Recipes

The Age Old Holiday Question–Fruitcake Treat or Door Stop?

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When I look back on my books, I can often tell something about what was going on with me. When I wrote To Tame a Texas Cowboy, transporting a lot of dogs from Corsicana, Texas. (For those who don’t know, my family fosters and transports dogs for Cody’s Friends Rescue.) I say that because of my heroine, Cheyenne’s comment describing her overprotective Mom. Despite the serious nature that brought about the scene (the mother reports her missing), I had a blast writing it. Here’s an excerpt.

“I’ve got to do something about Mom. I don’t care how worried she is, when she hurts other people she’s gone too far.” Cheyenne collapsed on the couch beside Aubrey.

If this was a sample of what Cheyenne was dealing with, no wonder she was desperate to move out. If a service dog could help her with that goal, how could he refuse to help? Wasn’t easing burdens like Cheyenne’s why he’d taken up Olivia’s cause with the SeizureReader?

Dog nails scraping against the glass patio door drew Cooper’s attention. After he let the dogs in, Penny trotted over to Cheyenne and curled up by her feet.

The wild idea that sprouted last night when he saw Penny with Cheyenne expanded. The idea could work.

“We should leave. I’ve caused Cooper enough trouble, and who knows what else will happen if I stay longer,” Cheyenne said to Aubrey.

Her friend shook her head. “Girl, I slept in my clothes and the officer showing up scared me so much I’m as sweaty as a teenager sneaking into the house after curfew. No way am I crawling in the car without a shower. Cooper, mind if I use yours?”

“Go ahead. That’ll give me time to talk to Cheyenne.”

After Aubrey left, Cheyenne stared at him wide-eyed. “Why would you want to talk to me? If I were you, I’d figure out how to get a restraining order.”

He smiled at her attempt at humor as he sank into his recliner. The woman had grit. Despite everything, she hadn’t buckled. “On your mom maybe, but this wasn’t your fault.”

Fatigue and vulnerability flashed in her green eyes, overwhelming the courage and toughness he admired a minute ago. “You’re wrong. This is my fault. I didn’t rein Mom in before this happened.”

“Has your mom always been so,” he paused. Would it be completely out of line to call her mom a nut case?

“Go ahead and say it. Crazy, wacko. Nuttier than a Collin Street Bakery fruitcake. Take your pick.”

He chuckled at her plain speaking. “I was trying to find a better way to phrase it.”

“That’s sweet, but unnecessary.” Cheyenne sighed. “She wasn’t as bad when my dad was alive.”

“You don’t have to talk about this.”

She shrugged. “You’ve seen my dirtiest laundry. Might as well know how it got so bad. My dad died in a freak rodeo accident when I was fifteen. A bull threw him and before the rodeo clowns got there, the bull stepped on his—” She shuddered, and horror flashed across her face. “There was nothing anyone could do. He was gone.”

“Saying I’m sorry is inadequate, but I am sorry.”

Cheyenne picked at the couch cushion. “That’s what started Mom’s overprotectiveness. Most people think things like that won’t happen to them or someone they love, but she knows they do. My diagnosis has dredged up that pain, along with her fear, and helplessness. She’s doing the only thing she can think of, trying to control everything, but she can’t fix this for me.”

 

I know a lot of folks outside of Texas won’t get Cheyenne’s comment “nuttier than a Collin Street Bakery fruitcake” but I had a good laugh writing with it. Her comment refers to the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas, famous for the fruitcake it’s made for over 125 years. I can see the looks of disbelief on your faces now. Hey, I’ve heard all the fruitcake jokes that abound this time of year, but the Collin Street Bakery’s been featured on a popular shows like Good Morning America.

I thought the same thing the first time I went to Corsicana to transport a dog. But when I saw the Collin Street Bakery on my way to the city shelter, I had to stop. After that, every time I drove to Corsicana, I stopped at the bakery first. I would get a cherry turnover to devour on the way home, peanut brittle for my hubby, cupcakes, and a sample of their fruitcake, which is by the way, pretty good.

While we don’t buy fruitcakes, every year at the holidays, my husband craves our family’s version which is more like a pound cake. It’s so good that if I don’t have time to bake it, he does! Today I’m sharing that recipe with you.

