Carol Santee

Carol is the co-author of the Big Book of Freezer Cooking and the author of 30 Day Gourmet’s Slow Cooker Freezer Favorites, Freezer Lunches To Go and Healthy Freezer Cooking eBooks. She is a computer information specialist and works for a computer software company.

Walnut Orange Muffins

Breads and Breakfast, Recipes Comments Off

Jan 012009

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I will definitely be adding this recipe to my 30 Day Gourmet recipe binder. It reminds me of some muffins that I sometimes purchase at the local bakery. They are moist and delicious. If you do not like walnuts, you can use pecans instead.

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Ingredients
Butter, softened	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Sugar	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Eggs	2	4	6	8	10	12
Buttermilk	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Grated orange peel	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Flour	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Baking soda	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Chopped walnuts	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Orange juice	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Packed brown sugar	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.

Assembly Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, buttermilk and orange peel. Combine flour, baking soda and chopped walnuts; add to creamed mixture just until blended. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

In a bowl, combine orange juice and brown sugar until dissolved. Spoon over warm muffins. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Freezing Directions:
Allow to cool. Place muffins in freezer bags or rigid containers. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw in refrigerator or at room temperature. They can be warmed in the microwave after thawing. Microwave on high for 10 to 15 seconds.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 356 Calories; 18g Fat (44.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 73mg Cholesterol; 296mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 3-1/2 Fat; 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Buttermilk Rolls

Breads and Breakfast, Low Fat, Recipes, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Jan 012009

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I enjoy making fresh rolls for my family. These rolls have a wonderful texture and they do not dry out like other rolls can. This recipe was written for the bread machine but you could make it by hand or with the use of a mixer with a bread hook. Give this recipe a try. I’m sure you will enjoy it.

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Makes	24 rolls	48 rolls	72 rolls	96 rolls	120 rolls	144 rolls
Ingredients
Warm buttermilk	1-1/2 C. + 2 T.	3-1/4 C.	4-3/4 C. + 2 T.	6-1/2 C.	8 C. + 2 T.	9-3/4 C.
Oil	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Sugar	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Salt	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	4 T.
Baking soda	3/4 t.	1-1/2 t.	2-1/4 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 3/4 t.	1 T. + 1-1/2 t.
Bread flour	4 C.	8 C.	12 C.	16 C.	20 C.	24 C.
Dry yeast	2-1/4 t.	1 T. + 1-1/2 t.	2 T. + 3/4 t.	3 T.	3 T. + 2-1/4 t.	4 T. +1-1/2 t.
Butter or margarine (melted), optional	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.

Assembly Directions:
In bread machine, place first 7 ingredients (buttermilk through yeast) in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting. (Check after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 Tablespoons water or flour if needed).

When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch down. Divide into 24 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter, if desired. Bake at 350° for 12 – 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool.

Freezing Directions:
Cool completely and place in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw, if frozen. Can be served at room temperature or wrap in foil and bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until warm.

Nutritional Info: including butter
Per Serving: 270 Calories; 9g Fat (31.6% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 508mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 2-1/2 Grain (Starch); 1-1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

December 2008 Chewin’ the News with Shelley

2008, Chewin' the News Comments Off

Dec 212008

Cookin’ at the Keyboard with Shelley

Scraping Bottom

Have your frozen dinners run out just when you need them the most? Does your freezer look more like an empty reservoir than an enabling resource? With Christmas just around the corner, now may not be the time to restock the freezer, but we can do some damage control and plan to reclaim the territory that has served us so well. Here are a few suggestions:

Look at your January calendar and plan your next cooking session. It may take a day, an afternoon, or an entire weekend. Whatever your plan, schedule it now! I’ll be cooking on January 9 & 10.
Now schedule a few hours to plan the cooking session that you just put on the calendar. If you’re anything like me, you’ll need some time to anticipate the cooking day before it gets here…otherwise it will never happen. Select recipes, enter the new ones in your Advantage Cooking database, and print a grocery report.
Now let’s do some damage control by planning next week’s menu. Look at the calendar and choose one night (maybe two?) to be in the kitchen to prepare one of your more time consuming meals that you’re hungry for. My favorite is always stir-fry, but it takes forever to cut all those fresh veggies! Double-batch all or part of the recipe if possible and put it in the freezer for next week.
Inventory the freezer. There’s probably several meal’s worth of food hiding in there somewhere. Pull it all to the front, or stash it on the door for easy access. Make a list and add it to the meal plan.
Don’t overlook the leftovers. Your refrigerator probably has a meal or two waiting for you. Make a fresh batch of muffins and the leftovers are easier to sell to your picky eaters.
Be realistic and buy some prepackaged, easy-to-fix foods. I’m always an idealistic when I’m walking the aisles at the grocery store; I always think I’ll find time to cook from scratch and avoid all the processed foods. But reality strikes when I get home to the kitchen and the holiday schedule. So avoid the fast-food franchise and stock some things that will look like dinner when you add a salad and a vegetable.

