Jimmy Ritz Cookies

I've made these the last few Christmases for my family... namely for my cousin Jimmy. This year I took photos as I made the cookies to help document the process.


CHOCOLATE COVERED RITZ
(aka Jimmy Ritz Coookies)

INGREDIENTS

Jar of peanut butter (you will NOT use the entire jar!)
1 box of Ritz crackers
24-ounce package of chocolate bark (which can be found in the baking section of the grocery store)

OTHER ITEMS NEEDED
Wax paper
Fork
Double boiler
 
PROCESS
It is a very good idea to spread peanut butter on one side of a Ritz cracker and then top it with another cracker ahead of time to have them ready to dip into the chocolate. (Essentially you are making a little sandwich). Three sleeves of the crackers will just about equal the entire 24 ounces of chocolate.

In a double boiler, fill the bottom pot with no more than an inch of water. On medium to high heat, let the water come to a boil. Place top pan on boiler and put about 6 of the chocolate bark pieces into the top pot and let it melt. (It won’t take too long). Once melted, you can put the heat on low and begin to put the sandwiches in the chocolate one at a time. It is fairly easy to drop one in, turn it over with a fork and make sure it gets coated before lifting it out with the fork, letting the excess chocolate drip off a little. It is much easier than it sounds.

PUT ON WAX PAPER, NOT A PLATE OR COOKIES SHEET TO LET CHOCOLATE SET! It will stick to the plate too well and will fall apart when you try to pry them off!

Using three sleeves of Ritz will make about 65 Jimmy Ritz Cookies. A good use for any excess chocolate is chocolate covered pretzels!

Homemade Vegetable Soup

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 – 14 ounce can tomato (cut up and blended)
• 6 ounce can tomato juice
• 1- 10 ½ ounce can condensed beef broth
• ½ can water
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 baking potato (cut into small cubes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can green beans
• 1 can lima beans
• 1 can corn

Brown meat in large saucepan – drain off fat and then add celery and onion, cooking until vegetables are “crisp tender”. Stir in tomatoes, broth, water, seasoning and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender – about 15 minutes. Stir in beans and heat thoroughly.

Hershey's Disappearing Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Hershey’s Disappearing Cake

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
• 1 3/4 cups unsifted, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups milk

Directions:

1. Generously grease and flour 2-9 inch round or 13x9 cake pan. Cream butter and shortening, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl.
2. Add milk and flour mixture alternately to batter. Blend well and pour into pans. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until cake test done. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans if using round pans. Frost with your favorite frosting.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

(Frosts two 8 or 9 inch layers or a 13 x 9 inch cake)

• 1/3-cup soft butter or margarine
• 1/8-teaspoon salt
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (sift if lumpy)
• 3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Beat butter or margarine, salt and 1 cup confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in melted chocolate. Then add rest of sugar alternately with milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add more sugar to thick or milk to thin frosting IF NEEDED for good spreading consistency.

No-Bake Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup creamy peanut butter
 
Put butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa in pot on medium heat until butter is melted and then stir until it is a smoother consistency. Put candy thermometer in and leave in until it reaches about 232… the soft-ball stage. This takes about 5 minutes. While you wait, measure out the oats and peanut putter and put down the wax paper so they are ready to use when it comes time to remove the mixture from the stove.

 
Immediately remove from heat and add peanut butter and oatmeal and stir well. Drop spoonfuls onto waxed paper or parchment paper. Let them set and cool for about 5 minutes.

HINT… A gravy ladle is the perfect size spoon to use to get them out of the pot and drop on to the wax paper.

SECOND HINT… Don’t eat too many at once… you’ll get quite a tummy ache. LOL.
 
Makes about 18 cookies.

Angel Food Cake With Citrus Icing

Cake:

Go to the grocery store and buy an angel food cake mix. I like Betty Crocker, but you buy whatever you like.

Citrus icing:

1 small package of cream cheese (3 ounces)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of lime juice

1 teaspoon of orange juice

½ teaspoon almond extract

Mix together until it is icing. Spread on the cake. Eat!

Turkey Patties

1 package (1 lb – 1 ½ lb) ground turkey

1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon mild salsa

4 tablespoons Italian breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together

Cook on stove top grill or in skillet for about 4 or 5 minutes on each side. Grease/spray whatever you cook it on!

1 lb makes 4 patties; 1-½ lbs makes 6 patties

Very good WITHOUT a bun, topped with white gravy!

Potato Salad

5 cups cubed potatoes peeled and cooked (do not over cook!)

1 c chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped (fine) bell pepper

3 hard-boiled eggs – chop whites and add to above

Mash three egg yolks and mix with 1-cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1-tablespoon vinegar

1-teaspoon spicy brown mustard (prepared)

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Mix all together and chill. Keep cool.

Taco Salad

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 medium sized head of lettuce, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cans pinto beans, drained
• ½ package burrito mix
• 1- 8 ounce bottle Wishbone Thousand Island dressing
• 7 ounce bag of Doritos (regular flavor)

Brown ground meat, add burrito mix with a little water to keep from sticking. Drain and add onions.

Cut up lettuce, wash and drain. Dice tomatoes into a large bowl with lettuce.  Mix in cheese, meat, beans, dressing and Doritos.

WARNING: If your body is not used to eating salad, go easy on eating this! LOL.

Peanut Butter Fingers

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats (or quick oats)

1/3 cup peanut butter

Mix ingredients IN ORDER. Bake 20 – 25 minutes at 350 in a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Frosting

Melt     6 ounces chocolate chips

Add     ½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup peanut butter

2-4 tablespoons evaporated milk

Mix together and then frost cookies while warm.

Cut into rectangular pieces (hence the “fingers” in the title!)

Mawmaw's Tuna Fish

(as partly reported by an 8 year old)

1 can white meat tuna in water (Bumblebee is preferred)

14 olives

2-3 tbsp. mayonnaise

1 stem of off a stalk of celery

Drain the tuna. Pour into a bowl and separate it with a fork. Chop or slice the olive and add to the tuna. Chop the celery and add it to the tuna also. Add the mayonnaise and mix well. The tuna is now ready to eat.

Chicken Enchillada Soup

This is very good on a cold winter night!

· 6 corn tortillas

· 1 small onion

· 1 clove garlic

· 1 TBSP canola oil

· 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles

· 1 (14 oz) can beef broth

· 1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

· 1 can cream of chicken soup

· 2 chicken breasts (more can be added)

· 1 ½ c. water

· 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

· 1 tsp. cumin

· 1 tsp. chili powder

· ½ tsp. pepper

· 3 c. cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

Cook chicken breasts. Take meat from bones and chop. Sauté onion and garlic in oil in large pot. Add everything else except tortillas and cheese. Bring to a boil and cover; reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Cut the 6 tortillas in to ½ inch wide squares and add to pot. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cheese may be added with tortillas or put in to bowls when ready. Good with tortilla chips, too!

Serves about 6 people