Swedish Spritz

This recipe is passed down from Grandma Frankman, and is a traditional Christmas treat made in the Frankman household.

Directions:

• 1 cup butter (at room temperature) creamed with
• 3/4 cup sugar

then add:

• 3 egg yoks
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and then add:

• 1/4 tsp salt sifted together with
• 13.5 oz (~ 2 1/2 cups sifted) flour

Put dough in cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheets (we prefer to use a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet). Make cookies in shapes of candy canes, wreaths and christmas trees. Decorate with red and green sprinkles and red hots. Bake in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until tips are just turning golden brown.

Congo Bars

A Tippets family tradition that we have adopted because they are SO DELICIOUS!


Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 lb. light brown sugar (~2 cups)
  
• 2 and 3/4 c. flour
• 2 and 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. choc chips
• 1 t. vanilla
  

Directions:

Melt butter and add sugar, mix well. Add eggs one at a time while mixing. Stir in dry ingredients. Stir in vanilla and choc. chips. Spread in 9x 13 pan and Bake at 350 for ~25 minutes or until golden brown.

Dual Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This is a recipe that I made for Dave to try and entice him into dating me. It worked ... it just took a little longer and A LOT more batches than I anticipated ...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal (ground)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 cups flour
• white chocolate chips
• milk chocolate chips
  

Directions:

Mix together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix again. Grind up 2 1/2 cups oatmeal until fine in the blender and then add. While mixing, add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 1-2 cups flour. Add chocolate chips to desired chocolate-y-ness. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Swedish Pancakes

This recipe comes from Grandma Frankman, who got it from her mother, a native to Sweden. I first started making these when I was 7 years old. Along the way I have learned a few things. I find that I like thin ones better (better sugar to pancake ratio). Increasing the amount of milk makes the batter and thus the pancakes thinner. The nutmeg is a new discovery that I added to the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 c Milk + extra for correct consistency
  
• 3 c Flour
• 6 Eggs
• 1 t Vanilla Extract
• 1 T Sugar
• 1/8 t Salt
• 1 t Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and blend them together. I use my kitchen aid. Don't mix the batter too quickly or too long or the batter will become too frothy. It is better to have a few small lumps than to have frothy (and gluten filled) pancakes.

I take a cube of frozen butter from the freezer and rub it on a non-stick frying pan over medium to medium high heat (after removing most of the wrapper on the butter). Then I pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan while I rotate the pan to make the pancake as thin as possible. When the pancake is nearly dry on the top, I use a spatula to flip it and I butter the cooked side.

They can be served with a little (or a lot) sugar. My favorite is either brown sugar or powdered sugar with lemon juice. Others insist on whipped cream and strawberries.

Who Needs Krispy Kremes?

We love this recipe for doughnuts. Although be warned, don't be stingy and try to save them for later, once they're cooked they must be eaten, because they are no good the next day. We traditionally make these every year (two years running) for Halloween. So, if you're in the neighborhood on October 31st be sure to drop in. And, fresh doughnuts are so good that we can be convinced to make them on other occasions as well. :-)



Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups milk
  
• 2 1/2 ounces vegetable shortening, approximately 1/3 cup
• 2 packages instant yeast
• 1/3 cup warm water (95 to 105 degrees F)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 23 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
• Peanut or vegetable oil for frying (1 to 1/2 gallons, depending on fryer

Directions:

Place the milk in the microwave and heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter or pastry ring and using a 7/8-inch ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oil in a Dutch oven to 365 degrees F. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Glaze and Enjoy!

Glaze:

• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Combine milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until warm. Sift confectioners' sugar into milk mixture. Whisk slowly, until well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat and set over a bowl of warm water. Dip doughnuts into the glaze and enjoy!

Chocolate Glaze:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

Grandma White's Pretzel Jello Salad

A favorite summer treat (and perfect for a BBQ) is Grandma White's pretzel jello salad. These pictures do not do it justice and next time I make it I should take better pictures, because this is a must have. It's rich and delicious, but still feels light. The crunchy salty sweet pretzel crust and the tangy raspberries, separated by a gooey layer of cream cheese whipped with cool whip = a perfection of opposites. And I don't even like cool whip, but on this, it's perfect.


Crust:

• 2 c. crushed pretzel sticks
• 3/4 c. melted butter
• 3 tbsp. sugar

Mix ingredients and press in bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees (metal pan) or 325 degrees (glass pan) 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 c. sugar
• 8 oz. Cool Whip

Beat 1 cup sugar and cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled pretzel crust. Make sure that cream cheese mixture is completely covering the pretzel crust and touches the sides of the pan, to prevent jello from going underneath filling mixture and making the crust soggy.

Jello:

• 1 (6 oz.) pkg. Raspberry Jello
• 2 c. boiling water
• 10 oz pkg. frozen raspberries

Mix Jello and water until dissolved. Add raspberries. Stir into Jello, then set aside for 20 minutes, or until it starts to thicken slightly. Pour over cheese mixture. Chill. Once Jello has solidified, spread Cool Whip over the top.

Tapioca Pudding

This recipe is amazing, and is no comparison to instant tapioca pudding. In fact, we rarely wait for it to chill before it's devoured. Dave used to make this for me when we were dating ... perhaps that was why I fell in love with him ...


Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 ounces small pearl tapioca
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1 lemon, zested
• Pinch salt

Directions:

Place tapioca in a medium mixing bowl along with the water, cover, and let stand overnight.

Drain water from tapioca. Place the tapioca into a slow cooker along with the milk, heavy cream, and salt. Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and sugar. Temper small amounts of the tapioca into the egg mixture until you have added at least 1 cup. Then add this back into the remaining tapioca in the slow cooker. Add the lemon zest and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring at least once. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

Great-Great-Grandma's Secret Fudge Recipe

When Allyson and I first started to date, my future mother-in-law made some fudge for me to take home. Not realizing that this fudge was the best, I reserved it for a time when I did not have so many Christmas goodies around. When I did eat the fudge, I was completely amazed.

But alas, doubts ensued and we broke up. Teeth were clenched, fists shaken and a blood oath was taken: "You shall never know the secret fudge recipe". Fortunately, hearts were softened and I was forgiven. I did at length (after the temple sealing was official) receive the recipe with a charge only to give it to our closest friends and family. Actually, I am not sure if I can share this recipe or not. Perhaps all you have to do to get the recipe is avoid breaking up with Allyson. Either way, normally I will share the recipes we make, but I still want to enjoy my future Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays...

The recipe starts on the cook top, a mixture of bakers chocolate, sugar and milk. One must be very careful during this step. Once the pot boils, the spoon shall not touch the sides again. When the fudge reaches the correct consistency in a cold water bath, it is poured out on a slab of cold marble to cool with pats of butter.

When the fudge is cooled slightly, vanilla is dribbled on top.

Once it is sufficiently cooled, the paddling begins. I had to make my own fudge paddles, as they can no longer be purchased in stores. I often think of Return of the Jedi when I think about it. After all, the Jedi's skill is only complete when he or she constructs his or her own light saber (or fudge paddles). Anyway, paddling for a while, and voila - Fudge that is hardening so fast that it is unlikely that you can get it into tinfoil before it is too late. We add a variety of mix-ins - the traditional pecan, and some of our own creation: toffee, marshmallow, candy cane, coconut, or whatever your heart desires.

The final delicious product:

Marshmallows

Sugar in a delightfully light, chewy and sticky form. These are great plain, in icecream (rocky road style) and make the BEST homemade s'mores (with a little Lindt chocolate, you can't go wrong).

Ingredients:

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Nonstick spray

Directions:

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com