A NEW FAVORITE COOKIE FOR CHRISTMAS

Cake is my favorite dessert, but at Christmas time, cookies are the star of the show. How many families get together to bake Christmas cakes? My mom, sister and I baked Michigan Rocks, peanut butter, and sugar cookies last Sunday. The surprise for the day was a recipe I've been holding onto for years..an orange, cranberry oatmeal cookie with three kinds of chocolate chips. Oh my goodness!

My husband bit into one yesterday for the first time and made quite a fuss about them. He's a cookie monster. I skipped melting white and milk chocolate then drizzling it on top, but that would make this cookie look more festive. Although it is quite delicious without that.

The recipe asks for orange zest, but I didn't have oranges, so I used 10 drops of orange essential oil. I think it gave the cookies better flavor than the zest would have. It's great to have orange, lemon and lime oils on hand for recipes when you don't have citrus fruits in your fridge.

Just make sure the oil is safe to ingest. Not all of them are. Young Living's vitality line is the one I trust for oils taken internally. 

The cookie recipe is from Martina McBride. I'm hoping for a cookbook by her for Christmas. If you want to see more tried and true recipes by celebrities, I have a Facebook page titled, Celebrity Recipes for Comfort Food & Cake. Check it out. And plan some time with your family or friends to cook or bake and then enjoy each other. 

This year has made me realize how much more I need to appreciate and enjoy the people in my life that I like to be around. I need to reach out more and visit more and communicate more instead of living every day in my own little bubble as time marches on. 

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas with the people you love to be around. 

 

MY QUARANTINE CAKE

I've been trying to entertain myself while being off work for two weeks. Trying a new recipe each day is one of my goals. Yesterday,  I discovered a winning recipe for Sloppy Joes, which is a favorite dish in my home. I threw out all my other recipes for Sloppy Joes. Even Hubby was impressed and told me to keep the recipe.Check out page 160 of Valerie's Home Cooking if you're interested. Borrow it from a library if you don't want to buy it. Or get a used copy on Amazon Books.

Today I made a winning chocolate cake so moist that it doesn't need icing. It's called 86 Proof Chocolate Cake. The recipe is from Maida Heatter's cookbook, Happiness is Baking. I used vanilla rum for the booze that it called for. And I used melted coconut oil instead of butter because someone in the family is avoiding dairy products. The only thing to note with this recipe is that removing it from a bundt pan is not easy. I greased the pan generously with coconut oil and it still stuck fast. I would probably put it in a regular cake pan next time. And it was perfectly baked at one hour in a bundt pan. The recipe suggested one hour and fifteen minutes.

86 Proof Chocolate Cake

5 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 C sifted cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp.salt
1/4 C instant espresso or coffee powder
boiling water
cold water
1/2 C bourbon, rum, cognac or scotch whiskey
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp.
1 tsp vanilla
2 C sugar
3 large eggs at room temp.

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 9-inch bundt pan. Heat chocolate on low until melted. Cool slightly.
Sift dry ingredients, except for coffee and sugar. Dissolve coffee in a bit of boiling water (About 1/2 cup).
Add cold water to make 1 1/2 cups. Add bourbon, whiskey, or rum.
Cream butter. Add vanilla and sugar. Beat. Add eggs one at a time. Add chocolate, beat until smooth on low speed.  Alternately add dry ingredients in 3 additions and coffee mixture in two additions very gradually. Beat after each addition. Bake one hour or longer if using a bundt pan. Cake is done when it springs back with a quick finger touch.

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Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

Simple cooking with Clara

Clara is a ninety-something dynamo that lived through the depression and upon the encouragement of her grandson, became a celebrity chef so to speak on You Tube.  I would like to introduce you to her by way of one of her videos. She tells some interesting stories about the depression. I think you'll enjoy this video.

A TASTE OF CHRISTMAS PAST

                                                                                       

Yesterday I spent seven hours making Christmas cookies.  With a little help from my daughter and her friend, we created dozens of Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Michigan Rocks and cutout Sugar cookies.  My favorite is the Michigan Rocks.  You have to love raisins, dates and walnuts to appreciate this cookie, which for me has just as much sentimental value as it does taste.  My grandmother passed down this recipe and it just doesn't seem like Christmas until I bite into a Michigan Rock.

