Fake it all!

Hello!  I just found out about this blog that fake some of the Betty's mixes ... here it is:

http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2012/02/fake-betty-crocker-cookie-mixes.html

I hope you enjoy it!  It is worth a try!

Mara

This is just for fun... it really does not need a recipe but I loved the idea which is not originally mine, I have to say.

Just in case, you need:
1 cucumber
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
Carrots, the original uses baby carrots, if you can find it.
1 black olive
Lettuce for the base
Your favorite dip

Enjoy it!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

This recipe was very popular yesterday in our party.  I got this recipe from this website:

http://www.thepickyapple.com/blog/2008/11/22/pumpkin-crunch-cake/

On the yellow cake mix, ingredients, I have placed a link to a cake mix recipe from scratch.  I hope it works out fine.  Let us know. 

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan.  Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Pour mixture into greased pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.  Drizzle melted butter over pecans.  Bake 50-55 minutes.

Yellow Cake Mix

The theme of this blog is to do things from scratch, as I will present a recipe that calls for yellow cake mix, here it is a recipe I got from internet.

It is from http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/homemade-yellow-cake-mix/

If you use this and you are pleased with it, please write a comment on this entry to recommend it.  I will   try it sometime soon and let you all know as well.

Here it goes:

How to make Homemade Yellow Cake Mix:
(This is the standard size mix for recipes calling for an 18.25 ounce mix.)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup non-fat dry milk

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and non-fat dry milk. Store in an airtight container or baggie. Keeps well in the pantry for months!

Cheese "Ball" for Thanksgiving

Yesterday we had a get together in Madrid for Thanksgiving.  I always end up with some new recipes!

Here is one of mine that our friends requested.

Ingredients:
1 container of cream cheese
1 container of flavored cream cheese (I used "Finas Ervas).
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (I used 4 quesos rallado that had quite a bit of cheddar in it)
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Food coloring (I used the one they use for rices, paellas, etc)
1 broccoli stalk for decoration.

Mix all ingredients!  Voila!

Serve with crackers and little toasts.

Tim's Salsa

Our group of friends get together once in while and we love trying each other's recipe ... this one is by Tim W. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!

Tim’s Homemade Salsa

1 big can whole, peeled tomatoes (only use some of the tomato juice)

1 green onion chopped

1 med green pepper chopped (roasted or raw)

¼ cup cut cilantro

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. salt or less if desired

1 tsp. black ground pepper

1 tsp Lime or Lemon juice adds to the flavors

*For extra spice add 1/3 Serrano pepper and finely chop it or add several slices of jalapeños

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend together for 1-2 seconds, using short pulses, then add the tomatoes and blend for another 1-2 seconds with short pulses. Do not grind it up too much or it will be too liquidy. Use only a little tomato juice from the can. It is good cold or warmed up.

Flan

I just found this very good recipe! Everyone who tried asked for the recipe. Enjoy it and share with others. The recipe calls for whole milk and sugar, I substituted for semidesnatado and sweetener to taste. For you to have an idea it should taste sweeter than you would like it to be. When cooked and served cold, it will seem to have less sweetener than when you were mixing it.

Ingredients:

1 liter and 1/2 of milk (6 cups)

4 whole eggs

8 egg yolks

Sugar (start with 1 cup and add to your taste, or use Splenda as I did)

lemon peel

Cinnamon stick

Preheat the oven with a cake pan filled with water. Cook the milk with the peel of of one lemon and one cinnamon stick. Boil. Let it reduce a bit, for about 10 minutes on low heat. Let it cool completely. In a bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolk. Strain lemon peel and cinnamon stick from milk. Add the milk to the bowl. Add sugar to your taste. On the stove top, add 2 tablespoon of sugar on a small pan. Let it cook until it melts. Do not let it overcook as it can burn really easily. Use a bundt cake pan or special small pans for the flan. Put the caramel on the bottom of the pan or pans and then the flan mixture. Put the pan to bake placed in the bigger pan with water (baño maría). If the water is already hot it should take about 40-45 minutes and it will be ready. If not, bake it for a few more minutes. Let it cool and then unmold it.

Roscón de Reyes

Hello friends,

This morning I had the BEST Roscón de Reyes ever! We bought at Mercadona and it was really good! It made me curious how hard would be to make it from scratch. I found this website that gives excellent step by step instructions with pictures. I hope you like this. Let me know if you ever try this recipe so I can add a comment to this message. I cannot recommend this until I use the steps but it looks really good!

