Crispy Crunchy Caramel Corn

Kids will love this fun combo of caramel corn and rice crispy treats.

Ingredients:
2 bags microwave popcorn, popped
1 stick butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. karo syrup
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. baking soda
2 c. rice krispies
2 c. miniature marshmallows

Instructions:
1. Put popcorn in very large bowl, and removed unpopped kernels.
2. Melt butter, sugars, and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute and remove from heat. Add vanilla and baking soda. Stir well.
3. Pour caramel sauce over popcorn and stir to coat. Add rice krispies and stir to coat. Add marshmallows and mix one last time.
4. Devour with reckless abandon.

Cook's Note: I'm going to try adding a few cups of small pretzels next time.

Recipe: Helen Wride's "Long Johns" Maple Bars

"Long Johns" Maple Bars / Doughnuts

Dough Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 t. salt
2 packages yeast
2 c. warm water
7-8 c. sifted flour

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and salt. Sprinkle yeast over warm water. When dissolved add to sugar mixture and knead in flour to make a soft dough. Let rise until doubled. Roll 1/4-inch thick. Cut for bars or doughnuts, let rise approximately one hour. Fry in fat 370 degrees. Drain.

Maple Frosting for Long Johns 

Frosting Ingredients:
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 t. maple flavoring (or mapleine)
1 c. sifted powdered sugar

Also can use powdered sugar frosting flavored with mapleine.

Cook's note: You may want to half the recipe if you're not planning on feeding a whole Wride Tribe.

Better-Than-Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 t. vanilla
2 large eggs
2-3/4 to 3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
Chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly. Add soda, salt and 2 cups flour and mix. Add remaining flour 1/4 c. at a time until desired consistency is reached (dough should be slightly tacky when you touch it, and little or no dough should remain on your finger if you touch it). Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees.

I like to use milk chocolate chips and Heath toffee bits. So yummy.

Seductive Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1 c. butter-flavored Crisco
1 c. granulated sugar
1-1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. pure vanilla
2 eggs
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
2 t. salt
1 pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter, Crisco, both sugars, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, soda, baking powder and salt until well blended. Add chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden.

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This delectable pound cake makes a fabulous strawberry shortcake. This is now my cake of choice for my birthday. (None of my pictures turned out, sorry!)

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients
1-1/2 c. butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 c. white sugar
1 t. vanilla extract + 1 t. almond extract (or 2 t. vanilla)
6 eggs, room temperature
3 c. cake flour (1 c. cake flour = 1 c. all-purpose flour less 2 T.)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease one 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan.
2. Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light. Stir in the vanilla and the almond extracts. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides. Add flour slowly just until mixed well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.

Cook’s Note: By creaming the butter and sugar and eggs, air becomes trapped in the batter, eliminating the need for modern leaving agents (baking soda or powder). This is not for the faint-hearted, but it is WELL worth the effort. The texture is so fine and tasty that you won't mind the extra work. If you are going to be eating this pound cake with frosting, ice cream, strawberry glaze, or whipped cream, you may want to only use 2-1/2 cups sugar. A traditional American pound cake would contain one pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.

Strawberry Glaze
by Alana Lee

Ingredients
1 c. water
3 T. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1 c. strawberries, smashed
2-4 c. strawberries

Combine the cold water, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch in a saucepan. Add smashed strawberries. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Add a few cups strawberries to the cooled glaze, as desired. Divine on pound cake with or without whipped cream!

Recipe: Helen's Caramel Corn

Helen Wride's Caramel Corn
(Crispy, Crunchy caramel corn)

Ingredients:
Large bowl of popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup corn syrup (recipe also works with maple syrup)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:
Pop popcorn, remove old maids and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt margarine. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in salt, soda and vanilla. Quickly pour over popcorn and stir to coat. Bake for 1 hour in a 250° oven, stirring every 15 minutes (set the timer).

Number of Servings: The whole darn family and then some!

Cook's Note: If you prefer stickier, less crunchy caramel corn, omit the oven time.

Recipe: Hecka Good Cinnamon Rolls

When a family friend (bless her heart) refused to share her recipe for her mouth-watering cinnamon pull-apart bread, I set out on a quest for the perfect sweet roll recipe, blending a cinnamon roll taste with gooey caramel. This final recipe is the result of pure genius (completely original recipe) and rivals the one still being hoarded.

Hecka Good Cinnamon Rolls

by Alana Lee

Ingredients:

1 Recipe Rose’s Rolls

1 c. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
Dash allspice or nutmeg (optional)

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 Recipe Caramel Glaze (below)

1 Recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (below)

Optional Caramel Glaze
2 T. water
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 t. vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting (see this post)
8 oz. cream cheese, cold
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
2-3 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Directions:

1. Make 1 recipe Rose’s Rolls, knead lightly 1-2 minutes, and let rise until doubled in bulk.

2. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice or nutmeg (optional) in bowl. Set aside.

