Kitchen Staple Sweets

As a mom of small children, and a hunk of  man with a sweet-tooth, I am constantly buying cookies, crackers, treats,etc to appease them. I will insert here how baking is really not my ministry! However, I love to do easy chocolate pies, scones, red velvet cake, and a few other things that I suprisingly manage NOT to burn up. Anyhoo, between paydays or tight budget weeks, I am always trying to think of something to make with all those staple items that seem to abound in my pantry and fridge. So of course once I found some things, I HAD to share with all my other moms! So here ya go!

 

Baked custard

3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
2.5 cups milk
pince of salt
Optional:
vanilla, extra egg yolks, cinnamon or other spices

Mix it all together. Pour into oven-safe custard cups or a casserole dish. Put the cups/dish into a larger dish (a 9x13" pan works well) and add about 1" or so of very hot (almost boiling) water to the pan - make it go about halfway up the casserole dish/custard cups. If the casserole dish/cups slide around too much, fold up a kitchen towel and place in the pan before you add the custard pans. Just make sure the towel is totally soaked in water before you put it in the oven.

Place in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until a knife stuck in the center comes out clean.

Shortbread

1 lb. butter
1 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 c. flour
1/2 c. corn starch

Put butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and corn starch; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at lowest speed after each addition.
Press into a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake 20 more minutes, until top is lightly browned.

Yellow Cupcakes

Yield: 30 muffins or one single layer 1/4 sheet cake

2 3/4 c Flour
2 1/2 t Baking powder
1/2 c Butter
1 3/4 c Sugar
1 1/2 t Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 1/4 c Milk

Grease and lightly flour muffin tins or fill with paper baking cups. Mix together the flour, baking powder and one teaspoon of salt. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until light. Add one egg and beat well (for about a minute or so) and then add the other egg and repeat. Add milk and the dry ingredients to this mixture, alternately. Mix well after each addition. Pour into the muffin pans, filling each halfway.
Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.