Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe was given to me by one of my good friends, Tina. It is incredibly moist and delicious; the only cake I venture to make from scratch. Though I have written it exactly as the recipe was given to me I didn't make time to search out "OLEO" on the internet. I used Parkay Margarine and have seen pure butter used in other recipes.

Texas Sheet Cake
2 sticks oleo
1 c. water
4 T. cocoa
Melt in pan and remove from stove

2 c. flour
2 eggs
2 c. sugar
½ c. sour cream
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
Mix and pour into Jelly Roll pan

375 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Frosting

1 stick oleo melt
4-6 T milk
4 T cocoa
1 box powdered sugar

Pour on cake

Stained Glass Cookies/Classic Sugar Cookies

1 1/4 c. Granulated Sugar
1 c. Butter Flavored Vegetable Shortening
2 Eggs
1/4 c. Light Corn Syrup or Regular Pancake Syrup
1 T. Vanilla
3 1/4 All Purpose Flour
3/4 t. Baking Powder
1/2 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt

In large bowl, combine sugar and shortening. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, syrup and vanilla (I use pancake syrup and love the flavor of the cookie). Beat again, until well blended and fluffy.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to shortening mixture at low speed. Mix until well blended.

Divide dough into quarters. Wrap each quarter with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

When rolling dough I like to sprinkle sugar on the counter instead of flour (just a personal preference). Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Bake at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Royal Icing
I use Martha Stewart's recipe which can be found here.

Toffee Almond Bars

Crust:
1 box of Pillsbury yellow cake mix
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg

Filling
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk (I tend to put only 90% of the can in the mix - these bars are very rich)
1 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg
8 oz. toffee bits
1 c. sliced, slivered or chopped almonds

Mix the yellow cake mix, butter and egg together and press into the bottom of a well buttered 9 x 13 inch pan (I like to line mine with parchment paper instead). Bake at 350 F for 7 minutes (the crust will not look done).

Next, mix the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, 1 egg, toffee bits and the almonds. Pour over the warm crust and bake at 350 F for 24 to 30 minutes until the top looks slightly golden brown. Cool before cutting.

I found this recipe on the Alpine Berry blog while searching for a bar cookie that had a yellow cake crust. Her blog can be found here.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 Bag of Hershey's Kisses
1/2 c. Shortening
1/2 c. Peanut Butter
1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1 Egg
2 T. Milk
1 t. Vanilla
1 3/4 c. Flour
1 t. Baking Soda
Extra sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. In another bowl stir together flour and baking soda; gradually beat into wet ingredients. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Once removed from oven immediately press a kiss into center of each cookie. Cool completely. Makes 36 to 48 cookies.

Chewy Cherry-Almond Bars

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 egg
1 t. almond extract
2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. regular rolled oats
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1 12 oz. jar cherry preserves (Solo Brand does nicely)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with foil or parchment paper, extending foil over edges. Grease foil; set pan aside.
2. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high spead for 30seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour, the oats, and almonds.
3. Remove 1/2 cup of the dough and set aside. Press the remaining dough evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread with preserves. Crumble the reserved dough evenly over preserves layer.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using edges of foil, lift cookies out of pan. Cut into bars. Makes 24bars.

Spritz Cookies

1 c. butter (or margarine)
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla or 1/2 t. almond extract
2 1/3 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Cream butter and sugar; blend in egg and flavoring. Combine dry ingredients; stir in creamed mixture. Mix well. Do not chill the dough. Pack half at a time in cookie press. Press into desired shapes. If desired sprinkle with colored sugar or trim with pieces of candied cherries. Bake at 400 for 7-8 minutes. Cool. Makes about 4 dozen.