Butterscotch Squares

–from the kitchen of Tom Paulsen, assistant professor agricultural education and studies (courtesy Grandma Janet Paulsen)

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions: Melt butter and brown sugar in saucepan on stove.  Let cool a bit before adding vanilla and eggs—if brown sugar is too hot, it will cook the eggs. Mix thoroughly. Then add flour and baking powder.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour mix into a wax paper lined 9” x 13” (two inches deep) pan and bake 25 minutes at 350°F.  Turn on to cooling rack.  Carefully peel off wax paper.  Cool slightly then place on cutting board and cut in squares while still warm.

Back to story: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/stories/2011/11/growing-successful-managers/

Italian Cream Cake

–from the kitchen of Lauren Mitchell (senior, dietetics) (courtesy her mom)

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened

½ cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sugar

5 egg yolks

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

5 egg whites

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cream butter and shortening with a mixer.  Add sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.  Sift flour with baking soda and salt; then add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir in vanilla, then coconut and pecans.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, and gently, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites into batter.  Pour in two greased and floured 9” round cake pans.  Bake 25 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown.  While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting.  Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar (approximately 1 pound)

Directions: In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to frost the cooled cake. Once frosted, garnish cake with additional pecans.

Back to story: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/stories/2011/11/food-for-thought/

Indian Rice Pudding

–from the kitchen of Nate Looker (senior, global resource systems) (courtesy Alton Brown, Food Network)

• 1 cup cooked long grain or basmati rice

• 1 cup whole milk

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ¾ cup coconut milk

• 2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup

• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1 ½ ounces golden raisins, approximately 1/3 cup

• 1 ½ ounces chopped unsalted pistachios, approximately 1/3 cup

Ingredients:

Directions:

In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, combine the cooked rice and milk. Heat until the mixture begins to boil. Decrease the heat to low and cook at a simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently, approximately five minutes.  Increase the heat to medium, add the heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom and continue to cook until the mixture just begins to thicken again, approximately five to ten minutes. Use a whisk to help prevent the cardamom from clumping. Once the mixture just begins to thicken, remove from the heat and stir in the raisins and pistachios. Transfer the mixture to individual serving dishes or a glass bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Serves four.

Back to story: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/stories/2011/11/unearthing-adventures/

Apple Kuchen

–from the kitchen of Melea Reicks Licht (’00 public service and administration in agriculture, MS ’05 agricultural education), college communications specialist STORIES editor and writer (courtesy Grandma Leone Reicks)

Ingredients:

1 package dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

1 tablespoon warm water

1 ½ cups milk

¾ cup shortening

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 ¼ cup sugar

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

5 apples (peeled, cored, sliced thin)

1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions: Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Scald milk (form film on top). Melt shortening in milk. Cool.  Add dissolved yeast and beaten eggs to milk mixture. Add ½ cup sugar, all flour, salt, vanilla.  Mix well.  Raise for three hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.  Spread dough in a greased pan (either one 10” x 15” or a 9” x 9” and 9” x 13”).  Let raise for one hour. Punch down to ½” thick. Mix ¾ teaspoon and rest of sugar (3/4 cup). Sprinkle half of cinnamon sugar mixture on sliced apples, mix to coat.  Overlap sliced apples on top of dough and press edges of apples into dough.  Brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.  Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes or until brown.