Oatmeal Cake

My kids and grandkids came over for a little evening birthday party. Mindy made me oatmeal cake. One of my favorites.

Oatmeal Cake
1 ½ c. water, boiling
1 ¼ c. oats (not quick oats)
½ c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vinegar
1 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt

Topping:
½ c. evaporated milk
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. butter
1 ½ c. coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. nuts (optional)

Pour boiling water over oats and ½ cup butter; let stand 20 min. In large bowl mix sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vinegar; mix well. Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; add to wet ingredients. Mix well and pour into cake pan. Bake at 350 for 40 min. in a 9 X 13 pan. Mix topping mixture in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Pour over warm cake.

Jack, me and my birthday roses look quite coordinated.


Here is the amaryllis Jade and Josh bought me. I can't wait to see it bloom. She got it from http://whiteflowerfarm.com/84838-product.html

The Best Yams I Have Ever Had!

Makes a 2 quart casserole, serves 6 to 8 people. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Bake 6 to 8 yams, enough to make 3 cups after being mashed.

Mix and beat until smooth:
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. milk
Add yams into the mixture.

Topping:
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. flour
4 tsp. butter
2/3 c. crushed pecans
Spread over top. Marshmallows optional.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
My husbands family weren't big on yams when I first got married. To make Thanksgiving meal complete I brought them every year to their dinner. I inevitably would bring home half a dish because only my family ate them.
One year a friend gave me this recipe. I brought it to the inlaws and they have been eating them and asking for them ever since. Yummy! I'm making them this week:)

Butternut Squash Cream Cheese Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

6 tablespoons chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
6 cups butternut squash, cooked
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute garlic, onions and seasonings
in butter until onions are tender.
In a blender, puree cooked squash, water, bouillon and
cream cheese in batches until smooth.
Add squash mixture to seasonings in saucepan, mix well
and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

*If you (or your family) do not like onions, you can blend the onions/seasonings in with the squash and they won't even know they are in there!

I didn't grow up eating butternut squash. The first time I realized I liked, was when I ordered butternut Squash ravioli with cream sauce at a resturant. It was years ago and I still remember how much I liked that meal.
My daughter Jade is the one that found this recipe. I am a soup lover anyway but this one over the top. You have to try it to believe it. She even worked out the calories on a cup of it and it is only 180 calories. I still find this hard to believe because the cream cheese makes it so thick and creamy. She also mentioned how few of us eat yellow veggies.
She brought this over the other day in a crock pot to a family gathering and I fed it to my grand-baby. It makes a great baby food too.
This recipe is great for this time of year!


I just made this soup and tried a new technique. I cut the squash in half, cleaned out the seeds, put back together and wrapped in foil. I cooked them at 350 for an hour and 15 min.

After they cooled I peeled them. It was similar to peeling a peach, very soft.

Chewy Chocolate Brownies

My daughter just made these brownies from a recipe at becomingbetty.blogspot.com . She loves this website and has found some really good recipes! Check it out!

Man-Catcher Brownies
3 cubes unsalted butter
2 cups cocoa powder
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbs. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. kosher salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Mix together the eggs, sugars, vanilla and cocoa mixture. Add flour and salt and stir until combined. Don't overmix. Spread batter evenly onto a greased jelly roll pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350, or until a toothpick, inserted into center, comes out clean.

*She cooked these in a 9X13 pan which made them very thick. It takes about an hour.

This is the best brownie recipe I have found.

Chicken Pot Pie

I make this when I have leftover chicken and potatoes. These are the ingredients pie crust(pillsbury is better than the store brand.), cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup and evaporated milk. (If you use beef instead of chicken, use cream of mushroom soup.)

Add cut up chicken, mixed vegetables and potatoes.


Mix 1 can cream soup with 1/2 can evaporated milk. I was making 2 pies so I did 2 soups and 1 milk. Stir together. (You can stir the potatoes, chicken and veggies so you know how juicy it will be.)

Pour on soup mixture and sprinkle with lots of Laury's seasoning salt.

Cover with the other crust. Smooth milk on top of crust and salt it generously. Cut a hole in the middle of crust.

Cook at 350 for an hour and 10 minutes. If the top is getting too brown I move it to the bottom shelf or cover the top with foil. You don't want to undercook it or you will have a raw crust.

You can basically put any meat and vegetables inside this pie. It is a hit no matter what combination I do. I got this recipe from my sister in law. It is yummy!

Freezing Tomatoes

The tomatoes in our garden got a little out of control last week,

We put them in boiling water for a minute to loosen the skin.

Here are all the tomatoes with the skin ready to peel off.

This is what they look like up close.



Here are the peeled tomatoes. I just stuffed them in jars and poured there own juice over them and put them in the freezer.

Whenever I make a dish that calls for canned tomatoes I will get out a jar. They will be a little mushy so I will probably blend them before I put them in things.

Hawaiian Baked Beans for the 4th of July

I put rings of green peppers, onions and pineapples in. It gives the beans a great flavor and people can pick out which things they don't like.

Hawaiian Baked Beans
4 large cans pork-n-beans
1 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled
1 large onion sliced
1 large bell pepper sliced
6 T. worcestershire sauce
14 oz. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar
1 large can pineapple

Cook 3 to 4 hours. First half with lid on, 2nd half open at 350 degrees.
People WILL want this recipe it's one of my favorites!!!!

The first time I had this was 20 years ago at a family reunion. I got the recipe from my Aunt Pat. She has 11 children so the recipe makes a lot. It easy enough to half if you aren't feeding a crowd.
Let me know if you try it:)

Cinnamon Apple Snacks

You are going to be amazed at how simple, how healthy, and how yummy these are. It tastes like apple pie. YUM!
Cut Fuji apples (these are best, don't do granny smith) into pieces. Put apples in a ziplock bag and sprinkle with cinnamon. Shake till each piece is coated. These will save perfectly preserved for a week in the refrigerator, so make enough to last all week. (Cinnamon is a natural preservative.)
It is the perfect snack. One medium Fuji apple has 80 calories, 5 grams fiber and 22gram carb. Cinnamon lowers LDL cholesterol and regulates blood sugar. I googled cinnamon and was amazed at how good it is for you.
Thanks for this recipe Elfie!

Orange Juice

I have several orange trees in my yard. This is how I save my juice. I squeeze the oranges, and strain most of the pulp and seeds. I fill up canning jars leave at least 3/4 of an inch from the top. If you leave less than that you get a lot of breakage and orange syrupy stuff oozing out the top. It makes a huge mess. I fill up 2 freezers full each March and it lasts me all year long.

I just finished with my first freezer (64 quarts).
When ready to use, screw off the lid and microwave for 3 minutes. Chunk it up with a fork and pour it into the blender. I either serve it as orange juice slush or add milk, vanilla, fruit or yogurt and make smoothies.

Lorie's Granola

In a large bowl, mix:
8 c. oatmeal
2 c. shredded coconut
2 c. nuts (sunflower seeds, honey roasted peanuts)
2 c. wheat germ

Heat on stove until sugar is dissolved:
1 ½ c. cooking oil
2/3 c. water
1 ½ c. brown sugar
3 T. vanilla

Pour liquid over dry mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread on 2 large cookie sheets and bake at 325° for 1 hour or until toasty and golden brown. Stir every 15 minutes. Add dried after cooking process. I use raisins, craisins, dried blueberry fruit mix from Costco.

My friend Lorie (the tri-athelete) tried all kinds of granola recipes and this was her favorite.

French Hot Chocolate

This is the most amazing hot chocolate recipe! You can store it in your refrigerator for up to a week. It's so fun scooping the mousse like fluff into hot milk. Yum!











3 (1-ounce) squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar

Cook chocolate and water over low heat until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Add salt and sugar; cook for 5 more minutes. Cool completely.

1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip heavy cream and add vanilla. Fold in chocolate mixture. Store in refrigerator. To serve, add a heaping tablespoon (or two) to a cup of hot milk. Stir and enjoy!

SNOW ICE CREAM

I was staying in Park City with some friends. We made this hot chocolate, which was fun and yummy. We also made snow ice cream. The recipe for the ice cream is snow and eagle brand sweetened condensed milk. It was INCREDIBLE!!!!! We actually ended up topping our snow ice cream with the hot chocolate whipped cream. It was heaven!!! It was the night before I was going home or I would have made this everyday. It was THAT GOOD.

