and one diced hard-boiled egg.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs on top of casserole.

Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes until bubbly hot and crusty.

Makes 6 servings.

This dish can be made ahead for baking later in the day.  Add 10 minutes or so more baking time to compensate for the food coming straight from the refrigerator.

The cookbook, “What’s Cooking in Kentucky” by  Irene Hayes (my version is the Revised Edition 1979) is probably the most used cookbook I own – and I have a lot of cookbooks.  The recipes are down-home, country style, contributed by women from all over Kentucky, and the timing was perfect for me when I got the book for my birthday in 1982.  We had just moved to the country and I had lots of good produce coming into the kitchen every day, sometimes with my husband carrying it in a wheelbarrow!  I notice the book is still available online and it would be a nice addition to anyone’s collection.

Read Full Post »

Lodge Style Log Cabin Hanging

 

In the relatively quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s, I made a new wall hanging for my lodge-themed guest bedroom.  It was based on a pattern I picked up in September at Miller’s Dry Goods in Charm, Ohio (Holmes County Amish Country).  The pattern is called “Log Cabin”  (#99001) by Pine Meadows Designs.  The pattern size is 23-1/2″ long x 27″ wide and I added a wide border to come up with the size that I wanted to hang over a queen size bed.

The pattern and instructions are very complete for the center cabin and lake scene which is appliqued using fusible web and invisible thread.  There are 22 log cabin blocks around the centerpiece which can be paper pieced (patterns provided) or simply sewn together as I have done.  

I quilted with invisible thread, echoing the design in the center and using stich-in-the-ditch and some cross lines to accent the small log cabin blocks. 

It is a fairly simple pattern and not too time-consuming, resulting in a very colorful wall hanging which is perfect in my lodge style room.

Read Full Post »