Our Recipes

Thanks for attending A Mother’s Love and indulging in some sweet treats to support us!

Michelle’s Marshmallow Squares

In a double boiler, beat the eggs, sugar, coconut, and margarine. Cook and stir for approximate 30 minutes. Cool. Add the vanilla, marshmallows, and graham wafers. Put in an 8 x 8-inch pan. Refrigerate.

Janet’s Black Bean Brownies (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-slot standard-size muffin pan (not mini). Make sure you’ve rinsed and thoroughly drained your black beans at this point. Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse a couple of times and then let rest for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients (besides walnuts or other toppings) and puree – about 3 minutes – scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth. If the batter appears too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and pulse again. It should be slightly less thick than chocolate frosting but nowhere close to runny.

Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin and smooth the tops with a spoon or your finger.

Optional: Sprinkle with crushed walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips. Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides. I found mine took about 25. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don’t be concerned if they seem too moist – that’s the point. (Plus, they’re vegan so it doesn’t really matter!) Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.

Kathy’s Shredded Wheat Bread

In a large bowl, pour boiling water and milk over cereal. Add the molasses, shortening and salt. Let stand until mixture cools to 110°-115°F, stirring occasionally. In a bowl, dissolve yeast and sprinkle of sugar in warm water. Add cereal mixture and add 3 cups flour, ½ cup at a time. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Gently punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Brush with melted butter if desired. Cool.

Aude’s Gâteau au Chocolat – A Recipe from France!

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease cake pan with butter or wax paper. Whisk eggs well with a fork before combining with sugar in a bowl.  Add the flour and mix well. Let rest.

Cut up the chocolate and butter into little pieces. Warm up the saucepan with a little water. Add butter and chocolate and mix until melted. Combine melted chocolate and butter into sugar and eggs, and mix well. Quickly transfer to greased cake pan and put in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven, and let cake stand for 5 – 10 minutes.

Andra’s Rugelach

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, and lemon peel in large bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the flour mixture; beat at low speed until well blended. Form dough into 3 discs (equal size) and wrap each disc in plastic; refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F; line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Working with one portion at a time, roll out dough on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, to a 10-inch circle. Cut circle into 12 triangles using a pizza cutter or pastry rosette, then place 1 Turkish delight piece on outer side of each triangle. Starting from this side, tightly roll up each triangle, jelly-roll fashion. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets, with point underneath. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then transfer to plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sarah’s Cinnamon Rounders

Mix the margarine, flour, baking powder and salt together, then add milk. Mix together until well blended, then form into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured board, but not too thin. Spread with margarine and brown sugar, sprinkle well with cinnamon, and roll up like a jelly roll fairly tightly. Slice. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 375°F.

Natalie’s Chocolate Chip Blondies

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan and set aside (or use baking spray). Place the butter in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave (careful to keep it in there just until the butter has melted completely). Once the butter is melted, whisk in the brown sugar until the mixture is completely smooth. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. While the butter is cooling, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Once the butter mixture has cooled, whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Then use a spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until they are completely incorporated and no longer visible. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 42 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the blondies to cool to room temperature in the pan. Slice and serve (or wrap individually and sell them at a bake sale!) Makes 15 to 18 bars.

Andra’s Lemon Layer Cake (or Squares)

Preheat oven to 360°F. In medium bowl beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add oil, then milk and the bicarbonate of ammonia mixed with lemon juice (do it separately in a cup first – it will bubble!) Sift flour and salt together, then add to the egg mixture, gradually, stirring with a spoon at first, then using your hand to obtain a dough good enough to be rolled (more flour may be needed!) Form dough into a log, divide in 3 equal parts. Roll out each piece into a rectangle big enough to cover the back of a 9 x 13-inch cookie tray. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, on the back of the tray (!), until set but not browned. The dough should retain its light colour, almost white. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Handle with care, it will be brittle.

In small bowl, mix flour with a bit of milk to make a paste. In a double-bottom pot, heat the milk until bubbles form on the sides. Turn heat down and slowly pour the flour paste in, while whisking continuously; keep whisking until thickened (like a custard). Turn off heat and cover the surface of the mixture with plastic wrap; let it cool completely. Gradually add lemon juice and peel. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the milk mixture to the butter, a spoonful at a time, while mixing at low speed.

Put it all together:

Place one baked cookie sheet on a parchment-lined tray. Spread half the cream on it, evenly. Carefully place a second sheet over the layer of cream and on it spread the rest of the cream. Top everything with the last of the baked cookie sheets.

Let the cake sit in a dry, cool place for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The cookie sheets will moisten, allowing you to easily cut the cake in squares or diamonds. You can decorate each piece with a whipped cream star, just prior to serving.

Keep the leftover pieces of cake refrigerated for up to 3 days in a closed container.