Enjoy it: http://www.yumsugar.com/950218

Pecan Pie

This comes from Laura B.:

I just wanted to share with y'all this pecan pie recipe that another friend living abroad shared with me. It doesn't use Karo syrup (shock!) so assuming you can get your hands on some pecans...the ingredients are generally a bit more accessible. I tried making it the other night and it turned out quite nice. Also you can use Splenda (if you can find some...) to make it more blood-sugar friendly. Enjoy! -- Laura

INGREDIENTS
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Last add the milk, vanilla and nuts.
Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees (200 C), then reduce temperature to 350 (175 C) degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done.

Mandarin Orange Salad

Ingredients:

3 to 4 c. salad greens broken (leaf, Bibb lettuce, spinach)

1/4 c. sliced onions

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted in butter

1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 tbsp. vinegar

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine the greens, onions, mandarin oranges and almonds.
Make the dressing with the vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before tossing with the salad ingredients.

Apple Pie

This is a very basic but good recipe. You can make the crust or you can use a premade one. Here in Spain, you will need to get in in the frozen section.

CRUST (recipe makes one double crust):
2 1/2 cups white flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold butter, broken into small pieces

5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening

8 tbsp. ice water
Measure the flour, sugar and salt togetherl. Stir to combine. Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bowl. Cut them in with a pastry cutter or knife. Don't over mix them. Add the ice water. Mix until the dough holds together (add a bit more water, if necessary).
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it together, then divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least half an hour. Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter.
Put the circle in a 9" pie plate, trimming any extra dough from the edges with a sharp knife. Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie.
Add filling (see below)
Roll out the second ball of dough and cover top. Use a fork or your fingers to pinch the edges together. cut a couple slits in the top.

FILLING
1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt 8 medium sized apples (a medium apple = about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons margarine
Heat oven to 425 F or 220 C degrees.
Peel, core and slice the apples. Try to keep the size of the slices even.
Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.
Stir in apples.
Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.
Dot with margarine.
Cover with top crust and seal the edges. Cut slits in the top.

OPTIONAL: Cover edge with 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent too much browning.
Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.

Easy Pie Crust

This recipe is from Carrie B., who used to live in Barcelona, and is now in Austria.

Mix in slightly warmed pie plate:

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 T. milk

1/2 c. cooking oil

Fill and bake

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar - or 1 cup Splenda, or 3/4 cup honey (honey may make a heavier pie, though)
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
one half teaspoon ground ginger
one half teaspoon salt (optional, I don't use any)
4 large eggs
3 cups pumpkin puree

1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk (I use the nonfat version)

Mix well using a hand blender or mixer.

Pour into the pie crust. Fit right up to about one quarter to one half inch from the very top.
Don't be surprised if the mixture is very runny, especially using the homemade puree. It may start as a soupy liquid, but it will firm up nicely in the oven!

Bake at 425 F (210 C ) for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 F ( 175 C ) and bake another 45 to 60 minutes, until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Done! Ready to eat?

Pumpkin for Making Pies

I found this information on a webpage and thought some of us would appreciate this. It is a step by step to prepare to puree for pumpkin pie! So, if you do not have a Libby´s can, you can still enjoy your pie during the holidays!

Step 1 - Get your pie pumpkin
"Pie pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less grainy textured pumpkins than the usual jack-o-lantern types. Grocery stores usually carry them in late September through December in the U.S. Note: the Libby's can of cooked pumpkin is just there for reference - it is the small can, so that gives you an idea of the size of a typical pie pumpkin. They're only about 6 to 8 inches in diameter (about 20 to 24 inches in circumference). If you're in a pinch and can't find a pie pumpkin, here's a tip: butternut squash taste almost the same! Commercial canned pumpkin is from a variety of butternut, not true pumpkins! If you DO use a regular Jack O' Lantern type pumpkin, you may need to add about 25% more sugar and run the cooked pumpkin through a blender or food processor to help smooth it out.
Just like selecting any squash, look for one that is firm, no bruises or soft spots, and a good orange color. One 6" pie pumpkin usually makes one 10 inch deep dish pie and a bit extra; or 2 9 inch shallow pies!

Step 2 - Prepare the pumpkin for cooking
Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap.
Cut the pumpkin in half. A serrated knife and a sawing motion works best - a smooth knife is more likely to slip and hurt you! A visitor suggests using a hand saw.

Step 3 - Scoop out the seeds...
And scrape the insides. You want to get out that stringy, dangly stuff that coats the inside surface. I find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.

Step 4 - Cooking the pumpkin

Cook the pumpkin in plenty of water at the stove top. Normally it takes 20 or 30 minutes in total. It should be tender.

