Shepherd’s Pie

Mmmm... pie...

I haven’t ever had shepherd’s pie (apparently also called cottage pie), before, but it looks tasty and I’ve heard good things about it. So being who I am, and having had great success with other food requests (still looking for a peanut butter recipe, btw), I thought I’d put out a request for a shepherd’s pie recipe! Anyone out there have any good ideas for how to make one of these fine things? Also appreciated: advice on what to serve with it.

Peanut Butter Time!

Delicious!

I love peanut butter, but I’ve never had homemade. Given how successful my spaghetti recipe request was on here, I thought I’d put out a request for anyone who might have a good way to make homemade peanut butter!

Keep in mind, the only peanuts I’ll have access to are what I can get at places like Wal-Mart and Safeway. Actually, it will specifically be either Wal-Mart or Safeway, cause they’re what’s near to my house. So I won’t be able to get any fancy stuff.

Anyhow, all suggestions and recipes are welcome!

Tasty Homemade Bread

Here’s the recipe my grandmother used to use for making bread. She had six children to feed and found this was a great way to help do it! Enjoy!

Yields four loaves of tasty bread!

You will need:

4 cups of warm (not hot!), water
2 Tablespoons of yeast
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup of powdered milk
2 Tablespoons of salt
12 cups of unbleached flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water for five minutes
Mix in the oil, sugar and milk
Let stand for five minutes
Add in the salt and half the flour
Stir well
Add the rest of the flour gradually
Knead thoroughly
Cover it with a towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour (putting it on top of an oven set to a very low temp can be a good place, but don’t make it too hot, or you’ll kill the yeast)
Punch it down and knead again
Let it rise for another hour (still covered and in a warm place)
Divide into fourths
Form into loaves (roll them out with a rolling pin, then roll it up and fold the outsides in, so that it forms a loaf shape)
Put each loaf into a greased loaf pan
Let rise for another half hour
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

This bread is wonderful served warm with some butter! Toasting it is great, too. Also goes well with soup and such. Let me know if you try it!

Congo Cookies!

These are some delicious cookies my grandmother used to make! Enjoy!

Title: Congo Cookies

Description:
Elaine Lindsey’s recipe: These rich bar cookies were a favorite at our house when we were growing up. They are similar to a “blonde brownie” but with chocolate chips and nuts (optional) added. These freeze well; cut them into bars and wrap in foil or put in an airtight freezer container.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup shortening
1 pound (full box) of dark brown sugar
3 whole eggs
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 and 3/4 cups white flour
2 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease 9 x 13 pan.

Cream shortening, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add mixture to eggs and sugar. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts, if you wish. Press mixture into greased pan. Bake 45 minutes or until done in the center.

Although these are already very rich, if you are feeling truly decadent, you can put another 1/2 to 1 cup of chocolate chips over the hot, baked cookies; let it melt and then spread it like frosting across them.

Another Request for Help!

So my request for a spaghetti recipe yielded great results! I’m hoping you all can help me with my new project! What is it?

Chili!

Anyone have any good ways to make it?

A Request for Help

I am planning to try making homemade spaghetti sauce for the first time, and could use a good recipe. Anyone have one they’d like to share? Something with meatballs would be good, too. Oh, and I’d love a good garlic bread recipe, too! Not that I’m asking for a lot. I want to make it over the weekend, and any help would be welcome! Thanks!