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Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Thanks For The Memories

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Today is the 7th Anniversary of starting Chocolate Castles! FaceBook occasionally posts our memories and this popped up on mine today. It is amazing that it has been 7 years since first wondering if I could write and create a blog.

Just wanted to thank each of you who have taken the time to not only read but comment. Has been so great to keep up with friends through Chocolate Castles. I want to thank my son, Jason, who was the first one who encouraged me to even make the blog. When so many friends or family would email or call to get a recipe, he is the one who suggested that I just put recipes on the blog so people could get them. From there, circumstances begin to happen that helped me get out of my comfort zone and write stories. From there came Princess On The Porch, a book that I felt led to write.

Thanks everyone who has encouraged, written and followed Chocolate Castles! The years have gone by so quickly and it is wonderful to be able to look back and see recipes and stories which have allowed me to share my heart.

If you have enjoyed the blog, please pass it on to friends who might enjoy Southern Cooking and Southern Humor! It has been a blessing to write! Thanks and God Bless!

Trudy

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Lemon-Blueberry Crumble Bars

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In the middle of August, when we struggle to find a spot of shade and a refreshing cold drink, our thoughts go to anything light and cool. On the outside of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese box ,(the 3 lb box)this recipe caught my eye.

We are having some new friends over tomorrow night for dessert and since Randy mentioned that he is in the mood for a pecan pie, I found a recipe for a pecan pie cheesecake. So thus the 3 lb box of cream cheese. Will be posting that new recipe after I get it baked this afternoon and can take a picture. In the meantime, this crumble bar sounds easy and yummy, so wanted to post it this morning. After I make it back to Costco for more cream cheese, will be making this.

1/2 cup butter

1 box (2 layer size) yellow cake mix (I love Duncan Hines brand)

2 eggs, divided and at room temperature

16 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons juice from 1 or 2 lemons (usually takes me 2 to get that much)

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and allowed to dry on paper towels

Heat oven to 350.

Line a 13×9″ baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Microwave butter in large bowl until melted. Add dry cake mix and 1 egg to melted butter; beat with mixer until blended. Press 2/3 of this cake mixture onto bottom of baking pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add remaining egg, zest and juice. Pour over crust; top with blueberries. Pinch small pieces of the remaining dough between your fingers; press lightly into cream cheese layer.

Bake about 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely . Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

Makes 12-15 servings (or if you are in our family, would make about 4)

 

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Dog Art

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

imageOliver has taken over our lives. We tip toe around when he is sleeping, just like I did when I had babies (well, real human babies) as to not wake him up. We know the minute he wakes up we are expected to play “fetch” or he follows so closely behind us or beside us that both of us have tripped, trying to avoid a squashed dog. Forty-two years ago, I remember being so proud that I could actually bathe my newborn by myself, without asking anyone for help. It felt good to think of myself as a confident, competent new mom. It takes 2 of us to bathe this precious little 4 month old 3 lb dog. He wiggles and squirms and constantly tries  jumping our of the bathtub, so one of us holds him (that is me since Randy is still one-armed) and the other washes him.  An hour later, Oliver is clean, with freshly blow dried hair and finally asleep. So we are back to tip-toeing around. We have even resorted to always having background music when the tv isn’t on, hoping that will soothe Oliver and allow us to walk around without waking him up.

Yesterday, we went to the clubhouse for a concert, then drove a couple back home on our golf cart. The day was hot and we felt badly that they had walked up from their house. So we jumped on the cart and upon arriving at their house, they ask us in to see what all they had done to their house, since moving here around the same time we had. As we entered their front door, a sweet old corgi dog met us, named Toby. He didn’t run around our feet or jump up on us trying to get us to pick him up. The vision that comes to my mind is the difference between walking into a preschool and a nursing home. The preschoolers are running up to anyone who walks in the door, expecting you to go see everything they have done that day. The senior at the nursing home, just welcomes you and although is glad to see you, doesn’t jump up in your lap or expect you to see the lace doily they just completely. OK, back to the dog art story. When we left and headed back to our house, Randy looked at me and said, “I guess you will be ordering a t-shirt with Oliver’s picture on the front.” What? He couldn’t believe that I hadn’t noticed the t-shirt our new friend was wearing.  Randy told me that he had seem this couple twice this week. The first time, Randy saw her, she wore a t-shirt that said, “I Love My Corgi” and the second time she had  the picture t-shirt. It was then that I did remember seeing a huge picture of their dog on the front of her shirt. I assured him he didn’t have to worry about that. I don’t have any earrings that would go with a dog t-shirt. I feel so ashamed, the only way people would know we have a dog is from the dark circles around my eyes from Oliver waking me up at 5:30 every day.

We don’t even have a picture yet of Oliver in a frame sitting on the coffee table. When company comes, we immediately begin to apologize that we are bad parents to him. We don’t have any pictures printed up, we don’t have any clothing with his picture on it and he doesn’t own one outfit to strut around the neighborhood in. We figure that if we make it out of his terrible two’s,  without confining him to the play pen, we will just be thankful that he is sleeping past 5:30  am and has ceased begging every time we sit down to eat anything. We have never given him table food or fed him treats from the table,; where do they learn to do that? I guess the same place toddlers learn to lie, sneak cookies and bite. Certainly not our house! NEVER! Must be the neighbors house or the Jezebel dog Myah, which is our daughter’s new puppy!

Breads · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Cinnamon Roll Apple Bread Pudding

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A couple of weeks ago, I saw this on Facebook and decided that I would make it when I was wanting a new dessert. Well, tonight was the night. Randy and I found a Farmers Market today where we actually got a 5 lb sack of golden delicious applies for $0.99! We both just finished a bowl of the pudding and decided that we really did like it and will be making it a lot this fall. Very easy, quick and perfect for those nights when nothing but a “comfort food” dessert will do.

Serves 4 to 6 people

1 regular size can of cinnamon roll (I used Pillsbury) with the icing included

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk (I used Pet evaporated milk, undiluted

1 teas vanilla

2 teas ground cinnamon

2 tables butter

2 apples, peeled and diced (I used golden delicious)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375.

Grease a 9×9 baking pan. Cut up each raw cinnamon roll into small cubes and place in baking dish. Set aside.

Melt the butter with the brown sugar and diced apples in a skillet, over medium heat until sugar begins to bubble and caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, mix the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended.

Pour over the cubed cinnamon rolls in the baking dish. Top with the apple, sugar, butter mixture. Using the canned frosting, drizzle over the top of the apples.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until center of the baking dish tests done.

Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. * I had some of the brown sugar syrup left in the skillet which I poured over ours after dishing it up in the bowls. Fantastic! Think I will increase the butter and sugar next time so there will be more of the syrup to pour over each serving. It’s not even Fall yet, but Im excited about all the apple dishes which will be on our table, once the temps fall below 100.

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Questions & Answers

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Today is one of those days which a person always prays that will never come.  My BFF, Cora and her family are mourning the loss of her 20 year old grandson, Jared Frame. The funeral is this afternoon and even though we know that Jared is in Heaven, his loss here is being felt in so many families. Last week, so many of us questioned why God would allow such a tragedy to people who have served so faithfully their Lord and Savior. When so many hundreds of people had been praying and asking the Lord not to take Jared ‘s life, why did God not answer those prayers? He did, but just not in the way we hoped.

This morning, waking up early and reading Streams in the Desert, this was the devotion of the day, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, who passing  through the valley of weeping, make it a well.” Psa 84-5-6

It went on to say,

“Comfort does not come to the light-hearted and merry. We must go down into “depths” if we would experience this more precious of God’s Gifts–comfort, and thus be prepared to be co-workers together with Him.

When night-needful night–gathers over the garden of our souls, when the leaves close up and the flowers no longer hold any sunlight within their folded petals, there shall never be wanting, even in the thickest darkness, drops of heavily dew, dew which falls only when the sun has gone.

I have been through the valley of weeping.

The valley of sorrow and pain;

But the God of all comfort was with me, At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine, Our souls need both sorrow and joy;

So He places us oft in the furnace, the dross from the gold to destroy.

When he leads through some valley of trouble, His omnipotent hand we trace.

For the trials and sorrows He sends us, Are part of HIs lessons in grace.

Oft we shrink from the purging and pruning, Forgetting the Husbandman knows that the deeper the cutting and paring; The richer the cluster that grows.

As we travel thro’ life’s shadow’d valley, Fresh springs of His love ever rise;

And we learn that our sorrows and losses, Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we’ll follow wherever He leadeth. Let the path be dreary or bright;

For we’ve proved that our God can give comfort; Our God can give songs in the night.”

Todays posting is taken from Springs in the Desert Devotion book.

As we celebrate Jared’s wonderful faithful too-short lived life,  this afternoon, we have to trust that God has a wonderful purpose and plan that even though we do not understand, and maybe will not this side of Heaven, our prayers are that God is glorified. Jared’s parents have said that they want to “serve their Lord well”! Becky and Darren, you are shining examples of living that request very well. May God be glorified today through the tears and the pain.

 

 

Uncategorized

Chicken-Biscuit Cobbler

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Does this sound like a comfort food or what? It has crumbled bacon in the biscuits which will add to the wonderful Southern Flavor or this dish. Taken from Southern Living, 2014

3 tables butter

1 cup sliced carrots

1 medium onion, chopped

2 (8 oz) packages fresh mushrooms, quartered

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 tables white wine vinegar

3 tables sliced chives

3 table shopped parsley

2 teas chopped rosemary

2 teas chopped thyme leaves

8 cups shredded cooked chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Package of Bisquick Cheddar-Garlic biscuit mix (the kind that you just mix with water)

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon, (about 5 slices)

Preheat oven to 400. Melt 3 table butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add carrots and onion, and sauce 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms; sauce 5 more minutes. Stir in garlic and add wine; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup flour and cook, stirring constantly 3 minutes. Slowly add broth, stirring constantly; bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in cream and next 5 ingredients. Stir in chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and remove from heat.

Next, make the garlic-cheddar biscuits according to directions, and add the chopped, cooked bacon into the mixture before dropping the biscuits onto the chicken mixture. When the biscuits are mixed, return the chicken mixture to stove top to heat until bubbly and hot. Spoon the chicken mixture into a greased 3 qt baking dish. Drop biscuit dough by level 1/4 cupfuls, 1/2″ apart onto the chicken mixture.

Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes, or until biscuits are done and golden brown.

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Fittin-In

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We have been in Arizona since the end of April and in our house since May 11th. We knew from the get-go(I have been dying to use that term since I heard it a few days ago), that there would be several things that we would need to change about us that would help us “fit in” here. As we began to visit some of the churches to see where we would begin making us feel at home, we quickly realized that Randy would need to get rid of his suits that he wore to church in Dallas. In fact, there were a couple of times where we would walk into a church (First Baptist Dallas being one of them) and they mistook Randy for the visiting preacher. It was then and there that I told him he needed to get rid of his Pentecostal hair cut and cut back on the hair gel. But when we got here, he noticed that really all he had to have was nice Hawaiian shirts, a pair of nice tan shorts and some open toed sandals. So off to the Goodwill went the suits, pretty much knowing that all he would have to keep was one for him to be buried in. Those were his words, not mine.  But after the conversation this morning on the way home from shopping, that might be sooner than he expected. Another difference was that after trying to continue to style my Dallas big hair and big earrings, I have given up. Gone is the big hair, replaced by short spiky golden locks, which took the place of the red. The sun was fading the red so much that I was looking like Carrot Top. I was told by my daughter that wearing big earrings, just screamed “look at me, I am really old and dress very old fashioned”. So gone are the big hoops and in came the small dainty little pearls. I think I look like I’m 80 and look like June Cleaver now.

Also, we discovered, just like in Texas, to get to really know folks, you had to have a pet, preferably a dog to walk so the neighbors would talk to you. The cuter the dog, the friendlier the neighbors. So Oliver became our “business card” that we would use to get people’s attention.  To take this pet thing a step further, we have noticed that LOTS of people out here, love their bumper stickers which let you know they are animal people. There are stickers which have the number of stick people on their windshield as the number in their family plus Rover at the end of the line, letting you know they have a dog.

Then there are  bumper stickers which tell you how many cats people have, or announce that they are cat people with a line drawn through the word, “dog”.  Some say, Red Rover, Red Rover, Let Any Dog Come Over to My House! Or this one we saw last week, Dogs Welcome, People Keep Out!

On our way home today from shopping, Randy declared that maybe we needed to come up with our own bumper sticker, as we weren’t meeting people as quickly as we would like. (This is why he might be needing that burial suit sooner than later). After all, it is just to hot to go walking with Oliver and with Randy still being the One Armed Bandit (hallelujah we see the shoulder surgeon tomorrow), we have not been able to participate in many of the activities which would allow us to meet our new neighbors. As we drove, we began to talk about different suggestions which might be cute to have on our back car bumper which would let people know that we were now “pet lovers” We debated on several, such as: Love Us, Love our Pet, or We Love Our Pet & Our Grandkids, In that Order, but Randy finally decided that he knew what it would be…

“You Can Have My Wife, But Touch the Dog and You Die”!

It will be interesting to see who gets Oliver in the divorce settlement! Am having his one suit cleaned, as you never know when he might need it!

Beef · Casseroles · Daily Thoughts · Meats · Uncategorized

Enchiladas…Kiko’s Style

Chocolate Castles16 Comments

Corpus Christi is where I spent the first 45 years of my life. Back in the early 80’s some friends of ours, Sam & Yvonne Satterfield, introduced us to a Mexican restaurant called, Kikos. We ate there from that point on at least once a week after that. Every trip back to Corpus to see my parents, that was my first stop. Their enchiladas were just so good, with this rich brown-tomato sauce that wasn’t like the typical enchilada sauce that every Mexican restaurant or recipe seems to be. For years, I have tried to copy their great sauce, but to no avail. Every time Randy would be with me he would say, “I think it has cream of mushroom soup in it.” to which I would reply, “of course it doesn’t have cream of mushroom soup, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Well, after 20 years of him saying that and me responding in the same old way, I began to think, “what if he is right and I could have been eating great enchiladas the past 20 years other than when we just go to Corpus.” So last night, I experimented and oh my gosh, we had Kiko enchiladas. I’m not saying that they truly use Cream of Mushroom but I am saying that the sauce I made last night with it tasted the same as theirs. So if you are like us and think that no place else makes enchiladas like Kikos, give this a try. I think you will be pleasantly pleased.

8 white corn tortillas

1  1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 -3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz)

1 small can tomato sauce (small size can)

1 -2 cups water (depending on how thick you like your enchilada sauce) ( I used a little over 1 can).

1 packet of taco or enchilada seasoning

1 lb of hamburger meat

3 tablespoons oil

Lawrys Seasoning Salt

Garlic powder as desired

Grease a baking dish that will hold 8 enchiladas. Set aside.

In a skillet, brown the meat with  about 1 cup chopped onion until meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and stir until well blended in meat. Add the cup of water ,  1/2 packet of Lawry’s taco or enchilada seasoning, can of mushroom soup and small can of tomato sauce and cook over low heat for about 5 min until it makes a  gravy. If it is not thin enough to your liking, add a little more water, maybe up to 1/2 cup. Set aside. *If this is not spicy enough for you, add more of the Lawry’s Taco seasoning packet. (I like the flavor of the taco seasoning more than the enchilada seasoning)

In a small skillet,  melt about 1 tables butter and saute  the rest of the chopped onion until it is clear. Sprinkle about 1/2 teas Lawrys Seasoning Salt, 1/2 teas garlic powder and a little pepper. Place this onion mixture in a small bowl. In same skillet, add the 3 tables oil. Heat until it is sizzling around the edges. Place corn tortillas, one at a time, in the hot oil about 3-5 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels until you have done all 8 tortillas. When cool to the touch, begin by place about 1 teas cooked onion in the middle of each tortilla. Spoon about 1 tables of the shredded cheddar cheese over the onion and roll up. Place in the greased baking dish. When you have completed all 8, pour the meat mixture over the enchiladas and top with more cheddar cheese, to your liking. Bake ate 350 preheated oven for about 25 minutes, uncovered.

 

Holiday Fare · Meats · Uncategorized

Baked Ham

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A friend of mine just wrote and ask me if I made ham with cloves and pineapple. My response was that I had never made it that way. It brought back so many great memories of sitting around our table having ham, cooked with brown sugar, pineapple and coke with golden raisins. When I searched my blog for the recipe I discovered that I had never posted our favorite way to have ham. My  ex Father-in-law, Elwood always made this for almost every holiday and was happy to give us his recipe. He was a great cook and made the best fried shrimp you could find. The secret to this sauce is that you cook it for a couple of hours before pouring it over the ham to then bake in the oven. If the ham is over 4 lbs, you will want to double the ingredients. It  might not take all of the sauce, depending on the size ham, but you can freeze the rest and use it at a later time.

1/2 box  (15 oz size) golden raisins

1 12 oz coke (regular, not diet)

1 regular size can (not the short 4 oz, sorry but I don’t have one on hand to check the size but it is just like the regular size can) of crushed pineapple

1 cup of water

3/4 cup light brown sugar.

Combine all of the above ingredients and cook over a low heat for a couple of hours. When sauce has thickened, pour over the ham. Cover the ham and cook according to the directions for the size ham you are preparing.