Disney Wilderness Lodge Molasses Crackle Cookies

Yield30 cookies

Disney Parks Blog

INGREDIENTS

1 cup canola oil
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the canola oil and 1 3/4 cups of sugar with a hand mixer.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl and set aside.
Next, mix in the molasses and egg.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
Add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture and stir until the dough is thoroughly combined.
Use an ice cream scoop or your hands to mold the dough into two-inch balls.
Carefully drop each ball of dough into the bowl of sugar and toss to coat.
Place the sugar-coated dough balls two inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for five minutes and enjoy!

Blackout Banana Bread

Spray 9 x 5″ pan with Pam. Dust with Cocoa Powder. Set oven to 350 degrees.

Mix in a large bowl……

1/2 C – Cocoa Powder (plus what you need for pan dusting.)

1 C. – All-purpose flour

1 tsp. – Baking Soda

1/4 tsp.- Kosher salt

In another large bowl, combine Sugar, melted butter, egg and egg yolk., buttermilk or sour cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Pour over dry mixture and stir until combined.

3/4 C- Sugar

1/2 C – Melted butter

1 Large egg and 1 egg yolk

1/4 C – Buttermilk or Sour Cream

2 tsp. – Vanilla Extract

Fold in mashed bananas and chocolate chips.

3 Super-ripe Bananas (mashed).

1 C – Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Transfer batter to prepared pan (s) and bake until toothpick comes out clean. Approximately 1 hour depending on what size pan you use. I use 3 x 5″ pans and freeze the extras. Those I cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to slice.

These make excellent gifts for your trashman, mailman/woman or any service people you have visiting your house. They will remember you next time they need to come to you with service.

Bran Muffins

This bran muffin recipe produces light and moist muffins. Most store-bought bran muffins are dry and dense. This is also a recipe that I have cut in half from the original recipe. It gives two people more than enough to enjoy muffins for a month or so. The mix stays in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

! cup All Bran Buds (Kellogg’s is my go-to)

1 cup boiling water.

1/2 cup melted shortening..

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

2 Cups Buttermilk*

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups Bran flakes

Boil one cup of water and add to a bowl with the bran buds. Let sit while you mix the first ingredients.

Mix the cooled melted shortening, eggs, sugar and buttermilk. (See note below for making a buttermilk substitute)

Add the soaked bran buds to this mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients slowly. Once all is incorporated, add the bran flakes. mix well. Let sit for a couple of minutes to allow the bran flakes to moisten. Pour this finished mixture into a plastic storage container and cover, removing all the extra air. Put in fridge and let set for 24 hours.

Grease muffin pans and ladle out the amount you want to make the number of muffins that work for you. I usually make 4 at a time as then I am not turning the oven on every day. Bake at 400 degrees for about 18 to 20 minutes depending on size of muffins you are making. You can check the doneness as you would a cake using a toothpick. Remove from oven and muffin pan. Enjoy!!

Buttermilk is expensive and if you are making a batch of muffins as I have listed above, you will be left with 2 cups of buttermilk. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t use buttermilk very often. So, I make my muffins using a substitute to buttermilk.
I put 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in a 2-cup measuring cup. Then add enough milk to bring the measurements to the 2-cup line. Another words, you want only 2 cups of liquid to add to the mix. So, it is 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and milk that is 2 tablespoons less of 2 cups. Email me if you have questions about this (McPatty317@gmail.com).

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

I have usually made my pot roast in a crockpot and let it cook most of the day. Today I tried cooking it in my 5-quart Dutch oven. I put the roast into the oven at 8:30. We eat our large meal at noon, and a smaller meal at night. That way it is not sitting there making fat as we sleep.

I bought a 3-pound Top Round roast last week. I cut it into three small 1# pieces and wrapped each piece in Saran Wrap and then put them into a quart sized freezer bag. Since the roast was on sale, I saved money on two future meals.

