Party Season is upon us! This delicious and easy dip will be perfect for football parties or friends coming over for a visit!
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
8 oz of shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teas onion powder
1/2 teas dry mustard
3-5 drops of bottled pepper sauce (such as Tobasco)
6 slices of fried crisp bacon, crumbled
Combine all ingredients and mix well! Place in a greased small baking dish and bake for about 15-20min in preheated 350 degree oven! Serve with chips or crackers
Being at Walmart this morning, made us remember this story! Hope it brings a smile to your heart!
The weekend began as any other Saturday. We would be doing our usual errands that we do on Saturdays and end up at WalMart to do our shopping for toiletries and a few small food items that we thoug…
Cannot tell you why this is called Bonnie Butter Cake, but leafing through my spiral notebook from the early 70’s that I copied different recipes into, I came across this one today. Since Randy loves white (or yellow) cake with chocolate frosting, I told him I would make this for him. This sound crazy, but I love all the stains from grease and little fingerprints that had cocoa or butter on them, that are all over this precious memory spiral book. It just always takes me back to days of having 3 little kids pulling up chairs to the cabinet begging to “help” mix or stir. Isn’t it odd that when you are in those days, sometimes we think, “oh how nice it would be to just come in the kitchen and be able to bake a batch of cookies without all “mother’s little helpers”…it would go so much faster and smoother and easier. Then years down the road we see things like I am looking at right now and wish we could go back and have “mother’s little helpers” still pulling up to the cabinets. Moms and dads, don’t wish your years away. Enjoy them and savor each moment that they want to “help”…trust me, it goes much quicker than you will realize. Memories are so wonderful, so don’t wish away the years in which you are making them.
Ingredients
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teas vanilla
3 cups cake flour or 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teas baking powder
1 teas salt (if you used salted butter I would only use 1/2 teas salt)
1 1/4 cups milk
Grease and flour 2 9” cake pans (or one 9×13)
In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat for 5 minutes on high speed.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and stir until well combined. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Pour into prepared pans and bake until cake tests done. Cool completely before frosting.
Quick Fudge Frosting
1 cup sugar
4 tables cocoa
4 tables butter
1/2 cup milk
2tables corn syrup
Dash salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla
Mix sugar with cocoa in a small saucepan. Add butter, milk, corn syrup and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until no lumps appear. If mixture is too thick to spread over cake layers, add milk about 1 tables at a time and continue beating until mixture is smooth and right texture to frost cake.
Can you tell I’m loving the new Fall Baking magazine? If you see one at your grocery store, you really should pick one up. It has just a bunch of fabulous recipes. These almond cupcakes are so good and finish off beautifully with a great buttercream frosting.(NO…you cannot use store bought frosting, this time I will tell on you)
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup finely ground almonds
1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teas almond extract
1/2 teas vanilla
1 cup whole buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisking to combine well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts, beating until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating one medium speed until well combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
Bake until cupcakes tests done (about 15-18 minutes)
Let cool for 30 min. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on wire rack but out of drafts (to avoid becoming dry)
Frost with frosting and chopped almonds, if desired.
Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped and reserved
In a large bowl, beat butter with mixer at high speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar,1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cream and beat until smooth. Add vanilla seeds (or 1 teas vanilla extract OR 1/2 teas almond extract and 1/2 teas vanilla)
Can I share with you how excited I got to see this recipe in Fall Baking? oh my gosh, my favorite pie, chess, combined with pumpkin! I simply cannot believe this. A new way to have chess pie with beloved pumpkin, sent me over the top. No more boring plain ole pumpkin pie. This will be the best Thanksgiving meal EVER…oh and yes, I’m excited about our kids coming also….BUT back to the pie! Oh, ok, and the grandkids, but seriously, pumpkin-chess pie, who would have thought!!!
Ingredients
2 pie crusts (and if Paula Deen is not your absolute fav person in the whole wide world, you can use bought, but if you do use bought, please make sure it is a good one) If you want to make your own, you are well on your way to becoming the next great American baker!