 

Philly Christmas Cake

 

Ingredients:

1 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 1/2 C sugar

1 C butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 C each of candied red, green cherries, and pineapple

1 C chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Place 1/4 C chopped walnuts in each of two loaf pans. Place 1/4 C of the flour in a small bowl. Add cut candied fruit and remaining nuts. Mix and set aside.

Cream softened cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla until combined well. Add eggs one a time. Mix until incorporated. Add remaining flour (2C) and baking powder. Combine. Add remaining walnuts (1/2) and candied (now floured) fruit. Mix. Pour into loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 20 min.

Giveaway–Today I have two holiday T-shirts to give away. Each one comes with a signed copy of To Tame A Texas Cowboy. To be entered in the giveaways, leave me a comment on your thoughts regarding fruitcake.

 

Recipe: Cowboy Dip

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Now that temperatures are starting to cool off, I’m starting to crave warm, hearty soups, stews, and dips. I wouldn’t call my husband a chef, but he has a handful of specialties that are definitely Dad Dishes. This recipe for Cowboy Dip is one of our family favorites. Anything with Cowboy in the name has got to be good, right?

I have to apologize for the less than glamorous photo. I was so eager to dive in and eat the last time we made this, I forgot to take the photo until we were packing away the leftovers. Ha!

Dad’s Cowboy Dip

Ingredients

  • 6.9 oz Spanish rice mix, prepared
  • 2 lbs Ground hamburger browned
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lbs Velveta cubed (We prefer the white queso flavor.)
  • 10 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and peppers, drained
  • Corn chips

Instructions

  • Prepare the Spanish rice according to box directions.
  • Cook hamburger. Season with salt and pepper. Drain grease.
  • In a Crock Pot, place cubed cheese, hamburger, rice, and Rotel. Set on high, stirring occasionally until melted and heated through (about 30-45 minutes).
  • Serve by the bowlful with chips for a meal, or use as a warm party dip. Serves 4-6.

What are some of your favorite cowboy foods?

I get a special day!!! YAY!

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To celebrate, I’m keeping this really short and giving away a signed copy of my soon to be released novel

A Model of Devotion.

And I’ve got a recipe.

The fastest, easiest recipe I know.

For ingredients. it’s a crock pot recipe so when I say fast, I mean how much time to you spend preparing it.

It’s gotta cook for a while.

Crock Pot Shredded Barbeque Chicken

One bag boneless, skinless chicken breasts--poured, frozen into a crockpot

One can pineapple chunks drained–poured on top of the chicken breasts

One chopped onion…chopping the onion is the only thing that takes any time.

One bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce…poured over everything.

That’s it. Cook for a bunch of hours, like…five. i usually start on high then turn it down.

Then shred the breasts with two forks, serve with the pineapple and onion and barbeque sauce all mixed together serve on a bun.

Leave a comment to get your name in a drawing for a copy of A Model of Devotion.

 

She’s finally claimed her independence . . . how far will she go to keep it?

A brilliant engineer, Jilly Stiles has been educated since childhood to help run her father’s lumber dynasty. With the company safe from her stepfather after the marriages of her two sisters, Jilly can now focus on her dream of building a mountaintop railroad–and never marry.

Nick Ryder came into Jilly’s life when he saved her mother from her no-good stepfather, and he’s prepared to protect Jilly from anything that threatens to harm her–as long as he keeps his heart from getting involved.

But when a cruel and powerful man goes to dangerous lengths to make Jilly his own, she must make a decision between her safety and her hard-won independence.

Fall Fun Facts and a Recipe

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Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here. Today is the official first day of Autumn. That means the weather gets crisper, the days get shorter, the foliage gets more colorful and pumpkin spice can be found creatively added to any number of beverages and dishes.

Shanna’s post yesterday gave you lots of fabulous information on how to entertain and decorate with Autumn in mind (and if you missed it you really ought to go back and read it!) So today I thought I’d share some fun facts about Autumn and also provide a coy of one of my favorite recipes.

