1 # light brown sugar
2 C. self rising flour (regular flour + 3 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt)
1/2 C. butter
3 eggs, beaten slightly
1 C. flake coconut
2 C. pecans, chopped
1 C. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix it all up and pour into a 9x13 greased baking pan. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sauteed Asparagus and Mushrooms
2 tbsp. EVOO
2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 tsp. for the jar in the frig.)
10 oz. mushrooms, you can mix them up, if they are available I would definitely mix button with shitake and portabella.
1 # fresh asparagus, trimmed and washed
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until tender (about 30 seconds). Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, cover and cook for 5 additional minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.
I love fresh asparagus almost anyway it is cooked or not.
2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 tsp. for the jar in the frig.)
10 oz. mushrooms, you can mix them up, if they are available I would definitely mix button with shitake and portabella.
1 # fresh asparagus, trimmed and washed
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until tender (about 30 seconds). Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, cover and cook for 5 additional minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.
I love fresh asparagus almost anyway it is cooked or not.
Oreo Cookie Balls
1 pkg. Oreo cookies, crushed or ground in the food processor (tip here, don't used the "Double Stuffed" for this, OK)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
Mix the crushed cookies and the cream cheese together using your hands (ick). Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate until very cold (I would suggest 4 hours).
Melt white chocolate or almond bark. Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and arrange on a parchment paper lined tray. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
Mix the crushed cookies and the cream cheese together using your hands (ick). Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate until very cold (I would suggest 4 hours).
Melt white chocolate or almond bark. Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and arrange on a parchment paper lined tray. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Chocolate Cream Cake
You start with a moist boxed chocolate cake mix. Not a fudge or devils food, make it one of the milk chocolate or German chocolate one. Make it per the box directions and bake it in 3 8 inch round layer cake pans per directions. Don't worry, there is enough batter.
When the layers are cooled and out of the pans you need to make this really great frosting for it. Sorry but this isn't to dietetic.
2 C. heavy cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 C. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whip the cream until quite stiff but be careful that you don't get butter, OK, sometimes a bit of powdered sugar added while you are whipping it keeps that at bay. Anyway, whip the cream and set it in the frig while you work the rest.
Cream the brown sugar and cream cheese together until well blended and smooth.
Add the vanilla.
Blend the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream and frost you cake.
Betty always tops the cake with some crushed Heath bar and shaved chocolate.
When the layers are cooled and out of the pans you need to make this really great frosting for it. Sorry but this isn't to dietetic.
2 C. heavy cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 C. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whip the cream until quite stiff but be careful that you don't get butter, OK, sometimes a bit of powdered sugar added while you are whipping it keeps that at bay. Anyway, whip the cream and set it in the frig while you work the rest.
Cream the brown sugar and cream cheese together until well blended and smooth.
Add the vanilla.
Blend the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream and frost you cake.
Betty always tops the cake with some crushed Heath bar and shaved chocolate.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Short Cake
Carolyn also shared this one with me. She has even gifted with this wonderful shortcake for friend and coworkers.
Short Cake
2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1 stick or butter or margarine
Mix together and reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture for future use.
Add:
dash of salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2-3/4 C. milk (you want a thick batter so work accordingly)
I believe that she indicated that reserved mixture should be sprinkled over the top of the spread dough in the pan to form kind of a crumb topping.
Bake in 8x8 or 9x9 pan. If you double it use a 9x13
350F 30-35 minutes
Happy munching!!!!! Thanks, Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
Short Cake
2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1 stick or butter or margarine
Mix together and reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture for future use.
Add:
dash of salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2-3/4 C. milk (you want a thick batter so work accordingly)
I believe that she indicated that reserved mixture should be sprinkled over the top of the spread dough in the pan to form kind of a crumb topping.
Bake in 8x8 or 9x9 pan. If you double it use a 9x13
350F 30-35 minutes
Happy munching!!!!! Thanks, Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
Peach Cobbler
While at a Bowman family reunion last Saturday I met relatives that I have never met before. Maybe that is because I had not been to one of these reunions since I as very young because of time and space, I am sure. Carolyn Bowman brought a peach cobbler that went very quickly once the initial serving was samples (why is that, no one wants to be the first to "dig in"). She has sent it to me and will take having done that bit of sharing it will be OK to share it with you all at large.
