Fresh Peach Cobbler

We had a cobbler contest at our church Sat. night.  I made this cobbler recipe and it came in third place.  It was beat out by a peach cobbler and an apple cobbler. There were nine cobblers so I was happy with my third place. 

Fresh Peach Cobbler

• 2 C. sugar
• 1/3 C. cornstarch
• 8 C. sliced, fresh peaches
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/4 C. melted butter

Pastry

• 2 C. flour
• 2 T. sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/2 C. shortening
• 4-6 T. ice water

Butter a 9x13 in. baking dish.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Filling: combine sugar and cornstarch; toss with peaches. Add the vanilla extract and the melted butter; set aside
Pastry: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut shortening into the flour mixture until it is consistency of cornmeal. Gradually add ice water, stirring until dough holds its shape. Roll out and cut into strips. Pour the peach filling mixture into the prepared baking pan. Criss-cross dough strips over the filling. Brush water on pastry (or use butter if you prefer) and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 30 minutes or until the crust is brown.

Enjoy!! We did!!!

Home canned is the best!

Stacy invited me to lunch today

and look what she sent home with me!!

Strawberry jam, refrigerator pickles and green beans!

I am a HAPPY MOM!

Honey Bun Cake...

I took this cake to Bible study yesterday.  A friend that has great recipes and is an excellent cook gave the recipe to me a few years ago.  It is easy to make and very good!

HONEY BUN CAKE

1 pkg yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
2/3 C vegetable oil
1/3 C water
1 (8-oz) carton sour cream
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
2/3 C chopped pecans
Powdered Sugar Glaze

Combine first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl;beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes.  set aside.  Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans;set aside.
Pour half of batter into a greased and floured 12x9-inch pan.  sprinkle half of sugar mixture over batter.  Repeat procedure with remaining batter and sugar mixture.  Gently swirl batter with a knife.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from oven.  Drizzle glaze over cake and cool.  Cut into squares. (15 servings)

Powdered Sugar Glaze
1 C sifted powdered sugar
1 T plus 1 t milk
1/2 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients;stir or beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Celebrating 11 years...

Today we celebrated our sweet Samuel's 11th birthday. 

We always allow the birthday person to choose their dinner and cake.  Samuel chose lasagna and other pasta dishes with strawberry cake and ice cream for desert.  I had fun making lasagna, stuffed shells, and  baked penne with roasted vegetables.  Here is the link to this recipe. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-penne-with-roasted-vegetables-recipe/index.html

I am so thankful for my family!

Happy Birthday Samuel!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's cold outside, so look what I've been doing inside!

I found these Christmas ornaments in a box in the attic. 

They belonged to my mother-in-law.

I think my daughter, Stacy, bought them for her one year.

They look so pretty setting on my buffet with the other things I have.

(Card may be purchased at The Wheatfield by Katie Daisy . She has many other pretty cards and prints.  I love having it set on my buffet!)

This gingerbread house is one I purchased from Party Lite years ago and I love burning tea lights in it each year! I know little people that visit will be loving the candy canes! 

I even had time to make soup for our dinner!  It is simmering on the stove and smells so good!  Click this link for Company's Coming Soup

Fudge Nut Bars

I baked some cookies and bars today. It was fun being in the kitchen listening to Christmas music as I baked. While I was making the Fudge Nut Bars I began to think of the friend that gave me the recipe. I met Janet when we were stationed at Ft. Benning, GA in 1977.  We lived next door to each other and became fast friends. Janet loved to entertain and had a lot of good recipes.  I am glad she shared this one with me. Tomorrow I will share them with the ladies at our Christmas event.

Fudge Nut Bars

1 C. butter

2 C. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 C. flour

1 t. salt

1 t. soda

3 C. oatmeal

2 t. vanilla

Combine above ingredients.

Spread 3/4  of oatmeal mixture in bottom of 13"x9" pan.

Filling: 

Combine in double boiler

12 oz. package chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 t. butter

1/2 t. salt

Heat and stir until smooth. Add 1 C. nuts and 2 t. vanilla.

Cover oatmeal mixture with the filling.

Dot top with remaining oatmeal mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Don't overbake.

Freezes well!

Thanks for the ladies of my neighborhood...

