Homemade Ice Cream Cake (just like Dairy Queen)

Ingredients:

1.5 quart container vanilla ice cream

1.5 quart container chocolate ice cream

3/4 cup hot fudge sauce

20 OREO thins, crushed

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

1. Remove ice cream from the freezer and let soften until it is somewhat spreadable, but not melted.

2. Line two 8-inch springform pans with plastic wrap, leaving about 6" inches of overhang on all sides.

3. Spread softened ice cream into each pan, vanilla in one, chocolate in the other, pressing down to remove air bubbles. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly to smooth the top. Freeze for 8-12 hours or until hardened.

4. Once the layers have frozen, in a bowl, mix crushed cookies with hot fudge. 

5. Remove chocolate layer from freezer. Take plastic wrap off the top, but leave the overhang wrap on the sides.

6. Spread fudge and cookies over entire top of chocolate layer.

7. Remove vanilla layer from freezer. Open springform pan, and remove vanilla layer. Turn it over and press it down firmly on top of the chocolate layer, but be careful not to split/crack the vanilla layer. This will leave you with a double layer cake in your springform pan.

8. Place cake back in freezer.

9. About 2 hours before serving, place cream, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until next step is completed.

10. Remove cake from freezer. Open springform pan, and use plastic wrap to lift up cake. Place cake on freezable platter or marble slab that can be placed into the freezer. 

11. Ice cake with whipped cream frosting.

12. Place cake back in freezer until ready to serve. Traditional frosting can be added, as can sprinkles, if decorations are desired.

13. Use a large, sharp knife warmed under hot water to cut when ready to serve.

Copycat Dot's Pretzels

Ingredients:

1 bag cheddar twist pretzels

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 tsp. onion powder

3 Tblsp. Ranch seasoning powder

1 tsp. lemon pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup butter-flavored popcorn oil

NOTE: Can add 1 tsp. dill weed for a stronger flavor.

Preparation:

1. Mix all seasoning ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, then add pretzels, turning to coat all pretzels.

2. Let pretzels soak for 45 minutes, turning bag and mixing every 5 minutes.

3. Bake pretzels on parchment-lined baking sheet at 200 degrees for 40 minutes, turning pretzels every ten minutes.

Sugar Cookies to Ice

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg, beaten

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

Preparation:

1. Cream the butter.

2. Add sugar and mix until completely incorporated.

3. Blend in egg, vanilla, salt and flour. Mix until dough clumps around mixer attachment.

4. Chill dough until firm.

5. Roll out to 1/4" thickness, then cut with cookie cutters.

6. Bake on greased cookie sheets at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. DO NOT LET COOKIES GET BROWN.

7. Cool, then frost or decorate as desired.

Louise's Corn Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup enriched corn meal (not self-rising)

1 egg

2 Tblsp. baking powder

Salt 

Buttermilk

Jalapeños, as desired

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in cast iron skillet in 350-degree oven.

2. Mix ingredients together, using buttermilk as needed until thick but pourable.

3. Pour into hot skillet and bake at 350 until done.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

12 oz. peanut bitter

Preparation:

1. Mix and cook until mixture forms a ball (turns brown, bubbles and looks ugly!)

2. Add peanut butter.

3. Remove from heat and whip in peanut butter until mixture begins to harden.

4. Pour into buttered dish or pan.

Copycat Wingstop Fries Seasoning

Ingredients:
2 Tblsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

Preparation:
Mix together and sprinkle over hot french fries.

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

DOUGH

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tblsp. vanilla extract

2 Tblsp. butter, room temperature

2 Tblsp. white sugar

1 cup sourdough starter, preferably fed

Pinch salt

FILLING

6 Tblsp. butter, melted 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Preparation: 

1. Add all the dough ingredients to stand mixer fitted with dough hook

2. Knead ingredients for about five minutes. The dough should be moist and sticky, not dry and in a ball. If it is too sticky, you can add up to 1/4 cup more flour so that you can easily move it to the bowl.

2. Grease a medium-sized bowl.

3. After all the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth, place into greased bowl. 

4. Cover dough with a towel and place in a warm spot for about three hours, or in a warming drawer set to bread proof for two hours. NOTE: Dough can sit for up to five hours. After that, it's best to refrigerate it and then let it get back to room temp before continuing.

5. In a small bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon and mix thoroughly.

6. Once dough has risen, pour it onto a flour-dusted counter and press it flat. Dough should be very soft but not sticky.

7. Press dough into a rectangle or gently roll it out with a rolling pin until dough is slightly less than 1/2" thick.

8. Pour half of the melted butter over the entire surface of the dough and spread it evenly.

9. Spread sugar mixture over dough, making sure it covers the entire surface, then pour remaining melted butter evenly over sugar mixture. Gently press sugar mixture into dough very lightly.

10. Gently roll the dough up, pinching with your fingers to keep it tightly rolled. Press the seam to seal before positioning the log seam side down.

11. Using a very sharp knife, cut the dough evenly into 6 or 9 pieces (depending on the thickness of dough). Place in a greased 8x8-inch baking pan or round deep-dish pie pan.

12. Cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap and place them in a warm dry space to rise for about two hours. Depending on how active the sourdough is, if it's not too active, the rolls can also be left overnight to rise.

13. Preheat oven to 350°F.

14. Bake rolls for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

15. Put cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

16. Mix on low to just combine. Once ingredients are all incorporated, turn mixer on high and leave it for 4-5 minutes. Frosting should be light and fluffy.

17. When rolls have about 5 minutes left to back, spread frosting on them and place them back in the oven. Alternately, rolls can be cooked fully, then inverted to another serving platter and iced.

Makes 6-9 rolls.