Kale Orange Cranberry Salad, from Monica

Kale Orange Cranberry Salad

For The Salad:

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 bunch of kale washed, stems removed, torn into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• zest from one orange

For The Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons cranberry juice
• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Place almonds on small baking sheet and toast at 350 until slightly browned, about 3-5 minutes (watch them closely so they don't burn!).  Meanwhile, zest the orange, rinse, dry, and tear the kale into 2-inch pieces.
2. Juice the orange into a small bowl or salad dressing shaker, then add the other dressing ingredients and combine thoroughly.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine kale, almonds, and cranberries.  Toss with the salad dressing until well-coated
4. Finish the salad with orange zest and serve.

Recipe Notes

If you can find them, you can buy almonds already sliced & toasted!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies, aka: Use for Bad Bananas. Introduced by Monica Amster.

2 dozen.

Ingredients: 
2 cups flour (heaping slightly is ok)
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 ripe (GOING BAD!!) bananas, peeled
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
*Optional: coconut flakes to top, if you like that taste!

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream butter, bananas, and sugars together until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla.
3. Add and mix: flour, baking soda, corn starch, and salt.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Suggested refrigerate for 30 minutes (ok to not; also works if you do it over-night).
6. Line trays with parchment paper (or you'll def have a mess if you bake directly on the pan), and use a spoon to scoop the dough onto the tray (don't bother rolling: too sticky).  *If desired, press a pinch of coconut flakes onto the tops of each clump.
7. Bake 9-10 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
8. Allow to cool completely.

Aunt Fon's Pumpkin Doughnuts

18 Doughnuts.

"I used this recpe when you guys visited us last time in NY.  The donut pans should be there before you get this.  I hope you guys enjoy baking this one.  Love, Fon
P.S. I use a piping bag when I put the batter into the donut pans."

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup + 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour (or, measure 2 cups, then remove 2 Tbs.)
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract

Coating:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter the doughnut wells.
2. Whisk together: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger for 20 seconds, set aside.
3. In a separate bowl: whisk together granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined; add canola oil, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla extract.  Blend until well blended.
4. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Pipe batter into doughnut wells, filling each about 3/4 full.
6. Bake 13-16 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool slightly.
7. Meanwhile, in large resealable bag, shake together 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon until well mixed.  Add one warm doughnut to bag at a time and shake until coated.
8. Place on wire rack until completely cooled; store in airtight container.

Chocolate Drops, Christmas Cookie; provided by Josephine.

 

12/7/17 

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup "Shortening," aka: BUTTER or margarine* 

1 1/4 C. flour, heaped

1/2 t. Salt

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 squares Melted Chocolate

1tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; melt and add chocolate.
4. Add dry ingredients.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes.

*Margarine, aka: liquid cancer.

**Mom suggests to refrigerate before baking.

***Use cut-out frosting http://grossrecipes.blogspot.com/search?q=cut+outs/cinnamon dots.

****Double batch suggested.

Ruby, Nov. 2023

Baby #4 soon to arrive.

Ruby saved us all by adding more details 

to this vague original 

(mom does so much more than what she had written down)!