Friday, July 30, 2010

MY FAVORITE CARROT CAKE


CARROT CAKE

I've tried many carrot cakes, and this is my favorite recipe. This is a wonderful moist cake. If you don't like pecans, feel free to leave them out."

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, white sugar, crushed pineapple, coconut and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.



E-Mail Question: About Summer TV

I received this E-mail asking me: What're you watching this summer? You have to be watching Jersey Shore? It's like the best ever.My Answer:Well, lets see for the summer I've been watching a few new shows: Rizzoli & Isles (I really like this show, yeah it's another cop show but it's really good), Scooby Doo, Mystery Inc. (You're never too old for Scooby Doo and the new series is actually pretty

Thursday, July 29, 2010

CORN & ZUCCHINI MEDLEY!


CORN & ZUCCHINI MEDLEY

Here is a simple twist to add a little excitement to the average corn side dish. The corn and zucchini compliment each other nicely and the presentation looks wonderful. Zucchini, corn, red bell pepper, and onions combined with chopped bacon and cheese. A quick and easy way to use fresh veggies from your garden!

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bacon
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 small onion, chopped
½ large red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings. Drain bacon, chop, and set aside.
Heat the bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Saute the zucchini, corn, red bell pepper, minced garlic cloves and onion until tender but still crisp, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Spoon vegetables into a bowl, and sprinkle with chopped bacon and shredded cheese.
Recipe from allrecipe's Molton

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

SUMMER ZUCCHINI PARMENSAN & ZUCCHINI-PARMENSAN FRITTERS!


These are great side dish recipes for using up all those Summer Zucchinis

ZUCCHINI PARMESAN

Delicious and a easy way to use zucchini.

INGREDIENTS:

2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) jar chunky spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a medium frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the zucchini, onion and garlic until the onion is tender.
Combine the zucchini, onion and garlic in a 9x12 inch casserole dish, and mix well. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the mixture and stir well. Top with mozzarella & parmesan cheese (use more or less depending on your preference).
Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.
Recipe from Allrecipie’s Mary Jo

ZUCCHINI-PARMENSAN FRITTERS

These zucchini and parmesan fritters are really easy to prepare and make a nice side dish.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb (about 3 medium) zucchini, coarsely grated
1/2 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/3 cup flour*
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of fresh basil or other fresh herb (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Grate the zucchini on the largest holes of a box grater. Wrap it inside two thicknesses of cheesecloth and pepper and mix well. The batter will be loose but shouldn't appear watery.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add about 2 tablespoons of the zucchini mixture for each fritter, leaving plenty of room in the pan to turn them easily. Fry until golden brown and the edges of the fritters hold together fairly well when you try to flip them over, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. You may need to add more oil to the pan after a batch or two.
Transfer to a paper towel lined platter and blot the excess oil. Serve with a warm marinara sauce for dipping.
**Because the amount of liquid that zucchini gives off can vary, it's best to start out with a scant 1/4 cup of the flour in your mixture. Once your oil has heated, make a "test fritter" to see how much they spread. Drop about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil. If the fritter spreads out to much more than a 3-inch diameter, add 1 additional tablespoon of flour to your zucchini mixture.
Recipe from mygourmetconnection

Bloggy Break - Forget Me Not

I'm taking a break from my blog.I wish all of you a wonderful summer.Please forget me not.I will return with more desserts in mid to late September.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Winners of The I Hate To Cook Book

Congratulations to the three winners of the 50th anniversary edition of The I Hate To Cook Book:
Melissa of Frugal CreativityAmanda of the new blog Generation Old Time Radio (and several other blogs)VA Runner of Two Bears Farm and the Three Cubs


Category: COOKING
Format: HARDCOVER BOOKPublisher: Hachette Book Group
Publish Date: 7/26/2010
Price: $22.99/$27.99
ISBN: 9780446545921
Pages: 224
Size

POOR MAN’S HAM SALAD FOR SANDWICHES & PUDGY PIES!


