Chocolate Chip Blondies

  What a great fall weekend here in NW Arkansas!  We had a nice soaking rain on Saturday (perfect for watching college football on TV!) and Sunday was what the weather announcers frequently call, "a top ten day."  It was crisp in the morning and mild in the afternoon.  On Friday,  even though I'm still using an uncooperative electric oven here in our apartment, I decided to bake something.  I must have had autumn fever (it's like spring fever, but instead of cleaning and washing windows, you are compelled to bake!)  There's a cool breeze outside, and all-of-a-sudden I feel I should mix up some dough, toss in chocolate chips and rev up the oven.
  So, I went through my recipe file to find a cookie recipe that I could not ruin in this oven.  There were just  no guarantees here, no matter the recipe or its ingredients;  an undependable oven is an undependable oven!  It does not bake evenly (OK, enough whimpering).  I pulled out a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I decided I would double it and spread the dough  out in a greased cake pan, because I've had better luck with cakes in this oven than individual cookies.  I had never attempted this with my Original Hershey Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, so I wasn't sure how these bar cookies would turn out.  I stayed near the oven during baking time so I could check and recheck.  To my surprise,  it was a success!  Hubby ate a couple and Ben loved them!  They are like blondies  (light brownies) with chocolate chips melted in them,  They have a chewy cake-like consistency that's great with hot tea or coffee.  I hope you will try this out-so quick and easy to make a plate of cookie bars!

The Original Hershey Chocolate Chip Cookie-1940

1 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 C butter, room temperature (I used margarine)
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/4 C granulated white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/3 C walnut pieces (I omitted these)
8 oz. chocolate chips

-Heat oven to 350 degrees.
-Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.
-Gradually add combined dry ingredients.  Add nuts and chocolate chips.
-Drop by rounded TBSP onto ungreased cookie sheets.  
-Bake 10 minutes;  let stand on sheets for 2-3 minutes.
-Transfer to wire racks.  Makes 2 dozen cookies.
NOTE:  I doubled this recipe and spread the dough evenly in a standard size rectangular cake pan with dark coating.  Even though it was a non-stick pan, I sprayed it lightly with cooking spray.  Oven was set on 350 degrees;  when done it should be a golden brown color and spring back in the middle.  Don't over bake!  Cool and cut into bars. 


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Common Ground

Quick Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you Like the chicken gnocchi soup at Olive Garden, give mine a try!  It's quick to make;  you can chop the veggies and garlic while you're roasting the chicken tenders in the oven and boiling your gnocchi!

I have an easy method for making chicken gnocchi soup.  I made it for dinner tonight, and decided to share it with you this week.  Here's a picture of the soup we had for dinner in one of my snazzy orange Fire King mugs!

• First, roast 5 or 6 frozen chicken tenderloins in the oven (according to directions on the bag).  
• While those are in the oven, bring a pan of salted water to a boil;  add a package of vacuum-packed gnocchi to the boil until the dumplings float to the top.  
• Remove dumplings to a bowl.  
• Chop two stalks of celery, 1/2 C onion, 1/2 C carrots and 3 cloves minced garlic into a microwaveable container;  sprinkle with a little water and cook on high for about 2 minutes (until soft). 
• After you've drained the water off of the dumplings, use that same pan to blend 1 large can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup and 1 large can of Swanson's Chicken Broth until smooth.  
• Dump in the microwaved vegetables, chopped roasted chicken tenderloins (canned chicken if you want to make this a really quick recipe, but the flavor is not as good) and a little white sauce (flour and water shaken in a sealed jar)  until thickened.
• Simmer until all is hot through.   

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A Stroll Through Life
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Hun, What's for Dinner?
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Naptime Creations

Marcia's Extra Fiber Chili

    

Nothing goes better with football games on TV than a cup of hot chili and crispy saltine crackers.  I like a hearty, thick chili with lots of spice and beans.   Here's how I make my spicy fiber-filled chili;  delicious and healthy!

Marcia's Extra Fiber Chili

-Brown 1 lb. of extra lean ground beef (or ground turkey) in a large skillet.  Add  1/2 chopped large Vidalia or red onion, 2 stalks chopped celery, 4 cloves of garlic that's minced.  Cook until meat is done through.  Season to taste with garlic salt and black pepper.  Add  crushed red pepper to taste and 1/2 C wheat germ to meat mixture.  Finally, add 1/2-1 can of vegetarian, no-fat refried beans.  Stir until mixed smoothly with the meat.

-Coat your crock pot with cooking spray.  Dump in the meat mixture from the skillet, 1 or 2 large cans of tomato sauce (depending on how soupy you like your chili).  Next, add 1 can dark red kidney beans and juice from the can and 1 can canellini (white) beans and juice from the can.    Add a teaspoon or two of sugar to mellow the tart taste of the tomato sauce.  Check seasoning to make sure it's to your taste.  Put lid on and turn crock pot to LOW to cook for several hours. I put mine on in the morning for dinner (football games) that evening.

-Serve with shredded cheddar, sliced jalapenos, chopped onion, sour cream... 

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Simply Sweet Home
The Shabby Nest
My Romantic Home
Common Groumd
The Charm of Home

Freezer Recipe for Tomato Soup

Happy Birthday to a great Mom and Nana!  We love you!  

Mom is always involved in community projects...

and she keeps Dad involved in "Home Projects"!

