This week’s Cook of the Week is Kaylyn Quinn Hart. She is the smart, loving 4-year-old daughter of John and Ashley Hart of Kite and granddaughter of David and Donna Kersey, all of Kite. Kaylyn attends Swainsboro Pre-K and absolutely loves it! In her spare time, she enjoys coloring and painting with her Nana, playing outside and with her baby dolls. Kaylyn wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Here are three of her favorite recipes. Enjoy!
Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. Apple Butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Topping
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Whisk flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Cream butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a mixer until fluffy. Mix in eggs, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and apple butter. Beat just until mixed. Add in flour mixture and mix until just blended together. Chill your dough at least 4 hours. This dough must be cold before baking. Because of all the butter and apple butter, the cookies will spread quite a bit if you skip the chilling! Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a silpat baking mat. Place 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cups sugar in a small bowl. Scoop balls of cookie dough (mine were done using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop) and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Place on your cookie sheet. (I recommend only scooping 2 cookie sheets at a time, then re-chill the dough for while those two trays bake.) Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes for slightly underdone, 13-14 minutes for fully done. I like my cookies half raw, but if you don’t, cook them for the full 13-14 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets.
Toasted Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
2 slices bread
2 tsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. fruit preserves
Spread butter on one side of each bread slice. Flip slices over and spread with peanut butter. Spread preserves onto one slice and top with remaining bread slice, buttered-side-up.
Adjust cooking rack to center position, if possible, otherwise use bottom position. Place sandwich directly in center of the toaster oven cooking rack. Set toaster oven to TOAST on medium and cook until bread is toasted about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, adding more time as needed.
Use tongs or a spatula to carefully remove the sandwich. Cool slightly, then slice in half and dig in!
Vanilla Cakes
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 c. water
Vanilla Frosting
1/2 c. salted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. shortening
4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2–3 Tbsp. water or milk
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake pan with liners. Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside. Add milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat until well combined. Slowly add water to batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. (Please note that the batter will be very thin.) Fill cupcake liners about halfway and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
To make the frosting, combine butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of water or milk and mix until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add remaining water or milk as needed and mix until smooth. Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes.