Turning Sixty

The trumpets didn't sound, the band didn't play, there wasn't even a big party, but I did turn sixty on Saturday.  It was a most comforting weekend filled with surprises, lots of laughs, great hugs and lots of juicy kisses. 

I visited or talked to most of my family and friends over the weekend and spent two lazy days of being spoiled!  Mu daughter in law baked my favorite brownies and my special friend brought me a cake topped with a little old gray haired lady soaking up the sun and the cutest glasses she decorated.  She even painted the sunbathing lady's hair silver to match mine! 

I enjoyed the fruits of my life though my children, grandchildren, husband and friends.  I have not accomplished all I had intended, but I am not through yet! 

Thank you all for remembering me on my birthday and making it such a memorable occasion. 

Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

My Pleasure

Hubby and I had the honor of hosting a boy scout troop this weekend.  Five young men and their leaders camped in the edge of the woods in back of our home.  They were most pleasant and very well mannered.  They did their "boy scout camping" stuff and we shared some of their free time.  A thank you is not enough to express our gratitude to them for sharing allowing us to spend this last weekend before school starts back with them.  Being pre-teen boys, hubby and I were unsure what we would encounter with these boys, but they reaffirmed our faith in the youth of today and the leaders of tomorrow.  Thank you guys!

Saturday was a full day of a swimming birthday party.  Our youngest granddaughter turned four this past week.  The pool was filled with laughter and squeals as her friends and family all splashed away in the pool.  In these long hot dog days of summer there is no better place to entertain so many little ones so effortless.  Her maternal grandmother arrived with a splendid birthday cake that brought out the oohs and aahs of little ones and adults alike and sure brought a fantastic smile to the birthday girl.  The three tiered pink cake topped with a crown and trimmed to the nines was beautiful and it was all eatable.  This very talented lady's creations never cease to amaze me.  Granddads, grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends all gathered to celebrate this one of a kind princess.  

Sunday morning found me and hubby rocking on the porch with our coffee and our thoughts of a wonderful weekend.  The house was awfully quiet with only the son-in-law left with us.  Tired, but happy, we rocked, talked, and relaxed.  We do realize we can no longer have this kind of weekend every week, but we sure do enjoy those that come along once in a while. 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time . . .

Happy reading!

Belle

Better Than Sex Cake

Laugh, go ahead laugh! If you think it can't be true, try it out!

1 stick margarine
1 cup pecans
1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg

Mix thoroughly. Press into an oven safe dish.

1 box confectioner's sugar
2 eggs
1 pkg 8 oz. cream cheese

Mix well on medium until smooth. Pour over cake mix crust.

Bake for 35 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Nut Bars

1 3/4 cups corn flake crumbs
1 pkg 6 oz semisweet chocolate bits
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 can 15 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 can 3 1/2 oz flaked coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
powdered sugar (optional)

In large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except the powdered sugar. Spread mixture into a 11" x x7" greased baking pan or dish. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars when cool.

Bourbon Balls - Rum Balls

I have several recipes for bourbon or rum balls and a recipe for bourbon bars. The only difference in bourbon balls and rum balls is the type of liquor used in the making. Which brings to mind a story about my mother. She is and has always been a teetotaller. No alcohol shall pass her lips until she discovered bourbon balls. The first time she made them she gave one of the guys the money to get her a bottle of bourbon. She would never be seen at the liqour store! A few years later she and Dad were the only ones at home and she had no one to get her bourbon for her bourbon balls. She went through the drive-thru window, got her bottle and headed home. Of course I am sure she had neck problems for days, trying to see who might have seen her at the sinful liquor store. We teased her for a long time about going to the liquor store, until one day I ask who picked up her bottle. She proudly announced she had gotten it herself! Times do change and so do people, but the only liquor to pass my mother's lips is in the form of bourbon balls.

Bourbon Balls

2 tblsp cocoa
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tblsp light corn syrup
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, sift together cocoa and 1 cup powdered sugar. In another bowl mix bourbon and corn syrup. Pour bourbon/corn syrup mix into sugar/cocoa mix. Add vanilla wafer crumbs and nuts. Mix well.

Form into small balls; dust with powdered sugar. Allow to dry. Store in covered time or freeze until ready to serve.

Boozy Bourbon Balls

1 pkg 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbls light corn syrup
1/2 cup bourbon
2 1/2 cup finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Sifted powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water (lightly boiling). Stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and corn syrup. Add bourbon and blend well. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and chopped nuts in a large bowl. Add chocolate mixture and mix well. Form into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place in an airtight tin and let sit for several days to ripen.

Bourbon Bars

1 pkg 18.5 oz yellow cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp gound nutmeg
1/2 cup corn oil
1/2 cup bourbon
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
2 cups chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, put cake mix, sugar, nutmeg, oil, bourbon and egg yolks. Mix on low speed until moist. Then beat on medium speed until well mixed.