Upon my recent visits to the Bentonville Farmers' Market an idea for a recipe search struck me as I walked past bushel baskets and boxes full of tomatoes that needed to be used-pronto!  The great part was that the red beauties were sold at a discount price.  I decided to look through my old cookbook collection for recipes for ways to use up wonderful large amounts of summer produce.  In the winter, it's such a treat to have the taste of the garden in anything you prepare.  Not only did I find some recipes, but this book offers ways to fill your freezer.  The book is called Cooking for The Freezer by Myra Waldo and it's from1960.
 I remember when both my grandparents and my parents grew tomatoes in the summer;   like green beans, when they come on the vines...they come with a vengeance;  it's a blessing and a curse.  My mom has a "summer kitchen" that's great for canning, just off the back of her house(it's a pre-Civil War house), and I have fond memories of learning to can tomatoes back on that screened porch. As a kid, I thought it was amazing how scalding the tomatoes made the skins peel right off!  Fascinating and exciting for the "junior canning helpers", but for the women responsible for the whole process of "putting up"  it's a full time job canning or freezing everything.  I'm so glad that my mom was patient enough to put up with letting me "help" her on those hot summer days!
 One year, we had  particularly great conditions  for green beans.  Mom and Dad's  vines flourished!   We ate green beans everyday with our meals;  some days, Mom and  I would eat them solo as a lunch (there's nothing better-with bacon and onions in them!)  Day after day, we picked green beans!   There were beans piled on every available table.  Prepping, canning and freezing were in  full action mode.  At the end of  that summer(and our energy)we just let the rest go!
I hope you enjoy this recipe for homemade tomato soup that goes in the freezer.  Imagine sitting by the window this January, watching it snow, while you dip your buttered toast into a bowl of this soup!

Tomato Soup

8 pounds very ripe tomatoes, diced
1 C water
2 onions, diced
2 tsp salt
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C sugar
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
3/4 C milk
Combine the tomatoes, water, onions and salt in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat 30 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and sugar;  cook 5 minutes.  Puree the mixture in an electric blender, then strain;  or force through a food mill.  Pour 2/3 of the soup into a bowl and cool, then pour into 2 containers.  Seal, label and freeze.

For Tonight's Dinner:
Melt the butter, blend in the flour.  Gradually add the milk, stirring steadily to the boiling point.  Mix into the remaining soup.  Heat and taste for seasoning.

To Serve From Frozen State:
Turn contents of one container into a saucepan, cover and cook over low heat until thawed.  Mix in white sauce as prepared above.  Heat and taste for seasoning.
Serves 6-8 each time. 

Swaps:
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Miz Helen's Country Cottage
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Joyful Homemaking

Fried Corn

Saturday mornings in NW Arkansas mean a trip to the local  farmers' market.  Bentonville has a wonderful market down on the square.  It's more than just people shopping for produce, it's a community get-together that takes place each Saturday.  Folks visit with neighbors, admire each others' dogs, and watch  the youthful energy exhibited by children as they play, eat ice cream... and also admire the dogs in the crowd.  The quality and variety of locally grown produce (meat and honey, too) is amazing!  Last week I even spotted gluten-free baked goods at one stand;  so there's something of interest to everyone.  Saturday-before-last I bought rhubarb to make a pie and some tomatoes that were almost a purple color.  When I asked about their unusual color, the seller informed us that they are Cherokee tomatoes.  They have a little bit of a tangier taste, but were great on hamburgers!  This week's purchases included tomatoes and the best green beans I've ever eaten.  I steamed those beans and then sauteed them with a little bit of bacon grease.    I saw a new type of corn that I wasn't familiar with, it's called Peaches and Cream corn...maybe next Saturday!

Here's a way to use up leftover ears of cooked corn.  We just love fried corn around here!

Sheila's Fried Corn
Using a large cast iron or non-stick skillet, melt butter (I use a heaping TBSP of Heart Smart).  Once skillet is hot enough to sizzle, cut cold corn off the cobs into skillet.  Make sure you scrape the milk from the cobs!  Salt and pepper to taste.  Fry until corn is hot through.  If you like Mexican corn, chop up some fresh garden peppers in there, too!  Enjoy! 

Book I'm reading:  Wicked:  The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory McGuire

SWAPS:
Simply Sweet Home
The Shabby Nest
My Romantic Home
Common Ground
The Charm of Home
Our Delightful Home
 

Cereal Candy

I love the summer months, even though the heat can sometimes get to me.  When it's in the 90's outside,   I'm not as inclined to bake like I do in the fall and winter, but  we still enjoy something sweet once in a while.  The trick here is finding a cookie recipe that doesn't require turning the oven on!  In a Walmart Family Cookbook from 2001, I found a great recipe for a cookie-like candy made with Chex cereal that you can fix on top of the stove.  With all of the new flavors available in Chex cereals, you could really change this recipe up! (I'm thinking chocolate Chex!)   Enjoy.

Cereal Candy
submitted by Sharon Sager, Seymour, IA

1 C sugar
1 C Karo Light Corn Syrup
1 1/2 C peanut butter
2 TBSP. McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
9 C toasted corn cereal squares

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper;  set aside.  In large dutch oven combine sugar and corn syrup.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Remove from heat;  add peanut butter and vanilla.  Stir in cereal.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.  Makes 3 dozen

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The Shabby Nest
Simply Sweet Home
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Imparting  Grace

Overnight Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Summer is going by way too fast for my liking.  The warm weather, garden-fresh vegetables and  outdoor activities make summer a treat! Spending  time in the kitchen is not as much fun for me as it is every other season of the year.  I think it's why salads are such a wonderful item in the warmer months;  fresh ingredients that are easy and quick  to prepare.  We all have our favorites:  potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, pea salad.  I really enjoy finding a unique salad recipe as I browse through my old cookbooks, and last week I found one!  A cook in Abilene, Texas submitted her salad  recipe for publication to Progressive Farmer's Country Living Recipes 1980.  I think this sounds like a great dish for picnics, potlucks...or dinner tonight!