Autumn Fun Facts 

There have been some interesting statistics gathered about kids born in Autumn

  • They might live longer. This comes from a study conducted by the University of Essex in Great Britain. In fact they are statistically more likely to live to be 100 than those born in any other season
  • They are more likely to do better in school according to a Department for Education report that looked at the 2012-2013 school year.
  • They are also more likely to be taller and to excel at athletics. One explanation for this is that their mothers probably had much more exposure to sun when pregnant, which helped them produce more vitamin D, which in turn helped give their kids stronger bones.
  • But the news isn’t all good.
    One study conducted by National Jewish Health found that those born in Autumn have a higher risk of developing eczema, food allergies, hay fever and asthma in later years that those born during other seasons of the year.

One of the things people often mention  when speaking of why they like Autumn is the spectacular foliage. Here are some things related to that you may not know

  • Leaves don’t really ‘change colors’. The fall colors are actually always there, but their appearance is based on the amount of sunshine they get (or don’t get). Sunshine enhances the chlorophyll inherent in leaves, which is a natural chemical that makes them green. But with shorter days and less sunshine, chlorophyll isn’t produced as much, making the green fade and allowing the other colors to push through.
  • The depth of color you see in the Autumn is based on how much sugar and sap is trapped in the leaves – that’s why maple leaves are such a vibrant red.
  • Evergreen trees remain green throughout the winter because their leaves and needles are coated with a thick waxy substance and they contain materials that prevent them from freezing
  • Leaves fall from trees in the Autumn because of a hormone. As they are exposed to less and less sunlight they begin to produce a hormone that encourages the growth of a cell between the leaf and the stem. This basically forces the leaf to push away from the stem and fall off. And whatever doesn’t fall before winter arrives freezes and dies.

Okay, enough trivia. On to the recipe I promised you. Confession time – I LOVE soups. I can (and often do!) eat them several times a week year round. But soups are especially yummy and comforting as the weather turns crisper.  Below is a very hearty cold weather soup that I just love.

Taco Soup   

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground beef or turkey
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 med onion, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cans whole kernel corn
  • 2 cans Rotel w/chilies
  • 2 cans pinto or kidney beans
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1 pkg taco seasoning
  • 1 pkg dry hidden valley ranch salad dressing

Directions

  • Brown meat with onion. Drain and return to pot
  • Add everything else to meat without draining vegetables
  • Simmer for at least one hour. Add water as needed

NOTES:

  • If salt is a concern you can find NO or LOW Sodium options for most of these ingredients
  • When serving you can  top with cheese, tortilla chips and/or avocado if desired
  • Leftovers can be frozen.

So did any of my Autumn fun facts surprise you? Do you have a favorite fall recipe you’d like to share? Leave a comment to be interested in a drawing for your choice of any book from my backlist as well as a fun surprise.

 

And you’re also invited to join me and the rest of the Love Train authors for a “welcome autumn” celebration today at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2143576775865837. The fun begins at 8 a.m. Pacific Time (9 Mountain, 10 Central, 11 Eastern). It will be a day full of fun, games, giveaways, and more!

Samoas, Trefoils, Do-Si-Dos – Oh, my! by Pam Crooks

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Okay. I admit Girl Scout cookies don’t evoke an image of a hunky cowboy or anything much western, except, well, cowboys love to eat the cookies, too, don’t they?

As a grandmother and aunt of Brownies and Girl Scouts throughout the years, I’ve done my share of supporting their cookie sales, and I look forward to them every spring.  This year, with two granddaughters selling, my haul was twice as big as a normal year.  And at $5 a box, I don’t eat them as fast as I’d like.  I stored most of the boxes in my freezer to ration out as I wanted them, and when we opened up our cabin at the lake, I brought several boxes to keep out there, too.  In fact, I just had a couple of Thin Mints at lunch yesterday.

Nom, nom, nom.

 

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO (can you believe it’s been that long?) five years after the Girls Scouts were organized in 1917, one of the directors printed a sugar cookie recipe in the group’s magazine, and councils across the country used the cookies as a fundraiser.  The girls baked them with their mothers, packaged them in wax paper bags sealed with a sticker, and sold them door-to-door.  The idea grew in popularity, until 1934, the first batch of Girl Scout cookies were made by a commercial baker.

Once World War 2 hit, shortages of butter, flour, and sugar forced the girls to sell calendars instead, but by war’s end, the cookie sales resumed big time.  By 1948, 125 licensed bakers were baking up the treats.  In 1951, there were three main varieties – Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints).

