Funnel cake recipe tastes like fair food

Once again it is fair time. The Du Quoin State Fair was a tremendous success with attendance records being set and we are right in the middle of the SEMO District Fair and the East Perry County Fair will follow.

Nearly everyone loves fair foods and it always amazes me what and how much can be purchased on a stick. For me, it is fun to go and look around to see what the new food crazes are at the fair.

Every year, following the fair, I always get a couple of requests for fair foods. And one of the more popular requests is for funnel cakes. This recipe is a good one, and you can make and enjoy them at home all year long.

Amish Funnel Cakes

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

4 cups flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

To beaten eggs, add milk and sugar. In separate bowl sift dry ingredients.

Add to egg mixture, beating until smooth. Heat oil to 375 degrees and pour batter into hot fat through a regular household funnel. Control the flow of batter by holding your finger over the bottom of the funnel. Make patterns, designs, swirls or whatever with the stream of batter as it flows into the hot fat.

When "cakes" are golden brown, drain, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.

Some time ago there was a request for a buttermilk cookie that the reader knew by name as Buttermilk Jumbles. With thousands and thousands of recipes online, Jodi Thompson found one bearing the exact name. I don't know if it is the same cookie, but I think it must be pretty close. She also shares a buttermilk bar cookie that is chocolate, and much like a Mississippi Mud bar.

Buttermilk Jumbles

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream well shortening and sugar. Add egg. Sift dry ingredients together.

Gradually add dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed mixture; stir well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Buttermilk Bars

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water (scant)

1/4 cup cocoa

2 cup flour

2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

60 mini marshmallows

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. Bring first four ingredients to a boil. Pour over the first mixture and add the buttermilk and beaten eggs.

Lightly grease a jelly roll pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Boil together all frosting ingredients except chocolate chips. Add chocolate chips, then beat hard until smooth. Spread on bars. Cool.

With school now back in session, all busy working moms are always looking for new breakfast ideas and this would certainly be a hot with my children.

Warm French toast to start off a busy school day sounds wonderful.

French Toast

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6 pieces thick cut bread or Texas Toast

2 tablespoons butter

Warm syrup

Powdered sugar

Lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the milk, sugar, and vanilla. Melt half the butter in a heavy skillet. Add half the bread to the mixture. Turn and allow it to just become saturated. Place in the pan and brown on both sides turning once. Repeat with the remaining bread. Serve topped with warm syrup and powdered sugar. Yields 3 servings.

Jodi also shared this delicious sounding recipe that would make a nice appetizer or party finger food. It would be a nice pretty addition to a brunch buffet, also.

Savory French Toast

Makes about 3 dozen appetizer portions or 6 whole slices

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

3 large eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

3 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater to yield 1 1/4 cups

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for pan

1 12-ounce loaf brioche, cut into 6 one-inch-thick slices

1 medium tomato, cut into 1/4-inch diced pieces

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus leaves cut into thin strips for garnish Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Whisk the flour mixture into the eggs, until the batter is smooth. Whisk in cheese; the batter will be clumpy and look curdled. Generously butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. Set aside. Using tongs, dip the brioche slices into the batter, coating it well. Arrange the slices side by side in the buttered pan. Set aside. Stir the diced tomatoes and chopped basil into the remaining batter. Pour the batter over the brioche slices. Bake the French toast until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Invert onto a cooling rack, and turn right side up onto a cutting board. Using a knife or cookie cutter, cut into desired shapes or sizes. Garnish with remaining basil strips, and serve warm.

Helen Hunt of Cape Girardeau is sharing a couple of her favorite recipes with you. I especially like the way she names her recipes after special people who like that particular recipe or who she got the recipe from.

Grandma L's Cake

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup oil

2 cups chopped bananas

1 (8 ounce) can pineapple

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Sift together the flour, soda, and salt. Add the sugar and stir in the eggs, oil, bananas, pineapple, and vanilla. Bake in a well-greased angel food cake pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cake tests done.

Peanut Butter Balls

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups crunchy peanut butter

6 tablespoons margarine

3 cups crispy rice cereal, crushed coarse, not too fine

Mix all ingredients together well. Shape into balls and chill.

In a double broiler, melt:

1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips or a package of chocolate candy melts, available in the cake decorating section of craft stores.

Dip balls in chocolate using toothpicks. Shake off any excess chocolate.

Makes 70 to 90 balls. These freeze very well.

Back to school, fair time, and very busy schedules tend to lead to few night of home cooking. If you have a favorite quick and easy recipe you and your family enjoys, please send it in so other readers can enjoy it also.

We do have one request this week. It is signed by "A faithful reader" and this person would like to have recipes using dried fruits, especially dried blueberries and cherries. So if you use these dried products in your cooking and baking, please drop us a note with the recipe.

I hope you have a wonderful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.