Coconut Washboard Cookies

I found this unique cookie recipe in one of my mother-in-law's old cookbooks. This particular cookbook definitely had some unusual recipes like boiled egg yolk cookies, cheese freeze cake, veal stroganoff in a bottle and breadcrumb cake.   I looked and looked, but couldn't find when it was published.  Towards the back of the cookbook there were some advertisements - one for Perx frozen pancake batter (along with a coupon that expired March 31, 1970) and for Manners Restaurant (with a picture of a rotary phone).  I'm guessing it's from 1969 or 1970.  I decided to "test" out the washboard cookie recipe because I had all of the ingredients and it sounded just a bit too interesting not to make!!!  The cookies are made to resemble a washboard:

Three words describe these cookies perfectly - super duper delicious!!  They would be awesome with a cup of hot cocoa, tea (hot or iced) or coffee.  A little "washboard" trivia - what is the only manufacturer still producing washboards in the United States?  Hint - take a real close look at the picture of the washboard :) According to their website, the Columbus Washboard Company has been making washboards since 1895!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups white flour
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut, shredded


Topping:

1 tablespoon white sugar

In large bowl, put shortening, margarine, light brown sugar and the eggs.  Mix well by hand or with electric mixer.  Stir in the water, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a large spoon.  Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each cup. Gently stir in the coconut with a large spoon and combine well. Divide dough in half.  Roll each half into a log that is 13 inches long and 3 1/2 inches across. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Slice each log in half and cut each half into 12 equal slices.  Place 12 slices on an ungreased cookie sheet and then with your fingertips press each slice into 1 inch across and 4 inches long, so it is in a rectangular shape, like a washboard.  With the tines of a fork, first dip lightly in the white sugar and then go across each cookie in rows, left to right until the entire cookie has fork marks.  You want to go about halfway into each slice with the tines of the fork, so the marks remain after baking.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cookies are starting to turn brown. Remove immediately to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Makes 4 dozen.

Salty and Sweet Potato Chip Cookies

Are you hosting a lot of parties this holiday season?  Did you serve potato chips and had just a few scraps left in the bottom of the bag?  Here is a great way to use them up. Yep, these cookies have crushed potato chips in them.  I know it sounds unusual, but they are really, really good!  Since I'm on a low-salt diet because of various heart "issues," I have switched my family over to the Lay's Lightly Salted  plain potato chips (they have 50% less sodium). They are actually Lauren's favorite kind now!!  Those are the chips I used in these cookies.  Feel free to use whatever brand you have on hand, though you probably wouldn't want to use something like sour cream and onion or barbeque flavored!  It's probably better to stick with plain potato chips :)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup white flour
2/3 cup plain potato chips, finely crushed
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping:

White or colored sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, put the butter, white sugar, light brown sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  With electric mixer or large spoon, mix until smooth. Add the white flour and mix until well combined. Next add the potato chips and chocolate chips and combine thoroughly by hand with large spoon with the other ingredients. Roll into 24 balls with the palms of your hands a little smaller than a ping pong ball. Put 12 balls each on two ungreased cookie sheets.  Press with the bottom of a drinking glass or with your fingertips slightly. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies lightly with white or colored sugar.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges are starting to turn lightly golden.  Remove from oven and let them sit for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets.  Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.  Makes two dozen.

Milk Chocolate Fudge

Previous attempts at making homemade fudge have ended up looking and tasting like fudge "soup."  Yep, I am not kidding, that was about the consistency. Instead of using your fingers to eat it, you needed a bowl and a spoon instead!! As one not to give up, I decided to try again yesterday.  I am happy to report that this attempt was an overwhelming success!  Since my main goal here in Cathy's Kitchen is to make sure my regular "customers" are happy, I decided to try and please them all by putting their favorite toppings on the fudge. The hubby likes pecans, Lauren likes mini M&M's and Dominic likes sprinkles!

Ingredients:

3 cups milk chocolate chips, any brand
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, any brand

Cover the bottom of a 8 x 8 inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick spray.  Set aside.  In medium saucepan on the stove, melt the chocolate chips and condensed milk slowly together on low to medium heat with large spoon, stirring constantly.  When smooth (and all the chips are melted), pour immediately into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Put in fridge for a minimum of two hours. Cut into squares.  Fudge will stay fresh covered in an airtight container at room temperature for one to two weeks or in the fridge for two to three weeks.  Fudge can also be frozen!! 

Pumpkin Smoothie

Are you all "pumpkined" (not sure if that's a word) out yet from all the pumpkin pies from Thanksgiving?? Do you have just a bit of pumpkin leftover or did you buy an extra can and didn't end up using it?  I have made pumpkin muffins, pancakes and scones, but making smoothies (of any kind) is something that is very new to me.  I guess you could call me a smoothie "rookie."  We are using a blender that the hubby has had longer than he's known me and it's still going strong (just like us)!! If you don't own a blender yet and your kids, significant other or husband are looking for a good holiday gift for you, a quick search on Amazon.com yielded a pretty nice one  for only about $25.00.  I whipped a few of these smoothies up yesterday in Cathy's Kitchen and one of my regular "customers" ranked them a 10 out of 10!  Love when that happens :)

Ingredients

2 cups ice cubes
1 cup milk
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put all ingredients in a blender in the order given and blend until smooth. Feel free to change up the proportions of the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  I personally find ginger and nutmeg to be pretty strong spices, so that's why I only used 1/4 teaspoon of each!  Makes three cups.