Overnight Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Mrs. J.W. Hopkins, Abilene, Texas

2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas with snaps, drained
1/2 C thinly sliced red onion, separated into rings
1/2 C chopped green pepper
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C vinegar
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of hot sauce

Combine peas, onion, and green pepper in a medium bowl.  Stick a toothpick through the garlic;  add to vegetables.  Combine remaining ingredients, stirring well.  Add to vegetable mixture, tossing lightly to coat.  Cover;  refrigerate for at least 12 hours.  Remove toothpick with garlic before serving.  Yield:  6 to 8 servings.

SWAPS:
Love Bakes Good Cakes
Flour Me with Love
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Create with Joy
Lines Across My Face
Serendipity and Spice
Cedar Hill Ranch

Mashed Potato Salad

 

Hubby and I spent last week in Illinois with our three sons.  Our second son moved there for a job at State Farm's corporate headquarters, so one of our sightseeing tours was his workplace.  What an amazing building;  along with offices, it has a beautiful atrium, museum, gift shop, bank, and a  food court that would rival any shopping mall's.  This newer complex  is just one campus of  State Farm's facilities in Bloomington.  I took a couple of pictures of Blake... as he gave me that anguished look of someone putting up with their mom's photography habit!  He's a good sport!  We also enjoyed the zoo in Bloomington.  Our son, Justin, loves big cats and there were two snow leopards in residence who were constantly jumping and chasing each other, so that was a favorite stop. One evening, the guys treated their dad to a belated Father's Day dinner and gifts (that's how it is when every person lives in a different state!)  The end of our trip included a stop in Chicago for the 4th of July.  Blake and Ben showed us around since they have been there for concerts in the past.  Our time there included the Sky Deck of the Sears Tower, a concert in the park, Chicago stuffed pizza and fireworks over the harbour.  What a great time!

Because I was in Chicago for the 4th, we didn't have a cookout, instead we had stuffed pizza!  When we do cook out though, one of our favorite salads is potato salad, however, I've noticed a common thread in bbq places that serve it in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas...it is often mashed potato salad.  I'm used to the cubed potato salad, but this is a new twist for me.  I decided to share a recipe from an old community cookbook put together by the "Jayettes" (the Junior Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary) of Springdale, Arkansas.  I'm not sure when this book was printed because there is no date given, but the ads are very old and it's from an era when  there was a Piggly Wiggly in town!

Mashed Potato Salad
Mrs. Harold Mathis

Mashed potatoes (a good way to use leftover potatoes)
1 onion (chopped fine)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 TBSP mustard
1 C salad dressing
1/2 C milk
4 hard boiled eggs
Mix all ingredients.  Garnish with egg slices and paprika. Chill.
(note:  I would add a little sweet pickle juice to the dressing)

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The Charm of Home
Imparting Grace
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The Shabby Nest
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Common Ground

Chilled French Bean Salad

When I lived in Oklahoma, a few years back, one of the older ladies at our first church invited a few ladies to her home for a luncheon.  I was one of the lucky card-holders!  Darlene Bridges was a very interesting, well- spoken woman who was a frequent traveler and, an excellent hostess, so to say that I,  "enjoyed the luncheon"  is an understatement. The other ladies and I had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and chat in the living room while Darlene put the finishing touches on the salads (yes, she served in courses!)   When she called us to the table each place was set with this pretty little salad.  The plates were chilled, the iced tea was perfection and the rest of the meal delicious, as well,  but this salad was so simple, yet impressive!  As Darlene slipped into her chair, she said, with that smile that seemed to light up her whole face, "Now, I want each of you to share with us how you came to meet your husband."  She sat enjoying the stories of much younger women relaying the moments that meant so much to them.  At the end, the lady, who had been widowed for years shared her own story.  It was sweet and funny and told as only Darlene could tell a story.  Today's salad recipe is the salad  that we enjoyed that day:

Darlene Bridge's French Bean Salad

1 can French green beans, chilled and drained well on paper towels
Thick slices of a red summer tomato
Hellman's Mayo

Chill salad plates!  Place thick slice of tomato on each one.  Mound French green beans on top and put small dollop of mayo on top of the green beans.  Serve while plates are still chilled.   

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Pap's Fried Mushrooms

 Happy Father's Day to Dad (and "Pappy")

 Over the years, my dad has been praised by his grandkids for some of the select recipes that are uniquely his.  His cooking is like abstract art, a  rare and unexpected pleasure.  When our sons were little they enjoyed a week (sometimes two!) at Nana and Pap's house every summer.   During their magical "no parent week",  "Pappy" delighted his grandsons with such delicacies as fried doughnuts and homemade waffles.  He's famous for breakfast surprises...they usually involved an early morning trip to "Donalds" (McDonalds) "to let Nana sleep."  She had little grandsons staying all week;   believe me...she needed  that extra half hour of rest! 

Upon their return home one summer, I was informed that,  "Pappy's waffles are square, and taste better than your round ones.  We told him that you always put yours in the toaster, but  Pappy had a waffle maker!"  Another summer, it was suggested that, "maybe Nana and Pap could teach you how to make that really good dessert...you use ice cream and root beer."   Yes, my children had root beer floats!  It's like that saying, "everything seems to taste better when you cook it outside."  Well, in my childrens' eyes everything always seemed more special and tasted better on one of their summer get-away trips to Nana and Pap's house.  

Today, I'm sharing the method that Dad uses to make fried mushrooms.  My guys are grown and are taller than me, now, but they still love spending time with their "Pap" and eating some of his fried mushrooms.