3. Caramel Glaze: (When dough is nearly doubled, begin making Caramel Glaze.) Cook all ingredients but butter and vanilla over low heat until it starts to bubble. Add butter and return to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

4. Grease bottom of casserole dish or baking pans with cooking spray.

5. Drizzle caramel glaze* on bottom of greased casserole dish (I use two 9 x 13s with glaze drizzle covering about half of the bottom--one glaze recipe is good for 4-5 baking pans).

6. Back to the Rolls: Punch down dough and roll into long strip about 8-10” wide.

7. Spread softened butter over rolled out dough. Evenly sprinkle brown sugar-cinnamon mixture onto buttered dough. Smooth out mixture with hands.

8. Roll up prepared dough starting with long edge (should be skinny and long roll). Cut into 1" to 2" rolls using quilting thread (slide a length of hand-quilting thread under the roll and cross over ends, pulling tightly; this keeps the rolls round). I cut the long roll in half, and then in half again to make sure I get the right number of rolls for my desired pan.

9. Dip each roll in melted butter and place buttered-side up in the baking dish, on top of optional caramel glaze. If you cut rolls at 1", rolls can touch in the pan; if you cut rolls at 2", leave 1" between rolls. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over rolls.
   

10. Let rise until nearly doubled and bake at 375-380 degrees until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

11. Optional: Invert pan. Top with warmed, leftover caramel glaze or cream cheese frosting.

Makes 24 small or 18 medium cinnamon rolls. 

Cook's Note: *Only make caramel glaze if you plan on eating the rolls warm. If you don't plan on eating the cinnamon rolls within a few hours, do NOT to put caramel glaze in the bottom of the pan as it tends to make the bottom of the rolls chewy. I usually store any leftover caramel glaze in a canning jar in the fridge for my next batch.

Two scrumptious rolls stuck together.

Dough ready to roll out.

A nice layer of butter.

Cinnamon-sugar mixture spread over butter.

The quilting-thread cutting method.

Cut into equal sections, and then into equal-sized rolls.

Use a butter knife or thread to mark cutting guides.

Pan of rolls before second rise.

Close up: rolls before second rise.

Pan of rolls after second rise; ready for oven.

Close up: rolls after second rise; ready for oven.

Pan of baked rolls, slightly golden.

Close up: baked rolls, slightly golden.

Process pictured below with optional caramel glaze. 

Recipe: Coconut Cream Pie

Helen Wride's Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients:
7 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups milk
4 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup lightly toasted coconut
Heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks, then whip in sugar to taste


Directions:
Bake a pie shell according to your favorite recipe (or package instructions). Let cool.

For pie filling, combine cornstarch, sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir well and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and set aside. Add milk to a medium saucepan. When milk just comes to a boil, gradually whisk in the dry ingredients. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Temper the eggs by whisking a little of the milk mixture into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan and cook about 1 more minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir well. Cool pudding mixture to room temperature then fold in coconut. Pour into pre-cooked pie shell and top with whipped cream. Chill. Makes enough filling for two 9-inch pies.

Cooks Note: If this recipe resembles Helen's Banana Cream Pie, that's because she uses the same vanilla pudding base. Helen always made her own pie filling (actually a thick vanilla pudding) but you can make vanilla pie filling from a box, stir in the coconut, and top with whipped cream. The great banana or coconut flavor comes from the bananas or coconut. Don't you agree, Helen made wonderful pies?

Recipe: Granny Corn

Helen Wride's Granny Corn

Ingredients:
Large bowl popcorn
1 large box Jello (any flavor)
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar

Directions:
1. Pop popcorn, remove old maids and set aside.
2. Bring jello, corn syrup and sugar to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute. Quickly pour jello mixture over popcorn and stir. Lightly grease your hands with butter and form popcorn balls or serve sticky from the bowl.

Alana's Variation: You can use kool-aid packets in place of the jello for the option of additional flavors.

Recipe: Vanishing Wheat-Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are probably healthy enough to eat for breakfast--I can't imagine that they have any more sugar than a bowl of kids' sugar cereal. And I fib not when I tell you that I cannot even taste the whole wheat--they literally taste just like regular yummy oatmeal cookies.

Vanishing Wheat-Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. + all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
a few dashes nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 to 1 c. raisins, chocolate chips, etc

Directions:
Blend butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Stir in oats and raisins or chips. Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until just golden.

Note: Cookies should not be flat. If the cookies turn out flat, mix in more all-purpose flour, 1/4 c. at a time. Also, I substituted 3/4 c. of the rolled oats with 3/4 c. rolled 5-grain cereal for a healthy variation. This recipe is adapted from one my mother received from Julane Wells in Montana (I added whole wheat and nutmeg).

