First three are from the book the rest are more favorites from my collection.

Carrot Cookies

2 eggs, ½ cup butter, ½ cup Crisco, ¾ cup Sugar, 1 cup cooked carrots (mashed), 2 cups flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, ¾ cup coconut (optional).

  Set butter out to soften. Peel and cook the carrots and set aside to cool and mash. Cream the shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and cooled mashed carrots together. Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the creamed mixture. Stir in the coconut and mix well. Drop by teaspoons full onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes. When cooled slightly, spread on orange glaze.

Orange Glaze

2½ Tbsp. softened butter, 1½ cups powdered sugar, 1½ Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice and 2 tsp. grated orange peel.

  Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spread onto slightly cooled cookies.

Slow Cooked Drip Beef Sandwich

3 to 4 lbs. chuck or rump roast, 1 Tbsp. garlic salt, ½ Tbsp. oregano, ¾ Tbsp. savory salt and 2 beef bouillon cubes.

  Trim most of the fat from the beef. Put beef in Dutch oven or other deep kettle. Fill half full with water as to barely cover the beef. Add the seasonings. Cover and simmer slowly on top of the stove for approximately 8 hours. When cooked, shred the beef and serve on deli buns of your choice. If preferred, strain the liquid from the beef and serve on the side or drizzle a small amount onto the sandwich. Use sparingly as the sauce is rather salty.

Rich Cookies and Cream Candy

2 cups crushed Oreo cookies with white filling, 1 - 18oz. pkg. white baking chocolate, 1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk and 1/8 tsp. salt.

  Combine the baking chips, condensed milk and salt in a saucepan, over low heat, stirring until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and add crushed Oreos. Pour into an 8 inch square pan that has been lined with foil. Chill in refrigerator until firm. Cut into squares of your choice and serve at room temperature.

Twinkie cake

1 box Twinkies, 1 lg. can drained crushed pineapple, 3 bananas, 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding,  1 lg. tub Cool Whip, pecans, maraschino cherries.

Slice Twinkies length wise, placing cream side up in a 9 x 13 pan.  Spread pineapple on top of Twinkies.  Slice bananas on top of pineapple.  Prepare pudding and pour over all.  Spread Cool Whip over top and garnish with nuts and cherries.

Spinach and Artichoke dip

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts. drained and chopped finely, 1 pkg. of 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained, 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients together until well blended.  Spoon into a greased 9 inch baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.  Great served with tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.  I like to add extra mozzarella, and parmesan for creaminess, and  extra garlic.

Beer and sour cream cake

3/4 cup real butter, softened at room temperature, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 cups sour cream, 3 cups all-purpose flour, un-sifted, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp. salt and 3/4 cup of beer. 

Combine and set aside, 3/4 cups walnuts, chopped,  3/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 4 tbs. cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a tube pan.

Cream butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and blend well.  Add vanilla and sour cream blending until creamy.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and beer, mixing until well blended.  

Pour batter into tube pan, alternating with the  nut- chip mixture you set aside earlier, or if you prefer you can add the nut-chip mixture to the entire batter.  Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean.

Sugar and spice Blend

2 Tbs. light brown sugar, 2 Tbs. ground cinnamon, 4 tsp. dried ground ginger, 1 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, and 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom.  This blend can be used for making spiced nuts, breads, rolls butter vegetables, fruits, or anything you would like to use it for.  This look very cute in a small jar and decorated to give as a gift.

Sugar and spice nuts

3/4 c. sugar, 1 Tbs. sugar and spice blend, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1 egg white, 1 Tbs. water, 1 lb. pecan halves.

Combine the sugar , spice blend, salt, and set aside.  Beat the egg white and water until foamy or dry, until there is no liquid remaining.  Add the nuts and stir to coat evenly.

Add the coated nuts to the spice blend, and coat evenly.  Put on buttered 15 x 10 jelly roll pan in a single layer and bake at 275 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes.  Spread immediately unto waxed paper, in a single layer and cool completely.  Keep in tightly sealed container.  May substitute almonds or walnut halves for the pecans.

White Chili---Texas style

Cook 4 large chicken breasts. Cool and slice into very thin strips, and set aside. 

Sauté together the following ingredients until the onions are clear and the excess liquid form the chilies is almost gone.---1 medium white onion, finely chopped, 1 or 2  cans jalapeno peppers, chopped, 4 cans chopped green chilies,  the 4-5 oz. size.

In a large pot, combine and cook together the sautéed ingredients, the 4 large cooked chicken breast strips, 4 -15.8 oz cans great northern beans, drained, and 5 to 6 cans of  14 oz. size chicken broth.

Add to the pot, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp oregano, and 1 tsp. white pepper, and simmer at least  45 minutes so the spices will blend and the chicken strips will tenderize.  Adjust the cooking time a little longer for more tender chicken.

Before serving, if you prefer, you can shred any large chunks of chicken.  If you prefer a little thicker chili, remove a cup of broth, let  cool, and add 1 to 2 tsp. of corn starch to the broth, stirring until dissolved.  Slowly pour back into chili, stirring constantly to prevent lumps and cook another 10 minutes, or adjust your cooking time to your desired thickness. 

Serve in festive bowls and top with shredded jack cheese, and sour cream,  with tortilla chips on the side.   If you want to cool this chili down, omit the  jalapeno peppers, or add more jalapeno peppers to spice it up.   I omit the jalapeno peppers altogether, and serve them on the side.  This is a big hit at our Christmas parties.