Freakish Recipes

1 cup shortening
1 cup molasses
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
In large bowl, combine shortening and molasses; blend well.  Add flour and remaining cookie ingredients to molasses mixture; mix well.  Cover with plastic wrap; rifrigerate at least 2 hours for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness; cut with floured cookie cutter.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until set.  Cool completely.

(from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/63158/3_easy_pumpkin_recipes.html?cat=22 )

This delicious drink should be served hot, and is especially warming on chilly fall days or nights. It’s a great drink to serve at Halloween parties or Thanksgiving dinners as well.

In a large saucepan, mix together 2 cups of pumpkin puree, 2 cups of apple cider, a teaspoon of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice, and a cinnamon stick. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin has a liquid consistency. Serve garnished with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick.

Ingredients

* 12 chicken thighs
* 1 cup apricot preserves
* 1 cup French dressing
* 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl combine the jam, dressing and soup mix. Mix together.
3. Place chicken pieces in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour apricot mixture over chicken and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 plantains, peeled and quartered
* 2 small potatoes, quartered
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 4 pounds chicken legs, thighs, and wings
* 2 (4 ounce) links chorizo de bilbao (spicy Spanish semi-cured sausage), quartered
* salt and pepper to taste
* water to cover
* 2 tomatoes, diced
* 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
* 1 small head cabbage, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; fry the plantains and potatoes in the hot oil until crisp on the outside, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside, keeping the oil in the pot.
2. Cook and stir the onion and garlic in the hot oil until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken and chorizo; season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Pour enough water over the chicken to cover completely; bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover, and cook another 10 minutes. Stir the plantains, potatoes, garbanzo beans, and cabbage into the mixture. Cook covered until the cabbage is wilted and everything is hot, about 5 minutes more. Serve hot.

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon cold water
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1/4 cup cider vinegar
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 12 skinless chicken thighs

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Grandma K’s

2 cups grated zuchini

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup oil

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons orange rind

1/2 cup nuts

1/2 raisins

Bake at 350 degrees F.  50 minutes

1/2 cup canola oil

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon anise extract or 3 drops anise oil

3 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl beat together oil, eggs, sugar and anise until well blended.  Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough.  Divide dough into 2 pieces.  Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet.  Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.

Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from baking sheet to cool on wire rack.  When the cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.  Place slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet.  Bake for an additional 6-10 minutes on each side.  Cookie slices should be lightly toasted.

made this one last Halloween using Jameson’s brain shaped jello mold.  It was very large so I need to remember to double the recipe if I do that again.

1 package lemon jello

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup chopped celery

1 small onion

2 teaspoons vinegar

3/4 cup mayo

2 cans tuna

1 small can chopped pimento

Dissolve jello in hot water.  Drain tuna & mix all ingredients.  Add cooled jello & mix well.  Pour into oiled mold.  Refrigerate.  Serve with crackers.

3 cups flour

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, combine flour, butter and salt.  Blend ingredients until well combined and add water, one tablespoon at a time to form a dough.  Toss mixture until it forms a ball.  Kneed dough lightly against a smooth surface with heel of the hand to distribute fat evenly.  Form into a ball, dust with flour, wrap in wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.

filling

1 lb. round steak, coarsely ground

1 lb. boneless pork loin, coarsely ground

5 carrots, chopped

2 lg. onions, chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 c. rutabaga, chopped (can substitute turnip)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Divide the dough into 6 pieces, and roll one of the pieces into a 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface.  Put 1 1/2 cups of filling on half of the round.  Moisten the edges and fold the unfilled half over the filling to enclose it.  Pinch the edges together to seal them and crimp them decoratively with a fork.  Transfer pasty to lightly buttered baking sheet and cut several slits in the top.  Roll out and fill the remaining dough in the same manner.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Put 1 tsp. butter through a slit in each pasty and continue baking for 30 minutes more.  Remove from oven, cover with a damp tea towel, cool for 15 minutes.

from JeffE’s mom

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margerine

1 egg

1/4  cup buttermilk or water

1 teaspoon rootbeer extract

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

rootbeer glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 teaspoon rootbeer extract

2 tablespoons hot water

Mix brown sugar, butter and egg in bowl until fluffy.  Stir in buttermilk, rootbeer extract, flour, soda and salt and mix until smooth.  Cover.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease cookie sheet.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonful 2 inches apart.  Bake 6-8 minutes.  Cool completely before glazing.