Step 5 - Scoop out the cooked pumpkin
Whether you cook the pumpkin on the stove, microwave, or even the oven, once it is cooked until it is soft, it is easy to scoop out the guts with a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a tablespoon). Use the spoon to gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin. It should separate easily an in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is cooked enough.
Many times the skin or rind will simply lift off with your fingers (see the photo at left) . I'll bet you didn't realize making your own pumpkin glop... err, "puree" was this easy!
If your pumpkin puree has standing, free water, you may want to let it sit for 30 minutes and then pour off any free water. That will help prevent you pie from being too watery! Beyond, that, I have not found that the water makes a difference - I wouldn't be TOO concerned about it! Tip: To eliminate watery pumpkin I strain my pureed pumpkin through a cloth overnight.

Step 6 - Puree the pumpkin
To get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a Pillsbury hand blender. By blending it, you give the pie a smooth, satiny texture; rather than the rough graininess that is typical of cooked squashes.
A regular blender works, too. Or a food processor or even just a hand mixer with time and patience. With the hand blender, it just takes 2 or 3 minutes!

Step 7 - Done with the pumpkin!
You may freeze the pie filling (but NOT "can" it!)

Then follow your own recipe for Pumpkin Pie. I will place one in this blog totally from scratch!

Turkey Roasting

I am not the person to talk about this. I am still learning after 15 years of trying to do it well. Each year I keep the good things of last year and add a new idea to the whole process. I found this website below to be very good for me. I hope it helps you!

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Turkey-Roasting-101/Detail.aspx

Happy Roasting!!

Jiffy´s Corn Casserole

This has become my favorite corn casserole. The only reason not to make it is that sometimes I cannot get my hands on a Jiffy cornbread mix here in Spain!

Ingredients:
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
2 eggs, beaten
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 stick butter, melted (or 1/2 c. oil)
1 c. sour cream
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (opt.)
Shredded cheese (opt.)

Mix all ingredients except cheese. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, if desired. Bake in casserole dish or 9"x13" baking dish for 30 to 45 minutes or until fully cooked in center.

Corn Casserole

Ingredients:
1 c. cream sweet corn (I open a can of corn, add a little sugar and cream it with the food processor keeping the water, if needed I add a little milk to help)
1 can kernel corn
1 1/2 c. crushed saltine crackers
1 c. grated Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. sweet milk (I just use regular whole milk)
Mix all ingredients and bake in a greased casserole dish for 45 minutes at 450 degrees or around 200º C.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients
· 1 cup (200 g) sugar
· 1 cup (255 mL) water
· 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries (I found both versions in Hipercor and the fresh kind in Carrefour)
· Optional Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.
Method
1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
2 At this point you can add all number of optional ingredients. We typically mix in a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or without a few strips of orange peel. You can add a cup of raisins or currants. You can add up to a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added too.
3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.

Sweet Potato Casserole

INGREDIENTS
4 cups sweet potato, cubed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (You find packed brown sugar on Productos Latinos at Carrefour)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans (here in Spain it is not easy to find "pecanas", I use walnuts and it works well. Hipercor usually have it but be ready to pay for it!)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

I am collecting some Thanksgiving recipes from scratch. This is the first of a few I found, I will share all of them with you!

Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
4 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound button mushrooms,
sliced Fried onion rings: 2 large yellow onions, sliced into thin rings
Whole milk to cover onions
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying rings
Heat a pot with plenty of generously salted water. When the water comes to a full rolling boil, add the beans and cook until just tender. Do not crowd the beans or they will turn gray (cook in batches if necessary).
Fill a large bowl with ice water and when beans are done, drain and place in the ice water. Once beans have chilled, remove from the ice water and set aside.
In a medium pot, bring the milk to a boil. While the milk is heating, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan, then add the flour, mixing with a wooden spoon. Cook flour mixture over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly and making sure the flour doesn't brown.
Very gradually pour the boiling milk into the flour mixture, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps. Continue to cook the milk mixture, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat. When hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and immediately follow with the sliced mushrooms, even before the butter has completely melted. (This will keep the butter from burning while allowing the pan to stay hot enough so the mushrooms saute.) Saute the mushrooms until lightly browned, and season with salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture into pan with the mushrooms and cook together for a few minutes to meld the flavors.
To make onion rings: Place onion rings in a bowl and cover with milk. Place in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes or up to an hour. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Place enough oil in pot to cover the onion rings (you can fry in batches, if necessary). Heat to 375° F. Strain milk from onions. Coat onion rings with flour mixture, then fry in the hot oil. Once lightly browned, remove from oil and drain on paper towels
To assemble the casserole: Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large mixing bowl, mix the green beans, mushroom mixture and 1 cup of the onion rings. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if necessary. Spray nonstick cooking spray into an 8-inch square baking pan or any suitable size that will accommodate the beans. Pour mixture into pan and top with the remaining fried onion rings. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until hot, and serve.
Note: Any component of this casserole can be done a day or two ahead, and the whole casserole can be assembled a day in advance.