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tables all purpose flour
4 large eggs, divided
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
1 3/4 teas vanilla (what the heck, go wild and use 2 teas, it is the holidays after all)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle Brand)
1/2 teas ground cloves
1/2 teas ground nutmeg
1/2 teas ground ginger
1/2 teas cinnamon
*(or you could use 1 1/2 teas pumpkin pie seasoning in place of the cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon)
Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 pie plates with the pie crusts and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat sugar, butter and flour together until fluffy. Add 2 eggs, buttermilk and 3/4 teas vanilla (I will use 1 teas instead of 3/4). Beat well to combine. Pour into prepared pie crusts, dividing between the two, evenly.
Bake for 30 minutes.
IN a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, condensed milk, remaining 2 eggs, remaining 1 teas vanilla, and seasonings.. Stir until well blended. Pour over cooked buttermilk layer.
Bake for 35 minutes or until set. Let cool and serve with whipped cream.
As many of you know, we have had some adjustments to make these past two and a half years. Changes which involved moving twice to different states, a husband learning to deal with retirement and me having to learn how to share my home with a retired husband. Leaving part of our family and moving closer to other members of our family were also part of the adjustment. We left precious friends and a church which we loved so much in California. When we were settled back in Dallas, after being gone 3 1/2 years, we felt different. As you have always heard, “you can’t go home again” took on a whole new meaning. The church which we had been a part of back in Dallas, had changed some also and we knew in our hearts that we needed to move on to a different place which, after a few months, God showed us. Because we would not be in Texas but a few more months (after moving back there), it was hard to feel like we were home, even though Texas had been our home for most of our lives. As time grew closer to making a change once again to a brand new state, we were excited about the new season, but found it a little hard to let go of what we had always known;Our security blanket of familiar territory, old friends and family which we had gone back to Texas for after living in California. Because Randy had always worked and never really had hobbies, he struggled with the available time that he now had. So, as you can tell, we were having some real adjustments to deal with. We both have looked at life through rose colored glasses to the extent of finding humor in places others might never see. It is great to have this humorous way of looking at life, especially when circumstances, which we would not have chosen, fell into our lives. But after a while, even those of us which always prided ourselves as looking at things as a “glass half full”, seem to go through those desert emotions.
Looking back over the last 2 1/2 years, I feel that I can truly say that my joy is back. Sometimes, God has to remove things from our lives in order to teach us where our focus should be. Things like friends, familiar surroundings, certain routines, even certain church activities, which gave me purpose and so much fulfillment. Sometimes, we allow people to become so special to us, that we tend to give them first place in our lives, activities which in themselves are great, become more important than God to us. Today, the sermon was about pride and how we use social media (instagram, Twitter, FB) to gain attention to ourselves from others. Immediately, I felt convicted. How many times had I posted pictures of our home, our kids ,our achievements? What were my motives for sharing? Where they really just to share a memory, or where they to gain the approval of others?
Through the years, I have always heard that each time you move, you grow a little and change a little. When we came here, it was hard to adjust to the different types of church services. No choirs, a little more contemporary music, younger pastors, not the Women’s Ministry that I was use to. But sitting there today listening to this precious pastor share how God is desiring a pure heart, not a proud heart, I began to realize that there was a reason we were here. Neither Randy nor I, at this moment, know exactly what God has in store for us, or how He will use us, but I do know that I want my heart pure, with the motive to only gain praise from God. In church, the order of service might not be the same as it was in Dallas, or California, but God’s Word is the same, and is still being preached for the same reason; to show us that God is desiring us to grow in our faith, realizing that He is not only our Creator, but our Heavenly Father, who loves us and wants a personal relationship with each of us.
As I end this post tonight, it is my prayer that each of us know that no matter where He takes us, no matter the season of life we are in, we all have a life which God can use for His glory. Sometimes, He just has to take us through a wilderness to become aware of His love and His provision. To get our focus back on Him.
Thank you Lord for the wildernesses which you lead us through. The sun rises which we are blessed to see every morning reminds us that each new day holds new beginnings and new purposes, which Your Love will carry us through. Help me to love you more and to allow You to use me for Your glory!
Since it is officially Fall, there are now 6 cans of pumpkin in the pantry, 3 lbs of cream cheese in the fridge and I’m ready to bake. Spotted this beautiful Fall Baking Magazine at the store so, of course, couldn’t pass it up. This will be perfect to take to card night next week, (along with s’more bites to throw in our mouths ever time we change tables, which allows me to pass right by these little gems). Janece, this ones for you!
Ingredients
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, unless you buy the small sticks of butter, in which case would be two sticks)
1 tables water
2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts (will use pecans)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar (granulated)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teas baking powder
1 teas cinnamon (will make this a heaping teas as we love cinnamon)
1/4 teas ground ginger
1/4 teas salt
1/8 teas cloves
Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8″ square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, cook brown sugar, butter, and the water over medium heat until mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour sugar mixture into bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with walnuts (pecans) and cranberry. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Whisk until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves. Add pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.
Bake until cake tests done, which will bake about 30-35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert pan onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper. Serve warm with a spoon of whipping cream, or a drizzle of caramel (or BOTH)
This is another recipe which we got in the class last Thursday, when we leavned about the Monster Cookies. These are so perfect to have on a platter, which can be picked up and pop in your mouth (with toothpicks). Great little party food. We had them in class and they were delicious.
Ingredients
As many seedless green grapes as you need, washed and dried
toothpicks
1 cup caramel bits
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup salted peanuts or pecans, crushed very fine
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the caramel bits with the heavy cream. Stir until melted. Keep warm on lowest setting, till you have the grapes ready to begin dipping.
Dip the grapes into the caramel sauce and then into the crushed nuts. Place on a sheet of waxed paper to set.
That’s it! Pop those babies in your mouth and enjoy!
Yesterday I went to a cooking class and learned such cute and delicious, but easy recipes to use for Halloween. I have made cookies from a cake mix before but really didn’t like them too much, UNTIL NOW! The cream cheese does the trick. The instructor teaching us these cute little “tricks” used Candy eyeballs that she got on the baking isle at Walmart “witch” made them so cute. Be sure to use gel (instead of water based )food coloring to the dough, as the water base will change the consistency of the cookie dough.
Ingredients
1 box Duncan Hines Cake Mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 (I used 1 teas) teas vanilla
Powdered sugar
Gell Food Coloring
Candy Eyeballs or other sprinkles that you like
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat the softened butter, cream cheese and egg until light and fluffy. Mix in the dry cake mix. Beat until well mixed. Divide batter between individual bowls for the different colors you want to make. Add the food coloring to your desired shade of dough. Stir well to blend.
Chill dough for 30 min to 1 hour, covered. Roll into balls (about 1″ in size) and dip in the powdered sugar, being sure ball is pretty well covered in the powdered sugar. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and pat down with the bottom of a glass to flatten it a bit.
Bake at 350 for about 9-10 minutes. Add candy eyeballs or sprinkle when cookies are still warm.
*I have found when cooling cookies, that they tend to not get as crisp if I cool them on paper towels instead of just cooling racks. We like soft cookies so I never use cooling racks.
On Face Book this morning, this cake showed up and instantly I went to the fridge and took out butter to soften so I could make it later in the morning. All I can say is WOW…it is just amazing and you can make it in one bowl, which is always a plus. The glaze that oozes into the holes which you punch as soon as it comes out of the oven, just makes it even more delectable. Three different people have sampled it today, and if you could have seen the looks on their faces. This will be one of the cakes that I make through the holidays this year to sell.
Ingredients for Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
2 teas vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
Ingredients for Glaze
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 tables water
2 teas vanilla
Preheat oven to 325:
For cake, combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 3 minutes and pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake until cake tests done. (depending on size of bundt pan, will depend on how long it bakes, I used a small bundt pan and 4 mini loaf pans, but if you use a typical size bundt, such as a 9 or 10 cup, it will need to bake about an hour).
Glaze
Combine the butter, water and vanilla in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, but do not boil. (I added one teaspoon of the vanilla to the mixture while it was cooking and then added the last teas right before I poured the glaze over the cakes.)
Bake in 10″ bundt pan which you have greased and floured for 60-75 min depending on your oven. I begin to check for doneness after about 55 min. But test about every 3-4 min until cake tests done!
When cake comes out of the oven, punch holes with end of a stick, straw or small round handle. Pour glaze over the cake allowing to drip down into the holes. Let cake cool completely before removing out of pan.
Chocolate Castles 