Pappy's Fried Mushrooms

• 1 clean brown paper bag
• white mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
• vegetable oil
• all purpose flour
• salt and coarsely-ground black pepper
• skillet

Heat oil in skillet until drop of water in the pan sizzles.  Toss clean mushroom caps and stems in brown paper bag with the flour until well-coated.  Place in the skillet and leave a little room around each to get crispy edges.  turn half way through frying.  Salt and pepper generously on both sides!  Drain on paper towels.

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Brambleberry Cottage
The 36th Avenue
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Crafts Ala Mode

Dessert Waffles from 1933

 

I found this plaid-covered cookbook by General Foods in an antique shop in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  It's full of baking recipes and was printed in 1933.  Inside its front cover are the kinds of hand-written notes that I always look for, but seldom find! To the left is this note:  "Found this in an old house being torn down in Lampasas-March 1990.  Making way for a Circle K gas station. ~Jean"  On the right inside cover is a hand-written recipe (in pencil, of course!) for Mrs. Shaw Norris' Pear Relish.  I think you will enjoy the easy summertime recipe for dessert that I'm sharing from page 119.

(A Big thank you to my one-man IT staff for his help while he's home from college;  kudos, Ben!)

Summer Dessert Waffles

2 1/2 C sifted Swans Down Cake Flour

2 1/2 tsp Calumet Baking Powder

2 tsp sugar

2 egg yolks, well-beaten

1 1/2 C milk

2/3 C melted butter

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and sugar, and sift again.  Combine egg yolks, milk and butter.  Add to flour, beating until smooth.  Fold in egg whites.  Bake in hot waffle iron.  Cool waffle.  Serve in sections, topped with ice cream and fruit sauce.  Makes five 4-section waffles.

SWAPS:

Simply Sweet Home
The Shabby Nest
My Romantic Home
Common Ground

No-Fail Cinnamon Rolls in Minutes

You've heard the saying, "necessity is the mother of invention", well, that may be true.  Although we didn't 'need' cinnamon rolls, as we sat on the couch watching Survivor one evening, I came up with an inventive way to make them quickly.  I can say with confidence that you can't mess these cinnamon rolls up!  I'm working with an apartment oven that bakes with such uneven heat that I've ruined cookies twice and ended up sending homemade candy to our son, Blake, for his birthday (for fear of ruining cookies, again!)  I want to share this recipe, especially with my fellow apartment dwellers and those of you who only want a small pan of rolls for one or two people.  Of course, this dessert is so easy that you could make several pans to accommodate a large group , as well.  Here's how I did it:

Cinnamon Rolls During the Commercials 

-Preheat oven (mine was on 325 degrees)
-grease a pan with edges
-1 can of crescent rolls rolled flat and seams pressed together 
-Spread soft margarine (I used Heart Smart) in a layer on top of crescent dough. -Sprinkle a mixture of sugar and cinnamon in a generous layer on top of margarine (parts sugar to cinnamon depends on how much cinnamon you like or how much sugar your diet allows.  Maybe you could use Splenda;  haven't tried that, yet!)

-Roll up in jellyroll style, lengthwise;  cut into about 1/2" slices
-Place side by side in pan and bake
 -You can drizzle white icing over them or sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if you like.

Now, hurry!  Your show's back on! 

SWAPS:
Hun, What's for Dinner?
Beyer BewareRaising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home
We are That Family

Salad Recipes from Amana Cookbook

Just as I promised, I'm sharing some recipes out of the Amana cookbook from 1948 that I found in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  The cookbook was the first attempt at compiling very old recipes of the Amana Society in east central Iowa.  The Amana Society was a religious community comprised of  7  villages, and was founded in 1714.  These wonderful old  recipes might have been lost through time if not for the efforts of  the Ladies Auxiliary of the Homestead Welfare Club of Homestead, Iowa.  Here are two cold summer salads from the book!


Tomaten Salat
(Tomato Salad)

6 tomatoes, skinned and quartered
1 large onion, cut in rings
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
Mix in order given and chill.

Sellerie Salat
(Celery Salad)

1 bunch celery, sliced
water to cook
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP vinegar
dash of pepper
1/4 C cream

Cook celery until tender, drain and combine with remaining ingredients.  Chill and serve.

SWAPS:
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I Should be Mopping the Floor
Stone Gable
Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Make Ahaead Meals for Busy Moms
Love Bakes Good Cakes
Create with Joy
Couponing and Cooking
Lines Across My Face
Cedar Hill Ranch
Alderberry Hill
Serendipity ans Spice

My Mom's Hash Brown Casserole

In honor of Mother's Day this Sunday, I went through some of the recipes that my mom makes and found one that I wanted to share with you.  Mom is not a fan of sour cream and so she switches it up in this recipe with cream of celery soup, which gives it a flavor that's perfect for springtime dinners.  I hope you'll  enjoy it!

Hash Brown Casserole
Shirley Winland  Michael ("Mom" and "Nana"!)

One 2 lb. bag hash brown frozen shredded potatoes
1 stick butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream (Mom's note:  I use 1 can cream of celery soup)
1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Saute' onions in butter;  mix with the rest of the ingredients.  Put in a 10 x 13" casserole dish.  Mix cornflakes with 1/2 stick of butter.  Cover top of potatoes with the cornflake mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

SWAPS:
Blessed with Grace
33 Shades of Green
Love Bakes Good Cakes
Flour Me with Love
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Stone Gable
Mrs Happy Homemaker
Make Ahead Meals
Create with Joy
Couponing and Cooking
Lines Across My Face
 Alderberry Hill
Cedar Hill Ranch

