Sweet Potato Balls
Ingredients:
 | 4 medium sweet potatoes; boiled, peeled and
mashed or 1 large can, drained thoroughly and mashed. Fresh are best, canned is easiest; I use canned ;>). |
| 1 cup crushed corn flakes. We have used corn chex, too. |
| 1 tablespoons margarine We use butter. |
| optional: 1/2 cup flaked coconut We usually leave it out. |
| optional: marshmallows to your taste We usually leave them out. I put more in some balls than others so we can choose the tastiest looking. They sort of disappear and add a nice sweet flavor. |
Topping ingredients
| optional: A dash of cinnamon |
| 4 tabkespoons butter |
| 1/3 cup brown sugar |
| 1/3 cup chopped nuts But I love the topping, and we double ALL the topping ingredients. |
Combine potatoes, corn flakes, sugar, 1 tbsp. butter. Beat well. Cool and shape into balls. Smaller balls are more work, but they have more sweet and crunchy outside. Place in a shallow greased casserole (we use Pam).
In a small pan melt 4 tbsp. butter. Stir in the brown sugar, chopped nuts, cinnamon. Spread this over the balls. At this point, you may freeze these for easy cooking later. When you are ready to bake them, thaw if frozen, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered until bubbly and lightly brown. You want to melt the brown sugar, and heat the balls thoroughly. Set the timer for about 30 minutes, and check up on them. The sugar can scorch.
Cookies, Brownies, Candies!
I think that when they
created the cookie monster character for the popular street show (a variation of which is
now shown in China), they based him on me, but toned him down so he would not scare the
kids. I just love cookies. Especially chocolate chip cookies. Most
especially when they are soo !hot! they are hard to eat.
Notes and variation ideas:
If you freeze your
chips, as I do, they need to warm up before you start cooking.
I use dark chocolate chips, since I don't like the cookies too sweet.
I use butter instead of margarine or shortening. Sometimes this requires changing
the cooking time, and does not always work. Be aware.
Sometimes I use a few of Hersey's mini-kisses for variation wherever chocolate chips are
called for.
Sometimes I add bits of brickle (toffee) for variation.
Sometimes I substitute some "Brer Rabbit" or "Grandma's" molases for
some of the brown sugar in recipes that call for it. This can be risky, but
sometimes it is wonderful.
I add vanilla and the cinnamon to almost every candy recipe. If you can actually taste either one, you used too much.
Either our oven cooks hot, or we just like our stuff cooked more gently. I
usually take 25 degrees off most recipe temperatures.
I don't drop cookies. I shape each cookie by hand, and press it onto the sheet,
flat. Some people hate this...
Peanut Butter Cookies
Cream together:
| 1 stick margarine (softened) |
| 1/2 cup shortening |
| 1 cup creamy peanut butter |
| 1 cup sugar |
| 1 cup packed light brown sugar |
Beat in 2 eggs.
Mix dry ingredients, then stir in:
| 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour |
| 1 1/2 tsp baking soda |
| 1 tsp baking powder |
| 1/2 tsp salt |
Stir in 12 oz chocolate chips.
Drop by teaspoons onto Pam-sprayed cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until set. Centers will be soft, cookies will harden as they cool.
Notes and variations:
See the general notes and
variations, above.
I bake on 350 for about 11 minutes.