Cooking with Carla

Homemade Yogurt

2011-12-08T23:14:00.001-03:30

Ok, I've recently discovered Greek yogurt, BUT I should have kept it to myself and not let the rest of my family taste it. A package of 4 single servings here in my town was almost $4.00. So...... I did a little research and decided to try making my own yogurt. It's actually quite easy to make, and at least I know it doesn't have any thickeners/additives in it. We all love it better than store-bought!

I started with a 2L of whole milk. I heated it in a double boiler.

I didn't stir it at all -- just waited until the temperature reached 175-180F.

When it cooled, I removed the milk from the double-boiler and let it cool to 110-120F.

You'll notice when it cools it has this thin layer of dried milk. I read this hint from another blogger. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top of the milk, then pull up from the middle of the wrap and it will take that layer of dried milk right off!

Here's where you need to add some starter yogurt. If this is your first batch, use 2-3 TBSP from store-bought. Make sure it has "active bacteria" listed in the ingredients. For your second and subsequent batches, just same 2-3 TBSP of your homemade yogurt. I have a special container just for my starter.

I found that my first batch, made with the store-bought yogurt, was not as thick as the other batches I made.

You can also add a TBSP of vanilla extract at this point, and some honey or other sweetener. Two of us like it better without any sweetener or vanilla -- the others don't really mind one way or the other. Without sweetener it's obviously more sour. on a side note, I actually substituted some of the more sour yogurt for sour cream in a dip recipe I made. No one knew the difference!

If you add anything at this point, give it a whisk :-)

I then pour my yogurt into an old crock pot. I guess I could technically leave it in the saucepan, but I like using the crock pot. Wrap it in a heavy towel or blanket. Then I set my crock pot into my oven (which I turned the heat on for about 2 minutes). I then turn the heat off, and the light in my oven "on", and I leave the yogurt for 6-7 hours. Don't peek! Keep the heat inside.

I have made this late at night so it can set in my oven all night, while I'm not needing my oven for cooking.

With 2L of milk, I can get 6 cups of yogurt (three of these containers).

Now, if you like the thicker Greek-style yogurt, you can let your yogurt sit in a sieve (in a couple of layers of cheesecloth) and drain. What drains out is whey. Oh, and I've seen online that you can use this whey in fruit smoothies (I've tried it and it's fine), or for making rice. The downside of straining is that you lose about 1/2 of your yogurt.

After about an hour of straining, you can also tie it up and hang it to get even more whey out.

This is what the whey looks like.

There you have it! We love ours served with some fresh fruit of some homemade jams. Delicious!

Once you get one batch made, you can experiment with different flavours or different ways of making it. I've read about using the crock pot to set it (turned on LOW) or even putting the milk mixture, after letting it cool, right into jars and setting it in a cooler with some hot water bottles around it. Also, one idea I read about the mixture was poured into a thermos for 6-7 hrs and it set in there.

Let me know if you try some yourself, or if you have any tips/hints :-) Good luck!

Decorated cakes

2011-11-06T20:55:00.000-03:30

I haven't been good at updating my decorated cakes. Here are some I have done recently.

This was for my grandmother's 90th birthday. She LOVES hats!

This was for my cousin and his fiance -- wedding shower cake.

Halloween-themed birthday cake. Legs were made from fondant. I used the soccer ball cake-pan for the body, and the head was a cupcake.

3-D pumpkin, made with 2 bundt cakes. Leaves are fondant, stem is 3 cupcake bottoms.

Wheels are made from rice-krispie treats, covered with icing.

Head is made from rice krispie treats, covered infondant. Flowers also made with fondant.

This one was a Rainbow Cake inside -- what a surprise for the birthday boy!

Recent cakes

2011-07-02T14:45:00.001-02:30

Welcoming a new baby!

This was a fun cake to do! I just love Toy Story!

This was for the local Girl Guides group here in town.

Carrot Cake

2011-06-19T19:07:00.000-02:30

Carrot Cake

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup drained, crushed pineapple
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together and bake in greased/floured tube pan for 1 1/2 hours at 350F

Cream Cheese Icing

8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.

Buttercream Icing

2011-06-18T18:44:00.004-02:30

Buttercream Icing

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup margarine/butter

2 tsp almond extract

8 cups powdered sugar

touch of milk (3-4 Tbsp)

Using a mixer, blend the shortening and butter. Add the almond extract. Add powdered sugar one cupful at a time, mixing well. When I get 7 cups added, the icing usually is looking dry. Then I add about 3-4 Tbsp of milk (I use fresh milk, but you can use 18% cream). Add the last cup of sugar then whip on higher speed to make the icing nice and fluffy.

This recipe makes more than what you would need for a regular 2-layer cake mix. Icing can be frozen -- just set in fridge for a day to thaw. You may need to re-whip before using.

Berry Muffins

2011-06-09T10:40:00.000-02:30

This is a recipe I got from my cousin, Karen. You can make the basic recipe and add in your favorite berries.

BERRY MUFFINS

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
2 c. berries
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour, baking powder and milk. Fold in berries. Pour into muffin cups.

Bake 18-20 minutes at 400 deg.

2011-04-07T22:01:00.000-02:30

Here are a few cakes that I hadn't posted yet.

Littlest Pet Shoppe

Mickey's Clubhouse

Baby's First Birthday

Mario and Luigi

PEACE cake

St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-18T10:42:00.005-02:30

Busy day yesterday, but I did want to do something "green" for my kids. In the past I've made green scrambled eggs, or green pancakes. Last year my daughter and I made this wonderful rainbow cake!

This year, I just made some green cupcakes. I saw the idea for the rainbow candy from an online friend. What a great idea! I love how it looks! Didn't buy enough candy, so the remainder of cupcakes I piped a little clover on them.

What do/did you make for St Patrick's Day?

It's been a while.....

2011-03-18T10:40:00.002-02:30

since I posted here. Wow!

I haven't stopped cooking or baking, however :-) Still lots of that going on in my home. I'm going to try and make a real effort to post a recipe at least twice a week. Hope my followers will help hold me to that!

Please let me know if you have a cooking blog. I would love to check it out.

Tweed Squares

2010-12-08T10:46:00.002-03:30

LOVE these squares! I remember my mom making them every Christmas. We'd help her by grating the chocolate.

I had to go searching for a recipe as I couldn't find my mom's. I've adapted one from HERE.

When I make mine, I usually split the bottom layer and make two pans, as I find it's almost too much "cake" for a square.

TWEED SQUARES

Bottom Layer:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate (grated)

Mix all ingredients well. In small bowl, beat 3 egg whites beaten stiff with 1/2 cup sugar. Add to mixture. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool thoroughly.

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 egg yolks

Mix and spread over cooled bottom layer.

Top Layer:
2 squares melted semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp butter

Melt in double boiler and spread over middle layer.

Refrigerate.

It's easier to cut these squares if you use a knife that is dipped in hot water, otherwise the top chocolate layer may crack.

WINNER....

2010-12-01T10:24:00.002-03:30

for the blog hop is CHARITY!!

Contact me with your mailing address, and I'll drop something in the mail for you :-)

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

2010-11-17T06:33:00.001-03:30

Welcome to Lovebug Scrapbooking's "INSPIRE US!" blog hop!! Our blog hops take place on the last Saturday of every month. Thanks so much for joining us!

If you just happened by this blog and didn't realize a blog hop was taking place, please go back to Lovebug Scrapbooking and start the Hop. You won't want to miss all the inspiration from our members....... or the prizes :-)

Our theme for November is CHRISTMAS!!

My sister-in-law reminded me of these Cinnamon/Applesauce tree ornaments I made one year. I just love the smell of them, and usually put them on my kitchen Christmas tree.