Tortilla Española

I wanted to label this dish but was in doubt in what section to place it. It is a favorite in every household in Spain. It can be served as a first plate or second plate in a meal, or it can be served as tapas in a street café. Some will have it for a mid morning snack. Many Americans who live here, love it for breakfast. Kids will often have with a piece of Spanish break for afternoon snack or merienda. It can be served hot or room temperature. Just try it and enjoy it anytime of the day! --- By the way, I labeled it in Spanish and Tapas.

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes

6 eggs

Olive Oil

1/2 Large Onion

Peal the potaoes and slice them in small pieces. Rinse it. Chop the onions as well. Add abundant olive oil in a frying pan to fry the patotoes and onion together. Stir the potatoes and onions often cutting them in even smaller pieces with the spatula. They will be done when they are tender and golden. Remove from pan and set it aside. Remove most of the olive oil from pan, leaving just enough to coat the pan. On a bowl, add the eggs and beat them. Add the potato mixture mixing it well. Add salt to taste. Place the mixture to the pan again on lowest possible heat. When sides are done, make sure, with a fork, that the tortilla is loose from the pan. Turn tortilla on a plate and let is slide back to pan to cook other side. After a few minutes, turn it to a plate again and it is ready to serve.

You can add many things to enhance the taste: sausages, green pepper, zuchinnes, etc. Fry the engredients with potatos and onions.

Paella Valenciana

This recipe was given to me by a real Valencian lady, one of my best friends. "Valencianos" take pride on this wonderful dish. I know why! It is very complete and tasty!

There are several kinds of paella: seafood, vegetable, country style (such as the one below called "campestre"). In the recipe below you can sub the chicken, pork and rabbit for clams, fish, shrimp, calamar and squid what will give you a Seafood Paella. If you prefer, add some extra red and green pepper, carrots, green beans and white beans for a vegetable paella. I love all versions and recommend it to anyone. He it goes ...

Ingredients for 4 people:
1/2 chicken cut in pieces
1 lb rabbit meat (sub for added chicken, if you prefer)
1/2 lbs. pork ribs
1 cup of chopped fresh green beans
4-5 artichoked, chopped
1 tomato
1 or 2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 green or red pepper (maybe half and half), chopped
2 cups of rice (1/2 per person)
4 cups of water
1/2 olive oil
azafran
salt to taste
Lemon wedges

Fry the meat. When it is golden, add the vegetables. Add the water and let it cook for about 30 minutes. You may need to add more water before rice is added. It evaporates after 30 minutes of cooking. Try to ring it up to first measure. Add rice, azafran and salt. Cook for about 20 minutes, until rice is done. Let it "rest" for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle some lemon to your plate after it is served.

. Families in Spain eat directly from the pan. Each one knows their corner of the pan and they work on it. Once you place the rice, arrange the vegetables and meat nicely, in a way to divide the servings.
. The perfect side dish for paella is a mixed salad with Vinagrette - no need for anything else.
. Note the special pan - if you do not have one, the best option is a large frying pan
. Once you add the rice, let it cook for a while, then place the vegetables. Do not remove anymore - for that reason use the large burner to have equal heat in all sides.
. Here they they say the best paella is done outdoors with wood from an orange tree -- and if you can -- bring the water from Valencia! :)

Gazpacho

This recipe was given to my by one of my friends, but I have to say, I know as many guazpacho recipes as Spanish ladies. There is always a family recipe that is better than the other. I think the key is to have an idea of the basic ingrediends and increase more of one or other vegetable to personal taste. I recommend you start with this recipe and see how it taste. Next time increase or decrease any of the vegetables to your preference. Have fun on the process!!

Ingredients:

4-5 tomatoes

1-2 garlic cloves, depending on personal taste

1/2 cucumber, peeled

1/2 onion

1 cup of water

Salt to taste

1/2 olive oil

1 or 2 T. Vinegar, depending on personal taste

Opt. 3 pieces of Spanish bread (similar to French) soaked on water

Put all the ingredients in the blender and that is it! Place in the refrigerator as it should cold before serving. You can also serve it with ice.

. I add more or less water depending if I want to drind on a cup or eat with a spoon.

. I personally like a little thicker than tomato juice.

. You can peel the tomatoes boiling it beforehand. We keep it for extra fiber.