Thaw roast in refrigerator the day before you plan on cooking it. Pre Heat oven to 300 degrees. Spray the Dutch oven with Pam to help with the clean-up. Place flour (about 1/2 cup) onto a large flat plate. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cover roast with flour on all sides. This will help thicken the gravy that is created with the water you add. Add 2 cups of water or beef broth into the pan. Whisk in one envelope of Onion soup mix. Place floured roast into the broth. Peel and cut 3 carrots. Pieces should be about 1″ long. Peel and cut up 2 potatoes. I add only one large one as I tend to pass on the potatoes. Cut up a small onion into 1/4s. Place cover on Dutch oven and place into pre heated oven.

After one hour, check doneness of carrots and potato. If close to done, drop temperature to 250 degrees. Lower, if you feel that the veggies are done enough. The meat will need a little longer to cook. I turn the roast over when I check after 1 hour. I also stir the contents to be sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. At 2 hours, I added 8 to 10 Brussel sprouts. I had them left over in the fridge so I thought they would taste good with the other veggies.

You can mix up a little cornstarch with water to thicken the gravy if you prefer. If you do this, take the gravy from the Dutch oven with a ladle and put into a small pan on your stove. Bring it to a boil and slowly incorporate it with the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly as gravy thickens.

I serve the veggies in a large bowl and slice the roast on a small plate.

Enjoy!

NEEDED INGREDIENTS

3 + Pound Top Round Roast

3 carrots peeled and cut.

1 to 2 potatoes quartered

1 small onion quartered.

2 Cups water or beef broth

1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix

Salt, Pepper and garlic powder mixed with 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour.

Any veggies you want to add: Brussel Sprouts, turnip, cabbage, etc.

Hershey Kiss Cookies

As many of you know, Christmas is the time for cooking. Especially Cookies. This is a favorite of mine that I tend to put into the gift baskets I make. The worst part of this recipe is trying not to eat too many of the Hershey kisses I have to unwrap for the cookies. Just make sure you don’t eat too many that you have to return to the store for another bag.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from the kisses.

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter.

1/3 cup granulated sugar.

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar.

1 egg

2 Tbls milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 granulated sugar for rolling. I add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Because who doesn’t love cinnamon and sugar? (I place this in a small wide mouth dish for easy rolling.)

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Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until blended.

Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.

Add egg, milk and vanilla extract.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt.

Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Using a 1″ cookie scoop, shape into balls. Then roll balls in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly golden.

Place an unwrapped Hershey kiss into the center of each cookie. Cookie will crack around edges.

Let cool on sheet one minute and remove to a cooling rack.

Jello Rhubarb Pie

This is a recipe I usually make when rhubarb is in season. But if you can find rhubarb at any other time, it makes a nice dessert.

Mix together the following ingredients.

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbls cold butter

1 beaten egg

2 Tbls milk

After this is mixed, put it into a greased 9″ pie pan.

Add the following

3 Cups chopped rhubarb. I usually peel the largest stalks as they tend to be tough.

1 – 3 oz. box of strawberry Jello. (You can use sugar free, but if you do, you might want to use 2 boxes to be able to cover all the rhubarb.)

Put the rhubarb into shell and sprinkle the dry Jello mix over the top covering all the rhubarb.

In a small bowl, mix together.

1/2 cup flour

1 Cup sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 cup melted margarine or butter

Sprinkle this over the top of the pie.

Bake for 50 minutes in a 350-degree oven until the edges and top are golden brown.

Applesauce

This is the sauce you make if you have gone overboard on picking apples. If you have picked apples, I am sure you purchased some apple cider. When adding liquid to your apples, this is a better choice than just water. Water will work well if you have no apple cider or apple juice.

Peel as many apples as you are able to before your fingers wrinkle. I cut my apples into small chunks. If you prefer to have apple slices in your sauce, go for it.

Peel apples and core. Cut into the type of pieces you want in your sauce. You don’t want to have sauce without a taste of an apple piece. Some people don’t peel their apples, but I find the peels take away from the flavor because of the toughness.

