Happy Birthday Magic Moments 9/20/12

Just living can play dirty tricks on the most unsuspecting. Last evening when I should have been doing this, I thought that since I had a couple of ideas that I could develop, that I would just go to  bed, get up early this morning and breeze through another chat with you.  Wrong.  I did wake up early, but decided nothing was worth getting up that early, so I just pulled the covers up higher and went back to sleep. Here is where the trouble started.  This must have been heavier on my mind than I realized because I was struggling with getting it arranged, finally had it where I wanted it and awakened to the startling facts that it was an hour later than I needed, my paper was blank, and what in the world had I written while I was sleeping!

Let’s go back to the original activity of last week.  I baked a few pies for my daughter which she took back to her work place in Bryan and shared with her co-workers. She decided it would be nice to have me bake three pies and she would have me come in during their lunch break so could they could meet me. This was a very flattering suggestion, and all went well with the help of her embellishment of ice cream. By the time I got home I had four emails, from coworkers thanking me for my efforts.  That evening I got one from my daughter with a development she wanted to share. A customer from Maine had called and placed an order for thousands of dollars worth of products and commented on her “Monday”, implicating that all Mondays are difficult. She informed him that hers was a good one that they had just enjoyed pie baked by her OLD mother and ice cream.  He followed up with the suggestion, “Just keep the products that I ordered and send me 2 apple, 1 peach and 1 cherry”!

Now we will go from the ridiculous to the sublime.  On Saturday evening I was an honored guest at the outdoor wedding of my granddaughter  at the Orchard Hills Country Club. Along with a  backdrop of a flower decorated arch and a mini altar, the rest of the magnificent scenery was provided by the hand of God  in the view that was overpowering as we witnessed their vows. The officiating clergyman imposed the requirement for a successful marriage of keeping God at the center of their home and lives.  For what it is worth, I like to add that each of the couple has to put the other one first. Weddings have the obstacle of months of planning and ideas that have to come together at an appointed hour. Again we can say “Mission accomplished.”   Our best wishes go out to Steve and Morgan for a very happy and long marriage.

Now for a short intermission as I select a couple of recipes. Wish I knew how the chef at the reception did some of the fantastic food  that was served. Since it is late for my dead line, maybe I better look for my four ingredient cook book. That will be almost impossible, just because I do remember that I had it in my hands two days ago!  Here is one that is simple and seasonal. It brings back memories of mini-muffins that my first granddaughter always brings to our Thanksgiving dinners. The pie is a different approach to pecan pie.
                      
PUMPKIN MUFFINS
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground  allspice
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg beaten
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup milk
Sift together flour, baking powder sugar, salt, spices. Work in butter until crumbly. Stir in egg and pumpkin. Mix in milk just until all ingredients are moistened. Bake in 12 greased 2 ½ inch muffin cups at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until muffins test done.
                      
PECAN CREAM CHEESE PIE
1 package (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
I unbaked 9 inch pie shell
1 ¼  cup chopped pecans
3 eggs
1/4cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup light corn syrup
Mix together cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and egg. Pour into pie shell. Sprinkle with pecans. Combine all remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour over pecans. Bake at 375  degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until center is firm.

Wishing Magic Moments a belated happy 22nd birthday last week.

Noodle Casserole for Your Sinful Cake to Sit on 9/13/12

I didn’t really think it was possible for it to rain more than 15 minutes at a time until Friday evening.  My youngest granddaughter was a member of the Homecoming Queen Court at Adams Central High School, at  Decatur. Of course it would have been impossible to not have a Sanders cheering section. According to family tradition we were a few minutes late leaving Edgerton. This made us a few minutes late arriving at my son’s home where his wife had prepared a chili and snacks buffet. You know what happens to the best laid plans of mice and men!  We were more minutes late getting started to the football field.  But our guardian angels were on duty and we had a full five minutes after we were seated before the festivities began.

We tried to not notice a few heavy dark clouds to our right.  Our pick of the six senior girls who were court delegates was not chosen as the queen, but we took consolation in the fact that her escort was chosen as king!  As the football game began, we were more interested in chatting with relatives, but near the end of the second quarter it began to rain. A large number of people scampered down the bleachers seeking shelter as it began to rain harder.  My daughter-in-law shared her umbrella with me as my son scampered to his truck, which he drove as close to us as he could get in order to transport me to where we had parked.  In the meantime, my daughter came back to be certain that someone was looking after “mom”.

Aubrie

Did you ever see an 88 year old grandmother try to get in a pickup truck in the rain?  It wasn’t pretty but I made it. We had agreed to just go back to Keith and Mari’s home and finish off the chili. Rather than get me out of the truck and into another vehicle we just went back to their home in the truck. After indulging in an array of food, we decided to play cards. Our exchange student went with us and she had never played cards, but I was amazed at how quickly she followed our less than expert directions. Good job, Elsie. During our card game, I noticed a few lightning flashes. It apparently had not stopped raining all of that time.  We arrived home after midnight and it rained all the way home.  Too bad that we couldn’t have been in line for some earlier in the summer.   I talked to one of my farmer friends recently and he said, ”We will make it though.  Next year we will be right back out there planning another crop”.

