Cooking Recipes, Tips, Ideas, and More

“A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.”
— Elsa Schiapirelli

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2 oz. red food coloring
• 3 tablespoons Nestle’s Quik cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour, sifted 3 times
• 1 cup buttermilk

“Food can look beautiful, taste exquisite, smell wonderful, make people feel good, bring them together, inspire romantic feelings… At its most basic, it is fuel for a hungry machine.”
— Rosamond Richardson

What You Need:

• 2/3 cup soft shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

How to Make It:

What You Need:

• 3 egg whites
• ¾ cup fine sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 ½ cups fat-free whipped topping
• 1 cup sliced, fresh strawberries

How to Make It:

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart.”
       — Erma Bombeck

Louisiana Chocolate Cake

What You Need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup shortening

Cookies are generally easy to make and one of the first things a beginning baker makes. There are only six major types of cookies, each with their own particular methods. Below, I have listed all six types (plus a seventh) and some characteristics and tips to help you make each one.

This year instead of just buying another heart-shaped box full of chocolates, why not make your Valentine feel really special with homemade candies. The time, effort, and love you put into making these Valentine candies is sure to impress. Both of these recipes can be made by even the most cooking challenged.

What You Need:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup dates, chopped
• 1 cup shortening, butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 6-ounce pkg. chocolate bits
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)