Buttermilk Pillows
3rd Place – Lion House 150th Anniversary Cookie Contest – September 2006

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups sugar
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup buttermilk

Creamy Frosting
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup half and half or whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Pour buttermilk into separate measuring cup. Add dry ingredients to the batter mixture, alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. (Three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk.) Roll dough into 2-3 Tbsp sized balls and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack and frost. To make frosting, mix all ingredients together until smooth. Makes 2 dozen.

AMISH OVEN-FREID CHICKEN

Price ranted and raved about this chicken for days after eating it for the first time! I think it's the best fried chicken I've ever had. I got the recipe from an Amish-country cookbook that Connie was going to throw out! I did not include the marjoram.

1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. dried marjoram (optional)
8-9 chicken pieces - legs, thighs, breasts, etc..

Place the oil and butter in a shallow cooking pan and put in a preheated 375 degree oven to melt. Set aside. Combine the flour and seasonings in a shallow dish. Roll the chicken pieces in the melted oil-butter mixture, then drop them in the flour mixture. Completely coat and tap off excess. Place chicken in the pan (if using skin-on chicken, place skin side down). Bake for 45 minutes. With a spatula, turn chicken over and bake for another 5-10 minutes longer, or until the top crust begins to bubble. Serve hot or cold - but the crust texture is better if chicken is not refrigerated before eating. The pan drippings make an "absolutely divine" gravy for either mashed potatoes or baking powder biscuits. (Serves 4-5)

Pumpkin Cupcakes

I can't wait to try this one!

Here's Another One

Pumpkin Butter (yum!)

I really want to try this one

This looked good

I haven't tried these tarts, but they looked so good, and supposedly easy. I thought I would share.

Ziti Casserole

1 pound ziti noodles (or other shaped pasta)
8 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 28 oz can of tomatoes or 1 quart home bottled tomatoes
(minus 1/4 cup liquid) - slightly blended
1/2 cup half and half or evaporated milk
seasoned bread crumbs - or make your own with crumbed fresh bread and melted butter

Cook noodles as directed, drain. Mix noodles, salt, pepper, both cheeses and tomatoes together. Put in a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the half and half over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top casserole with bread crumbs and bake and additional 10 minutes.

*I made this last night for the fam and they all loved it. It's super simple but hits the spot.

Healthier-for-you-but-still-yummy Crock Pot Fajitas

1 tsp. garlic powder
1 large onion, sliced or chopped
10 jalapeno rings (I use 1 medium Anaheim Chile, seeds removed, instead)
3 bell peppers, sliced and seeded (red, yellow, green)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 envelope Fajita seasoning mix
1 can black beans or black soy beans, drained
2-3 chicken breasts (can use beef or pork tenderloin instead)
1/2 c. water or broth

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-7 hours. Meat should shred easily. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings (cheese, guacamole, light sour cream, tomatoes, hot sauce, etc...)