Strawberry-Glazed Fruit Salad

I'm back from a trip with hubby.  He had a conference that was held at The Great Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri. The lodge is listed among the Historic Inns of America, and it was just a very relaxing, beautiful place! Great Cedar is  a perfect destination if you really want to get away and feel surrounded by nature.  It was warm, "top 10" weather the whole time we were traveling.  We got back home and were welcomed with snow this morning!  I know it's May, but it's pretty to me, just the same. While in Branson and Eureka Springs,  I had the chance to browse some antique shops (had temperatures in the  70's and 80's there:  folks at Big Cedar  were splashing around in the outdoor pool!)and found two vintage cookbooks.  My new "old friends" are entitled:  Amana Recipes from 1948 and All About Home Baking from 1933.  As I have a chance to read them, I'll share with you in a later post.  One book had a hand-written note inside to record the history of  its origin;  that's always exciting for me!  Another book that I bought on my trip is not quite as old, but has some great recipes.  I plan to make this fruit salad, soon.  In fact, I went to the store and bought fresh strawberries yesterday to make it.  Enjoy!

Strawberry-Glazed Fruit Salad
(Taste of Home Low Fat Country Cooking-1997)
Jeri Dobrowski, Beach, North Dakota

1 qt. fresh strawberries, halved
1 can (20 oz.) unsweetened pineapple chuncks, drained
4 firm bananas, sliced
1 jar or pouch (16 oz.) strawberry glaze

In a large bowl, gently toss strawberries, pineapple and bananas;  fold in the glaze.  Chill for 1 hour.

SWAPS:
Blessed with Grace
Love Bakes Good Cakes
Our 4 Kiddos
Hun What's for Dinner?
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Mandy's Recipe Box
Our Delightful Home
Raising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home
We Are That Family
Cedar Hill Ranch

Corn Fritters Recipe from 1927

I love, love, love my old cookbooks!  I've endured the shame of having workers from moving companies look at me in wonderment and dismay;  of hauling them back from the various sale locations wheres I've found them (from parts of West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas);  Trotting across the lawn with an old recipe box and ragged books from a yard sale where others are looking for Anything but old books! (yes, I get odd looks there, too);  Lysoling the covers of each and everyone before I shelve them:  and admitting to myself that...I may have a problem.  The last moving company had a man who gently informed me that he had, "cleared out my books and there were 12 boxes."  Oh, honey!  Little did he know!  That was only one set of shelves in the house that stored part of the "old cookbook collection"!  I'm glad that the other packers were working in the other areas of the house!
 Here in Arkansas, I've started to settle in and when I'm not hunting for a house to live in, I enjoy searching my new area of the country for vintage cookbooks;  I especially like to find a book that's both historic and has a regional focus.  So I'm now on the lookout for traditional recipes from Arkansas (and her surrounding states!)

Found this little book at a consignment shop in Springdale, Arkansas.  Butterick Recipes and Household Helps from 1927.  I used to love corn fritters as a kid, so I was happy to find this recipe.  (Of course you can just mix your corn into leftover pancake batter, too.  It's a way to stretch time and money!)

Corn Fritters pg. 90

2 C corn, fresh or canned
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 tsp melted butter
1/2 C milk
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder

Chop the corn very fine and add salt, pepper, well-beaten egg, butter, milk, flour and baking powder.  Fry in deep fat.

SWAPS:
Our Delightful Home
Simply Sweet Home
The Shabby Nest
My Romantic Home
Common Ground

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Honey Mustard Glaze

Well, I've hinted lately that I'm in crazy transition mode.  We've moved from beautiful north Texas to beautiful northwest Arkansas.  Fortunately, our Texas home was under contract four days from listing it! So we are in a comfortable  2 bedroom furnished  apartment here in Arkansas while we house hunt.  It's a fun time, but very unusual for me.  I'm cooking, for just 2 people,  in an apartment sized kitchen.  My cooking essentials are sitting somewhere in a mover's vault as I "make do".  I'm cooking on electric instead of gas which I haven't done in quite a while.  Someone else comes in and cleans, changes the bed linens and vacuums.  I have access to a golf course, sauna, and other goodies,  that I have yet to use.  Instead, I spend my free time out driving my van around, finding my way to different areas and getting used to our new hometown!  Other times, I'm with our realtor, Ida, looking at houses.  Hubbie's new job is going well, the community has been very warm and welcoming and we've already attended several community events.  There is a nice inventory of homes, so I'm hopeful that we will find the right one soon...one with a gas range.

Because I'm cooking for just the two of us and presently have a very small freezer and fridge, I use meat that is frozen in individual portions.  I find the Tyson frozen chicken tenderloins and Member's Mark frozen fish fillets very handy for meat options.  Here's a recipe that I made this past Tuesday.  The bacon keeps the chicken very moist and the marinade gives it a tangy flavor.  Love the cracked pepper on top, too!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenderloins

1 lb. chicken tenderloins (I thaw them ahead and rinse that icy glaze off)
1 lb. bacon (I like applewood)
1/2 C  honey
2 TBSP Dijon mustard(or whatever kind you prefer)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBSP white vinegar
salt and fresh cracked pepper

-Whisk together all wet ingredients and seasonings except pepper.
-Marinate the chicken in 1/2 of the marinade for 30 minutes.
-Remove chicken from marinade and wrap each tenderloine with bacon.
-Place on jelly roll sheet with edges;  brush with the rest of the marinade and top with cracked pepper.
-Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees;  turn, brush other side with marinade,  and bake another 10-12 minutes. Make sure bacon is brown and crisp.

SWAPS:
Flour Me with Love
I Should Be Mopping the Floor
Stone Gable
Mrs Happy Homemaker
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Create with Joy
Couponing and Cooking
Lines Across My Face
Alderberry Hill
Serendipity and Spice
Cedar Hill Ranch
Skip to My Lou

  

Protect Your Child Online

I am pleased to offer a guest blogger today as this is such an important topic for our families.  My thanks to Jack Meyers.  I hope you find this information as helpful as I did.

Ways to Protect Our Children from Negative Internet Circumstances

As the Internet plays an integral part of our daily lives, the threats seem to increase to our children. Whether it is cyber-bullying, sexual predators, or malicious programming, our children need to be protected. Unfortunately, many of us don't have the money to put into state-of-the-art nanny protection. However, there are many ways that we can keep our children safe without spending a single dime on costly monitoring programs.

1. Involvement - First, and always foremost, you should be involved with your child's life regardless if he or she accesses the Internet or not. This involvement doesn't mean you need to hover over his or her shoulder, but more of a constant interaction with your child. Spending time with them while they are on the Internet can help you teach them what not to do and what to watch out for. If you could engage your child for a few hours per day online and off, it would make a world of difference in his or her behavior in nearly every area of their life.

2. Router Settings - If you have Internet connection at your home, there is a very good chance you also have a router of some kind. Did you know that most of the routers developed now-a-days have built-in firewall capabilities? This means you can block specific words of websites from entering your home - such as pornographic material and unwanted social sites. In fact, many of them can work in a variety of ways including: access day and times of the Internet, specific computers being blocked, and exact website URLs to block. If you don't know how to set these settings, take a few minutes and look up your routers model number on Google. You'd be impressed with what you can accomplish with tools already in your possession.

3. Monitoring Registration - For children under the age of 13, a parent is needed to help them set up registration for specific websites. Make it a rule that your email address is used for this registration. Most websites on the Internet today already have this parental option available and request parental email addresses anyway. If the child is registered with a website that you didn't authorize, ground them from the Internet for a specific amount of time. It may seem harsh to some, but rules are rules. If you have to be nosy in order to get the truth from your child, take a look at his or her browsing history. It will show you what sites they have been visiting.

4. Malware Protection - There are many anti-virus and anti-malware programs out on the market that cost money to operate in order to keep your child's computer safe from destructive applications. However, did you know that you could offer an unbelievable amount of protection and security from just two free programs?

Online Armor: When it comes to stopping programs from running, installing, or spreading, Online Armor does an incredible job. The free version is feature rich and allows you to password protect the program. This disallows any installations from happening without your password whether they are retail games or virus installations from the Internet.

Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware: Although Online Armor stops programs from installing and infecting your computer, downloading of the actual virus program is still possible. If for any reason you shut down Online Armor, the virus or malware application will immediately run infecting the computer. Periodically running Malwarebyte's Anti-malware will rid your computer of these annoyances.

These are just a few ways that you can keep your child safe from an ever advancing world. We can only do so much and the best we can hope for is that our measures can help quell some of the damage that the negative aspects of the Internet can cause. As the Internet is so influential in our lives, depriving the children from such a valuable resource is not the answer. Keeping involved with your children is.

Author Bio:

Jack Meyers is a regular contributor for www.nannybackgroundcheck.com. As a detective he wants to spread the knowledge of terrible things that can happen when people don’t fully verify the credentials of a caregiver or any employee. He also writes for various law enforcement blogs and sites.

Swaps:
Flour Me with Love

I Should be Mopping the Floor

Stone Gable

Mrs. Happy Homemaker

Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

Create with Joy

Beyer Beware

Natasha in Oz

Couponing and Cooking

Lines Across My Face

Alderberry Hill

Southern Cakes 1947 from Arkansas

Since my last post I have relocated, well, make that semi-relocated.  We have sold our home (very quickly) in Texas and have moved into temporary housing while we house-hunt in Arkansas.  Although we will miss Texas, we're very excited about this new chapter in our life.  This location and job opportunity were too good to pass up!  I'm already in love with the Ozark Mountains that surround me;  it's so similar to West Virginia!  I've had the chance to search a couple of antique places here, and I'm happy to report that I've found an old cookbook, already.  A new place to live, for me, means researching its history and its food history, as well.  Look for my upcoming "Adventures in Arkansas" and snippets from vintage local cookbooks (as I find them).  This little red soft cover book was discovered in a Siloam Springs antique consignment shop (where I also found a rose Fiesta pitcher to match my set...for $12.00!!  Sorry, but I was so excited to find that deal;  there was also one in orange, but I only have the rose Fiesta.  The Selected Southern Cakes book was printed in 1947 by The Progressive Farmer.  Enjoy this traditional recipe from page 33:

One Egg Cake

1/3 C fat
2/3 C sugar
1 egg
 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 C light corn syrup
1 C milk
2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Cream fat, and beat sugar in slowly.  Mix well.  Add beaten egg, vanilla, and stir well.  Blend syrup and milk.  Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with liquid to first mixture.  Bake in greased square pan in moderate oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or in two greased 8-inch layer cake pans at same temperature for 30 minutes. Cool and frost.

Look forward to our guest post next time!
My next post will be a guest post by  Jack Meyers, writer of Nannybackgroundcheck.com.  Mr. Meyers contacted me and offered to do a guest post.  He asked me to choose some topics that might be of interest to my readers .  I think the topic he wrote about  is crucial to all child caregivers:  Ways to Protect Our Children form Negative Internet Circumstances.  I know that you will find his information helpful in protecting your children, grandchildren or any children in your home when they use the internet.

Swaps:
We are That Family
Raising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home
Cuisine Kathleen
Rose Chintz Cottage

Jack Nicholson's Favorite Sauce

I was on a used cookbook hunt yesterday and was successful.  As I sifted through oodles of cookbooks, some in good shape, some ragged and well-used, I came upon the unusual!  I love finding a cookbook that I've never heard of, or one that has an interesting twist.  This book was it!  When would you ever expect to see Jack Nicholson's face on the front of a cookbook?  Cooking for Jack is a collection of low-fat Italian recipes compiled by Tommy Baratta (with his sister Mary Lou).  These delicious Italian recipes are the foods that helped Nicholson lose 25 pounds between the movies Hoffa and Wolf.  This is Jack'c favorite sauce.  Enjoy!

Tomato-Basil Sauce I
(page 157  Cooking For Jack by Tommy Baratta;  Simon and Schuster 1996;  ISBN 0-671-53560-9)

Olive oil cooking spray
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, grated
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 32 oz. can Italian plum tomatoes
1/4 C dry red wine
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
2 TBSP chopped basil

1.  Coat a large nonstick saucepan with cooking spray.
2.  Add onion and carrot and saute',stirring for 2 minutes.
3.  Add garlic and saute' for an additional minute.
4.  Add juice from canned tomatoes and wine and bring to a simmer over low heat.
5.  While sauce heats, cut each plum tomato in half and and rinse away seeds under cold, running water.
6.  Cut tomatoes into strips and add to saucepan.
7.  Stir in seasonings.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
8.  Stir in basil.
Yield:  About 3 cups

SWAPS:
Rattlebridge Farm
Simply Sweet Home
The Shabby Nest
My Romantic Home
Common Ground
A Return to Lovliness
Inside Brucrew Life
 

Very Special Southern Batter Bread

I hope your week is going well;  mine has been hectic, to say the least!  I had my house "staged" for pictures this week.  Now, that's an interesting process!  We had small piles of things from each room that were to be removed for the photo session.  My little rejected items, like players on some home-decorating team, sadly didn't  'make the cut.'  Stagers evidently don't care for throw rugs, cute items that sit on a surface or large baskets (anything that takes away that open-airy feeling).  When they finished, my home, devoid of anything very personal, looked spacious...mission accomplished!  I enjoyed seeing how they placed the furniture, and took notes for future reference.  They were very good at their job and moved quickly from room to room.  The whole process took only two hours;  finding places to store away the rejects took longer.  Thanks to Wendy and Julie, our home is ready for it's close-ups!

Today I've got an old Texas recipe to share.  It's for a batter bread that can be made quickly and popped in the oven.  This recipe was dictated verbally to Rachel Allen by Judge James Christopher Paul who established the first bank on the plains of Texas.  His home was called "The Square House."  I found this in The Square House Museum Cookbook.

Very Special Southern Batter Bread

1 pint milk, scalded
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 scant TBSP butter
3 egg yolks, well-beaten
3 egg whites well-beaten
7 heaping TBSP flour
4 heaping TBSP white cornmeal

Add butter to scalded milk,  whip yolks until light and add dry ingredients, alternating with hot milk.  Fold in beaten egg whites.  Butter a baking dish and place bread batter in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (until browned on top and sides).  Be sure it is completely done.  It will be a velvety texture.  Serve hot.  It is delicious for breakfast with maple syrup.
                                                           ~Texas Square House Museum Cookbook 

SWAPS:
Raising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home
We are That Family

Batter-Fried Apple Rings

I can't tell you how happy I am to be sitting here in my little "writer's nest."  Although I've enjoyed the excitement of preparing to move for my husband's new job, I'm not one who loves being on a plane four times in one week.  Well, actually, I dislike the whole airport process much more than the flight, itself.  Looking at the view from an airplane window, however,  is an experience that never gets old for me.  Being able to look down on the city of Dallas and then ranches, trees and roadways from the air is like playing "Where's Waldo?" from on high;  I always spot something different each time.  This time I spotted the Texas Motor Speedway!
While we were on the trip, I had a delicious twist on the "traditional  breakfast sandwich" that I would like to share.  The Hyatt offered a breakfast bar each morning that included many healthy options, my favorite was an open-faced whole-wheat English muffin with  egg white, mushrooms and fresh spinach topped with a slice of smoked provolone (which had been placed under the broiler).  I plan use this recipe here at home!
Another breakfast idea that I'm sharing today came from my files.  If you pair this unusual and quick (portable) breakfast item with some little link sausages, everyone will be happy...and on time!

Batter-Fried Apple Rings
(General Mills recipe card  1971)

1 C Bisquick baking mix
1 egg
1/2 C milk
2 medium apples,  pared and cored 

Beat baking mix, egg and milk with rotary beater until smooth.  Grease griddle.  Cut apples crosswise into 1/8 inch slices.  Dip slices into batter.  Cook on hot griddle until golden brown, turning once.  Serve hot and, if you wish, with syrup, jelly or confectioners' sugar.  Makes about 2 dozen rings.  Note:  Can add cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter.

Adventures in Texas:  I can't wait to see the new sculpture exhibit at the Kimbel Museum in Fort Worth!  There was a really nice article about it in Sunday's paper.  Also, the Broadway play, Memphis will be at Bass Hall this week.  Also, The Black Watch Band is playing at Bass Hall on Tuesday evening!

Swaps:
Flour Me with Love
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Stone Gable
Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Create with Joy
 Beyer Beware
Delightfully Dowling
Couponing and Cooking
Lines Across my Face
Alderberry Hill
Cedar Hill Ranch
Serendipity and Spice

Dad's Favorite Fluffy Tapioca Pudding

My dad has always liked down-home desserts.  He's a fan of pies, cobblers...and tapioca pudding!  He was happiest when Mammam made tapioca pudding and brought up to our house (I like it, too, but her favorite pudding surprise for me was rice pudding!)  I thought of him when I came across this great old recipe for tapioca.  If you've never made it, tapioca can be found near the boxed puddings in the grocery store.  This pudding is good warm or cold.  You know how they always feel the need to garnish an already-perfect food in these old cookbooks, well, they recommend dotting the top of your pudding (which is in sherbet dishes, of course!) with tart jelly.  Hmmm...I've never had it with jelly on top;  don't know about that!  I guess it would be pretty, but I'm not sure about the flavor combination.  Let me know if you try the jelly topping.  I, however, am  a purist, and will leave mine plain white and fluffy.  I'm sure that's the food-styling that Dad would approve of with his favorite pudding!

