Fortune Cookies

I made these to celebrate Chinese New Year at the Library story time tomorrow. The recipe is from Paula Deen.

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sifted flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons water

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add other ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread 1 tablespoon of batter into a 4" circle on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Only put three circles of batter on the pan at a time. Bake at 400° for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven. Working quickly take one cookie off the pan, put the fortune inside, fold the cookie in half and then in half again. Place in a muffin pan, repeat with the other two cookies and leave them there until they cool. These could be used as Valentines, April Fool's Day jokes, birthday parties or any other occasion. Some of the fortunes are listed below.

Don't ever be too full to eat dessert.

You will be a good friend.

Warm cookies and milk are good for you.

Take a nap with a blanket today.

Your parents love everything about you.

Hold hands when you go somewhere.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Sleep in your clothes so you will be dressed in the morning.

When you want something special, ask your grandma.

Wash your hands before you eat.

A great person was born on your birthday--YOU.

Always obey your parents.

This cookie is not as sweet as you.

Omelet in a Bag

We let our kids and grandkids make these and thus, everyone can make them the way they want.

Place 2 eggs, onions, cheese, ham, bacon, hash browns or anything else you desire, in a 1 quart ziplock bag. Seal the bag, making sure all the air is out. Squish the bag with your hands until it is mixed well and drop the bags into a large pot of boiling water. Let bags boil for 13-15 minutes until eggs are cooked. Open the bag and roll the omelet out onto a plate. Make sure names are written on each bag with a black Sharpie pen.

Cookie Dough Truffles

This recipe was adapted from Recipe Shoebox.

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

chocolate chips, almond bark or dipping chocolate

Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; mix well. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Roll into 1" balls (I used a size 100 ice cream scoop) and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. Dip in melted chocolate and drop on parchment paper. The dough softens quickly, so only work with half the balls at a time. I made 114 balls with the 100 scoop.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This recipe came from Lacey Berry. My son, Cory, made it for Thanksgiving.
4 8oz. packages of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
6 oz sweetened condensed milk
4 large eggs
1-2 cups pumpkin, depending on the taste and color you are looking for
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves, ginger, and nutmeg
any graham cracker crumbs or cookie crumbs mixed with butter for a crust and pressed into 8" spring form pan. We used vanilla wafers and chocolate sandwich cookies.

Cream cheese and sugar until very creamy and smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time and mix. Place half of the cheesecake batter in an 8" springform pan. Place a pan of water on the rack below while cooking. Bake for 90 minutes at 285°. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Mix the pumpkin and spices with the remaining cheesecake batter and pour over the top of the baked cheesecake and continue baking at 300° for 90 minutes or until done. Keep checking the water and refill as needed. Freezing the cheesecake when cooled will make it easier to cut. The water bath helps keep it from cracking.

Sun Oven Cooking

Last week I did a preparedness workshop and cooked food in my Sun Oven. I baked coconut bread, apple bread, banana bread and a pot roast dinner. Every thing turned out very moist and very delicious.

Coconut Bread

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

2 t. coconut extract

Cream together and add the following, alternating with 1 c. buttermilk:

3 c. flour

1/2 t. soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Add 1 c. angel flake coconut. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. The Sun Oven took 60-65 minutes.

Candied Popcorn

I made red, yellow, blue and green popcorn for the Library story time today. We were reading books about those four colors. This recipe is from my dear friend, Utahna Richins.

2 c. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1 T. white karo

2/3 c. milk

Cook to 230° or just under a soft ball stage. Add:

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. food coloring

Mix well and pour over 6 quarts of popped popcorn. Stir until well coated. Spread popcorn on waxed paper, separate and let dry.

Two and Two Brownies

2 cubes butter

2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 c. oatmeal

2 c. flour

2 c. butterscotch chips (optional)

Cream brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs and beat. Add oatmeal, flour and butterscotch chips. Press into a large, greased cookie sheet with sides. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes.

Icing:

2 c. sugar

1/4 c. karo

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

2 T. cocoa

1/4 t. salt

Boil together for 3 minutes. Add 1 t. vanilla and put pan in sink of cold water and beat icing until thick. Spread on brownies. When icing is set up, cut into bars 8 across and 8 down the side. Makes 64 bars.