POOR MAN’S HAM SALAD FOR SANDWICHES

This recipe is great for a summer outing, camping or just a lazy day at home. It's easy to make and gets better the longer it sits
Poor Man's Ham Salad never contained any ham, just bologna. We use this salad to make pudgy pies when we are camping. At home we put it open-faced under the broiler just until bubbly.!

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb chunk of your favorite bologna
3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
9 ounces of processed American cheese
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup real mayonnaise, Miracle Whip or combine them

DIRECTIONS:

**Do not use Velveeta for this recipe, it does not store well.**
I suggest a food processor for this recipe unless you prefer a meat grinder. Use a large bowl with tight lid for storing.
Take all the bologna out of the packaging and quarter.
Cut the cheese & quarter as well.
Place half the meat and half the cheese in processor and pulse until semi-chunky. It should look spreadable. Scoop the mixture into a large bowl.
Add remaining bologna and cheese, process.
Place rest in the large bowl and add chopped eggs, relish & mix well.
Add 1/2 of the mayo, stir. You can choose the consistency. If you prefer add the rest of mayo
Serve on a hamburger bun, sandwich bread, or crackers.
Store remaining spread in fridge, it can last up to one week.

PUDGY PIES:

If you're a camping enthusiast and have cooked over an open fire, chances are you've had a pudgy pie. If you're new to the scene, or have just never happened upon these tasty treats, the concept is quite simple. Pudgy pies are ingredient-filled "pockets" of bread toasted over a campfire. They're versatile, easy, and fun to make for the whole family. Follow the steps below, and you'll be an expert pudgy pie maker in no time

THINGS YOU’LL NEED:

Pie iron
Bread
Fillings of choice
Butter
Campfire stories

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1
Buy a pie iron. To make a pudgy pie, you will first need a pie iron, commonly referred to as "the pudgy pie maker." Think of the pie iron as a sandwich maker on a stick. It is basically two cast iron or aluminum pieces that fit together with a hinge. Each piece has a handle, and the handles can be latched together. Pie irons can be purchased where outdoor camping gear is sold.
Step 2
Build a campfire. Pudgy pies do best over a hot bed of coals. Try to start your campfire an hour early to let it burn down.
Step 3
Build your pie. Butter a piece of bread and lay it on the iron, butter side down. Cover your bread with any filling you choose. Butter the second piece of bread and lay it on the filling, butter side up. Bring the top of the iron over the bread and filling until it meets with the bottom iron. If your pudgy pie maker has a latching device, latch it now, if you choose.
Step 4
Cook your pie. You can cook your pudgy pie much like a marshmallow; just hold the pie maker over the campfire. Or, if you have a grate over a fire pit, lay the iron over the grate. Cooking time varies depending on the temperature of the fire. Cook your pie for one minute, flip it over and cook another 30 seconds. Open the iron and take a peek. If your bread is toasty brown, it's ready. Remove it from the iron, let cool, and enjoy!
Step 5
Use some creativity. Add whatever ingredients you want to your pudgy pie. Add pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni and make a pizza pie. Toss together some eggs, ham, and cheese and you'll have an omelet pie. Add some apple pie filling and make an apple pie...pie. If you're on the last day of a camping trip, add leftovers and make a surprise pie. The sky's the limit.


Has Comic-Con Become too Hollywood?

This year the focus seemed to be on all the "celebrities" and whatever project they were promoting at Comic-Con. The convention seems to have lost some of it's laid back "nerdy" appeal and fun atmosphere. Hollywood seems to have taken over. Whereas in the past it use to be a healthy balance between the two sides.I think it's cool that Sci-Fi/Comic Book movies and TV shows are promoted there but

Monday, July 26, 2010

SLOW COOKER STUFFED BELL PEPPERS!