                                                                                        

 Nana, my grandma, never used a mixer to create these sweet fruity gems.  She always got into the bowl with her hands to mix the dough.  I can still see her fingers in that bowl, all full of sticky brown cookie dough.  When the dough was mixed, she'd again use her hands to scrape the excess from her palms and each finger.  Nana had a grinder that she attached to her counter top for grinding the raisins and dates.  I loved turning the handle and watching the gooey clump of fruit come out in one continuous thick strand.
                                             

                                                                                     

Nana threw walnuts straight from the tree into the driveway so people would drive over them and crack the shells.  I didn't have a nutcracker either this year, so I used a hammer.  What a mess!  This cookie is a lot of work, but I think it's worth it.  It's a treat that holds many memories for me.  Both my grandma and my mom made these cookies every Christmas.  The smell and taste of them brings back my childhood.

                                                                                          
Not everyone in our family appreciates Michigan Rocks.  My sister in law doesn't understand what's so great about them.  Every year she shakes her head when we fuss over our special family cookie.  Recently, I discovered that my son is not a fan of Michigan Rocks either.  On his last visit, I told him that I was planning to make our traditional family-loved cookie.  Kody is known for his clever comebacks.  Without cracking a smile he said, "Those cookies should have stayed in Michigan."

Love em or hate em, here's the recipe:
                                                                         MICHIGAN ROCKS

                                                                                           

Please note that my Grandma's original recipe calls for 1 Cup of Butter and Lard (1/2 Cup of each).  I'm not a fan of Lard or Crisco, so I use all butter.   Also, her original recipe says to put the baking soda in a little hot water, which is the 2-4 Tablespoons of water I add last.  Also, I use 1 Cup of packed brown sugar instead of the 2 Cups called for in her original recipe.

2 Cups Brown Sugar
1 Cup Butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Cup walnuts chopped
1 Cup Ground Raisins (measure raisins and dates after they've been ground in a grinder)
1 Cup Ground  Dates
2 eggs
2-4 Tablespoons Warm Water

Combine Flour with baking soda and cinnamon and mix well.  In separate bowl, Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs.  Add a cup of the flour and then add the ground raisins and dates.  Add the rest of the flour and then add water (a Tablespoon at a time) until the dough is moist but very stiff. (2-4 Tablespoons).  Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes.  Do not under bake.  Bottom should be brown.

How To Make Gourmet Caramel Apples

How To Make Gourmet Caramel Apples

BAD DAY CUPCAKES

Chocolate on chocolate.  Scroll down for the recipe

RECIPE FOR A BAD DAY

Many women have an emotional tie to food although they don't like to admit it.  After a bad day, a woman I know likes to tear into a bag of chips.  For many women, only chocolate can soothe the fallout of a bad day. Although I know that the better thing is to pray my way through a bad day, I do find myself reaching for chocolate when I'm feeling stressed.  Chocolate cake with chocolate icing is at the top of my list of comfort foods.  This is the best chocolate cake recipe I found and I have tried many.  The icing is from Martha Stewart and the cake recipe was given to me by a woman who once made and decorated wedding cakes.  This recipe makes about 16 cupcakes.  I would double the recipe for a layer cake.

                                                 One Bowl Chocolate Cake

3/4 Cup Dutch Cocoa
1 1/2  Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 Cup buttermilk
3 Tablespoons Safflower oil (I use peanut oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup warm water

Directions  Sift dry ingredients beat on low speed.  Raise speed to medium, add eggs milk, water, oil, and vanilla.  Beat 3 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes for cupcakes. 

                Martha Stewart Ultimate Chocolate Frosting 

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions In a small bowl sift together the conf. sugar and cocoa powder.  Add butter, vanilla, and milk; beat until smooth and free of lumps.  ( I add the vanilla first and then add milk slowly until the right consistency is reached.  You may not need to add all the milk). 

