A sign hangs in our kitchen that says "Life is short, eat dessert first". Sometimes we do just that. It raises eyebrows and grandparents go "Tsk, tsk". But there is a twinkle in everyone's eyes and they don't refuse. Kids love it! The main course that follows is a light salad or soup - something that will keep if all of the sweets disappear before they are served. Any one of the Comfy Country Creation sweets would contribute to an eyebrow raising good time and think of the memories you will create for your children

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Quick Jump to Recipes in this Section
Cookies, Cakes & Squares
Shortbread / Macaroons / Pfeffernuesse / M & M Cookies / Wacky Cake / Chocolate Poppy Seed Cake / Black Forest Cake / Creamy Frosting / Cream Cheese Icing / Confetti Squares / Oat Cake Cookies/ Coffee Cake/ Magic Lemon Squares / Arlene’s Butterscotch Squares / Eat More Bars / Cherry Flips / Almond Slices / Oatmeal Raisin Cookies / Holly Clusters /

Beverages
Kahlua / Hot Chocolate Mix / Crabapple Liqueur / Cranberry Liqueur / Apricot Liqueur / Tropical Ice / Hot Spiced Apple Juice / Rhubarb Punch / Dandelion Cordial /

Candies and Treats
Knox Blox / Frozen Fruit Cocktail Salad / Fruit Crisp / Sugared Peanuts / Chocolate Fudge / Burnt Sugar Brie / Peach Sorbet / French Pastry gone Crackers / Molasses Candy /

Pies, Pastries & Quick Breads
Pie Pastry / Banana Cherry Cheese Pie / Graham Cracker Pie Crust / Lemon Loaf / Banana Loaf / Corn Bread /

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Holly Clusters

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 30 large marshmallows
• 1/4 tsp green food coloring
• 4 1/2 cups cornflakes
• 1/3 cup small round cinnamon candies

Melt margarine and marshmellows in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add foodcoloring. Mix well. Stir in cornflakes. Drop by tablespoon full onto waxed paper. Add 2-3 cinnamon candies for holly berries. Makes 3-3 1/2 dozen.
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Cherry Flips

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp almond flavoring
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 20 maraschino cherries

Cut cherries in half and drain for several hours or overnight. Reserve juice for icing. Pat dry with papertowel. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and mix. Add flour and blend to consistency of shortbread. Roll into 1" balls. Flatten and press 1/2 piece of cherry into dough. Work dough around cherry until completely covered. Bake at 275 degrees for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely and ice. Icing - 1/2 cup icing sugar. Add cherry juice and mix until thin icing is created. Drizzle over cookies.
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Wacky Cake

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 4 scant Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5 Tbsp. oil
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 cup water

Sift all dry ingredients together in a 9 x 13 baking pan. Level off and make three holes. Set aside. Mix together vanilla, oil and vinegar. Pour into the three holes in the dry ingredients. Pour water over all of the ingredients and mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
NOTE This cake can be iced with favorite icing or left plain. Makes a yummy base for an ice cream treat ~ Place a piece in a dish. Cover with fruit, chocolate sauce (or any flavor), ice cream, and a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry on top.
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Cream Cheese Icing

• 3 ½ cups of icing sugar
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• 8 oz of cream cheese
• ½ tsp. Vanilla
  

Cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add icing sugar a little at a time ~ mixing until smooth. Add vanilla. This recipe makes enough for two 8 x 13 cakes.
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Confetti Squares

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 package butterscotch chips or chocolate chips
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Melt first three ingredients together. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in marshmallows and place in well-greased 9 x 9 pan. Put in fridge until firm. Cut into squares.
Thanks to Eileen Edall ~ 100 Mile House, BC for sharing this recipe.
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Hot Chocolate Mix

• 32 oz can of instant hot chocolate**
• 25 oz coffee cream
• 8 cups powdered milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 small package of miniature marshmallows

Mix all ingredients together very well. Store in a 1 gallon jar One cup serving ~ 2 heaping tsp. of mixture. Fill cup with boiling water.
**NOTE**
Use instant hot chocolate that is to be mixed with water only
Thanks to Ellaine Hawrylak - Maple Creek, Sask. for sharing this recipe.
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Chocolate Poppy Seed Cake
Soak together for one hour

• 1 cup of buttermilk and 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs - separated
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp sugar & 1 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter, sugar and shortening together. Add egg yolks. Stir in dry ingredients. Add vanilla and poppy seed mixture. Fold in beaten egg whites. Place ½ the batter in a prepared angel food pan. Layer with chocolate chips and sugar and cinnamon mixture. Add remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.
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Macaroons

• 5 1/3 cups flaked coconut ~ fine
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup ground almonds (optional)
• 1 Tbsp grated orange rind
  

Combine all ingredients together. Drop by rounded teaspoon on a cookie sheet covered with tinfoil (or a greased & floured cookie sheet). Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cool for a few minutes only before removing from cookie sheet. **SUGGESTION**Cool macaroons completely and dip in melted chocolate OR before baking, insert an extra large chocolate chip (pointed side down) into the top of the macaroons.
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Black Forest Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 quart whipping cream
• 1 - 14 oz can cherry pie filling
• 4 tbsp kirsch (and some more)
• 3 oz chocolate
• Small jar of maraschino cherries with stems

