Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, soften
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla mix until all incorporated.  Add  flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder mix minimally with mixer.  Stir in chocolate chips with a spoon.  Drop on cookie sheet.  Bake ~ 10 mins-- Do Not over bake! Take out when still look slightly undone.....there is nothing worse then a hard chocolate chip cookie!!

Whole Wheat Bread

5 cups hot water
7 cups whole wheat flour
1 c gluten flour
2 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp dough enhancer
Mix for 2 minutes in a bosch; then add
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup oil
2/3 honey
Mix for about 30 seconds then add 5-7 cups whole wheat flour (until side of bowl starts becoming clean)
Knead for 10 minutes
Then divide into 4-5 loaves (I get 5 loaves each 1 1/2 pds)
Let rise 30-45 minutes
Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven

Pumpkin Spice Lollicakes

PUMPKIN SPICE LOLLICAKES

(eyeball design optional)

 1 Spice cake mix
1 C pumpkin puree (canned)
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1/4 c water
1/4 t of clove
1/4 t of nutmeg

1/4 t cinnamon

Mix this all together and bake in a 9 x 13 cake pan at 350 for 35 mins. or until completely done.
Meanwhile make some cream cheese frosting ( I just used the Better Homes and Garden's which is...)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

6 oz cream cheese

1/2 C butter (softened)

2 t vanilla

4 1/2 C powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Add powdered sugar gradually.

When the cake is done, and cooled just a bit, but still warm, crumble it into a bowl and add about a cup to cup and a half of frosting and mix with electric mixer or kitchen aid. You want it doughy, not crumbly. Once it is cool enough to work with, shape into whatever size ball you prefer. Put in the fridge or freezer to chill them well.

Melt white dipping chocolate (like the disks or white chocolate chips) in a pyrex or glass bowl in the microwave, and dip the cold cake balls in the chocolate. Place on parchment paper.

For a cute factor, when all the balls are covered in white chocolate, dye the leftover chocolate a light orange.  Put it in a zip lock bag and snip a tiny hole in the corner.  Drizzle orange chocolate across each ball several times creating fun lines.  You can then insert a lollipop stick in the bottom!

Lemon Drop Cookies

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon extract

4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Finely chopped zest of one lemon

1 (6-oz) package lemon drops

2 c. powdered sugar

juice of two lemons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and eggs; add flavorings. Stir in dry ingredients, lemon zest, and crushed lemon drops (I crush them in my blender). Roll into balls, flatten slightly, and bake on parchment lined (if you don't use parchment, cookies will stick to pan) baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on pan for a couple of minutes. Make a glaze by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice. Brush glaze over cookie tops. Let cookies cool completely.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

Fat Man's Ice Cream and Lemon Ice Cream--Shannon Strong

Fat man's
1 quart cream
1 quart half and half
1 small can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup hershey's chocolate syrup
one bag milky way mini bars
milk - enough to fill the ice cream can to the "fill line".

In a saucepan melt the candy bars with the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup. When slightly cooled add it to the cream and half and half in your ice-cream maker and fill to the fill line with milk. Freeze according to manufactures directions. Enjoy!!

Lemon Ice-cream
1 quart cream
1 quart half and half
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
approximately 4 cups of sugar. Depends on how sweet/tart you like it
1 teaspoon (or lid full) of lemon extract

Pour creams into ice-cream canister and add remaining ingredients stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add milk to fill line and freeze.

Notes:
I usually use just about a cup of lemon juice and probably a little less than 4 cups of sugar.

I will often serve the lemon ice-cream with fresh berries on top and the chocolate with some chocolate shavings on top. Looks pretty!!

I always just use skim milk (what we have on hand) to fill to the full line.

Last time I made it I accidently bought fat free half and half and found it really did not make a big difference. Just a little less creamy. Saves a few calories I guess. But then it is called "fat man's"

Which brings me to my next tip. We made it with snickers bars on the 4th of July so you can really use any candy bar you think sounds good.

I like to freeze the ice-cream several hours before we eat it so it can set up in the freezer before we eat it.

Both of these recipes are for four quart ice-cream makers.

Shannon Strong

Orange Knot Rolls

Orange Knots

The sweet citrus glaze and classic knot shape have made Orange Knots a top Rhodes recipe that is requested again and again.

Skill: Beginning

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 15-20 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

1 medium orange rind, grated

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

Citrus Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix grated orange rind with sugar. Roll each roll into a 9-inch rope. Tie in a loose knot. Roll each knot in melted butter and then in rind/sugar mixture. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let double in size. Remove wrap. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. Brush with citrus glaze while still warm. (If you don't want to make a knot just use the roll without shaping it.)

Found at www.rhodesbread.com

Friday Night Pizza

Friday nights are always pizza night at the Baers. Here is our favorite pizza dough recipe.

Homemade Pizza Dough
1 Pkg yeast
1 C. warm water
let rest
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 C. flour
mix and let rise in greased bowl for 1 hour.
makes 2 thin crust or 1 really thick crust.
put on your favorite sause, cheese, meats, veggies--whatever you fancy--or have in the fridge.
heat oven to 450. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Serve with A&W Rootbeer and a green salad with ranch dressing.
Then watch a movie!