Doughnuts

We made these doughnuts quite awhile ago, but I just got the pictures off of the camera. WARNING: DO NOT EAT THE DOUGH WHILE MAKING THEM. It is super duper nasty and bitter, so wait until they are fried then eat them. We found this recipe in the KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes Cookbook.

Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts
3 3/4 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
1 cup applesauce
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Canola Oil-use this kind it is the healthiest of the oils that doesn't have a flavor, and in some cases it is better than olive oil

Beat eggs in the mixer on high until it is frothy. Beat in the sugar until it is thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Switch it to low; beat in the applesauce and butter. Beat in the dry ingredients, until well mixed. Divide the dough into two parts. Wrap them both up into plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 3 hours, personally we put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.Make the glaze for the doughnuts mix the powder sugar, milk and vanilla until it is smooth. Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough with the top of a glass and a pill bottle to cut out the center. Keep the dough nut holes. Reroll the scraps, and repeat. Heat up the oil until it is 375. Personally I didn't check the temperature I just threw in a scrap to see if it started to boil and fry. Fry until it is golden brown, turn often-about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and spread with glaze. Eat.

Sweet Potato Puff

I got this recipe from the Kitchen Aid Best-Loved Recipes Cookbook. It is super yummy, even Phil liked it. I made a few switches like increasing the sweet potatoes so that it isn't as sweet. The original calls for only two, medium ones.

Sweet Potato Puff
3 sweet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping
2 Tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup cornflake cereal
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix them all the ingredients together.

Cook the sweet potatoes until soft. Mash the sweet potatoes in a mixture, add milk, sugar, eggs, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Beat for 1 minute. Spread it into a greased pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until it doesn't jiggle. While it is baking make the topping, put on top and bake for 10 more minutes.

Requested...

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter/margarine/shortening, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I just squirt some in I don't measure)
1 package chocolate chips (any type is good, I have tried-white, regular and milk)
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional) -I used walnuts

Cream butter and sugars in mixer. Beat in pumpkin (I actually don't measure and just use 1/2 can), egg, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients slowly. Stir in the nuts and chips. Drop onto cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 11-14 minutes.

I love these cookies because they are always fluffy and I don't feel too bad about eating them because they have pumpkin in them. I use butter or margarine in this cookies (normally I use shortening) with regular cookies it (butter) makes them flat, but this recipe it doesn't matter, so I go for convenience on this one. Also today I tried it with about 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour added in because I ran out of white flour and didn't want to run down to the basement to grab another bag. They turned out so next time I might try adding more in. I got this recipe from the Nestle Classic Recipes cookbook that we got for a wedding gift. I use this cook book tons (probably not a good thing), but it changes the basic chocolate chip cookie into something more special and different.

excuse for not posting...

I haven't posted in awhile because I started a menu calendar and I have been using actual cookbooks not internet sites for cooking the last two months. I have found some real winners and I just need to spend some quality time with them outside of the kitchen and type up the ones that we really liked.