The Cole-inary Artists

Horiatiki Salata (Greek Country Salad)

2011-08-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

Jeff found this recipe in Another Trip Around the World. I appreciated Jeff's assistance in preparing this recipe for Jeanette and Judy's birthday meal.

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, sliced in thin rings
1 yellow or red pepper, sliced in thin rings
1 mild onion, chopped
salt and pepper
4 T. olive oil
5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
15 or more black olives
1 small bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped
1 t. dried oregano

Directions:
Place vegetables in a bowl, then sprinkle
them with salt, pepper, and olive oil. toss well.
Arrange the feta cheese, olives, and herbs on top.

Pan de Jamon--Venezuelan Ham Bread

2011-08-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

Jeffrey found this recipe in one of his schoolbooks, Another Trip Around the World. He helped me prepare this recipe for Jeanette's and Judy's birthday meal.

Pan de Jamon-Venezuelan Ham Bread

Ingredients:
canned pizza crust, or prepared from scratch
butter
1 package of ham slices
1/2 c. chopped green olives
1/2 c. raisins
egg white, optional

Directions:
Spread the pizza crust onto a clean, flat surface.
Spread the crust evenly with butter or margarine.
Place ham slices over the butter or margarine.
Sprinkle with olives and raisins. Roll up the crust
and flatten the ends. Brush rolled crust with the
egg white. Place in a bread pan, or on a flat sheet,
seam side down. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Jewish Cheese Blintzes

2011-05-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to be a part of a missions conference during the last week. On Sunday evening, we partook of a feast of goodies at the missions banquet. I helped with the Israeli table.

Here is one of the recipes I made. I didn't bring any of these home with me; the family was a bit sad. I told them I would make some more of this recipe soon.

Blintzes:

Ingredients:
4 large beaten eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 pound farmers cheese
1 T. melted butter
1 large egg yolk
2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. sugar or more to taste

Preparation:
1. To make the blintzes, beat together all the blintz ingredients and let the batter rest for at least a half hour. Heat a small skillet (about 7 inches) and add a pat of butter. Pour about 1/4 c. batter into the pan and swirl it around, pouring off excess. Don't let it brown. Flip and cook the other side for a few seconds. Then turn blintz out onto a towel. Repeat with remaining batter and pats of butter.

2. To make the filling, mix together all the filling ingredients in a large bowl.

3. To assemble, place 1 blintz on a work surface and place 1 T. on top. Fold envelope style and roll up. continue with remaining blintzes and filling.

4. Fry filled blintzes in butter until golden brown. Serve with sour cream and/ or fruit toppings.

Makes 2 dozen.

Blueberry Orange Muffins

2011-04-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

I made these muffins a while back and they were delicious. A really yummy twist on traditional blueberry muffins.

Combine and soak for about 10 minutes:
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal
1 cup orange juice

Meanwhile, combine the following:
3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar

In a separate bowl, combine:
1 cup oil
3 eggs

Add oil and eggs to oatmeal and orange juice mixture and mix well.

Add flour mixture and mix until combined, but do not over-mix.

Stir in the following:
1 ½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon orange zest
½ cup chopped walnuts

Spoon into prepared muffin tins (I used jumbo, but you could use regular or even mini, if you prefer).

Combine the following and sprinkle on top of the muffins:
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bake @375 for 25-30 minutes if using jumbo muffin tins or 400 for 15 minutes if using regular muffin tins.

Homemade (Gluten-Free) Chicken Nuggets

2011-03-07T18:30:00.001-08:00

For some reason, my kids have not been too fond of chicken lately (unless it is a plain old roaster). But after the miracle of getting them to eat fish because it was breaded, I figured it was high time to try some breaded chicken: more specifically, chicken nuggets. I tried once and was fairly satisfied, but my second attempt made me quite happy. Obviously my version is gluten-free, but I imagine the recipe would work about the same if wheat flour was used in place of the rice flour.

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts (enough chicken to make 15-20 nuggets)

1/4 c. milk (or water)

1 tbs. lemon juice

1 egg

1/4 c. cornmeal

1/4 c. brown rice flour

1 tsp. cajun seasoning*

1/2 tsp. salt

vegetable or canola oil for frying

Directions:

1. Mix milk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Chop chicken into standard nugget-size pieces.

3. In another small bowl, mix cornmeal, rice flour, seasoning, and salt.

4. Beat egg into milk mixture until well blended. With each chicken piece, dip into milk mixture, shaking off excess, then coat with flour mixture.

5. In a large frying pan, pour enough oil to coat bottom of pan with about 1/8 in. oil. Heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken nuggets and fry for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Set on paper towels to drain. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Note: if you are making more than one batches, you will not necessarily need to multiply the milk/egg mixture ingredients. I made 3 batches, there was just enough milk mixture to cover all three. If you are making only 1-2 recipes, you could probably use less milk... it just might make the breading a little more egg-y.

* I make my own mix with the recipe found here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creole-Seasoning-Blend/Detail.aspx. (I use black pepper instead of white, and I leave out the cayenne pepper because it is too spicy for my kids, but it is a nice kick for a more grown-up palate.)

Oh, and by the way, the girls loved the chicken nuggets... almost as much as I did. ;-)

Tofu Stir Fry

2011-02-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

In the interest of keeping my participation on this blog alive... or perhaps just because I'm excited about this recipe... here is a new post from me. :-)

I have don't know that I'd ever even tasted tofu before I was married. My family's main courses, and my own thereafter, usually included a healthy portion of meat (usually beef or chicken). I have recently been exploring the idea of eating for your blood type, and I thought we were doing pretty good, since I knew I and at least 2 of the girls were Type O, which are good with eating a lot of meat. A few months ago, however, we discovered that Jeremy is Type A. And (of course!) Type A's don't digest meat very well, and do well with a low meat or even vegetarian diet. Lovely.

So, I have been endeavoring to expand my horizons and create a few meatless dishes, and as I result, I have been exploring the world of tofu. And to my surprise, it is actually not that bad. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a satisfactory recipe that is both gluten-free and dairy-free but is NOT a stir-fry. So... I've been doing a lot of stir-fry. :-)

I have tried a few stir-fry recipes, but I usually have to modify them to some degree to suit my tastes (usually by adding more veggies and often more sauce). Stir-fry is kind of free-form by nature, but I like to have an actual recipe on hand to help me plan and keep me from getting too confused... and that doesn't work so well when you're modifying everything. So since I seem to be so picky, I decided to try my hand at making up my own recipe last night. And I have to say, I liked it better than any of the other recipes I've tried so far. So here you are... (Please note I did not keep exact track of frying time, but I think you are all good enough cooks to figure this out.)

Jessica's Tofu Stir Fry

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. pack firm tofu, chopped into bite-size pieces*

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 1 head fresh broccoli (about 1.5 c.), chopped into bite-size pieces

* 2 medium carrots, sliced

* 1 large onion, sliced

* 1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced

* 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

* 1/4 c. wine (I used white, but will probably use red next time for more flavor)

* 2 tbs. soy sauce

* 1/2 tsp. ginger

* 2-3 tbs. olive and/or sesame oil (I used about half and half)

* 1/2 c. water

* 1 cube chicken bouillon or 1 tsp. granules

* 2 tbs. cornstarch

* 2 tbs. water

Directions:

1. Heat 1-2 tbs. oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, till tender. Add broccoli and carrots. Fry for 4-5 minutes, until beginning to get slightly tender. Add onions and fry for about 3 more minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini and fry a few more minutes.

2. Mix together wine, soy sauce, and ginger. Add to veggies and simmer until veggies are all fairly tender.

3. Meanwhile, heat another 1/2 to 1 tbs. oil in a medium saucepan. Fry tofu for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Dissolve chicken bouillon or granules in 1/2 c. water. Add to tofu and simmer for about 3 minutes.

4. Add tofu mixture to veggie mixture. Combine 2 tsp. cornstarch with equal part water, and whisk with a fork till smooth. Add to tofu and veggies, stir well. Cook for 1-2 more minutes until sauce begins to thicken slightly. Serve over brown rice.

Makes about 6 servings.

*Tofu works a little better if it is set out to dry on a stack of paper towels for a while. I did this while I was chopping my veggies, and it worked fine.

Note: I thought it could use maybe just a tad more soy sauce, but it depends on your preference. You can always splash it on at the end, anyway.

If any of you try this, let me know how you liked it and if you come up with any improvements!

Southern Cheese Grits Casserole

2010-10-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

In our geography studies this year, Jeff will be preparing recipes from a variety of countries around the world. His first entry is below, a favorite of the southern states of the USA.

Southern Cheese Grits Casserole

Ingredients:
6 cups water
2 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. quick-cooking grits
1/2 c. butter
1 cup cheddar cheese
3 eggs, separated
paprika

Directions:
Combine the water and salt in a 4-qt. Dutch oven. Boil water and stir the grits in slowly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and cheese until melted. Stir in the eggs yolks; beat egg whites until stiff; fold into the cheese mixture and pout into a greased, 3 qt. casserole dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Serves about 12.

Grandma's Recipes

2010-09-22T18:20:00.001-07:00

I've been spending some time recently going through a recipe box of my mother's that contains both her recipes and my grandmother's recipes. Here are a few of them along with images of the actual hand-written recipes.

Aunt Alline's Broccoli
This recipe originated with my great aunt Alline, my grandmother's sister. I don't actually remember eating this one, but I was struck by the large amounts of butter/mayonaise/cheese. Truly a southern recipe. Paula Deen herself couldn't do much better.

1 box chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 small onion, sautéed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ c. mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar or American cheese
1 stick melted butter
1 c. Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix

1. Combine broccoli, onion, mushroom soup and mayonnaise. Pour in greased casserole dish.
2. Sprinkle cheese on top of broccoli mixture.
3. Combine melted butter and stuffing mix and pour on top of cheese.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Grandma's Squash Casserole
This recipe brings back a million childhood memories. This was one of my very favorite things Grandma used to make when we went to visit. I loved it.

