Swedish Judebrod

These cookies are a special treat because of the use of cardamom. I do not specifically recall these cookies from childhood, but they will make it into my holiday rotation. When searching online, I saw a few similar recipes but could not find out the origin of these cookies. Cardamom is a unique spice that does frequently appear in Nordic sweets, but is not as common in the U.S. But I love cardamom, adding it to coffee or oatmeal, so I love these cookies. 

This cookie requires that the dough gets rolled out and cut into shapes, making it an excellent Christmas cookie. I was skeptical when the recipe said to mix the dough with hands, but this dough does require some hand kneading to come together.

Swedish Judebrod 

• 1 1/2 cup butter
• 6 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 egg for brushing
• sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Mix butter, flour, 2 eggs, 2 cups sugar, baking soda, and cardamom with hands. Roll out very thin. Cut into various shapes with cookie cutter. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until light and delicate. Cook on wire rack. Enjoy!

Mexican Mocha Balls

December is prime time for making cookies. Mom's recipe box has an extensive cookie collection, so there are many options. This recipe caught my eye because it has many flavors that I love--coffee, chocolate, and cherries. These cookies did not disappoint; they are delicious.

When I made this recipe, I made some without nuts and some with almonds. Both versions were good. In fact, MDS (who usually prefers no nuts in cookies) liked both versions equally. When I made these cookies, I thought I might freeze some to include in the Christmas cookie gift bags, but I think they might all get eaten before then. When the cookies are still warm from the oven, they are quite delicate and need to be handled with care. Once cooled, they are sturdier and have a slight crunch.

Mexican Mocha Balls 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp. instant coffee powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
• fine granulated sugar for dusting

In a bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Thoroughly stir together flour, cocoa, coffee, and salt. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and cherries. Chill dough for one hour. Shape into one-inch balls. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Cool. While warm but not hot, dust with granulated sugar. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie

Every now and then, instead of making regular cookies, Mom would make a pan cookie. Pan cookies require less oven time, so they are great when you don't have too much time or have too much stuff in the oven already. Many cookie doughs could be used for pan cookies. This recipe is a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe that is just delicious.

Recently, I made these cookies for a Saturday night at Mom's house. In addition to the cookie, I made some vanilla buttercream frosting that could be spread on top of the individual cookie bars. The combination was delicious.

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie 

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• optional: 1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour, soda, and salt; mix well. Add chips and nuts. Spread into a greased 15x10x1 pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

French Apple Slices

Every fall, I enjoy apple-based desserts. Apple pie is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but these French Apple Slices could be an excellent substitute. This recipe from Mom's recipe box is similar to the Chicago-area bakery specialty that could be filled with any fruit including apple. This dessert can travel well, possibly better than apple pie. So if you need a dessert to take to a pot luck, this one is worth trying.

When I made this recipe, I ended up using a 9x9 pan, instead of the 13x9 pan, so I adjusted the amounts a bit. The dough puffed up a bit more than I expected and the slices were thicker overall, but the result was delicious. I especially liked the cinnamon seasoning in this recipe.

French Apple Slices 

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, divided
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 6 apples, peeled, cored, sliced
• cinnamon
• confectioner sugar

Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter. Beat eggs with lemon juice and vanilla. Stir into flour mix, blending well. Divide dough in half. Roll one half on floured board to fit bottom of 13x9 pan. Arrange apple slices on dough; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon to  taste. Dot with remaining butter. Roll out remaining dough and fit over apples; seal edges against pan and prick top to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350; bake for 45 minutes. Dust with confectioner sugar. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Squares

This dessert is easy to make, but a little messy to eat. When I made this recipe, they came out a bit gooey and did not hold their shape well. Nevertheless, these Brown Sugar Squares are quite delicious and worth trying. 

The recipe calls for using an eight-inch square pan. I did not have that size pan handy, so I used a slightly smaller pan, resulting in taller bars. The change in pan might have caused the gooey outcome. While baking, it seemed as if the batter remained liquid, but right at the end of the time, the batter seemed to solidify a bit more and a toothpick inserted in the middle came out clean. It is possible that I should have left the pan in the oven for a few more minutes to have a less gooey outcome, so I guess I will have to try this recipe again to find out.

Brown Sugar Squares 

• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Grease an eight-inch square pan. Stir together the egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Quickly stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Add walnuts. Spread in pan and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Cool in the pan. Enjoy!