REASONS TO LOVE SUMMER (Strawberry pie recipe)

Strawberry pie.  There's a reason to love summer.  And the best strawberry pie in my neck of the woods can be found at the annual "Hill Church" strawberry festival near Berrysburg, PA.  You have to get there early if you want a pie.  They were flying off the table as fast as workers could replace them today.  But at some point there are no more pies to replace the disappearing ones and people walk away very disappointed.

Strawberries are one of the best things about summer.  This year I made sure that we can enjoy them year round.  My freezer shelves are stocked with jam and strawberries for summer smoothies and daiquiris.  I also made jars of regular strawberry preserves (below) which I eat straight from the jar it's so scrumptious.  There's nothing like a fresh sweet strawberry and the season is at its peak right now in Pennsylvania.  Don't miss it!

And here's a recipe for strawberry pie that my sister-in-law gave me.  She said it was delicious. 

100% HOMEMADE VANILLA IS WORTH THE WAIT

I just got back from another day of shopping.  Feeling like I accomplished a lot.  Mostly I was looking for items to use in my homemade gift baskets.  The Goodwill store really came through for me.  I found some beautiful glass sugar bowls with lids for a dollar a piece.  I don't think those gals at Goodwill know what they have sometimes.  I hear stories of people finding valuable treasures in that store.  One girl said she spotted a familiar piece of pottery in the exact color she loves.  When she turned the piece upside down and saw the name engraving, she knew it was a collector's piece from the very collection she buys.  They were only asking two dollars for it, and she knew it sells for fifty.  "I couldn't get out of there fast enough," she said.  She thought they might discover the pricing error and ruin her rush.
 
I love the rush of finding treasures like that.  Some people get a thrill from buying pricey items.  My thrill comes from knowing that I'm practically stealing it.  But not really.  I'm planning to use the sugar bowls to hold my homemade vanilla sugar.  I'm also planning to give homemade vanilla as gifts.  And last night I watched a video on how to make tea cup candles.  Can't wait to try that.

I have these beautiful Victorian teacups that I found at an antique store.  They are so elegant and expensive looking because of the splashes of gold, the pretty patterns and  bold floral designs.  Some of the cups even have pedestals or little feet under them.  I fell in love with those teacups as soon as I saw them, but they've been collecting dust for years.  I'm finally going to put them to more practical use and make some candles out of them.  Teacup candles are so pretty when they're lit.  I'm sure the gals I give them to will be tickled with them.

Today I had no problem finding the paraffin wax to make candles, but I couldn't find wicks with anchors on them, so I'll share the teacup candles another time.  I like to try these things myself before explaining how to make them.  But I have tried making homemade vanilla, and that's the recipe I'll be sharing today.  I heard about vanilla sugar and I have a recipe, but I haven't made any yet.  But those sugar bowls are going to be so happy when they're filled with the wonderful scent of sweet vanilla.  Vanilla sugar is a great gift for people who put sugar in their coffee or tea.  My husband adds my homemade vanilla to his coffee and loves it.

So why make your own vanilla?  Lots of reasons.  First of all, store bought vanilla is very expensive and when you realize what you're getting, it kind of makes you mad to pay the price.  Did you know that artificial vanilla flavoring, imitation vanilla flavoring, natural vanilla flavoring, vanilla extract, and pure vanilla extract are all names that can be used to describe wood pulp that's made to taste like vanilla.  If you buy vanillin, you're also getting a cheaper, lower grade vanilla substitute.  Most store-bought vanilla contains 35% alcohol.  Real vanilla should contain 100% alcohol.  Vanilla manufacturers thin their extract with water to make a bigger profit.  If you want the best tasting vanilla, you need real Bourbon Grade A vanilla beans and you need to let them soak in 100% alcohol for three months.  But oh, is it worth the wait!

Besides the exceptional taste, one of the benefits of using pure100% alcohol vanilla is that it will make whatever you're making or baking, ice cream especially, softer and smoother.  I add two Tablespoons to a batch of ice cream, but not so much you can taste the alcohol.  Your ice cream will be softer since alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than most freezers are set to.  You can make homemade ice cream and then put the leftovers in the freezer, and it will be amazingly soft and easy to scoop the next time you eat it.  Okay, I'm sure I convinced you that it's worth the trouble, so here's the recipe.  Have fun.

