September Potluck Club

It's ALIVE!  Yes, the potluck club blog is back in business.  Please excuse my long absence, I've been a very naughty blogger.  We started the 2011-2012 HOSC season with a September potluck club meeting at my house.  I opted for no theme and let everyone choose willy-nilly.  We had a fun time and ate some delicious food.

Overnight French Toast

prepared by Jenn H.

• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 - 10 oz loaf  French bread - sliced into 1-1/2-inch thick slices
• 4 large eggs
• 2-1/2 cups milk
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter - melted

Stir together first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture is bubbly. Pour mixture evenly into a lightly greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Arrange bread slices over syrup.

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt; gradually pour over bread slices using all of the egg mixture (may seem like too much, but it isn’t). Cover and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over bread. Drizzle evenly with 1/4 cup melted butter.  Bake at 350º for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

Serve with bacon or sausage to complement the sweet flavor and custard-like texture. No need for additional syrup as this recipe makes its own.

Chunky Vegetarian Chili

prepared by Kristin

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

prepared by Kristin

NOTE: Kristin added 1 additional tsp of nutmeg.

Quick and Easy Molasses Cookies

This is what I'm bringing tonight. My 'experimental part' is that I ran out of granulated sugar, so I used light brown sugar. Also, I used about half the molasses, because I also ran out of it. However, I taste tested, and they were still pretty good. Angelina approved, too. :D

Melissa G

Taken from: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1941,152175-243204,00.html

QUICK AND EASY MOLASSES COOKIES

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1941,152175-243204,00.html Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved. 12 tbsp. sweet butter 1 c. sugar 1/4 c. molasses 1 egg 1 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda Melt butter. Add sugar and molasses, mixing thoroughly. Lightly beat egg and add to butter mixture. Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture mix well; batter will be set. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on cookie sheet. Drop tablespoons of batter on foil, leaving 3 inches between the cookies. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until cookies start to darken. Remove from oven while soft. Let cool on foil. These are very large and very soft. Yield 24 cookies.

Summer School Cookies

By: Melissa Garn

I also made these cookies for August Cooking Club. They are super easy to make, and from what I tasted while I was making them, they are pretty tasty. I would definitely make something like this again. :)

P.s. I got it from: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1910,151161-245197,00.html

Directions

Melt and set aside:

1 stick butter

Mix together in large bowl:

1 c. powdered sugar
2 1/2 c. oatmeal
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir together. Add butter. Make small balls. Roll in powdered sugar.

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

Melissa G
This is also a recipe, intact, that I got from www.bhg.com. However, my recipe didn't make 4 dozen, probably because I made the cookies too big or something. Anyway, here is the link:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/chewy-molasses-ginger-cookies/

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/3 cup margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat the margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; beat until combined. Beat in egg and molasses. Beat in as much of the all-purpose and whole wheat flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Combine the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until set and tops are cracked. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe about 4 dozen
• Calories 50,
• Total Fat (g) 1,
• Saturated Fat (g) 0,
• Cholesterol (mg) 4,
• Sodium (mg) 42,
• Carbohydrate (g) 9,
• Fiber (g) 0,
• Protein (g) 1,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Melissa G
Taken from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Mint-Cookies-I/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 36 chocolate mint wafer candies
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes to cool off slightly.
2. At high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time into chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap mints and divide each in half. When cookies are brought out of the oven, put 1/2 mint on top of each cookie. Let the mint sit for up to 5 minutes until melted, then spread the mint on top of the cookie. Eat and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

submitted by Eileen C

Peanut Butter Blossoms are one of my favorite christmas cookie recipes. I followed the recipe exactly. For the shortening I always use butter flavor shortening. In Utah these took 10 minutes to bake, and then I do what my grandmother always did by sticking the hershey's kisses on the cookies and popping them in the oven for an additional minute. Let cool on a rack.