. Better kept on a jar or recipient that can be shaken before serving.

. My husband loves to have the other half of cucumber, onion, pepper, tomato, all shopped in small pieces and served aside. You can through a few of those in the bowl and it makes it even better.

Fruit Pizza

We had a get together the other day and our host, Amber W., made this beautiful and delicious fruit pizza. I loved it and she shared the recipe with us. Here it goes ...

Fruit Pizza Crust:

1.5 cups white sugar
1 cup butter room temperature or (250gr)
2 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
4 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Cream Sauce:
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
4 oz cool whip (or 1 box Chantilly: I buy this at Hiper Usera. It comes in a box. You add milk and beat with a mixer/ batadora - it is the closest thing to cool whip or whipped topping here- spray Nata turns to liquid and doesn't keep the fluff)

Instructions:

Crust: cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and cream well. Add vanilla and mix well. In another bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.Add gradually to sugar and butter mixture and mix well. Remove about 3/4 of the dough and roll onto cookie sheet ( I only use 3/4 because it will be too big for the cookie sheet. The whole recipe makes a fat cookie). Bake at 350 F (150 C) for 20 minutes or until light brown. Let cool and refrigerate over night or continue with with cream sauce.

*I like to make the cookie crust the night before and refrigerate it to help it all to be cold when it accompanies the fruit and cream sauce. It is not necessary.

Cream Sauce:mix powered sugar and cream cheese with mixer. Then fold in the cool whip or Chantilly( instructions are on the box for how to make it).

Putting it all together:
Spread a thick layer on cookie. Top with fresh fruit: strawberries, bananas, grapes, pineapple, kiwi, mandarin oranges, blueberries, or peaches.

Glaze:(optional) If I know I am serving the pizza right away I don't use it.

GLAZE
2 tbls. cornstarch
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice

Muffins (using Master Mix)

Preheat oven to 425º.

Beat together in a bowl:
1 egg

1 c. milk

2 T. sugar

Add:

3 c. Master Mix

Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pans and bake for 20 minutes.

Options:

Add drained fruit, chopped nuts or chopped dried fruit.

Replace 1/3 of mix called for with quick-cooking oatmeal or all-bran cereal.

Add chopped dried fruit and/or nuts to muffin recipe and bake as a fruit bread; use greased 5x8 leaf bread and bake 40 minutes at 350º.

Coffee Cake (using Master Mix)

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Beat together in a bowl:

1/3 c. milk

1 egg

Add:

1/4 c. sugar

2 1/4 c. Master Mix

Stir until well blended (about 1 minute). Pour into greased 8" square baking pan.

Combine and sprinkle over:

1/2 c. brown sugar

3 T. margarine

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Bake 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Optional: drizzle with powder sugar and milk!

Biscuits (using Master Mix)

Preheat oven at 450º F

Combine in blowl

1 1/2 c. Master Mix
1/3 c. milk

Add milk at once, stirring 25 strokes. Knead lightly on floured board. Roll 1/2 think, cut, plance on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.

Options:

Add grated cheese, chopped herbs.

Increase milk to 1/2 c. for drop biscuits.

Use as topping on casseroles, cobblers, meat and vegetable pies, or wherever buiscuit dough is called for.

Pancakes or Waffles (using Master Mix)

Beat together in a bowl:
1c. milk

1 egg

Stir in:

1 1/2 c. Master Mix

Bake on hot griddle or waffle iron. For lighter waffles, separate egg, add yolk with milk. Beat egg white until stiff and fold into batter just before baking. Increase milk for thinner batter if desired.

Corn Bread (using Master Mix)

Preheat over 400º (190-200 C)

Stir together in a bowl:
1 1/2 Master Mix
2 T sugar
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 t. chili powder (optional)

Combine in a separate bowl:
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 c. cream style corn (I use regular can of corn and pass it through the processor)

Stir liquids into dry ingredients just until flour is all mostened. Pour into greased 9" square pan or iron skillet, bake for 20-25 minutes.

Master Baking Mix

This is basically Bisquick mix made at home. With this you can prepare corn bread, pancake, waffles, biscuits, coffee cakes and muffins. It is taken from book "Cook More with Less" and I have used over and over again. I recommend it -- Mara

MASTER BAKING MIX

Ingredients:

10 cups of flour

6 T baking powder

1 1/2 T. salt

1 1/2 t. cream of tartar

1/4 c. sugar

Cut in to consistency of cornmeal:

2 cups of vegetable shortning

Stir in:

2 cups of milk powder

Store in covered container at room temperaature. To measure baking mix, pile lightly into a cup and level off with spatula.