Dad's 6 Minute Cake

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!

THANKS FOR THE FUN RECIPE!

I inherited my love of experimental cooking or as my Mom calls it,"Frizzle Cooking", from my Dad. When he retired, he kind of took over the kitchen and has perfected whole wheat cooking, especially his bread. I told Dad that I had a little microwave recipe for a chocolate cake that I just wasn't quite happy with and Dad took on the challenge and this little recipe is the result. It is good, easy, and inexpensive to make. Ty it, it's fun!

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup whole wheat four ( I tried white flour and it turned out fine)

2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

dash of salt

Mix everything together with a mixer and then add:

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix well and then pour in a 8 x 8 inch glass pan that has been greased with solid shortening and then dusted with flour.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the top and put in the microwave for 6 minutes on Hi power. This is best eaten hot out of the microwave. I like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

This was the cake I made and it really turned out quite well. The nuts stayed on top but the chocolate chips sink to the bottom.

I love you Dad! Thanks for the bounty of good memories you have made for me. No girl could have had a better Dad!

Happy Father's Day to all of our wonderful Dads!

- Debbie -

Picnic Carrot Cake

A Great Picnic Cake!

This is a fabulous cake to take on picnics. It 's not crumbly and when the frosting dries, it's not sticky. We love the rich, full flavor that is reminiscent of chuckwagon spice cakes served on old cattle drives. One preparation item to note on this recipe is that it must be started the night before you plan to make it. The carrots, raisins and spices like to get friendly together overnight in the frig. It keeps very well and cuts into nice, clean bars of cake.

This cake is also unusual in that it doesn't have any eggs in it. So, if you run out of eggs and need a cake for Sunday dinner, this is the perfect choice!

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup raisins

1 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves

2 large carrots, grated

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing:

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. butter

Combine, sugar, water, raisins, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and carrots in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, cool, and then put in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

Next day: Mix together flour, salt, soda, baking powder and walnuts. Add this mixture to the refrigerated mixture, stirring well.

Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan sprayed with Pam.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

Icing: Put brown sugar, water and butter together in a saucepan and warm on low heat until sugar dissolves. Pour over the warm cake and then let cool before cutting.

-Debbie-

Puddle Pies

This rich and luscious recipe makes two pies. One for your family and one to give away. Share the yum and the calories. A win-win for everyone!







After being at our cabin Easter weekend, the dominant outdoor condition was mud puddles, everywhere! If we got off the gravel, we were sucked into the brown goo. That experience was the genesis for these little puddle pies. I usually make this recipe in a 9 x 13 pan but I found that if I split it up into 2 pie pans we could eat one and share one. We did just that this week with a new mom and her family. I think everything is better when it is shared!

I left the white in recognition of the snow that was still evident in patches around the puddles.

Since you can't really get out and around on the Mountain a great deal right now, why not stay indoors and make a couple of puddle pies and share one with your neighbor!








Cooking tip: After I get the pie crust pushed into the pan, I cover it with wax paper and go over the area with a teaspoon. It helps to get a smooth, even crust.

Cooking tip: My favorite way to crush nuts like walnuts or pecans is to put the nuts in a zip baggie inside another baggie and then crush everything with a rolling pin. I can really control how fine I want to get my nuts, even rolling them at the end to get a really fine crush. Then you just need to throw the zip baggies away. No messy clean up.

Butter Nut Crust

2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups flour
4 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened but not melted

Mix nuts, flour, powdered sugar and work butter into dry ingredients. Divide mixture in two parts and put half in each pie pan or put all in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 300 for about 25 minutes. Cool completely!

1 (8 oz.) tub cool whip
2 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

First, beat cream cheese until smooth with a mixer, then add the powdered sugar and beat, and then add this mixture to the cool whip and beat.

Pour this mixture over the cooled pie crusts or put all in a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooled crust.

Refrigerate 2 or more hours.

1 small pkg. jello chocolate fudge instant pudding
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine pudding, cream, milk, and vanilla with a mixer at low speed until mixture begins to thicken. Spread on top of cream cheese layer and refrigerate overnight or several hours.

Note: If you choose to do this in a 9 x 13 inch pan, you may want to double the chocolate layer.

Garnish:

1 chocolate bar

Make chocolate curls using a potato peeler and put on top of pies.

********************* April 12, 2009***************

I took this shot just as the sun was going down and there was a sunbeam coming through the oaks. I loved the glow of light and reflection on the snow and puddles

In this picture, I loved the reflection of the stark bare oaks in the puddles in contrast to the sunlight. I believe there is beauty everyday on our Mountain, even in the mud puddles.

-Debbie -

Honey Apple Crisp

Smell the Apples - Feel the Memories


"Because of the fresh apples, this is one of our favorite fall desserts. I grew up in Upstate New York among the dairy farms and apple orchards. Every time I make this recipe, it reminds me of fall in New York and Dad coming home after riding our horse with his saddle bags filled with apples. He and the horse were both eating apples as they rode into the yard."

-Debby

This recipe is so easy - you usually have everything you need in the cupboards.

6 cups sliced apples (about 2 pounds) - I like golden delicious mixed with granny smith

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup rolled oats (quick oats are okay)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup butter

Arrange apples in a greased baking dish (9x13) and sprinkle with lemon juice. Spread honey over apples. Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 375 until apples are tender and crust is browned and bubbly (about 30 minutes)

Makes 6 servings. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping. (serve warm but is good when cold too)

Contributor: Debby

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every Little Wrangler (and Big Wranglers too) will love these cookies!


Thanks Deb for this yummy recipe. I'm sure my Grandkids will love these cookies.

3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. vanilla

Mix together until creamy and then add:

1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cup flour (more if you like a stiffer cookie - that is not flat)

Mix well and then add:

1 cup chocolate chips
(I add 3/4 cup coconut and 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts)

Mix well and then take a small ice cream scoop full of dough and place on the cookie sheet that has been greased or has parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Contributor: Debby