1 lrg. can sliced peaches, thickened a bit)
Topping:
1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
Add:
1 C. flour
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. milk
Mix together and pour over the peaches or any other type of fruit that you would like.
Bake 350F for 45 - 60 minutes
Happy munching!!!!!! Thanks Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
1 lrg. can sliced peaches, thickened a bit)
Topping:
1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
Add:
1 C. flour
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. milk
Mix together and pour over the peaches or any other type of fruit that you would like.
Bake 350F for 45 - 60 minutes
Happy munching!!!!!! Thanks Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Pie Crust
I have almost always made the good old fashion Betty Crocker recipe almost verbatim which is about the way that I use any recipe. To me a recipe is a living thing and changes as you grow accustom to using it and find way to adapt it. I was given this one by a friend and I think that I like it. It handles just a bit differently from the old stand by but bakes a really nice pie and even in a metal pan, which I hardly ever use, does remarkably well. This makes a double crusted 9.5 or 10" pie crust.
3 C. Gold Metal or other low gluten flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 C. cold lard
1/4 C. Ice water
I love my food processor for making pie crust and mine is a 7 cup Cuisinart. I put the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in the bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix them well.
Cut the lard into chunks and feed them in with the machine running or using a pastry cutter blend them to a coarse meal stage.
I blend the water in a bit at a time and if it doesn't seem to hold together, add a bit more a few drops at a time until you get to the stage that the product holds together.
Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling it out in to make your pie.
There are some things to remember when making a pie crust.
Flour like Robin Hood or Gold Metal Better For Bread flours are very rich in wheat gluten. This is the stuff that makes it stick together and hold it's body when you are making breads. Great flours for bread. Keep it around for just that.
Gold Metal All Purpose flour is not as rich in the gluten and there for makes a lighter, fluffier product. Great for quick breads, like Pumpkin Bread, or pie crust that you want to be tender and flaky.
I use lard because I have almost always used lard. It is what I learn to make pies with and find that the product tastes better than when I have used Crisco. Add to that the fact that Crisco and most other hydrogenated shortening are soy based, I can't use them as my husband has a topical reaction to soy products (they make him itch and the older he gets the worse it gets).
Betty tells me that the Baking Powder in the crust helps the bottoms from being soggy with fruit pies. Her pies never last long enough to get soggy.
On a fruit pie don't forget to dot the top of the fruit with a bit of butter before adding the top crust.
Stone fruit pies (cherry, peach, apricot, plum) get 1/4 tsp. almond extract added to the usual spices
All fruit pies should be tuned up with
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Apple pies will have that old fashion flavor is you a 1/4 tsp. cardamon to the mix.
I have been making pies on the grill again this year and they turn out so pretty and don't heat up the house. I wowed some friend camping over Memorial Day weekend by baking a cherry pie on my Weber Kettle grill. Came out pretty as a picture.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
3 C. Gold Metal or other low gluten flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 C. cold lard
1/4 C. Ice water
I love my food processor for making pie crust and mine is a 7 cup Cuisinart. I put the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in the bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix them well.
Cut the lard into chunks and feed them in with the machine running or using a pastry cutter blend them to a coarse meal stage.
I blend the water in a bit at a time and if it doesn't seem to hold together, add a bit more a few drops at a time until you get to the stage that the product holds together.
Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling it out in to make your pie.
There are some things to remember when making a pie crust.
Flour like Robin Hood or Gold Metal Better For Bread flours are very rich in wheat gluten. This is the stuff that makes it stick together and hold it's body when you are making breads. Great flours for bread. Keep it around for just that.
Gold Metal All Purpose flour is not as rich in the gluten and there for makes a lighter, fluffier product. Great for quick breads, like Pumpkin Bread, or pie crust that you want to be tender and flaky.
I use lard because I have almost always used lard. It is what I learn to make pies with and find that the product tastes better than when I have used Crisco. Add to that the fact that Crisco and most other hydrogenated shortening are soy based, I can't use them as my husband has a topical reaction to soy products (they make him itch and the older he gets the worse it gets).
Betty tells me that the Baking Powder in the crust helps the bottoms from being soggy with fruit pies. Her pies never last long enough to get soggy.
On a fruit pie don't forget to dot the top of the fruit with a bit of butter before adding the top crust.
