Daily Thoughts

Trudy’s Tidbits

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There is a problem when you have a blog. My mind races every day around either recipes or tips which I either hear from others or read about. It is times like today that I have so much to say, but don’t want to bore you to death with info when really all you are wanting is a new recipe. But…I can’t stand it. I just have to pass on several things.
1. In art class today I overhead a lady talk about the “correct” way to ripen fruit. When I ask her what that was, she proceeded to tell me that you should always include an apple in the sack (which you are suppose to close and put in a dark place) where you have placed your peaches or plums or nectarines. She says that the apple absorbs some type of gas that I can’t even begin to pronounce or spell, which causes the fruit not to ripen as it should. She also stated that is the reason you should never have fruit ripening in the fridge when you have tulips in your fridge,(which if you are like me, tulips have never been in my fridge, but you never know when they might be) as the gas expelling from the fruit will not allow the tulips to open and bloom.
Now, are you not thankful to know this. How could you have gone another day without this knowledge.
Info #2. We were at Whataburger a couple of days ago as I was craving a hamburger, as I do approx. 2-3 times a week. Because we had just left the house and had not really planned on stopping for lunch quite yet, I had poured myself a glass of tea for our errand running afternoon. But as we walked past a hamburger place I told RC that I couldn’t take it. I HAD to have a hamburger, NOW. So off to Whataburger we go and because I didn’t want to waste the tea that I had brought with me, I decided to take it in with me. Randy ask me if I was sure I wanted to do that, because he didn’t want to get thrown out for bringing in our own drinks, but I told him I would take the blame so only one of us would have to eat our burger in the car. So off we go and order. I just ordered a hamburger, he ordered a #7, which includes a drink. When he comes over to the table, he sets down his drink and then puts a glass of tea in front of me. I looked at him with a curious look. He tells me that he thinks that the man taking our order felt sorry for us and that he told Randy to give his wife this glass of tea. I guess he thought we looked like we were probably retired and poor and was trying to do a good deed for us “oldies”. That’s when I came up with a plan. I’m going to do that if we ever go to a high class restaurant. Maybe we will get more than a glass of tea “on the house”.
Fact #3 This week I found myself missing our friends back in California. It has always been said that if you are down, do something nice for others and you won’t have time to think about yourself. So I got in the kitchen to bake several different desserts for friends who we would be seeing this week. Before I actually was able to deliver all these new recipes which were intended for others, Randy and I scarfed down 2 different new baked items. The point of this fact is this. It is great to do for others and it did, in fact, take my mind of myself. The sad part is this, I gained 5 lbs while attempting to do a good deed. The moral of this story is; do not think that you can bake for others and not eat it yourself if it stays in your house for over 30 min before giving it away. It’s just not possible.

I guess this is all I have learned this week. Isn’t it amazing how much you can learn from the internet. And the most important fact is this, if you read it on the internet, it must be true.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit

Whiskey Cake (Or If you are a Bapt, like me, we like to refer to it as a Cake With a Kick)

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This summer we have had to adjust to living back in Texas, which means that we stay in the house alot. At our age, dealing with heat just means that you learn where the coolest (and I don’t mean “hip”) stores in town are and where the closest ice cream shop is located. Some of our kids are coming to dinner tonight and they had requested that we have whiskey cake for dessert. Mandy and Cameron have taken me to Whiskey Cake on several occasions for us to have that dessert and I told them that I was determined to find the recipe for it. Wa La, lo and behold, the chef at WC was featured in the Dallas paper with his recipe for this amazing cake, which the restaurant has been named having the best dessert for 4 yrs in a row, according to the article. So tonight is the unveiling of this creation that I hope resembles the “real thing”. It takes some time, but since I “don’t have a life”, as our kids seem to think, what else do I have to do but spend hours in the kitchen making any and all of their request. Oops, I guess that didn’t sound very nice. I just hope they remember this when it comes to them picking out my nursing home.
The recipe does take about an hour, but it truly is so worth it.
And for all you Baptist out there, if you decide to bake it for dessert when you are having the preacher over, it will be our little secret what’s in it.

1 lb of dates, chopped
(I buy the chopped dates in the box that are coated in sugar and it worked great.)
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups boiling water
1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup self-rising flour
2 jumbo eggs (I had extra large so used two eggs and 1 egg yolk)
1 teas vanilla
Place the dates, baking soda and boiling water in a bowl. Stir and allow to sit 15-20 min to soften the dates.
Place the date mixture in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste. Set aside.
Cream butter and eggs, vanilla & sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the flour and mix to combine. Fold in the date mixture and pour into a 9×13″ baking pan which has been sprayed with Pam and then coated with a little sugar on bottom.
Bake at 350 in preheated oven. When cake tests done, cool for 20 min then flip cake out onto paper lined plate or tray.
Leave at room temp to cool completely. Once cool, wrap in plastic and keep stored at room temp or serve immediately.