SLOW COOKER STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

These are excellent, not only because of the taste, but also because they can be made in the crockpot.The chili sauce called for is the regular bottled type used often to make cocktail meatballs. You can use red peppers as well. I did 4 red peppers last night and supper was a huge success.

INGREDIENTS:

6 green peppers
1 lb extra lean ground beef, I prefer 90% lean
3/4 cup long grain white rice, raw
1 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 ounce) can original stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can tomato soup
1/2- 3/4 cup chili sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Wash peppers, cut tops off and remove core. Drain and chop stewed tomatoes, reserving liquid.
In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, 1/2 of the chopped stewed drained tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Stuff peppers with this mixture and sit in the crockpot standing up. Trim bottoms of any especially wonky peppers though they should stand and up packed nicely.
Combine tomato soup, chili sauce, the rest of the chopped tomatoes and reserved stewed tomato liquid. Check the consistency as you may not need all of the reserved tomato liquid.
Pour sauce over peppers.
Cook on low 6-8 hours or until tender. This can take less or more time as crockpots differ wildly.
Recipe from Miss Elizabeth

Trend: 20-Somethings Hiring Home Cleaning Services

A way that some 20-something roommates are avoiding arguing over chores is by hiring someone to come in and clean.This method may avoid some stress for you and your roommate(s) because if you're all too busy to clean, and it's leading to continuous arguments over the forgotten chores. Then this just might work for you.Before hiring anyone you should know how much they charge, whether they are

Sunday, July 25, 2010

CHICKEN POT PIE WITH CHEESE BISCUIT TOP!




A very good, comfort food. This was awesome & we really enjoyed it! So simple, delicious & easy to make!!

CHICKEN POT PIE WITH CHEESE BISCUIT TOP

INGREDIENTS:

2 chicken breasts
4 cups salt water
2 tablespoons onions, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 large carrots, diced
2 small potatoes, diced
1 (10 3/4 ounce) cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (6 ounce) can of 5 flakey biscuits (I use Hungry Jack)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook chicken breasts in salted water until done. Cool and chop.
In same water cook onions, celery, carrots and potatoes until almost done, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup of broth.
In a bowl mix 1/4 cup sour cream (no more) with soup and 1/2 cup broth. Fold in chopped chicken, vegetables and soup mixture. Pour into a 3 quart casserole baking dish.
Sprinkle cheese over mixture. Open biscuits and separate each in half to make 10 biscuits, a "must do" because I have found they don't get completely done in the middle if left whole. Cover top of casserole with the 10 biscuits pieces.
Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes until biscuits are brown.
Recipe from Recipezaar

Saturday, July 24, 2010

THE PERFECT RUMP ROAST!



My grandson brought home a rump roast and since mine are always dry and tough, I thought I would try this recipe. My what a good rump roast. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone wanting a perfect rump roast!

PERFECT RUMP ROAST

4 lbs rump roast (room temp.)
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 onions
1 cup water

DIRECTIONS:
You might use more salt and pepper.
Pre-Heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Prep the roast by making 4-5 slits in the roast and filling the holes with salt, pepper and 1/2 of a clove of Garlic.
Now Salt and Pepper the rest of the roast.
Put the Roast in the oven and sear for 20 minutes.
Then add the water, the chopped onion and reduce the temperature to 275 degrees.
Cook for 20 minutes per lb. I like mine rare so that is what you will get if you cook for this period of time.
Recipe from Recipezarr:

Friday, July 23, 2010

Last day of giveaway

Today is the LAST DAY of the cookbook giveaway.  You don't want to miss out, so click on the giveaway link and enter.  Hurry!!

Read my review of The I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Bracken.
Enjoy!  Have a great weekend.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Cookbook review: The I Hate To Cook Book

Tomorrow is the last day of my giveaway of a great American classic cookbook, "The I Hate To Cook Book."  Be sure to enter the giveaway before it's too late.

