Armchair Cook's Mashed Potatoes

This is a "once in awhile" dish due to the high fat content of the butter, olive oil and Miracle Whip. Everyone tells me they're the the best potatoes they've ever had.

5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
4T butter
1/4 cup milk (I always use soy milk, but cow's milk works just fine)
1t olive oil
2T Miracle Whip
Salt (I prefer kosher salt) and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a medium size saucepan half full of water. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes to pot; the water should cover the potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are easily pierced by a fork. Drain.
2. Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add butter, milk, olive oil and Miracle Whip, and mix with an electric mixer on lowest speed. When well mixed, whip for a minute or two with an electric mixer set on medium speed.

4 to 6 servings.

Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast

2 egg
1 t vanilla extract
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
4 slices bread
1 small banana, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
honey to drizzle
confectioner's sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and vanilla together. Add cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on top of each slice of bread. Place the banana slices on top of one of the slices of bread. Drizzle the remaining 2 slices of bread with honey. Place the other slice of bread on top of the first, to make a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
3. In a skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture and place in the heated skillet. Cook until brown on both sides. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve hot.

Makes 2 sandwiches. Plenty for 2 people.

Snickerdoodles

The Pennsylvania Dutch claim as their own this fragrant cinnamon-nutmeg cookie, sometimes called "schneckenoodles."

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Makes 4 dozen cookies. (Actually about 45 l-l/2 inch cookies)

2-3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable shortening (stick margarine)
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (original recipe calls for 1 tsp. but I think I decreased it because the flavor was too strong)

1. Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt onto wax paper (or into a bowl)
2. Beat shortening and sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl with an electric mixer; add agg and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture (I think I just add it gradually mixing with the mixer)
3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in separate bowl.
4. Roll dough between palms of hands, one level tablespoon at a time, into round balls; roll each ball in separate sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Black Bean Wrap

2 cans black beans
1/2 Cup water
l/4 Cup orange juuice
Chopped onion and chopped fresh garlic
1 T. salsa
Cilantro (to taste)

Drain beans.
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add beans, water, orange juice and salsa. Cook 5-8 minutes. Then add cilantro (optional).
Spread tortilla with shredded cheese (or just put in the tortilla center).
Put tortilla with cheese into microwave just until cheese melts.
Then put in bean mixture, avocado (chopped or sliced) and sour cream.

Tips:
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes like they use on pizza (optional).
Only add cilantro after everything is cooked otherwise it is too strong. I didn't use this because I don't like cilantro and it tasted okay.
Can use regular tortillas or wraps.
I put the avocado and sour cream on the outside after tortilla is filled.
1 can of beans makes me 2 huge meals.

Fluffy White Frosting aka Seven Minute Frosting

1 Cup granulated sugar
1/3 Cup water
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
Dash of salt
2 unbeaten egg whites at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt in saucepan. Bring to boiling, stirring till the sugar dissolves. Very, very slowly add to unbeaten egg whites in mixing bowl, beating constantly with mixer until stiff peaks form in the bowl when you lift the beaters. Then beat in vanilla.
Frosts tops and sides of 2 each 8" or 9" layers or 9xl3 cake.

Tips: The reason you want the egg whites at room temperature is that they will beat up fluffier than when cold. Also you want to add the hot mixture to the eggs slowly or it cooks the eggs. Also eat up soon or the frosting dissolves/evaporates into the cake.