Crites Family Stuff

Description

This cookie was entered in the 2013 Family Reunion Cookie Contest.

Ingredients for 36 servings

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• .25 cup popcorn kernels
• .25 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• .5 cup butter, softened
• .5 cup packed brown sugar
• .33 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• .5 tsp vanilla
• 1.25 cups flour
• .5 tsp baking soda

Steps

1. Make pop corn. Pour oil over the bottom of a large saucepan that has a lid and add the popcorn kernels, shimmying the pan around so the kernels land in one layer. Cover the pan with the lid and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the kernels begin to pop, keep the saucepan moving until all the kernels have popped, about 5-7 minutes. Toss the popped corn with the salt and melted butter, then transfer it to a bowl. Sort out any unpopped kernels. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of popcorn. Let cool.
2. Mix dough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking soda together. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture. Fold in the cooled popcorn so that it is evenly distributed through the batter, which will seem like a ridiculous instruction because there is so much popcorn and so little batter, but it works. Don't worry if the popcorn breaks up a bit. The mixed-sized pieces are part of the cookie's charm.
3. Bake cookies. Scoop heaping-tablespoon-sized mounds 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until edges are light brown. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up before transferring them to a rack to cool.

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Description

This cookie was entered in the 2013 Family Reunion Cookie Contest.

Ingredients for 30 servings

• .75 cup unsalted butter
• .75 cup dark or light brown sugar
• .25 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1.75 cups flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• .5 tsp salt
• .75 cup pretzel pieces
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Steps

1. Place butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Allow the butter to melt and then begin to whisk it continually. Watch is carefully. The butter will begin to bubble and foam and brown specks will form in the pan. You will smell a nutty aroma. Once the butter turns an amber-brown color with specks (about 6 minutes), remove from the pan. Butter will burn very easily and you want to avoid that, so watch it carefully. Once browned, pour the butter into a shallow bowl and chill in the refrigerator until it is solid, about 2 hours. Chilling in mandatory. When you are ready to start the cookies, set the solid brown butter out for about 15 minutes to allow it to soften up a bit - do not forget to do this.
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3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
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Description

This cookie was entered in the 2013 Family Reunion Cookie Contest.

Ingredients for 36 servings

• 2.5 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• .25 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp orange zest
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 1 egg

Glaze:

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• Fresh orange juice

Steps

1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix sugar and zest. Rub together with your fingers until zest is throughout the sugar. The sugar will become moist from the oils being released. Using a mixer, cream the butter and orange zest sugar. Add egg and orange juice. Slowly add dry ingredients until well incorporated. Chill dough for an hour or overnight.
2. Scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roll into smooth round balls. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until very lightly golden on the bottoms. Don't over bake or they will be a bit dry and lose the perfect texture.
3. Mix the powdered sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to get a glaze consistency and beat until smooth and creamy. Pour glaze over the tops of the cookies and let set.

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Description

This cookie was entered in the 2013 Family Reunion Cookie Contest.

Ingredients for 40 servings

• 1 cup real butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3.5 cups flour
• 2 tsp soda
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• Marshmallows
• Toasted coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• .5 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Steps

1. Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Chill dough for 3 hours.
2. Roll out dough and cut into the size of a 50 cent piece. Bake in 350 degree oven for 7-9 minutes. Remove from oven and place half of a marshmallow (cut side down) on the top of the cookie. Return to the oven and bake 2 more minutes.
3. Remove and cool.
4. Combine ingredients for the Cream Cheese frosting and beat together until smooth. Add a little milk if it is too thick. Frost each cookie and roll in toasted coconut.
5. To toast coconut, I spread the coconut onto a pan and toast it under the broiler. Watch it closely because it can scotch easily.

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Description

This cookie was entered in the 2013 Family Reunion Cookie Contest.

Ingredients for 60 servings

• 18.5 oz pkg yellow cake mix
• 3.5 oz pkg instant lemon pudding mix
• 4 large eggs
• .75 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• .33 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp water

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onlt a tea towel.
3. To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, zest, oil and 3 tbsp water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.
4. With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in containers with tight-fitting lids.

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Description

Katie found this through Pinterest, made them, and they quickly became a family favorite.

Ingredients for 36 servings

• 0.5 cup shortening
• 0.5 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 2.75 cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 100 White chocolate chips

Steps

1. Beat the shortening, butter, eggs, and sugar together. Set aside.
2. Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together.
3. Mix with the creamed sugar mixture until incorporated.
4. Chill dough for at least 1 hour in refrigerator.
5. Preheat oven to 350F.
6. Mix 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon in a small bowl.
7. Scoop a rounded tablespoon sized ball of dough and form it around several white chocolate chips. Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar mix. Place cookie on ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart. (We use parchment paper.)
8. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are slightly golden.
9. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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Description

Janette Johnson: When Alli was 3 1/2 years old she loved creating recipes. She started her own "My Family Recipes" cookbook. I am kicking myself for not saving all of them...but I did save a few. Here is one using some of her favorite ingredients. I was amazed that she got many of the right kind of ingredients, even though the proportions are a bit off. I just wrote what she told me.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 3 cups of strawberries
• 10 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of baking powder
• 4 cups of milk
• 6 cups of fruit loops
• 2 cups of vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 5 cups of Chocolate mix

Steps

1. Oven to bake 400. 1 hour and 8 minutes.

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Description

Every Christmas season we honor Grandpa Wold by eating whipped cream and gingerbread! He loved whipped cream and used gingerbread as the vehicle to eat it. We make cookies and use whipped cream as a dip. It wouldn't be Christmas without biting heads and feet off the gingerbread men.

Ingredients for 24 servings

• 1.5 cups dark molasses
• 1 cup brown sugar
• .66 cups cold water
• .33 cup shortening
• 6 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Steps

1. Cream molasses, sugar, water and shortening. Add remaining ingredients. Dough will be a bit sticky but firm. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll dough out between 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured counter. Cut with floured cutter and place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

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Description

This is a unique way to share the story of the death and resurrection of Christ the night before Easter Sunday.

Ingredients for 18 servings

• 1 cup whole pecans
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• Zipper baggie
• Wooden Spoon
• Tape
• Bible

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Place pecans in the baggie and let the children beat the bag with the wooden spoon to break the nuts into small pieces. Set the bag aside. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
2. Let the children smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
3. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represents life. Explain that Jesus gave his life for us that we may live again. Read John 10:10-11.
4. Sprinkle a little salt in each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
5. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know and belong to him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
6. Beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
7. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
9. Go to bed. Explain that the may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
10. On Easter morning, open oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow. On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt 28:1-9. He has risen.

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Description

This is a recipe that Janette and I have used often.

Ingredients for 48 servings

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2.5 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Pinch salt

Steps

1. Cream together the butter, sugars, peanut butter and eggs. Add the remaining ingredients. Roll into balls and flatten slightly with a fork on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes.

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