Sue's Banana Cream Pie

David loves Banana Cream Pie. Sue makes a simple pudding based Banana Cream Pie and we all know that I'm a sucker for an old family recipe. Especially when that recipe is typed with a typewriter on a notecard that looks like this: 

Banana Cream Pie

2 pies, 2.5 recipes

Cheese Chip Cupcakes

If I had to say which Christmas goodie was the absolute most favorite at the Peaden household - I would say Cheese Chip Cupcakes without hesitation. These are kept frozen in little Christmas tins, and are best if you take them out of the freezer and let sit for just a couple of minutes. That way they are still cold, but not frozen anymore. They are super yummy and the perfect Christmas treat to snack on while playing a rousing game of Canasta.

Cheese Chip Cupcakes
Source: McAllister Family Cookbook; Sue Peaden

Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp  salt
1 1/2 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs vinegar
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Mix together chopped pecans and brown sugar. Set aside.

Soften cream cheese in the microwave for 2 minutes on power level 3. Mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg and beat to incorporate. Add chocolate chips. Set aside.

Mix remaining ingredients and beat until blended. Fill cups 1/3 full, add 1 heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture, sprinkle top with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and nut topping.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. When done, remove from pans (without disturbing the topping). After cooled, place in Christmas tins and freeze. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

These cookies are best served just barely thawed.

Sugar Cookies

 These sugar cookies are soft and sweet and super delicious. They take some time to make but they are super delicious frozen. The best plan is to make a ton of them, put them in tins and freeze them. Then anytime you need a treat - head on over to the freezer and take out a tin. Let them sit out for a couple of minutes and you have a yummy treat.

Sugar Cookies
Source: Sue Peaden

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk (sour this with a tsp of lemon juice)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Cream the sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Add flour and milk alternately until you get to a consisency that is still on the moist side but not too sticky.

Generously flour your countertop. Place 1/2 - 1/3 of the dough mixture on the counter and use the flour on the counter to pat the dough into a ball. (The goal is to add as little flour as possible, as this will make your cookies light and fluffy.) Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough (flouring the rolling pin as needed).

Frosting:

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Another delicious Peaden family Christmas Tradition.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Source: Sue Peaden

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cup (about) flour
Large marshmallows

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of powdered sugar
1/2 milk
1 tsp vanilla
5-6 Tbs of cocoa powder (until frosting is about the same color as the batter)
dash of salt

Directions:
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, beat to incorporate. Add baking powder, salt, vanilla. Add flour, cocoa, and milk alternately until all ingredients have been added. Create a test cookie by following the directions for completing the cookies below. Check texture of test cookie. If the edges are crispy and crunchy, the batter needs just a little bit more flour. If needed, sprinkle just a small amount of flour and mix into batter.  Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet, about one inch round. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, then check for doneness. Just before they are done, add half of a marshmallow to the top of each cookie. Bake for another minute until the marshmallow puffs up. Remove from oven and place on cool countertop or table.

While cookies are cooling, make up your frosting. Cream softened butter and 1 lb of powdered sugar, adding milk a little bit at a time. Add salt, vanilla, and half of cocoa. You want to keep adding milk, sugar, and cocoa and until you get to a smooth yet firm consistency that is about the the same color as the cookie batter.

After cookies have cooled, frost with Chocolate Buttercream frosting. Let frosting set up, then place in tins to freeze. (Optional: Before the frosting sets up, you can dip the tops of the cookies into chopped pecans.)

Richersweet Dough

David's mom is incredible in the kitchen. One of David's family Christmas traditions is a delicious treat called Christmas Roll. His mom makes several of them each holiday season and everyone looks forward to Christmas Eve and New Years Eve so they can enjoy some Christmas Roll. Sue also makes incredible dinner rolls that she serves with yummy meals (or just sets on the counter for people to snack on). Seriously they are so delicious, they are fought over and devoured like cookies. Fortunately, Sue agreed to teach me how to make them, and helped me write out the recipe below.

Richersweet Dough
(For rolls, cinnamons rolls, doughnuts, Christmas Roll...)
Source: Sue Peaden; Bates Book of Cookery, Blanch McAllister

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs yeast
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
4 1/2 - 5 cups flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water until frothy and doubled in size. While waiting for yeast; scald milk (microwave for 2 minutes - to a boil). Mix shortening, sugar, salt, and scalded milk until shortening starts to melt. Start by putting in a little flour (1 cup-ish) and eggs. (This cools down the milk mixture because if you add the yeast to the hot milk mixture while the milk is too hot the yeast will die.) Add yeast to the bowl. Stir with spoon, flour a little bit at a time. When the mixture gets too hard to stir, use your hands to knead in the rest of the flour. You want the dough to be soft, but not sticky. (The least amount of flour to make it not sticky is best.)

Pull the dough out onto the counter and knead until elastic. Rinse mixing bowl, then grease with shortening. Place dough into bowl, pat with shortening, then cover with wax paper and a dish towel. Let rise until double in bulk. (45 minutes to 1 hour in a warm place.)

Roll into desired shape (see below) and let rise again for about 1 hour then bake at 350 until golden brown.

Dinner Rolls: Use a rolling pin to roll out dough onto a lightly floured countertop. (Dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.) Using a small round cutter, cut out small circles around the dough - keeping each circle as close as possible to the next to minimize wasted dough. Remove excess dough and set aside. Butter each circle with softened butter, then use the back of the butter knife to place a firm indent across the center of the circle. Fold each circle along indent and then place closely together on a baking sheet. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minute or until golden brown. (To cool, flip rolls upside down on a clean counter or table. After the bottoms are cool, flip right side up to finish cooling. After rolls are completely cool, you may place them into a gallon ziplock single layer to freeze them. Then just set on the counter to thaw. Place in the oven right before serving for a warm delicious roll.)

Christmas Roll: Use a rolling pin to roll dough into a rectangle. (Dough should be between 1/4 - 3/8th of an inch.) Spread softened butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar generously over the dough rectangle. Roll up like you are making a cinnamon roll, but before cutting - pinch the ends together to make a circle on the baking sheet. Every inch and a half, slice 2/3 of the way through the dough circle - leaving the centers connected together. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Doughnuts: Use a rolling pin to roll out and then cut according to desired shape. Let rise for 1 hour then deep fry until golden brown. (For doughnut balls, top of spice glass-type jar works well for cutter.


*As I was typing this recipe up, I was referencing and old cookbook that was typed up on a typewriter. The recipe is signed at the bottom by Blanche McAllister (David's grandma). I was also asking clarifying questions to Sue (David's mom) as I went - making sure that I included all of the tips and tricks. As I think about how many generations of women have used this recipe to make delicious rolls and Christmas treats, I am overcome with gratitude for their love, sacrifice, and hard work. I hope to be included in that line of strong, loving women someday.