Recipes from Dianne Mott Davidson's "Cereal Murders"

a.  Happy Endings Plum Cake

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanillaextract
2-1/2 cups APF
2 tsps baking powdr
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 16-ounce can purple plums packed in syrup, well drained, the syrup resrved and the plums chopped
Confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 400 deg.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy and light, then gradually add the sugars, beating until creamy and smooth.  Beat in the eggs, then the vanilla. 

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.  Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with 1/2 cup reserved syrup, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Stir in the plums

Pour the batter into a buttered 9'' x 13'' pan, and bake for 25-30 mins.

12-16 servings

b.  Chocolate Dipped Biscottis

1cup sugar
1/2 cupbutter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp anise-flavored liqueur
1-1/2 tbps spur mash whiskey
2 tbsp anise sed
3 large eggs
1 cup chopped almonds
2-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsps baking powder
1 12-oz package semisweet choco chips
2 tbps solid vegetable shortening

Mix sugar and butter in a large bowl.  Add liqueur, whiskey and snise seed.  Beat in the eggs, then stir in the nuts. 

Sift the dry ingredients together.  Gently dtir the dry ingredients until well-incorportad.  cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 3 hours. 

Preheat oven to 375 deg.  Butter two cookie shets.  Shape the dough on cookie sheets into 3 loaves, about 2'' wide and 1/2'' thick.  Bake for 20 mins, until loaves are puffed and browned.

When the loaves are cool enough to touch, cut each of them into diagonal slices about 1/2 inch thick.  Lay the slices on their cut sides, and taost for 15 mins at 375 deg.  Cool

Dip biscotti in chocolate the day they are to be served.  Melt choco chips with shortening, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir until thermometer reads 85 deg.  Holding each cookie by its bottom, gently dip tops into chocolate.  Turn immediately and allow to dry, uncoated side down, on waxpaper. 

4 dozen

c.  Irish Soda Bread

2-1/2 app-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsps baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 cup raisings
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 deg, and butter a 9'' pan. 

Sift together dry ingredients, and cut butter into this mixture until it resembles small peas.   Blend in the raisins and carawayseeds.

Beat the egg, buttermmilk and sour cream together until blended. Stir the eff mixture into the dry mixture just until blended.  Bake for around an hour

1 round loaf

d. Nachos Schulz

1 15-oz can of chili beans in chili gravy
9 tbsps picante sauc
1 15-oz bag corn tortilla chips
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 aocado
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 sour cream
1 tbps grated onion
4 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1 tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 deg.  Mash beans with 1/2 cup of picante sauce.  Grease 2 9''x13'' pans.  Place half chips in each pan, then spoon bean mixture on top, followed by as sprinkling of cheese.  Bake for about 10 mins. 

Meanwhile, peel, pit and mash avocado, then mix it with lemon juice, 1/2 cup of sour cream, onion, and 1 tbps picante sauce.

Garnish nachos with guacamole, the remaining cup of sour cream, scallions, tomato and olivs. 

6-8 servings

e.  Red'n'Whitees

1 cup butter, softened
1 3-oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups APF
36 small ripe strawberres, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350 dg.  In a mixing bowl,  beat the butter with cream cheese until blended.  Beat in sugar and vanilla, stir in flour until well-mixed. 

Using a 1/2 tbsp measure, shape mixture into small balls and place 2'' apart on ungreased cookie sheets.    Make a small indentation on top of each cookie with the thumb, and carefully place a strawberry half in each indentation.  Bake for 12-18 minutes

5 dozen

f.  Galaxy Doughnuts

5 tsps active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
2-1/4 cups plus 1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening, melted
1-1/2 cups milk, scalded and coold to lukewarm
2 tsps salt
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup wheat grm
1/4 cup soy bran flour
4-1/2 cups APF
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, melted

Sprinkle yeast over warm water, and allow it to soften for 5 mins.  Stir yeast into water along with 1/2 tsp sugar.  Set mixture asie to proof for 10 mins; it should be foamy. 

Mix the melted shortening into the warm milk, then add liquid to the yeast mixture, along with 1/4 cup of remaining sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, wheat germ, soy flour, oat barn, and 1-1/2 cups of flour.    Beat vigorously until well blended.  Stir in remaining flour and beat until smooth. 

Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm place until dough doubles in bulk (~1 hour). 

Punch the dough down, turn it out on a wll-floured board, and pat it out so that the dough is about 1/2'' thick.  Using a star cookie cutter, cut out dough, and place the doughnuts about 2'' apart on buttered cookie sheets. 

All;ow doughnuts to rise uncovered for about 20-30 mins or until they have doubled. 

Preheat oven to 400 deg, and mix the remaining 2 cups of sugar with cinnamon.  Bake for 10-15 mins until golden brown.  Dip into melted butter, and roll them in cinnamon sugar

3 dozen

g.  Sorry Cake

Cake:

2 cups APF
3/4 tsp tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter
1-2/3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp orange zst
2 cups Shredded Wheat cereal, broken into shreds
1 cup cranberrires, quartered
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Frosting

1/2 8-oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
1 tbps orange juice
1 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 deg. 

To make the cake, sift together flour, baking soda, salt.  Beat shortening with buttr until well combined.  Cream in sugar, and beat until fluffy and light.  Beat in the egg yolks one at a time until wll combined. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture.  Stir in zest, cereal, cran, and pecans.  Beat cream of tartar into the eff whites until stiff.  Gently fold whites into batter, and pour into 3 butterened 8 or 9'' rpound pans.  Bake for 25-35 mins

To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter.  Gradually add sugar and orange juice, and beat until creamy andsmooth.  Stir zest.

14-16 servings

h.  Cereal Killer Cookies

2-1/4 cups old fashioned oats
2 6-oz packages almond brickle chips
1-2/3 cups APF
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 tbps vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 deg. 

Mix oats with brickle chips.  Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.  Mix sugars until blended, then add butter, and process until smooth. 

Add eggs and vanilla, followd by flour mixture, and blend well.  Pour this over oats and brickle  chips, and stir until well commbined. 

Place 2-tbps scoops of dough 2'' apart on ungreasd cookie sheets.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.

4-5 dozen

i.  Julian's Cheese Manicotti

Sauce:

1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
2 tbps olive oil
2 6-ozcans tomato paste, plus water
2 tbps organo leaves, chopped
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Pasta

1 tsp olive oil
14 manicotti noodles

Filling:

1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese
6 large eggs
3/4 pound Fontina cheese, grated
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
1/3 cup freshly grated best-quality Parmesan cheese
6 tbps soft butter
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbps basil leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 deg.  To make sauce, gently saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent.  Add tomato paste and stir.  Slowly add 4 tomato paste cans of water and stir.  Add seasonings and allow sauce to simmer while the manicotti and filling is prepared.

Bring large pot of water to a boil, add the olive oil, and drop in manicotti.  Cook for about 10-15 mins (tender crisp).  Drain and run water over manicotti in a colander.  Set aside. 

To make the filling, beat ricotta with eggs, and add grated cheeses and softened butter.  Add salt, pepper, basil, and combine everything slowly. 

Gently fill cooked manicotti with chese mixture, and arrange in 2 buttered 9'' x 13'' pans.  Cover pasta in each pan with half the sauce.  Bake for about 20 mins

7 servings

j.  Sweetheart Sandwiches

Cookies

1 stick butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups   flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Filling

4 tbps unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups sugar
Whipping cream

To make cookies, creamm butter with sugar until ligh.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Sift cocoa, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda together.  Stir dry ingredients thoroughly into butter mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for around 3 hours. 

Preheat oven to 375 degres, and btuter 2 cookie sheets.  Using a tsp measure, roll dough into balls, and place them 2'' apart.  Bake for 10-15 mins, until cookies are puffed and surfaces are dry and cracked.  Cool

To make filling, cream buter until light, and beat in vanilla, sugar, whipping cream until consistency is smooth and creamy . 

When the cookies are completely cool, spread abouit 1/2 tbps of filling on bottom of one cookie, and top with another cookie.

Variation:  For half a batch of vanilla-filled, and half a batch of peppermint-filled cookies, add 1/8 tsp peppermint extract to half the flling.  Tint it green or pink before filling half the sandwiches. 

3 dozen