Cuisine: American

Spritz Cookies

Great basic butter cookies

These are best made using a cookie press.  They are fun to make and kids love to help with decorating them.  We make tree cookies at Christmas time and decorate them with colored granulated sugar.

Spritz Cookies
Print Recipe
These are basic "Spritz" cookies that use a cookie press to form interesting shapes. The dough can also be rolled out and traditional cookie cutters can be used, but the pressed cookies are thicker and usually not a dry as rolled cookies.
Servings Prep Time
2 dozen cookies 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 dozen cookies 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 10 minutes
Spritz Cookies
Print Recipe
These are basic "Spritz" cookies that use a cookie press to form interesting shapes. The dough can also be rolled out and traditional cookie cutters can be used, but the pressed cookies are thicker and usually not a dry as rolled cookies.
Servings Prep Time
2 dozen cookies 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 dozen cookies 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 minutes 10 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: dozen cookies
Instructions
  1. Place butter and shortening in large mixing bowl. Cream together on medium high speed.
  2. Add sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
  3. Add egg and vanilla; Mix well using medium speed.
  4. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter/sugar mixture in three (3) additions; mixing well after each addition. Dough will be stiff. You may need to add more flour to the mixture to ensure that the dough is stiff and not sticky - otherwise it won't work well in the cookie press.
  5. We use a Pampered Chef cookie press. We've tried other manufactures and this one works most consistently and has been long lasting. Please note that we didn't have much luck with the electric models sold by Procter-Silex.
  6. Assemble and fill the cookie press with dough. Select an disc for desired shape.
  7. Press cookies on ungreased, uncoated baking sheet.
  8. Bake at 375° F for 10-12 minutes or until light brown just starts to appear around the edges. Do not overbake.
Recipe Notes

Decorate cookies before baking by brushing them with slightly beaten egg white and adding one of the following:

  1. Sprinkle with white or colored granulated sugar.
  2. Place a nut of chocolate chip on center of cookie.
  3. Decorate with small pieces of candied fruit, chopped nuts, coconut or chocolate sprinkles

When using this egg white glaze you may need to increase baking time by about 1 minute.

(Davis family note: We've never used the egg white and it seems to work out).

You can also decorate cookies after baking by:

  1. Placing a small amount of jam or colored frosting on top.
  2. Brushing tops with sugar glaze then sprinkling with chopped nuts, coconut, decorative candy bits, etc.
  3. Roll warm cookies in powedered sugar.
  4. Dip half of cookie in melted semi-sweet chocolate then sprinkle with ground nuts.
  5. Brush with thin glaze.  Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 4-5 teaspoons hot milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Mix well.
  6. Make sandwich cookies by placing frosting between two cookies.
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Pimento Cheese Spread

Southern Pimento Cheese Spread
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Southern Pimento Cheese Spread
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Place the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, minced jalepeno, and pimento into the large bowl of a mixer. Beat at medium speed, with paddle if possible, until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
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Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder
Print Recipe
A wonderfully fragrant and delicious Manhattan Clam Chowder recipe. This one was a favorite of Grandma Betty Davis, and is Mark's favorite.
Servings Prep Time
6 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Servings Prep Time
6 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Clam Chowder
Print Recipe
A wonderfully fragrant and delicious Manhattan Clam Chowder recipe. This one was a favorite of Grandma Betty Davis, and is Mark's favorite.
Servings Prep Time
6 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Servings Prep Time
6 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Saute diced bacon in a deep kettle until crisp, stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in 1 tsp. thyme and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.
  3. Add potatoes, celery, hot water, salt and pepper. Cover. Simmer 5 minutes
  4. Add tomatoes, carrots, clam broth. If you don't have clam broth you may substitute additional water. Simmer, uncovered over very low heat for 1 hour.
  5. Add clams, parsley and 1/2 tsp thyme. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  6. Add salt to taste.
Recipe Notes

I usually make a double recipe and freeze half of the chowder for a future serving.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie
Print Recipe
Servings
8 slices
Cook Time
2 hours in freezer
Servings
8 slices
Cook Time
2 hours in freezer
Peanut Butter Pie
Print Recipe
Servings
8 slices
Cook Time
2 hours in freezer
Servings
8 slices
Cook Time
2 hours in freezer
Ingredients
Servings: slices
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients, except crust, in the bowl of a food processor and blend until very smooth. (Alternatively, mix using an electric mixer on medium speed)
  2. Fill crust with misture. Place pie into freezer for minimum of 2 hours
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Swiss Steak

Swiss Steak
Print Recipe
This is a great camping/dutch oven recipe. We've also added in meatballs for the kids
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1.5 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1.5 hours
Swiss Steak
Print Recipe
This is a great camping/dutch oven recipe. We've also added in meatballs for the kids
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1.5 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1.5 hours
Ingredients
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, salt, pepper – pound into meat
  2. Brown meat both sides
  3. layer in dutch oven – tomato sauce – celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder
  4. Bake 1 ½ hours
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Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp
Print Recipe
Try this using a dutch oven when camping
Cook Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Apple Crisp
Print Recipe
Try this using a dutch oven when camping
Cook Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Ingredients
Crumble Mixture
Other
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Butter the baking dish/foil pan
  2. Core, peel and slice apples into the pan
  3. Crumble together the crumble mixture and sprinkle over the apples
  4. Sprinkle with cinimmon
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 mins
  6. Halfway through, cover with foil if you don't want it crunchy
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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Print Recipe
This is a camping recipe using a dutch oven
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Print Recipe
This is a camping recipe using a dutch oven
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 slices 15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Ingredients
Yellow Cake Mix - follow box directions
Servings: slices
Instructions
  1. Preheat dutch oven
  2. Prepare yellow cake mix in advance
  3. Melt butter in an aluminum cake pan. Suspend aluminum pan on three coins on bottom of dutch oven
  4. Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter and heat about 30 seconds to caramelize
  5. Arrange pineapple rings in bottom of pan with cherry in center of each. Pour batter over the brown sugar and pineapple rings.
  6. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or according to directions on cake mix.
  7. While warm Invert onto a serving tray or sheet of aluminum foil.
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Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole
Print Recipe
Servings
6
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings
6
Cook Time
45 minutes
Sweet Potato Casserole
Print Recipe
Servings
6
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings
6
Cook Time
45 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Combine and mix first 6 ingredients in mixing bowl until potatoes are mashed.
  2. Spray an 8 x 12 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar and chopped pecans.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
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Stuffing by Grandma Davis

Stuffing by Grandma Davis
Print Recipe
Servings
8
Servings
8
Stuffing by Grandma Davis
Print Recipe
Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Combine bread crumbs, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, parsley.
  2. Melt shortening in skillet.
  3. Add onion. Simmer until tender.
  4. Add bread crumbs. Fry until delicately browned stirring constantly.
  5. Melt butter in boiling chicken broth - pour over crumbs. Toss with fork. Add more chicken broth if needed.
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Hot Cocoa

Hot Cocoa
Print Recipe
This is an incredible home-made hot cocoa mix. Once you've had this you'll never want a store-brand again.
Servings Prep Time
20 cups 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
20 cups 10 minutes
Hot Cocoa
Print Recipe
This is an incredible home-made hot cocoa mix. Once you've had this you'll never want a store-brand again.
Servings Prep Time
20 cups 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
20 cups 10 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: cups
Instructions
  1. Mix ingredients together
  2. Use four teaspoons of mix per cup of cocoa, according to taste.
Recipe Notes

For an adult treat, try Hot Cocoa with butterscotch schnapps.

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