• Snowy day scones…

    February 26, 2013 / 8 Comments

    It has snowed all day long…a beautiful blanket of white.  My daughter, who is accustomed to driving in this after almost 15 years in Iowa, said that it was icy and treacherous driving and admonished me to stay home!  I did.

    I put on a CD by Norah Jones and headed to the kitchen – something that I rarely do now for the purpose of “cooking for one”.  Obviously, I need to get over that and cook for myself.  I must get over it.  I’m working on it.

    There were two fresh juicy lemons in the fruit bowl, and I decided to make my favorite lemon raisin Scottish scones.  Scotland…  I’ve held on to a small account for years that I’ve called my “U.K. account”.  I haven’t used it to travel yet and hope I don’t have to use it for my “old age”.  I picture myself in England or Ireland or Wales…but, most especially, I picture myself in Scotland enjoying tea and scones in a quaint little tea shoppe.  I have a vivid imagination.

     

     

     When the scones came out of the oven, I glazed them with the juice of one-half lemon and enough powdered sugar for the right consistency.  Then I enjoyed a delicious warm scone with a cup of Constant Comment tea and watched the snow fall…

    Dianne’s Raisin Lemon Scones

    2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

    3/4 cup sugar

    4 teaspoons baking powder

    pinch of salt

    6 tablespoons butter

    1 cup raisins

    1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

    2 beaten eggs

    1 teaspoon lemon extract or lemon juice

    zest of one fresh, washed lemon

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet or stoneware pan with cooking spray.

    Whisk together dry ingredients + lemon zest.  Cut the butter in gently until mixture resembles “crumbs”.  Combine the yogurt and beaten eggs and add to ingredients.  Add the raisins.  You may need to add 2 – 3 tablespoons of milk to make it a dough you can work with.  Gently work the dough adding a little flour if needed.  Form a circle and pat it down on your stoneware pan or cookie sheet.  Use a pizza cutter to score the dough.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 12 – 15 minutes (depending on oven) or until golden.  Glaze the scones while still warm.  Enjoy!

  • Cooking lessons…

    February 17, 2013 / 18 Comments

    On Thursday, my eight year old granddaughter came over to spend the day and enjoy her very first “sleepover” at Grandmom’s apartment.  We had such fun!  First of all, she learned to bake a chocolate chess pie – with her doing most of it!  (We enjoyed a couple of slices of it and took the remainder of it home the next day for her to share with everyone).

     

     

    She came bearing all sorts of toys for us to enjoy – especially her little Polly dolls.  We used my decorator boxes for their homes and let our imaginations create a story for them.

    It was Valentine’s Day, so she wanted to surprise my neighbors (even a few I don’t know ;-)) with special Valentines we created!  She brings joy to her world that’s for sure and the Valentines were a hit.

    We popped popcorn and watched the movie Sarah, Plain and Tall (which is actually based on a children’s book) starring Glenn Close.  When it was her bedtime, she was so tired I think she was asleep a minute after her head hit the pillow in the big guestroom bed!

     

     

    The next morning, we watched part of Anne of Green Gables and then we got ready to return her home for her morning school work!

    On Saturday, my daughter, my thirteen-year-old granddaughter and my two grandsons came over.  (My eight-year-old granddaughter and her dad had driven to Iowa City for the long day of a USA swim meet in her age group).  While my oldest grandson stayed at my apartment to study, the rest of us headed out for a couple hours of “shopping”.  First, it was to Michael’s for a few art supplies and soft, wonderful yarn for a new baby blanket.

    Then my granddaughter and I headed to the pet store a few stores down the walkway.  After enjoying a visit with the pets in the Animal Rescue League section of the store (my granddaughter wants to be a vet when she grows up), we joined my daughter and little grandson in the department store next to Michael’s.

    After lunch, my daughter and two grandsons returned home while my granddaughter stayed to spend the day with me and enjoy her cooking lesson!  With very little help from me, she made a cherry latticed pie.  We snacked on a couple of slices that afternoon then took the rest home with her to share.  It was delicious!

