Mother's Day Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 pound penne
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• Salt to taste (optional)

Cook the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisk, and slowly add the milk and cheese. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg, pepper, and tomato sauce. Add the salt. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and sauce. Toss well and serve.

Mother's Day Bonnet

Ingredients

• 1 eight inch white or yellow cake
• 1 pound colored marzipan
• 3 cups colored frosting
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 yolk
• 4 ounce sugar
• 3 ounce soft butter
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon gelatin
• 12 ounces cream, whipped to medium-stiff peaks

First prepare lemon curd. Whisk together lemon zest, one-third cup lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk and sugar. Place in sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, bring the mixture just to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture coats the spoon heavily. DO NOT boil or the mixture will curdle. Remove from heat, stir in butter. Pour into shallow pan to cool. Chill.

Now prepare a lemon mousse.  Soften gelatin in three tablespoons lemon juice, sugar and water for five minutes. Heat over double boiler to melt. Gelatin should be completely dissolved and syrupy. Temper into lemon curd, then fully incorporate into lemon curd. Fold in whipped cream. Use quickly before gelatin has a chance to set.

Split cake in half horizontally. Place bottom layer onto 12" platter or cardboard round. Spread approximately one cup lemon mousse onto cake layer. Place remaining layer on top. Mound remaining mousse onto top off cake, creating a dome shape. Freeze or refrigerate one to two hours to allow gelatin to completely set.

Color marzipan with pastel food color. Roll out into 12" diameter circle. Use corn starch for dusting medium to prevent marzipan from sticking to rolling pin or table.  Drape marzipan over cake. Trim any overhanging edge of marzipan which falls below the bottom of the cake.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a large basket weave tip, pipe a border or frosting around the bottom of the marzipan. Switch to a large rose tip, then pipe a ruffled border or frosting onto the platter. Place a flower or bow at the base of the cake, in the front.

Mom's Apple Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Crisco Shortening
• 5 tbsp cold water

Filling

• 4 cups sliced, peeled (1/4-inch slices) Golden Delicious apples (about 1-1/3 pounds or 4 medium apples)
• 3 cups sliced, peeled (l/4-inch slices) Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound or 3 medium apples)
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1-1/2 tsp quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. For crust, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt and l/2 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl. Cut in Crisco Shortening. Roll and press bottom crust into 9-inch pie plate. Cover. Do not bake.
2. For filling, combine apples, apple juice and lemon juice in large saucepan. Cook and stir on high heat 5 minutes or until apples are slightly tender. Pour into large shallow dish. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, until cool, about 20 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 400°F.
4. Spoon apples and any liquid into large bowl. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, tapioca and vanilla. Toss to coat. Spoon into unbaked pie crust. Moisten pastry edge with water.
5. Roll top crust same as bottom. Lift onto filled pie. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Flute. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake 1 hour or until filling in center is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before serving.

"Eye" Love Mom Cookies

Ingredients

 

• 1-1/4 cups firmly-packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Decoration

 

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet Hershey's Chipets
• 3/4 cup raspberry jam, or flavour of choice
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk
• Food colouring

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies
2. Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
4. Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
5. Shape rounded measuring tablespoonfuls of dough into ovals. Pat top smooth. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Indent slightly in center with finger.
6. Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely.
7. For decoration, place Hershey's Chipets in a heavy resealable plastic sandwich bag. Microwave at 50% (MEDIUM) power for 1 minute or until melted, checking every 30 seconds. Knead bag until smooth. Cut tiny tip off corner of bag. Squeeze to pipe design of outline of eye and eyelashes onto cookies. Drop teaspoons of jam into center of each "eye" for pupil.
8. Combine icing sugar and milk. Stir until smooth. Add additional icing sugar if icing is too thin. Add a few drops of food colour, a few drops at a time, to achieve the desired colors. Place icing in pastry bags fitted with small round writing tip. Alternatively, place in small resealable plastic bags. Cut tiny tip off corner of bag. Squeeze to pipe on designs for cookies, as desired.

Makes: About 3 dozen cookies

Antique Tea Cakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 eggs (beat till creamy)
• 2 cups flour

Instructions

Form into balls about the size of a 1/2 dollar and place on cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 300°F and bake till golden brown. For crunchier cookies, bake at 325°F.

Submitted by: Christine Schaefer