Molasses Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is the BEST oatmeal raisin cookie I've ever had! It would be wonderful without the raisins, too.

3/4 - 1 c raisins
1/2 c shortening
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c molasses
1 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c oatmeal

Place raisins in a bowl. Cover with boiling water; let stand for 5 min. Drain and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs; beat very well. Beat in molasses. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in oatmeal. Stir in drained raisins. Drop by Tbsp 2" apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 min. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet to wire racks to cool. Makes about 4 dozen.

Apple Bread

1 c sugar
1/4 c shortening, melted and slightly cooled
2 c chopped apples
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp sour milk
2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Mix above ingredients. Pour in loaf pan. (Mixture will be thick.)

Topping:
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp melted butter

Mix together topping ingredients. Sprinkle on top of bread batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 min or til bread tests done. Makes 1 loaf.

Fruit Crisp

Apple crisp is shown above.

fruit filling (see below)
1 c rolled oats
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1/2 c butter, melted
1/2 c chopped nuts and/or coconut, both are optional

Put fruit filling in 9" pie plate or 8x8" pan.

In a bowl, combine oatmeal, brown sugar, and flour. Stir in butter til whole mixture is moist. Stir in nuts and/or coconut if desired. Sprinkle topping over filling.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 30-35 min (40 min for thawed fruit) or til fruit is tender and topping is golden. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Fruit filling options:

Apples, pears, peaches (fresh or frozen*, unsweetened), or apricots:
Mix together 5 c of fruit and 2-4 Tbsp sugar.

Blueberries (fresh or frozen*):
Mix together 5 c blueberries, 4 Tbsp sugar, and 3 Tbsp flour.

Cherries (fresh or frozen*):
Mix together 5 c pitted tart cherries, 1/2 c sugar, and 3 Tbsp flour.

Rhubarb (fresh or frozen*):
Mix together 5 c sliced rhubarb, 1 c sugar, and 3 Tbsp flour.

Canned pie filling:
Use 1-2 cans of your choice of canned fruit pie filling. Do not add anthing to it; just dump in pan. If using 2 cans of pie filling, be sure to use a 9x13" pan.

*Thaw fruit if frozen. Do NOT drain.

Caramel Apple Cake

1 1/2 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 c flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 c diced peeled apples
2 tsp vanilla

Caramel icing:
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c light cream
1/4 c butter
2 c powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine oil and sugars. Add eggs, beating well. Add 1 c of flour and all the dry ingredients. Gradually add rest of flour. Add vanilla. Fold in apples. Pour into a greased and floured 10" tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs or til cake tests done. Cool in pan 10 min; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Heat brown sugar, cream, and butter in saucepan on stove over low-med heat til sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temp. Beat in powdered sugar til smooth, adding more powdered sugar til desired consistency is reached. Drizzle/spread/pour over cake.

Makes 12-16 servings.

Herbed Salmon

25-30 saltine crackers, crushed
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp dried parsley OR 1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped
6 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp dried thyme OR 1/4 c fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2-3 lbs salmon

In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, garlic, parsely, Parmesan, thyme, and salt; mix well. Add melted butter and toss lightly to coat; set aside. Place salmon skin side down in a greased baking dish. Cover with crumb mixture, patting crumbs down on top of fish. Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 min or til salmon flakes easily with a fork. Makes 8 servings.

Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I've doubled the bar part of the recipe so that it can be made in a 9x13" pan instead of the 8x8" pan the recipe originally calls for. The frosting part of the recipe is correct for the doubled bar recipe.

1 1/2 c flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c oatmeal

Combine about half of the flour, the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, eggs, milk, vanilla, and baking soda. Beat with an electric mixer on med to high speed til thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Stir in oats. Spread batter into an ungreased 9x13" pan.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-18 min or til a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Frosting:
1/3 c peanut butter
4 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
milk

In a bowl beat peanut butter and 2 c of the powdered sugar. Slowly beat in the 1/4 milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Frost cooled bars.

Makes 2-3 dozen.

Graham Cracker Crust

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

1/3 c margarine or butter
1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c finely crushed graham crackers (about 18)

Melt butter. Stir in sugar. Add crushed graham crackers. Toss to mis well. Spread mixture evenly into 9" pie plate. Press onto bottom and sides to form a firm, eben crust. Chill about 1 hr or til firm OR bake in a 375 degree oven for 4-5 min or til edges is lightly browned. Cool on wire rack before filling. Makes 1 crust.