There are lots of recipes on the internet, some a bit different. I used one like the following -- with applesauce, cinnamon and white glue. Got the recipe a number of years ago from a friend.

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup white school glue

Also, rolling pin, cookie cutters and a straw.

Mix the cinnamon, applesauce, and glue in a bowl. The dough will be thick, and you can add a bit of water if required.

Knead it and let sit in a covered bowl for about half an hour. Roll until about 1/4 inch thick. You can roll between 2 pieces of waxed paper, or (like I did) sprinkle the rolling pin with a bit of cinnamon powder so the dough doesn't stick.

Using your cookie cutters, cut the shapes you like. Use the straw to poke a hole in the top, for hanging. Note: don't use a cutter that is too small, as the ornament will dry and shrink some.

Let dry on some waxed paper or on cookie sheet, keeping in mind that the ornaments will take 4-5 days to dry completely. They should be turned 2-3 times a day so that they don't curl up on the edges.

I've had a couple of ornaments break (because they weren't packed away properly) and the good thing is they are easily fixed with some white glue :-)

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This blog hop will run from today, November 27th until November 29th.
We will be drawing for winners on November 30th on the Lovebug Scrapbooking blog.

Leave a comment telling what your Christmas Eve meal is and I'll draw for a recipe magaine.

Follow along in our blog hop! Your next stop is Tanya!

Cakes for July

2010-11-09T15:00:00.005-03:30

10 cakes for this month -- running total of 62 for 2010.

The cakes I don't have photos for are:

~ sweet 16th cake

~ 29th bday cake

~ wedding cake

~ 2 anniversary cakes

Cakes for June

2010-11-09T14:28:00.004-03:30

14 cakes for June. Lots of family stuff going on this month so I didn't get a lot of pictures of them.

Other cakes were:

~ soccer ball

~ baby shower

~ 2 double cakes for Women's Walk for Empowerment

~ ballerina cake

~ "school's out" cake

May's cakes

2010-11-09T14:12:00.003-03:30

Looks like I've been neglecting my cooking blog again :-(

I really want to keep this going, but it usually ends up way down on the priority list, kwim?

Anyway, I was keeping track of cake orders and I finished off posting the cakes for April, with a running total for 2010 at 29 cakes.

Here's what I did for MAY:

LOVE the colors in this one!

This was a double cake. I'm not sure now if I wrote anything on it or not. It was for a Sparks/Brownie group.

ballerina cake

A fun cake for a pool party!

I also did a Winnie the Pooh, a soccer ball, a cake for my Nan's 89th birthday, one with a "peace" sign, and a tractor cake.

So, 9 cakes for May -- total so far is 38.

Inspire Us! Blog Hop!

2010-10-23T07:00:00.003-02:30

Welcome to Lovebug Scrapbooking's "INSPIRE US!" blog hop!! Our blog hops NORMALLY take place on the last Saturday of every month. This month we decided to go a week earlier, so you could get some Halloween inspiration before the holiday :-) Thanks so much for joining us!

If you just happened by this blog and didn't realize a blog hop was taking place, please go back to Lovebug Scrapbooking and start the Hop. You won't want to miss all the inspiration from our members....... or the prizes :-)

Our theme for October is HALLOWEEN!

For my project this month, I had my daughter make some Halloween cupcakes. She saw the idea in a magazine (not sure which one it was now). They were quite easy to make.

For this first one, a mummy, she used tip #104.

Basically, she just make random strips across the cupcake to resemble a mummy.

Finish it off with some eyes :-)

For the monster, use Tip #233.

This makes a nice "furry" look. I love it!

For the eyes, the tip is #12 for the white part and #4 for the smaller pupils.

Dip your finger in a bit of cornstarch and flatten the eyes if they are a bit too puffy.

Not too scary at all :-)

This blog hop will run from today, November 27th until November 29th.
We will be drawing for a winner on November 30th on the Lovebug blog.

Follow along in our blog hop! Your next stop is

Butter Tarts for Thanksgiving

2010-09-25T07:11:00.001-02:30

Cakes, and MORE cakes!

2010-07-31T06:00:00.000-02:30

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I've been super busy (especially this weekend!) with cake orders. I thought I'd share some of my recent creations :-)

Thanks for looking!

Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to be entered in Lovebug's prize draw!

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This blog hop will run from today, July 31st until August 3rd. We will be
drawing for winners on August 4th on the Lovebug blog

Follow along in our blog hop! Your next stop is the lovely DEE!

Sweet treats for our GRADUATE :-)

2010-05-29T08:00:00.001-02:30

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I am planning a graduation ceremony for my son Luke for sometime in June. Actually, in our local homeschool group there are 2 graduates this year, so we may combine the event with another family.

I was doing a bit of research online for some sweet treats to make for the graduation. I decided to try these two neat ideas for making the mortarboard -- aka. the cap. Not sure yet which cupcake topper we'll use, but probably the chocolate one -- it tastes better :-)

For the chocolate cap, you'll need:

~square chocolate pieces (I found this yummy Lindt bar and they were the perfect size)

~small Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

~Sour string (not sure the name for it, but you'll need a strip of it)

~lollipop sticks

~either a handful of chocolate chips (to act as a glue) or you can melt a block of the bar

Cut a strip from the sour candy ribbon. I used the yellow strip. You'll need about 2-3 inches.

I snipped one end to make it look like a tassle.

I used a small, sharp knife to "pre-drill" a hole in the center of the Reese's cup. Put the lollipo stick in. and add a bit of melted chocolate to glue in place. You can set in fridge to set if wanted.

Spread a small amount of chocolate on the top and add the chocolate square.

Spread a line of melted chocolate and glue down the tassle. I bent it before sticking it down. Set in fridge for 15-20 minutes to set.

There you have it!

For this next one, I used some fondant, and some black and yellow food paste.

This is messy, but add some paste to fondant and mix well.

Roll some black fondant into a cylinder shape. Add lollipop stick.

For the top, I rolled some fondant out and cut a square shape. If you have a square cookie cutter, use that. Attack to the cyliner shape with a small drop of water.

NOTE: It might be a good idea to made a bunch of the squares and let them dry overnight. That way, they will be stiff and won't bend down on the corners.

Roll a thin piece of yellow fondant. Fringe the end.

Adhere to top of cap with small dab of water.

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This blog hop will run from today, May 29th until June 1st. Lovebug will be drawing for winners on June 2nd .

Follow along in our blog hop! Your next stop is Teresa!

I love dipping :-)

2010-05-05T21:21:00.001-02:30

Bruchetta Dip

1 250ml container of sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped peppers (red/orange/green)
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder (or more, as desired)

Boil one bunch of broccoli and chop. Add to above mixture. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve on toasted French Bread.

Salad Season

2010-05-04T21:15:00.003-02:30

With summer coming, we tend to have more BBQ and that means more salads. I will be sharing some salad recipes over the next few days.

PASTA SALAD

2 cups spiral pasta (cook and let drain)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup chopped green onion
1 cup grated carrots

Mix together above ingredients.

Dressing:
1/3 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup French dressing
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp sugar

Add to pasta and vegetables. ENJOY!

Chicken Fettuccine

2010-04-28T19:45:00.005-02:30

We had this for supper. Everyone loves it, and it tastes even better as leftovers -- IF there are any!

CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup
2 cans milk
1/2 red pepper, diced
5-6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
handful of real bacon bits
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
linguine noodles (though we almost always use spaghetti noodles)

Dice chicken and fry in a bit of olive oil. Add chopped pepper, mushrooms and bacon bits.

