French Sour Cream Cinnamon Puffs

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 & 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sour cream (or yogurt)
• 2/3 cups raisins or currants
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Cream 1/3 cup butter & 1/2 cup sugar with electric mixer. Add egg. Blend by hand sour cream & dry ingredients. Stir in raisins (or currants). Fill greased mini muffin tins 3/4 full, or place in heaping tablespoonfulls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Melt 1 cup of butter. Mix remainder of sugar with cinnamon. Put warm puffs into butter than roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

(Freezes well. To serve warm, reheat in a 250 degree oven.)

Source:
St. Columbkille Choir Cookbook (I think Irene put this one in.)

Bourbon Pecan Pie

This is probably the best pecan pie I have ever had. Completely calorie free too... (And if you believe that I've got a bridge to sell you.)

• 1 - 9" pie shell
• 1 cup pecans
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup
• 1/2 c. dark corn syrup
• 1/3 c. butter, melted
• 2 tbs bourbon
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Place pecans into pie shell. Combine all other ingredients & pour over pecans. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Source:
St. Columbkille Choir Cookbook

Amazing White Cake (From Scratch!)

So, this recipe is a bit more complicated than strictly necessary for a basic cake. That said however, it's does make an awesome cake...

Combine:
3 + 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 tbs + 1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt

Sift together 2 times and set aside.

Combine:
1 cup Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Almond Extract (optional)

In a large bowl, beat until creamy:
1/2 lb unsalted butter (2 sticks)
Over 3-5 minutes, add:
1 + 2/3 cup sugar
Until light & fluffy.

Add Flour mixture to butter mixture in 2 parts, alternating with milk mixture in 2 parts. Beat on Low Speed until smooth. Be careful to scrape the sides.

Beat:
8 large egg whites
3/8 tsp cream of tartar
Gradually add:
1/3 cup sugar
Until stiff peaks form.

Fold in 1/4 of egg mixture into batter. Then fold in remainder.

Pour into 3 greased & floured 8-9 inch round pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.


Source:
I think it was a Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, I'm not sure, I got it out of a friend's book.

Irish Soda Bread

350 degree oven.

• 4 cups flour
• 3 heaping Tbs. Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup raisens
• 2 Tbs. Caraway Seeds
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, baking powder & soda, raisens, caraway seeds & sugar). Separately, mix the wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry and combine. Pour into greased loaf pans and bake for about 1 hour and 15 min until golden brown. (The bottom and sides tend to scorch for me, so you'll have to gauge your oven.)

Source:
I hate to say it, but I can't remember....