The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
February 18, 2018 column
Even though my grandmother never worked in town at an office, she seemed to understand the importance of coffee breaks as a time to check in for the day or a chance to restart a bad day. Every day at 10 my uncles and grandpa would make their way to the house for coffee and treats. Anyone else who happened to be in the neighborhood also found a cup and a spot at the table for them too.
As you entered the back porch, the smell of coffee and fresh baked sweets tickled at your nose. The aroma led you to the “magical” door, the door to Grandma’s kitchen. The moment you opened it, you were pulled inside by the warmth of the oven and Grandma’s “surprise” that you magically appeared at her door just in time for coffee break. Even when we had an overflow crowd, we never moved into the dining room to stretch out. Everyone grabbed a spare chair and snuggled together around the kitchen table tucked in the corner to share in the warmth and security of family and friends. These past cold and snowy days, my memories have been pulling me back to Grandma’s kitchen. It has put me in the mood to bake up some special treats for my guys. We don’t take the time to sit around the kitchen table for a coffee break. We are generally just coming in for breakfast around break time. I have been trying to fill a tin with treats to keep in the barn, so the guys can grab something on the go. Here are three recipes that are great to have at coffee break or grab on the run.When I first moved to Minnesota, I baked my Mom’s Coffee Cake recipe. Talk about confusing. Apparently coffee cake means different things in different areas. Kind of like the casserole/hotdish debate. Coffee cake in central Minnesota means is a yeast bread with sweet fruit fillings. Illinois coffee cake is more like a bar. My sister Amy combined a couple of recipes to come up with her Sea Salt Caramel Pecan cookie. Such a treat! If you like dated filled cookies but hate all the hassle of sealing filling inside the dough, you’ll love the last recipe. You can say the dates and oatmeal make it a healthy and simple alternative to a favorite Christmas cookie.
Becky Dowell
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ c. butter, softened
¾ c. sugar
¼ c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 can of fruit pie filling or 1 ½ c. of favorite jam (strawberry, raspberry)
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
Cream together cream cheese, butter and ¾ c. sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients slowly to creamed mixture alternating with milk. Batter will be stiff. Layer bottom of prepared pan with half or two-thirds of batter. May need to use your fingers to push into corners.
Add lemon juice to pie filling or jam topping. Spread over batter. With remaining batter, dot on top of filling. Mix brown sugar and nuts together and sprinkle on top.
Bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cool.
Amy Thompson (sister)
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ c.flour
1 ½ c. rolled oats
1 ½ c quick oats
11 oz bag caramel
baking bits
1 c. pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
Coarse sea salt
Cream butter, sugars, salt. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in caramel and pecans.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper to keep caramel from sticking. (Don’t skip this step!!! The caramels will stick to your cookie sheet if you don’t line it with parchment paper.)
Drop 1 ½ inch mounds on sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 11 minutes. Don’t over bake. Cool on sheet for 2 minutes before removing.
1 c. butter, softened
(2 sticks)
1 c. packed brown sugar
½ c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 c. quick oats
(2) 8 oz packs chopped dates
Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; combine well. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. Finally add quick oats and dates. Mix together. Drop teaspoonful of dough onto ungreasead cookie sheet or on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 11 – 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 4 dozen
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As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
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