Women's History Month

Women's History Month is a celebration of women's contributions to history, culture and society. The United States has observed it annually throughout the month of March since 1987.

Gingerbread House

Basic Gingerbread Dough Recipe

For this recipe, you’ll need a heavy paper and scissors to create a house pattern, a rolling pin, parchment paper, a sharp knife, and a ruler. Because the dough is stiff and difficult to mix, make it in two batches. Make additional batches if you plan to add dormers or additions.




Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup (1-½ sticks) butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
8 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed

Instructions:

On heavy paper, draw a pattern for the walls, floor, and roof of your house. Cut out the pieces: Two rectangles, 3 by 5 inches, to make the front and back of the house. Two rectangles, 3 by 5 ½ inches for the roof. Two pieces for the ends of the house, 3 inches wide at the base, 3 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 5 ½ inches from the bottom. Four smaller rectangles, 1 ½ by 1 inch for the roof and sides of the entryway. And one piece, 2 inches wide at the base, 1 ½ inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 2 ½ inches from the bottom for the front of the entryway.

In a pan over low heat, combine brown sugar, molasses, spices, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; cool slightly. Stir in baking powder. Set mixture aside to cool for 10 minutes more. In a bowl, sift together flour and salt. Form a well in the center and pour in cooled syrup, eggs, and milk, stirring until blended. Add additional milk, if needed, to make a stiff dough. Cover the bowl and set aside in a cool place for about 15 minutes. Do not refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a large baking sheet.

Roll dough on prepared baking sheet to approximately ¼ inch thick. (Roll the section for the walls slightly thicker than the roof.). Place the paper house patterns on the rolled out dough. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut out each of the pieces. Leave the pieces you’ve cut right on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Dough should feel firm. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove pieces with a spatula and cool on a rack.

Then place paper house pattern on the dough again and cut out more shapes, as needed.

When completely cool, assemble your house, using generous amounts of royal icing.
(See recipe below.)

Royal Icing Recipe

You may substitute powdered egg whites for the raw egg whites and follow the container’s instructions to make the equivalent of two fresh whites.


Ingredients:
2 egg whites
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions:
In a bowl, combine the egg whites and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth. Gradually add the remaining sugar and as much lemon juice as needed for desired consistency, beating until smooth. The icing will harden in about 30 minutes; to keep it workable for up to an hour, cover with a damp dish towel. Use a pastry bag or knife to apply to the gingerbread. Makes enough to assemble about one-half an average-size gingerbread house.

BUILDING THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

For supplies, you’ll need spatula, pastry bag, writing tip, royal icing, confectioners’ sugar, and house decorations.

You’ll also need to think about a cake board or a flat surface for the house to sit on.

If you use a pastry bag, make sure that there aren’t any air pockets in the icing itself, which will wreak havoc as you pipe it out.

If you wish to also color icing, use paste food coloring. Liquid food coloring will thin out the icing.

I found this recipe here.#

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Recipe found here.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 6 oz penne pasta
2. 2 chicken breasts, grilled
3. 4 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
4. 1/2 (medium size) cucumber, chopped
5. 1 carrot, shredded
6. 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
7. 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8. 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
9. 1/2 cup croutons (optional)
10. Caesar salad dressing, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain water and set aside to cool.
2. Chop the grilled chicken breasts into small chunks. In a large bowl toss together chicken, cooked penne pasta, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, green onion, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and croutons.
3. Drizzle with desired amount of Caesar salad dressing and toss to coat.

By Lauren Allen

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

                                                               

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 

2 tablespoons butter

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 onion, finely diced

2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions:
Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.

Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.


I found this recipe at Allrecipes.com. 

Cream Cheese - Chocolate Chip Filled Cupcakes

CREAM CHEESE - CHOCOLATE CHIP FILLED CUPCAKES

1 (2 layer) pkg. chocolate cake mix 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 c. sugar 1 c. chocolate chips Prepare cake mix as directed. Mix together cream cheese, egg, vanilla, and sugar. Add chocolate chips to cream cheese filling. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Place about 1 large tablespoon of cake batter into each liner. Then place 1 teaspoon of filling into each liner. Top with more cake batter. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servings 

• 3 zucchini
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Trim stems from zucchini and slice lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and put in bowl. Mix seeds with sausage, garlic, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese. Stuff squash with sausage mixture and place in 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour sauce over squash and cover pan with foil.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until sausage is cooked. Remove foil and cover with mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is melted. 
5. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Zucchini-2/Detail.aspx?src=rotd

Apple Pie

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
7 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a bowl combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Place mixture in a pastry-lined 9 inch pie plate. Dot with butter and adjust top crust that has been vented.
3. Place in oven and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 275-300 degrees F (135-150 degrees C) and bake 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Let cool and serve.

  

Crust:
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/3 cup ice water
    

Directions

1. Combine flour and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Cut butter or margarine or butter and shortening into tablespoon pieces; add it to the flour and sugar. Use the paddle beater to cut the butter and flour together. Alternatively, this can be done by hand with a pastry blender.
2. With the mixer on low speed , or while stirring the mixture with a fork, pour in the cold water. When the dough starts to clump, and before it turns into a ball, stop stirring.
3. Lightly knead dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. Divide dough into two parts. Flatten each part into a disk, and chill for about 30 minutes before rolling.