As the decades rolled by, the cookies flourished in scope.  Packaging became more uniform.  More varieties were developed–some tossed aside, some kept. Eventually, those 125 bakers were whittled down to just two today, Little Brownie Baker and ABC Baker.  Though the pair used the same recipes, they named the cookies differently. Even the infamous and most popular Thin Mints began as Cooky-Mints, which changed to Chocolate Mint, then to Thin Mint, then to Cookie Mint to Chocolate Mint to Thin Mints to Thin Mint and finally, back to the plural Thin Mints.  🙂

Depending on where your cookies are sold, here are the differences in names.

 

I had no idea.  Never heard of a Trefoil.  Or a Samoa.  They were always Caramel DeLites and Shortbreads to us.

What’s your favorite Girl Scout Cookie?  Were you ever a Girl Scout?  Do you have good (or bad) memories of selling cookies – or anything – door-to-door?

Upcoming Release and a Recipe.

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Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here.

My upcoming release, Talulla, is part of the Love Train series. Pam and Shanna have already spoken of it in their posts but just as a reminder all the books in the series feature a hero and heroine who are traveling on board a Union Pacific train and get together with the help of a matchmaking conductor.

In my book, Tally and Max are the heroine and hero. They were childhood friends but a tragic accident that resulted in the death of Tally’s brother drove them apart. Tally convinces her father to send her away to boarding school halfway across the country and she’s never looked back.

Twelve years later Tally’s father convinces her to come home to fetch some pearls she’s inherited.  Max, now a widowed father traveling with his seven year old daughter, coincidentally (or is it??) is on the same train. Thanks to the conductor, Max and Tally end up in the same Pullman section.

Almost the entirety of the first half of the book takes place on the train, and Max and Tally are in close proximity for the two and a half day trip which forces them to interact. BUT Max’s daughter is with them which means they have very little opportunity to get to the heart of their conflict and their building attraction.

So when I finally got them to their destination I had to come up with at least one  scene where a reluctant heroine and my single father hero would find themselves alone together for several hours. I finally settled on a berry picking outing.

Which led me to do some research. I know all about the berries that grow wild here in north Louisiana, but I had no idea what grows in Wyoming. My research quickly led me to the boysenberry, which is apparently similar to the blackberries that grow around here. That scene turned out to be not only one of my favorite in the book, but story-wise it proved to be quite fruitful, on several fronts.  🙂

Anyway, while I was looking at info on the boysenberry I found quite a few online recipes, some of which looked quite yummy.  And reading through some of them made me think about my recipe for blackberry cobbler, a recipe I thought I’d share with you.  This is one I got from a friend many, many years ago and then tailored a bit over the years for my own taste.  Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
  • An additional 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blackberries
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened sliced strawberries

 

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Pour 1/2 cup melted butter into an 8-in. square baking dish and make sure the bottom is evenly covered.
  • Combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, milk and vanilla in a separate bowl until well mixed then add to butter in baking pan.
  • Combine the berries, the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Toss until it is well mixed. Spoon berry mixture over the batter in the baking dish.
  • Bake approximately 45-50 minutes, until the topping is a golden brown and the fruit is tender. (The berries will sink beneath the batter as it cooks)
  • Serve warm. Delicious topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

TALULLA

Will returning home bring Talulla the peace that’s eluded her for half her life?

Ten-year-old Talulla watched in horror as her beloved older brother fell through the ice while trying to save her. Thanks to the quick actions of Max, her brother’s closest friend, she survived. Her brother didn’t. When she overhears Max tell her father that she’s to blame, Talulla feels betrayed by the two people she thought she could most trust.

Unable to bear their disappointment, she begs to be sent to a boarding school halfway across the country, and in twelve years she’s never looked back. Until now.

Widowed father Max is traveling home with his seven-year-old daughter. Unfortunately, a bad case of travel sickness overtakes the little girl, and Max turns to the conductor for help. When the man finds a passenger willing to share her Pullman section, Max is relieved until he discovers his daughter’s benefactor is Talulla, a woman who abandoned her own father and whose last words to Max were an impassioned I hate you.

Can these two find a way to push past their mutual distrust to regain the friendship they once shared? And perhaps something more…

 

Pre-order HERE

 

Garden Fresh Recipes or What To Do with all Your Home-Grown Tomatoes

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Howdy!