4 large squash (Zucchini or yellow)
2 large onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 slices American cheese
1 c. ritz cracker crumbs

1. Cook onion and squash until tender.
2. Place ½ of squash mixture into baking dish.
3. Add cheese slices and then mushroom soup.
4. Add remaining squash mixture.
5. Top with cracker crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 until golden and bubbly.

Grandma's Banana Pudding
This recipe is my grandmother's recipe, but written down by my mother, so it is doubly special. One time when we went to Grandma's house, I remember sneaking to the fridge to see if she'd made banana pudding for us, and to my delight, she had!

1 5 ½ oz vanilla instant pudding mix
3 c. cold skim milk
2 c. whipped topping
50 Nilla wafers
4 large bananas

1. Prepare pudding as directed using 3 c. skim milk; fold in half of whipped topping.
2. Reserve 6 wafers and 1 banana. Slice remaining bananas.
3. Arrange a layer of wafers on the bottom of 2-qt round baking dish or bowl. Spread ¼ pudding over wafers; top with banana slices. Place wafers around sides of dish; continue layering wafers, pudding and bananas, ending with pudding.
4. Cover and chill 3 hours or until serving time. Slice remaining bananas. Garnish with banana slices, remaining 6 wafers and whipped topping.

8-10 servings.

Red Hot and Blue Potato Salad

2010-06-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

When I lived in Virginia, one of my favorite restaurants was Red Hot and Blue. They served Memphis-style barbeque - lots of smokey flavor, pulled pork sandwiches topped with coleslaw, sweet potato fries and key lime pie. Pretty much YUM. My favorite thing was their potato salad. It was unlike any potato salad I'd ever had before or since. I've tried to recreate it several times, but I could never quite figure it out. This weekend I came across a blog that had what it claimed was the official restaurant recipe, so I decided to try it. I altered the recipe slightly - I added sour cream in place of some of the mayonnaise. I'm so excited! This tastes exactly like what I remember.

5 lb. red potatoes
5 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (use green and white parts)
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sour cream
1/2 t. celery salt

Clean and boil the potatoes whole, skin on, until fork-tender. Drain, cool, and chop in large chunks.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Best if served at room temperature. Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

2010-05-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

I came across this recipe today in my stack of stuff. These are so easy to make and classic in every way.

Snickerdoodles

1 c. butter

1 1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 3/4 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

2 t. cream of tartar

1/4 t. salt

2 T. sugar

2 t. cinnamon

1. Cream butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy.

2. Gradually stir in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.

3. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Form cookie dough into walnut-size balls and roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Strawberry Pie

2010-04-25T13:49:00.001-07:00

This is a new recipe for me, but so far, it has received rave reviews. Try it - I guarantee you won't be sorry.

Strawberry Pie

1 8-oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup grenadine syrup (You can find grenadine syrup with drink mixers.)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled

1 9-inch baked pie shell (Graham cracker crust recipe is below.)

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl, whip cream until peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread over bottom of baked pie shell. Chill.

2. In a saucepan, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Add grenadine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, or until thickened. Allow to cool, then chill.

3. Just before serving, stir together strawberries and cooled cornstarch mixture until evenly coated. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

1. In a small bowl, combine the crumbs and sugar, add butter and blend well. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.

2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling, or bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

Another classic....

2010-03-17T19:31:00.001-07:00

I haven't made this one in a while, but I always get requests for the recipe when I do.

Apple Cobbler

1 1/2 cups butter

6 cups peeled and sliced tart apples (I usually use Macintosh or Granny Smith or a combination of the two.)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups + 1-2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup milk

2 eggs

3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat the oven to 375. Melt 1/2 cup of the butter and pour it into a 9x13 cake pan. Spread it evenly and arrange the apples over it. Mix 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar and sprinkle evenly over the apples. Set aside. Melt the remaining 1 cup butter in a small pan, remove from heat, add the milk and egg, and beat well. Mix the flour, baking powder, the remining 1 cup sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir in the milk and egg mixure and beat until smooth. Pour over the apples. Mix 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon with 1-2 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle over the top. Bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

What I made last night......

2010-03-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

Baked Enchiladas

2 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small jar mild or medium taco sauce
1 small can diced green chilies
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
18 medium flour tortillas, cut into quarters

1. Cook beef and onion until meat is done.
2. Mix soups, taco sauce, chilies, and milk together.
3. Line bottom of greased 13x9-inch pan with half of quartered tortillas.
4. Top with half of meat, half of sauce, and half of cheese.
5. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Top with additional layer of tortillas and shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

It's soup season......

2009-10-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of recipes I tried over the weekend. The Mexican-style Cornbread was amazing - I highly recommend it.

White Lightning Chicken Chili
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cans (15 ounces each) Great Northern beans, drained, rinsed and divided
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 can (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
2 Tablespoons Fajita seasoning mix
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, snipped

1. Chop onion and jalapeno peppers.
2. Drain 1 can of beans. Transfer to bowl. Gently squeeze garlic from papery skins into beans in bowl; mash. Drain remaining 2 cans of beans and set aside.
3. Heat oil in 6-Qt. Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno peppers; cook 4-5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken, mashed bean-garlic mixture, whole beans, chicken broth, seasoning mix and lime juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
4. Combine cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to chili and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Snip cilantro wth kitchen shears or chop. Stir into chili just before serving.

Yeild: 8 servings

Mexican-style cornbread
2 eggs
1/4 cup corn oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 large onion, chopped
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish or a cast iron skillet.
2. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Mix in corn oil and buttermilk. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese, creamed corn, onion, and jalapenos.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese on top.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until center is set and top is golden brown.

Recipes from Yesteryear

2009-09-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

We visited with Grandma Cole a few weeks ago, and attended the Hull picnic with her. Jane and Jonathan also came to be a part of the Hull celebration. (Jane took the picture with Joanna's camera:))

Enjoy the recipes that follow. The first one is from Grandma Cole.

Soft Ginger Cookies

2 c. molasses
1 c. lard
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T. ginger
2 eggs
3 1/2 t. soda dissolved in sour cream
Flour to make stiff dough
(start with 2 or 3 cups)
1 t. salt

To sour cream you can add 1 t. vinegar to 1/2 c. sour cream. You may omit 1 c. molasses and add 1 c. sugar; also uses 1 c. sour cream.

(Temperature and baking time are not included in the recipe. So a guess: 350 degrees for 10 minutes).

A recipe from Mrs. Sophie Cross. She resided in Mason City, Illinois. She was Grandpa Dunker's sister.

Sugar Cookies

2 pt. sugar
1 pt. lard
1 pt. sweet milk
4 eggs
4 level t. baking powder

Flavor; flour to mix soft; roll thin, bake quick.

(Another guess: 375 degrees for 7 minutes.)

Until later.

Chicken and Tater Recipes

2009-09-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Here are two more recipes that I enjoyed when I visited with Julie in June.

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (1 lemon, approx.)
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
chicken, cut into 6 pieces
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 t. grated lemon zest (1 lemon, approx.)

In a 9 x 13 pan, whisk the first 6 ingredients to blend. Whisk in the oil. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning chicken occasionally, for at least 2 hours or up to a day.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast chicken uncovered until just cooked through, about 45 minutes. Using tongs transfer chicken to a platter. Pour liquid into a saucepan; spoon off excess oil. Boil until liquid reduces by about 1/2 and thickens slightly, about 8 minutes.
Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle parsley and lemon zest over the chicken and serve. If the chicken gets too dark too quickly, cover with foil taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes of roasting.

Roasted Potatoes

5 medium potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. kosher salt
2 t. chili powder
1/4 c. olive oil
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, opt.

Arrrange potatoes and onions in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle seasonings on top. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese on top.

450 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Grapefruit, Watercress, and Avocado salad with Sherry Viniagrette

2009-09-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

I made this to go with my salmon tonight, and it was surprisingly good. I would have never thought to put these particular ingredients together. Yum!

1 1/2 c. sectioned red grapefruit (one large)
2 ripe avocados
1 bunch watercress
1 T. olive oil
2 t. sherry vinegar
pinch salt

Break grapefruit into 1-inch chunks. Peel, pit and chop avocados into 1-inch cubes. Trim tough ends of the watercress and chop remainder coarsley. Toss grapefruit, avocados and watercress with salt, olive oil, and vinegar.

A visit with Grandma Marli

2009-09-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, Joanna, Judy, Jed, Jeff and I had a wonderful visit with Grandma Marli in her home in Gibson City. She continues to live a very full life, and healthwise, is feeling better than the last time I visited with her. I asked if she would be alright with us posting a picture of her on our blog and including a recipe that she would share. She said okay to both of them.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Casserole

4 c. chopped zucchini
1 medium onion
little bit of water

Cook till tender, about 10 minutes. Put in a greased, casserole dish.

White sauce:
Combine 1/4 c. melted butter, 1/4 c. flour, and 2 c. milk. Cook, as needed. Add shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on top of zucchini mixture, followed by a sprinkling of bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, or until done.

Garlic Lime Chicken

2009-07-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

3 lbs. chicken
1/3 c. lime juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. minced parsley
2 tbs. chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. grated lime peel
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme*
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a bowl, combine the last nine ingredients. Place chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into bag and shake or squeeze bag to coat chicken. Refrigerate for several hours.** Place in a baking dish and cook in the over at 350° for about 1 hour.

*It is really best with fresh thyme if you have some around, but about 1/2 tsp. of dried works too.
**Sometimes when I am pressed for time, I skip this step and put it directly into the oven. Then I just make sure to baste it with the marinade every 10-15 minutes while cooking.

Serves 4-6.

I think I can safely say that this would NOT taste so good with Worchestershire sauce on it, though I have never really tried it... ;-)

Chicken Carrot Pilaf

2009-07-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or chunks*
1/2 tbs. olive oil
1 1/3 c. uncooked brown rice
5 med. carrots, sliced
1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped sweet red pepper
3 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tbs. minced fresh parsley

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil. Remove and keep warm. Add rice, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and red peppers to skillet. Cook and stir until rice is browned and onion is tender. Stir in broth. Place chicken over rice mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 35-45 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in parsley. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

*Also works great with leftover chicken from a roaster or other recipe.

