Swig Sugar Cookies

Source: Vintage Revivals

1 cup butter (room temp.)

¾ C vegetable oil

1 ¼ C sugar

¾ C powdered sugar

2 T water

2 eggs

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. salt

5 ½ cups flour

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars. Add oil, eggs and water. Sift dry ingredients in separate bowl. Slowly mix into wet ingredients until combined. Dough will be a bit crumbly, not sticky at all. Scoop with mini scoop onto parchment lined baking sheet. Dip the bottom of a glass into ¼ cup sugar mixed with ¼ tsp. salt. Flatten cookies with glass, creating a crinkly rim. Bake for 8 minutes, cookies should not brown at all.

Sour Cream Frosting

½ cup butter (room temp.)

¾ cup sour cream

2 lbs. powdered sugar

1 tsp. salt

¼ cup milk

Mix together butter, sour cream, and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar,(you may not need all 2 lbs, add enough so frosting gets very thick), add a splash of milk (may not need all of the ¼ cup). Mix until smooth. Add 1 or 2 drops of food coloring to make frosting a nice light color if desired.

*These cookies should be served cold. Cover and keep in the refrigerator

Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad

Source: adapted from A Bountiful Kitchen

1 lb. bow tie pasta

1 ½ cup chopped celery

1 bunch chopped green onion, green part only

3 cups grapes, sliced in half

2 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:

1 ¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. dried tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and rinse with cool water.

Prepare dressing: Mix all dressing ingredients. Pour half over pasta, refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, mix in celery, onions, grapes and chicken. Sprinkle almonds over top.

*Delicious variation:  

Mango Pasta Salad with Tarragon Lime Dressing

    Replace lemon juice with lime juice. Add 1 cubed mango and 2 avocados, chopped.

Crispy Peach Cobbler

Source: Smitten Kitchen

5 lbs. (about 10 large) peaches, unpeeled, sliced

zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 ounces butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar, divided

1 ½ cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup whole milk

½ cup hot water

Heat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, to catch drips, or regret it later.

Prepare peaches: Place peaches in a 9x13 pan, sprinkle with lemon zest and juice.

Batter: Beat butter and 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of the sugar until sandy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds, then lower the speed and slowly mix in milk. Continue beating at medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy-ish.

Assemble: Drop batter by large spoonfuls over the peaches. Carefully spread batter evenly over fruit with offset spatula or butter knife. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and drizzle hot water evenly over the sugar.

Bake: Place the baking dish on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 60-70 minutes, until the top is cracked and golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes, even if it is torture. The peach juices need to thicken. Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream or Sweet Sour Cream.

Sweet Sour Cream:

Combine 2 cups sour cream with 1/4 cup brown sugar. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so sugar can dissolve. Delicious on fruit desserts or as a fruit dip.