Welcome to my “Home-Grown,” fresh from the garden recipes.  These are tomato recipes.  Easy catsup recipe and easy spaghetti sauce for meatballs or hamburger recipe.

For years now, my husband and I have bought 100 lbs of tomatoes from a local farmer, but when he stopped planting and selling the tomatoes, we took to gardening ourselves, and last year our small little garden in our backyard got us almost 100 lbs. of tomatoes.

Red ripe tomatoes growing in a greenhouse. Ripe and unripe tomatoes in the background.

So here we go:  What to do with all those tomatoes.

**  We freeze ours.  This requires a large pot of boiling water, a lot of ice and either some plastic bags for storage or mason jars.

** Preparing the tomatoes.  Probably you already know this, but I didn’t and so let me go through the process of getting the tomatoes ready for storage.  You’ll need:  a) a large pot to boil water in; b) a large pan of ice which usually becomes ice water.

Steps:

  1.  Boil the water
  2.  Cut off any bad spots on the tomatoes and them plop them in the boiling water for about 40 seconds to 1 minute only.
  3.  Scoop out the tomatoes and put them at once into the ice water.  Wait a minute or two.
  4.  skin the tomato (the skin comes off easily this way).
  5.  We seed our tomatoes and an easy way to do this is: once the tomato is boiled and then cooled, squeeze the tomato in the middle so the seeds come out the top or bottom.  This is the easiest way I’ve found to seed tomatoes.
  6.  Put the tomatoes in a bag for storage or if you want, you can put them in a blender and blend them for tomato sauce and put them in a mason jar for storage.
  7. Freeze until needed.

Steps for making easy catsup:

  1. Take out a bag of tomatoes — a large enough bag to make 2-3 cups of tomato juice — or –the mason jar of tomato juice
  2.  Defrost the bag of tomatoes or the jar of tomato juice
  3.  Blend the tomatoes if they aren’t already blended and put in a large pot
  4.  Boil the tomatoes and turn the heat down to simmering —
  5.  Then add:
    1.  1/2 – 3/4 cup red or white wine
    2.   1 teaspoon onion powder
    3.   1 teaspoon garlic powder
    4.   1-2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
    5.   1 teaspoon paprika
    6.   1/2 – 1 teaspoon powdered cloves
    7.   1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar
    8.   1 teaspoon salt
    9.   Boil down until it is a consistency you like and also boil 1 or perhaps 2 – 1 pint mason jar(s) for 5 minutes or so
    10.   Let cool in the 1 pint mason jar(s)and refrigerate while still warm and keep it under refrigeration
    11.   Be aware that mold might develop on it if it is kept for longer than a couple of months in the refrigerator.  If so, discard.

Recipe for making easy spaghetti sauce for meatballs or meat sauce from home-grown tomatoes:

  1. Take out a bag of tomatoes — a large enough bag to make 3-4 cups of tomato juice — or — the jar of tomato juice
  2. Defrost the bag of tomatoes or the jar of tomato juice
  3. Blend the tomatoes if they aren’t already blended and put in a large pot
  4. Boil the tomatoes and turn the heat down to simmering —
  5.  Add:
    1. 1 teaspoon sugar
    2.  1 tablespoon basil (dried)
    3.  5 tablespoons butter
    4.  1 teaspoon garlic powder
    5.   Boil down to desired consistency

Boiling down the tomatoes makes it into tomato sauce — I usually don’t boil it down too far because I make this for my grandchildren and they like the taste of the tomatoes straight from the garden and so don’t like it too thick.

If you’re looking to try something a little more adventurous with your home-grown produce, why not experiment with some wild game recipes? Pheasant is a popular choice for those looking for something a little different from traditional chicken or turkey. One recipe that stands out is the pheasant salad recipe. This refreshing and flavorful salad is perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

To make the pheasant salad recipe, you’ll need cooked pheasant breast, mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing. Simply toss the ingredients together in a large bowl and drizzle with the dressing. It’s a simple yet impressive dish that is sure to impress your guests.

Whether you’re looking for classic tomato recipes or new and exciting wild game dishes, there are plenty of options to choose from. With a little creativity and experimentation, you can create delicious meals that are both satisfying and nutritious. So why not start experimenting with some of these recipes today?

Hope you’ll enjoy!

I’d love to hear from you.

SHE STEALS MY BREATH:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/She-Steals-Breath-Medicine-Book-ebook/dp/B09TNDS67H/ref=sr_1_1?crid=16FWYIK2CWW9P&keywords=she+steals+my+breath+by+karen+kay&qid=1656284999&sprefix=she+steals+my+breath+by+karen+kay%2Caps%2C62&sr=8&tag=pettpist-20-

 

Old Fashioned Treats with a Modern Twists – Malory Ford

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I don’t know about you, but I love a good old-fashioned treat. Give me an icebox cake or a gorgeous loaf of sourdough any day of the week. Sometimes, if I have a minute to myself to enjoy it with a cup of coffee before my children wake up, I’ll imagine what it must have been like for my great grandmother and the women who went before her. Did they have the same concerns I do? Did they relish the quiet before the chaos too?

I feel certain they did. Whether it’s a breakfast dish passed down through the generations or a slice of buttered bread enjoyed in the evening, recipes have the power to connect us to our past.

Still, I do love the modern convenience of my stand mixer and electric oven. This is where old fashioned bakes with a twist come in. Some of them are shortcuts to achieve something similar to what has been done for generations, others are simply a new way of enjoying an old favorite. Step into my kitchen with me, and let’s see what we come up with.

Shortcut Sourdough

Show of hands – who started making bread during the pandemic? It’s all right, I see you. Unfortunately, many have abandoned their starters in exchange for something a little easier. This wouldn’t be a problem except that sourdough in and of itself is an experience that should not be missed.

Enter: Shortcut Sourdough. (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/277983/mock-sourdough-bread/)

This recipe is not only delicious, but it utilizes active dry yeast and yogurt in place of that sourdough starter that died on your counter a year ago.

You can find different variations of this dish, but they all mostly follow the same format. Enjoy the flavor, tang, and texture of sourdough without babysitting your starter – I won’t tell if you won’t.

Oreo Icebox Cake

My mom talks about how delicious my great-grandmother’s lemon icebox cake was. I’m sure that’s true, but I have to admit I’m partial to a delicious chocolate cookie sandwich with cream in the middle. Icebox cakes became popular in the 1920’s, and were more or less a descendant of trifles and similar layered desserts.

This oreo icebox cake (https://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/oreo-icebox-cake/) is a modern take on the classic recipe and makes the process even easier than it would’ve been nearly a hundred years ago. You could also adapt this recipe into miniatures by utilizing a muffin tin and placing the single oreo on the bottom. If you try this, make sure you allow a little extra time for the cake to set or you’ll end up with a dozen tiny (but still delicious) messes. One of the best parts of this recipe is that any little hands you might find in your kitchen can absolutely help you with it. My three year old was delighted to help me lay down the cookies, pipe the cream, and sprinkle the oreos on top. The newborn was decidedly less help, but give him a few years.

No-Churn Ice Cream

Did you know that the earliest renditions of ice cream date back thousands of years? Granted, the versions they enjoyed weren’t the sweet, creamy goodness we enjoy today. Those are a bit more modern but still something 18th century Americans would’ve enjoyed. Still, while homemade ice cream is infinitely worth the trouble, it does take a bit of work and some bulky equipment.

 

No-churn ice cream (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/no-churn-vanilla-ice-cream-3364776)  saves the day. With just four ingredients and some time in the freezer, this recipe would certainly make our foremothers jealous. Of course, you can add in any of your favorite toppings, and if those toppings weren’t around when the first ice cream sundaes were popularized? Well, that’ll be just fine.

 

Malory Ford is giving away one copy of her book

Do you have a favorite recipe that might’ve been made in the 1800s? Leave a comment for a chance to win.

 

The Way to Hope

Simon Carson is a self-declared lifelong bachelor interested in three things: ranching, woodworking, and staying as far from the responsibility of a family as he can. Plenty of young ladies catch his eye, but they all want something he’s just not interested in giving.

Samantha Paulson is a trick-riding, back-talking cowgirl who has made a life for herself riding in Jed Harper’s Wild West Show. She’s tough, smart, and if her fans are to be believed, a little crazy.