In saucepan, heat two cans of soup with two cans of milk. Be careful that it doesn't scald and stick to the bottom of the pan! When heated, throw in mozzarella cheese and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken mixture to soup mixture.

In another saucepan, cook the noodles. Top with the creamed mixture and serve with garlic bread or tossed salad.

Just for Dad! - Lovebug Blog Hop

2010-04-24T06:08:00.001-02:30

What Dad doesn't like CHOCOLATE!??! Here's a nice treat that a child can make for his/her Dad on his special day :-)

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TRIPLE TREAT CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE

1 cup cold chocolate milk
1 large scoop chocolate ice-cream
1 Tbsp chocolate syrup

Combine ingredients in blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with grated chocolate if desired. Makes about 2 cups.

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This blog hop will run from today, April 24th until April 27th. Lovebug will be drawing for winners on April 28th

Follow along in our blog hop! Your next stop is the lovely Margo!

Cakes for April

2010-04-23T19:11:00.004-02:30

April started out slowly for cake orders, but these past two weeks I have been so BUSY with cakes!

I had so much fun with this one!

This one was made using fondant. It's so easy to use, but now I just need to find a good recipe to make my own. It's expensive to buy.

I made a big #1 along with this order. These were 2 little "smash" cakes.

For the girly-girl :-)

In addition to these shown, I did:

~ a round chocolate cake with chocolate icing

~ another firetruck cake

~ another "welcome, baby" cake

So, a total of 10 cakes for April.

WINNER of ........

2010-03-31T22:20:00.002-02:30

Lovebug's March bloghop prize is LIZZY! Congrats, girl! You've won a "Taste of Home -Casseroles" magazine.

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DD and I are trying out some fondant recipes. We also made some modeling chocolate, which turned out ok. I think it needed to be a bit firmer, so we'll be experimenting with that a bit. I'll have a project to show you later this weekend using the modeling chocolate.

If you have a favorite fondant recipe, I'd love to see it!

Eggs in Nest - "INSPIRE US"

2010-03-27T07:12:00.000-02:30

Welcome to Lovebug Scrapbooking's "INSPIRE US!" blog hop!! Our blog hops take place on the last Saturday of every month. Thanks so much for joining us!

If you just happened by this blog and didn't realize a blog hop was taking place, please go back to Lovebug Scrapbooking and start the Hop. You won't want to miss all the ispiration from our members....... or the prizes :-)

Our theme for March is "EASTER".

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For my cooking project, I decided to make some "Eggs in Nest". I've done these before and used boxed chocolate mousse, but this time I made mousse from scratch. It is DELICIOUS!! More time-consuming, but well worth it :-)

Here's what you'll need for the mousse:

Chocolate Mousse

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 1/2 Tbs. butter
8 egg yolks
2 cups whipping cream
4 egg whites
1/4 c. sugar

Melt chocolate chips on stove or in microwave. I did mine in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring each time. They might not look like they're melting, but they are! Be careful not to scorch.

Melt butter and mix in egg yolks. Add this egg mixture to the chocolate, stirring constantly (you don't want lumps!). Let cool a bit.

Whip the cream -- soft peaks :-)

Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then start adding in the sugar gradually. These should whip to stiff peaks.

Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate, then fold in the egg white mixture. Refrigerate.

Now, for the nests. First, prepare some small bowls -- these will make the rounded nest shape. Grease them and cover with plastic wrap.

Melt a bag of semisweet chocolate chip as you did above, for the mousse. Let cool a bit then spoon into piping bag. Pipe over the bottom of the bowl and then make random pipings to create a nest. Let chill in refrigerator until firm.

Remove from refrigerator and release the "nest" from the bowl/plastic wrap. You might need to warm a few minutes or the chocolate may crack. If it does, no fear -- just melt and redo :-)

Fill nest with chocolate mousse and add some chocolate eggs for decoration.

ENJOY!

Thanks for looking! Leave a comment and I'll enter your name to win Taste of Home's Casseroles Recipe Cards magazine.

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This blog hop will run from today, March 27th until March 30th. We will be drawing for winners on March 31st.

Now, head over to Margo's blog and see what she has to share with you :-)

cakes for March

2010-03-25T21:11:00.005-02:30

Five cakes for this month. Thanks for looking!

different kind of recipe

2010-03-25T10:37:00.002-02:30

Got this from an online friend :-)

A GREAT RECIPE

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes. each day (buy a lock if you have to).

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, "My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for_____________".

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. Scrapbook. (okay, so I added this one....)

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: "I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________".

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-03-11T21:08:00.004-03:30

One of our favorite meals for a good winter day (and yes, it's still winter here in Newfoundland!) is Chicken Pot Pie. Now, we call it pot pie, but it's more like a chicken stew. I used to bake it in the oven with pastry over the top, but now I just make it in the crock pot and I make biscuits on the side. We all LOVE it!

CHICKEN POT PIE

3 chicken breasts (I use boneless, skinless)
1 onion
4-5 carrots, sliced
1 small turnip, cubed
3-4 medium-sized potatoes, cubed
3 sticks of celery, chopped
1/4 cup chopped red or yellow pepper
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 can kernel corn
2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Chicken Broth

Boil the chicken breasts in large pot. Save the liquid. Remove and cut into cubes. Put back into pot and add chopped onion. Bring to boil again. Next, add in carrots, turnip and potatoes. Boil for about 10 minutes.

Put the Cream of Chicken soup and the Chicken Broth in large crock pot. Add celery, red pepper, broccoli, cauliflower and corn. Add in chicken, vegetable and the liquid. Stir and set on high for 3 hours.

In last half hour you'll need to thicken it. I use about 4 Tbsp of cornstarch in 1 cup of cold water. Mix well, then stir into soup.

Serve with hot biscuits.

**NOTE: This makes enough for a large crock pot and is enough for 2 meals for our family of 6. Like most soups/stews, it always tastes better the next day :-)

You can add other vegetables or increase/decrease the amounts to your liking. I just try to put the "harder" veggies in the pot to boil a bit before adding to the crock pot.

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Here's a biscuit recipe. I got this one from my mother-in-law.

Lonna's Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter or shortening
3/4 cup milk

Mix first 3 ingredients, then cut in butter with pastry blender. Add milk and mix. Knead on lightly floured board. Handle it gently and knead about 15 times. The more you handle it, the tougher the biscuits will be, but don't worry, we haven't had one we couldn't eat :-) Pat or roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and bake at 450 deg. for 8-10 minutes.

If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think of it!

cakes for February

2010-03-05T14:49:00.002-03:30

Not too many this month........only three, for a total so far this year of 14.

Peanut Butter Pie

2010-03-05T14:37:00.004-03:30

Doesn't this sound delicious?!! I like it better with some chocolate drizzled over the top.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

3/4 cup peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 tub of frozen Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust (recipe below OR buy one ready-made)
chopped peanuts

Beat cream cheese, peanut butter and icing sugar until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip and pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle with nuts and/or drizzle with melted chocolate. Chill before serving.

GRAHAM CRACKER PIE CRUST

6 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (Approx 24 crackers, crushed)
1/4 cup sugar

Add sugar to graham crumbs. Add melted butter and combine well. Press into pie shell. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

WINNER of ....

2010-03-04T16:03:00.003-03:30

my prize for the Lovebug blog hop is SHANNON S.!! You've won a "Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious" magazine :-)

CONGRATS!

I'll need your mailing address, and I'll get it in the mail asap.

Rainbow Cake -- "Inspire Us!" Blog Hop!

2010-02-27T07:13:00.001-03:30

Welcome to Lovebug Scrapbooking's "INSPIRE US!" blog hop!! Our blog hops take place on the last Saturday of every month. Thanks so much for joining in the fun!

