Daily Thoughts

A Season of Change

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One year ago today, Randy and I both knew that our time in California was over. We were being called to leave. When his job was alleviated in early December, we began to pray and ask God what He wanted for us. We had no desire to leave California, as it had quickly become such a refuge and we felt totally at home there. We had precious friends that we felt like we had known for years, as they had taken us in as if we had always been a part of their lives. We felt secure, rested and felt that we had been where God placed us 3 1/2 years before that day. But early that morning, Jan 14th, 2014, we got a phone call at 7 a.m. from Jodi, our daughter. She read us a devotion from Streams in the Desert and said that she felt that God had led her to call us and read it to us. As she did, I felt in my heart that maybe this was the Lord’s way of telling us that it was truly time for us to go. But, then again, I did not want to listen to what she was reading. About 3 hours later, the phone rings and it is a friend we attend church with. We hardly see her because of health reasons, she doesn’t get to be there a lot, but she is a real prayer warrior. Her name is Sue and she called and said, “Trudy, the Lord laid upon my heart this devotion this morning and I felt led to call you and read it to you.” As she began to read, I began to cry, as it was the same devotion Jodi had called 3 hours earlier and read. Both Randy and I knew that God was speaking to us through this devotion and that He was taking us back to Dallas. We learned along time ago that being obedient to what God is directing is a lot easier than trying to do life on our own and then having to suffer the consequences of disobedience. His will is always perfect, sometimes not easy, but in the long run, it is always best as He knows and loves us more than we can imagine. So we knew that day, that we would be leaving California and the people that we had become so close to in that short amount of time. Our hearts were torn, but knowing that when you live life with God at the wheel, it is an adventure, never boring and we knew that He had a plan. So we began the adventure of closing that chapter of our lives and on to the next. It is a year ago today that this devotion changed our path, but looking back, we can certainly see God’s Hand over our lives and His continued provision and blessing. Here is the devotion.

“When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them.” John 10:4

Taken from Streams in the Desert

This is intensely difficult work for Him and for us. It is difficult for us to go, but equally difficult for Him to cause us pain. Yet it must be done. It would not be in our best interest to always remain in one happy and comfortable location. Therefore He moves us forward. The shepherd leaves the fold so the sheep will move on to the vitalizing mountain slopes. In the same way, laborers must be driven out into the harvest or else the golden grain would spoil.

But take heart. It could never be better to stay once He determines otherwise; if the loving hand of the Father moves us forward, it must be best. Forward in His name, to green pastures, quiet waters and mountain tops. He goes on ahead of us. So whatever awaits us is encountered first by Him and the eye of faith can always discern His majestic presence out in front. When His presence cannot be seen, it is dangerous to move ahead. Comfort your heart with the fact that The Savior has Himself experienced all the trials He asks you to endure. HE would not ask you to pass through them unless He was sure that the paths were not too difficult or strenuous for you.

This is the blessed life; not anxious to see far down the road, not overly concerned about the next step, not eager to choose the path nor weighted down with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following the Shepherd…one step at a time.

This is what we pray that we will do; allow Him to lead us, one step at a time, knowing and trusting Him every step of the way.

We are learning that truly, when you cannot see His Hand, we can always trust His Heart.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

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I guess you can tell that I’m in my cake mode. I get in cookie mode, pie modes and now cake. I have one piece left of the Tuxedo cake and am saving it for tonight to eat during The Good Wife. But this cake, (once again, thank you Paula Deen) well…I will be making it Tues so I can watch Adventures of Laura and have cake.

1 1/4 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tables vanilla

5 large eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 teas baking soda

1 teas baking powder

1/4 salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate-Hazelnut Frosting

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)

1 1/2 cups chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

1/2 cup sour cream

5 cups powdered sugar

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 (9″) cake pans with Pam. Coat with flour if you are not using the Pam with flour.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until all is combined. Stir in sour cream. Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 15 to 20 min, or until cake tests done. Let cool in pans for 10 min and remove from pans onto wire racks.

Spread frosting between layers and on sides and top of cake when completely cool. Garnish with chopped hazelnuts if desired.

Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium until creamy. Beat in Nutella and sour cream until combined. REduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar, beating until well combined and no lumps remain.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Tuxedo Cake

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2015-01-09 16.27.07

This truly is my favorite cake. I know I say that about several cakes, but really, this time I mean it. If I knew that I could only have one piece of cake before the doctor told me I couldn’t have any cake the rest of my life, it would be this one. I made it for friends who were coming over last night after we all went out to eat. One of the friends who I won’t name but is the tallest of all my friends, was sitting there enjoying the conversation when she got up and went into the kitchen. I assumed she was going to go get another cup of coffee (yes, I am a terrible hostess, I forget to ask people if they want more coffee). When she returned to the conversation, she was standing there with her plate; she had gone and cut herself a 2nd piece of cake. One of the guys in the living room began to yell, “Trudy, this is the most awesome cake EVER!!! It is spectacular” (but in all fairness, that is Jack’s go to word.) But the layers of chocolate and vanilla cake layered with chocolate frosting and then vanilla almond frosting on the outside with the chocolate ganache on top, just tops it off. It is really easy and just makes such a great presentation.

1 Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix

1 Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix

1 box of Dream whip (contains 2 envelops-use 1 envelope with each cake mix)

8 eggs

2 cups water

1 teas almond extract (for making the vanilla cake mix)

Mix the vanilla cake mix with 4 eggs, 1 package of Dream Whip and one cup of cold water, and 1 teas almond extract.  Beat for 4 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and prepared 9″ cake pans. Bake for about 25 min at preheated 350 oven or until cake tests done. Cool on wire racks.

Repeat with the chocolate cake mix. Follow same instructions as you did with the vanilla cake mix, except do not add the almond extract. Pour into 2 prepared greased 9″ cake pans and bake as directed above. Cool on wire racks.

You will notice that when using the Dream whip, the cake will bake up a little higher than without it. I like that because it makes the cake moister and looks so much higher on the cake plate.

Chocolate Frosting for between the cake layers.

1 stick butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

Enough milk to get frosting to spreading consistency. About 1/4 cup…maybe a little more. Don’t add the 1/4 cup all at once, in case you don’t need all of it.

Vanilla Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup Crisco

2 teas almond extract

3 cups powdered sugar

Enough milk or whipping cream to make it spreading consistency (about 1/3 cup, possibly a little more). Beat all ingredients until smooth and well blended.

Chocolate ganache

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2cup heavy whipping cream

Melt chocolate chips in the cream, stirring over low heat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. I had to add a little more whipping cream to be able to spread over top of cake so it would drip over sides of cake.

Use one of the chocolate cake layers and place on a serving platter. Spread chocolate frosting on top, but not the side. Place one vanilla cake layer on top of chocolate frosting. Spread Vanilla frosting on sides and top of cake. When chocolate ganache is made, allow to cool so it won’t melt frosting on cake. When ganache is cool, spread on top of cake allowing it to fall down the sides of the cake. Set in fridge to allow the frostings to set. Take out at least one hour before serving.

If you want to use all 4 layers, you will need to increase the amount of frosting you make, as you will need more.

If you don’t use but the 2 layers, you can wrap the other two layers and freeze in freezer bags for a later use.

Cakes · Desserts

Paula Deen Ooey Gooey Butter Layer Cake

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The fireplace is on, and all I want to do is stay home and bake. I love the Ooey Gooey Cake that Paula gave us the recipe several years ago and when I saw this, I knew I would have to try it. It has to be scrumptious. It is from Paula, it is ooey, gooey and it has butter in it. How could it not be good?

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 1/4 cups sugar

5 large eggs

1 teas vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tables baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

1/4 teas salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 cup sour cream

Ooey Gooey Butter Filling

Cream Cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350

Spray 3 (9″) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In another large bowl, whisk together flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until combined after each addition; stir in sour cream. Spoon batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 18-22 min or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 min. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Ooey Gooey Butter filling between layers; cover and freeze for 1 hour. Spread cream cheese frosting on top and sides of cake.

Ooey Gooey Filling

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

4 large eggs

1 (8 oz) cream cheese

In the top of a double boiler, melt butter over simmering water. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, orange juice and eggs until mixture is smooth. Return double boiler to heat and cook, whisking constantly for 10-15 min or until mixture is very thick. Remove from heat and whisk in cream cheese until smooth. Let cool for 30 min.

Spoon mixture into a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto surface of mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for up to 3 days.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 tables vanilla

6 cups of powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla with mixer on medium speed. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until all is smooth.

*Note-the cake layers can be made ahead of time and frozen up to 2 weeks. Wrap slightly warm cake layers in heavy duty plastic wrap and freeze in large resealable plastic bags. Let the cake layers thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling

Daily Thoughts

Mall Walking

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I discovered this week that mall walking is not for me. On Jan 5th we woke up and looked at each other and knew that today was the day, Monday, the first day of our New Years resolution that we had agreed upon 4 days ago. We did our usual chores of laundry and cleaning and knew it could not be put off any longer.  So we got out our tennis shoes, our white tennis socks and made sure that we looked pretty fashionable, just in case we did run into someone we knew. Because it was so cold outside, I ask Randy to please park close so I wouldn’t have to wear a coat and then have to carry it around while we walked. Because we didn’t quite make it before the mall opened to do our walk, (actually we didn’t get there until 3 in the afternoon. It took me that long to talk myself into this new resolution that I knew I wouldn’t keep in the first place. Whose idea was it that we were going to do this 4 times a week? It certainly wasn’t mine. The only thing I do 4 times a week is bake.

We step inside the mall and begin our trek from one end to the other. About half-way down the mall, I reached up to be sure my earring had not fallen off, as I was pretty proud of how fast we were going, when I discovered that HE had let me walk out of the house and into the mall with out earrings. I don’t go to the bathroom without earrings. Southern ladies just don’t do that. I told him that this was going to be a short walk, because what if someone noticed that I was in the mall without my earrings! I just couldn’t take that chance.  We began to look around and noticed that the only ones that were “mall walking” had to be over 70. And they certainly didn’t care if they had earrings on; Tweety Bird t-shirts with matching elastic band pants was apparently the “in” thing to wear mall walking. Each time we passed Dillards or Macy’s I thought of something else that I wanted to show him. Looking back over that day, I think we probably spent more time window shopping than walking, but as I told Randy, “we should really wait until middle of Feb or first of March to start this because you know people are looking at us and thinking that we are some of the old people that make a resolution that the first of the year, we are going to get on an exercise program and their second thought would be “bet they dont’ last 1 week”. So if you start later, at least they might be thinking, “good for them, they are still keeping up their resolution to exercise”. It really does make sense to me. By the time we got in the car I told him that I thought I would just wait until it warmed up a bit and walk outside. I just didn’t feel like we fit in with all the oldies at the mall that always stopped at the food court for their McDonalds 87 cent coffee and $1 apple pies when they were through. Plus, since I had gone to our neighborhood mall without earrings, I just couldn’t stand the thought of going back in there for awhile.

Cakes · Desserts

Pineapple Pound Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

I have to make this..it just sounds so moist and think how good it will be to put a spoonful of whipped cream over a slice.

Cake

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup butter, softened

2 3/4 cup sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups flour

1 teas baking powder

1/4 cup half and half or (dilute 1/8 whipping cream with 1/8 cup water)

1 teas vanilla

3/4 cup crushed pineapple with juice

Cream butter, Crisco until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time.

Sift flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture 1 spoonful at a time, alternately with milk.

Stir in crushed pineapple with it’s juice and vanilla. Pour into a large well greased tube or bundt pan.

Place in a cold oven and turn oven on to 325. Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until cake tests done. Remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

Enough water to be able to drizzle over cooled cake (I will probably use milk instead of water).

Casseroles · Chicken · Daily Thoughts · Meats · Starches

Chicken Florentine Manicotti Alfredo

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Received my new Southern Lady magazine. I have wiped off the drool from the front cover as it displayed a gorgeous pecan-date pie which is just divine and went quickly pass the desserts in search of a new dinner recipe. This one sounded like it was meant for today, since we woke up to 27 degrees and need something that will “stick to our bones”. Of course during the last 2 months we have found lots of recipes that have “stuck to our bones”. That is why we are shopping this week for new clothes…a size larger. Of course we always say that we are just going mall walking, but in reality, all we do is walk into the stores and see what is on sale. But it sounds great when friends call and ask what we have been up to. “oh just got back from our walking the mall.”

Makes 6-8 servings *This recipe also freezes very well

4 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach

2 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup firmly chopped green onion

1 teas garlic powder

1 (8 oz) package manicotti, cooked according to package directions

1/4 cup butter

2 tables flour

1/2 teas salt

2 cups whole milk

1/4 teas ground white pepper (I am cheating and using black, do not want to go back to grocery store)

1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tables Italian seasoning

1/2 teas ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, spinach, cream cheese, green onion, and garlic powder.

Beat at medium speed until well combined with hand mixer. Spoon chicken mixture into manicotti and place in prepared pan; set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add flour, salt and white pepper; cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually add milk, continuing to whisk. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 4 min, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Spoon sauce over manicotti and sprinkle evenly with Italian seasoning and pepper.

Bake for 35 to 40 min or until bubbly and heated through.

*To make ahead and freeze you can completely make the casserole and just cover and freeze without baking. When ready to serve, thaw completely and bake in preheated 350 degree oven, uncovered for about 40 minutes or until bubbly hot.

Breads · Breakfast · Holiday Fare

Cranberry Scones

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It seems like I go a little over board buying fresh cranberries during the Christmas season, so I look and find a couple of bags that are still there and went looking for recipes which use fresh ones. This is out of a Jan/Feb 07 Southern Lady or Paula Deen (I had torn the page out and so I’m not sure which one)

3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teas vanilla

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, vanilla and dried cranberries. Stir until all ingredients are moistened. Add a little more whipping cream if it seems too dry.

Turn out on a generously floured board (or wax paper that you have floured) and knead 5 times or until it all comes together.

Be careful not to overwork the dough. Roll out with a rolling pin to 1/2 ” thickness. Cut with a 1 1/2 ” biscuit cutter (or a heart shaped cookie cutter for Valentines). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 13-15 min or until the tops are golden. Be careful not to over bake. Serve with lemon curd or preserves

Uncategorized

Mess In the Midst

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A couple of friends ask about this posting and suggested that I reblog it. Hope it makes you smile.

Chocolate Castles's avatarChocolate Castles

This morning we woke up to the doorbell ringing at 7:15. Randy told me that he had not seen me move that fast in 20 years. I am one of those that think about things like, will I have on make-up and a “wouldn’t mind being caught in this outfit” outfit in case of rapture, earthquake or unexpected visitors. It dawned on us that the painters were here to paint the kitchen back to the original blah color that it was when we moved in. What happened to the lazy guy who never shows up until the afternoon? When did people start showing up for work at 7 a.m.? I guess I am already getting use to this retirement phase of watching GMA in jammies and finally getting a shower around 10. I just remembered that when I opened the door, I was apologizing to 4 strange men that I…

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Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Old Fashioned Whoopie Pies

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I began making these back in the late 70’s. When Jason, my oldest son went off to A & M, I remember sending a shoebox full of these to him. Apparently lots of moms did that and they came to be known as shoebox cookies. This recipe came from a niece, who use to ask me to make them when she came over. She loved them so much, she ended up writing the recipe in my old spiral notebook that I still have today.

Combine the following in a big mixing bowl:

2 cups sugar

1 cup Crisco (I used 1/2 cup Crisco and 1 stick butter)

2 eggs, room temp

1 cup buttermilk

2 teas vanilla

4 cups flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teas salt

2 teas baking soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water.

Mix all ingredients above until thoroughly mixed well. Drop by tables onto baking sheet. (I didn’t grease mine as it is coated, if you are not using a coated sheet of parchment paper, I would lightly grease the baking sheet.)

Bake at 400 for about 8-10 min. Cookies have a cake like consistency so when almost completely firm to the touch, take out. Do not over bake.

Cook on paper towels or cookie racks and make frosting.

Beat 2 egg whites which are at room temp; add 4 tables flour, 2 teas vanilla and 2 cups powdered sugar.

Mix well and add 4 table milk, 1 cup Crisco (once again, I used 1/2 cup Crisco and 1/2 cup butter) and 2 cups more powdered sugar.

When cookies are completely cool, frost the bottom of a cookie and top with a 2nd cookie, making them a Whoopie Pie.

Delicious and easy to mail. Keep covered in container or freeze in bags.