Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough frosting for about 2 dozen cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, room temperature
6-8 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1. In an electric mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment or if you don't have an electric mixing bowl use a large bowl and an electric mixer, mix the butter until smooth and creamy (a few minutes).
2. Add 4 cups of the sugar, the milk and vanilla and on low speed mix until combined.
3.Add two more cups of sugar and on low speed mix until light and fluffy. If you need to, add the remaining two cups of powdered sugar.

Lili’s Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter 2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, cream together shortening, margarine, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats until just combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until just starting to brown. Don't over-bake. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Chicken soup with dumplings

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 chicken breast
1 small onion, chopped into small pieces
1 carrot chopped into small pieces
1 stalks celery chopped into small pieces
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 whole bay leaf
1 tsp. thyme
¼ teaspoons turmeric
1 tbsp. parsley


In large stock pot heat olive oil. Saute onion,celery and carrot until tender. Add chicken broth, add chicken breast and bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and turmeric and simmer over low heat until chicken is tender about 20 minutes. When chicken is tender remove and cut into small pieces and return back to the pot. Continue to simmer while making dumpling dough.

For the dumplings

3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. milk


Place all dry ingredients in small bowl and mix with fork. Slowly add milk and only mix until blended. Let rest 5 minutes. Bring soup to low boil (small bubbles on the surface). Using a small teaspoon drop dumplings into soup. Cover with lid and continue to cook for about 10 minutes.

Banana Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

3 or 4 Large bananas, mashed (the more bananas the moister, so I use 4)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup melted margarine or butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and margarine together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients all together! Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Orange Cake

Orange Ring Cake

1 c. sugar
1 c. butter *
3 eggs
1 c. sour cream *
1 3/4 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
grated rind of one orange
(* please have these ingredients at room temperature)

Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg yolks, sour cream, and orange rind; beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder into the first mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and fold into the mixture.

Turn into a well greased and floured bundt pan; bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Loosen carefully around edge and turn-out onto a rimmed plate. Deeply and repeatedly pierce the top of the cake with a very thin skewer (eg, like a wooden skewer used for chicken satay) and then spoon the hot orange sauce over the top of the cake slowly. (The hot orange sauce will "leak" from the cake, so make sure it is placed in a rimmed plate.)

Hot Orange Sauce

Juice of 2 oranges (a little less than 1 cup); Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 TBL); 3/4 c. of sugar; dash of salt

Combine ingredients; let sugar first dissolve over low heat, then bring to a rolling boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

(1 orange = 1/2 c. so, if you are in a pinch, 6 oz. of frozen orange concentrate could be substituted)

Bread Stuffing

Bread Stuffing

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min
Makes: 10 servings (1/2 cup each)

3/4 cup butter or margarine
½ to 1 cup chicken broth
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
9 cups soft bread cubes (15 slices)
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder or more
1 teaspoon pepper to taste

1. Melt butter in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook celery and onion in butter 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove Dutch oven from the heat.
2. Gently toss celery mixture and remaining ingredients, using spoon, until bread cubes are evenly coated add chicken broth so that bread is moist but not water logged (bread should hold its shape).
3. Use to stuff one 10- to 12-pound turkey. Or to bake stuffing separately, grease 3-quart casserole or rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Place stuffing in casserole or baking dish. Cover with lid or aluminum
foil and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes

Blackened Tilapia

Blackened Tilapia

4-6 Tilapia
2 Tbls. Paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon pepper
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp ground red pepper
1.5 tsp. dried, crushed basil
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 c. unsalted butter, melted

Heat iron skillet on high 5 minutes. Mix all seasonings in a bowl. Dip fillets in melted butter and coat with seasonings. Place fillets in hot skillet and cook 2 minutes on each side. Makes 4 servings.