Denise Swanson - New York Times Best-Selling Author

Home Cookin'

    Recipes:
  1: May's Thumbprint Cookies  
  2: Double Fudge Chocolate Brownies  
  3: Sleeping Beauty Cookies  
  4: Elephant Ears  
  5: Barbie's Dream Fudge  
  6: Bunny's Pink Elephant Ears  
  7: In-Your-Face Pineapple Crush Pie  
  8: Bad Boy Brownies  
  9: Ditzy Blonde Dessert  
  10: Buried Cherry Cookies  
  11: A Royal Tea Party  
  12: Italian Wedding Cookies  
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Independent Music:
George Frideric Händel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, transcribed by David Stybr for Tuned Percussion Ensemble (Glockenspiel, Celesta, Music Box, Steel Drum, Xylophone, Marimba and Vibraphone) (3½ minutes, © 2008)

Recipe No. 12: Italian Wedding Cookies (January 2010) * Return to Top

  • 1½ cups butter
  • ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups finely ground almonds
  • 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 325°F

Cream butter in a bowl, gradually add confectioners' sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add ground almonds, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend in flour gradually and mix well.

Shape into small balls (use a 1 oz. cookie scoop). Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not brown. Cool slightly, then coat with confectioners' sugar.


Recipe No. 11: A Royal Tea Party (April 2009) * Return to Top

Skye's favorite tea is Earl Grey.

Fill a kettle with eight cups of fresh cold water and bring the water to a boil.

Pour a little of the hot water into the teapot, slosh it around to warm the pot, then pour it out.

Put nine teaspoons of Earl Grey tea leaves in a tea ball, and put the tea ball in the teapot.

Fill the pot with boiling water and let steep for three to five minutes.

Royal Tea Cake

  • 2½ cups flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely-chopped pecans
  • 1 stick softened butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 12 oz. of Rollos
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Cream butter with sugar and beat in eggs one at a time. Add dry mixture, alternately with the buttermilk, to the creamed butter/sugar.

Melt Peanut Butter Cups and butter together, then add it and vanilla to above mixture.

Pour into greased Bundt pan and bake at 350°F for an hour.


Recipe No. 10: Buried Cherry Cookies (January 2008) * Return to Top
  • 10 oz. jar Maraschino Cherries
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1½ cup flour
  • 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Drain cherries, but reserve the juice. Beat sugar and butter at high speed until fluffy. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and beat until well mixed. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add cocoa powder and flour; beat until smooth. Shape dough into small balls and place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press a cherry into the center of the ball.

Combine semisweet chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in saucepan. Over low heat, stir until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon of chocolate mixture over each cherry. (Thin with additional cherry juice if necessary.)

Bake 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire rack and continue to cool.


Recipe No. 9: Ditzy Blonde Dessert (Lemon Fluff) (July 2007) * Return to Top
  • one 13-oz. can evaporated milk
    — placed in freezer for 1 hour
  • one 3-oz. package lemon Jell-O
  • 1¼ cups boiling water
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Juice from one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 package Lorna Doone Cookies
    (or any plain shortbread cookie)
Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Add sugar, salt, lemon juice. After it thickens slightly, whip until fluffy. Set aside. Whip partially frozen evaporated milk until thick. Mix in the vanilla. Add Jell-O mixture. Make cookies into crumbs and press 2/3 into bottom of a 9 X 13-inch pan. Spread lemon fluff mixture evenly on top of crust, and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Recipe No. 8: Bad Boy Brownies (January 2006) * Return to Top

Crust:
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup cold butter
Combine flour and sugar, then cut in butter until crumbly. Press firmly into a 13 X 9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven.
Brownie mixture:
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup Kahlua Liqueur
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ cup chopped nuts
Combine brownie mixture ingredients, adding nuts last. Spread over baked crust. Bake 20 minutes or until center is set.
Frosting:
  • ¼ cup butter (softened)
  • ¼ cup solid shortening (i.e. Crisco)
  • 1 lb powdered sugar
  • 1 TBSP milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Combine ingredients, beat until smooth.

Recipe No. 7: In-Your-Face Pineapple Crush Pie (July 2005) * Return to Top

When Faith Easton, host of Faith's Finds, tells May her crusts aren't flaky and her daughter is too fat, Skye's mother nails the TV star with an In-Your-Face Pineapple Crush Pie. Pick up Murder of a Smart Cookie to see what happens next.

Mix milk, pineapple (do not drain) and lemon juice. Fold into Cool Whip. Smooth into crust and refrigerate overnight.
Recipe No. 6: Bunny's Pink Elephant Ears (July 2004) * Return to Top
Hi, I'm Sonny Boy's mother Bunny. After a really hard day I love to get gussied up and go have a drink in a real nice-looking cocktail lounge. Here's one of my favorite cocktails.
  • 1 pint vodka
  • 2 cans pink lemonade concentrate
  • 1 lime, sliced
  • 4 trays of ice
Mix pink lemonade per instructions on can. Add vodka, slices of lime, and ice. Mix well.

Recipe No. 5: Barbie's Dream Fudge (November 2003) * Return to Top

  • 2½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 4 oz. evaporated milk
  • 1 oz. International Delight French Vanilla creamer
  • 1 jar (7½ oz.) marshmallow crème
  • ¾ tsp salt

  • ¾ tsp vanilla
  • 12 oz. semisweet chocolate pieces
  • 1 cup pecan pieces
Combine first six ingredients and stir over low heat until blended. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes or until candy thermometer reads 240°F. Remove from heat and add vanilla, chocolate and nuts. Stir until well blended. Pour into a buttered 9 X 13-inch pan, place pan on rack, and allow to cool. Store in airtight container in dark, cool spot (do not refrigerate).

Recipe No. 4: Elephant Ears (April 2003) * Return to Top

Hi, May Denison here. In honor of Scumble River's bicentennial, here is my recipe for Elephant Ears.

Heat together (but do not boil) the following ingredients:

  • 1½ cups milk
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 tbs shortening

Cool to lukewarm.

Add:

  • 2 packages of dry yeast
  • 4 cups of flour — beat until smooth after each cup is added.

Put the dough into a greased bowl, cover with greased Saran wrap, and let stand until it has risen and doubled in size — usually about 30 minutes.

Pour an inch of cooking oil into a large, heavy skillet (cast iron is best). Heat the oil to 350°F. Dust your hands with flour, and tear off a piece of golf-ball-size dough. Stretch it into a thin 6-8-inch circle, and drop it into the hot oil. Let it fry until it rises to the surface, then turn it and fry other side until lightly browned.

Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.


Recipe No. 3: Sleeping Beauty Cookies (April 2002) * Return to Top

  • 2¾ cups sifted flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans

Topping:

  • ½ pound vanilla caramels
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¾ cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour and baking powder. In medium mixing bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and egg yolks — beat with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, stir in vanilla, ½ cups nuts, and flour mixture. Form into teaspoon-size balls. Place an inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool completely on rack. In a double boiler combine caramels and ¼ cup of water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip cookie halfway into the caramel and then into the nuts. Store covered in fridge. Makes about 6 dozen.


Recipe No. 2: Double Fudge Chocolate Brownies (October 2000) * Return to Top

Mix together and set aside:

  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ¾ cup cocoa
  • ¾ cup flour
  • ¾ cup nuts
  • ¾ cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream ¾ cup softened butter. Then add 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

Spread in a greased 8 X 10-inch pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


Recipe No. 1: May's Thumbprint Cookies (May 2000) * Return to Top

Hi, you all know me. I'm May Denison, Skye and Vince's mom. When I heard Skye was writing a column on parenting, something no one needs instructions for, I marched right up to the newspaper owner and told him what his paper needed was a good recipe column. He said go ahead. Here's my best cookie recipe. Don't mess it up.

  • ¼ cup butter-flavored Crisco®
  • ¼ cup hard-packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup softened butter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • buttercream frosting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first five ingredients until smooth. Mix flour and salt, and add to butter mixture. Dough should hold together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white, and then roll in nuts. Place balls about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb in center. Bake about 10 minutes. They should be tan, rather than brown.

Cool completely on rack. Fill with frosting. Frosting can be tinted to match occasion.

Makes 24-30 cookies. Recipe can be doubled.

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Created 25 December 1999 * Updated 21 June 2010
© 2010 Denise Swanson * Der Webmeister: David Stybr

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