Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

I have recently found this recipe or one very similar on lots of cooking blogs- it seems amazing and I can't wait to try it!
recipe by Our Best Bites

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I used non-fat when it's all I have and it's actually fine)
1/2 C real butter
1/2 C sugar (that's granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. I think this is the critical point for any of you who have had problems with this recipe. I have a feeling people are under-cooking this part. Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Even though it's thick, you can still it through a mesh strainer (just whisk the mixture in the strainer to push the thick stuff through) and then let it cool completely to room temp. or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely. If you don't let it cool completely, it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.
It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You'll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, not the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can get to without it spraying all over the place for 7 minutes. Yes, 7 whole minutes, maybe even 8 or 9. I know that seems like a long time, but that's when the magic happens!

You will be scared because it will look like a weird goopy mess at first and you'll wonder what on earth you did wrong. Keep beating and something amazing happens. It goes from that goopy mess to something thick, velvety smooth, and perfectly fluffy.

Use it to fill cupcakes or other pastries, or as a frosting on top. You can't go wrong putting this on just about anything :)
One batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Pioneer Cookies

Okay- all you people who live in Utah- here is a pioneer recipe to celebrate Pioneer Day this Week!
This was actually on Channel 2 News a few days ago. Enjoy!

Ingredients:


1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
4 Eggs, beaten
4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Allspice
3 cups Apples (finely chopped)
2 cups Raisins

Directions:

Measure all dry ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together with a spoon or spatula. Place brown sugar and butter in a large bowl and cream together. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until well mixed and creamy. Stir in the dry ingredients and then add the apples and raisins. Mix well. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. You can test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean they are done. Store in an air tight container. These freeze well.

Apple Dumplings

My sister made this for us up at our cabin over the fourth of July!  It was to die for!  Hope you like it!  It will be a great recipe when you have lots of apples on your trees that you need to make something with and great for a fall dessert too!

2 apples
2 crescent roll tubes
cinnamon
2 cubes butter
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-12 oz can Mountain Dew

Peel and wedge apples into 8 slices.  Roll up one piece of apple in each crescent roll.  Place in baking dish or on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Melt butter in sauce pan until barely all melted.  Take off heat and add sugar- it will be very grainy and sugary.  Don't dissolve sugar all the way.  Add vanilla.  Pour over crescent rolls.  Pour Mountain Dew around edges of pan or dish.  Bake  at 350 for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.  Serve with whipping cream or ice cream!  Soooo delicious!!

Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert

This recipe is so yummy, we had this at a family reunion last summer and I just found the recipe!  I can't wait to make it myself!
from the kitchen of Stephanie

1st Layer
2 pkg or 2 1/2 C grahm crackers
2 cubes butter

2nd Layer
2 8 oz cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1-2 tsp lemon juice

3rd Layer
2 boxes raspberry danish plus 1 3/4 C cold water
2 small round frozen sweet raspberries with syrup

1st Layer
Crush grahm crackers and mix with melted butter.  Press into a 9x13 pan.

2nd Layer
Soften cream cheese, mix in milk and lemon juice.  Spread over grahm cracker crust.

3rd Layer
Mix danish, cold water and unthawed raspberries in saucepan.  Cook until thick.  Let cool a little.  Pour over cream cheese mixture.  Refrigerate until served.  SOOO Yummy!

Boterkoek (Dutch Butter Cake)

from the kitchen of Rona

Mix all by hand:
 3 cups flour
 1 cup sugar
3 sticks BUTTER, softened
 1 egg yolk mixed
 1/4 tsp almond oil
 dash of salt

 I get the almond oil at Bakers Cash & Carry in Salt Lake and it lasts a long time.. If you use almond extract, you need to use a scant teaspoon, but the oil is better.
Use pastry blender to mix, pat into 9X13 pan, brush top with beaten egg white, score with fork if desired, and bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes to a light golden brown. Cool slightly and cut on the diagonal to form diamond shapes.

Peach Cobbler

from the kitchen of Stephanie

3/4 c flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 c sugar, divided
3/4 c milk
1/2 c butter
2 c freshly sliced peaches

Sift flour, salt and baking powder.  Mix with 1 c sugar, slowly stir in milk to make batter.  Melt butter in 8x8x2 inch pan.  Pour batter over butter.  Do not stir.  Mix peaches with remaining 1 c sugar and carefully spoon over batter.  Bake 1 hour at 350.  Serve hot or cold.  Double this recipe for a 9x13 pan.

Pumpkin Roll

from the kitchen of Ann-Marie

3 eggs
1C sugar
2/3 C pumpkin
1tsp lemon juice
3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
1 C powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs for 3 min. Slowly add sugar. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, mix well; add remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth. Pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake @ 375 for 15 min,

Flip onto dish towel dusted with powdered sugar. Roll and put in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, until cool. Cream together filling ingredients. Spread on unrolled pumpkin roll. re-roll and chill

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake

from the kitchen of Stephanie

Crust:
1 pkg graham crackers, crushed
1 cube butter
1/4 c sugar

Melt butter, mix in sugar and add cracker crumbs.  Press in greased 9x13 pan.

Filling:
2 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
1 8 oz tub Cool Whip

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add sugar and mix.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Spread over crust.

Topping:
1-2 lbs fresh strawberries, sliced
1 pkg strawberry Danish Dessert

Mix Danish according to package directions for pie.  Let cool a few minutes.  Mix in strawberries and layer over cream cheese mixture.  Let set in fridge for a few hours. Delicious!!!

Chocolate Egg Birds Nests

from the kitchen of Jen

Makes 5 large or 10 small
– 5 oz. crunchy chow mein noodles (1 small can)
– 1 c. chocolate chips (½ a bag) – 1 tsp. vegetable shortening
– Candy eggs (medium-sized speckled jelly-beans, or Cadbury Mini-Eggs in Easter pastels work nicely)
– Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Melt the chocolate and shortening together in a microwave or over a double boiler, stirring until melted.
– Allow to cool slightly, but do not let it set up. Stir in the chow mein noodles until evenly coated.
– Drop the coated noodles onto the baking sheet with a large spoon. For 5 large nests, form into circle about the size of an adult palm or half that amount for 10 small.
– Use your fingers to sculpt the noodles into a round shape and to form an indentation in the middle of the nest.
– Place eggs in the nest while chocolate is still wet. Place nests in the refrigerator to harden.

Apple Crisp

from the kitchen of Sarah

3 lbs apples
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup rolled oats

Peel, core, and chop apples, tossi n bowl w/ lemon juice. In separate bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir into apples. In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, and oats. Cut butter into eight pieces and cut into flour mixture till crumbs. Butter 10x10 baking dish. Spread apples in bottom ans sprinkle with flour mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes.