Grammie's Cake

One of the desserts I made for Thanksgiving we simply call

"Grammie's Cake".

Quite simply, because it was my Grammie's cake.

She loved to make it!

Others that make it, that are not related to me, call it

"Grammie's Cake".

It is just that kind of a cake,

that has a life of its own.

I apologize that the pictures do not do it justice. It is delicious. VERY. It is also SO easy to make. Now, admittedly, my Grammie would have made her own Angel Food cake. I buy one already made. And while we are on that topic, have you noticed how much smaller the Angel Food cakes are than they used to be?  It use to be when I made this cake it looked more dramatic and beautiful because so much of the middle was gone and filled back in. Now there is hardly any middle at all to take out and fill back in!! 

My Grammie

often made this cake in a large loaf pan. 

I will give you the recipe, then the ideas:

GRAMMIE'S CAKE

1 Angel Food cake

12 oz. chocolate chips

4 eggs (separated)

1 pint of whipping cream

2 T. sugar

1 cup nuts (optional)

Melt the chocolate chips in heavy pan or double-boiler. Add well beaten egg yolks. Stir constantly so that your eggs do not scramble!  Let cool.

Then FOLD in beaten whites of the eggs.

Whip the whipping cream with the sugar until thicker and stiffer.

Fold in the whipping cream till all is well mixed.

If you are adding the nuts, mix them in at this stage.

HERE is where you can use the cake two different ways:

If you use the angel food cake, then cut the top off.

Pull out the insides, leaving the walls on both sides as well as the bottom.

Fill it back up with the chocolate mixture and put the top back on.

Put it in the icebox to cool. Put the rest of the mixture in the icebox to cool.

It will thicken quickly.

After it has thickened, use the rest of the mixture to 'ice' the cake.

You will still have chocolate mixture, I add this to the innards I took out of the cake

and put it in a bowl with the chocolate and hide it from everyone else.

Then my Hubby and I enjoy it later without having to share!

The (premade) angel food cakes are so small now, that I think

this recipe is almost enough 'goop' for two cakes!

OR

you can do as my Grammie often did

and

she tore the entire angel food cake into pieces.  She

folded in the chocolate mixture

and put the entire cake

into a big loaf pan.

Either way you choose to do the cake

let it cool

and when you cut it

you will get 'oohs and aahs'

but most of all...

RAVE reviews.

It will quickly become a

"Will you make Grammie's cake?" kind of favorite!

Enjoy

Postcards and Memories, Pictures that you gave to Me

I saw the miniature bottle brush trees and I knew exactly where I could put them. 

 We have a little shelf in the hallway that is an homage to our home in Kansas. On the shelf sits a picture of our former home when it was built over 135 years ago. It was given to me by the descendants of the home's first owners. The little picture on the shelf is the front porch during the last summer we were there. The bullseyes are actually from the house. As we remodeled (yes, we did keep all the old woodwork intact) we sometimes took out old doors or windows and I saved each and every piece of old trim. The little metal truck was found by my boys when they were very little and digging in the yard. 

  

So I bought a couple of little trees and set them on the shelf................. Then after I took the pics, I took the little tree and put it in the back of the truck. Cute either way!

 The three pictures on the side are all old posters about Hiawatha. (The name of the town we lived in for 17 years.) Only the top poster is actually about Hiawatha, Kansas. The other two are just old posters with the name Hiawatha in the name. Regardless, every time we walk down the hall we are reminded of the house and town where we lived and raised our family. Now with little effort and a few Christmas decorations, it looks even cuter!

Woof Woof----A Puppy Chow twist!

I know we are all still recovering from our Thanksgiving feasts, but it is Sunday afternoon..... and there is football on TV....and lots of great Christmas movies. So, I figured why not suggest a little treat?  This treat is so easy to make and will get you through the holiday season when you find yourself in a pinch. I know we have all made Puppy Chow many times, but I thought I would share what I do a little differently.

I melt an entire bag of chocolate chips AND an entire bag of butterscotch chips and then pour over my rice cereal. I do not use butter or peanut butter. Just a bag of chocolate and butterscotch chips. I then toss it on my rice cereal till it is all coated. Then I pour the entire 'mess' into a plastic grocery store bag.  I put powdered sugar into the grocery store bag as well, then shake. And shake. And make sure it is all coated. If it needs more powdered sugar I add more. :) Then I bag it up for treats....or put it in a big bowl and watch it disappear!!!  Just some friendly little suggestions and tips for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Enjoy!!

Just Being.........

I have enjoyed spending the week with my children and family. There is nothing better than relaxing, enjoying the break from work, enjoying the holidays and spending it with my children. I've got some new recipes and blog posts in the works! Hope you are enjoying your long weekend as well....
 

Dressing up your Thanksgiving Table.....The best DRESSING of all time!

My second favorite recipe of the day is from my own grandmother.  It is her dressing recipe that we use on Thanksgiving...and Christmas.I have had lots of different dressings in my life....some that I liked and some...well...let's just say not so much. But every single time I come back to my Grammie's recipe. It is perfect. It is easy. It makes my mouth water (literally) just writing about it.

The recipe written out in my grandmother's own writing. If she were alive today, she would be 120.

CORNBREAD DRESSING  

4 qts. Day old bread. (I usually toast about three of four loaves of bread for the same effect)

1 large pan (cake pan size) of cornbread (I usually make three boxes of Jiffy cornbread)

1/3 cup milk

1 stick butter

1 large onion, chopped/minced

½ -1 cup celery, chopped

2 tsp. sage

salt to taste

pepper to taste

chicken or turkey broth (canned is fine)

Tear the bread into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Crumble cornbread into the bowl. Add sage. Add salt and pepper. Pour milk over the bread and toss around trying to get it all somewhat wet (moist).


Saute’ onion and celery in butter until the veggies appear tender (about 5 minutes).

Combine onion and celery with breads in mixing bowl. Mix lightly.


Add enough chicken broth until the mixture is like a thick batter. I use my fingers here and just dig in and get it all smooshed up. It will be sticky but thick and moist.


Put it into a greased (big) cake pan. Cover with foil. Bake about 45 minutes at 350. Take the foil off the last 15 minutes.

This is not an exact science. You can ‘play’ with the recipe and it will still work. It is very delicious. It is even better warmed up the next day!

Upper Crust--(As in the best recipes!)

My plan is to post two recipes today. The two recipes are among my favorite recipes of all time. Hopefully they get to you before you make out your final Thanksgiving dinner list.
The first recipe is for Pineapple Chiffon Pie. I do not claim to be any kind of pie-maker by any stretch of the imagination. But simply put, we do not have Thanksgiving without two of these pies on the dessert table. (Why two?  Because one is not enough!)

My whole family loves this pie.

My extended family loves this pie.

 And as most great recipes and foods go

there are great memories

behind this pie.

 The recipe comes to me from my best friend's grandmother.

My best friend while growing up, lived across the street from me.

I have little doubt that there was

probably a rut

in the asphalt

that separated our houses.

What was equally as wonderful

was that my best friend's 

grandmother 

lived next door to my best friend...

therefore making it across 

the street

from me as well! 

Even better....

Her grandmother cooked a hot meal

every.single.day.

at noon.

And if I was hanging out with 

my best friend,

then I got to eat at Ruby's as well.

Believe me, 

I spent many, many a noon meal

in Ruby's kitchen.

And she was one of the World's Greatest Cooks!



(Don't be afraid to make mini-pies as well. I love mini food...Then you don't realize you are eating so much! ha!)

With this little bit of

background knowledge,

you have to know

that you will LOVE this pie...

and make it a family favorite as well.

Pineapple Chiffon Pie

(or I simply say Pineapple Pie)

1 pie crust--already baked

1 1/2 C. milk

2 T. (heaping) flour

3/4 C. drained crushed pineapple

3/4 C. sugar

2 eggs separated

Put milk on to heat. Mix sugar and flour together. Add this to the hot milk, stirring constantly and well.

Stir in beaten egg yolks.

Stir constantly, so the yolks stay smooth.

Bring to a soft boil and continue until the mixture thickens.

This will take about 7 minutes. 

Believe me, the end result is worth it. Keep stirring...or whisking (which is what I use).

Remove from heat and add drained pineapple.

Stir. While this mixture is cooling,

beat the egg whites until thick and frothy.

FOLD in the egg whites. (The FOLDing is important so the pie stays light and fluffy).

Pour into baked pie crust.

Refrigerate until cool.

Before serving top with Whipped Cream.

Hide the second pie you make from everyone else!

Enjoy!!!

Believe me...you will!





A LOTTA Chocolate Bars.......

I have not done a lot of chocolate recipes in this 

recipe jaunt I have been on. But today and yesterday will

certainly make up for that.

Both are very chocolate! BUT both are super fast and easy...

does that make up for it? 

Chocolate Chocolate A Lotta Chocolate!

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 cup butter
• 2 (12 ounce) bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup nuts, chopped 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (12 ounce) bag milk chocolate chips

  CRUST: Combine Flour,Sugar,Cocoa,and Butter. 

Mixture will be crumbly.

Press firmly into a 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

1. In saucepan combine both pkgs of semi-sweet Choc Chips,Vanilla, Milk,and nuts.
2.  Stir until well melted. Pour over prepared crust. 
3. Sprinkle Milk Chocolate chips on top and press on to top of filling. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes
4. ENJOY!!

Tree of Thanksgiving..........

Last year I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for my family.

Beside the front door, before the guests could

even get into my house,

was my (well-used and versatile) twig tree.

Beside it was a basket of blank tags and various pens.

Guests wrote one, two, three...or more

things they were thankful for

on the 

tags.

They then hung them on the tree.

Even my young niece that was in kindergarten

managed to fill out several tags.

At the end of the evening,

we brought in the

Tree of Thanksgiving

and read each

blessing aloud.

This brought about many 

additional 

gratitudes, compliments, memories and agreements.

This year I will once again 

host Thanksgiving.

The tree is ready,

as are the new tags.

And the old tags have a special 

place of honor as well.

What can you have waiting

on your guests

to document all those blessings?

Choc -- o -----late (said with a French accent!)

This recipe is for anyone that is capable of reading. Really. Literally, anyone can make this. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law. My husband likes to give her a hard time about her 'easy' pie recipes. Nevertheless, this is a great recipe that you will love. It is probably the fastest and easiest recipe I have. Not to mention it tastes great.

Ingredients:

Crust--

You can use a pre-made graham cracker crust OR

1 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers

5 Tbs. melted butter

Filling--

7 -- 1.5 Hershey Bars with almond

1- 8 oz. container Cool Whip

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the melted butter and cracker crumbs in a small bowl.

Press into pie pan. Use the back of a spoon to shape it into bowl.

Break all the Hershey bars into small pieces. Place in microwave bowl.

Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals. Stir. Melt again.

Melt for 30 seconds and stir until all is melted.

When all your chocolate is melted, fold in the Cool Whip.

When the TWO ingredients of the pie are mixed well, 

pour it into the crust.

If you want to make chocolate curls, then have one extra 

candy bar handy (without nuts).

Using a potato peeler, scrape straight down the long side of the

candy bar until you have all the curls you want.

Put the pie into the fridge for several hours.

If you want to top with additional

Cool Whip

and/or

hot fudge topping (!!!!)

feel free!

****One more note---WHEN you make this for Thanksgiving...or anytime..

don't tell all the people that give you compliments

that there are ONLY TWO INGREDIENTS!!!

ENJOY! 

Hello Jello(s)!!

I did not really mean to take the day off yesterday, but I could not, for the life of me, get Blogger to cooperate. So to make it up, I will post yesterdays recipes as well as todays. It will be the day of many posts!
With that in mind, I am putting up two strawberry jellos. They are easy to make and delicious to eat. You will not go wrong with either. In fact, I make both of them for Thanksgivng. (Yep, I'm nothing if not creative!)

                                        Strawberry Applesauce Jello

                                                                    INGREDIENTS:

1 large box strawberry or strawberry/banana jello

1 jar applesauce (regular size jar)

1 can crushed pineapple (regular size)

7-Up

Dissolve 1 large box of Strawberry (or Strawberry/Banana) Jello

with a jar of applesauce (in a saucepan) over low heat.

When the jello is thinned out (you will be able to see this as it disolves)

take from heat.

Add one can of crushed (drained) pineapple.

Stir well.

To this add about 2 cups of 7-Up.

(If I don't have 7-Up or Sprite, I add Mt. Dew or Diet Mt. Dew)

Stir well.

Put in whatever container you choose.

Put in fridge till firm.

Strawberry Sour Cream Jello

INGREDIENTS

1 large box strawberry or strawberry/banana jello

2 C. boiling water

1 lb. strawberries

1 small can pineapple (drained)

Sour cream

Mix all and let set. Before serving add sour cream to the top.

I like to put mine in a compote bowl and add layers. Therefore, you have to let the first layer set up some, add the sour cream then put another layer on, let it set up, add the sour cream, then put the final layer on.