Beat egg whites until they form very stiff peaks. Fold into cake mix. Stir pecans into mix. Pour and spread mix into a greased 15" x 10" x 2" jellyroll pan (or a 9" x 13" cake pan) and bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until top springs back to touch. Cool before cutting.

Jelly Roll

The secret is in the roll dough, the rest is just jam!

Tip: Cake Flour is not the same as all-purpose or plain flour. It is processed differently and has a finer consistency than plain flour.

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 2/3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Into a mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large mixing bowl beat eggs until thick and lemon colored; add milk and beat thoroughly. Fold in flour into the milk and egg mixture a little at a time. Add vanilla and stir. Spread the batter in 15 1/2" x 10 1/2" x 1" oven proof pan or dish lined with greased wax paper. Bake about 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Turn cake out onto wax paper or a kitchen towel sprinkled with superfine or confectioners sugar. Remove wax paper from the back of the cake quickly. Cut off crisp edges of the cake. Roll cake with towel inside immediately, let stand 10 minutes to cool. Unroll. Spread jelly or jam, roll cake back up and dust top with confectioner's or superfine sugar. Slice into 1/2 inch sections.

Ice Box Fruitcake

Grandmother's favorite Christmas cake - and everyone else's too! Not too sweet, tasty and easy to make.

1 1 lb box of graham crackers or 1 13.5oz box of graham crumbs
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 box Dark raisins
1 jar Maraschino cherries, drained
2 cups Chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, crush Graham Crackers into crumbs, add Eagle Brand Milk, raisins, cherries, and pecans. Mix thoroughly. Press mixture into loaf dish or pan and refrigerate for 4 hours. Cut and serve.

Apple Crisp

Another tasty treat from my dear sister! Crumb cake from heaven!

4 cups pared and sliced tart apples - Cherry pie filling can be used but reduce sugar to 1/2 cup.
2/3 - 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats (oatmeal - not instant)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup butter or margarine softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Grease square (8x8) oven proof pan. Place apple slices in pan. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm. Delicious with light cream, whipped cream or ice cream.

Chewy Squares

This recipe is from my sister. I think she came by it from a grandmother on her husbands side. Anyway, it is delicious.

Mix 1 2/3 sticks margarine (softened) and 1 box light brown sugar in a large bowl.

Add 3 eggs, beat well.

Add 1 3/4 cups self rising flour - beat well.

Add 5 tablespoons vanilla flavoring and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Mix well. Pour into a 9 1/2" x 13" oblong greased pan or oven safe dish. Place in preheated 300 degree oven for approximately 50-60 minutes.

Try to wait until cooled to eat!

Monkey Bread

An easy and filling hot breakfast bread which the kids will love! Perfect for those coming in from the snow!

4 - 10 count cans of refrigerator biscuits
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

Grease tube cake pan then sprinkle bottom with chopped nuts. Cut each biscuit dough section into quarters (4 pieces) placing pieces in tube cake pan. Melt butter, then mix in sugar and cinnamon. Pour butter, sugar, cinnamon mixture over the biscuit pieces making sure all is covered. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. When done, invert onto plate and EAT!

For extra gooey sweetness, dip monkey bread pieces in warmed syrup.

Grandmother's Chocolate Pound Cake

This cake is so rich and so heavy and so-o-o-o good!

1/2 lb butter or margarine
1/2 cup crisco (shortening)
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 cup sweet milk (now known as whole milk)
3 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Per Grandmother Harmon's directions - Mix well adding eggs one at a time to mixture of creamed butter and additional ingredients.

How to do it - cream butter, crisco, and sugar until well mixed. Slowly add flour cocoa, baking powder and vanilla. When well blended add eggs one at a time mixing well between eggs. Bake at 350 degrees until done - usually takes about an hour.

I would like to add a note - I would pull a chair up to watch Grandmother cook. She talked to me the whole time she was working and never told me I was in the way, unless I got too close to the stove. She wrote down her recipes, but she knew I would remember the steps to putting it all together and as I typed this, I realized she was right. I felt as if I was standing in that chair watching her work and talk.

Thanks Grandma, I love you!

Mama Cook's 1-2-3-4 Cake

Can you tell I have been cooking - or thinking about it? This is a basic cake recipe handed down for many generations.

1 cup milk
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
4 eggs
1 cup of butter

Mix well - beat on high for about 3 minutes. Bake at 300 degrees until springs to touch.

These old recipes based "mixing" and "cooking" on common sense. Mix well means mixed until ingredients are thoroughly combined but not until the bubbles are frothing. Cook until down or springs to the touch - toothpick in center comes out clean. The women of yesteryear didn't care a whit whether the enzymes had broken down. They just tried to feed their families tasty and filling food. I don't have a clue as to the fat, sugar, protein, or cholesterol content is and really don't care. This cake is good!