Whiskey Sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2 tables granulated sugar
1 teas vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
1 teas Whiskey
Bring cream, 2 tables sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the other 2 tables sugar until foamy.
Temper 1/2 of the heavy cream into the mixing bowl and then return the mixture to the rest of the cream.(I actually drizzled gradually about 1/2 cup of the cream mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly before adding it to the rest of the cream)
Continue to cook until thicken. (This did not take but a couple of mins).
Add the vanilla and whiskey.
Remove and cool. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Toffee Sauce
1/4 lb (1 stick) butter
1 lb light brown sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 tables whiskey
1 tables vanilla
Place butter in a heavy bottom sauce pan and melt. Add the brown sugar and cook over medium heat for 10 min.
Add the heavy cream and allow to cook for an additional 7 min, stirring occasionally.
Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to ensure it is cooking evenly
Remove from heat and add the whiskey and vanilla. Stir.
Cool. You can store in fridge up to 3 days.
When ready to serve the cake pieces, place the needed amount of cake pieces on a baking sheet. Poke holes in the cake pieces and spoon some of the toffee sauce over each piece.
Place in a 500 degree oven for about 2-3 min or until toffee is bubbling and cake is warmed throughout. After placing each piece on individual plates, spoon a little of the Whiskey Sauce over the pieces. Serve with additional whipped cream if desired.

Desserts · Fruit

Peach Praline Cobbler

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This recipe is so much like the recipe that my Italian neighbor from NYC gave me years ago that I seemed to have misplaced. It is different from the ordinary cobbler. Such a great way to use fresh peaches.

8 cups of fresh peaches (or frozen)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tables cornstarch
1 teas ground cinnamon
3/4 cup light packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups self rising flour
2 teas sugar
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk
in a large pan, combine peaches, 1 cup sugar, water, cornstarch and cinnamon. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Transfer to a 3 qt rectangle baking dish.
For filling:
Stir together brown sugar and melted butter; add pecans. Toss to coat and set aside.
For dough:
IN a large mixing bowl, stir together self rising flour and 2 teas sugar. Cut in the shortening. Make a well in center and add buttermilk. Stir just enough to cling together.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently for 10-12 strokes. roll to a 12×8″ rectangle. Spread with pecan filling. Roll up from one of the long sides, (like you would do when making cinnamon rolls). Cut into 12 (1″ thick) slices. Place slices cut down, atop hot peaches.
Bake, uncovered in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until dough cuts are golden. Serve warm with ice cream or 1/2 & 1/2 poured over individual servings.
*(you may substitute regular flour with 2 teas baking powder, 1/2 teas baking soda and 1/2 teas salt in place of the self-rising flour)

Desserts · Holiday Fare

Praline Pumpkin Dessert

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It is truly summer & with temps going to the 100’s, who wants to have the oven on?
Looking through an old 1987 Sothern Living magazine this no-bake dessert drew my attention.
Not wanting to wait for Fall to experience my love of pumpkin, I immediately tore this one out. It is a keeper.
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Mix and press into bottom of a 9″ spring form pan.
Filling:
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk (aka Eagle Brand)
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can (16 oz) canned pumpkin
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, defrosted
Blend all ingredients and pour over crust. Put into freezer for at least 4 hours, covered. Spread 1 qt of vanilla softened ice cream over the top. Return to freezer, covered. Allow to stand at room temperature 5 min before serving. Serve with Praline Sauce*
*Praline Sauce
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 table butter
1 teas vanilla
Pour contents of can in deep casserole dish. Cover and cook in microwave 3 minutes. Stir and cook another 2-3 min. Stir in brown sugar, water and butter. Microwave an additional 1-2 min, covered. Add vanilla and stir until smooth. Cool or chill before using over pumpkin dessert.

Uncategorized

Red Velvet Brownies

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1(4 oz) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 (1oz) bottle red liquid food coloring
1 1/2 teas baking powder
1 teas vanilla
1/8 teas salt
Small batch cream cheese frosting*recipe to follow
preheat oven to 350. Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch square pan with foil. Allowed to 2-3 inches to extend over sides, lightly grease with oil.
microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave safe bowl for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth; stir at 30 second intervals. Whiskey in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour and next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
bake at 350 for 44 to 48 minutes, or until brownies test done. Cool completely about 2 hours. Lift brownies from pan using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil.spread small batch cream cheese frosting over top of brownies and cut into 16 squares.
*frosting
1(8) ounce package of cream cheese,softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar with vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

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I felt that after posting the recipe for Possum I had better redeem myself and what better way to do that than with a chocolate dessert. There were several inquiries as to if that was a real recipe. Yes, it was a real recipe out of Randy’s family cookbook from his great grandmothers family. Because I had never seen anything like it I just had to post it. But now on to the chocolate bars, these combine the wonderful flavor of pecan pie and chocolate. We were at Luby’s today and it took all my will power to walk past the pecan pie which in turn made me come home and want to make pecan pie. These give me both loves, pecan pie and chocolate…ah, much better sounding than Possum and Sweet Potatoes don’t you think?