Fifty years ago, Peg Bracken wrote this famous cookbook which at the time sold more than 3 million copies.  Some of its recipes are so rooted in our culture that you probably wouldn't even realize they had originated in this cookbook until

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Vintage cool: frozen dessert recipes

Vintage Recipe Thursday is meant to preserve your own original vintage family recipes, or out-of-print, copyright-free recipes from old cookbooks, magazines, newspapers or postcards. You're invited! Get the details by clicking to the Vintage Recipe Thursday Homepage. I post recipes from the Household Searchlight Recipe Book, first published in 1931. My 16th printing is from 1943. What will

Monday, July 19, 2010

Dessert recipe: choco-cherry cheesecake bars

1. RECIPE: Choco-Cherry Cheesecake Bars, 2. Decorative Tea Towel - Funky Red Retro Roses- lace edge., 3. calendar-4, 4. Bon appétit!
My regular readers know I like to post lots of photos.  Today I'm trying something new.  At least new-to-me, because we've all seen the wonderful mosaics bloggers have been creating for years. Do you like the mosaic I created?  The super simple, free online program

Friday, July 16, 2010

Weekend Linky Love plus giveaway reminder

Are you a friendly blogger?  Link yourself to this linky love.Don't miss out on the cookbook giveaway.
Enjoy!





Thursday, July 15, 2010

Easy ice cream recipes

Vintage Recipe Thursday is meant to preserve your own original vintage family recipes, or out-of-print, copyright-free recipes from old cookbooks, magazines, newspapers or postcards. You're invited! Get the details by clicking to the Vintage Recipe Thursday Homepage. I post recipes from the Household Searchlight Recipe Book, first published in 1931. My 16th printing is from 1943. What will

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Vintage dessert plates and tableware

Hover over photos for credits.
This post is shared with:
Ruby Tuesday, Rednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Thursday 13, and Vintage Thingy Thursday.

Don't miss my cookbook giveaway.
Click the link.

If you are participating in Wordless Wednesday,enter your name and URL in the form below.Check out the new Wordless Wednesday HQ!!View More Wordless Wednesday Participants.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Weekend linky love and giveaway reminder

Are you a friendly blogger?  Link yourself to this linky love.Don't miss out on the cookbook giveaway.
Enjoy!


Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Vintage dessert recipes: lemon ice, lemon filling, lemon chiffon pie

Vintage Recipe Thursday is meant to preserve your own original vintage family recipes, or out-of-print, copyright-free recipes from old cookbooks, magazines, newspapers or postcards. You're invited! Get the details by clicking to the Vintage Recipe Thursday Homepage. I post recipes from the Household Searchlight Recipe Book, first published in 1931. My 16th printing is from 1943. What will

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

What Were They Thinking: DC Comics Changing Wonder Woman's Costume

Seriously, what was DC Comics thinking when they decided to change Wonder Woman's iconic suit (above) to the new less than heroic version (below)? As a comic book fan and a fashion-forward kind of girl, I really don't see how putting WW in the new suit is going to generate new sales as well as new fans. The new suit will be featured in Wonder Woman's milestone #600 issue.(Click image for a better

Dessert banana recipe for two; more bananarama

 Don't miss my cookbook giveaway.
Click the link.
*****************
This baked banana dessert is a fast and easy recipe for two, and just as easy doubled or tripled should you have guests.
Enjoy!

Baked bananas
2 bananas
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange peel (optional)

Cut each banana in half lengthwise; place cut side down in a greased

Friday, July 2, 2010

Award, Find a Friend Friday Linky Love, etc.

Lots of announcements ...

Are you a friendly blogger?  Link yourself below, and ...
Find A Friend FridayYou can link all through the weekend.Tell a Friend.
Be sure to enter my "I Hate To Cook Book" giveaway!  You don't want to miss out on this great 50th Anniversary Edition.  It sold more than 3 million copies during the 1960s.

I also have an award to share. :-) Thank you Michelle! Your kind