If you just happened by this blog and didn't realize a blog hop was taking place, please go back to Lovebug Scrapbooking and start the Hop. You won't want to miss all the inspiration from our members....... or the prizes :-)

Our theme for February is "Leaps and Bounds".

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Nothings says SPRING more than a rainbow :-) and let's face it -- if we want to see a rainbow, we have to put up with a bit of rain. It's worth it, though!

The recipe I want to share is one I found on a blog I visit. Jessica actually made one for a cake sale, so I wasn't able to get a picture of it when cut, but the people who bought it were so impressed. This cake looks fabulous and is such a surprise!

She did another using her Easy Bake Oven cake pans. I think those at 4-inches across. Here's how it looked when cut:

It's very easy to make. We used 2 white cake boxed mixes. These were made according to directions on the box.

Separate the batter into 6 bowls and add food paste to make the colors of the rainbow -- purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.

Bake in 8-inch round cake pans for about 20 minutes, at 350 degrees. Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely before frosting.

When frosting the cake, spread some icing between each layer. You may need to trim the cakes slightly if some rose a bit higher than others. Set in refrigerator for about an hour to set the icing. This makes it so much easier to frost around the outside of the cake. Finally, spread icing all around the cake.

Here's a frosting recipe. You'll need to double it for this cake -- especially if you're like me and want more icing :-)

Butter Icing

1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
approx 3 cups icing sugar
2-3 tsp milk

Cream together the butter and vanilla. Add icing a bit at a time. Add milk and beat until smooth.

There you have it!

I'd LOVE some followers :-) So, if you're interested in cooking/baking, please sign up. I'll put the names of my followers in for a prize drawing -- a "Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious" magazine. It's a GREAT magazine, the recipes are easy to follow and there's a photo of every recipe.

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The Lovebug Blog Hop will run from today, February 27th until March 2nd. There will be a prize drawing on March 3rd.

Follow along in our blog hop! Your next stop is Tanya at "The Adventures of Us".

"Make It" Monday! February 22nd

2010-02-22T18:13:00.004-03:30

This week's theme is CHOCOLATE :-)

Fry's Fudgey Layer Cake

1 cup Fry's cocoa (any brand will do, I usually buy Fry's)
1 3/4 cup sugar (divided)
2/3 cup water
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Combine cocoa and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Cool. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Cream butter in large mixing bowl until light. Gradually beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups of sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk, combining lightly after each addition.

Divide batter between two greased and floured 9-inch round pans. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then let cool completely before frosting.

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Post your recipe on your blog and play along with us :-) Add your link using MckLinky, and I'll drop by for a visit.

a few changes for the bagel recipe....

2010-02-20T12:38:00.003-03:30

Here's the recipe I posted a few days ago. We let the dough rise and then formed it into rings. Today when we made them, we changed things a bit, and it made a LOT of difference. The bagels are nicer shaped and also bigger.

Here are our changes:

Once the dough is kneaded well, cut it into 6 equal pieces. Roll them into a bun shape and place on oiled/greased baking pan to rise for about 2 hours. Cover them with towel (I used a folded tablecloth). When you have the water boiled and ready, then you can form the rings. Just push your two thumbs into the center of each roll and stretch to form a ring.

Continue with the directions as posted.

We're so pleased with our bagel success :-)

EASY Chicken Quesadilla

2010-02-18T13:33:00.004-03:30

I in no way claim to know all there is to know about Mexican dishes (had to use spell-check to see how to spell quesadilla, though spell-check wanted the word changed to queasily), but these are what we call Easy Chicken Quesadilla :-)

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups cooked rice
2 jars salsa (not sure of the grams, but we use 2 of the small Tostitos brand)
2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese
20 flour tortillas

Cut chicken into pieces and fry in small amount of olive oil. Add salsa and heat. Cook rice and add to mixture.

Layer one tortilla with some cheese, then the chicken mixture and a bit more cheese. Top with another tortilla. Fry in hot frying pan until browned on both sides (probably a minute on each side)

Cut in wedges and serve with sour cream and/or salsa.

Our Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T20:46:00.003-03:30

Let me tell you, there was NO shortage of chocolate treats in my house today! And, the good stuff, too -- Lindt Lindor Truffles. YUM! I've gotten everyone hooked on them. LOL!

Here are the kids (my nephew included) sitting down for breakfast.

I made heart-shaped pancakes:

Dessert after supper were these Sandwih Cookies -- very easy to make and they tasted great! They didn't last too long!

I got 2 packages of Lindors, plus a beautiful card from Devin. Jessica made a card and Benjamin wrote me a little note. I did cards for each of the kids (plus my nephew) and wrote a note in each one. I just LOVE Valentine's Day, BUT I think eery day we should be should be Valentine's, don't you!

"Make It" Monday! Feb 15th

2010-02-15T12:34:00.002-03:30

This week's theme is MEAT DISHES.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

meatballs:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 rolled oats
salt/pepper
onion powder

Mix all ingredients and then roll into 1" balls. Place on wire rack, on a cookie sheet and place in 350 deg. oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until browned.

Remove from oven and place meatballs in casserole dish or small roaster.

sauce:

1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup vinegar
juice from can of pineapple chunks (reserve the chunks)

Mix all ingredients in saucepan and heat until boiled and thickened.

Pour over meatballs. Add in pineapple chunks, some chopped onion and chopped peppers.

Cover and bake at 325 deg for 1 hour. Serve with rice and side of veggies.

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Post your recipe on your blog and play along with us :-) Add your link using MckLinky, and I'll drop by for a visit.

Valentine Cupcakes

2010-02-13T13:45:00.006-03:30

Yummy! Timothy and I made these cupcakes for our Homeschool Valentine's party yesterday. Jessica made the little hearts to stick in each one. The kids enjoyed finding their own cupcake.

I just used a boxed mix for the cupcakes.

For the icing, I made some butter icing. Here's the recipe:

Butter Icing

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

approx 3 cups icing sugar

2-3 tsp milk

Cream together the butter and vanilla. Add icing a bit at a time. Add milk and beat until smooth.

Here's a recipe for Chocolate Icing.

Any plans for Valentine's Day?

2010-02-09T20:46:00.003-03:30

Baking anything special?

I think I am making some of these Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies, found at Bakerella. Don't they look delicious! Not sure if I'll make RED ones, though, as my two younger kids go wild with red coloring!

Share your plans!

"Make It" Monday - Feb 8th

2010-02-08T08:09:00.004-03:30

This week's theme is CAKES.

GRAM'S BOILED RAISIN CAKE

Boil the following ingredients for 5 minutes:

2 cups water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
2 tsp allspice

Let cool. Mix in separate bowl:

2 1/2-3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

Add cooled mixture to dry ingredients. Stir by hand. Pour into a greased/floured tube pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 300 deg.

I usually cut my cake in half and freeze part of it. It freezes well.

Enjoy :-)

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Post your recipe on your blog and play along with us :-) Add your link using MckLinky, and I'll drop by for a visit.

Never thought it would be so easy

2010-02-05T19:15:00.003-03:30

to make BAGELS, but Jessica and I tried them today and they are a HIT! Two thumbs up from everyone :-)

My friend, Glenda, sent me this recipe. We are definitely going to be making them LOTS (and probably will not buy bagels again!). We'll be experimenting with some flavour variations. If you have any ideas, please share!

Bagels

Glenda's recipe was for use in a bread maker.

1 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast.

Toss it all in the machine and put in on the bagel dough setting. When it's done, make it into "snakes" then circles. Drop into boiling water for 30 seconds, flip and leave for another 30 seconds. Lift on to paper towel and then onto a lightly greased baking pan. Cook at 375 deg. for 20-25 min.

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Since I don't have a bread maker, I asked another friend (Thanks, Kathy!) how it should be done. Same ingredients, just the procedure is a bit different.

Dissolve the honey in warm water (water that's not hot when you test it on your wrist, but it is warm). Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let set for about 10 minutes. Stir, and start adding the flour and salt, mixing as you go. When you can't stir it any more, turn it out on a floured counter, and start kneading, adding flour as needed. Keep kneading until it feels really smooth in your hands, and not sticky, probably about 10 minutes.

**Set into an oiled bowl, cover with a dishtowel, and set in a warm place to rise until it has doubled (stick a finger into it, and if the indent stays, it's ready. When it's done, make it into "snakes" then circles. **

NOTE: Here's what we now do and we find it makes a nicer shaped and bigger bagel. Once the dough is kneaded well, cut it into 6 equal pieces. Roll them into a bun shape and place on oiled/greased baking pan to rise for about 2 hours. Cover them with towel (I used a folded tablecloth). When you have the water boiled and ready, then you can form the rings. Just push your two thumbs into the center of each roll and stretch to form a ring.

Drop into boiling water for 30 seconds, flip and leave for another 30 seconds. Lift on to paper towel and then onto a prepared baking pan. Cook at 375 degrees for 20-25 min.

We made only 6 bagels, but I'm thinking we could have make 8-9, and rolled longer snakes. Our bagels kind of puffed up in height but were a bit small in diameter. Nobody toasted their bagels -- we just ate them warm from the oven. DELICIOUS!

"Make It" Monday - February 1st

2010-02-01T12:30:00.002-03:30

Click HERE to read about "Make It Monday", and get the code.

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The theme this week is SNACKS.

My friend Deana introduced this yummy dip to me :-)

Apple Dip

1 large package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cream together and spread on serving plate.

Drizzle caramel sauce over the top. Crush 3 SKOR bars and sprinkle on top.

Slice Granny Smith apples, and dip!

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Post your recipe on your blog and play along with us :-) Add your link using MckLinky, and I'll drop by for a visit.

Last of January's cakes.....

2010-02-01T11:53:00.004-03:30

making a total of eleven cakes :-) Busy month!

The xBox isn't that "warped". I think it's the angle of the photo :-)

Still getting lots of orders for Lightning McQueen.

"Make It" Monday - Jan 25th

2010-01-25T10:42:00.007-03:30

Click HERE to read about "Make It Monday", and get the code.

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The theme this week is BREAKFAST!

Breakfast Sausage

1 1/2 lb ground pork or beef

1 1/2 tsp sage

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 tsp thyme

small amount of water

In mixing bowl, combine meat and spices until thoroughly blended. Add water if needed to hold meat together. Shape into patties. refrigerate in airtight container for 2 days to allow flavors to blend.

Cook over medium heat until golden brown.

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Post your recipe on your blog and play along with us :-) Add your link using MckLinky, and I'll drop by for a visit.

Two cakes this week....

2010-01-22T11:16:00.002-03:30

For the Maple Leaf fan :-)

... and the piano student.

"Make It" Monday!

2010-01-18T08:00:00.005-03:30

Welcome to my newest feature on my blog -- a recipe blog carnival! I don't know about you, but I often get into a cooking "rut" and get tired of serving the same meals/snacks all the time :-) I'm sure my family gets tired of it too. LOL!

Click HERE to read about "Make It Monday", and get the code.

The first theme for my carnival is COOKIES!

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ROCKY ROAD Marshmallow Cookies

3 Tbsp peanut butter
3 Tbsp margarine or butter
1 package chocolate chips
1 package mini-marshmallows

Melt first 3 ingredients in saucepan. Let cool a minute. Stir in marshmallows and spread in a greased 8x8 pan. Let harden in refrigerator.

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Post your recipe on your blog and play along with us :-) Add your link using MckLinky, and I'll drop by for a visit.

"Make It" Monday -- NEW Blog Carnival!!

2010-01-14T14:17:00.010-03:30

I thought I might open up something new here on my blog. Since I am always interested in finding new recipe, I thought a blog carnival would be a good way to do that.

Each Monday I will post the THEME for that week. If, for instance, the theme is beef dishes, I would post a beef recipe. You can also post a recipe on your blog and link it here on mine (I will have MckLinky set up on the post)

There are benefits for all of us -- we get to see some new recipes, and we also get to visit others' blogs.

Hope you will pop back and join me on Monday for my first carnival!

Don't forget to nab my blinkie (code is below) and add it to your blog!

Cakes that I forgot to post....

2010-01-13T15:00:00.001-03:30

These are from last year.

52 Weeks of CAKES!

2010-01-13T14:54:00.002-03:30

Trying to keep track of all the decorated cakes I do this year. So far, I have had 3 orders, with another two for this weekend.

TOTAL for 2010: 3

Banana Bread

2010-01-12T18:28:00.001-03:30

This is the recipe we mostly use for banana bread. Originally got it from Marion, while I worked at Stepping Stone's Daycare a LONG time ago :-)

Banana Bread

1/4 lb butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas (mashed)
1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs. In separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add the milk and dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Fold in mashed bananas.

Bake in a greased and floured pan at 325 deg for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I usually bake this in 2 bread pans for about 40 minutes.

Yummy Apple Dip

2010-01-11T18:21:00.002-03:30

Recipe INDEX

2010-01-10T18:48:00.001-03:30

Just a reminder that you can see an INDEX of my recipes in the sidebar on the left.

Drumstick Dessert

2010-01-10T18:17:00.002-03:30

We made this one time for Luke's birthday. In August (with 3 family birthdays) we get a bit tired of cake :-)

Drumstick Dessert

Crust:
1 pkg vanilla wafers (crumbs)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup nuts (crushed)
3 TBSP peanut butter

Mix and press into 8x8 inch pan. Freeze for 1 hour before topping with filling mixture.

Whip up one 500 gram package of Nutri-Whip. Set aside.

Filling:
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Beat first 3 ingredients until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition.

Mix with Nutri-Whip. Spread over crust layer. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and crushed nuts. Keep frozen. ENJOY!

Tasty Pinwheels

2010-01-09T17:45:00.000-03:30

Tasty Pinwheels

1/2 cup cream cheese (small package)
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp cinnamon/sugar mixture

Cream together. Spread on tortilla shells. Roll up and cut into bite-sized pieces. Dip into applesauce or yogurt. Yummy!

Another yummy variation:

1/2 cup cream cheese (small package)
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp taco seasoning (to taste)

Mix and roll as above. Dip in salsa.

Ooops......

2010-01-09T08:53:00.004-03:30

Seems like I've been sadly neglecting my cooking blog. With the new year, I shall try to post at least once a week. With that said, here's a recipe for you :-)

EASY CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Bottom layer:
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Mix the crumbs and sugar. Melt butter and add to crumb mixture. Press into 9x13 pan. (Reserve 1/4 cup for top) Bake at 325 deg. for 10 minutes.

Middle layer:
1 lg package of cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
1 package of Dream Whip (I also have used small box of Nutriwhip)

Mix Dream whip according to directions on the box. Add in the cream cheese and icing sugar and blend well. Spread over cooled bottom layer.

Top with a can of cherries. Sprinkle with reserve crumbs. Chill for 3-4 hours before serving.

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One of my favorite alternatives is Bakeapple cheesecake. Delicious! And..... I think I have a bag of bakeapples in the freezer. Yaah!

Partridgeberry Muffins

2009-09-15T18:52:00.004-02:30

Yum! One of my favorite berries is the Partridgeberry -- otherwise know as Lingonberry, Cowberry or Lowbush Cranberry. Whatever the name, I find this tarty berry delicious :-)

They are usually ripe around the third week in September, and are so easy to pick! My daughter picked a gallon in about 1/2 hour. I freeze the berries and we use them throughout the year in jams, pies, smoothies and muffins.

PARTRIDGEBERRY MUFFINS

Dry ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

Wet ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 egg

3/4 cup margarine

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup of berries (more or less as desired)

Preheat oven to 350 deg.

Blend the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine them quickly. Don't over-stir.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from tin and sprinkle with sugar.

Here are some of the muffins we made this morning for snack.

Check out some other muffins and cupcakes at Hoosier Homemade!

Some cakes I have done this summer

2009-08-23T14:45:00.006-02:30

..... and here's my recipe I use for my cakes.

Buttercream Icing

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup margarine/butter

2 tsp almond extract

8 cups powdered sugar

touch of milk (3-4 Tbsp)

This recipe makes more than what you would need for a regular 2-layer cake mix. Icing can be frozen -- just set in fridge for a day to thaw. You may need to re-whip before using.

Birthday Cake Round-Up

2009-07-16T09:00:00.001-02:30

I enjoy cake-making and actually do it as a side job (gives me scrapping money!) Most of the cakes I make are character cakes, some with the shaped pans, but most on a slab cake where I ice in the images - usually from coloring book pages.

Here's one of my favorite cakes that I have done. A 16-yr-old came to me with her idea for this cake. She wanted Little Mermaid characters added to a castle.

There are three cakes, iced and set a bit off-center. I iced it all in white to resemble bricks, added some vines and flowers, and for the towers I used paper towel rolls covered in icing. I spread that on the night before (along with a crumb coat on the cakes) and left it to set over-night. The turrets are ice-cream cones. The sand is just brown icing with some graham crumbs on top. The little "stone" pieces around the edges are actually mini-marshmallows cut in thirds and squished a bit to look like stones.

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This Wonderpets cake was also a fun one. The cake part is a round cake cut in half and iced together to form the bottom of the flyboat. The wheels were cookies stuck to the cake and then iced. The sail is just a piece of construction paper.

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My youngest son always wants a special cake for his birthday. For his 8th birthday he wanted a Lego cake, with the police chasing the Brickster.

You can see more of my cakes HERE!

Recent cakes

2009-04-12T19:04:00.003-02:30

First attempt using fondant :-)

Jessica's in the kitchen

2009-04-12T19:01:00.001-02:30

Jessica tried her hand at fondant icing this week. I think she did awesome!

Five cakes this week!

2009-03-29T22:37:00.004-02:30

Jessica iced this last cake for me -- it was one just for us! I think we only have 2 pieces left :-)

decorated cakes, again.....

2009-03-25T15:17:00.002-02:30

Pancakes

2009-02-24T10:05:00.006-03:30

Since today is Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) I thought I'd post my pancake recipe. Before I found this recipe, we were making the boxed mix and thought they were alright. Well, let's just say we'll never go back to the boxed mix! LOL!

PANCAKES

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 Tbsp vegetable oil (I usually omit this)
2 cups buttermilk (I use regular milk with a splash of vinegar)

In a small bowl, combine the oats, flours, baking soda, salt and sugar. In another small bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Pour batter onto greased hot griddle (we use olive oil in our pan). Flip when bubbles from around the edges. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

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Okay, here's what we find works for us :-)

We have done these with 2 cups all-purpose flour, when we didn't have the whole wheat. They still turn out fine. We also add about 2 tsp of cinnamon in our batter. Delicious! Our pancakes are usually about 7-inch and we can make probably 8 pancakes with this recipe. Believe me, one pancake per person is plenty! They are very filling, especially when you top them with fruit or yogurt.

cakes.... again :-)

2009-01-24T19:24:00.004-03:30

hockey fan!

For a skating party

Lightning McQueen is popular for the little boys.

I know there's no High School Musical 7, but that's the age of the little girl :-)

Nanaimo Squares

2008-12-05T09:24:00.001-03:30

These are probably our most favorite cookies. I usually only make them at Christmas time.
NANAIMO SQUARES

BOTTOM LAYER:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut
1 egg (beaten)
1 3/4 cup graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan. Mix in cocoa and sugar. Add egg and stir until egg is cooked and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Press firmly into ungreased 9x9 pan. I usually like the pan with foil wrap to make them easier to remove from the pan. Set in refrigerator to cool.

MIDDLE LAYER:
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Mix and beat until light. Spread over cooled bottom layer.

TOP LAYER:
4 semisweet chocolate squares
2 Tbsp butter

Melt and let cool slightly. Spoon over middle layer. Chill

The best way to cut these squares with cracking the chocolate layer is to first run a knife around the edges of the pan. Turn out unto cutting board. Heat a big knife with hot water, then cut into squares. The heat from the knife should slice the chocolate nicely.

Ginger Sparkles

2008-12-01T14:47:00.001-03:30

GINGER SPARKLES

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 TBSP ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Add molasses. Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Fold into the creamed mixture. You may have to use your hands to blend this.

Roll cookies dough into 1-inch balls, then roll into additional white sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 deg for 10-12 minutes.

NOTE: they will look like they're not cooked, but they're done! They'll finish cooking on the pan when you take them out.

Enjoy alone or with a nice cup of tea :-)

Cherry Cake

2008-12-01T14:30:00.002-03:30

Cherry Cake

1/2 lb butter (1 cup)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup warm milk
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 bottle cherries

Cut cherries into quarters (keep the liquid syrup!) Cream together the butter, sugar and eggs. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. Saute the cherries in 1/2 cup of additional flour. Add the juice from the cherries and make up 1 cup with the milk.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk mixture to the creamed mixture. Add the cherries and stir in by hand.

Bake in greased and floured tube pan -- 1 1/2 hours at 275 degrees. Remove from oven and set on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

This cake freezes well and makes a great gift :-)

cake I did today

2008-11-28T13:06:00.001-03:30

Never heard of these characters before, but they're from "In The Night Garden" -- Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy :-)

three cakes this weekend

2008-11-17T23:31:00.001-03:30

Shrek's Dessert

2008-10-27T13:30:00.002-02:30

My kids call this Skrek's Earwax (gross, I know) but what can I say :-) It's a messy looking dessert but so YUMMY!

Here's what you need to make a BIG bowl of this. You can half it if necessary, but my kids always wish I would double it!

1 chocolate cake (mixed according to directions on box)

2 packages of pistachio pudding (mixed according to box directions)

4 Crispy Crunch bars, crumbled

1 box carton Nutriwhip, beaten (or 1 packet of Dream Whip, mixed)

Prepare cake ahead of time. When cooled, break into smallish pieces. Mix pistachio pudding and let set. Whip Nutriwhip. Crumble the chocolate bars.

Into a big bowl, put a layer of the crumble cake, then add some of the pudding, some of the whip and some of the chocolate bar. Continue layering until you've used all the ingredients. I try to leave enough Nutriwhip to cover the top of the dessert, along with a handful of chocolate bar crumbs.

Let me know if you try it!

Cakes!!

2008-10-20T14:46:00.005-02:30

Lots more :-)

Pea Soup and Doughboys

2008-08-18T15:05:00.004-02:30

I'm making a pot of Pea Soup and thought I might as well pot it on my blog -- since it's been QUITE a while since I posted a recipe, I think :-)

PEA SOUP

1 cup salt beef (diced) OR ham
2 cups yellow, split peas
1 onion
turnip
carrot
celery
2-3 potatoes
salt/pepper

Soak the peas overnight in cold water. Drain and rinse peas. Add to large pot with diced meat, onion and 8 cups cold water.

Bring to a boil and then simmer about 2 hours. You can add more water if needed.

Add about 2 cups diced turnip, 2 cups diced carrots and 1 cup chopped celery. Chop 2-3 potatoes and add those as well. Cook until veggies are tender.

I always add a couple of bay leaves to my pot of soup. Adds a nice tastes, I think :-)

DOUGH BOYS

I will add the recipe for dough boys, though I have to say -- I have never been able to cook these as well as my grandmothers have ever done! They make the best!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup water or milk

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add enough water (or milk) to form a soft dough.

Drop by tablespoons into hot soup. Cover pot tightly and simmer, without removing the lid, for 15 minutes.

I think my problem is I open the lid to check :-)

ENJOY!

more cakes

2008-08-15T15:17:00.003-02:30

I have been extrememly busy with cakes this summer. It's all good, though :-) The weather has been crappy, so I don't mind being in the kitchen.

It's been a long time :-)

2008-07-26T09:29:00.003-02:30

I've just been so busy. Family is visiting, and it's summer, ...finally....

I've had lots of orders for cakes. Summer must be a good time for parties :-) I did four last weekend and another four this weekend. Didn't get photos of them all.

Castle cake

2008-06-05T12:41:00.003-02:30

I had an order for this big castle cake, which I wasn't sure if I could do. The main part I was worried about was the towers. I didn't want them falling over before the customer came to pick it up. But,..... I got that problem worked out and I was pleased with the cake. So was the 16 yo girl who ordered it :-)

Snowballs in summer!!!

2008-06-05T12:35:00.003-02:30

I got this recipe from my Aunt Millie. They are delicious :-) Nice and chocolatey and soft!

SNOWBALLS

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 cups rolled oats
coconut to roll the balls in

Melt butter in medium sized saucepan. Add sugar, milk and cocoa. Bring to boil and then remove from heat. Add rolled oats. Let cool completely. Form into balls and roll in coconut.

cakes again....

2008-05-26T08:49:00.004-02:30

I've also done 2 more Hannah Montana cakes. That's a popular one with the pre-teen girls!

still more cakes!

2008-04-30T10:09:00.000-02:30

More decorated cakes...

2008-04-25T19:56:00.000-02:30

Little Mermaid cake

2008-04-08T22:07:00.001-02:30

Did this one last night :-)

Hashbrown Casserole

2008-03-31T16:23:00.002-02:30

I got this recipe from my friend, Carolyn. She moved away a few years ago and I really miss her! We'd often make this when our families got together for barbeques.

Hashbrown Casserole

1 pkg frozen hashbrowns
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 can of milk

Mix all ingredients and put in casserole dish. Bake at 350 deg for 45 minutes.

YUM!

My kids don't like onion, so we never add that to our casserole. Tastes just as good!

couple more cakes....

2008-03-30T20:49:00.002-02:30

Lassie Buns

2008-03-09T13:08:00.004-02:30

For anyone who is from Newfoundland, you will know what I mean when I say "lassie buns" :-) They are yummy! Every time my youngest sister comes for a visit, I make her some molasses buns. She always says she gains 5 lbs when she comes here :-) Oh well!

Molasses Buns

1 cup molasses
1 cup melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
4 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

Add melted butter to molasses and stir. Add milk and egg. Stir. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl, then add to molasses mixture. Roll out on a floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter (I use a 2-inch round) and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 300 deg.

We love them with butter though I know some people who eat them with a slice of cheddar cheese.

more decorated cakes...

2008-03-09T13:05:00.004-02:30

only I don't have photos of all of them! LOL! Forgot to take them. Oops

I also did a Hannah Montana cake, two baby shower cakes and a regular chocolate cake with a barn on it.

Granola

2008-03-01T16:39:00.002-03:30

For the past 4 weeks, I've been making this yummy granola. It makes a big container that lasts us about a week. I found the recipe HERE. We've changed things up a bit in our recipe. You can start with the basic recipe, then add in your favorite dried fruits. We like it as a cereal (with milk), or as a topping for ice-cream, or just as a handy snack as is.

If you think your child won't eat it, try getting them to help make it -- that always seemed to work for me :-)

GRANOLA

In large bowl, mix 5 cups rolled oats (not quick oats, we prefer steel cut oats), 2 cups sliced almonds (we used sunflower seeds as we didn't have almonds), 3/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup milled flax seed and 1 tsp salt.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and mix together with 1 cup honey. Add this to the dry ingredients. Stir well. Spread in large baking dish. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 250 deg. Stir every 15-20 minutes.

While this is baking, prepare your dried fruit.

1/2 cup dates (chopped)
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried apples

While your dry ingredients are still warm, add the dried fruit and mix it up. If you wait it will harden and the fruit won't mix well. Store in airtight container.

Trying some new soups

2008-02-20T13:11:00.002-03:30

I'm kinda getting bored of the same old soups. I usually make Turkey Vegetable or Chicken Vegetable. I am determined to try some new ones. Hopefully my family will survive my attempts! LOL!

I made up a recipe yesterday for potato soup. It actually turned out quite well! Everyone loved it. I had some leftover today for lunch and it tastes even better today. Strange how that always seems to be the case.

Anyway, I'll post the recipe, but be aware that most of my measurements are approximate.

POTATO SOUP

6-7 medium potatoes
water to cover potatoes
1/2 can evaporated milk
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
bacon pieces (I used real bacon bits)
green onion
salt/pepper to taste

Peel, wash and cut potatoes. In large pot, add enough water to cover potatoes. Boil until soft. Remove potatoes (reserve water) and mash well. Put back in the pot with the water. If you think it will be too watery, you can take out some of the water. Also, I used my mini hand blender and just blended the potatoes right in the pot.

Add the milk, cheese, bacon bits, green onion and salt/pepper.

Simmer, but be careful it doesn't burn on.

We served it with garlic bread and a salad. Delicious!

Next time I will try it with cheddar cheese.

Microwave popcorn

2008-02-12T20:59:00.001-03:30

With all the concerns lately of trans fats and hydrogenated oils, we've stopped eating microwave popcorn pouches. Instead, we make our own :-) It's so easy and we get to control the amout of butter and salt. Yaah!

This recipe I got from the Saving Dinner website. They have some super ideas there for snacks!

HOME-MADE MICROWAVE POPCORN

1/4 cup popcorn kernels
1 lunch-size brown paper bag
salt (to taste)
1 Tbsp butter (or to taste)

Put popcorn in the bag. Fold the top over twice and secure with tape. Microwave for 2-5 minutes on high, until you hear the kernels finish popping. In our microwave, it takes about 2 1/2 minutes and makes enough for one teenager :-)

Add melted butter and salt, and shake in the bag. Transfer to a large bowl. ENJOY!

easy squares

2008-02-12T14:52:00.002-03:30

This recipe is handed down from my late mother-in-law, though I didn't get it directly from her. Devin and I were talking about his mom's cooking one day, and he said he remembered these lemony squares that she used to make. Well, a few months later, his Aunt Barb and Uncle Gerald came to visit us all the way from Ontario :-) Aunt Barb and MIL were very close. I metioned the lemony squares to her and she knew the recipe!! So, I had her write it out for me. We made them that day and surprised dh with them. YUM! He loved them -- actually we all love them!!

They are so easy to make and don't use very many ingredients.

LONNA'S LEMON SQUARES

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
Graham Wafer biscuits
icing sugar/water

Mix together condensed milk and lemon juice. Layer graham biscuits on a cookie tray (with raised edges). Make sure the whole pan is filled in. You may need to cut some biscuits to make them fit.

Spread the milk mixture over the biscuits.

Top with another layer of biscuits -- make sure they are arranged in the same pattern as the bottom layer. Mix about 1 cup icing sugar with a small about of water. Drizzle over the biscuits and chill for a few hours before cutting.

You can use more/less icing -- as desired.

a dreamy dessert

2008-02-05T11:50:00.000-03:30

This recipe is one from my mom. We used to make it quite a bit in the past, but haven't recently. It's yummy!

PINEAPPLE DREAM SQUARES

Crumb Layer:
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix together and press into a 9x9-inch baking dish. Reserve 1/8 cup for topping. Bake at 300 deg for 10 minutes. Cool.

Creamy layer:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
2 well-beaten eggs

Cream together butter and icing sugar. Add eggs. Spread over cooled crumb layer.

Topping:
1 pk dream whip or cool whip (prepared)
1 cup well-drained, crushed pineapple

Prepare cool whip and fold in pineapple. Spread over top of dessert. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Chill 24 hours

Cooked Playdoh

2008-02-03T17:34:00.000-03:30

This was one recipe that I used a LOT when my kids were younger. Today, my daughter was bored (!) and said she wished she had some playdoh. I said "well, let's make some!" She thought it was a great idea :-)

This has got to be the easiest recipe for playdoh -- but only because I tweaked it a bit. LOL! It originally called for mixing everything in a pot on the stove. I didn't like that idea as it seemed more work. I remember, at the daycare where I worked, we'd make 4-5 batches of this at a time; and a batch can be made in 5 minutes!

COOKED PLAYDOH

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 cup flour
food coloring

While the water is boiling in your kettle, mix the salt, oil and cream of tartar in a big bowl. Stir. Add in the boiling water and stir for about a minute to dissolve the salt. It won't dissolve completely! Add your food coloring at this point.

Next, add in the flour and stir to combine the ingredients. Turn out onto floured table and knead by hand. You're done!

Here's an interesting alternative -- add a package of Kool-Aid when you pour in the boiling water. It makes a nice scented playdoh! You don't need food coloring if you use Kool-Aid. Another option is use the food coloring and add in some extract, like peppermint or coconut. Also makes a nice scent to the playdoh.

Store your playdoh at room temperature in a sealed Ziploc bag or in a covered plastic container. Keeps for a LONG time :-)

some kids' recipes

2008-01-29T17:20:00.001-03:30

Here's a good recipe for some easy granola. My kids enjoy this :-) and I do too!

Granola

Mix:
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup powdered milk
1 tsp cinnamon

Add:
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well. Spread on cookies sheet and bake at 375 deg for 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly! Cool on paper towels. Eat for a snack or with some milk for breakfast.

a meat dish

2008-01-27T17:11:00.001-03:30

I thought I'd post my recipe for meatballs. My kids say I make the best meatballs ever :-) That's probably because I don't have onion in them!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

meatballs:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 rolled oats
salt/pepper
onion powder

Mix all ingredients and then roll into 1" balls. Place on wire rack, on a cookie sheet and place in 350 deg. oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until browned.

Remove from oven and place meatballs in casserole dish or small roaster.

sauce:

1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup vinegar
juice from can of pineapple chunks (reserve the chunks)

Mix all ingredients in saucepan and heat until boiled and thickened.

Pour over meatballs. Add in pineapple chunks, some chopped onion and chopped peppers.

Cover and bake at 325 deg for 1 hour. Serve with rice and side of veggies.

A quick and easy salad....

2008-01-23T08:36:00.000-03:30

Here's a salad that I make quite a bit, especially during bbq season :-)

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad

1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Miracle Whip (mayonnaise)
4 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 lb bacon (fried and chopped)
1/2 cup each of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small pieces. Mix above ingredients and stir into the veggies.

Note: I sometimes just buy the real bacon bits instead of frying bacon. Much quicker :-) Also, I often use Marble cheese as that is what I usually have on hand. Still tastes just as good. I have seen other additions, such as raisins, green apple and onion -- they all taste good, but I wouldn't get away with adding them in my salad!

Two more cakes....

2008-01-21T11:46:00.001-03:30

Chocolate chip cookies

2008-01-19T15:52:00.000-03:30

I found this recipe in a "Top Secret Recipes" book. Apparently it's the recipe for Keebler Soft Batch chocolate chip cookies. Whatever it is, they are lovely! Nice and chewy -- just the way we like them.

This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies. I will often make a full batch of dough and freeze half of it. Then, whenever you feel like some home-made cookies, but have little time to make them, pull out the dough and you can have cookies in a few minutes! They don't taste quite the same after the dough is frozen, but are still good :-) You can also half this recipe.

Keebler Soft-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb butter (2 cups)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
5 cups flour
1 1/2 packages semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, eggs, molasses, vanilla, water and sugars. In separate bowl, mix the remainder of dry ingredients (except chocolate chips). Add gradually to creamed mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Set aside in refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Shape and roll dough into 1" balls. Place about 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. You can also drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet, but the cookies don't look as nice as when you roll them.

Bake for 8 minutes at 375 deg. They may look like they're too soft and not completely cooked, but they will finish cooking on the sheet as they cool.

WARNING: These cookies are very addictive and won't last long!

BOILED RAISIN CAKE

2008-01-19T14:10:00.000-03:30

Okay, now I know the name of this cake may turn some of you off -- you either have a love or hate relationship with raisins -- but this cake is delicious! Great at Christmastime when you have company drop by for tea/coffee.

This is my grandmother's recipe. She just turned 89 this past Christmas. She would often make this cake for me on my birthday. Sometimes, she iced it, but I'd much rather without icing.

GRAM'S BOILED RAISIN CAKE

Boil the following ingredients for 5 minutes:

2 cups water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
2 tsp allspice

Let cool. Mix in separate bowl:

2 1/2-3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

Add cooled mixture to dry ingredients. Stir by hand. Pour into a greased/floured tube pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 300 deg.

I usually cut my cake in half and freeze part of it. It freezes well.

Enjoy :-)

an apple dessert

2008-01-16T08:56:00.000-03:30

Everyone who tastes my apple crisp, LOVES it! LOL! It's true :-)

Anyway, I got this recipe a long time ago in some magazine. I tweaked the ingredients a bit until I thought it was just right. In our home, we argue about the topping for apple crisp; some of us love ice-cream on top, others (dh) love just plain cream. Whatever you like, this is best served warm. You can cook supper and prepare the apple crisp. Pop it into the oven while you're eating, and it'll be ready when you finished supper. It's also a great dessert to bring to potluck meals.

APPLE CRISP

Bottom layer:

Peel, core and slice a bag of apples. Put them in a lightly greased baking dish (mine is 10x15" I think - a Pyrex glass dish). In a small cup, mix 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Pour this over the layer of apple slices.

Crumb layer:

2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/s tsp salt
2/3 cup butter (softened)

Mix this -- it may need to be mixed by hand. Add to the top of the apples. Bake at 375 deg for 30 minutes. Serve while warm and top with ice-cream. Delicious!

ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Cookies

2008-01-15T09:10:00.001-03:30

These are my favorite peanut butter cookies ever! They are nice and chewy :-)

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg. Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to creamed mixture.

If dough is too soft to roll, leave covered in refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Roll in 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. They will flatten, so leave space between cookies. Bake at 350 deg for 8 minutes.

NOTE: You might think they are NOT baked enough, but they will finish baking on the cookie sheet when you take them out! Just place the sheet on a wire rack to cool before removing the cookies.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Brownies

2008-01-14T11:20:00.001-03:30

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs (well-beaten)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 8" square pan. Bake at 350 deg. for 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake! Let cool and top with icing.

I think I may get one of my children to make these today. They don't last long around my house! LOL!