Coconut Cream Pie

Filling

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk

3 heaping Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups evaporated milk plus ¼ cup regular milk

½ cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

Whisk sugar, eggs and flour together in a medium bowl.  Heat milk and coconut to a simmer in a medium pan.  Once milk mixture is simmering, slowly pour this into the egg mixture whisking constantly.  After this is mixed well return to the pan and heat until thickened.  Pour this into a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill.  Once well chilled, spoon into pre-baked and cooled pie crust.

Topping

½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

¼ cups chilled whipping cream

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

Toast coconut in heavy skillet over medium heat till lightly browned, stirring occasionally – about 3 minutes.  Cool completely.

Beat cream, sugar and extract in a medium bowl until peaks form.  Spread completely over top of filling and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Chill in refrigerator and serve cold.

Doughnuts       

 2 Tablespoons Yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 cup milk

¼ cup lard or shortening

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 cups flour

 Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  Scald the milk; add the shortening, sugar and salt.  Let this cool to lukewarm.  Add the beaten eggs, vanilla, dissolved yeast and flour.  Mix and knead well. 

Let rise until light.  Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1/3 to ½ inch thick.  Cut with a doughnut cutter or a large biscuit cutter and a small biscuit cutter centered.  Allow to rise until very light (30 – 45 minutes).  Leave uncovered so crust will form on the dough.

Fry in hot fat or oil.  Place raised side down first to allow the top side to rise while the under side cooks.  Drain on cooling rack placed over absorbent paper.  Roll the doughnuts in powdered sugar or glaze them.

Glaze recipe:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and add more milk if too thick.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Beat egg with milk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Roll into a ball and wrap between wax paper and chill for at least 1 hour. When ready to make your cookies, roll a handful of dough between 2 floured sheets of wax paper. Bake at 350° for 5-7 minutes. 

*I have to bake a little longer in my oven - you want the cookies to be firm but not brown.   

Classic Divinity

2-½ cups sugar

½ cup water

½ cup light corn syrup

2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Directions:

 Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cover and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals from sides of pan. Uncover and cook over medium heat, without stirring, to hardball stage or until candy thermometer registers 260*. Remove from heat.

Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. 

Pour hot sugar mixture in a heavy stream over beaten egg whites while beating just until mixture holds its shape. Stir in pecans.

Working quickly, drop divinity by rounded teaspoonfuls onto wax paper; cool. Peel from wax paper.

 *Divinity will only work if the weather has low Humidity.

Haley’s Best Ever Brownies

1 cup butter, melted

3 cups white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  To test for doneness insert toothpick and it should come out clean. Let pan cool on rack before cutting.

Haley’s Note: February 12, 2008

Made this recipe for Valentines Day gift in heart pans for Samuel and they are incredible! They are definitely not the normal “homemade” brownie recipe that taste like a cake. This to me looks just like the Duncan Hines Brownies.

Granola Bars

3 ½ cups oats, toasted (not instant oats)

1 cup nuts

1 cup raisins

2/3 cup melted butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup honey

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

Toast oats in the oven on a large cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Mix all the ingredients together, including toasted oats in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.  Press into a well greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Cool and then cut into bars.  Don’t cut while they are warm or they will fall apart.

I sometimes add a ½ cup of coconut or chocolate chips.

Easy pound cake

1 Lb. Butter  (4 sticks)                         ½ tsp. salt

3 c. sugar                                            1 c. milk

9 eggs                                                 1 tsp. vanilla

4 c. flour, sifted                                  1 tsp. almond flavoring

1 tsp. baking powder                                                     

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add to butter mixture alternately with milk. Mix well. Stir in flavorings; pour batter into two small greased and floured tube pans (I prefer using a bunt cake pan, because it is much prettier). Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

 4 tablespoons margarine                       2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups chunky peanut butter                  2 cups powdered sugar

1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips        ¼ bar paraffin wax

Mix together thoroughly margarine, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter and sugar.  Shape into balls.  Refrigerate overnight or until thoroughly chilled.  In double boiler, melt chocolate chips with paraffin.  Keep over hot water while working.  Be careful not to let water boil over into chocolate.  Using tongs or fork dip one at a time into chocolate;  cool on wax paper.  Refrigerate in container.

Mounds Cake

Ingredients:

1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. self rising flour
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
1 c. milk

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together 2 cups sugar and 1 cup shortening. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Sift the flour together. Add to the sugar mixture, alternating with the cup of milk. Stir in vanilla. Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Filling:

1 pound grated coconut

12 large marshmallows

1cup milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Mix milk and sugar in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Add coconut and marshmallows; cook over medium heat. Stir and boil for 5 minutes.  Stir in vanilla.  Spread between cake layers while they are still hot.

Fudge Frosting:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup cocoa

1 (1 lb) package powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

 Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in milk and cocoa; Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually add sugar, stirring until smooth.  Stir in vanilla. Frost cake.