1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 sugar
1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter
1 oz unsweetened chocolate square
3 beaten eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 tables water
2 teas vanilla
In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Cut in the 1/2 cup cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in pecans. Press into bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 10 min.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the 1/4 cup butter and chocolate.
Heat and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, water and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Pour over crust. Return to oven. Bake 20 min. Cool. Cut into bars.

Uncategorized

Possum & Sweet Potatoes

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Yes you read right. When going through that same 1928 cookbook which has recipes from the Depression, I came across this and couldn’t believe what it was. Right in the middle of the recipes for meatball soup and Tamale Pie was “possum & sweet potatoes”. Randy told me I had to put this recipe on the blog. He says that my blog will be the only other food blog with a recipe for cooking possum. I think he is right.
Pour a large kettleful of hot water into a convenient vessel; add a small amount of ashes and then put the possum in. Turn until fur is loosened and it can easily be scraped clean. Remove head and feet; wash thoroughly. Salt in and outside. Let hang overnight outside to freeze.
Wash again and put in baking pan with a little water. Cover and put over the fire. When tender remove cover and put in oven to brown. Dust with pepper and baste with drippings; have medium potatoes peeled and boiled tender, adding a little butter and sugar.
When potatoes are tender, baste with juices until golden brown. Arrange possum on hot platter with potatoes around him and serve.

I don’t know about you but not even the best sweet potato casserole could make me like possum. Think I will stick to cows, pigs and chickens. They are much easier to skin.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Truly Different Cupcakes

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Have been going through a cookbook my sister-in-law brought over the other night which is dated back to the 20’s and has been in the Cox family for years. It includes recipes from 1928 to early 2000. This recipe caught my eye and am going to make them tomorrow. Today the weather is rainy and in the 80’s so have to make a peach cobbler. It just fits the weather we are having.

2 sticks butter
1 bar German Chocolate sweet chocolate
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1/4 teas butter flavoring
1 teas vanilla
Combine melted butter and chocolate. Set aside. Beat BY HAND, the flour, sugar, eggs and flavorings. Add chocolate mixture. Refrigerate batter, covered overnight. Line an 18 cupcake pan with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among pan. Bake at 325 for 25 min or until cupcake tests done in middle. Do not overbake.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost with Cocoa frosting.
Or peanut cream frosting:*
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream
2 tables milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
Combine marshmallow cream and milk, mixing with mixer until well blended. Add peanut butter, beating until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Coconut White Chocolate Cheesecake

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The grandkids are gone so I can put away the chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, frozen pizza and get back to sugar. Since we have been entertaining kids/grandkids and have tried to cook all their favs while they were in town, we tried to convince them that we were “giving up” healthy foods just for them, when in reality, the boxed mac & cheese was a delight as was the pizza that graced out table several nights during that time. While the kids feasted on frozen pizza, the adults indulged on gourmet pizzas from our favorite take-outs. But since they thought that we were giving up all our normal healthy foods, just for them, we think that we earned a couple of visits from them when we are in the nursing home. But now we get to go back to our normal way of eating. Chicken fried steak, chocolate cakes baked at 8 p.m. and cheesecakes that sometimes take the place of dinner.
After Randy took me to Nordstrom’s for my best dessert treat ever, white chocolate bread pudding, the crave to have more white chocolate desserts began to surface. Seeing this recipe in the Taste of Home April/May 2014, I knew that it would be the next big dessert I made.
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tables butter, melted
5 packages (8 oz ea) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups white chocolate baking chips, melted and cooled
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 teas coconut extract
1 teas vanilla
4 eggs, beaten lightly
3/4 cup flaked coconut, divided
Preheat oven to 325. Place a greased 9″ (3″ deep) spring form (cheesecake pan) on a double thickness of heavy duty foil. (about 18″ sq).
Wrap foil around pan.
In a bowl, mix crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cooled melted chips, coconut milk and extracts.
Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Fold in 1/2 cup coconut. Pour over the crust. Place spring form pan in a larger baking pan. Add 1″ of hot water to larger pan.
Bake 60 min to 70 min or until center is just set and top appears dull.
Remove pan from larger pan. Cool on a wire rack for 10 min.
Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer.
Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
Remove rim from pan. Serve topped with toasted coconut*
To Toast Coconut: Bake at 350 on a jelly roll pan for 5-10 min, or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Breads · Breakfast

Lemon Blueberry Scones

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2 cups flour
1 tables baking powder
1/2 teas salt
2 tables sugar
5 tables cold unsalted butter
1 cup fresh blueberries
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400. Gently whisk dry ingredients together. Grate the butter on the coarse side of a box grater. (or use pastry cutter to blend in cold butter) and add to the dry ingredients; gently toss to combine.
Fold the blueberries and lemon zest into the dry mixture. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together, just to incorporate, do not overwork the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Form into mounds. Arrange them on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle about a teas of sugar over the top of each mound before baking. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until tops are barely golden brown.