Recipes from a recent retiree

My sister, Barb Kinsey, recently retired after 50 years of faithful service to Southeast Missouri State University. Barb worked most of that time in University Relations and Athletics. She has worked numerous basketball and football games through the years, and has enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people along the way through 50 years.

Barb has been an amazing mentor to hundreds of student workers and has helped them grow up, learn work ethic and how to be a dependable worker. She has made a wonderful, positive impact on many students who had the privilege of working with her.

Barb loves Jesus, all of her nieces and nephews, all SEMO athletics, reading, line dancing, gospel music, weather, thunderstorms, chips and salsa and traveling, to mention only a few.

I've pulled together a few recipes that Barb is well known for and a few that she doesn't make too often anymore, but they still have her name on them.

Happy retirement, Barbie! "May God bless you, real good" in your retirement.

Best-Ever Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add cream and mix well. Add vanilla and mix well. Add flour sifted with baking powder and salt and mix well. Chill mixture about 30 minutes. Roll dough, small amounts at a time, on lightly floured surface into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake in 400 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on size of cookie. I don't allow them to get brown at all. When they puff up and start to fall, I take them out. Cool on racks and decorate as desired.

Just a note to you: Sometimes I just sprinkle colored sugar on these before I bake them, and when they come out of the oven, they are done. I also bake ahead and freeze these and when I need a platter of cookies, I pull them out, decorate them, and I'm done!

Mexican Wedding Cakes

This is a long-standing tradition in the Kinsey family. My sister Barb makes these every year, and she makes them quite small, about marble size, so they are a perfect bite-sized treat. She often puts them in a large, tightly covered bowl with extra powdered sugar. We laugh each year at everyone who has dropped powdered sugar on their shirts eating these little treats.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans

To finish the cookies:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar (you may need a touch extra too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until well blended. Stir in flour and pecans.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheets. Immediately roll hot cookies in the confectioners sugar. Place sugared cookies on wire racks to cool.

When cool, roll again in sugar at least once, but I like to do it twice for a better finish.

Powell Family Tradition Tuna Grape Salad

My grandmother Powell made this amazing tuna grape salad and Barb has kept this recipe alive through the years. She makes sure it is at every family reunion, and occasional family gatherings throughout the year. The key is to not add too much Miracle Whip. Add just enough to moisten the salad so that it is barely covered but not goopy with dressing.

• 1 can tuna, drained
• Pecan pieces
• White seedless grapes, washed and removed from stem
• Miracle whip salad dressing

There are no precise measurements to this recipe. It is a combine and stir together salad recipe. If you like more tuna, add more. If you like more grapes, add more, and the same with the pecans.

Combine all ingredients together and gently toss and stir until all of the tuna is dispersed and lightly covered in salad dressing.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Christmas Eve Crab Plate

Barb makes a plate or two of this every Christmas Eve and it carries over into Christmas day at the family gatherings. It is a favorite holiday tradition for the Kinseys.

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 bottle Heinz chili sauce
• 1 or 2 cans crab meat, drained

Spread softened cream cheese on plate. Use the whole package. Pour the chili sauce over and spread to the edges of the cream cheese. Flake a can, or more if you like, of the crab over the sauce. We like lots of crab covering the sauce.

Serve with a cracker assortment.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers until ready to serve.

Classic Four Layer Dessert

This retro, classic dessert is a good recipe for any season of the year by changing the pudding flavor. chocolate and lemon are among our favorites. This is one of our favorite desserts that Barb makes for family gatherings.

• 1 cup flour
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 boxes instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 3 cups cold milk
• Whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts for garnish

For the crust: Combine flour, mealted butter and chopped pecans. Mix well. Pres into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool.

Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup whipped topping and 8 ounces cream cheese. Blend well until smooth and whipped. Spread onto cooled crust.

Combine 2 boxes pudding and pie filling mix and the cold milk. Beat until thickened. Spread on top of the cream cheese layer.

Spread the remaining whipped topping over the pudding layer and garnish with chopped pecans.

Serve well chilled and refrigerate any leftovers.

Vanilla Punch

This punch may be different from any other punch you've ever served, but it is so good and refreshing. The punch will be clear and is pretty in a punch bowl with a frozen ring with bright colored fruits and mint in the ring.

Heat until dissolved and clear:

• 5 pounds sugar
• 2 cups water

Add to this sugar mixture:

• 2 tablespoons citric acid
• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 ounces clear vanilla (good quality)
• 2 ounces almond extract

This will be a thick syrup. Fill punch bowl with crushed ice (can purchase "chewy ice" at Sonic or selected convenience marts). Pour 1 cup of syrup mixture into a container an add 1 (32-ounce) bottle Sprite. Gently stir and add to crushed ice in the punch bowl.

You can shop for citric acid at larger grocery stores or online.

Almond Punch

Another interesting punch recipe. Barb likes almond flavored foods, so this is another one of her favorite punch recipes.

• 1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened instant tea powder
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 14 cups water

In a 1-gallon container, combine first 5 ingredients; mix well. Add 8 cups water; stir to blend. Add remaining 6 cups water. Serve over ice.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Our Aunt Celeste made these chocolate crinkle cookies and Barb liked them so much. This is a good memory of good cookies and a very sweet Aunt.

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon alt
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar. Blend in 1 egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by spooning or sifting method. Stir flour, baking powder and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours, or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into powdered sugar. roll in sugar an shape into balls. Place about 2-inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes, but do not overbake. Remove when just set.

Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.