German Potato Salad

2 pounds potatoes
1/3 pound bavcvon
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup vinegar

Cooks potatoes until not quite done, peel and slice. Cook bacon until crisp, drain and crumble. Reserve 1/4 to 1/3 cup drippings. In same pan cook onion in drippings. When tender add water and vinegar and sugar cook for two minutes, add bacon. Pou over potatoes. Put in top of double boiler or crock pot for 1-2 hours. If eating right away cook potatoes until done. Add 2 Tbsp flour to cooked onions. Stir until thickened, then add water vinegar and sugar. cook 1-2 minutes, add potatoes and serve.

Dutch Apple Cake

2 1/2 cups flout
2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, slightly beaten
6 cooking apples sliced

Topping
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. cinnamon

Sift dry ingredients together; Cut in butter until crumbly. Add vanilla to egg and then blend with flour mixture. Press evenly onto the bottom and sides of a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan. Cover dough with overlapping layers of apple slices.

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm or cold with whipping cream.

Toffee Butter Crunch

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup almonds or pecans toasted

Butter a 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan. Set aside.
In heavy 2 quart saucepan melt butter; add sugar, water, syrup. Cook and stir over med-high heat until boil. Using candy thermometer, continue boiling, stirring constantly until 290 degrees. Remove from heat and add nuts. Spread candy quickly into buttered pan. Melt chocolate and spread onto slightly cooled candy. If desired sprinkle additional nuts over warm chocolate.
Let candy cool completely, then break into small pieces. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Mocha Brownies

Mocha Brownies

1 Cup butter
3/4 Cup cocoa
2 tbsp. Folger's Instant Coffee Crystals, crushed with a spoon
2 Cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease 13"x11" pan. Set aside. Melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Add flour and stir until incorporated. Do NOT over beat. Bake in 350 degree for 27 minutes.

YUM!!!

White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degree. In a large bowl, combine the sugar brown sugar and butter; mix well to cream together. Add egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour. Mix well. Fold in the oatmeal, cranberries, and white chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 3 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden.

Best Brownies Ever

There are a few recipes that my family loves and that we prepare regularly. Unfortunately, I keep misplacing the recipes. The similar recipes from cookbooks and the internet are not as good and we are always disappointed. Last summer I made a recipe file on our computer. Problem solved. When our computer crashed last month, we lost many documents including our favorite recipes. To save future problems, I am posting some of these recipes on our blog.

Joe's Fudgy Brownies (from the back of Spartan Cocoa, 16 years ago)

1/2 Cup butter or margarine
1/2 Cup baking cocoa
1 Cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 Cup chopped nuts (we use pecans or walnuts)

Grease 8 x 8" pan. Melt butter in pan. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa. Beat until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Stir in vanilla and flour. Do NOT overbeat. Fold in nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. If feeling really indulgent frost with Karen's Fudgy Frosting.

Fabulous Fudge Frosting

This Fudge Frosting is the best I have ever made. It is very, very rich. The kids regularly request it on their birthday cakes or on brownies. YUM!

Karen's Fudgy Frosting (from the back of Spartan Cocoa about 16 years ago)

1/3 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Baking Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

Melt butter. Remove from heat and add cocoa. Stir until well blended. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and milk. Stir until smooth. Frosting with thicken quickly, so spread immediately. Frosts two 8" or 9" round cake pans.