Serves 6.

I often like to increase the vegetables and rice to as much as double. I am a big fan of rice, can you tell? ;-) And yet again, we like to add Worchestershire sauce. Jeremy has made us all addicted, hehe.

Squash and Turkey Rice

2009-07-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

1 lb. ground turkey
1 1/2 to 2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves
2-3 large summer squash
1 c. brown rice
1 tbs. olive oil
2 c. chicken broth

In a saucepan, saute the rice, one onion, and two garlic cloves in oil until onion looks clear. Stir in 1/2 cup water until it is absorbed. Add chicken broth; cover and simmer 45 min. Place squash in a separate pan with a little water; cook until tender. Meanwhile, brown turkey, 1 clove garlic, and 1/2 to 1 onion. Combine rice, turkey and squash.

Serves 4.

This one tastes great with a little Worchestershire as well.

(Cheesy) Beef 'n' Rice

2009-07-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

This recipe is excellent with or without the cheese. Due to allergies, I always make it without -- hence the parentheses in the title. :-)

1 c. uncooked brown rice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbs. olive oil
3 to 3 1/2 c. water
2 med. carrots, shredded
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules (2 cubes)
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. each salt, basil, and minced onion
1 lb. beef, cooked and drained
1/2 c. shredded cheese (optional)

In a large saucepan, saute rice and garlic in oil until golden brown. Stir in water, carrots, bouillon, parsley, salt, basil, and onion. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 min. Stir in beef. Cover and bake in 9-in. pan at 350° for about 45 min, stirring twice. (May take 5-10 extra minutes for the water to be absorbed.) Optional: Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 more minutes.

Serves 6.

Tastes great with a little Worchestershire sauce mixed in. :-)

Turkey Soup Provencal

2009-07-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I was looking over this blog today, and I realized that I have only posted a grand total of ONE TIME here. So in order to help remedy that, and because I have several recipes I wanted to share anyway, I will be attempting several posts in a row. We'll see if my girls keep themselves busy long enough for me to accomplish that. :-)

The recipes that I will be posting today (and most likely those in the future) are reflective of the fact that some of us have weird allergies. Or at least, so it seems to me. None of us have been officially tested, but I have seen evidence of sensitivity to dairy (the girls), a couple fruits (the girls), peanuts (possibly Sierra), and wheat / gluten (me and possibly Sierra). Most if not all of these run in either my family or Jeremy's, so it seems likely that these sensitivities are probably allergies. But although this means we have a lot more restrictions to our diet than most people, we still eat plenty of wholesome, delicious food (and a little bit of junk too, hehe). So now I will share some of the recipes that I use most often.

TURKEY SOUP
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1/2 tsp. dried herbs de Provence, crushed
1 (15 oz.) can navy or Great Northern beans
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes w/ garlic and onion, undrained
4 c. chopped fresh spinach

Cook turkey in a large saucepan over med heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add herbs, beans, broth, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 min. Stir in spinach; simmer 5 min.

Serves 4.

Now here's the part where I give you all my alterations and substitutes. :-) This recipe is great as it is, but I've found lots of ways to make it flexible and change it up. First of all, it's sometimes hard or expensive to find the herbs and the particular type of diced tomatoes. So I usually just use an Italian seasoning, and then I use regular diced tomatoes and add dried garlic and onion (about 1/2 tsp. each). You could also add fresh garlic and chopped onion to the meat while you are cooking it.

Then there are lots of ways to change up the other ingredients. Instead of turkey, I have tried Italian sausage and even ground beef one time (on accident, but I could barely tell). I have also substituted various beans for the navys, with kidney being my favorite. (I like those even better than the navy beans!) I often double the beans, partially because Lucy likes to eat them all out, and partially because I just like it better that way. :-) You can also use various greens in place of the spinach (my favorite substitute is kale), and you can use frozen rather than fresh to save yourself the trouble of chopping it all. Just don't do 4 whole cups if you use frozen... only about half that. And to make the soup a little thinner (it is rather thick in the original recipe) and stretch it to feed more people, I usually at least double the chicken broth.

This is a great recipe for me because it is SO fast and easy, not to mention cheap. It also freezes well, so it can be a time saver there too! With two little girls, I am all about saving time and money these days! :-)

More to come...

Apricot Chicken

2009-07-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

While I was out in VA with Julie, she made this delicious chicken recipe, and I thought it was really good. I've made it since I've been back, and it's always a hit!

8 chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken, cut up, salt and black pepper.
One 12 oz. jar apricot jam
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

Rinse chicken and season with salt and pepper. Bring jam, honey, and mustard to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer until thick and reduced by half. Spoon over chicken. Bake-Baste it every ten min., at 425 degrees, for 30 min. Enjoy!

~Mom

Getting creative with veggies........

2009-07-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

Since finding out a little over a month ago that I am diabetic, I've been playing around with creative dishes that are low in fat, high in protein, and contain a lot of vegetables. While I like vegetables, I get easily bored with the "normal veggies" that we typically buy - salad, carrots, celery, etc. Here are a couple of things I have recently tried. Both are really good.

The turkey Spinach saute' is my own creation and I make it as a whole meal - it makes about 4 servings.

The turnip puree is a great side. It is a bit more of a strong flavor, so it goes better with something like steak, pork chop, etc.

Turkey Spinach saute'

1 lb. ground turkey
1 med. red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
3 shallots (or one medium onion), thinly sliced
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 t. minced garlic
12 oz. fresh spinach
3 T. Olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a saute' pan, brown the turkey in 1 T. olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

In another pan saute the pepper, shallots, mushrooms and garlic in the remaining 2 T. of olive oil. When the vegetables are somewhat soft but not mushy add the 12 oz of spinach. Cook until the spinach is just wilted. Add cooked ground turkey. Add salt and pepper if needed.

Turnip Puree
(Adapted from Tyler Florence)

4 large turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 t. dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Place turnips, milk, thyme and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to boil then simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until turnips are soft.

Drain turnips, reserving liquid. Place turnips in a food processor or blender, and puree, adding as much liquid back in as needed (about 1/2 cup). Makes about 4 servings.

Pumpkin Cake and a Pumpkin Poem

2009-05-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

1 c. flour
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter

Mix together till crumbly and press into bottom of 13 X 9 1/2 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

2 c. pumpkin
1 c. canned milk
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves

Mix together and pour over crust and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. butter

Mix together and sprinkle on filling. Bake 15 to 20 minutes more at 350 degrees.

This was a recipe of Grandma Lee's.

Below is a silly poem. It was in a schoolbook of Jeff's. Enjoy.

The Biggest Pumpkin That Ever Lived

by Crystal Bowman

I went down to the pumpkin patch to see what I could find,
and there I saw some pumpkins, growing on their vines.
But then I saw a pumpkin that was different from the rest.
So big and round and shiny, I knew it was the best.
I paid a dollar-fifty and took my pumpkin home.
But then in just a little while, it seemed like it had grown.
I took it off the table and then it grew some more!
Before the day was over it was bigger than the door!
But I can tell you something neat as weeks and months went by--
We always had a great supply of homemade pumpkin pie!

Layered Overnight Salad

2009-03-06T13:27:00.001-08:00

I made this for a party recently and it was a hit. It's a classic, but I'd never actually made it before, so it was a fun one.

1 full head of iceberg lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped green pepper
½ c. chopped scallions
1 pkg. Frozen peas, thawed and drained (not cooked)
1 can sliced water chestnuts or sliced radishes
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
6-8 slices crisped bacon
3 boiled eggs, chopped

In a 9x13-inch pan, layer lettuce, celery, green pepper, scallions, peas, water chestnuts, 2 c. cheese, bacon, and eggs.

In a separate bowl mix:
2 c. hellmans mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
¼ t. garlic powder
1 tsp. Seasoned salt

Pour over salad and seal edges. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, top with remaining cup of cheddar cheese.

Corn Casserole- a recipe of Grandma Lee's

2009-01-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

I made this the other day and it was really good!

~Judy

Corn Casserole (Grandma Lee)

2 cups whole kernel corn
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
4 eggs
1 cup cracker crumbs (bread works, too)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pepper to taste

Beat eggs, add melted butter to corn, then seasonings. Add milk and mix well. Add grated cheese and eggs. Fill buttered baking dish half full and cover with 1/2 the crumbs. Add remaining corn mixture, then the rest of crumbs.

Oven temp. 350, bake till firm, about 30-40 min. Enjoy!

From Mom: Humor for the day

"The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves."
Actor W.C. Fields

Ham and Cheese Casserole-from Grandma Cole

2007-11-05T14:57:00.000-08:00

3 cups French bread cubes or crust from regular bread
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cheese (Velveeta) diced
1 T.dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs,beaten
3 cups milk
Dash of hot pepper sauce
10 oz. Ham,cubed(you can cube them yourself if you want)

Arrange bread, ham, and cheese in layers in 3 quart baking dish.Combine eggs, milk,pepper sauce, mustard, and salt.Beat well.Refrigerate overnight (covered) Bake for 50 minutes @ 350.Serves 6.

We generally make this recipe around Holidays. I remember having it at Christmas and it is a family favorite.I also remember having this and it was so hot that I burnt my tongue!!Just to tell you, this is Jed. Mom said I could start posting now and then:-)

A Few Snapshots

2007-10-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a few snapshots from a very full weekend. The first picture is of our beloved Laura LaRock, followed by one of her brother John. The next picture is of Joseph and Lucy. Take notice of Lucy drooling on Joseph's head.:) The last picture is of yours truly with her darling friend.

Wedding Preparation

2007-09-25T15:44:00.001-07:00

My Aunt Sheryle is the greatest! She orchestrated the making of many mints for Julie's wedding. They're beautiful, and quite tasty. Here's a sneak peek:

Judy and Jeff seem quite pleased with their progress.

And, the following are pictures of Julie and Peter's wedding cakes! Kudos to my Aunt Sheryle and to Joanna for how wonderful they look.

We do have pictures of Julie in her wedding dress. But, those are off limits until after the wedding. If you want to see all of Jeanette's hard work, then you'll just have to come to the wedding.

I'm not promising any more updates before the wedding, but I'll try. Can't wait for their big day.

An Adventurous Lunch

2007-08-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Joanna has now decided that steak seasoning, teriyaki sauce, and salad don't mix well. Judy was on lunch duty, and put what she thought was the balsamic vinegar on the table. It was in actuality, the teriyaki sauce (We're thrifty people around here. We use the old balsamic vinegar jar to hold the teriyaki sauce since it's much easier to handle than the gallon jug) I wish you could have seen Joanna's face. She absolutely LOVES balsamic vinegar and steak seasoning (who knows why!) on her salad. It's one of her favorite things. She took her first bite, and her face began to contort and scrunch up with absolute horror and disgust. Various adjectives followed in hot pursuit. (Believe me, this isn't an exaggeration) Unfortunately, I couldn't contain my laughter. I probably should have, because I then proceeded to spill all of the salt in the salt shaker onto the table. Thankfully there weren't any guests around. They would have thought us the most clumsy, disorganized (I mean really, who keeps the teriyaki sauce in the balsamic vinegar jar?) family they had ever seen.

I'm really proud of Joanna. She finished her salad, although it was done with much grimacing and irritation.

Judy's Turn

2007-08-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

This batch of bread certainly turned out better than last time. Judy's favorite part of making bread is throwing it on the table. (which reduces the air bubbles) She actually made me jump the first time she did it. I guess I wasn't expecting her to throw it that hard.

Anniversary Meal Pictures

2007-07-29T15:21:00.001-07:00

A Kitchen Disaster

2007-07-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

I would really, really, like to do.....something. I'm quite at a loss for words. Mom asked Judy and I to make a batch of bread so we could give some of our beautiful loaves to their swimming teachers. After cooking supper, I taught Judy how to do so. The loaves were beautiful before they went in the oven. About halfway through the baking process, the power flickered. Just long enough to turn the oven off whilst my bread was baking. I didn't think about it, ( I was thinking of my bed!) and I went to check it and I proceeded to open the oven. Horror of horrors, the bread was flat, and was only half cooked because the oven had turned off fifteen minutes ago! ( I hadn't opened the oven until then because that messes up the loaves ability to rise properly) It had continued to rise in the oven. So much so that bread dough was on the bottom of the oven. Ugh! The kitchen smells smoky and burnt, and the bread is...well...there is no right way to describe it. Jeanette delicately described it as flat bread.

I'm going to go take it out of the oven. There is really nothing that can describe what I feel towards those six loaves of bread right now. (Can you become bitter over bread?)
I'm now going to go to bed and I'm thinking of Julie and Peter's visit. A much more encouraging topic to sleep on. And no, I don't think I'll be posting any pictures.:)

Mom and Dad's 33rd anniversary meal

2007-07-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Menu

The Main Course
The Main Course:
Layered Lettuce Salad
Chicken Breasts
Scalloped Potatoes

Beverages:
Water
Punch

Dessert:
Rhubarb pie
Ice cream

Last night we had a big meal for marmee and dad. Needless to say I was in the kitchen almost all day, but it was fun! I made two batches of bread in the morning, and then the boys helped me most of the afternoon. We made two rhubarb pies, mixed up the punch, and we worked on the scalloped potatoes. Jeffrey did get a little bit tired of it. I could tell when he asked "Can I please go play now?" Jed was quite handy in the kitchen. He was a great help with the food processor. (I'm still trying to figure out how to work it exactly.)

As far as the recipes, the punch is very easy. It's equal amounts of white grape juice, pineapple juice, and ginger ale. Simple!
The chicken breasts were so good! Jeanette told me how to do it. Pour on a liberal amount of chili powder, cover with foil and cook for about 3o min. After that, take off the foil and let it continue cooking until it's crisp on the outside. For those of you who haven't tried chili powder on your chicken, you really should. It's delicious!
Layered Lettuce Salad:

1 head lettuce
1 C. diced celery
1/2 C. diced green bell pepper
1 sweet onion, diced
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced
10 slices bacon, fried, drained and crumbled
1 C. cooked or raw peas (optional)
2 C. Hellman's mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Break lettuce into 9x13" or larger dish. Layer next 6 ingredients on top of lettuce. Mix mayonnaise and sugar together. Spread over top of layered ingredients, sealing to edge of dish. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top. Cover and refrigerate. 12-15 servings.
I did abridge this recipe. I didn't add celery (simply because we didn't have any!:), and I did do the cooked peas as opposed to raw. In the end, it looked very pretty.

I'll try to post pictures soon!

French cooking terms

2007-06-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

AU-BLEU.-Fish dressed in such a manner as to have a bluish appearance.

BOUILLI._ Beef or other meat boiled; but, generally speaking, boiled beef is understood by the term.

CROQUETTE.-Ball of fried rice or potatoes.

DESOSSER.-To bone, or take out the bones from poultry, game, or fish. This is an operation requiring considerable experience.

FONCER.-To put in the bottom of a saucepan slices of ham, veal, or thin broad slices of bacon.

GALETTE.-A broad thin cake.

MAIGRE.-Broth, soup, or gravy, made without meat.

RISSOLES.-Pastry, made of light puff-paste, and cut into various forms, and fried. They made be filled with fish, meat, or sweets.

SAUCE PIQUANTE.-A sharp sauce, in which somewhat of a vinegar flavour predominates.

I found all of these most interesting terms in the book "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management." It was written in the Victorian era, and has information on everything from the dairy-maid and her duties, to remedies for thin hair.
Now, I'm curious, how many of these terms has my dear Jeanette heard of before?

Mothers Day and Trifles

2007-05-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

This year for Mother's Day, I made what is becoming one of my favorite show-stopping desserts. (and it tastes good too!) This recipe comes from Paula Deen, that butter-loving southern belle on the Food Network. I love her show...she reminds me of my great aunts from Kentucky. Thankfully, this recipe only uses one stick of butter....though it uses heavy cream too. Oh well - it's totally worth it. :)

Raspberry Sherry Trifle

1 (18 1/2-ounce) package cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Gold)
1 1/2 cups dry sherry
7 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3 (12-ounce) packages frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed
Whipped cream, for garnish - optional
Fresh raspberries, for garnish - optional
Mint leaves, for garnish, optional

Butter and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare the cake according to package directions, but use 1/2 cup of the sherry in place of 1/2 cup water. When baked, let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cake into large chunks, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and remaining 1 cup sherry into the top of a double boiler. Whisk until completely combined. Place the top pan over simmering water (do not let water touch the bottom of the top pan). With a wooden spoon, stir over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the custard is quite thick, about the consistency of mayonnaise. Let cool. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar. Take half of the whipped cream and add it to the cooled custard, stirring well. To assemble: In the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum foil pan, layer 1/3 of the cake cubes, 1/3 of the raspberries, and 1/3 of the custard. Continue layering, ending with custard. Take the remaining whipped cream and completely cover the top of the custard. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with additional whipped cream, fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint, if desired.

The Making of 6 Cherry Pies

2007-05-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

So, we made our pie crusts and we baked 6 cherry pies to take to the Home School Legislative Day at the Capitol tomorrow. I had much help from Jed, Jeff and Judy with the crust, and thankfully, as you will see, Janessa put most of the pies together. Had I done them all, it probably would have turned out quite sad.

Jed has developed quite an interest in cooking. Here he is using my new food processor to make the pie dough. I think he's going to be a great cook. I just got him his first cookbook....I'm looking forward to cooking more with him!

Here Judy is putting ingredients into the processor. Not sure why she's smiling....probably because she didn't want me to take her picture.

And here is Jeffrey.....he was having entirely too much fun pushing the buttons.

Today I attempted to put the pies together. I say attempted, because although the crusts were flakey, well, you can see here that perhaps Jeanette needs to brush up on her pastry skills. It's obviously been a little too long......

Yes, you're seeing this correctly. I think the pastry was a bit too dry so it didn't stick together when it started baking which resulted in the eruption of Mt. Cherry Pie. Good thing I put the baking sheet under them........(Jeanette smiles sheepishly.)

At the end of the day, it was clear who the prize-winner really was. These are Janessa's pies. As usual, she has a much better feel for pastries, and in this case (well, generally in most cases), far more patience than me!

And that ends our story of the Making of 6 Cherry Pies.

A Post From Judy

2007-04-13T11:39:00.001-07:00

Jeanette is coming……….Home!

By: Miss V. Judith Cole

Jeanette my sis,

Oh! The bliss,

Of seeing her here,

So close, so near,

She is err so sweet,

As a birds sweet tweet,

Oh girls! Oh boys!

She will be here…in Illinois!

I cannot bear,

To wait anymore…

So see you soon Jeanette

And don’t mind the rain oh so wet.

Just for Peter

2007-03-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

Below is the recipe you requested. :)

1 pkg oreos *
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
Two kinds of dipping chocolate **

Mash oreos until fine. I usually put them in a ziploc and use a rolling pin to mash them. A food processor would probably work as well.

Thoroughly blend in cream cheese (fingers are usually the best option on this one). Roll into small balls. If the mixture is too sticky to work with put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Melt the chocolate and dip each ball and place on wax paper on a cookie sheet. The best way I have found to dip them it to place them on a toothpick and set it in the melted chocolate. Use a spoon to cover the ball with chocolate and then remove it with both the spoon and toothpick. If you just use a spoon, you will end up with huge globs of chocolate at the base of each bonbon, but if you use a toothpick the ball generally falls apart. The two together seem to work well. :)

Drizzle each bonbon with the opposite color of chocolate. This is easiest if you put the melted chocolate in a small ziploc and cut off a corner then drizzle. Thanks to Jeanette for this tip. :)

Place the cookie sheets in the freezer until chocolate is hard.

Now for more of my personal notes:

* Any kind of oreo is fine. I usually just use the regular but most recently I tried mint and they were really good as well.

**Almond Bark dark and white chocolate work really well for the dipping. :)

Enjoy!

One Year Ago Today

2007-03-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

But there's nothing half so sweet in life

As love's young dream.

-Thomas Moore

Hungry for Homemade Bread??

2007-03-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey and I made twelve loaves of bread yesterday! We purchased a new grain grinder, and have already put it to good use. They turned out nicely. I think I've been out of practice as some of them weren't as "pretty" as my previous ones. Most people wouldn't care as they taste pretty good. But girls are always looking for beautiful things, eh? Jeffrey thought the entire experience was quite fascinating. Someday I'll let him do the bread by himself. Now that should be interesting.

Bread is the king of the table and all else is merely the court that surrounds the king. The countries are the soup, the meat, the vegetables, the salad, but bread is king.”
Louis Bromfield, American novelist (1896-1956)

The Kitchen

2007-03-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

I love the sunshine in the kitchen,
The glory of the light awakens
All the familiar textures of pot and china.
This is the home of the house,
The center of its warmth,
The articulation of its love,
In the rise of bread, the crust of pie,
And the richness of gravy.
It is the place of your caring,
Fleshed out in the daily details,
Too small to be noted one by one,
But each constructing the heart of the house.

Your delight in us is incarnated here,
And this is the place of our true receiving.
Here we come hungry, thirsty and in our need,
To meet the kindness of your hands.
And your friends came,
Finding a warmth they sought and a love they craved.
Not a pretentious place,
A good cause or a moral crusade.
If you will, another Nazareth,
Hidden in the wilderness of the world,
Where kindness feeds a poor Christ and his friends,
And bids them come in from the dark.

-Tim Marks

Of Ladles and Poetry

2007-02-22T16:48:00.000-08:00

We were privileged to go and spend Sunday evening with the Harrison family. In the midst of the socializing somebody left the Harrison's ladle in our soup. We discovered it in our bowl upon returning home. Joanna used her creativity to alert Mrs. Harrison:

Walking into your house was such a pleasure

To see your smiling faces it was joy beyond measure

We talked, we sang, and we prayed

We ate food that we brought and some that you made.

And then to my surprise out you came with lighted candles

It was so kind and thoughtful that when we left we took a handle

What I am really trying to say…

Is that we took your ladle and hope to return it long before May.

Mrs. Harrison caught on quickly and responded with this:

Oh, what a joy your message was to read,

To delight in the fun of your fine poetic deed.

To remember the sweetness of being in His presence,

To share both in song and prayer filled with reverence,

To eat at the table spread with food and with love,

To laugh and to talk of things below and above,

We hope your return is far sooner than May.

A pleasure it would be to have you any day.

Just bring your smiling faces, each one a gem to us,

But, now, about the ladle, please don't make a fuss!

Add it to your kitchen, this would be our plea,

To have our ladle serving, a privilege it would be.

We have other ladles for serving up the soup,

So may it join the ranks of the Cole family troop.

We can't close this little ditty, before our thanks we share,

For Love's Abiding Joy, your friendship, and your prayer.

Apparently I didn't realize what wonderful poets surround me. We all thought these poems were neat. Now, how do we respond to her last poem with a poem of our own?

Beefy Mushroom Meatballs

2007-02-21T16:09:00.000-08:00

2 slices bread, torn
2 T. milk
1 egg, beaten
3 T. finely chopped onion
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 T. butter or margarine
2 T. flour
1 can (10-12 oz.) beef consomme
2 cans (4 oz. each) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. beef bouillon granules
1/2 C. sour cream
Hot cooked noodles, optional
Minced fresh parsley

In a bowl, combine bread and milk. Add the egg, onion, salt and pepper; mix well. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in small batches over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add consomme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add the mushrooms, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and bouillon. Add meatballs; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream. Serve over noodles (or rice, in our case:) if desired. Garnish with parsley.
Yield: 6-8 servings

We (Joanna and I) made this several weeks ago. It was very well received, much to our relief.
In other news, I have been reading a very non-interesting book. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne is (so far at least) as dry at paste. I've been dubbed in our house as the person that loves slow books. I'm not sure I can handle this one. It doesn't seem to have something I can take away from it and apply to my personal life. I mean, I don't live in a creepy house, and really, my name isn't Hephziba or Phoebe! If you want a good book to read, try these out. I just finished reading most of these in the last couple of weeks.
William Wilberforce: Hero for Humanity by Kevin Belmonte-probably my favorite read thus far in this year. Wilberforce has really inspired me.
The Dogs May Bark, but the Caravan Moves On by Helen Morse-an excellent read about a family dedicated to missionary service over in Asia.
Statesmen and Saint by David Vaughn-another book about William Wilberforce. Please, don't ask me which one I liked better because they're both running neck and neck with each other!
Ishmael Worth by Eden Southworth-this book is one of the best I have ever read on what it means to really be a Christian. No matter how low you are, you never compromise your beliefs. The character Ishmael is the essence of Christian manhood. Don't get me wrong, he's very human. But the book shows his struggles and how he overcomes them-by prayer and the study of Scripture. A truly inspirational book.
The Eyes of the World by Harold Bell Wright-I'm currently reading this one. So far it's very good. HBW is one of my favorites.
So, I can't wait until I am done with Hawthorne's book. Another book you don't want to read is this: The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I wanted to cry at the end because these people have no hope. The Crucible takes place around the Salem Witch Trials. I had to read it for school. This book is worse than The House of the Seven Gables or the Scarlet Letter. It also probably ranks as "most depressing book of the year for Jane Cole."
I'm off to practice music. I'll probably play Tarantella by W.H. Squire, or Impromptu in Ab major by Schubert, or mom might ask me to play the Swan by that French composer. Oh joy!

BTW, thanks for commenting Kathy! You should do that more often. *wink wink* Soli Deo Gloria!

Valentine's Day...and I've Got Someone On My Mind

2007-02-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

Well..yesterday was special. I spent the day with my sweetheart. Yes, there we are. Happy birthday sis!
In honor of her birthday, I made special homemade pitas. We're going to eat them tonight for her birthday meal. Here's the recipe.
2 packages dry yeast
2 C. warm water
1/2 t. honey
1/4 C. olive oil
1 T. salt
5 to 6 C. whole wheat flour
cornmeal

Now, I altered the recipe. With our bosch machine I mix the water, honey, olive oil, salt and half of the flour. After that is mixed I add the yeast and the rest of the flour. Then I followed their directions.:)
Shape dough into 8 to 10 balls. Cover and let rest for about 30 minutes.
Using a floured rolling pin, flatten each ball into a circle about 8 inches in diameter and about 1/8 in. thick. Dust 2 baking sheets with cornmeal, place 2 of the circles on each sheet, cover, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
The oven is set for 500 F.-very hot for these little breads, and therein lies the secret. Place 1 sheet on the lowest rack for 5 minutes. Do not open the oven during this first baking. After 5 minutes, transfer the sheet to a higher shelf and let it bake for 3 to 5 more minutes. The breads will puff up and be lightly browned when they're ready.

My first couple of pitas were interesting. One was completely flat, the other was quite puffy. I did figure it out and the rest of the pitas were more promising in the end result. We're all looking forward to celebrating Joanna's birthday this evening. (yes, her birthday was yesterday, but we waited a day because of scheduling difficulties:)

It's almost Valentine's Day!

2007-02-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

O tell her, brief is life but love is long.
-Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Latest Sewing Projects

2007-02-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

I actually made these awhile back. I'm just now getting to post the photos! It's been so very cold lately, that mom has actually worn Jeff's nightcap more than Jeffrey has himself. The nightcaps do keep your head warm.
I posted these photos to help everyone feel cozy in their pajamas in this freeeeeeeeeeezing weather. I can't wait for spring!

Texas Beef and Beans

2007-01-30T17:28:00.002-08:00

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. diced onion
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz. Can pinto beans, drained (reserve 3 T. liquid)
1 14.5 oz can sliced tomatoes (drained)
1 small can of sliced black olives (drained)
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion. Drain. Add taco seasoning packet and mix according to package directions. Spread in a 9x13 baking dish. Mash pinto beans with a fork or potato masher adding the 3 T. saved liquid. Carefully spread mashed beans on ground beef. Add drained tomatoes and olives. Spread cheese over all. Bake 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese melted.

Janessa made this for supper tonight. Yum! It was quite tasty. Our family thoroughly enjoyed it. (there weren't any leftovers...evidence of a good meal:)
I'm so sorry I haven't updated in...well...a long time. We've had our share of adventures lately. There was the mishap with the van (it almost flipped over...slick ice), Janessa jammed her toe going up the stairs (which has resulted in various limping and hobbling), and Jeremy fell through a ceiling at one of his job sites. Somehow he grabbed two beams and escaped any injury. We have been keeping our heavenly angels very busy. The rest of us are just holding our breath.
On another subject, our pastor preached a very moving sermon on Sunday. He preached for over an hour on the conscience. He explained how we as Christians become immune to certain sins because we allow our conscience to become seared. Needless to say, his sermon was really quite phenomenal. I will leave you all with a quote on this subject that I am seeking to memorize. One of Susanna Wesley's children asked her how to define sin. This was her answer: "Whatever weakens your reason, whatever impairs the tenderness of your conscience, whatever obscures your sense of God, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, whatever takes away from your relish for spiritual things, that to you is sin, no matter how innocent it is in itself."

Cookie Pictures

2006-12-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

If you notice Jeffrey's face in this one, you can tell that he was sneaking M&Ms whilst I was cooking. He was hoping I wouldn't notice. Delightful child.:)

Joanna looks so cool in this picture!

I put this picture in here just for fun. I wanted to show off my brother's adorable face. Although, he would prefer I call it manly instead of adorable. Notice the tree in the background. Compliments of Janessa's artistic and decorative abilities.

Well, the day is almost here! I was skipping through the kitchen today. I'm acting like a silly schoolgirl because my dear J's are coming. I can hardly wait for Jeanette, Jeremy & Jessica, and Julie to come back for their visit! And of course for J and J's "kid", or "child". I need to come up with a proper name. I think baby works best.:)
Well, I'm off to bed. I am so blessed. God is so good to allow me the privilege of seeing my family all together!

Holiday Cookies!

2006-12-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Well, our family has been struck with a small cold! Jeffrey and Judy are the ones suffering the most. Jed and Mom seem to have a little something. Joseph, Janessa, and Joanna are vowing not to get sick, and I feel fine except for a tickle in my throat which produces hacking coughs. To the Virginia crew: We decided to get sick now instead of when you visit. We thought you all would appreciate that.:)
Speaking of Virginia people, they will be here in two days!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited?

In other news, we had a traditional cookie baking day on Saturday. I wanted to share a recipe for Rudolph cookies. These were Mom's favorite from the list of Peanut Butter Blossoms, Andes Mint Cookies, Sugar Cookies, and the Rudolph Cookies.

1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 C. butter softened
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lg. egg
1-1/4 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. sugar for rolling dough balls
Small pretzel twists
Chocolate chips
Red M&Ms

In large bowl, combine 1/2 C. sugar, brown sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, vanilla and egg; blend well. Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Cover and chill for one hour. Shape into balls for baking: half of balls a little larger than a half dollar, and the second half a little bigger than a quarter. Roll into extra 1/4 C. sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, flatten the larger piece with the palm of your hand or a glass dipped in sugar. Overlap the smaller piece onto the bottom third of the larger piece, flatten cookie uniformity. Place small pretzel twist into upper, outer edges of the larger piece of antlers and two chocolate chips strategically for eyes. Place on red M&M at the middle lowers edge of smaller piece for Rudolph's nose. Bake @375 two inches apart for about 8-9 minutes or until edges are brown. Immediately remove form baking sheet to cool on rack.

Edit: Janessa and I decided that a pancake turner worked best when flattening the cookies.
Also, watch out for sneaky siblings! Rudolph's nose is supposed to be red. Some of my younger siblings went behind my back and gave him blue, green, and brown noses. I'll try to pose the pictures we took in a little while. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My Favorite Pumpkin Pie

2006-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe has become my favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe. I got it from one of my favorite chefs - Sara Moulton. We made this at my house for Thanksgiving this year. It's a little different than other recipes I've used in the past and it seems to be a little more reliable. I also love its very creamy texture.

One pre-baked pie crust

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
7 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
6 1/2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch ground clove
Pinch salt
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, mix together the pumpkin and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, milks, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, salt, eggs, and yolk. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake until set, about 45 to 55 minutes. Cool and serve.

Thanksgiving on the East Coast

2006-12-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it wasn't the entire family, but Julie, Janessa and I had a great Thanksgiving. The most fun part was squeezing three of us in my little kitchen, but we somehow managed it.

I think Julie and Janessa were having a little too much fun doing the dishes.......

Not sure what Janessa was up to here - I think she was getting ready to raid the fridge for more pumpkin pie.

"Missing" at Thanksgiving

2006-11-22T09:49:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving, know that you (Jeanette, Jeremy and Jessica, Julie, and Janessa), are very missed around our table. This Thanksgiving I am so thankful to God for allowing me to have such a large and happy family. Know that you live in my heart, even though your presence will be missed. Thank you Lord, for such incredible blessings in my life.

One of My Signatures....

2006-11-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

I recently made this for an office potluck.....and as usual, they got rave reviews. We even had two guys litterally fighting over the last few....pushing, shoving, pulling on each other's clothes....for a minute there I thought I was going to be wearing the meatball. I only wish I could take the credit for inventing the recipe....but I just clipped it from a magazine a few years back. So here you have it......

Barbecued Meatballs
Combine:

3 lb. ground beef
1 ½ c. milk
1 c. quick oatmeal
1 c. cracker crumbs
2 eggs
½ c. chopped onion
½ t. garlic powder
2 t. salt
½ t. ground black pepper
2 t. chili powder

Form into walnut-size balls. Freeze on cookie sheets lined with wax paper. When frozen, transfer to ziplock bags and keep in freezer until ready to use.

Sauce:

2 c. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar
½ t. liquid smoke
½ t. garlic powder
¼ c. chopped onion

Combine sauce and pour over frozen meatballs in baking dish. Bake at 350 for one hour. (Note: You can cook these without freezing them first, but the texture seems to be best if they're baked from the frozen state.)

Mother Mine

2006-11-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

O Mother mine, when I was small,
You seemed to me my all in all;
The sunshine shimmered in your face;
The flowers blossomed in your grace.
You laughed with me when I was gay
And kissed my childish tears away-
Mother dearie, Mother cheery, Mother mine.

O Mother, as the years rolled o'er
Our heads, I loved you more and more.
When weakness laid its hand on you
You were so patient, brave, and true;
You seemed the sum of all things good;
My dream of perfect womanhood-
Mother dearie, Mother cheery, Mother mine.

O Mother mine, if I can be
To little ones who look to me,
A mother half so sweet and wise
And tender; if they but surmise
That in your likeness I have tried
To grow, I shall be satisfied,
Mother dearie, Mother cheery, Mother mine.

Unknown

Happy belated birthday Marmee!

Caption: Mom at Jeremy's wedding...crying tears of joy.

Final Post-the Dancers

2006-10-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Our Dresses

2006-10-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

The Costume Contest Winners!

2006-10-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Costume Dance

2006-10-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we went to an English Country Dance featuring costumes!
Our first order of business, of course, was to get our hair done all spiffy.

A Spicy, Fall Recipe

2006-10-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

I love fall, and I love this recipe! I made this for our church potluck on Sunday, and I felt like sharing it with all of you. It's from my Grandmother...I think.

Rose's Raisin Spice Bars

Boil the ingredients below, and let it cool.
1 C. sugar
1 C. water
1 C. raisins
1 stick of butter

Add:
2 C. flour
1 t. soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg

Spread on a cookie sheet (Grease and flour the sheet)-Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Icing:
1 C. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. rum
1/2 t. lemon
Add milk as needed to spread. Spread the icing on the bars while hot. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Mount Crumble before the frosting

2006-09-28T03:44:00.000-07:00

This is me trying to fix a train wreck.

Mount Crumble

2006-08-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided to share a little story of a culinary flop lest you think I am a flawless chef.

When I was in Illinois, Joanna and I decided to bake a carrot cake for dinner. I was supposed to be imparting my great culinary wisdom to her. I had visions of a three-layer cake perfectly covered in cream cheese frosting and garnished with pecans. We were going to pipe a little trim at the base of the cake and we were going to hear great words of deepest admiration and praise as we brought the cake to the dinner table to rounds of applause.

Ummm…yeah…that’s not quite how it turned out.

I hadn’t made this recipe before, but Janessa warned me that I might have trouble getting it out of the pans if I didn’t use parchment or flour the pan or both. Well, I thought I could get away with just greasing the pan – after all, most cakes I make I only grease the pan, I don’t usually flour or use parchment unless I’m doing a wedding cake or something.

We took the cakes out of the oven and I told Joanna to invert them on a cooling rack. After all, that’s what you’re supposed to do with most cakes, and that’s what I usually do. Of course, if I had stopped to really think about it I would have remembered that I normally invert sponge cakes, not moist carrot/pineapple cakes. When I lifted a pan a few minutes later I discovered to my horror that only part of the cake had fallen out of the pan. I suddenly realized that
Janessa was right, but I had to prove her wrong. So, I turned the oven back on and replaced the part of the cake that had fallen out and put everything back in hoping I could bake it back into a more cohesive cake.

I took them out and let them cool. The first one came out mostly ok so I thought I was safe. But the second one – well, that was another matter. Joanna and I tried to glue it together, but I finally had to admit that this was one major cake flop! At that point I just had to laugh. We managed to glue it together with frosting somewhat, but in the end it was just pathetic. Janessa, of course, deeply enjoyed the fact that she was right and I had to admit it.

We took some pictures of our disaster, and I'll post them when the crew sends them to me. In the meantime, Joanna has promised me that next time I'm home, perhaps she will have to be giving me lessons. :)

Friends..........

2006-08-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

For Judith......

2006-08-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day in our household. Today our dearest Judah-bean turns 12! I can't believe my second "little" sister is already twelve years old. Although, my little sister is rapidly becoming my "big" sister, in terms of height.
Where would I be without my dear sister Judy. She is continually making me laugh at myself through my blunderings. Judy is great at making me realize how to enjoy every minute of every day. She also helps me see the limitless possibilities that God gives us in life, and how we should enjoy them to the full.
I must confess that I haven't always had the best attitude about sharing a bedroom with my two sisters. I also have to admit, it's been one of the best things that could have happened to me. Life is full of opportunities to learn selfless love. Let me tell ya, sharing a room gives a person great and limitless opportunities to put selfless love into practice. I can safely say, that my dearest friends and pals, are my sisters. We learn from one another, grow with one another, and learn to appreciate and respect each others tastes and differences.
Judy is a sweet little taste of Heaven in my mind. Yes, we all have moments when we can be quite testy (ask anyone else who lives with us). Judy and I are two very different individauls. Maybe that's why we're learning to get along so well.
Judy, I love you very much, and I can't wait to see what God is going to do with my dear little sister(and yes, I called you little, because you will always be a little sister to me).
Life will bring many changes in the coming years, as we all grow up and move on with our God-given roles in life. I know, though, that I can always count on having my sister Judith as a very dear friend and comrade in life.

Here's to Heaven blessed sisterhood!

House Memories

2006-08-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Cole

The lilypond behind the hill place.

Grandma in the newly remodeled kitchen on the hill place.

House Memories

2006-08-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Doghouse at the hill place. It was actually the top of an outhouse at one time.

House in Hull, Illinois where Jeanette was born

Pike County Courthouse in Pittsfield, Illinois (Jeanette was born in Pike County)

House on Cherry Street in Winchester, Illinois (this is where Jeanette turned 1)

The house where Brad grew up

Mark Twain

2006-08-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Jed in a Tom Sawyer shirt with Mom

Grandma and the kids (in costume) at the Becky Thatcher House

The children with Great Aunt Helen Dunker at the Mark Twain Art Gallery (where Helen works)

Trip to Hannibal

2006-08-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Jeff and Joanna as Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher in Hannibal, Missouri

Jeff and Jane taking their turn

Jed and Judy as Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher (and Jeff obviously up to no good)

Jed and Judy again

Even if you don't like broccoli...

2006-07-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

...you'll probably like this. We had a bunch of broccoli that we needed to use so I found this recipe and decided to try it.

Broccoli Sauce for Pasta
4-6 servings

1 bunch broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper

1. Cut broccoli in flowerettes.
2. Peel the stems and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Heat oil in pan.
4. Add garlic, salt and black pepper.
5. Slowly saute garlic until it is slightly brown.
6. Add 1/2 cup water.
7. Mix water and garlic into a sauce.
8. Let come to a boil.
9. Add broccoli, cook stirring constantly until broccoli is cooked to almost a mushy stage.
10. Add red pepper flakes.
11. Puree sauce and serve over pasta.

*Janessa's notes*
You will need to add more water as you cook it. I also added more when I pureed it. I forgot the red pepper flakes but it still turned out really well. This is also really good over rice.

Recipe from: www.recipezaar.com/117005

Turkey Chili from Ana Carolina

2006-03-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it’s been ages since I posted anything on here. Life has been a little busy.

This is a recipe from one of my co-workers, Ana Carolina, who many of us affectionately call “AC.”

Enjoy.

Turkey Chili
1 can of black beans drained
1 jar of salsa (mild or hot)
1 package of ground turkey
Pasta or Brown Rice (however much you’d like)

Start with frying some chopped garlic into olive oil. Then add the ground turkey into this garlic & oil and wait until it gets golden brown. Then in another pot (a deep one) pour the salsa jar and the black bean can. Once the turkey looks like its almost done pour it into the salsa and bean mix.

On the side prepare either rice or pasta and then serve the chili over the rice/pasta.

A.C. Says, "Since my husband likes spicy food, I will sometimes add a little Tabasco and mix well and also some cilantro leaves just to make it look more gourmet. :) It actually works b/c once its ready……it tastes delicious."

Favorite Christmas Breads

2005-12-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while since I posted here - here are some recipes that I love making this time of year.

Cranberry Orange Bread

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon peel
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x1/2x2 or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3.
2. Stir together cranberries, sugar, oil, milk, vanilla, orange peel, and beaten eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Pour into pans. Bake 50-60 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup water
1 15-oz can pumpkin

1. Grease the bottom and ½ inch up sides of two 9x5x3-inch, three 8x4x2-inch, or four 71/2x31/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside.
2. In a very large bowl, beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add flour mixture and water alternately to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition, just until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Makes 2 loaves (although it usually makes closer to 2 ½ when I make it)

Death by Chocolate

2005-11-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

Here's a recipe that will thrill your tastebuds and clog your arteries. I made it recently for my co-workers....they went back and forth between thanking me for making them and scolding me for bringing them in and making them feel like the "had" to eat them.

Black and White Brownies

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter

Cream Cheese Batter:
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
9 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Chocolate batter:
6 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt chocolate and 1/2 cup butter and set aside to cool. You can melt it in the microwave or over a double boiler.

To make the cream cheese batter: with a whip attachment, cream 6 tablespoons butter then add the cream cheese and continue mixing. Add the sugar, beat until fluffy, then beat in the eggs, flour, and vanilla. Set aside.

For the chocolate batter: in a separate bowl whip the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and mix into egg mixture. Mix in the melted chocolate and butter and vanilla.

In a rectangular pan, lined with parchment, spread half the chocolate mixture. Spread the cream cheese layer over that to cover. Then drop remaining chocolate batter by spoonfuls on top then swirl with a knife. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Mom's birthday...and Hummingbird Cake

2005-11-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

Hummingbird Cake

3 C. flour
2 C. sugar (preferably white)
1/2 t. salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 C. chopped pecans
2 C. chopped firm ripe banana

Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. butter, room temperature
2 lb. confectioners' sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 C. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon into mixing bowl several times. Add eggs and salad oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and 1 C. pecans. Stir in the bananas. Spoon the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Combine cream cheese and butter; cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

We make this cake every year for Mom's birthday. It is delicious, and especially moist. It's really moist if you forget to read the lable on the pineapple, and add twice as much as it calls for. Needless to say, no one could figure out my secret ingredient.

This is a little late, as our internet had been down. Happy birthday to the world's greatest Mom!
I love you and thank God continually for you. Thank you for helping me continue to grow into a godly, virtuous woman. Especially, for helping me to keep my eyes on Christ, and for learning to trust Him for everything. Your example is the greatest blessing you can give me. You are such a dear Mother, I love you so much.
Thank you for helping me to continue falling in love with Jesus. That is truly the greatest truth you could teach me.

Sweet Potato Pie

2005-10-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

2 C. sweet poatoes-cooked and mashed
2 C. sugar
1 can evaporated milk
4 eggs
1/2 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. vanilla

Cook pie shells about halfway before filling is placed in them. Bake pies at 325 for 45-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

I made pumpkin pies yesterday, and I remembered this recipe from aunt Joyce. It's very similar to pumpkin pies, but with a little variation. Enjoy!

A Great Remedy for Sore Throats

2005-09-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

As you may assume, I have a cold currently so this is obviously on my mind a good bit of the time.

I discovered this a few years ago and it really works. Simply use a combination of lemon juice (fresh is best), honey, and ginger, heat until boiling, then sip (believe me, you won't want to gulp it!). As far as amounts...I'd say use the juice from one lemon (3 Tablespoons?), one Tablespoon honey, and a dash or two of ginger. The ginger is kind of on the spicy side, so don't overdo it.

~Janessa

Yummy Soups

2005-09-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

This week I've made two different soups. Both are really tasty and really good for you!

Black Bean Soup
1 1/2 cups black turtle beans
1 1/2 quarts water or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons oil
1 carrot
1 onion
1 potato
2 stalks celery
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon savory
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspon pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Optional: pinch garlic powder

Wash the turtle beans and put them in a saucepan along with the stock and 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover tightly, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours or so, until beans are quite tender.

Chop the opnion and saute' in the remaining iol until soft. Chop the celery, including the leaves. Grate potato and carrot on large grater. Add celery, potato, and carrot to onion and cook over medium heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the vegetable to the beans, along with the seasnonings, in the las hour of their cooking. Include garlic if desired. Bring the soup to a boil and lower the heat to simmer until the beans and vegetables are done.

Add the lemon juice and lemon slices when the soup has finished cooking.

Makes about 9 cups.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuscan Tomato Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 stalks celery, finely diced
3 medium onions, finely minced
3 quarts canned tomatoes with juice or 14 large, ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (you can substitute with 1 tablespoon dried)
6 leaves fresh basil (you can substitute with 2 teaspons dried)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil and butter in a heavy kettle. Cook the carrots, celery, and onions for about 20 minutes, or until very tender. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking over moderate heat for 25 to 30 minutes longer. Stir in the parsley and basil, season with salt and pepper, cook a minute or so longer and serve hot.

Jeanette's hints: To make the tomato soup even healthier, omit butter and increase olive oil to 1/2 cup.

WARNING: Contents Under Pressure

2005-08-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

Today I have been canning - all day long. I started out with potatoes. We're canning potatoes because we have way too many to eat (without becoming human potato chips) and no really good place to store them. Potatoes require pressure canning, which I've always found a bit tedious. Who wants to spend all day keeping the little dial at exactly 10 lbs. pressure when there are more exciting things to do? Anyway - I got the canner going and sat down to read instructions for canning peaches (my next project for the day) and completely forgot about watching the canner. Well...the phone rang and I got up to answer it. As I did, I happened to glance over at the canner and it was over 20 lbs. pressure! It was in the DANGER zone (I've always wondered what would happen when a canner gets into the danger zone...would it blow up or what?) Well, I got it off the heat and thankfully the pressure dropped quickly back into the safe zone and my potatoes (and the house) were safe!

I am now processing peaches, which is a much more interesting project that does not require use of the pressure canner. Besides, peaches are much prettier in the jar than potatoes.

There is a moral to the story though - make sure when using a pressure canner to actually check the pressure and not assume it will regulate itself. It won't.

Gotta run - the peaches are just about done.

Monster Cookies

2005-08-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

1 lb butter - softened
2 lbs brown sugar
4 cups white sugar
12 eggs
¼ cup vanilla extract
3 lbs crunchy peanut butter
8 tsp baking soda
18 cups quick oats
1 lb chocolate chips
1 lb M&M’s

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream together sugars, butter, and peanut butter. Add eggs and vanilla and whip until light and fluffy. (At this point I have to take it out of my large Kitchen Aid and finish mixing remaining ingredients in a very large bowl.) Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoon-fulls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Yield – an enormous number of cookies.

I first made these cookies when I was visiting my Aunt Sheryle a while back. I've never seen so much cookie-dough! They were fun though, even if I did spend an entire afternoon baking cookies. The best part was when Uncle Dale got home....he was very happy that I'd been baking cookies....and he said mine were better than Sheryle's. Of course that could be because she discovered that every time she made them, she hadn't been putting in enough oats so hers didn't turn out as well. Guess that's what happens when you've made the recipe 1000 times...it takes someone else to look at it to figure out what the problem is.

And now let the work begin.....

2005-08-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

Since they're officially engaged, thought I'd post this photo. It was taken by our special friend, Mrs. Harrison, when the whole family was back for a cousin's wedding in June.

As someone who has planned/coordinated several weddings, I have to admit that I find it extremely entertaining to have my little brother calling me saying things like, "How do we make the PHC dining hall look different from all the other wedding receptions that have been there?" and "Will you do the rehearsal dinner?" Ahh...yes....a wedding planner's life is never dull. And for the question of making the PHC dining hall look different, may I suggest, for starters, no white tulle with white lights? Just a thought. :)

This should be an interesting few months.

New Addition

2005-08-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to say that the Cole girls will be welcoming a new addition in a few months. Jeremy has proposed to Jessica - and she said yes! (that's the real miracle - brave woman!)

So, congratulations to Jeremy and Jessica and hopefully we'll be hearing from Jessica now and then as a contributor to the Cole-inary artists.

For our 31st Anniversary

2005-07-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

I was excited when Jeanette told me she was going to start the Cole-inary Artist blog.

I plan on posting recipes that have been a part of Brad’s and my family’s menus, and also some poems and writings that Brad has written through the years.

My first entry came to me on July 13, 2005 during the celebration of our 31^st wedding anniversary.

These are the words in the card Brad gave to me:

I never thought that having my world turned upside down

Could be such a wonderful thing,

Until you came into my life and showed me

What I was missing.

Sweetheart, you are and always will be,

The answer to my every prayer.

This is the poem Brad wrote for me:

For thirty-one years a privilege I’ve had

Of knowing you better in the good and the bad,

How often I’ve enjoyed you laugh, smile (and frown)

As you helped God turn my world upside down.

Oh, it’s not a really bad thing to

Have someone your life “undo,”

At least when they from the start

Are helping God remake a heart.

So if our journey in life has been

Less than perfect since way back when

Know it’s all part of a turn-around

To get us turned right from upside-down.

Two of my cute sisters

2005-07-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

They may shoot me for this, but I think this is a cute photo. That's Janessa on the left and Julie on the right.

And what to do with all those leftover egg whites

2005-07-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

These are very delicate and really good. They're a great option when you have leftover egg whites and don't know what to do with them.

Macaroons

2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar

Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed till soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time; beating till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Drop mixture by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake in 325 degree oven about 20 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 30 cookies.

*Janessa's notes*

This recipe can also be easily changed to 3 egg whites, 3/4 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup sugar (for use with the ice cream recipe, etc).

Also, coconut macaroons can be made by folding 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut (or 2 cups if using 3 egg whites) into beaten egg whites.

The egg whites should be stiffer than when beaten for meringue. It should be somewhat glossy in appearance and the sugar should be mostly dissolved.

One more. :)

When greasing the cookie sheet I have found that it works best to only grease the areas where you will put the cookies. My reason in saying this is that the cookies have a tendency to slide to the middle and create one big cookie if too much grease is used.

Enjoy!

July...the perfect month for ice cream

2005-07-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

I just tried this recipe for the first time today. It was actually on the side of our rock salt box. I have ignored recipes on boxes for years and have only recently discovered that most of them are REALLY good!

In some homemade ice cream the egg flavor is way too strong, but this one is much better (I think it's because the eggs are cooked).

French Vanilla Ice Cream

3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix sugar, salt and egg yolks. Pour on milk and mix thoroughly. Cook mixture in double broiler until it coats a spoon. Cool, strain, add cream, vanilla and freeze (according to directions on rock salt box...or bag, depending on which you get :-). Makes 1-1/4 quarts or 6-8 servings.

Oh, and just one quick note from my personal embarrassing experience.

Make sure that you use ROCK SALT and not regular salt. My first attempt at making ice cream I didn't realize there was much difference between the two. Needless to say, after my brother and a friend cranked it for two hours and there was not an ice crystal in sight, I had to admit that I must have done something wrong. Ah...you live and learn, right?

Rehearsal Dinners, Weddings, and Pasta Salad

2005-06-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Well, my cousin's wedding is over. All went well. I was hoping to have some photos of the cake to post, but forgot to take the digital camera so when I get a few photos scanned in I'll try to post some here. The cake was gorgeous. My Aunt Sheryle did a fabulous job.

Dean's family did all the food prep for the rehearsal dinner. Sheryle asked me to put together this pasta salad. It's really yummy.

Pasta Salad

For the dressing combine:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups Hellman's Mayo (must be Hellman's)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Set aside.

For the salad combine:
16 ounces cooked, drained and cooled pasta
3 carrots, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 ounces frozen peas
1 cup crumbled bacon
1 can black olives, sliced

Pour dressing over salad. Season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, add 2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

Best if refrigerated overnight prior to serving.

A Fun Casserole

2005-06-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

I love finding casseroles that are a little unique. Casseroles can get boring and it's nice to find one that's a little more interesting.

Sausage Pie

1 lb. sausage (or turkey sausage)
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cups cooked long grain rice (we use brown rice)
4 to 5 medium tomaties, peeled and chopped (you can substitute canned)
1 package (10 ounces) frozen forn, thawed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (you can substitute with 1 tablespoon dried)
1 teaspon dried basil
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Cook sausage in skillet until fully cooked. Add peppers and cooking oil and cook until peppers are soft.
2. Combine all ingredients except bread crumbs and butter. Place in a 3-qt casserole.
3. Combine the bread crumbs and butter, and sprinkle on top of casserole.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Cream Cheese Wedding Mints

2005-05-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

I spent the last couple days at my aunt Sheryle's house making mints for my cousin's upcoming wedding. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It's technically a Christmas recipe, but we're using it as one of the mint options for the reception. The one thing that I learned is that these won't come out of the molds unless you dust the molds with edible glitter before pressing the candy into the mold.

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 drops peppermint oil*
any food coloring paste or powder (I used powder - available at cake decorating shops)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and confectioner's sugar. Mix in peppermint oil. Color as desired with food coloring paste or powder, or leave white.
2. Roll mixture into small balls, then roll in granulated sugar.
3. Dust desired mold with edible glitter (available at cake decorating shops) and press ball into mold. Scrape excess and drop out of mold onto wax paper.
4. Allow to dry for about 2 hours, then freeze or refrigerate.

* You can substitute other flavors if you want. For instance, we did mint flavor for some, butter flavor for some, and cherry flavor for some.

Next week we'll be starting on the wedding cakes. Hopefully I'll post some pictures and some cool wedding cake tips.

Coconut-Raspberry Layer Cake

2005-05-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

My friend Brenda loves this cake....except for the raspberry part. So, I only put the raspberry preserves on one half of the cake. The recipe is a bit complex, but it's a fun one to make when you have time to relax and enjoy the process. You can also bake the layers ahead of time and freeze until you're ready to frost the cake. Just make sure to seal the layers in tons of plastic so they won't take on the flavor of your freezer and be sure to protect the layers so they don't get smashed. This recipe comes from a cookbook called "Perfect Cakes," by Nick Malgieri.

For the Batter:
2 1/4 cups cake four (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup egg whites (from about 3-4 large eggs)

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt onto a piece of parchment or wax paper.
3. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in the lemon zest and extract.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites. Add one-third of the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beaters. Beat in half the egg white mixture until incorporated, then beat in another third of the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and beaters. Beat in the remaining liquid until absorbed, followed by the remaining flour mixture; scrape well after each addition.
5. Divide the batter between 2 9-inch cake pans, greased, and lined with parchment, and smooth the tops. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool the layers in pans for 5 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool. Peel off the parchment paper.

Lemon Buttercream:
1/2 cup egg whites (from about 4 large eggs)
1 cup sugar
20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To make the buttercream, whisk together the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk over a pan of simmering water until the egg whites are hot and the sugar is dissolved.
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk until cool and increased in volume.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment and beat in the butter until smooth. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.

For the Finish:
1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves
One 7-oz bag sweetened shredded coconut
Fresh raspberries and mint leaves for garnish if desired

1. To assemble the cake, slice each layer horizontally in half.
2. Place one layer on a cardboard round or platter and spread with one-third of the jam and one-quarter of the buttercream. Top with another layer and reapeat. Repeat with the third layer.
3. Place the last layer on top and spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Press the coconut all over the outside of the cake.
4. Add some sprigs of mint leaves and some fresh raspberries to the top and around the sides of the cake if desired.

Serve at cool room temperature.

Summer makes me think of garden-ripe tomatoes

2005-05-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm baking a Coconut-Lemon layer cake today for a friend's birthday...if it turns out I'll post the recipe.

Thought I'd share a recipe I came across two summers ago on Paula Deen's cooking show. The Food Network is just the best! I was a little weirded out by the thought of baking something with mayonnaise, but it was absolutely wonderful! I've made this several times now and it's becoming one of my favorites. It is high in fat, so it's not necessarilly something you'd want to make every night. I save it for company or a special treat.

Tomato Pie
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced *
10 fresh basil leaves chopped **
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1 (9-inch) pre-baked deep dish pie shell
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. mayonnaise
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in one layer. sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in the pie shell. season with salt and pepper. Combine the cheeses and mayonnaise. Spread the mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

* A hint for peeling tomatoes: dip tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for about 1 minute. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peelings will come off easily.

** You can use 1 teaspoon dried basil if you don't have fresh.

Another Incredible Dessert

2005-05-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

While we're in the dessert mode, here's one of my favorites.

Creamy Banana Pudding

1 14 oz can sweetened, condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding (I usually use the larger package)
1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream, whipped
24 (approx) vanilla wafers
4 bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice

1. Combine sweetened, condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix and stir well. Chill for 5 minutes.
2. Fold in whipping cream.
3. Pour 2 cups pidding into bottom of bowl. Layer bananas and wafers and pudding (3 layers) ending with pudding. Chill.

This is definitely the best banana pudding I've ever had. Though, who knows, I've heard that time changes things...

Enjoy!

Jeanette's Nutmeg Feather Cake

2005-05-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

This recipe is always a hit. I got it out of an old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It's unique in that the feature of the cake is nutmeg.

1/4 c butter
1/4 c shortening
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 t vanilla
3 eggs
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 t nutmeg
1/4 t salt
1 c. buttermilk or sour milk

Ok - I don't have any instructions written down. What I usually do is cream
the butter/shortening/and sugar. Then I add the vanilla and eggs and whip
until it's fluffy. Then I alternate between the dry ingredients and the
buttermilk/sour milk.

Oh, and don't overbeat - when I do this it tends to fall in the middle.

Bake in a greased pan at 350 for 30 minutes.

I usually frost with a buttercream frosting and dust with nutmeg. I’d post the recipe for the frosting but I usually just make it up. You should be able to find a good recipe in a cookbook or online. Or, in a pinch you can use a pre-made frosting too. Enjoy!

Welcome to Cole-inary Artists!

2005-05-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

In an effort to share recipes and other homekeeping ideas, experiences, and tips, we have started this blog. Our goal is to use this as a tool to keep in touch with our family and to share some of our family secrets with others. Please check back for our first post.