Orange Sugar Cookies

2/3 C shortening (or butter or ½ of each)
¾ C sugar
1 t vanilla
½ t grated orange peal (or the whole orange)
1 egg
4 t milk
2 C flour
1 ½ t baking powder
¼ t salt

Mix all together and chill for one hour before rolling out. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes.

Lazy-Daisy Cake

3 eggs cream with 1 ¼ C sugar
Dry ingredients:
1 ½ C flour
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t salt
Mix this with egg mixture. Then add:
¾ C milk
1 ½ T butter
1 ½ t vanilla

Bake at 365 for 25 min.

Icing (doubled):
10 T butter melted
8 T cream
1 ½ C brown sugar
½ C coconut shredded
Put on cake a few minutes after out of oven. Bake at 365 for 17 more minutes.

Maine Cream Pie

5 C milk
5 egg yolks
5 heaping T cornstarch (not too big)
1 C sugar

Whisk together then put on medium heat until it bubbles (not hard boil). Cook 1 min, while bubbling then take off heat and add a dash of salt and 1-1 ½ t vanilla. Bake at 350 for 10 min. One recipe makes 2 pies.

For a chocolate cream pie, add ½ cup coco while cooking on the stove.
For coconut pie, add coconut after pie has cooked on stove

Gram Cracker Crust:
1 ½ C cracker crumbs
3 T sugar
1/3 C melted butter

Frosting

1 cube softened butter to 3-4 C powdered sugar
cream of hot milk
1 t vanilla
½-1 t cream bouquet (if you can find at a speciality store)

Fresh Apple Pie

3 ½ blanched, fresh apples in 1/2” slices
¾ c sugar
½ t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
3 T. cornstarch OR 3 T. Ultra Gel OR 6 T. flour
½ c cold water
½ c apple juice
2 T. bottled lemon juice
dough for one double crust pie

Peel, core and slice apples into medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 min. Shake bowl to stir apple slices and microwave until apples are tender. Combine dry ingredients in medium saucepan. Add water, apple juice, and lemon juice and cook on medium heat until thick and bubbly. Fold in drained apple slices. Turn into unbaked pie crust. Cover with top crust and seal edges well. Prick and decorate as desired. Brush lightly with milk, avoiding crimped edges, and sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar. Bake at 400 F for 20 min, reduce heat to 350 F and bake 30-40 min. until crust is golden brown. Yield: 1 double crust pie.

Blueberry Pie

Preheat oven to 450. Cook on lower third of the oven.
Combine in a bowl and let stand for 15 min.
5 cups blueberries
¾ to 1 cup sugar
3 ½ to 4 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch (or 6 Tablespoons Ultra Gel)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
Pour the mixture into the bottom crust and dot with 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces. Cover with vented top or a lattice. Bake the pie for about 55-65 minutes total (10 min at 450 then reduce heat to 350 and cook about 40 min).

Basic Pie Crust

2 c. all-purpose OR pastry flour
½ t. salt
1 c. shortening
Ice water to make soft dough

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening to the size of peas. Gradually add ice water to form a soft dough. Divide into 2 disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 min. Shape as desired. Bake single crust pie at 400 F for about 13-15 min. Bake double crust pie according to filling instructions. Yield: 2 single-crust pie shells or 1 double-crust pie.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

*I tried this one out yesterday and they are delicious! We even made 3 different kinds (raisin, choco chip, and dried cranberries and white chocolate chips!). Yum.

¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup regular oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
¾ cup chopped dried cranberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
(or raisins, chocolate chips...)

Bake the cookies until they look slightly brown - about 8-11 minutes. 350 degrees.
Makes 2 dozen

*Because I used wheat flour instead of all-purpose, I didn't put the full 3/4 cup and instead, added a bit more oats... they turned out great!