Fluffy Tapioca Pudding
Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorites ("Free when you buy one 7.0 oz. Crest") 1971

1 quart milk
1/4 C quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 slightly-beaten egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 stiffly-beaten egg whites

Combine milk, tapioca, sugar, and salt;  let stand 5 minutes.  Add egg yolks.  Bring to boiling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat (mixture will be thin at this point);  add vanilla.
Put 1/3 of beaten egg whites in large bowl;  slowly stir in tapioca mixture.  Fold in remaining egg whites, leaving "pillows" of egg white.  Chill.  Pile into sherbets.  Garnish with tart jelly.  Serves 8 to 10.

SWAPS:
We Are That Family
Raising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home

Mall-Style Soft Pretzels at Home!

We love the big, soft pretzels that are sold at the mall, but they can get pricey, especially if you have a family-sized group with you.  So, I was very happy to find this recipe for soft pretzels in a Rhodes Bread pamphlet from 1996.  You know how much I love my old advertising/promo cooking pamphlets!    I always use Rhodes frozen dough;  love the homemade taste and Walmart always has it in the freezer section!  Easy to find, easy to make!  I've been making my "homemade" pizzas for my kids' birthday parties and family get-togethers for years with this dough. 
Speaking of parties, I think these pretzels (with a selection of dips and spreads) would make an interesting and inexpensive Super Bowl party event.  You could make a huge batch of pretzels ahead and then just reheat in a low-heat  oven (with a microproof bowl of water on the bottom shelf of the oven to keep them from drying out)  the night of the party!  I'm thinking...horseradish dip, a variety of mustards, hot cheese dips, some hot sausage dip for the carnivores...you get the idea!  Hope you're as happy to find this recipe as I was.

Soft Pretzels
(Rhodes:  Easy Recipes for Frozen Roll and Bread Dough  1996)

8 Texas White Rolls thawed
2 TBSP baking Soda

Thaw rolls until soft but not risen (about 2 hours at room temperature).  Roll each roll into a 16-inch rope.  Form in pretzel shape.  Place on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed and let rise 30-45 minutes.  In a large saucepan, bring 6 inches of water and soda to a boil.  Slip pretzels, a few at a time, into gently boiling water.  Boil for 30 seconds on each side.  Remove with slotted spoon and drain on cooling rack.  If desired, sprinkle with coarse salt, seeds or spices.  Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake immediately at 375 degrees F for 15-29 minutes or until golden brown.  Salt-sensitive consumers may wish to eliminate soda and brush pretzels with beaten egg white before baking.

SWAPS:
Raising Homemakers
We Are That Family
Deep Roots at Home
Martha's Favorites
Rose Chintz Cottage
Cuisine Kathleen

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

While we have sunny, mild weather today in the DFW area, I realize that many of you have really cold temps and snow.  We need to pull out some of our comforting casserole recipes to help us get through January and February, right?!   This morning,  I was looking through my file of trusted recipes for a really good chicken dish to have in the winter, and I found one that I haven't made for quite a while.  I hope you like it;  it's a good way to use up leftover chicken, and kids will eat it because it has cheese included.  Just add some good rolls or bread to this casserole and you have a quick meal!  You have better things to do...like sledding!

Easy Chicken Divan

One 10 oz. pkg frozen chopped broccoli
1 C chopped cooked chicken
One 8 oz. jar Cheez Whiz
One 3 oz. can chow mein noodles

Microwave broccoli according to directions;  drain.  Add chicken;  mix lightly.  Microwave Cheese Whiz according to the label;  add to chicken mixture and mix lightly.  Microwave on Medium for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until hot.  Spoon over noodles.
Variations:
-substitute two 5 1/2 oz. cans of drained chunk chicken for cooked chicken
-or one 6 1/2 oz. can of tuna in water;  drained

Swaps:
We are That Family
Raising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home

Aunt Lena's Butterscotch Pie

This week's recipe is a goodie;  I remember eating this creamy, delicious pie in my Aunt Lena's tiny little kitchen (she had a bungalow-style home) in Sistersville, WV.  Aunt Lena was my Mammam's twin sister and I've written about her in previous posts.  My mom and dad recently sent me a box of Christmas surprises and this was one of the treasures in that box;  a yellowed envelope marked "Lena"-  full of hand-written recipes!  It brought back a lot of  fond memories of a very sweet lady.

Aunt Lena's Butterscotch Pie

2 C milk
1 1/4 C dark brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP butter

Heat the milk to scalding in a double boiler;  blend sugar, flour and salt and add to the milk.  Stir until smooth and thick;  cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.  Separate eggs and beat the yolks.  Add the thick sauce, gradually, to the eggs;  stir until smooth.  Pour the mixture back into the double broiler and cook for 5 minutes.  Add vanilla and butter.  Pour into prepared pie crust.  cool at room temperature.  refrigerate any leftovers. (Ha!  Leftovers!)

Adventures in Texas:  Seen on signs (during December) in front of Mexican restaurants, convenience stores...and gas stations:   "Tamales Sold By The Dozen".  Yes, it's a Christmas food here!

Swaps:
Raising Homemakers
We are That Family
Deep Roots at Home