Put the apples into a large pot. Pour in juice, cider or water. Your apples will give off a lot of water, so don’t try to cover the apples. If while cooking your sauce seems too dry, add more liquid. Cook until apples are soft and tender. If there are too many pieces for your liking, use a potato masher or Immersion blender to sauce it up a little. Add sugar to your taste and plenty of cinnamon. It all depends on your taste.

Cool applesauce. You can store it in the fridge for about a week. Or freeze it in plastic sandwich bags or Tupperware to take out as you desire.

It can be used in recipes or just as a snack or fruit with dinner.

Air Fryer Hasselback Apples

This is a great dessert to use up all those apples you picked in the cool autumn weather. If you are like me, you have all sorts of ideas where you will use the apples, so you tend to go home with huge amounts. Then when you get home, you think “what was I thinking? I am never going to be able to use all these apples.” So out comes the peeler and the large pots. And you make applesauce for an army. Well, you can try this dessert and see if maybe you don’t need to make so much sauce.

2 large, firm Apples

2 Tbsp Salted Butter softened.

1/4 Rolled Oats (I use quick oats)

2 Tbls Brown Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon or Apple Pie Spice

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Peel and core apples, Cut in half vertically. Place two chopsticks on the counter or cutting board and place the half apple between them, cut side down. Starting at one end, cut the apple until your knife meets the chopsticks. You will not have cut through the whole apple. And that is good. Repeat until the apple is sliced at 1/8″ intervals. Repeat with remaining halves.

And also spread some over the top of the apples. Place apples on a small piece of aluminum foil making a “boat” without the foil touching each piece of apple. You should have a “boat” for each half apple. Sprinkle chopped uts over top.

Place apple boats in air fryer that has been pre heated. Cook at 400 degrees for 14 minutes, until apples are brown and tender. Let cool 2 minutes and remove from fryer. Serve with whipped cream, cool whip or ice cream.

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If you don’t have an air fryer, I suggest you get one. Or if you prefer to cook in the oven, pre heat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake 1 hour until apples are brown and tender.

Blueberry Dump Cake

This is an easier version of a dump cake. It does not use Crescent rolls or cream cheese. The baking on this will be about the time it takes to cook a regular cake. 40 to 50 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or dish with Pam or lightly greased with Crisco.

Ingredients:

One can of fruit pie filling. You can use any flavor. Cherry, Blueberry, Blackberry.

One box of yellow cake mx

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

One and 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter sliced into thin 1/4″ pieces.

Directions

Dump in a can of fruit pie filling.

Sprinkle fruit with 1/2 cup of sugar

I sprinkle with a little lemon juice (optional)

I also sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of cinnamon on top of sugar.

Sprinkle one package of yellow cake mix.

Place slices of butter over top of cake mix at random.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Remove and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

This is quite sweet, so toning it down with Cool Whip or ice cream is recommended. Ice Cream is always recommended with desserts. And Cool Whip I could eat with a spoon, so why not?

Cherry Cream Cheese Dump Cake

I came up with this recipe to combine a couple of my husband’s favorites. It’s easy and very tasty. The family loves it! It is great with vanilla ice cream!

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 1 hrs

Additional Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 16

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

cooking spray (such as Pam®)
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls (such as Pillsbury® Grands! Big and Flaky)
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 (12 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix (such as Duncan Hines®)
¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Unroll crescent rolls into the prepared dish, pinching the seams together.
Beat cream cheese, white sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; spread over crescent roll dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon over cream cheese mixture layer.
Pour cherry pie filling over brown sugar layer. Sprinkle yellow cake mix over cherry pie filling. Arrange butter slices over cake mix and top with remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Wrap a piece of aluminum foil under baking dish to help prevent rolls from burning.
Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through, about 1 hour. Cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving.

An easier version is to omit the crescent rolls and cream cheese. See the recipe that follows for Blueberry Dump Cake.