Recipe: Banana Cream Pie

Helen Wride's Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
7 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups milk
4 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
about 6 bananas, cut up
Heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks, then whip in sugar to taste


Directions:
Bake a pie shell according to your favorite recipe (or package instructions). Let cool.

For pie filling, combine cornstarch, sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir well and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and set aside. Add milk to a medium saucepan. When milk just comes to a boil, gradually whisk in the dry ingredients. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Temper the eggs by whisking a little of the milk mixture into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan and cook about 1 more minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir well. Cool pudding mixture to room temperature then fold in bananas. Pour into pre-cooked pie shell and top with whipped cream. Chill. Makes enough filling for two 9-inch pies.

Cooks Note: Helen always made her own pie filling (actually a thick vanilla pudding) but you can make vanilla pudding from a box, stir in the bananas, and top with whipped cream. When she taught me how to make her banana cream pie, I was surprised to learn that she uses vanilla pudding (no banana flavoring). The great banana taste comes from the bananas themselves. Makes a wonderful pie.

Recipe: Daisy Coffee Cake

Helen Wride's Apricot Daisy Coffee Cake (Stollen)

Ingredients:
1 package yeast (1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk, scalded
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
2 eggs, beaten

Jam Topping:
apricot jam
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Directions:
Combine yeast and water. Let proof. In a large bowl, combine milk, butter, sugar and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 cup flour and beat well. Stir in yeast mixture and eggs. Add enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn onto floured counter top and knead until satiny (8 to 10 minutes) or use dough hook in bosh 3 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl. Cover with a pizza pan or plastic and let rise until double. Punch down and let rest 10 minutes.

To form the daisy, roll dough into a 14-inch circle. Transfer the circle to a greased cookie sheet. Place a glass in the center, top down. Cut circle into 4 sections just to the glass. Cut each section into 5 strips. Criscross 2 strips together and pinch to seal ends. Remove glass and coil one criscross strip in the center where the glass was. Continue to make criscross strips, pinch to seal the ends and arrange loosely around the center coil. When it is done it looks like a bouquet of daisys. Let the daisy rise some, then bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, until golden.

While still warm, spread jam in center of each daisy. Drizzle with confectioner's icing made from powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.

Cooks note: This sounds complicated, and it does take a little creativity, but it tastes delicious. Helen brought this recipe with her to Ohio and made it for our family during one of her visits. We loved it!

Just make sure the criscross strips are coiled around the center coil. I think that is how it looks, a center coil and other coils around the center one. Then when you spread the apricot jam it goes on each little coil.

Recipe: Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake

Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake
Recipe from my Grandmother, Helen Wride

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounce bottle red food color
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Combine cocoa and food coloring and add to the creamed mixture. Add the salt and vanilla. Add buttermilk alternately with the flour. Mix the vinegar and soda together and fold gently into batter. Do not beat! Spread evenly in 9 x 13 inch prepared baking pan, or 3 9-inch layer pans or two 10-inch square pans. Bake at 350°F for 35 – 40 minutes (9 x 13 inch pan) or 25 – 30 minutes for layers.

Recipe: Butter Rich Frosting

Butter Rich Frosting for Velvet Cake
We got this recipe from my Grandmother, Helen Wride (a fantastic cook)

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons cake flour
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cubes butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Whisk flour and milk in a saucepan until no lumps remain. Heat over medium heat until thick (like paste) Spread on a plate to cool. In another bowl, cream butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled mixture and beat well.

Cook’s note: It is rumored that a man visited the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Dining Room in New York and while there he ordered a piece of Red Velvet Cake. He enjoyed the cake so much that when he was finished, he asked for the recipe. Later he received a bill in the mail for $1000 for the recipe. After paying the bill, he published the recipe for all to use. Don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a great story.

Recipe: Cake Mix Cookies

I got this fabulous recipe from my friend Gillian. They are tasty, for sure!

Cake Mix Cookies
Recipe #1
1 pkg. cake mix (any)
1/4 c water
1 egg
1/2 c oil
1/4 c flour
Add-ins of your choice

Mix ingredients and bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes

Good ones: butter cake mix with toffee bits, chocolate cake mix with toffee bits, carrot cake mix with nuts and frosting, lemon cake mix, confetti cake mix, chocolate cake mix with chocolate chips or peanut butter chips, etc.

Helen Wride's Cookie Recipes

Thanks to my mom, Rose, I am providing scanned versions of my grandmother Helen Taggart Wride's cookie recipe collection for your enjoyment. Just click on this Google Drive folder to view all the PDF documents.

Here are a few samples.