Stone fruit pies (cherry, peach, apricot, plum) get 1/4 tsp. almond extract added to the usual spices
All fruit pies should be tuned up with
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Apple pies will have that old fashion flavor is you a 1/4 tsp. cardamon to the mix.
I have been making pies on the grill again this year and they turn out so pretty and don't heat up the house. I wowed some friend camping over Memorial Day weekend by baking a cherry pie on my Weber Kettle grill. Came out pretty as a picture.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cheddar and Stout Soup
I am about ready to pack this day in. This time next week, I should have had my eyes examined and have some idea of when I should start seeing better. Reading just kind of wears me out lately and I think it is because my glasses need to be changed. Believe me, it has been a few years since these were issued.
A couple of week ago Den and I stopped at Granite City Brewery and had a late lunch/ early dinner on our way back from Riemann Gardens. Den had some soup that was really excellent. I think that I have found a recipe that I can work with to get close to the Cheddar Stout soup that he had that day. Allrecipes offered this and I expect that I will make it as directed the first time at least. Thought maybe some of you would like to give it a try and make some suggestions. Maybe not, but we shall give it a go.
Dark Beer Cheese Soup (Allrecipes.com 6/15/2009
2 potatoes, chopped or diced (I would scrub well and leave the skins on)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 C. baby carrots (they don't say so but I would chop these if you are chopping everything else)
2 C. cauliflower florets
6 C. water (I would use chicken broth here or at least half chicken broth for the taste)
6 chicken bouillon cubes (this is your salt and plenty of it. don't add any salt to this)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I would up it to 1 tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 oz.) package processed cheese (this is Velveeta and another source of a good deal of salt)
2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese
2/3 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark beer.
Place the potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and cauliflower in a food processor; puree until smooth. Combine the vegetables mixture, water, bouillon, Worcestershire, pepper and garlic in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the liquid reduces to about half ( about 90 minutes). Add the processed cheese, Parmesan, cheddar and beer. Heat until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.
It says this make about 8 serving.
Hey, I forgot, we are going to see Angels and Demons, see you all later,
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
A couple of week ago Den and I stopped at Granite City Brewery and had a late lunch/ early dinner on our way back from Riemann Gardens. Den had some soup that was really excellent. I think that I have found a recipe that I can work with to get close to the Cheddar Stout soup that he had that day. Allrecipes offered this and I expect that I will make it as directed the first time at least. Thought maybe some of you would like to give it a try and make some suggestions. Maybe not, but we shall give it a go.
Dark Beer Cheese Soup (Allrecipes.com 6/15/2009
2 potatoes, chopped or diced (I would scrub well and leave the skins on)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 C. baby carrots (they don't say so but I would chop these if you are chopping everything else)
2 C. cauliflower florets
6 C. water (I would use chicken broth here or at least half chicken broth for the taste)
6 chicken bouillon cubes (this is your salt and plenty of it. don't add any salt to this)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I would up it to 1 tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 oz.) package processed cheese (this is Velveeta and another source of a good deal of salt)
2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese
2/3 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark beer.
Place the potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and cauliflower in a food processor; puree until smooth. Combine the vegetables mixture, water, bouillon, Worcestershire, pepper and garlic in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the liquid reduces to about half ( about 90 minutes). Add the processed cheese, Parmesan, cheddar and beer. Heat until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.
It says this make about 8 serving.
Hey, I forgot, we are going to see Angels and Demons, see you all later,
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Pumpkin Bread
One of our adventures over the past week or so involved helping a dear friend get back home after she fell and broke her arm while visiting friend in western Wisconsin. We got our friend home, mail picked up and food in the frig but while doing this I found that there was a vibration in the steering wheel of our car. Ava is a 1997 Avalon XLS and she had been my friend since she was 18 months old. The maintenance on this car has been really low but with 190,500 miles on her, she has seen the better part of her life. We will sell her for what ever "as is". She needs struts, tires and alignment. So, among other things last week I went "online shopping" for a replacement for Ava. The internet is a great tool for looking but nothing beats actually driving the unit. Bottom line is we did pretty well on a low mileage 2008 AvalonXL and picked that up yesterday. We have come to love our Toyota products. I know Toyota isn't an American owned car company but by golly it sure employs a great many American with building them, servicing them and selling them so I don't feel too bad about it. The new one is Cassias Pearl. We were expecting a "white" car but it is maroon. Cassias is from the oriental plant that when the leaves are crushed it produces a deep red color. So, Mt. P. we went from Gold to Maroon or burgundy. After letting go of so many dollars Den needed a sweet treat (don't ask, it is a Robertson thing). So, I made him Pumpkin Bread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pumpkin Bread
2 each 9x5x3" loaf pans sprayed with PAM
350F 50-60 minutes
In a large bowl, combine:
3 C. flour (for this kind of baking use Gold Metal as it is lower in gluten than say Robin Hood (better for yeast breads)
1 tsp. salt
2 C. white sugar (you could reduce to 1 cup and use a cup of Splenda here, but for taste sake use some sugar or the Splenda thing isn't that good)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (again, here I use my micro plane and grate from the whole nutmeg seed, it tastes so much better than the pre-ground)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I also add about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of freshly ground cinnamon for the taste)
1/2 tsp. ground all spice
When you have all of that in the bowl, use a wire whisk and blend well. (You can shift it all through a sifter if you want to be a purest about it.)
