Grandma Luker's Carrot Orange Cookies

My grandma Luker used to make these cookies and they were always my favorite. Years went by and I searched for someone with the recipe, but to no avail. Just the other day I tried one more recipe and Lo! This is it! I tweaked it a bit, as I always do, and they are simply irresistable!

 

(I have no picture yet. These turn out to be little rounded mounds, not flattened. More cake-like.)

 

Grandma Luker's Carrot Orange Cookies   adapted by Erin Taylor

 

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely mashed carrots

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pinch allspice

 

Frosting:

 

1 tablespoon orange juice (or a little bit more for desired consistency)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 T. butter, softened

 

1. Cream the shortening and sugar on medium speed; add the egg. Add all ingredients except the nuts and beat until combined. Stir in the nuts.
2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown on bottoms.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients for the frosting until smooth and spreadable.
4. When the cookies are done, transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Dollop a bit of frosting onto each and let it drizzle down the sides. Let cool completely before serving. About 3 dozen.

 

 

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies

These... are... AMAZING!!! I found the recipe online, but tweaked it to my taste, and they are soooo good!


(picture from lovintheoven.com)

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies  by Erin Taylor (adapted from this recipe on lovintheoven.com)

Ingredients

• 1 stick softened butter
• 1/2 C. Crisco
• 1/4 C. oil
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 34 C/ brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 box Oreo pudding mix
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 C. Corn Starch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 15 broken pieces Oreo Cookies
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 C. white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Cream butter, and sugars.  Add eggs and mix for 3 minutes until very fluffy. 
2. Slowly add dry ingredients: flour, corn starch, baking soda, salt, pudding mix- to wet ingredients then stir in oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.
3. Scoop dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked, but still soft.Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Golden Fish and Chips

Ever since I had authentic fish and chips in London, I have craved that crispy, golden fried goodness! Some places come close, others don't even qualify to be called fish and chips. This homemade version I came up with yesterday is about as close as I can come to the english perfection I had years ago! Prepare yourselves for sheer deep fried goodness!



Golden Fish and Chips by Erin Taylor

For the batter:

mix together in bowl:

1 3/4 C. flour
2 egg yolks (I used egg substitute and it worked great!)
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 C. (or more) Club Soda or tonic water (more if you want thinner batter.)

Place batter in refrigerator while prepping potatoes and fish (helps de-activate the gluten.)

4-8 large fish fillets (may cut into smaller 2" chunks)- cod, halibut, tilapia (a firm fish for frying)
4 med. baking potatoes, cut in strips for french fries, soaked in cold water

Crisco, Peanut oil, or Coconut oil for frying

Heat oil in deep skillet. Keep on medium heat so it doesn't smoke or get too hot. Drain water from potatoes and pat dry both potatoes and fish. Dredge potatoes* and fish in batter. (* for a lighter, crispier fry, you may wait until finished with the fish, then thin the batter a bit to do the fries in. Or you can opt to not batter the fries and just fry them "naked".) Fry on medium heat until golden on all sides. About 4 minutes. If it browns too quickly reduce heat and cool oil before continuing.

Place finished pieces on paper towel, salt to taste, and place in warm oven to keep warm.
Serve with homemade tartar sauce and/or malt vinegar

Homemade Tartar Sauce

1/2 C. mayonaise
1/2 C. sour cream
2 dill pickle quarters, chopped finely
2 tsp. lemon juice (or pickle juice)
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp garlic salt or season salt of your choice ( I use greek seasoning)

mix together and refridgerate until serving

Love Your Husband Chicken

Three words: Creamy, Warm, Delicious! I made this casserole up tonight with what I had on hand and it was amazingly delicious. I call it Love Your Husband chicken because he said I must love him a lot to feed him this! Very easy to make, and even easier to eat.

Love Your Husband Chicken by Erin Taylor

Preheat Oven to  375deg.

Use a medium casserole dish, or 8 X 9 baking dish, spray with pan spray.

Spread 1 C. Uncooked Rice (I used Jasmine, but any white or long grain rice will do) in bottom of baking dish.

Pour 1 C. Water over rice.

Sprinkle 1 C. Frozen peas over rice.

Lay 6 Chicken Thighs (deboned, no skin, opened up flat) across peas and rice.

Sprinkle with a little salt for flavor.

Chop 1/2 large Red Bell Pepper and sprinkle over Chicken Thighs.

In mixing bowl combine:

1 can Cream of Mushroom, celery, or chicken soup,
1 C. finely grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tsp. Garlic powder or salt
1 C. Water

Pour sauce mixture over chicken. Using a spoon, move each chicken piece aside to allow sauce to seep down through the cracks on the sides and in the middle.

Finally, chop two slices of uncooked Bacon and sprinkle on top of casserole. Place, uncovered, in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour until sauce is bubbly and beginning to brown a bit on the sides, and chicken is fully cooked in the middle.

 

Sausage and Lentil Casserole

Lentils are really good for you. And I don't know how many people actually make them. I wasn't one of them, until a few years ago. My aunt brought a lentil casserole to a baby shower and it was sooo deliciously amazing I had to try one of my own. It is very quick to assemble, and tastes sooo good!


Sausage and Lentil Casserole by Erin Taylor
serves 4-5 people

Preheat oven to 375 deg.

In casserole dish or deep 8 X 9 pan, add the following ingredients and mix together:

1/2 package (16oz. size) lentils, rinsed
1 can chopped tomatoes with juice
2 C. chicken stock (or equivalent)
1 lb. ground breakfast sausage,  uncooked, broken into small pieces
pinch of salt and pepper

Lay 4 to 5 strips of bacon (uncooked) across the top of the casserole (will be very liquidy at this point. Don't worry, lentils will absorb the liquid.) and place in preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered.*  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.

*may add cheese at the end and just pop back in the  oven to melt. I prefer it without the cheese, but my husband and son love it with the cheese.

** Get creative! Add chopped spinach, diced red peppers, summer sausage, mixed veggies, cut carrots---- the list is endless!