Although the holiday schedule is looming large, and my empty freezer has caught me by surprise, I can still be the master of my kitchen and the food I feed my family.

Bonus Recipes from Shelley

Hot Chocolate Cones
The girls made these last year to give to their friends, teachers, and the neighborhood children. It’s a simple and inexpensive gift that’s always received with delight.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert
When my husband brought home this recipe from an office luncheon, I took one look at the pretzel crust and put it aside. But when I finally got around to making it, I loved it! And so does everyone else. The dessert is not too heavy and the perfect color for the season.

Software Suggestions

New Software Version
For those of you who are waiting for the Vista-friendly version of the software, it’s on it’s way! We’re in the beta-testing phase, which means that my husband has completed his portion of the programming, and now it’s my turn to do the testing and uncover any problems. I can’t imagine I’ll get too far this month, so I’ll let you know how I’m doing in my next issue.

In the mean time, the current version of Advantage Cooking will run under Vista if it’s installed in the C:\AdvCooking directory, instead of the default directory. Vista doesn’t like data files in the program directory, but it will work if you make that adjustment. The current help menu doesn’t work under Vista, but the complete manual in .pdf format is available. The upcoming Vista-friendly version will be available as a free upgrade, so you have nothing to lose.

Download a trial version of the software! It’s free!

Closing Comments

Here are some encouraging words from a mom who has been temporarily bed-ridden but has rediscovered the blessing of freezer meals.

Dear Shelley, Thank you so much for all your help. You have no idea. My mom and dad and daughters cooked lots of meals for us using the Advantage software. Thank you for all the newsletter articles as well! When I am better I know they will help for years to come. You guys are wonderful people, tears are in my eyes as I speak. God bless you.

Have a Merry, Merry Christmas! Joy to the world; the Lord has come!
~Shelley

December 2008 Chewin’ the News with Carol

2008, Chewin' the News Comments Off

Dec 152008

Kitchen Fun with Carol

Merry Christmas everyone! I just love this time of the year. It is a season full of family traditions. One of the favorite traditions in my family is putting up the Christmas display in our front yard. My father-in-law made an animated Christmas set over 50 years ago. The elves and Mrs. Claus are all motorized. Sometimes I think that they are almost a part of the family. My father-in-law calls them the “boys” and my husband makes sure they are in working order every year. We also try to add our own touch to the display. This year we added reindeer. Next year we are looking into adding our first “new” animated creation.

Another fun tradition is a cookie exchange. I went to a different variation this year which was really quite fun. My friend hosted a Pampered Chef® party. Every one who attended brought a standard cookie ingredient such as chocolate chips, flour, sugar, brown sugar, unsalted butter, etc. We then took all the ingredients and made all kinds of different of cookies together. We made Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Crinkles, Spritz, Tollhouse Bar Cookies, and Molasses Cookies. It was so fun to make cookies with my friends!

Other cookie exchanges I have been to have you make the cookies before the party. For freezer cooks, this is the perfect kind of cookie exchange! So many cookies can be made before hand and frozen, either fully baked or the unbaked dough.

Never hosted a cookie exchange before? Here are some basics:

Decide on a date and time for the party. Weekday evening and weekend afternoons usually work the best.
Send out invitations instructing everyone to RSVP with the type of cookie they are bringing. When we host an exchange we usually have them bring one dozen for each person attending so if there are 8 people attending, bring 8 dozen cookies. Also ask them to bring recipe cards filled out with their cookie recipe.
Think of a few snacks and beverages that you can serve at the exchange. Make an evening of it with your friends!
Make table markers for each type of cookie that is brought to the exchange so everyone attending knows what kind of cookie they are getting.
On the day of the exchange set up a festive table where the cookies can be displayed. You will need to provide take home containers or ask quests to bring their own. Also, set up your snack and beverage table.
Enjoy spending time with family and friends as you exchange cookies.

