This is a family favourite at Christmas and throughout the year. Susan McLaughlin
1/2 c. butter 2 tbsp. sugar 1 1/2 c. flour 1 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. melted butter 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tbsp. vinegar 1 c. raisins (or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream 1/2 cup butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Blend in flour. Pat into 9 x 9 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Beat together brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vinegar and vanilla. Fold in raisins or nuts. Pour over baked crust. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until set. This freezes well.
Matisz Meringue Toppers
These might seem like a lot of work but the results are worth it. Best to make a large batch because you get twice as many cookies for almost the same amount of time.
Alice Matisz
Cream together; 1 cup margarine (soft or hard) 1 cup brown sugar Add: 2 egg yolks (will use whites later) 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking powder 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a shallow hole in each with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill with red jam, (or grape jelly or whatever your favorite jam is).
Whip till soft peaks form: 2 egg whites 1/2 cup white sugar
Place a blob of egg-white meringue mix on top of the jam-filled hole. Or pipe it on to get a professional-looking swirl.
Bake at 300 deg for 30 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen (depending on how much of the dough your children eat in the process!)
Goan Coconut Curry
This is a nice, sweet curry base that you can add fish, shrimp or chicken to. Suitable for "Western" palates; those who want it hotter can add more hot peppers! There is no water in this curry, just the coconut milk. Resist the temptation to dilute it - a little goes a long, long way. This should easily serve four people.
Alice Matisz
Measure all dry spices into a bowl and stir together: 2 tsp coriander 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp tumeric 1/4 tsp pepper or chilli powder This will likely seem like WAY too much spice, but be brave and don't scale back!
Chop finely: 1 large onion 1 medium tomato 2 cloves garlic 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger (the jarred stuff is OK too...)
Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry onions, tomatos, garlic and ginger till onions are soft. Dump all the dry spices on top of the onion-mix and stir around for about half a minute till spices coat everything. Frying the spices is important to release their flavour.
Add: 1 can coconut milk (NOT coconut JUICE which is clear, this stuff is white and thick, like cream)
Lower heat and bring to a simmer. During this time add: 1 tbsp vinegar Salt to taste 1 fresh green chilli (Jalepeno is nice but any fresh hot pepper lends a lovely flavour... powdered spice doesn't compare.)
You can now add meat or fish, or shrimp. This is where you decide how many portions you want. The curry "sauce" should be sufficient for 4 fish steaks or 12 shrimp or 2 cups chopped chicken. Just add your protein, cover and simmer till protein is cooked. Stir frequently. If it's drying up too fast, you can add a SMALL amount of hot water.
Serve with white rice.
Nuts & Bolts: Clet’s Way
Colette Lemire
4 Cups shreddies 4 Cups cheerios 4 cups pretzels 2 cups corn nuts 3 cups bugels 1 ½ cups almonds or 2 cups of peanuts 3 cups goldfish crackers 1 cup margarine or butter ½ cup olive oil 2 pkg Italian or Ranch Salad Dip/Dressing Or 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp soya sauce 1 tsp each of garlic powder, onion salt, celery salt (may need to be adjusted to taste)
Place all dry ingredients in a large roaster (do not include the salad dip yet). Melt wet ingredients together. Spread liquid over roaster ingredients. Mix. Sprinkle dip over lightly and mix again. Bake @ 250 for 1½ - 2 hours. Stir every ½ hour. Seal in jars, or any other airtight container.
Poppycock
Colette Lemire
1 cup pecan halves 1 cup almonds
Heat oven to 300 – spread pecans and almonds on cookie sheet and toast lightly (approximately 5 – 7 minutes). Cool.
8 cups popped popcorn Add nuts to popcorn in large roaster or bowl 1 1/3 cups white sugar 1 cup butter (only) ½ cup corn syrup ½ tsp cream of tartar
Combine sugar, butter, syrup, and cream of tartar in a large heavy saucepan. Cook until hard ball stage – about 5 – 10 minutes. (This can be checked by filling a small bowl with cold water and placing a few drops of hot syrup in and seeing if it makes a hard clump of candy – if not continue to cook) Remove from heat. Stir in the soda, then vanilla. Pour over popcorn and nuts. Mix lightly with 2 forks (buttered) until popcorn and nuts are coated. Turn out onto a large buttered cookie sheet and quickly press down into an even layer. Cool until hard. Break up into pieces. Place in air tight container.
Whipped Shortbread
Karen Keith
½ lb. butter (no substitutes) ½ cup icing sugar 1 ½ cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour then whip for 15 minutes. Scoop 1 rounded teaspoon, dip in granulated sugar. Scrape cookies, sugar side up onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 325 degrees 8 - 10 minutes until light brown on the bottom.
Carmel Puffed Rice Squares (or balls)
Colette Lemire
6 cups puffed rice (may need to visit a Health Food Store) ¼ cup margarine 2 Tbsp water 28 (or more – usually over 35) caramels 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows 1 tsp vanilla
Melt margarine and caramels. Add marshmallows and water and melt. Add vanilla. Stir heated mixture into puffed rice. Make into a square or into balls.
Toffee Bits Triangles
Colette Lemire
1 cup softened butter or margarine 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 egg yolk 2 cups flour 1 ¼ cups Skor toffee bits 2 cups chocolate chips
Place oven @ 350. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until creamy. Stir in flour and 1 cup of toffee bits.
Press dough evenly into pan and bake for 18 – 20 minutes – it will be a light brown.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot cake base. Spread choc evenly. Sprinkle remaining toffee bits over melted chocolate. Cool, then cut into triangles.