Tag: sugar

Marcy’s Legendary Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I am asked to bake cookies, my mind automatically goes to Chocolate Chip Cookies. I would say that I love a chewy chocolate chip cookie the best. However, if you give me a thin, crispy chocolate chip cookie, I love those too!

These cookies are phenomenal! If you follow the recipe, you will get between eight and ten cookies. For a small-group ladies’ bible study, they were a great choice. They will be massive with the perfect amount of chocolate and chew. They are excellent with a glass of cold milk!

Print Pin

Marcy's Legendary Chocolate Chip Cookies

Course Cookies
Servings 8 jumbo cookies
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate (preferable Lindt)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Stack two baking sheets together and line top sheet with parchment paper. Arrange oven rack to upper third position.
  • In a mixer bowl, cream butter with both sugars until well blended.
  • Add vanilla, eggs, and egg yolk.
  • Fold in flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and chopped chocolate and blend well to make a thick batter. If batter seems soft and greasy, add 2 to 4 tablespoons more flour. Dough should be soft but not too greasy or slack. You can also chill it 10 minutes if you think it has enough flour or let it stand 20 minutes. Either approach will help cookie dough "set up".
  • Scoop or form balls of 7 to 8 ounces of dough (yes, weigh it!) and place on prepared baking sheets about 1 to 3 inches apart. If you don't have a scale, use 1 cup of dough per cookie; each will measure 3 inches in diameter once placed on baking sheet. You can only bake a few at a time.
  • Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until cookies are nicely browned on top and just set-up looking.
  • Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 15 to 20 minutes before removing.

 

Syrup Sweet Bread

I have heard stories of my daddy’s homemade doughnuts all of my life. He was a cook in the Army before he met my mom. After they married, he would make doughnuts at my grandmother’s house on the weekends for the entire family to enjoy. Apparently, he was tired of making doughnuts by the time I came along because the only doughnut memories I have are Krispy Kreme.

Syrup Sweet Bread is another legend in our family. My mother, aunts, and uncles rave about my grandmother making it. As the story goes, my grandmother would leave the fields in the afternoon and go to the house to make Syrup Sweet Bread. When it was done and still warm, she would take it back to everyone working in the fields. I can imagine that this was a wonderful treat and a welcome break.

I loved my grandmother’s cooking, but I never had the privilege of trying her Syrup Sweet Bread. I think there are a few versions of her recipe, but here’s mine. My version is slightly sweet, and I like to serve it for breakfast. My favorite ways to serve this are warm with a pat of butter and homemade apple butter or simply drizzled with a little syrup over the top for extra richness.

Like all recipes, I’m sure this recipe will not appeal to everyone. I think that maybe you have to acquire a taste for sorghum and cane syrup. My kids don’t care for it, and my friends that were not raised eating it don’t seem to like it. I think my first solid food may have been biscuits with syrup. Greg and I both consider it a treat, and we love this old recipe. I hope you do too.

Syrup Sweet Bread
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¾ c. syrup (sorghum or cane)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • ¾ c. buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set aside. (8 x 8 baking dish will work also.)
  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
  3. In another bowl combine the syrup, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  4. Pour into the prepared skillet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Heirloom Carrot Cake

Heirloom-Carrot-Cake

Okay, folks, I have heard, and I have listened. Some of you want a change from keto, low-carb and gluten-free recipes. I have been doing this recipe sharing thing for more years than I even planned when I started. During that time, I have found that change is essential. I love hearing from you, and though I know that every recipe will not appeal to every reader, whether I share keto or not, I want to share recipes that you want to try in your own kitchen. Since I have readers that are enjoying the new recipes I will try switching it up. Let’s see if alternating weeks from keto, low-carb, gluten-free to delicious mouth-watering southern recipes will work. As always, I welcome your comments so please let me hear from you!

With Easter coming up I thought I would share one of my Aunt’s Carolyn’s best recipes. When I was growing up this cake was always on the dessert table at my grandparent’s house. It was one of her specialties, and if you didn’t get a piece of cake quickly, then you might just miss out. Unlike most carrot cakes, this cake has no nutmeg, no pineapple, and it does not have cream cheese frosting. If you are a fan of German Chocolate Cake, then you know what I mean when I say it has that rich, caramelly pecan and coconut frosting that you know so well.

