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Ask Betty
- When a recipe calls for chicken breast pounded flat, what is the best way to do that without tearing up the chicken...
- Good morning. Could you please add a recipe for Chicken Diane? Thank you. --Glenda
- I want to pan-fry pork chops, fix dressing, and then just place the chops on the dressing toward the end of the baking...
- Would like a recipe for ham salad and chicken salad for sandwich spreads. Thank you, —Jan
Soft Cookies
My Grandmother used to make the most wonderful really SOFT molasses cookies, but whenever I try to make them, they always turn out hard, only good for dunking in milk or coffee. Can you find a true recipe for soft ones? Thank you.
--Bernice
Hi Bernice!
I’m sorry to tell you that I don’t happen to have a molasses cookie recipe on the site at this time. But I can give you a few tips to apply to any cookie recipe you’ve used in the past:
The first tip is to be sure to NOT overbake the cookies. Take them out of the oven when the centers still look a little underbaked and then let them sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to racks to cool. And make sure that your oven is calibrated correctly; it’s not at all unusual for a home oven to have a temperature that is 15, 20 or 25 degrees hotter (or cooler) than the indicator says. If you don’t have one, consider purchasing a good oven thermometer to check.
If you’re willing to experiment a little with your recipe, you could try a couple of things (but not at the same time—that gets too confusing!). If the recipe has only granulated sugar, substitute up to half of it with brown sugar. Or try substituting up to half of the butter with shortening. And maybe use a little less flour than the recipe calls for.
And finally, remember to eat the cookies right as they come out of the oven—they should be soft then! But if you do have some leftovers, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread—the bread will share some of its moisture with the cookies over time.
Hope these tips help—let me know how it turns out if try any of them.

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Question
I am looking for a recipe for plain pound cake. I understand plain cake can be changed by adding a few things, but all I want is plain old-fashioned pound cake. Thank you.
—Mrs. Martin
May 2012 -
QuestionHi Betty. I have the collection of Grandma's Recipes and use them all the time. I am not able to locate my card from The Pantry section, Spicy Jalapeno Mustard, and I'm finding you don't list it on this website. Can you provide the recipe for me please? --Lesli JoMarch 2012
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QuestionI would like a really good recipe for wheat flour bread or rolls. One that is fairly easy but makes a bread almost like a white flour bread--if that is possible or makes any sense. Most recipes I try, the bread comes out heavy. Can you help? Thank you in advance for either a recipe or any suggestions you might have. --LindaMarch 2012
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Question
Do you have a recipe that was popular in the 60's, it was a frozen fruit salad, using fruit cocktail & I think maybe cream cheese. It was something white & creamy, but not sweet. Mom would freeze it in the ice cubes tray. The kind with the removable lever cube divider. I believe she would serve on a lettuce leaf, maybe with a dab of mayo and a cherry. Thanks.
-MaryAugust 2012 -
QuestionDo you have a baked ham recipe? --CristiMarch 2012
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Question
How do you adjust recipes for high altitudes, especially cakes and brownies?
--Jerry
July 2012 -
QuestionNeed a recipe for stuffed cabage rolls -- also back in time called "pigs in a blanket." Thank you. --RoseMarch 2012
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QuestionPlease add a simple recipe for filet mignon. --JoanMarch 2012
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Question
Do you have a recipe for smoked sturgeon besides chowder? Possibly an appetizer?
-FredAugust 2012 -
QuestionI would like to have a simple recipe for crockpot beef stew, please. --JoeMarch 2012





