Homemade Berry Syrup

 1 C Granulated Sugar

1/2 C Water

1/2 C Berries (fresh is best, frozen tends to be a bit tart)

Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the sugar dissolves

Add the berries and cook until the berries break down, about 5 to 6 minutes, turning the heat to low when it starts to boil. Break down the berries with a spatula as needed. Once the berries are fully broken down, strain the syrup into a jar using a fine mesh sieve or strainer: use a spatula to force it through until all the seeds and skins (if any) are strained out

Allow to cool. It will thicken as it cools, then place in the fridge. 

Homemade Buttermilk

 

1 C Milk shy 1 TBsp 

1 TBsp Vinegar

​Oddly enough I use this recipe all the time?! I start with my 1 TBsp of vinegar in the bottom of a liquid measuring cup, then I fill the milk to the 1 Cup line. Then I give it a good mix, wait 10-15 minutes and then use it in my recipes! 

Scalded Milk

 

Any amount of milk

Heat milk on stove until just before it boils... bubbles will form around the edges, and as soon as you see a bubble in the middle take it off the heat immediately. 

Kaleen's French Toast

 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg* (we don't put this in)

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons butter

4 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 slices Texas toast Bread

1/2 cup pancake syrup, warmed

In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar and set aside briefly.

In a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk together cinnamon mixture, eggs, milk, and vanilla and pour into a shallow container such as a pie plate. Dip bread in egg mixture. Fry slices until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side. Serve with syrup, whip cream, and fresh fruit! Yum! 

Ainsley's AMAZING Sugar Cookies

 INGREDIENTS

Cookies:

1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened

¾ cup neutral-flavored oil (A uses Canola)

1 ¼ cups (265 g) granulated sugar

¾ cup (86 g) powdered sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar or baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

5 ½ cups (781 g) all-purpose flour 

Granulated sugar for pressing the cookies

 

Frosting:

¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, softened

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups (684 g) powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons cream or milk

INSTRUCTIONS 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees F for convection bake) and line several half sheet pans with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer), add the butter, oil, granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Sprinkle the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt across the top of the sugars (don’t add the baking soda and cream of tartar in one lump or it might clump while mixing). Mix until well-combined and super creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix until well-combined, 1-2 minutes, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the flour and mix until no dry streaks remain and the mixture is evenly combined; don’t overmix.

Scoop the dough into about 3-tablespoon sized portions (I use a #20 cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Place several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Add about 1/2 cup granulated sugar to a shallow dish or bowl. Lightly spray the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass with cooking spray and dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar. Press each cookie into an even thickness dipping the bottom of the glass into the sugar between each press (no need to spray it again with cooking spray after the first time). The edges of the cookie will ruffle out a bit. It’s really up to you how thick or thin to press the cookies. I like them between 1/4- and 1/2-inch thick.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until just set. Try not to let them get golden on the edges or very much on the bottom – that means they’ve baked too long and they may be dry and crumbly instead of creamy and soft.

Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, in a medium bowl combine the butter, sour cream and vanilla. Mix until thick and smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cream (or milk) and mix until well-combined and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add additional cream, if needed, to adjust the consistency of the frosting so it is thick but still soft and spreadable.

Frost the cooled cookies. For the best taste put the cookies back in the fridge. 

Kashina’s Instructions- otherwise I do it wrong 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

DUMP IN:

1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened

¾ cup neutral-flavored oil (A uses Canola)

1 ¼ cups (265 g) granulated sugar

¾ cup (86 g) powdered sugar

SPRINKLE ON:

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar or baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

MIX FOR TWO MINUTES, then add:

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

MIX FOR TWO MINUTES, then add:

360g AP Flour*

Mix until flour is just incorporated. Roll into large 80g balls. Place several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Add about 1/2 cup granulated sugar to a shallow dish or bowl. Lightly spray the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass with cooking spray and dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar. Press each cookie into an even thickness dipping the bottom of the glass into the sugar between each press (no need to spray it again with cooking spray after the first time). The edges of the cookie will ruffle out a bit. 

Bake the cookies for 10:30 minutes until just set. Try not to let them get golden on the edges or very much on the bottom – that means they’ve baked too long and they may be dry and crumbly instead of creamy and soft.

Let the cookies cool for a few minutes (5) on the baking sheets before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Ainsley is a genius, she then places the cookies into the fridge so that they are easier to ice! Brilliant!

Icing instructions- the same as Ainsley’s

Notes:

* this is quite a bit less flour than the original recipe calls for, I don’t know why my flour is different, but if I add all the flour it asks for, the cookies are way over floured for my preferences 

Bertha Stone's Butter Horns

 2 C Milk (scalded)
1/2 C Sugar
3/4 C Butter or Margarine +more to pat into the dough
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4 tsp Yeast
1 TBsp Sugar
1/2 C Warm Water
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1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Nutmeg + more to sprinkle on the dough
2 Eggs, beaten
6 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp Salt
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Butter
Brown sugar (optional)
1. In a medium pot scald milk. Let cool, then add 1/2 Sugar, and 3/4 C butter.
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2. In a separate bowl add yeast to warm water and sugar, let proof. 
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3. In a bread mixing bowl, add yeast mixture to scalded milk mixture, then add 1 tsp Vanilla, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 2 beaten eggs, 6 1/2 C flour. This is a very sticky dough.
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4. Mix well for 10 minutes, let rest for 10 minutes, then mix again. Let rise to double in size. 
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5. Turn out on a well floured dish towel/counter. Pat/roll out to 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Pat in a little bit of butter. Sprinkle with nutmeg (and brown sugar if desired) and roll up like a cinnamon roll. 
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6. Cut into about 3/4 inch thick slices. Place on a greased cookie sheet (I use parchment paper)- let rise again 
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7. Bake at 350 for approx 20 minutes. Ice when cool. Sprinkle with walnuts if you wish. I lowered the heat for my oven, her directions called for 375
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Icing - Bertha didn't give her icing recipe, and I just use a cream cheese recipe that I use with my cinnamon rolls. These are good, but a little different than what I am used to. If you like nutmeg, these are bomb! Made approx 18 but I am not a chef, I don't cut exact.