Today I give thanks for the ladies that are my neighbors and friends.  My friend, Diane, and I invited the ladies of our neighborhood to breakfast at my house. Diane baked banana bread and a delicious breakfast casserole.  I baked pumpkin muffins and lemon-blueberry muffins.  Karin brought a french toast casserole which I could not stop eating.  Jana brought a fruit tart which not only looked pretty but tasted so good! My neighbor Sharon provided three different types of juice and brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her yard. I also had the choice of coffee or tea. One of our new neighbors brought me and Diane a thank you gift.  They are the cutest socks.  They are so soft and I know we will both wear them all winter. 

We had such a fun time!

Karin has promised to give me the recipe for her breakfast casserole and I will be sure to post it.  I hope you will enjoy the muffin recipe I made. I substituted fresh blueberries for the raspberries. I also cooked them in a mini muffin pan so the recipe made more than a dozen.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

YIELD: Makes 1 dozen  

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) container lemon yogurt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 (6-ounce) package fresh raspberries (about 1 1/4 cups) or 1 (6-ounce) package frozen raspberries, unthawed*
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold butter or margarine

Preparation

Combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
Stir together yogurt and next 3 ingredients; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Toss together 2 tablespoons flour and raspberries; fold into batter. Spoon into lightly greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.
Combine remaining 2 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons sugar; cut butter into mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Spoon evenly over batter in muffin pans.
Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Remove muffins from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.
*Blueberries may be substituted for raspberries.
~~From Southern Living

Meatloaf our family loves...

We love meatloaf at our house. I have a loaf baking in my oven right now. I bake it in the stone loaf pan I purchased from Pampered Chef.  It is such a comfort food!  I never really liked any recipe I tried until a friend gave me hers. It is called Sister Helen's Meatloaf and came from Ann Landers.

Sister Helen's Meatloaf

~~serves 6

• 2 pounds ground round steak
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C. bread crumbs
• 3/4 C. ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Accent *
• 1 package Lipton's onion soup mix
• 8-ounce can tomato sauce *

Mix all ingredients thoroughly, except for tomato sauce. Cover with two strips of bacon *, if you like that flavor.  Pour the 8-ounce can of tomato sauce over all.  Bake one hour at 350 degrees.


*My family's preference is to not use the Accent, tomato sauce or bacon.

Banana Nut Muffins

This is a favorite muffin recipe of mine. They don't last long at our house because they are so good. I love them warm with a little butter and a cup of hot tea! 

Banana Nut Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped pecans

Garnish: confectioners' sugar, fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake 12-15 minutes (I recommend checking at 12 minutes)

Grease muffin pans (makes 15 muffins).

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In medium bowl, combine banana, oil, eggs, and milk; add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.  Stir in pecans.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Cool-garnish with confectioner sugar and raspberries
(from Paula Deen)

Cinnamon-Apple Crostata

I found a new recipe that looked easy and I thought would taste good.  I made it and it was a hit with everyone. I made it again the next day. Today my nephew, Joshua, made it. We are having it for dessert tonight!

  I hope you will try it! If you like apple pie you will love this!

Cinnamon-Apple Crostata

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (4 medium)

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts

Topping

Whipped cream, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Remove pie crust from pouch; place flat on ungreased cookie sheet.
• In medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and cinnamon. Gently stir in apples. Spoon apple mixture onto center of crust, spreading to within 2 inches of edge. Fold crust edge over filling to form 2-inch border, pleating crust as necessary. Brush crust edge with water; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Bake 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle pecans over apple mixture. Bake 5 to 15 minutes longer or until apples are tender. Serve with whipped cream.

Here is the link to the recipe: Cinnamon-Apple Crostata

Pumpkin muffins

My friend Susannah shared this recipe for pumpkin muffins with me on Facebook. I made them last night for my Ladies Bible Study Brunch which was held at my house today.  I made mini muffins and we could not stop eating them.  Fortunately I hid some for the brunch today.  They are very easy and delicious.

Pumpkin Muffins
 3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs
2 c. pumpkin
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
Blend sugar and oil. Beat in eggs and rest of ingredients. Mix well. Bake in muffin pan at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Homemade dinner rolls...

Colette and I made dinner rolls today.  I did the mixing and showed her how to shape them.  She made a pan of them to take home for her family's dinner.  After they baked she sampled one and declared them delicious, especially with butter! 

Here is the recipe I used! 

Dinner Rolls

4 1/2-5 C. flour

1/2 C. sugar

1 t. salt

2 pkg. dry yeast

3/4 C. milk

1/2 C. water

1/2 C. shortening

2 eggs-room temperature

Measure 1 3/4 C. flour. Stir in sugar, salt, and yeast. Heat milk, water and shortening until warm. Pour into flour mixture. Add eggs and beat with mixer at low speed for 1/2 minute. Continue beating at high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remainder of flour. Douigh will be soft and rather sticky. Knead about 3 minutes until smooth. shape after sitting 20 minutes. Let rise 40-50 minutes. Bake until brown at 350 degrees 12-15 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen



Game time

Girls game night was held at my house!

We all had so much fun playing Nertz!!

Cake, brownies, chips and queso!

 I made a dip for fruit.   

 Mix one cream cheese with marshmellow cream. 

 I served it with strawberries, apples, and banana

 The night was full of laughter!

The winner is...

DIANE!

I love playing games and Nertz is one of my favorite.

Do you have a favorite game you like to play?

Friends coming for lunch

This sweet plaque was given to me by a dear friend some years ago and hangs where all can see  when they come to our front door. We have had many people from all walks of life come to our home over the years and our prayer is that they feel loved and welcomed.  Tomorrow the ladies from my Bible study will be coming for lunch.  I have been working to make everything nice for their arrival.  But most of all I hope they feel the peace of God when they enter my home.  
I look forward to a fun time of visiting while we eat the salads and desserts they are bringing.


Here is my salad:

Fruity Spring Mix Salad
   ~Southern Living

1 head Bibb lettuce, torn
*10 ounce gourmet mixed salad greens
2 C. fresh chopped pineapple (1-in cubes)
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained and chilled
16 green or red seedless grapes, cut in half lengthwise
Sweet-Hot Vinaigrette
Sugared Almonds

Toss first 6 ingredients together in a large glass bowl. Drizzle evenly with Sweet-Hot Vinaigrette and sprinkle with Sugared Almonds.
*10 cups, loosely packed and torn, of your favorite salad greens may be substituted.

Sweet-Hot Vinaigrette

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

Whisk together all ingredients. Cover;chill 30 min.

Sugared Almonds

1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar

Stir together all ingredients in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, 10 minutes or until golden. Spread mixture in an even layer on lightly greased wax paper, and let cool 20 minutes. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

Who doesn't like a new recipe that tastes good?  My daughter Stacy and her husband both enjoy cooking.  She posted  a new recipe she recently tried on her blog.  She said it tasted GOOD!   I am looking forward to trying it.  I hope you will visit her blog and see if it is something you would like! Sweeter Things 

Muffins...

Tomorrow is my turn to bring snack for our Ladies Bible Study.  I made two new recipes.  I hope you enjoy them.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

3 1/4 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1 C. milk
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/4 C. poppy seeds
2 T. lemon juice

2 t. lemon rind

2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

Using an electric mixer, mix together at low speed.

Bake in muffin tins at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or bake in four small loaf pans for about *45 minutes.

*As you can see from the picture, I baked mine in small loaf pans but they were done before 45 minutes.  I would check them at 30 minutes and if not done continue to check every 5 minutes.

Raspberry Crumble Muffins
          ~~from the cookbook 1 Mix, 100 Muffins

2 C. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
heaping 1/2 C. superfine sugar (didn't have so used reg.)
2 large eggs
1 C. plain yogurt
6 T. sunflower oil or melted, cooled butter
1 t. vanilla extract
scant 1 C. frozen raspberries

Crumble Topping

1/2 C. flour
3 T. butter
2 T. superfine sugar

Make crumble topping and set aside.  Put the flour into a bowl.  cut the butter into small pieces, add with the flour and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.
Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the yogurt, oil and vanilla extract.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the beaten liquid ingredients and add the raspberries.  Stir gently until just combined;do not overmix.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pan (greased or paper liners).  Scatter the crumble topping over each muffin and press down lightly.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch.

Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or let cool completely.