On Thursday I tested my stamina and went to an all day meeting in Lagrange County followed by the DeKalb County Annual Farm Bureau Meeting. This included two catered meals. This was easier than me getting into that truck! The speaker was the Indiana State President. He made two comments that stuck with me. He stated that in Knox County (that is in the south western part of the state along the Wabash river and includes Vincennes) the average yield of corn this fall is between 4 and 25 bushels per acre! He pointed out a bright spot in all of this. A lot of our urban and city friends will learn where their food comes from, since the problem is nearly nationwide. That reminds me of my youthful days when our city cousins visited our home and one of them told me she did not like our milk from our cows. She wanted hers from the grocery store!

That makes a good entry into the food area. I was scanning a box of cook books that I had decided to part with.  I took one last look, as if I were deserting an old friend, and selected today’s recipes.
Hope these find some interested cooks.  I received comments from a reader about the ham and cabbage recipe (her husband approved and he likes very few vegetables).  One made the Rosy Apple Cobbler for a finicky friend’s birthday and it was a success. I have a delicious sounding chocolate cake recipe, but as I try to convince my grandkids that you have to have something healthy for the desserts to sit on, I will start with a healthy casserole.
                  
HAMBURGER NOODLE CASSEROLE
1 ½ pounds of hamburger
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small can creamed corn
1 can mushrooms
1 can tomato sauce
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 package noodles
There is no size mentioned of the size of the cans nor the bag of noodles. If you use a big bag of noodles. I would use a larger can of tomato sauce. Likewise, if you like a lot of mushrooms in a casserole, choose a larger size.

Brown hamburger, green pepper, and celery. (I would probably put in some onion, too.) Add corn, mushrooms and tomato sauce. Simmer for a few minutes. Cook noodles according to package Directions. Add noodles and cheese to hamburger mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
                              
SINFUL CAKE
1 package German chocolate cake mix
1 package (14 oz.) Kraft caramels
½ cup evaporated milk
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour ½ of the batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Set remaining batter aside. Bake batter in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes. Meanwhile, melt caramels, milk and butter. Stir pecans into caramel mixture. Pour over cake.  Sprinkle with chocolate bits and pour remaining batter over top. Bake for 20 minutes until cake springs back when pressed with finger tips. Cool on a wire rack.  (Do not think about the number of calories, just think how fantastic this will taste).Do you think that would need a dip of ice cream or maybe whipped topping?

Oh yes, I should mention my two new great grandsons! The oldest, about 6-7 weeks, Juda Leo Sanders in South Bend and brand new, Luke Michael Digan in Ft. Wayne. They happen to be cousins. Don’t think I am to thirty greats yet but am over 25.  Need to “recalculate”.

Juda Leo at 6 weeks

Welcome to our country and town! 9/6/12

 Ribbon Crispies

Since we are into the Fall months, it seems that I have a few regrets.  I find that even though we endured some really harsh hot, dry weather this summer, I am not ready to box up my white slacks, and summer clothes. In the past, if you were really fashionably hip, you would not be caught in white clothes or shoes after Labor Day.  I think perhaps that rule has been modified.  At least I plan to wear mine a few more times.

Sunday was a day with many magic moments crowded into it.  My daughter and son-in-law have opened their home to a 16 year old exchange student from Africa.  They held an open house Sunday afternoon for their close relatives to meet Elsie.  It was a rare and very pleasant afternoon.  I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be that far from home, living with complete strangers, committed to stay for the entire school year.  For myself, when I have been gone from  home, even with people that I know, after only a few days all I want to do is go home. The Sleesman and Sanders families have committed themselves to make her visit with us as pleasant as possible. So we have an indefinite date as soon as she is comfortable in her new surroundings to make cut out sugar cookies.  She told me that she has never made cookies before. I sincerely hope that it does more than make her realize that she never wants to bake any again!!  A very precious moment to me was when she was sitting near me she leaned over and quietly said to me, “I really like your hair!”  I told her the only way you can get hair like mine is to get really, really OLD! She just flashed her very pleasant broad grin at me.  Elsie, welcome to the Sleesman and Sanders family, our country, and our Edgerton, where you will be attending classes at Edgerton High School this school year.  May your visit be filled with many, many magic moments and days.

Would you believe that I still know where the book and the recipe that I saved from last week is?  I had a pleasant surprise again from a friend who unselfishly donated lovely heads of cabbage from her garden.  I made last week’s cabbage casserole from my cookbook that I had never made.  Thanks to another friend’s recommendation, I made it and would label it very successful. If you like cooked cabbage, I hope you saved the recipe.   Now back to my favorites—desserts!
                      
BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM DESSERT
74 (approximately two sleeves) butter flavored crackers, crushed
¾ cup butter, melted
3 small packages instant butter pecan pudding mix
2 cups milk
½ gallon butter pecan ice cream, softened
1 carton (8 oz.) whipped topping
Halved or chopped pecans
Mix cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press into 9 x 13-inch pan. Whip pudding according to package directions, but reduce milk to 2 cups, fold in softened ice cream. Pour over crust. Cover with whipped topping and garnish with pecans. Refrigerate until serving time. (I think I would try at least part of the pudding just vanilla.  Use your own preference.)
                                  
RIBBON CRISPIES
This recipe was taken from an annual Taste of Home Cook Book and is
recommended for all children from “1 to 101”.
½ cup butter, cubed
2 jars (7 oz. each) marshmallow crème
11 cups crisp rice cereal
1 to 1 ½  cups peanut butter
1 to 1 ½  cps hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in marshmallow creme until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in cereal until blended. Press half of the cereal mixture into a greased 15 x 10 by 1 inch pan. Spread with the peanut butter. Carefully spread with the warmed hot fudge topping. Press remaining cereal mixture over the fudge layer. (pan will be full) Cool for ten minutes before cutting into squares.

Again, WELCOME to our country and town, Elsie!

Summer is leaving but good food is here to stay! 8/30/12

I was amazed when I wrote the date that anything you intended to do this summer had better already be accomplished.  Scarier  than that is that 2012 is already two thirds gone!  Time is whizzing by.  No wonder my hair is getting so white.

This last week was a rather quiet one, which was nice but it left me with a search for a magic moment.  I had more quiet time to relax in my recliner and just think about what I ought to be doing instead of scrambling to accomplish what had to be done before the next social obligation.  This afternoon did furnish some magic moments for me, built on the heartbreak of some of my extended family. I attended the calling hours for the death of an in-law in my paternal  grandmother’s extended family. We are distant enough  that they don’t have to claim me if they do not want to. As I was inquiring about the oldest son who lives in Atlanta. He was pointed out to me and as I made myself known to him, he responded with “Oh, you have to meet my wife. She has your cookbook”! A very pleasant interlude followed after she told me she has made everything in it, and it is a bit ragged and messy from so much use. They use the sausage casserole dish for Christmas that we have used for years. Flattery will get you places at times. So I volunteered to go home and get her a left over reprint which I autographed for them, so it will be worth more money after I get noticed as the author!  It was very nice touching base with the younger generation who have scattered across the continent.  Guess there is a silver lining to a lot of sad moments in our lives. I also renewed friendships with some of my farmer friends of the days when I worked at the elevator.  Duane was also a farmer in the area whom many of them also knew.

I imagine most of you are having withdrawal symptoms from the lack of dessert recipes this past week.  Let’s take care of that right now.  A friend told me that she had just recently used my recipe for ham and cabbage casserole.   I had to admit that I did not remember it. That seems odd because I can remember things that long ago, but am not certain that I ate my breakfast and took my medications this morning. Since it has been over 21 years since the book was printed, I am certain that we have some younger cooks who have not seen it.  Since it is a very simple casserole and seasonal, because many in an ordinary year  would have an ample supply of fresh cabbage in their garden.  I intend to try it this week, since I enjoy cooked cabbage.
           
HAM AND CABBAGE CASSEROLE
I quart shredded cabbage, (my friend said that she
 used more cabbage because it is a favorite of theirs)
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 pound cooked ham, cubed
¼ cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup bread or crushed cracker crumbs
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, slowly stir in flour until smooth. Add milk stirring until thickened. Add cheese, ham and green pepper. In a buttered casserole, place a layer of cabbage that has been boiled five minutes, then a layer of ham and cheese sauce. Repeat, using sauce last. Sprinkle buttered crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Now , let’s get to the dessert.  I will save a good one for next week. I promise to remember which one and where I put it! I found this unusual apple cobbler recipe.  Hope it is as successful as the peach cobbler. Apple harvest time is just around the corner. Hope there is a successful harvest of them because I keep apples in my home nearly all of the time.
                       
RUBY APPLE COBBLER
4 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup red cinnamon candies
4 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 can (10 oz.) large refrigerated flaky biscuits
¼ cup chopped nuts
Mix together apple slices and lemon juice. Set aside. Combine marshmallows, cinnamon candies and cornstarch. Stir in water and butter. Cover low heat, stirring constantly, until candies are melted. Stir in apples. Heat until bubbly and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Pour into an ungreased 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Separate each biscuit into two layers Dip one side of each in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Overlap, sugared side up, in rows over hot apple mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve warm.