It’s National Donut Day.  Here is a “healthier” donut ball recipe that my boys really enjoy:

Mashed Potato Donut Balls

1/3 cup potato flakes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)

Peanut Oil for frying
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oil to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together.  Drop by spoonful in to preheated oil and cook until browned on each side.  Remove from oil and roll in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.
This batter will usually “self-flip”.  So, if you have been frustrated when making donut holes or donut balls before because they would not stay flipped and the donut would over cook on one side, but under-cook on the other – this recipe will make you happy.

It’s National Oatmeal Day.  So, I thought I would try a something new for breakfast. Altering an oatmeal cookie recipe, I came up with something really tasty:

Oatmeal Breakfast Cannoli

1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup carmel sauce
Apple, thinly sliced

Cuisinart Crepe/Pizzelle Press

While preheating the Pizzelle Press, mix together the first seven ingredients to make the cannoli batter.  Place one Tablespoon of batter on each spot of the Pizzelle plate of a baker. Close the cover and cook for 2 minutes. When done, remove the the pizzelle from the press with a heatproof spatula.  Immediately wrap around a dowel to form the cannoli shells.  Allow to cool.  Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese and caramel sauce.  Spoon sauce inside each shell.  Add apple slices and enjoy!

When I was first married, we spent many Sunday afternoons with my husband’s great-aunt Maude. She was a fabulous cook and I acquired many recipes from her.  One of these recipes was a Pecan Cookie Pie Crust, usually made with a peach pie filling.

Aunt Maude’s Pecan Pie Crust

1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup ground pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together shortening, butter and sugar.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder.
4. Combine creamed mixture with dry ingredients and ground pecans.
Dough will be crumbly.
5. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
5. Press dough into pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and cool completely.
7. Fill with cream filling or prepared peach pie filling.

Tomorrow, September 21st, is National Pecan Cookie Day.  So, to celebrate, I decided to adjust Aunt Maude’s recipe, just a bit, to make a fruit pizza.  I made a half batch of the crust recipe and pressed the dough into a 10 inch circle prior to baking.  After cooling, I spread the crust with 2 ounces of softened cream cheese. This was topped with sliced peaches.  For a drizzle, I heated 2 Tbs peach jelly and mixed this with 2 Tbs Powdered Sugar.
Yum!