You will need
12 vanilla beans about 7-8 inches long (bourbon grade A)
a fifth of 100 proof vodka (NIKOLAI is fine. Quality doesn't matter so go cheap)

Open your vodka bottle and pour out about four ounces.  It's up to you what you do with the excess.  Cut the vanilla beans down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds (caviar) with a dull knife.  Use a funnel or carefully drop the seeds into the vodka bottle.  Then add the remaining vanilla bean skins.  Put the lid on, shake, and store in a cool, dark place.  I put my bottles in a paper bag in the back of the fridge, so as little light hits them as possible.  Light is not a friend to vanilla and it shouldn't be stored near any heat source.  Every few days shake the bottle well and then put it back to sit and steep.  When your vanilla is done steeping after three months, you can grind the vanilla skins and use them in your baking as well.  Some people prefer to strain the vanilla when it's done steeping, but I love those flecks of vanilla bean in the liquid.  If you prefer a stronger infusion, you can let the vanilla steep up to 12 months, but who could wait that long for something so good.

MAKE YOUR OWN TOOTHPASTE IN ONE MINUTE

I'm so excited! I just whipped up my very first batch of homemade toothpaste and I'm thrilled with the results.  This was not a time consuming project.  I added all the ingredients and had them mixed in one minute.  I've been reading bad things about fluoride, so I've been looking for a fluoride-free toothpaste.  Not so easy to find, and the brand I did find costs about four dollars a tube.  So I checked out one of my favorite sources for homemade everything and discovered two recipes at Passionate Homemaking.  There's a link to this site under Home and Health Links on the right side of my page.

I decided that I wanted baking soda in my toothpaste, so I made a combination of the two recipes suggested on the Passionate Homemaking website.  Here's my recipe:

                                               Nell's Homemade Toothpaste

1/2 Tbsp. Dr. Bronners castile liquid soap (or any natural castile liquid soap)
   5 Tbsp coconut oil
   2 Tbsp baking soda
   2 packets of stevia
   1 Tbsp of water (less or more depending on the consistency you want.  I added very little water).

I stored my toothpaste in a small glass jelly jar.  You can also water this down enough to store it in a new soap dispenser bottle and then you can pump it directly onto your toothbrush.  It may sound strange to make toothpaste out of soap, but Dr. Bronners soap is made with natural ingredients and organic oils.  No health hazards to worry about, unlike the store-bought toothpaste that contains not only toxic fluoride, but also might contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which is considered unsafe by some experts.  I used the orange oil soap.  It also comes in peppermint and other varieties. I found Dr. Bronners soap while out shopping one day, but it's also available at Amazon.

The coconut oil I found at Wal Mart.  It's called Lou Ana and I found it on the top shelf in the cooking oil section.  I also bought the stevia at Wal Mart.  It comes in a box of 100 packets and it's made by Spring Valley.  You can find it in the vitamin section.  Stevia is an all natural herb that is a safe substitute for sugar.

I just love homemade recipes.  It makes me feel self-sufficient when I don't have to depend on already-made store-bought products.  Anything I can make myself is just more satisfying to use.  The reason I want to avoid fluoride is because it's toxic.  And although we might not ingest much since we spit out toothpaste, I still feel better knowing the fluoride isn't in there.

Did you know fluoride is banned from drinking water in nine countries?  Yet in this country we hand out fluoride pills to children in school.  I'm not sure if they still do this.  I opted out of the school's fluoride program years ago, but I remember taking those little white pills myself in grade school.  Kids would put them in their mouths and then spit them out when the teacher wasn't looking.  Although they probably didn't realize that they were doing themselves a favor. They just hated the taste.

If you're not convinced that fluoride is worth your concern, I posted a video below that you might find interesting.

Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole

This is one of my favorite websites, Passionate Homemaking.  Spend some time exploring this site.  It's a joy to read and will inspire you to be a Martha.

Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole