Easy Sugar Cookie Icing

- Posted in Baked Goods, Dessert

To keep things simple, Lyric uses Mary’s Mountain Roll-Out Cut‑Out Sugar Cookie Dough with this quick and easy icing.

2 cups powdered sugar 2 teaspoons light corn syrup

2-3 tablespoons ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Longmont Dairy milkGel food coloring

Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until smooth and well combined. The mixture will be pretty thick.

Add ½ teaspoon milk at a time to thin icing to outline consistency. When you lift the whisk or spoon, you should still see the ribbons of icing that fall back into the bowl for 3-4 seconds. Add more milk to thin out the icing or more powdered sugar to make it thicker.

Add gel food coloring and mix until fully combined.

Heavenly Potatoes

- Posted in Baked Goods

An easy-to-make  comfort food casserole your Thanksgiving dinner guests will think is heaven-sent.

3 lbs. potatoes

¼ cup Country Cream butter, softened

½ cup Longmont Dairy milk

¾ cup Longmont Dairy whipping cream

4 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated

4 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

parsley, chopped, for garnish

Heat oven to 400° F. Prick potatoes with fork and place directly on oven rack. Bake until soft and easily pierced with fork, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and split each potato in half lengthwise.

Grease a 9×13” or 3-quart baking pan. Scoop out potato flesh, add butter and milk, and mash with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread into prepared pan.

Increase oven temperature to 500° F.  With an electric mixer, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold in Gruyere cheese by hand. Spread evenly over potatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until heated thoroughly and topping is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Costumed Cupcakes in a Jar

- Posted in Baked Goods

Chocolate Cupcakes

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

2 large Eggland’s Best eggs

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup Longmont Dairy whole milk

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup hot water

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Sift together the dry ingredients and add half just until combined. Beat in milk, followed by the other half of the dry ingredients. Add hot water until combined. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly between 16 muffin cups. Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

⅛ teaspoon salt

4 cups powdered sugar

2-4 tablespoons Longmont Dairy

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

heavy cream or milk

Beat butter until creamy and smooth. Stir in 1 cup of powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar until completely combined. Beat in heavy cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

When cool, cut the cupcake horizontally. In a one-pint, wide-mouth Mason jar, layer the bottom half of a cupcake, a few spoonfuls of buttercream frosting, the top of the cupcake, then more buttercream frosting. To dress up your dessert, decorate with sprinkles, candy corn, gummy worms, or whatever you choose!

Go-To Applesauce Muffins

- Posted in Baked Goods, Breakfast

Easy to make, but hard to resist! Make these for breakfast or a go-to snack for the kids after school. Makes 12 muffins.

½ cup Country Cream butter, softened

½ cup sugar

2 Eggland’s Best eggs

¾ cup Ela Family Farms applesauce

1¾ cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Topping:

¼ cup Country Cream butter, melted

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Place softened butter and sugar into large mixing bowl. Cream butter and sugar, mixing with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed 1-2 minutes, or until butter mixture is pale yellow, light, and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating 20 seconds after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Mix in applesauce. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into batter and beat on low speed until combined. Scoop batter into lined muffin tin and bake at 350° F for 12-18 minutes, or until golden.

For topping, combine cinnamon and sugar. Before the muffins cool completely, dip each top in the melted butter, then the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Beef and Cheese Empanadas

- Posted in Baked Goods

FOR THE DOUGH
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup cold Country Cream Butter, cut into cubes
¾ cup water
1 Egg-Lands Best egg (large)

THE FILLING
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeño, cleaned and chopped
½ cup diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Tillamook Sharp
1 pound ground beef (shredded chicken can be substituted)
Cheddar Shredded Cheese
1 cup Tillamook Colby Jack
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Shredded Cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
Egg wash (egg beaten with water), for brushing
1 teaspoon cumin

MAKE DOUGH
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut butter into flour using your hands or a pastry cutter. Add water and egg and mix until dough forms. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes). 
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

FOR BAKING
Preheat oven to 400° and line two large baking sheets with foil.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft (about 5 minutes) then add garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute). Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Drain fat.
Return pan to medium heat, and stir tomato paste into beef. Add oregano, cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and jalapeños and cook until warmed through (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide in half.  Roll one half to ¼” thick. Using a 5” round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Moisten outer edge of a dough round with water and place about 2 tablespoons of filling in center and top with cheddar and Colby Jack. Fold dough in half over filling. Use a fork to crimp edges together. Repeat with remaining filling and dough. Place empanadas on prepared baking sheets and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden brown and filling is warmed through, about 25 minutes.

Ice Cream Base

- Posted in Dessert

Plan to make this ahead of your celebration to allow time for freezing.

1 cup Longmont Diary Whipping Cream
3 cups Longmont Dairy Half and Half
8 Egg-land’s Best Egg yolks (Egg whites can be frozen for later use.)
1 cup white sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt

In a heavy saucepan, mix the cream, half-and-half, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until the mixture starts to steam and thickens. Do not boil. Test by coating the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add flavors (see below).
Cool the ice cream base in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Remove the ice cream, pack in a covered container, and freeze for 2 hours or overnight before serving.

Flavors and Tips
Vanilla: Add 2 tablespoons vanilla extract when base is cooling.
Chocolate: Add ½ cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed preferred) to the ingredients of the base before cooking. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract after you remove the base to cool.
Fruits: Clean and puree fruit (strawberries, bananas, peaches) to equal 1 cup. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and stir. Chill 2 hours. Combine with base just prior to freezing in the ice cream maker.
For softer ice cream: add 2 tablespoons of alcohol. Try Kalhuà or crème de cacao for chocolate, kirsch for fruits, or vodka.

Campers’ Mac & Cheese

- Posted in Casserole

4 slices of bacon, chopped
2 tbsp. onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, cleaned and chopped
1 c. Longmont Dairy milk
2 c. Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese
2 c. cooked macaroni noodles
Salt and pepper

At home, pre-cook noodles and pre-chop the vegetables and bacon. Over a hot fire, cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven. Add the vegetables and cook until they are soft. Move the pan to a cooler part of the fire (or reduce heat). Add the milk and cheese at the same time. Stir until melted. Add the noodles, salt, and pepper to taste, and cook until heated throughout.

Campers’ Eggs

- Posted in Breakfast, Casserole

Get ready for a day of activities with this protein-packed, one-pan breakfast.

2 lbs. ground sausage
½ c. chopped onions
2 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes
8 Egg-Land’s Best eggs, beaten with ¼ cup water
2 c. shredded Tillamook cheese

Place a 12” cast iron pot or Dutch Oven over a full bed of hot coals to fry and crumble the sausage and onions. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Use sausage drippings left in the pan to brown the potatoes. Layer sausage over potatoes. Pour eggs with water on top, then sprinkle with cheese. Cover, add coals to top of lid, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

Mom’s Raspberry Spritzer

- Posted in Drinks

(2 servings)

2 cups Longmont Dairy Raspberry Lemonade
⅔ cup sparkling water

Fresh and washed raspberries and optional garnish of mint leaves
Fill two 12 oz. glasses with ice and add a few raspberries. Add mixture to glass and garnish with mint leaf.
Optional: Add 2 oz. of vodka to the glass before topping with the raspberry mixture.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread French Toast

- Posted in Breakfast

An easy and decadent treat for Mother’s Day Breakfast.

(4 single slice servings)
1 loaf Banana Chocolate Chip Bread (or regular Banana Bread)
3 Egg-land’s Best Eggs
3 Tablespoons Longmont Dairy Milk
2 Tablespoons Country Cream Butter or ghee

Optional toppings: Maple syrup, powdered sugar, blueberries, banana slices, or whipped cream
Slice 4 thick slices (3/4 to 1 inch thick) of bread. Whisk eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
Melt butter or ghee over medium heat in a large skillet. Quickly dip each slice into the egg mixture to coat on both sides. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Top with your favorite topping and serve.