There are some great cookie recipes on the 30 Day Gourmet web site that would be perfect for a cookie exchange. Share them with your friends and try your hand at hosting a party.

Carolyn’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (from the Big Book of Freezer Cooking)
Malted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
No-Bake Cookies (members can access online)
Oatmeal Cookies (members can access online)
Oreo Truffles (from the Big Book of Freezer Cooking)
Pecan Pie Bars
Seven Layer Bars
Snickerdoodles
Sugar Cookies
Toffee Pecan Bars
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Contest Winners

New ebook is available!

Our newest ebook, Slow Cooker Freezer Favorites, is now available on the 30 Day Gourmet web site. The ebook includes 25 tried and true freezer friendly recipes that are sure to become family favorites. This has been a fun experience for me and my family. My slow cookers got a great workout the last few months but it was worth the effort. We have added many of the recipes from the new ebook to our winter menu. My boys really like the Iowa State Fair Guinea Grinders, Wedding Soup, BBQ Meatballs (as a sandwich), and the Meatball Stew. My husband likes the Chicken Enchiladas, Pepperoncini Roast, French Dip Sandwiches, and Chicken Cordon Bleu Rolls. Take a look at the Slow Cooker Freezer Favorites Sampler. I hope you and your family will enjoy the recipes as much as mine.

This month’s Freezer Cook of the Month winners are our wonderful cooks who submitted recipes to the Cooks’ Corner Message Board for this ebook. Everyone whose recipe was included in the ebook will be receiving a free copy. Emails notifying the winners will be sent this week. Congratulations to our winners.

Bonus Recipes

Cranberry Pork Roast

This recipe smells so good as it is cooking in the slow cooker. The orange peel and cranberry combination give it a great flavor. It is fancy enough for company but it is also great served as a sandwich. If you don’t like to cook with pork you could use a turkey breast instead.

Iowa State Fair Guinea Grinders

My boys love this recipe. It quickly became one of our family favorites. You can change the spiciness of recipe by changing the type of sausage that you use. You can also lower the fat content by using turkey sausage. The recipe still tastes great! Different brands of pizza sauce will also change the flavor of the meat mixture. We like using our homemade sauce or a local store brand. One recipe makes a lot so it would be great for Super Bowl Sunday.

Wedding Soup

I love Wedding Soup. I first tried it at a restaurant call Eastside Mario’s and it was wonderful. This soup reminds me of that restaurant. It is wonderful fresh and it freeze great! My kids request it for lunch. We add spinach to the recipe when we make it. Add a couple handfuls of washed/trimmed spinach to slow cooker when you add the pasta at the end of the cooking time.

Closing Comments from Carol

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season.

Do you have any recipes that you would like to share? I’d love to try and share them with everyone. You can post your recipes on the 30 Day Gourmet Facebook® fan page or click here to send me an email. Or do you have any other topics that you would like me to cover? Click here to send me an email. I enjoy hearing from you!

Have fun in your kitchen!

Carol

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Low Fat, Low Sodium, Recipes, Snacks and Desserts, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Dec 012008

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I used to dip the peanut butter balls in melted chocolate chips combined with butter. The dipping chocolate goes so much faster, though, and it a better “candy” look. The coating stays hardened even when the candies aren’t frozen. In the Midwest, I purchase what’s called “almond bark” in chocolate and vanilla and melt it in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Fast and easy! My daughter has a friend who prefers the balls dipped in the vanilla flavor.

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	40	80	120	160	200	240
Ingredients
Powdered sugar	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Creamy peanut butter	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Butter or margarine, softened	6 T.	12 T.	18 T.	24 T.	30 T.	36 T.
Dipping chocolate	1/2 lb.	1 lb.	1-1/2 lb.	2 lbs.	2-1/2 lbs.	3 lbs.

Assembly Directions:
In a mixing bowl, stir together powdered sugar, creamy peanut butter and butter or margarine until well combined. Shape candy into 1 inch balls. Place balls on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Melt dipping chocolate in microwave according to package directions. Dip frozen peanut butter balls into dipping chocolate one at a time and place back on baking sheet.

