Fabulous Sugar Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extracts until well blended. Beat in one cup of flour, baking powder and salt until well blended. Gradually add the remaining cups of flour. Beat on low until soft dough forms. Divide dough into 3 discs and wrap in plastic wrap (or place in Ziploc bags). Put in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until dough is firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place one disc at a time on a floured surface and roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. You may want some flour on your rolling pin; the dough is sticky. Cut dough with lightly floured cookie cutters. (You may need to place dough back in the refrigerator if it gets too sticky.) Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet an inch apart. I always use parchment paper. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set. Ice with icing below:

Icing

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

1/8 tsp. almond extract

1/8 tsp. butter flavoring

Okay, so I use the same basic icing recipe for the base coat as piping, but the base coat is thinner and the piping icing is thicker. The flavor is delightful, but not as durable as royal icing (like for shipping). Let the icing set over night before packaging.

Store cookies loosely covered at room temperature up to a week. Makes 2-3 dozen, depending on the size of the cookies.

Mom's Banana Bread

5 or more ripe bananas
4 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup broken walnuts, optional

In a small bowl or blender, beat bananas to a liquid; add eggs. In a large bowl, cream oil, applesauce and sugar. Add banana mixture. Combine flour, soda and salt; blend into batter. Stir in nuts. Bake in two well-greased loaf pans at 300* for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until firm ot the touch. Makes 2 loaves.

From my Mom

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

1 package of yellow cake mix (18-1/4 oz.)
2 1/2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 jar (12 oz.) seedless raspberry preserves
1 Tbsp. water

Combine cake mix, oats and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix until crumbly. Press 3 cups of the oat mixture into a 9 X 11 inch baking pan. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the preserves and water. Spread over crust.

Sprinkle with remaining oatmeal mixture. (I like to press the top layer down just a little.) Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the edges get browned. Cool on wire rack in the pan. Cut into bars. Makes about 2 dozen.

From Simple & Delicious Set/Oct 2009 page 57

Halibut Heaven

1 1/2 pounds fresh halibut, the fresher, the better
1 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheese (shred yourself; don't use preshredded cheese)
2 garlic cloves, minced OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. garlic powder, depending on flavor preferences
1/2 tsp. salt

With knife or traditional ulu knife, cut halibut into one inch cubes. Marinate for 1-3 hours in the olive oil in the refrigerator. Mix bread crumbs, garlic, salt and cheese in a pie plate. Cover each cube with the bread crumb mixture and place on cookie sheet. When all pieces are covered, sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the halibut on the cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for about 10 minutes or until the halibut flakes when checked for doneness. Serves 4.

Thurston's Halibut Dip

2 cups fresh halibut
2 cups mayo
2 cups sour cream
1 small can green chilis

Blanch the halibut in boiling water briefly until the halibut is tender and flakes. Mix all ingredients together. Put mixture in baking dish and bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with crackers or whatever you want.

Mike Thurston, Eagle River, AK

Potato Latkes

3 large potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled)
2 onions, grated
4 Tbs. matzo meal (or flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for shallow frying
Sour cream, yogurt or apple sauce for toppings

Grate the potatoes. Put in seive to strain out starchy water. Mix the other ingredients (except the oil and toppings) with the potatoes. Heat the oil in a thick frying pan to about 1/4 inch. Mix should sizzle when a piece falls into the oil. Make patties about 3 inches in diameter and 3/8-1/2 inch thick out of the potato mixture. Fry on one side until underside is brown and crisp. Flip over and fry other side until brown and crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel on a baking sheet in a warm oven until the other latkes are finished. Serves about four.

From Marty Goldberg, Eagle River, AK--(Jewish Cooking, Marlena Spieler)

Tia Talana's Flatulence-Free* Beans

*The secret to having the beans not make you gasious is to use fresh beans, not ones you have had a long time... :)

3 cups dry pinto beans
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced chiles
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. cumin
pepper and garlic to taste (you can use a few cloves of minced fresh garlic or garlic powder)
1 Tbsp. salt

In a large slow cooker (Crock Pot) place the beans and enough water to cover the beans two inches above the beans. Let soak over night.

In the morning, replace the water with enough fresh water to cover the beans by an inch.
Add the chiles, onion, tomatoes, cumin, pepper and garlic. Set cooker on high for 8 hours. One hour before the beans are done (at 7 hours cook time) add the 1 Tbsp of salt.
Serves 6-10 people, depending on how much you want to eat!
I also melt some cheese into each bowl when I serve it. It's pretty good with the cheese.

"Husband" Broccoli and Spinach Salad

I got this delicious recipe from my brother's mother-in-law.
If your husband is not a salad eater, maybe he will eat this one because it has BACON!

2-3 bunches of broccoli, cut in pieces
2-3 cups of spinach
1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. mayo
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. white vinegar

Combine the mayo, sugar and vinegar and mix in a small bowl. Combine the broccoli, spinach, onion and bacon in a larger bowl. Pour the mayo mixture over the broccoli mixture and stir. (If you leave it in the fridge for awhile before serving, stir before serving, as the dressing will gather at the bottom of the bowl.)

Carmel Popcorn

I got this recipe from my cousin, Heather.

6 quarts popped corn
2 sticks butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cupscorn syrup

Boil 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add:

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Stir well. Pour over popcorn. Cool on a cookie sheet or wax paper.

Veggie Chowder

I modified this recipe to be able to be made with food that can be stored.

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken (I use canned chicken)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 can of chicken broth
2 Tbs. of dehydrated onions (you can use fresh, about 2/3 cup)
2 cans of mixed vegetables (you can use frozen)
1 can of canned milk

Combine all ingredients, except the milk, in a slow-cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Stir in canned milk. Cook another 15 minutes.

Very "Normal" Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
A package of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375* F. Measure all ingredients except chips. Mix together until well blended. Mix in chips by hand. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet by rounded teaspoonfuls. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from pan to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Extra Special Rodriguez Tortillas!

I admit it: I am a tortilla snob! They just have to taste good! After making these, I will never buy tortillas again!

2 cups white or wheat flour (I use one cup of each) + more flour for rolling out tortillas
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil, butter or lard (I use oil because it is healthiest)
1 cup boiling water

Pour flour, salt, oil and water into a mixing bowl. Mix with a spoon. When cool enough to touch, knead ingredients into a ball. Form smaller balls, about two inches in diameter. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface. Place dough on the surface and cover lightly with flour. Pat it and turn it over. Sprinkle more flour on it. Using a rolling pin, roll out flat. Place rolled out dough on a hot skillet (I set my burner between medium and high.) When dough turns slightly darker, flip it over. When it bubbles, flip it again. Press bubbles down with a soft cloth, creating larger bubbles. Remove from heat. Makes about 8-9 tortillas.
*If using whole wheat flour, let dough rest five minutes before rolling out.