Samantha’s life is exactly as she wants it, thank you very much. That is, until someone starts sabotaging her act in the show and putting her in grave danger. The bosses send her out to a friend’s ranch to hide out while they find the perpetrator, but her single cowboy father didn’t exactly teach her to act like the other ladies in town. No, she knows horses better than she does people, and she’ll earn her keep if she can.

When Simon and Samantha meet, sparks fly and Simon starts to reevaluate everything he knows. That is, until Samantha’s attacker goes on the hunt and may just be closer than they think. It’ll be up to the Lord whether they have any hope for a future, or if they’re doomed before they even start.

 

Find Malory online at : Malory Ford Books – Author of Historical Christian Romance (wordpress.com)

Malory is a wife and mother, avid gardener, aspiring baker, and a voracious reader. She is a believer inspired by everyday encounters with the Lord, interactions with her friends and family, and the occasional trip into a history book.

A Recipe From My Childhood

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How they wrapped my finger up at the ER.

I don’t think I’ve shared this fact before, but I’m super clumsy. My father used to tease me and say they should’ve named me Grace. I always joke that even if there was only one piece of furniture in a room, I’d manage to bump into it and end up with a bruise.

Well, I’ve done it again. I got tangled up with my dogs, fell, and broke my left ring finger. As it is hard to type, I’m doing a simple recipe post today. My family has made this Strawberry Dessert as we call it, for years. It’s light and refreshing, a perfect dessert for a big easter dinner. As it’s best made the day before to be completely set, it leaves you time on Easter for church, preparing the meal, and having fun with family. If you’re like me, unless I make dessert ahead of time whenever, we go without because by the time we’re done cooking, eating, and cleaning up, I’m too tired to make dessert!

 

Strawberry Dessert

Ingredients:

1 angel food cake

2 packages of # ounce strawberry Jell-O

2 Cups boiling water

2 10 oz (approximately) frozen strawberries in syrup, not the unsweetened kind

1 pint whipped cream

Directions:

  1. Tear angel food cake into bite size pieces and place in a 9×13 pan.
  2. In a bowl, stir boiling water and Jell-O until dissolved. Add frozen strawberries. Stir until strawberries are separated and mixture has started to thicken. Place in refrigerator for fifteen or so minutes until much thicker but not set.
  3. Whip cream to a thick but not stiff stage. Remove strawberry and Jell-O mixture from refrigerator. Fold in whipped cream until mixture is well combined and smooth.
  4. Pour over angel food cake. Refrigerate until firm.

Growing up Lutheran in the Midwest, Jell-O was a staple at family events and church potlucks. I can’t even count how many salad and dessert recipes I have that require this ingredient. This one is one of my spring and summer favorites. I hope you enjoy this blast from my past.

To be entered in my random giveaway for the Hanging With My Peeps T-shirt and a signed copy of Family Ties leave a comment about your favorite Jell-O recipe or the oddest one someone you know has made.

Dutch Baby Recipe

by
One of my recent Dutch baby breakfasts.

I love carbs for breakfast and one of my favorite Sunday breakfast treats is a Dutch baby. The Dutch baby is essentially a large popover baked in a cast iron skillet and was introduced in the early 1900s in a family-owned restaurant in Seattle, called Manca’s Café.

The Dutch baby is also called a German pancake or a Dutch puff. It is rumored that “Dutch” came from one of the Manca’s Cafe owner’s daughters mispronouncing Deutsch, so instead of a Deutsch or German pancake, it became a Dutch pancake.

That’s the history. Now for the good part–how to make it!

 

 

DUTCH BABY

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • a shake or two of nutmeg (or cinnamon)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter (4 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Combine everything except for the butter in blender and blend until smooth. (I use a bowl and a whisk because I hate to clean the blender).

Put the butter in  9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet and put it into the oven. As soon as the butter is melted remove the hot skillet from the oven and pour the batter onto the melted butter. (So satisfying to hear that sizzle.)

Bake for 20 minutes. The batter will puff into odd shapes which is a lot of fun for kids to watch through the oven window.

We cut our Dutch baby into four pieces and serve it with berries, warm maple syrup, and sometimes whipped cream. Any syrup or jam will do, and it’s fun to experiment.

I hope you try this out. It’s super easy and super yummy.

Cheers!

Jeannie

Petticoats & Pistols