This cake gets better with time. Because of that, I suggest that you bake and assemble the cake 24 to 48 hours before serving.

Heirloom-Carrot-Cake
Print Pin

Heirloom Carrot Cake

Course Dessert
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
  • 2 c. granulated sugar
  • 4 lg. eggs room temperature, separated
  • 4 tbsp. hot water
  • 2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 c. grated carrots
  • 1 c. chopped pecans

Instructions

  •  Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
  • In a small bowl mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
  • With an electric mixture beat the oil and sugar. Add egg yolks, mixing well. Add hot water and mix.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in carrots and nuts.
  • In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into cake batter.
  • Divide batter among the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick.
  • Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
Heirloom-Carrot-Cake
Print Pin

Coconut Pecan Frosting

Course Dessert
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. shredded coconut
  • 1 c. chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, milk and egg yolks. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened. Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
  • Place one cooled cake layer on cake plate and top with ⅓ of the frosting. Top with 2nd layer and top with ⅓ of the frosting. Then top with the 3rd layer and top with the final ⅓ of the frosting.

Lemon-Ginger Fish

 

Lemon-Ginger Fish

I often become so focused on new recipes that I forget about wonderful older recipes. Lately, I have enjoyed the time spent looking through old recipes. As I revamp recipes to make them keto-friendly, my family gets to savor these old favorites again!

This Lemon-Ginger Fish is terrific! Fresh ginger and lemon are fabulous on this mild codfish. If you thaw your fish in the refrigerator beforehand, this meal comes together in a flash!

For additional healthy fat in your diet try the Orange-Pepper Salmon version of this recipe. Served on the fresh spinach, this could be a complete meal but it is great with riced cauliflower on the side as well.

Lemon-Ginger Fish
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. fresh or frozen cod, or other firm white fish
  • 2 small lemons
  • 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 1 packet Stevia
  • ¼ c. butter
  • 2 5-oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse and pat dry; cut into four portions. Thinly slice one of the lemons. Remove zest and squeeze juice from the remaining lemon. In a small bowl combine lemon zest and juice, ginger, and sugar.
  2. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add fish; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until browned. Turn fish and add lemon juice mixture to the pan. Cook covered, 2 to 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Using a slotted spatula, remove fish; cover and keep warm.
  3. For sauce, add lemon slices to juice mixture in skillet; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  4. Meanwhile, place spinach in a very large bowl; sprinkle with the water. Microwave 2 minutes or just until wilted, tossing after 1 minute.
  5. To serve, divide spinach among shallow bowls, top with fish, lemon slices and sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Notes
Orange-Pepper Salmon:
Prepare as directed, except substitute salmon for the cod and 2 small oranges for the lemons. Omit ginger; add ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper to the juice mixture.


Nutritional Information:
Lemon-Ginger Fish: 3g Net Carbs; 2g Fat; 20g Protein; 200 Calories
Orange-Pepper Salmon: 6g Net Carbs; 26g Fat; 28g Protein; 375 Calories

 

Seven Minute Frosting

Seven Minute Frosting

My Aunt Sara has always been an excellent baker. Her kids always had the prettiest homemade birthday cakes when we were growing up. The cakes that mama made for John and me were equally delicious, but that’s not what stood out to me as a kid.

On a recent visit with Aunt Sara, I left with a box full of goodies. I left her house with cake decorating tools, cookbooks, and a variety of cake pans, cupcake papers, and decorations and a few handwritten recipes. One of the recipes that she shared with me was this super easy Seven Minute Frosting that her daughter-in-law gave her.

I used the Seven Minute Frosting on a chocolate cake that I recently made for a baby shower. It turned out beautiful and delicious. My cousin, who happened to be the honoree, compared it to the hostess cupcakes that she has been craving!

 

Seven Minute Frosting
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 7-oz. jar marshmallow creme
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Combine sugar, eggs whites, and water in a double boiler. Beat with a electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  2. Add the marshmallow creme and vanilla and beat until combined.
  3. Frost 3-layer cake with frosting.