Barb’s Ginger Crackle Cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in egg and molasses until combined. Add flour mixture – mix by hand until blended, then with electric mixer on low (about 1 minute). Scoop out 1 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls (approximately 1-inch in diameter). Roll in a small bowl of sugar and place on prepared cookie sheets (open-sided insulated baking sheets work best). Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

Rachel’s Congo Bars (Vanilla Brownies)

Melt butter. Add sugar and let cool. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients together, then combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Place mixture in greased 9 x 13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 30 mins (best if a little underdone!)

LaVonne’s Spice Cake

Mix butter, sugar, eggs, and milk together. Dissolve baking soda into hot water and add. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients gradually to bowl. Pour into an 8 x 8-inch greased cake pan. Bake at 350°F oven until cake tester comes out clean when inserted.

Jackie’s White Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscotti

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease baking sheet. Beat together butter and sugar in bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl, toss with a fork. Add to butter mixture along with hazelnuts and chocolate chip; mix well. Divide dough in half. Place half on prepared baking sheet. Pat into a 12 x 2-inch loaf. Repeat with second half, placing on baking sheet two inches from the first. Bake at 350°F until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool logs 10 minutes. Place on cutting board. Cut diagonally into ½ inch thick slices. Place slices cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake 12 – 15 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool. Store at room temperature in tightly covered container. Makes 3 – 4 dozen.

Leslie’s Shortbread 

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla. Gradually add flour. Spread on cookie sheet and pat to approximately 1/2″ in thickness. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares and bake 300-325°F for 25-30 minutes.

Jen’s Royal Icing Sugar Cookies

Beat butter and icing sugar until smooth and light using electric beaters. Add egg yolk and lime zest. Add flour, cornstarch and salt, mix in on low speed until dough comes together. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling. Preheat oven to 325°F, line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

On lightly floured work surface, roll dough out until it is ¼-inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Place on trays, bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before icing.

Whip meringue powder and water with icing sugar in a bowl using electric beaters until peaks form. For “flood” style of royal icing, add additions of water until icing becomes more fluid and flows without being runny. To add colour to the icing, divide between a few bowls and tint as desired.

Julia’s Poppyseed Cookies

Cream the butter, then add sugar and beat until light. Blend in the eggs and sour cream. Sift the dry ingredients, then mix in the poppy seeds and combine well. Chill the dough. Roll out thin, about 1/8 inch. Cut with cookie cutter, place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375°F, for 15 minutes (10-11 if using a convection oven).

Sula’s Lemon Puffs

In a medium saucepan bring water to boil; add butter and stir until melted. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until ball forms in the center of the saucepan. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating after adding each egg is added. Mixture should be very stiff, makes 8 Large puffs. Shape puffs on buttered cookie sheet by dropping from a spoon or with pastry bag. Bake until free from beads of moisture (40-45 minutes) in a moderately hot oven (375°F). Fill with cream.

In a small saucepan combine lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs, and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until thick enough to hold marks from the whisk, or, until first sign of bubbles appears on surface (approx. 6 min)

Rebecca’s vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and coconut cream cheese icing

Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin tin with twelve paper liners. Combine butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, sifted flour & baking powder, and milk in a bowl and mix with electric mixer or beaters on low speed until ingredients are just combined. Increase speed to medium/high and continue mixing until mixture is smooth and changes to a paler colour (about 3-5 minutes). Divide mixture between the paper liners and bake 18-20 minutes.

Beat butter and vanilla in a small bowl with electric mixer/beater until it is as light as possible. Gradually beat in half the icing sugar then the milk and finally the remaining icing sugar.

Using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and smooth. Add the vanilla, and then slowly add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time until thoroughly incorporated.

Sophie’s Maldon Salted Caramels

Cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan and come 1 inch up the sides. Butter pan and line with parchment. Brush parchment lightly with oil. In small saucepan, heat cream, butter and vanilla until butter melts. Turn off heat. To medium saucepan, add water and corn syrup. Pour sugar in middle. Place pan over medium heat. When it starts to boil, attach candy thermometer to pan without it touching bottom of pan. Cook until temperature reaches 320°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully add cream mixture in 4 stages, stirring with heatproof spatula each time. Use caution, as it will boil up dramatically. Cook mixture until it reaches 240°F, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Maldon salt. Cool completely. Wrap pan tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Grab ends of parchment and pull caramel out of pan. With long, sharp knife, cut caramels into desired shape. Place in airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.

Cheryl’s Butter Tart Slices

Melt butter and then add eggs and remaining ingredients. Pour over crust. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. Cut while hot.

Cheryl’s Ginger Krinkles

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix oil with sugar thoroughly; add egg and beat well. Stir in molasses and dry ingredients. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into bowl of white sugar, form balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet, 3 inches apart. Yield 5 dozen.