Betty Crocker - Quick Salad Dressings

These are really quick recipes for making salad dressings. The first two use bottled dressing and add a second ingredient to make them taste home-made. The second two are mayonnaise based, but still quick to whip up.

Herbed Tomato Dressing (For green salads and vegetable salads)

In tightly covered jar, shake 1 bottle (8 ounces) herb-and-garlic dressing and 1/2 cup tomato juice. Refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend the flavors. Shake before serving.

Parmesan Dressing ( for green salads and vegetable salads)
In tightly covered jar, shake 1 bottle (8 ounces) Italian-style dressing and 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors. Shake before serving.

Creamy Onion Dressing (For green salads and vegetables, meat or seafood salads)
Mix 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavors.

Parsley Cheese Dressing: (For vegetable, meat or seafood salads)
Mix 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing, 1/4 cup processed sharp American cheese spread and 1 tablespoon snipped parsley. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavors.

Betty Crocker - White Sauce

This is the best white sauce recipe I've ever found. This recipe helped me figure out how to make gravy from scratch, plus it has tons of variations. Don't be afraid to experiment. The recipe makes one cup, so if you need more multiply the recipe. I haven't tried all the variations listed, but I included them in case you'd like to give them a try.

Thin White Sauce: (Like for vegetables and soup)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 to 1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup milk

Medium White Sauce: (for creamed and scalloped food like scalloped potatoes or creamed tuna on toast; I use this one for gravy except substitute the juice from the meet for the milk, adding water to bring it up to the 1 cup measurement.)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup milk

Thick White Sauce: (for batter like for croquettes and souffles)

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of milk

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Variations:
Cheese Sauce: (For vegetables and rice, macaroni and egg dishes). Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard and 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese. Heav eover low heat, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Cucumber Sauce: (For salmon and other fish)
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup of shredded or thinly sliced cucumber and a dash of cayenne red pepper; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Curry Sauce: (For chicken, lamb, shrimp, and rice)
Follow recipe for Medium White Sauce except stir in 1/2 teaspoon curry powder with the flour.

Dill Sauce: (For bland meat or fish)
Follow recipe for Medium White Sauce except stir in 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dill weed and a dash of nutmeg with the flour.

Egg Sauce: (For salmon and other fish):
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 2 hard-cooked eggs, very finely chopped.

Horseradish Sauce: (For beef, lamb, and ham)
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1/3 cup horseradish and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard; heat through. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.

Rich Cheese Sauce: (For vegetables and rice, macaroni and egg dishes)
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon dry mustanrd, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons cooking sherry. HEat over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Betty Crocker - Best Chocolate Cake with French Silk Frosting

This week I pulled my Betty Crocker cookbook to share some of my favorite recipes from this book. I've already posted one of my favorite recipes from this - check the archives for the Favorite Coffeecake recipe.

This from scratch chocolate cake is very rich, but worth the effort. And of course it wouldn't be complete without a great frosting recipe from the same cookbook.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shortening or butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate (cooled)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour baking pan - 13 x 9 x 2 inches, or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour evenly into pans.

Bake oblong for 40-45 minutes, layers 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

Frosting - French Silk Frosting

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup soft butter
2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate (cooled)
(or substitute 3 Tablespoons powdered cocoa mixed with 1 Tablespoon vegetable/canola oil = 1 ounce of chocolate)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons milk

In small mixer bowl, blend sugar, butter, chocolate and vanilla on low speed. Gradually add milk; beat until smooth and fluffy.

Tips: This is a good recipe to use to make graham cracker cookies. Two graham crackers with some of this chocolate frosting in the middle - yum!

Seven Minute Frosting

Difficulty: ***

This is a great cake frosting. Just remember it makes ALOT of frosting. Be sure to pile it on the middle.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup cold water
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons light corn syrup or 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In the top of a double broiler combine sugar, cold water, egg whites, corn syrup or cream of tartar, and a dash of salt. Beat 30 seconds on low speed of an electric hand-held mixer, or use a wire whisk. Place over boiling water (upper pan should not touch the water). Cook about 7 minutes while beating constantly until frosting forms stiff peaks. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes or till of spreading consistency. Frost cake.

Variations:

Peppermint-Stick Frosting: substitute 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract instead of vanilla nd garnish with crushed peppermint candies.

Seafoam frosting: use 1 1/4 cups of brown sugar instead of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup cold water instead of a 1/3.

Beef Barley Soup

Difficulty: **

There are many recipes out there for Beef-Barley Soup but this one from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook is a family favorite. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs beef chuck or sirloin, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 tablespoons cooking oil
7 cups beef broth
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
2/3 cup quick-cooking barley
1/2 cup shopped green pepper
1/4 cup snipped parsley

In large skillet or dutch overn, brown meat in cooking oil over low heat, drain well. Stir in broth, undrained tomatoes, onion, salt, basil and Worchestershire sauce. Cover, simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir in carrots, celery, barley, green pepper, and parsley. Cover and simmer for another 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft, not mushy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.