Add in and mix well:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 C. Canola oil (corn oil is fine as well, I just don't use "vegetable oil" as it is normally soy based)
4 lrg. eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract (please use the real thing for this, you just put those tasty spices in this, don't you want to taste them? Real Vanilla Extract allows the flavors of your spices to come through like sunshine on a summer morning when you are baking, believe me.)
1/2 C chopped nuts (walnuts or pecan), dusted with a bit of flour can be added if you like
Mix well and pour into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes. At the 50 mark test it to see how close you are (tooth pick, piece of spaghetti or a cake tester, inserted into the center and comes out clean is your test for being completely baked). Allow to cool on wire racks for 5 minutes or so and then carefully turn the loaves out, setting them up right to cool. I have made pumpkin bread for years and used many different recipes but this one is the one that I like the best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has been a while, I know and I hope that each of you are well and having fun out there. They still print my pieces in the weekly local paper. Will wonders never cease. I think we are going to Cedar Rapids to see a Kernal's game with Craig and Pam, some dear friends who live in CR, this evening. We went once a number of years ago and enjoyed it a great deal. I can't remember who the Kernels are a farm to for but they put on a great show.
Oh, the tomato and eggplant plants are all showing blossoms and I have two cutting off of our spinach. Summer in the Midwest is the best.
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pumpkin Bread
2 each 9x5x3" loaf pans sprayed with PAM
350F 50-60 minutes
In a large bowl, combine:
3 C. flour (for this kind of baking use Gold Metal as it is lower in gluten than say Robin Hood (better for yeast breads)
1 tsp. salt
2 C. white sugar (you could reduce to 1 cup and use a cup of Splenda here, but for taste sake use some sugar or the Splenda thing isn't that good)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (again, here I use my micro plane and grate from the whole nutmeg seed, it tastes so much better than the pre-ground)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I also add about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of freshly ground cinnamon for the taste)
1/2 tsp. ground all spice
When you have all of that in the bowl, use a wire whisk and blend well. (You can shift it all through a sifter if you want to be a purest about it.)
Add in and mix well:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 C. Canola oil (corn oil is fine as well, I just don't use "vegetable oil" as it is normally soy based)
4 lrg. eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract (please use the real thing for this, you just put those tasty spices in this, don't you want to taste them? Real Vanilla Extract allows the flavors of your spices to come through like sunshine on a summer morning when you are baking, believe me.)
1/2 C chopped nuts (walnuts or pecan), dusted with a bit of flour can be added if you like
Mix well and pour into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes. At the 50 mark test it to see how close you are (tooth pick, piece of spaghetti or a cake tester, inserted into the center and comes out clean is your test for being completely baked). Allow to cool on wire racks for 5 minutes or so and then carefully turn the loaves out, setting them up right to cool. I have made pumpkin bread for years and used many different recipes but this one is the one that I like the best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has been a while, I know and I hope that each of you are well and having fun out there. They still print my pieces in the weekly local paper. Will wonders never cease. I think we are going to Cedar Rapids to see a Kernal's game with Craig and Pam, some dear friends who live in CR, this evening. We went once a number of years ago and enjoyed it a great deal. I can't remember who the Kernels are a farm to for but they put on a great show.
Oh, the tomato and eggplant plants are all showing blossoms and I have two cutting off of our spinach. Summer in the Midwest is the best.
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
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