Candy Cane Cookies

I remember helping Mom make these cookies when I was a kid. Because there is some extra work involved in the assembly of these cookies, it is helpful to make them when there are kids around to help. Once the dough is mixed, kids can be put to work rolling then twisting the dough into the candy cane shapes. The process of making the cookies is just like making snakes out of play-dough. Next time I make these cookies, I might have to invite all the nieces and nephews over to do the serious work of shaping these cookies.

When I brought these cookies to Mom's on a Saturday night, Jenny mentioned that she made these cookies with almond extract, rather than mint extract. Of course, that would be a delicious modification. Whatever flavoring that you use, it should be a subtle, not overwhelming flavor. These cookies add a festive look to any Christmas cookie plate.

Candy Cane Cookies 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Red food coloring

Blend together sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir red food coloring into one half of the dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 375. For each candy cane, shape one teaspoon of dough from each half into a three to four inch rope by rolling the dough back and forth on a floured surface. Twist together one red rope and one white rope. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet in the shape of a candy cane. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes, while a common side dish for many meals, are mandatory for a complete Thanksgiving meal. Mom always made real mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. Because mashed potatoes are so easy to make, there is no excuse for using boxed potato flakes.

Homemade mashed potatoes should be slightly lumpy, so don't worry about any lumps that might remain after mashing. Also, this recipe is very simple: potatoes, butter, and milk. It is easy to multiply to feed more or reduce down to a single serving. Decreasing the milk will result in stiffer mashed potatoes. Mom always peeled the potatoes, but sometimes a bit of peel adds a nice touch, so consider skipping the peel step or partially peel the potatoes. There are recipes that include fancier ingredients, such as, heavy cream, chicken stock, sour cream, or cream cheese. Those recipes are just fine, but Mom usually kept it simple.

Mashed Potatoes

• 4 medium potatoes
• 2-3 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the potato cubes in pot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water from the potatoes and place the potatoes into a bowl.

Using a potato masher or a fork, begin to mash the potatoes. Then add the butter and continue to mash, until the potatoes are mostly mashed. Then add in milk and mix well. Use enough milk to obtain the desired consistency. Mix in salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Fried Rice

Mom loves Chinese food. When we were kids, ordering takeout from The Golden Wok was always a special treat. And, occasionally, Mom would make her own version of Chinese food.

Fried rice is an easy recipe that can be great for using up leftovers. You can throw any type of vegetable or meat into this dish. When I made this recipe, I used chicken leftover from a grocery store rotisserie chicken. Mom's recipe is a fairly basic recipe. With Thanksgiving coming up, turkey fried rice might be in my future. Mom's recipe just calls for bean sprouts, but other vegetables could be added in. In other words, this is a very flexible recipe.

Fried Rice

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 pound leftover beef, pork, chicken, ham, shrimp, or lobster 
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained
• 1/4 cup soy sauce

Scramble the eggs and cook in a hot, greased skillet. Add in meat, rice, and vegetables. Cook about 5 minutes or until heated through. Add soy sauce to taste. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Caramel Cookie Bars

When I posted on Grandma Holmes's chocolate pie, MDS's sister Stephanie and cousin Chrissy immediately asked for information about Grandma Holmes's chocolate caramel bars. Luckily, Patti had the recipe, so now we can all enjoy these amazing bars. Now I understand why they inspire such devotion. If these bars were part of a Christmas cookie plate delivered to me, I would eat them first, especially to make sure that I got some before others dove in.

The recipe that Patti sent me calls for the use of a 9" x 13" pan. But I found that the recipe worked better with a 9" x 9" pan. For the caramels, I used a 9 ounce bag. It did take some time for the caramels to melt, but once they do melt, watch the caramels closely and stir frequently to avoid burning the caramel mixture.

Grandma Holmes's Caramel Cookie Bars 

• 32 light caramels 
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk 

Melt together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often. This will take 15 - 20 minutes. While caramels melt, make the crust:

• 1 cup flour 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• Dash of salt 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda 
• 3/4 cup rolled oats 
• 3/4 cup butter 
• 6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until coarse and crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of oatmeal mixture for topping. Press the rest into a greased 9" x 9" pan. Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle on 6 oz. chocolate chips. Spread on the caramel mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining oatmeal mixture. Put pan back in oven for 20 minutes. Refrigerate 2 hours before cutting into bars. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Lemon Squares

Lemon squares are a special treat, but so easy to make. And, although I have already made my Mom's version, here is Grandma Holmes's version. MDS has fond memories of his Grandma making and including these in her Christmas cookie plates. He especially likes how sweet these lemon squares are. From what I hear about Grandma Holmes, I am not surprised that these squares are especially sweet.

These Lemon Squares are particularly delicious and could be enjoyed any time of the year. It seems that these are commonly included on Christmas cookie plates as my Mom and Grandma Holmes included them on their plates, but don't save the Lemon Squares just for Christmastime; enjoy them anytime of year.

Lemon Squares

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together 2 cups flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, beat together the eggs, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Beat in 1/4 cup flour and baking powder. Pour mixture over crust. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Loosen the edges with a knife. Allow to cool before cutting. Enjoy!

Hamburger Casserole

This casserole recipe is very easy and makes a good-sized meal for a large family or lots of leftovers for a small family. In my case as a kid, Mom would make hamburger casserole to feed all seven of us. Now that it's just me and MDS, such a big meal would mean several days of leftovers.

While I like leftovers, after a few days, the same dinner over and over can lose its appeal. Luckily, our good friend Kal happened to stop by for dinner and happily enjoyed some of the leftovers with us. I recommend reheating this casserole in the oven, and, for that matter, it can easily be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Many casseroles, like this one, are comfort foods. This one is fairly straightforward in terms of ingredients used and directions. In my opinion, the bread crumb topping is essential to give the casserole a contrasting crunchy topping. The next time that I make this casserole, I might even consider adding parsley to the topping.

Hamburger Casserole 

• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup medium egg noodles, cooked
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Lightly brown the ground beef. Add in the onions and cook until tender, but not brown. Add in the soups, sour cream, and pepper. Mix well. Stir in the egg noodles. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together the butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot. Enjoy!

Pepperoni Rolls

Six years ago, in October 2007, MDS and I traveled to West Virginia to meet the PFT family. While in Clarksburg and Morgantown, we were treated to good company and excellent food. We had an amazing dinner at Julio's in Clarksburg. Then, we spent a beautiful Saturday in Morgantown watching the Mountaineers beat Mississippi State.

Tailgating at West Virginia University is unique. Having spent my undergraduate years at Illinois during a bleak time for its football program, I was not prepared for the WVU experience. In Morgantown, tailgating is a full day and night experience and may or may not include burning couches. And, most surprising to me, tailgating is even done during halftime. Yes, many fans leave the stadium during halftime to head to their tailgating location before returning inside for the second half. I am not sure that I had ever been to a sporting event with in and out privileges.

It was during this day of tailgating that I was introduced the the West Virginia delicacy: the pepperoni roll. The classic West Virginia version of sticks of pepperoni surrounded by soft bread could not be simpler. Just wrap a few sticks of pepperoni in bread dough and bake. But, in this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. While baking, the fat from the pepperoni seeps into the bread; thus, turning bread and pepperoni into a pepperoni roll. The classic recipe calls for soft white bread to be formed into about a five-inch roll around the sticks of pepperoni. But, there are variations. For example, other types of bread could be used. I have made pepperoni rolls with semolina dough. If you are in a hurry, you could use refrigerated pizza dough or cans of crescent roll dough. At Freddy's in Cicero, Illinois, they make a pepperoni roll using a crusty bread. As for pepperoni, pre-sliced pepperoni also works well. Some folks add cheese. The size of the roll could be smaller, or larger, if you want. The origin of the pepperoni roll, much like the pasty, is in the need for coal miners to have an easy to eat lunch. Because the pepperoni roll is such an easy to take along and eat meal, it makes a for a great tailgate food.

Pepperoni Rolls

• Dough
• 8 ounces pepperoni

Prepare bread dough according to recipe until the point of forming the dough into the final shape. Divide the dough into small fist-shaped balls. Mom's bread recipe will yield about 8-10 rolls. Roll out the dough into a five inch circle until about a quarter to a half inch thick. Place pepperoni into the center and roll the dough around the pepperoni. Place the rolls, seam side down, onto a greased baking sheet. Allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the rolls for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bread is done. Enjoy!