Strawberries with Lemon Cream

You can see the strawberries in the far right corner.

8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
½ c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
2 pt. large fresh strawberries

In processor, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Process until smooth; chill for at least 1 hour. Cut stems from strawberries, leaving a flat surface so they can be stood on stem end. Cut “V” shaped pocket in the pointed end of each berry, cutting about 2/3 of the way through the bottom. Remove the “V” shaped slice. Press sides apart slightly so you can fill with cream cheese mixture. Put cream cheese mixture in pastry bad and pipe filling into center of each berry. It should fill in pocket and come out on top. Chill for at least 3 hours. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.

The Best Cupcakes in the World!

My daughter was watching the Martha Stewart show and watched Billy, of Billy's Bakery in New York City make these cupcakes. This is his famous recipe. My daughter has made these as wedding favors, for showers, corporate parties, as well as birthdays. This picture is of the lemon cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting.














BILLY’S VANILLA, VANILLA CUPCAKES

Makes about 30 cupcakes.

1 ¾ c. cake flour, not self-rising
1 ¼ c. unbleached, all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 c. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 2 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds fulls. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Serve at room temperature.

I love cupcakes!

BILLY’S VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 c. confectioners’ sugar
½ c. milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 c. sugar to reach desired consistency.

We received these fancy cupcakes from our neighors for Christmas.  So pretty! 

Scrapbooked Recipe Book

When I went to visit my friend Lisa I noticed (3) huge 3 ring binders full of recipes. Each page was a scrapbooked masterpiece. I knew her recipes were great so I ended up taking digital pictures of some of her recipes. This is just one example.

Wheat Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

Butter Milk Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter
2T. corn syrup
1tsp. Baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

Boil for 7 min.
Remove from stove
Stir in vanilla

Whole Wheat Pancakes
Blend in blender for 4 min.
2 eggs
1c milk
1c. Wheat
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
3T. Oil
Also good as waffles

Pig Candy

Arrange bacon on a broiler pan. (My daughter made these on cooling racks on a cookie sheet)
Sprinkle bacon with brown sugar liberally. (Cinnamon or nutmeg can be added)
Cook for 20 min. at 350
Turn bacon, apply more brown sugar, and cook for another 20 min.

If you have never tried this, you have really been missing out. It is sooo good!!!!!!! It is a sweet, fattening, smoke flavored delight. If you don't have lots of people around to help you eat these, DO NOT try this recipe. You might end up eating way too many.

Cook until they are flat and look crispy, not floppy.
IF you have any leftovers the bacon would taste great cut up in a salad although I have never had that opportunity.

John Gray's Morning Drink

I heard John Gray speak last year. He is the guy that wrote the Mars and Venus books. He is not only right on when he talks about relationships. He is just as knowledgeable about health. He drinks this every morning. He really sold me on the benefits of this drink.
Drink it right when you wake up in the morning. The honey feeds your brain, the lemon cleanses your liver and the cell food oxygenates your brain. Wait 20 minutes to eat and you won't be as hungry. This isn't a weight loss strategy it is just a side effect.

To mix activated water, use the following quantities:
8 oz (237 ml) water
1 oz (30 ml) aloe Vera juice
1 tsp (5 ml) honey
juice of ½ lemon
Trace Minerals (ionic plant sourced), in the amount recommended by the manufacturer
Shake the mixture five to ten times in a bottle or jar before drinking. Shaking activates the potency of ionic trace minerals.
Make sure the minerals you use are ionic trace minerals from a plant source. One is a product named "Cell Food," but there are numerous others. The key is to be sure it is plant sourced. Each ionic trace mineral product has its own suggested amount for daily use. Some say eight drops of a liquid while others indicate two tablespoons, etc. Simply follow the manufacturer's suggested daily portion size and include that in your morning activated water and breakfast shake.

Start with only a couple of drops of cellfood a day for awhile or you may get a headache.

I made this for a friend of mine. He was very over weight and by his own admission said that he ate the worst food imaginable. He ended up getting a really bad headache from the cell food.
It is called a health crisis? It has detoxing effects. It dumps toxins that are stored in your organs back into your blood stream to get rid of them. It is healthy for you to do cleanses but if you are unhealthy either don’t use the drops or start out very slowly and only add one drop and then 2, until you build up to 8 drops.