     

     

    She is very artistic and we enjoyed drawing together.  We used her new watercolor pencils and turned our drawings into a watercolor with just a few strokes of water…that was fun!  All too soon, it was time to return her home and I stayed for a delicious dinner of lasagna, french bread and cherry pie!

     

    I will look forward to more cooking lessons in the future.  Maybe next time, we will try some Southern homemade fried apple and peach pies…

  • Ozark Mountain Apple Cake…

    January 13, 2013 / 10 Comments

    A long-time reader emailed me one day this week to ask for the recipe for one of my favorite desserts:  the Ozark Mountain Apple Cake.  I had featured it in My Southern Heart a couple of years ago.  She had baked it then and loved it, but lost the link.  I emailed her back with the recipe.  Since then, I’ve had this cake on my mind and wishing for a warm slice right from the oven.  It is moist, apple sweet and absolutely delicious.  It’s actually even better the second day!  So for a sweet repeat, here’s the recipe for Ozark Mountain Apple Cake.

    I baked it this afternoon and the wonderful scent of cinnamon and apple filled the apartment.  I’ll enjoy a couple of slices, share some with my next-door neighbor (I am Southern after all) and then take the rest to my daughter’s house.  😉  I really shouldn’t eat a whole cake all by myself…right?!   Enjoy!

    Ozark Mountain Apple Cake

    2 cups sugar (The original recipe calls for 2 cups but this makes for a very sweet cake.  I usually reduce the sugar to about 1 & 1/2 cups or 1 & 3/4 cups if you’re using tart apples like Granny Smith.)

    1/2 cup butter or margarine or vegetable oil

    2 eggs, beaten

    2 teaspoons cinnamon

    1 pinch of salt

    2 teaspoons of vanilla

    2 cups flour

    2 level teaspoons baking soda

    4 cups peeled and diced apples (McIntosh or Rome Beauty) (I didn’t have those particular apples and it still turned out great!)

    1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

    Yellow raisins (I used about 1 cup regular raisins)

    Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately.  Combine well and pour into greased and floured 13 x 9 pan or a large cast iron skilled sprayed with Pam or other vegetable spray.  Bake 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.  Serve warm or cold.  May refrigerate.  Great with whipped cream!

    A bowl full of Granny Smith apple chunks…

     

    The dough will be thick and you’ll wonder if it’s going to work…but don’t worry – just stir as well as you can, spread it out, bake and enjoy!

     

    Fresh out of the oven and a slice cut before I remembered to take a photo! 😉

  • Apple enchiladas…

    November 30, 2012 / 3 Comments

    My desserts are usually made from scratch and more involved than I was in the mood to tackle tonight…just for me…but I wanted something sweet. I had seen this recipe all over the internet and thought I’d try it. I modified it a bit and it was good. I actually prefer the Seven-Up Apple Dumplings though and will make those next time. But, for tonight, these hit the spot!

    Apple Enchiladas

    4 – 6 FLOUR tortillas (I used four)

    1 can apple pie filling

    1 teaspoon cinnamon

    1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)

    1/2 cup packed brown sugar

    1/2 cup granulated sugar

    1/2 cup water

    Lightly butter an 8″ x 8″ dish.  Spoon apple pie filling into the center of 4 – 6 flour tortillas.  Sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Roll tortilla up with apple filling inside and place in dish with seam down.

    Combine butter, water and sugars in saucepan and bring to boil – stirring constantly.  When it reaches boiling point, turn to low and cook for 3 minutes – continue stirring.  Pour over apple enchiladas and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

    DSC04674

  • One for now…two for later

    November 29, 2012 / 7 Comments

    One of the first things that I discovered living alone is that I do not like to cook for one.  It’s no fun.  My daughter has “turned the tables” on me and admonishes me with “Mom, you’re not eating right” and “Mom, you have to take good care of yourself”!  It’s a bit of Déjà vu…for years ago, during her college days, I recall telling her the same thing!

    Granted, anytime I would like to drive 14 minutes, I am invited to her home where she cooks all-organic, wonderful meals for her family…and I do that from time to time.  I have even driven over and cooked dinner for them a few times!  (She posts the recipes or the links to some of her delicious dishes on her blog here.)

    It’s time to remember my love of cooking.  I certainly have the cookbooks for it!

