Today we received a free gift of 50 lbs of onions. There is a local towing and salvage company that had a full 40 ft trailer of onions, from a wreck they took care of last week. We were fortunate that a neighbor filled his truck with many 50 lbs bags of onions, and he gave us a bag.

Hubby decided that he would make up a batch of onion rings today, to eat with dinner.  The seasoning was fantastic, and they tasted terrific. Wonderful!!

Really Yummy Cookies!

Shortbread Cookies

YIELD: 36 COOKIES

 

PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES, CHILL 1 HR

COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES PER BATCH

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
• sugar for sprinkling
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 teaspoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Method:

1. In a medium bowl beat butter medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the the 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with electric mixer and then using a wooden spoon stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam into each indentation and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.
3. For icing, in a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon water and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. Add enough of the remaining water to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle cookies with icing.

1957 Vintage Children's Cookbook

There is not much to blog about recently.  However, I went junking today and found this vintage 1957 Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls, for 99 cents. I did a little online research and found the book sells for about $20 at the used booksellers. I was surprised to see that it was reproduced in 1983. There are some fun ideas, and maybe I will try a couple. It is kinda funny that I could have had a book like this as a small child. There are some lovely color photos and many great illustrations. I remember making the doughboys on sticks as a girl scout.

Vintage Homemaker

I like the vintage prints of people caught in their everyday lives. My mom did not teach me very much about how to cook or make pies. The other day, I made hubby a homemade apple pie, with my own home canned apple pie filling...he is in heaven. I use a pie crust recipe from Susan Branch. I cut the recipe out of a Country Home magazine long ago. It is not anything special...I think the real trick is chilling everything for the pie crust for an hour or two. When making crust, keep it cold...and take it easy with the dough. Overworking the crust makes it rubbery and tough. A light hand will keep it nice and flaky.

I used to be a terrible pie crust maker, it would stick to anything. I could not roll it out. I was so frustrated that I would just put it in the pie pan and press it with my fingers. I learned with practice, and watching Martha Stewart make pie crusts. A nice flat dough scraper is essential, it helps so much to getting the dough lifted and ready to go into the pie pan.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Our American celebration of Thanksgiving is just 5 days from now. Our family gathers at one home and we all bring some of the food. I am going to make a dessert other than pumpkin pie (sis makes that). I normally make a New York Cheesecake, and some other people resist changing the menu. I think it is so...boring to eat the same food for 25+ years. I am a gal who is interested in making different things every year. I am thinking of a Flourless Chocolate Cake this year. I have not made this before, however I had a small piece at King Estate Vineyards wonderful restaurant. It was so....good! I am going to use this recipe www.food.com/recipe/flourless-chocolate-cake