Freezing Directions:
Freeze dipped chocolates until firm.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 107 Calories; 7g Fat (55.0% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 55mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Cranberry Pork Roast

Low Fat, Low Sodium, Pork and Fish, Recipes, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Dec 012008

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Ingredients
Pork loin roast	4 lbs.	8 lbs.	12 lbs.	16 lbs.	20 lbs.	24 lbs.
Salt and pepper
Whole berry cranberry sauce	16 oz.	32 oz.	48 oz.	64 oz.	80 oz.	96 oz.
Honey	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Orange zest	1 orange	2 oranges	3 oranges	4 oranges	5 oranges	6 oranges
Ground cloves	1/8 t.	1/4 t.	3/8 t.	1/2 t.	1/2 t. + 1/8 t.	3/4 t.
Ground nutmeg	1/8 t.	1/4 t.	3/8 t.	1/2 t.	1/2 t. + 1/8 t.	3/4 t.

Assembly Directions:
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour sauce over roast. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Cool.

Freezing Directions:
Slice meat or place whole in a freezer bag or freezer container. Add some of the remaining sauce to the bag/container. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw meat. Reheat in microwave or on stovetop.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 275 Calories; 7g Fat (21.8% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol; 67mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.

Iowa State Fair Guinea Grinders

Recipes, Soups & Sandwiches Comments Off

Dec 012008

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Ingredients
Italian sausage	1 lb.	2 lbs.	3 lbs.	4 lbs.	5 lbs.	6 lbs.
Ground beef	1 lb.	2 lbs.	3 lbs.	4 lbs.	5 lbs.	6 lbs.
Salt	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Pepper	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Garlic powder	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Red pepper flakes	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Jar of pizza sauce (such as Ragu®)	30 oz.	60 oz.	90 oz.	120 oz.	150 oz.	180 oz.
On Hand Ingredients
French bread loaf, sliced in half	3 loaves	6 loaves	9 loaves	12 loaves	15 loaves	18 loaves
Mozzarella cheese slices	1 lb.	2 lbs.	3 lbs.	4 lbs.	5 lbs.	6 lbs.

Assembly Directions:
Brown sausage and beef together; drain.

Option one: Mix cooked meat and all ingredients together.

Option two: Place in slow cooker. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, pizza sauce (and red pepper, if desired). Cook on high 1-2 hours, stirring once per hour. Cool.

Freezing Directions:
Place mixture in a freezer bag or freezer container. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Option one: Thaw and add to slow cooker. Cook on high 1-2 hours, stirring once per hour.

Option two: Thaw and reheat in saucepan/microwave. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With sliced loaf, pull a small amount of bread out of the bottom half, to make a ‘bowl’. With a slotted spoon, place meat mixture onto bottom half of bread and top with cheese slices (5-6 slices per loaf). Place the top on the French bread loaf. Wrap in foil and bake for 15 minutes in oven. Remove and slice into pieces.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 619 Calories; 33g Fat (48.0% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 51g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 89mg Cholesterol; 1578mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 3 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1-1/2 Vegetable; 5 Fat.

Italian Wedding Soup

Low Fat, Recipes, Soups & Sandwiches, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Dec 012008

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Ingredients
Chicken broth	96 oz.	192 oz.	288 oz.	384 oz.	480 oz.	576 oz.
Shredded carrots*	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Celery stalks, sliced	3	6	9	12	15	18
Ground turkey	2 lbs.	4 lbs.	6 lbs.	8 lbs.	10 lbs.	12 lbs.
Eggs	2	4	6	8	10	12
White bread	1 slice	2 slices	3 slices	4 slices	5 slices	6 slices
Milk	2 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 2 T.	1/2 C.	1/2 C. + 2 T.	3/4 C.
Grated Romano cheese	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Dried basil	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Dried parsley	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2. t.	2 T.
Acini de pepe	8 oz.	16 oz.	24 oz.	32 oz.	40 oz.	48 oz.

Assembly Directions:
In a 5 qt. slow cooker, add chicken broth, shredded carrots, and celery. Stir. In a large bowl, mix eggs, white bread, milk, Romano, basil, parsley, salt and pepper together to make a uniform mixture. Add ground turkey and mix just until combined. Form into small meatballs (1″ or less) and place into slow cooker carefully so they don’t lump together. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Remove lid and add acini de pepe (if you can’t find that, orzo or other small, rice size pasta may be substituted) and cook on high for 20 more minutes.

Freezing Directions:
Place soup in a freezer bag or freezer container. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw and reheat on stove.

Comments:
* 1 medium carrot = 1/2 C. shredded

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 257 Calories; 9g Fat (33.8% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 94mg Cholesterol; 859mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 2-1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

Sugar Cookies with Icing

Low Fat, Low Sodium, Recipes, Snacks and Desserts, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Dec 012008

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Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to get your kids involved in cooking. When my children were younger, we would dedicate a Saturday afternoon every December to making cut out cookies together. They really enjoyed icing and decorating the cookies. We also had sprinkles and colored sugar on hand to add that extra special touch. Afterwards, we would take plates of the cookies to the neighbors and grandparents as a Christmas gift. It was a wonderful tradition!

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	48	96	144	192	240	288
Makes	4 dozen	8 dozen	12 dozen	16 dozen	20 dozen	24 dozen
Ingredients
Butter or margarine	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Sugar	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Eggs	1	2	3	4	5	6
Flour	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Cream of tartar	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Baking soda	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Vanilla	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Icing
Confectioner’s sugar	3 C.	6 C.	9 C.	12 C.	15 C.	18 C.
Milk	3 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.	1/2 C. + 1 T.	3/4 C.	3/4 C. + 3 T.	1 C. + 2 T.
Light corn syrup	3 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.	1/2 C. + 1 T.	3/4 C.	3/4 C. + 3 T.	1 C. + 2 T.
Almond extract	3/4 t.	1-1/2 t.	2-1/4 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 3/4 t.	1 T. + 1-1/2 t.
Food coloring

Assembly Directions:
Cookies:
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and egg/s together. Add the dry ingredients. Cover hands with flour and divide dough into large balls. Roll out dough (no need to refrigerate) with sock covered rolling pin onto flour-dusted surface. Cut out shapes and transfer to ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

Icing and Freezing Directions:
Cool cookies completely. Cookies may be frozen now and iced later and iced and frozen now.

For Icing:
In a medium mixing bowl, stir confectioner’s sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract. Icing will become shiny. If too thick, add more corn syrup a little at a time. Icing may be divided into bowls and made into various colors using food coloring. Kids will love to use paint brushes to ice the cookies.

For Freezing:
Cookies may be frozen up to 6 months. Wrap individually or in pairs to prevent breakage. Use quality plastic wrap or small freezer bags.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 104 Calories; 4g Fat (33.8% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 61mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Recipes, Snacks and Desserts Comments Off

Dec 012008

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Shelley: When my husband brought home this recipe from an office luncheon, I took one look at the pretzel crust and put it aside. But when I finally got around to making it, I loved it! And so does everyone else. The dessert is not too heavy and the perfect color for the season.

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	15	30	45	60	75	90
Ingredients
Pretzels, crushed	6 oz.	12 oz.	18 oz.	24 oz.	30 oz.	36 oz.
Butter, melted	3/4 C.	1-1/2 C.	2-1/4 C.	3 C.	3-3/4 C.	4-1/2 C.
Sugar	1 T.	2 T.	3 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 1 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.
Cream cheese	8 oz.	16 oz.	24 oz.	32 oz.	40 oz.	48 oz.
Sugar	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Heavy whipping cream	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Strawberry gelatin (e.g. Jello®)	6 oz.	12 oz.	18 oz.	24 oz.	30 oz.	36 oz.
Boiling water	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Frozen strawberries, sliced or mashed	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.

Assembly Directions:
Crust: Mix together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 teaspoons sugar. Press on bottom of 9×13 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool.

Filling: Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 cup sugar. Add the whipped cream, but do not over mix. Spread over cooled crust.

Topping: Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add strawberries and mix together in large bowl. Let set for 15 minutes. Pour over cream cheese filling and refrigerate until set.

Freezing Directions:
Although freezing this dessert is not recommended, having the ingredients in the freezer IS! Freeze the pretzels, cream cheese, and strawberries.

Serving Directions:
Cut the dessert into 15 pieces (3×5). Garnish with mint leaves, fresh strawberries, or whipped cream, if desired.

Comments:
6 oz. crushed pretzels = 2 C.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 357 Calories; 21g Fat (50.9% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 63mg Cholesterol; 369mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Fruit; 4 Fat; 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

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