Sunday, July 20, 2008

HOMEMADE ONION SOUP MIX

1/4 cup dried minced onion
5-6 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
1/2 tsp. onion powder
Dash of sugar

Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl or baggy. Use in any recipe that calls for 1 envelope onion soup mix.

Lemon Cream Coffee Cake

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon yogurt
1-1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg or mace
1 cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans or sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch
baking pan; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat
cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Beat in 1/4 cup sugar; fold in lemon yogurt and
lemon peel. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl stir
together 3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder,
salt and nutmeg or mace. Cut in the 1 cup butter
until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Combine eggs,
milk and almond extract. Add to flour mixture,
mixing until blended. Spread half of the batter
in the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture
over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter in
small mounds over the cream cheese mixture, spreading
out as much as possible. Combine the 1/2 cup sugar
and 1/2 cup flour; cut in the 1/4 cup butter until
mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans or
almonds. Sprinkle nut mixture over batter in pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake is golden
and toothpick inserted in dough mounds comes out
clean (do not test in filling). Cool on wire rack
at least 45 minutes before serving. Chill to store.

Makes 12 servings.

Strawberry Coffee Cake

Crumble Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick of margarine (stick form is necessary), cold from the fridge

To make crumble topping, sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Place the margarine in the center of the bowl and sprinkle a little of the sugar and flour mixture over it. Place all 10 fingers on the stick and start crumbling it by making cat-kneading gestures with your fingers so the margarine turns into little pea sized bits. If you need a visual, refer to this little fella. Keep crumbling until the stick is completely whittled down. Keep the bowl of crumbles in the fridge until you're ready for it.

Strawberry Coffee Cake

2 cups flour
1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup margarine, melted
3 cups strawberries, sliced

Sift the first four ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted margarine together in a bowl. Add the mix of wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients. Beat together with a handheld mixer until well incorporated. Pour into a pre-greased 13×9 pan. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the batter. Sprinkle the crumble toppings. Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes.

Crockpot Cream Cheese Potatoes

2 tablespoons dried onion -- minced or chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced or 1/4
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 medium potatoes -- scrubbed and sliced (about 2 pounds)
1 package cream cheese -- (8 ounces) cut in cubes

Lightly grease Crock-Pot. In a small bowl, combine onion,
garlic, salt, and pepper. Layer 1/4 of the sliced potatoes in
the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 of seasonings.
Layer with 1/3 of cream cheese cubes. Continue layering
process, ending with a layer of potatoes then sprinkle with
seasonings. Cover and cook on High 3 to 4 hours. In the
last hour of cooking stir the potatoes to distribute the cream
cheese. Serve when potatoes are tender.