    So, tonight, I am preparing three small meatloafs (one for now…two in the freezer for later).  I am making them reminiscent of Mama’s wonderful meatloaf with just one change.  I’m using chili sauce instead of tomato sauce.I will make homemade mashed potatoes and Birds Eye steamer veggies (easy enough).  If I am really inspired, I will cook some crispy cornbread muffins.  Mama would have made a “pone” of cornbread in the cast iron skillet but that would be too much for one.  The muffins will keep better in a zip lock bag.

    It’s not the most elaborate meal I’ve ever prepared but it’s a start…and my daughter will be happy.  Not to mention the fact that I will have some good “leftovers”!  😉

    Most of the ingredients assembled and ready to make meatloaf…
    three small meatloafs…one ready for the oven and two ready to wrap in foil for the freezer

    Meat Loaf

    1 pound ground round

    1/2 onion, chopped fine or chunky – your preference

    1/2 green bell pepper, chopped fine or chunky – your preference

    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

    1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons milk

    1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

    3/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned pepper

    12 oz. DelMonte Chili Sauce

    Panko bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup or more – enough to make good consistency)

    Sometimes, I make a sauce of brown sugar, ketchup and a little mustard to spread over the top of the meat loaf…

    Combine all ingredients well with clean hands.  Makes one large meatloaf or three small ones.  Bake at 350 degrees until done.  The larger meat loaf takes about an hour.  Adjust time for the smaller ones – depends on size. 

     

  • Baking and packing…

    November 20, 2012 / 11 Comments

    Tomorrow I will be up at the crack of dawn and on my way South with my daughter and her family.  Today, I have a “million” things to do.  I must finish baking the goodies that I am taking for Thanksgiving…in addition to running a few errands and packing.  I baked one and a half dozen banana bread muffins that probably won’t make it to Memphis…with seven of us in a van for eleven hours!  I baked three dozen of my son-in-law’s favorite peppermint cookies.  He’s driving most of the way so I’m sure he will enjoy snacking on a few of those on the way to Memphis!

    Peppermint Cookies

    I also baked a double batch of my favorite molasses cookies!  Those I will have boxed up for the trip and for the Thanksgiving reunion.  I made a large batch of trail mix (m & m’s, peanuts and raisins) and divided them into little “snack bags” for the trip.  Easy to reach for that way.  If they make it to Memphis, they will stay in the van since Penny’s grandchildren are allergic to nuts.

    As I finish this post, there is another favorite in the oven:  Cream Cheese Pound Cake.  I love the smell of almond and vanilla filling the apartment right now!

    Wishing each of you safe travels and a joyful Thanksgiving with your families and friends…

    Trail Mix Baggies

    Molasses Cookies

    Cookie Recipes…

    Dianne’s Favorite Molasses Cookies

    2 & 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon ginger

    1 teaspoon cinnamon

    2 level teaspoons baking soda (don’t heap these)

    2 tablespoons hot water

    1/2 cup Crisco soft shortening (make sure it’s fresh!)

    1/2 cup granulated sugar

    1/2 cup molasses (I use Grandma’s Molasses – unsulphured)

    1 egg

    6 tablespoons cold water

    1/2 cup seedless raisins (or more if you’re a raisin lover)

    Start heating oven to 400 degrees. Follow directions closely for the best cookie! SIFT together the flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Dissolve soda in hot water. Mix the Crisco shortening, sugar, molasses and egg until creamy. Mix in flour mixture alternately with the cold water; then mix in the dissolved soda and all but a few raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoons – 2? apart – onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with remaining raisins. Bake 12 minutes or until done. Makes about 2 dozen.

     

    Favorite Peppermint Cookies

    2/3 cup Butter flavored Crisco

    1/4 cup granulated sugar

    1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

    1 egg

    1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

    1/2 teaspoon baking powder

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

    Cream Crisco and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed.  Beat in egg.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Blend well into creamed mixture and stir in crushed peppermint.  Shape into small balls.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 11 – 12 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets.  Makes about 36 cookies, so I usually double it…they’re so good.  Don’t wait too long to get the cookies off the pan or they will harden and it won’t be easy!