Drain maraschino cherries and fill jar with kirsch to cover fruit. It’s best to do this a few days before wanting to use them ~ just to add a little flavor. Separate eggs. Put whites in a large bowl. Whip until stiff. Add in ½ of the sugar and continue to whip until stiff. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, beat yolks until thick. Beat in remaining sugar. Add the hot water and vanilla ~ mix well FOLD into egg white mixture. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. FOLD into egg white mixture.
Bake in 2 layers in greased and floured pans for 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool. Depending on your taste, these cooked cakes can either be left alone or split in two to create four layers. Sprinkle each layer with kirsch ~ generously or not. Let stand in a covered container over night or at least several hours to let the flavor penetrate the cake. Whip cream. Put a layer of whipped cream on first layer of cake. Spread with cherry pie mixture. Continue stacking. Cover all of the cake with whipped cream (like icing). Drain stemmed cherries when cake comes out of the over. Set on paper towel until cake is “iced”. Make chocolate flakes by melting chocolate, spreading between two pieces of wax paper and freezing until brittle. Decorate cake with stemmed cherries and chocolate flakes.
**NOTE**
Fresh cherries can be used in season in stead of canned pie filling. Simply wash, stem, cut in half and take the pit out of a lb of cherries. These can be used as filler as well as decoration. Prepare a few hours ahead and sprinkle with Kirsch if desired. Drain well before using. The time it takes to make this cake is really very little. And the look of disbelief from your guests when they bite into it and you tell them it’s not bought is a good, good feeling.
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Shortbread

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter (must be butter)
• 2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients together. Working with hands until smooth. Roll out to about ¼” thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until light brown ~ about 5 to 7 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on ovens true heat.
**NOTE**
2/3 cup of icing sugar can be used in stead of white sugar. The old fashioned recipe calls for white sugar; however icing sugar makes the dough a lot nicer to work with.
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Lemon Loaf

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• Grated rind of one lemon or 1 tsp dried
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

Cream butter and add sugar gradually. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in rind. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture alternately with milk. Mixing well. Bake in a greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ loaf pan in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour glaze over loaf while it’s still warm. Let cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.

Glaze

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar

This recipe can be made in a bread maker by adding 1/2 hour to the cooking time, using the timer and the light crust setting. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from bread pan. Glaze.
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Fruit Crisp
Your best friend has just phoned to say her sister's in town and wants to see you. She has invited you for a coffee and "would you bring one of your famous deserts?" You don't have a thing you could take! This quick prepare desert will have you saved in no time - especially if you have the "crumble" part already prepared and waiting in your fridge.

Fruit of any kind ~ fresh or frozen ~ enough for at least a one inch layer in the bottom of a baking dish.

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup rolled oats (quick cook kind)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves

Mix these five ingredients to crumb stage.
Place fruit in bottom of a dish. Place crumble over the top and press down slightly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
**NOTE**
Can be baked in the microwave on high for 14 minutes ~ turning once at ½ time.
**Bonus**
Increase the "crumble" part of the recipe as many times as you like. Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. It's great to have on hand for emergencies or to be used for individual servings with several different kinds of fruit or as one dish.
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M & M Cookies

• 1 cup margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar ~ loosely packed
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 - 227 gram package of M & M’s (regular or mini size)

Cream margarine and sugar. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add M & M’s. Drop by teaspoon full on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Freezes well if you have any left over.
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Burnt Sugar Brie

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 oz brie cheese round

Spread sugar in large frying pan over med-low heat. Stir occasionally as it melts. Heat until melted and a dark butterscotch color. Remove from heat. Add ¼ of the water. It will sputter and spit at you, but that’s OK. Stir. Add remaining water. Return to med heat. Stir until dissolved and smooth. Makes 2/3 cup sugar syrup. When ready to serve, place cheese on plate. Heat in microwave on high for 20-30 seconds. Pour ½ of syrup over cheese allowing it to run down sides. Pour remaining ½ over cheese once you have started feasting on this delicacy.
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Our Feature Cookbooks


Practical Baking

William J. Sultan / Hardcover / 832 pages / 1989

Practical Baking covers the entire field of practical bakery foods production and pastry making, bringing students up to speed on the latest bakery developments, and emphasizing the production of international yeast-raised bakery products and new practices in speed-up production. $74.99



The Old West Baking Book

Lon Walters / Paperback Spiral-Bound / 184 pages / 1996

How did our ancestors bake without fresh ingredients or the thermometers over an open flame? Recipes have been updated and kitchen tested, including sourdough starters, cobblers, cakes, puddings, biscuits, and bread. Historical vignettes tell how chuck wagon chefs, ranch house cooks, and Native Americans did so much with so little. 13 color photos, 13 b&w photos; index. $12.99

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