If you make this the day before, then it is no problem.

With both of these jellos I frequently make double the amount shown.

Good to the last drop bite!

Pecan Pie Bars .......to make and take!

If you are a pecan pie lover, then you will be a pecan pie bar lover. Quick and easy. (Do you notice a pattern in the recipes I have put on here?)

I have one more pecan pie(plus a little something else!) recipe that I am going to try out this weekend....and hopefully share with you. In the meantime, you can make the Pecan Pie Bars and freeze them until you need them. As always....................Enjoy!!

Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, cut up

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl; cut in 3/4 cup butter thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture resembles very fine crumbs. Press mixture evenly into a greased 13" x 9" pan, using a piece of plastic wrap to press crumb mixture firmly in pan. Bake at 350° for 17 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

 

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently. Remove from heat. Stir one-fourth of hot mixture into beaten eggs; add to remaining hot mixture. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour filling over crust. Bake at 350° for 34 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2-3 hours. Cut into bars.

Sunday Supper with family ............

A Sunday supper during the harvest months. Not my Thanksgiving table, but decorated enough for a nice family get-together.

Lots of "earthy" elements.

Candles added as it got darker.

The dessert table before it was weighted down with goodness!

The "kids" table. (Doesn't everyone have a kids table?)

I have linked this with Susan. Check out the unbelievable

tables for the week.

Whoooooopie!! It's Pumpkin Whoopie Pie, oh my!

 Remember yesterday when you used half of a can of pumpkin to make mini pumpkin cheesecakes?

 Well today I'll let you use the other half of the can of pumpkin......that is unless you made TWO batches of mini pumpkin cheesecakes! In that case, you will need to open a new can of pumpkin. This recipe is for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies! Oh my!! 

 And to be quite honest with you, I was trying to make several recipes to use for this week. But, I had somewhere I had to be and I was running short on time. My pan that I used for my whoopie pies only lets me make six whoopies at once (which translates in to three pies)...so in the interest of time, I put the rest of the batter into mini muffin pans. (No, not the mini cheesecake pans, just regular mini muffin pans. Then when they were done (and cooled), I split them open and put the filling in them, making them mini-muffin-whoopie-pies! Oh my! And, actually, they were quite the hit. I guess it is another "necessity is the mother of invention" ideas. People liked them that they were bite sized and could be popped into their mouth. AND, just a pop here and a pop there and they don't realize they have eaten as much as....or even more!!!!....than a regular-sized whoopie pie! Oh my!!

And, you can tell from the pics, that I was in a hurry. I slathered that cream filling in the middle as fast as I could. I will be more precise next time. BUT it certainly did not stop anyone from eating them! Pictured above is one of the larger Whoopies! I used a specific pan to make the big Whoopies. I am sure you could also just blob the dough down as in cookie dough and use that as well. Like I said, the mini whoopies are from a mini muffin pan. I will give a link at the bottom of the recipe for my Whoopie pan. The recipe is quicko quicko. They are meant to be fast and easy and ready to eat in a short amount of time. As always, enjoy!!  Enjoy!!
For the Cakes:

PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIE

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup of unsalted butter, softened

¼ cups granulated sugar

¾ cups dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup of pure solid pumpkin

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz of cream cheese, softened

4 ounces of unsaled bitter, softened

2 cups of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 tablespoon of milk

To Make the Cakes:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 Mix together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined and fluffy; about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until they are mixed well. Add vanilla and pumpkin until combined.

 In a separate bowl, combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
Sift and stir into the pumpkin mixture until combined.

Put two large tablespoons of mixture in each of the places on the whoopie pan OR

 On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop two rounded tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture. OR

use a mini muffin pan!! 

 Bake for 11-13 minutes until cake bounces back to the touch.

 Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes and move to cooling rack to cool completely.

To Make the Frosting: 

 

 Beat together cream cheese, vanilla, and butter until mixed completely.

 Slowly add powdered sugar until incorporated with cream cheese mixture.

 Mix in cinnamon and slowly add the milk until filling is light and fluffy.

Put the filling in on the bottom of one whoopie pie and put another whoopie

on top for a whoopie pie!

OR

split your mini muffins and do the frosting overload!

That cinnamon in the frosting is SO good!

Whoopie Pie Pan (mine only holds six. I really need this one. It is double the size!)