Texas Chili

When the temperatures start to drop and you are looking for comfort food, give this chili recipe a try. There are many variations of chili, and this recipe is just one version. But it is a classic version that makes a large pot to feed a crowd or give you leftovers for days. Chili is a flexible dish that can be a side or a main. It goes well with pasta, bread, on hot dogs, or even on its own.

Chili is easy to make. This recipe comes together fast and sits on the stovetop on simmer for awhile. By using canned beans, this recipe is even quicker. But, if you want, you could use dried beans with a little more effort. This time, I made beer bread to go with the chili. It was a delicious combination.

Texas Chili 

• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 (15 1/2 oz.) cans small red beans, undrained
• 2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
• 1-2 Tbsp. chili powder

In a large skillet or pot, brown beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic. Drain fat. Stir in rest of ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Recently we had family over for Saturday dinner. We enjoyed some family classics, including this blog's namesake, Spaghetti and Gravy. For dessert, I looked for a recipe that might be one that does not travel easily. I found this pie recipe, and it was perfect. The apple with nutmeg and cinnamon was perfect for Fall. And the sour cream lent the pie a tangy and creamy flavor. 

This pie is a great make-ahead pie because it is best served cold. When I made this pie, the pie pan was filled and some pie filling spilled out causing smoke and setting off the smoke detectors. Next time, I will bake the pie with a pan underneath to catch any drippings.

Sour Cream Apple Pie 

• 9-inch pie crust
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 cups diced apples
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Have pie crust prepared and placed in pie pan. Sift together 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and 3/4 cup sugar into a bowl. Add egg, sour cream, vanilla, and nutmeg. Beat to a smooth and thin batter. Blend in apples and pour into crust. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then at 350 for 30 minutes. Prepare topping by blending 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, cinnamon, and butter. Remove pie from oven. Sprinkle pie with topping. Brown for 10 minutes in 400 degree oven. Allow to thoroughly cool, then refrigerate. Enjoy!

Strawberry Squares

These Strawberry Squares are a delicious treat. I found that I inadvertently bought an extra box of strawberry jello. When I saw this recipe in Mom's recipe box, I knew that I had give it a try. The squares are a nice treat, but they smelled more of strawberry than they tasted. 

These squares are sort of a strawberry version of toffee bars. When just out of the oven, the squares are soft. But you need to cut them quickly because that harden into a nice crunchy cookie. Although the recipe calls for almond extract, I realized too late that I was out of almond extract, so I just used vanilla. 

Strawberry Squares 

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 package (3 oz.) strawberry gelatin
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups flour
• 1 egg white
• Red sugar crystals

Beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and gelatin gradually. Add egg yolk, extract; beat well. Stir in baking powder and enough flour to make a soft dough. Spread and pat down on a buttered 15x10 pan. Beat egg white with fork until foamy. Brush over dough. Sprinkle top with sugar crystals. Bake at 300 for one hour or until firm on top. Remove from over. Cut into squares while still warm and in the pan. Cool. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin

This sweet and sour pork tastes just like the dish you might order from your local Chinese restaurant. Mom loves Chinese food, so it is not surprising to see recipe cards for various favorites from Chinese restaurants. Growing up, sweet and sour pork or chicken was a regular part of our family's order. 

This recipe is easy to make and delicious to eat. While this dish might be more sweet than sour, it is delicious. The recipe calls for using pork tenderloin, but I used boneless pork chops. You could also use another meat or a non-meat substitute. I served this dish with rice, but it would also be good with noodles or bread.

Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin 

• 1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1.5 pounds)
• 2 Tbsp. butter or oil
• 2 green peppers, sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained

In a heavy saucepan, combine tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Blend vinegar and corn starch; stir into tomato mixture with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Brown pork in butter or oil in heavy skillet. Add green pepper, onion, and pineapple; brown lightly. Pour sauce over all. Cover and simmer about 35 minutes, or until meat is done. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Not long ago, I posted a sugar cookie recipe. Upon further search in Mom's recipe box, I learned that those previous cookies were not Mom's favorite sugar cookie recipe. When I found the recipe card shown below, I knew I found Mom's favorite sugar cookies. The recipe card was so frequently used that it is nearly impossible to read. Luckily the ingredients and their quantities had been retraced, so I knew what to use. It looks to me as if the original writing is my Grandma's handwriting, with the retracing done by Mom. As for the instructions, I remembered the basic instructions from the many times I made the cookies with Mom. These sugar cookies are classic cookies with a nice crisp taste. They are delicious dunked in coffee.

Sugar Cookies 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup powder sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 pinch salt

In a large mixing bowl, blend butter, oil, sugar, powder sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Blend in baking soda, flour, cream of tartar, and salt. Blend dough well. Roll tablespoon ball of dough in sugar and place on baking pan. Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Chocolate Creme Pudding

I have never made homemade pudding. Instead, I have relied on boxed instant puddings. When I found this recipe, I decided to give it a try. This pudding was delicious, but did not thicken up as much as I expected. I guess I will have to keep trying to make pudding to get it right. Even though my batch was not all that thick, it was delicious. With trial and error (and a lot of taste-testing), I am sure I will be come an expert at making pudding.

Chocolate Creme Pudding 

• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1//4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Heat 1 3/4 cup milk in saucepan until bubbles around the edge. Combine cornstarch, salt, and cocoa in a mixing bowl; stir in remaining 1/4 cup milk and blend. Stir into hot milk. Add sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mix thickens. Beat egg until thoroughly mixed. Slowly stir some of the hot mix into the egg; stir back into hot mix. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove pudding from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool, stirring occasionally. Pour into dessert dishes; Refrigerate. Enjoy!

Hamburger Stew

This recipe makes a hearty and filling meal. To be honest, my stew was not very stew-like; it was a bit closer to a casserole. I think I could have added more tomato sauce, but I like that it was quite thick. 

Hamburger stew uses a lot of ingredients that you might have everyday in your kitchen. The key ingredients are ground beef, canned tomatoes, onions, carrots and olives. I do not always have fresh celery around, but I usually have cut up frozen celery that would work well in this recipe. The recipe calls for using whole olives, but I used sliced olives instead. I used just one cup of rice and found that it was enough.

Hamburger Stew 

• 2 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup pitted whole ripe olives
• 1/2 cup olive liquid
• 1 1/2 cup pasta or rice

In a Dutch oven, brown ground beef and onion. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for about one hour on low. Stir occasionally. Enjoy!

Thousand Island Dressing

Homemade salad dressing is easy to make and delicious, so I mostly make my own dressings. I found this recipe for Thousand Island Dressing in Mom's recipe box and decided to give it a try. I always enjoy Thousand Island Dressing, and this recipe is no exception. 

I was surprised to see that the recipe included chopped hard boiled egg. But a google search revealed that many older Thousand Island Dressing recipes include chopped boiled eggs to thicken the dressing. When I made this recipe, I used Heinz 57 sauce instead of chili sauce. You could also just used catsup instead of chili sauce.

Thousand Island Dressing 

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. chili sauce
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
• 1 hard cooked egg, chopped

Combine ingredients. Chill. Makes 1 2/3 cups. Enjoy on your favorite salad.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Late summer, backyard tomato plants start producing lots of tomatoes. Although I do not currently have any tomato plants, I am the beneficiary of Mom's tomato plants and a neighbor's tomato plants. Often the tomatoes come in a slow enough flow to be used up in salads, but if you find yourself with many tomatoes on hand, give this soup a try. After having fresh tomato soup, you will never be satisfied with the canned version.

Mom's recipe calls for seeding and peeling the tomatoes. But there is no real reason to do so here. The onion will already add some texture to the soup, so including chunks from seeds and peel will just give the text even more texture. This recipe made two good-sized servings of soup.

Fresh Tomato Soup 

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 6 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 Tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 bay leaf

In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and cook onion until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in water. If desired, seed and peel tomatoes before dicing. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients over high heat; heat mixture to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more water for desired thickness. Remove bay leaf. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Strawberries are a classic summertime fruit, and nothing beats a no-bake pie when the weather is warm. I found this recipe and knew I had to try it. This pie is delicious. It would be great for a summer get-together or just to enjoy all by yourself.

When I made this recipe, rather than using a classic pie crust, I substituted with a graham cracker pie crust. The graham cracker crust is so easy to make and adds great flavor to the pie. The strawberries that I used were so large so I just them into quarters. The pie needs to be refrigerator, so it is a great make-ahead dessert. Mom's recipe calls for using food coloring, but I left it out as not necessary.

Fresh Strawberry Pie 

• 1 package (3 oz.) strawberry jello
• 1 2/3 cup boiling water
• 2 cups thawed cool whip
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 pie crust
• 1 1/2 cup strawberry halves

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Chill until slightly thickened. Measure 1/2 cup and blend into cool whip with sugar. If necessary, chill cool whip mixture until firm enough to mound. Spread over bottom and ups side of the pie crust. Stir strawberries into the remaining thickened gelatin and gently spoon over top of cool whip mixture. Chill at least three hours. Enjoy!