Sticky Buns

A favorite from my in-laws.  While this recipe is intended for dutch oven/camping opportunities, we may have been guilty of making them in the oven because they are just that good and we can’t wait for the next camp-out!

Ingredients:

• 18 White Frozen Rolls (we like Rhodes)
• 1/2 C Melted Butter
• 1/2 C Brown Sugar
• 1 t Cinnamon
• 1 C Chipped Walnuts
• 1 sm pkg Butterscotch Pudding Mix (not instant)

If using a dutch oven, place rack inside.  Line dutch oven or deep pan (if cooking indoors) with foil.  Spray with cooking spray.  Cover bottom with nuts.  Using a spoon, dip each roll in butter and arrange in bottom of oven/pan.  Add dry pudding cinnamon and sugar to remaining butter.  Mix and then spoon over rolls.  Cover with lid and let stand over night.  Do not refrigerate.   In the morning:

• For 12″ dutch oven, prepare 25 charcoal briquettes.  Rest oven on 8 briquettes and place 17 briquettes on lid.
• For 14″ dutch oven, prepare 32 charcoal briquettes. Rest oven on 11 briquettes and place 21 briquettes on lid.
• For indoor cooking, preheat oven 350 and insert pan.

Bake 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.  Invert onto a cookie sheet or large platter.

 

Lemon Spritz Cookies aka So-You-Hate-Sugar-Cookies

I have never liked sugar cookies.  I grew up making lemon spritz cookies at Christmas time with a cookie gun.  Recently, I discovered the wonderful versatility of the spritz cookie.  This cookie can replace nasty sugar cookies as one to use cookie cutters with and have fun decorating with frosting and sprinkles!  The only catch is that it is a bit more difficult to roll out.  It’s worth it, though, I promise!  The animal cookies pictured were left white and I only dyed the frosting.  With the watermelon shaped cookies, I dyed the dough green and cut into circles.  After cooking, I dyed the frosting pink and topped with chocolate sprinkles.  (See Recipe: Best Frosting Ever)

Ingredients:

• 1 C Margarine
• 2 3/4 C Flour
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 t lemon peel
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 C sugar

Cream butter with cream cheese (should be like whipped butter).  Gradually add sugar.  Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel, flour, and salt.  Mix thoroughly.  Color with food coloring as desired.  Chill for 1 hr.  Shape using cookie press or rolling out between two sheets of wax paper and using cookie cutters.  Bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes.

 

Everyone’s Favorite Potato Salad

I have never had another kind of potato salad that I liked, probably because most had ‘crunchies,’ which I don’t like.  My husband does not like pickles.  Growing up, he also believed he did not like potato salad, although his mother assured him there were no pickles in it.  He only discovered after we had been married for two years that, not only did he like my potato salad, but his mother had been putting pickle juice in hers all those years!  I have brought this potato salad to every pot luck and BBQ I have ever attended and it has never failed that at least one person has asked for the recipe.  I tried to find the origins of potato salad and reports vary wildly; however, it appears that my recipe is a cross-breed between German and American versions.

Ingredients:

• 5 Medium Potatoes
• 5 Eggs
• 3/4 C Mayonnaise
• 1 T Mustard
• 1 t Vinegar
• 1 T Milk
• >1/2 t Onion Powder
• 1/4 t Garlic Powder
• 1/2 t Celery Salt
• <1/2 t Dill Weed
• 1/2 t Pepper
• 1/4 t Paprika

Hard boil eggs (slowly bring to a boil, turn down and simmer 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, drain and fill pan with cool water, let sit until eggs are cooled).  Peel and quarter potatoes.  Boil until soft enough to spear with a fork (about 15 minutes).  Blend liquids and spices in large bowl.  Drain potatoes and add to liquid/spice mixture.  Peels eggs.  Slice 4 eggs in three directions and add to mixture.   Stir well.  Even out surface with a spoon.  Slice the last egg in only one direction and arrange slices along the top.  Shake a small amount of paprika over the top.  Can be served still warm (YUM) but keep refrigerated.