Summer Time Desert

It is summer time, it is hot and a good time for a cool and refreshing desert. This is Lemonade Ice Cream cake.  Very easy to make and very tasty!  I made it for a scrapbook gathering on Saturday and it was a hit. 

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Cake

Recipe:

1 - two quart container of Vanilla Ice Cream

1 -  six ounce of Frozen Lemonade Concentrate

Graham Cracker Crust

a 9 x 13 pan or two 8" square pans. 

I make the graham cracker crust like the directions on the box of graham cracker crumbs.  Soften the ice cream and the concentrate.  Mix the two together and pour into the crust and freeze. 

I noticed after I purchased the ice cream it is now a 1.5 quart container.  I haven't been able to find 6 ounces of concentrate in a long time, I use the 12 ounces and it is just fine, not too strong of a lemon favor.  This time I used pink lemonade just to see, it is a nice light pink in color.

Well enjoy!!



Christmas 2010

Yes it is a tree of skulls.

Our Christmas Celebration started on Wednesday evening with our daughter Kierra and her husband Will.  Will works nights and had to work both the Eve and Christmas Day.  So they came to our home on Wednesday and we went to dinner and ice cream.  After that we came back to the house and opened gifts.  I had fun picking out their fun Halloween stuff that they use all year round. 

Will was amazed that I had done every stitch on his stocking by hand.  Such a good young man, he knew the right things to say.  Kierra was a little disappointed this Will's stocking is a little smaller than everyone else's but loved all the red it had in it. 

Shortly after the boys arrived we had Breakfast Casseroles for Brunch.  Kierra was running late so we ate without her.  We were very hungry by 1100AM.  The one on the right is an Amish Breakfast, I found the recipe on line at AllRecipes.com.  It was a hit.  I also made the Baked Stuff French Toast Recipe, I made last year but I halved the recipe.  When we finished it Sunday morning my husband asked if there was more.  Maybe next year I'll half of the Amish Breakfast and make the full French toast.  I like having both but we don't need two full ones. 



Everyone working on the flat tire



I didn't take a lot of pictures this year.  I was just enjoying each moment and forgot about the camera.  We did have a little excitement.  Kierra's tire on her truck sprung a leak and her tire was all flat.  Here they are airing the tire up, so we can roll it down to the flat street.  We were glad it happened here and not while she was driving.  After the tire was fixed the kids went to see other family member and Richard and I just hung out!  I sewed of course.

We had a very nice Christmas and it was a lot of fun this year as a family. 

Christmas Day 2009

Krystal was surprised by her Blue Horse and liked it. Exact quote, "It's cool". We hung it over her computer area so she can enjoy it. It must be hard for her not to be in her own home but some day they will be again. We had a humble Christmas this year and Richard was still not feeling very good. He asked me not to post his picture of him passing out the gifts. So I won't even though I did it last year. He doesnt look any different. I also think he is majorly disappointed because he had four days off and he was hoping to work on his Man Cave and wasn't able to. He is feeling better today and is off buy wood now to work on it.


I was very surprised by this darling gift ornament set I received from my good friend Karin in Buffalo, NY. It is a Cherished Friend Angle with a Noel Dove. The Angle is lovely.


So here is the French Toast Casserole, or what is left of it this morning. I forgot to take a picture yesterday. It was good and liked by all. I liked it a lot but I missed my egg casserole. With only 5 of us here for Christmas Breakfast two casseroles would have been too much. I think next year I'll half both recipes and have both.

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

Hawaiian Bread (large loaf)
8 oz. cream cheese
2½ cups milk or half and half (I used H&H)
¼ cup maple syrup
8 eggs
6 T melted butter
13 X 9 greased baking dish

Cut bread loaf in half. Cut one half into cubes leaving the other half aside. Place cubes into greased casserole dish.

Cube cream cheese and place on top of bread in casserole dish. Cube remaining bread and place on top of this.

Beat eggs, melted butter, milk and maple syrup in blender or with whisk. Pour on top of casserole ingredients. Smooth down with spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator overnight.

Next AM remove plastic wrap. Bake casserole at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve with warmed maple syrup.

I couldn't find the bread this year and I used rolls and they worked fine. I also cooked for an extra 10 minutes, until no soggy bread was left. We had bacon and sausage with it. It was very good.

After breakfast and gifts the kids scattered to see their mother and Krystal's family. Richard spent the day resting and watching a Bones Marathon. I spent the day making another mini quilt, it only needs four more whiskers embroidered on and it will be done. I had a goal to finish it last night but I just was too tired by 10 PM to finish it. I'll post a picture when it is finished. It is turning out very nice.

Holiday Recipe Hot Buttered Wassail

I posted about this last December, click here for the recipe.

Today I'm just doing pictures. In the pot starting to get hot. I only use 4 quarts of water when I cook it because this is my biggest pot and it is full.


Just before it went in my tummy, it was yummy.

Here it is ready to gift give. Maybe add a bow on top. For small families I add the water to make it ready to server. For large families I leave it double strength and tell them to dilute it 1 : 1 before warming. I also write a note on the top so my crew here knows to dilute it first. Two of those jars are diluted and the others aren't. So you can see how much it makes.
Be sure to stir every time you dish it out so the cloves don't settle on the bottom.
Enjoy!!

Holiday Recipe Apples Cranberries and Yams

Here is the last of my Holiday Recipes before it is baked.

This one I learned about when I was on the Dear Jane Quilt list in 2001. Andrea is the owner of the recipe and she shared it with the list. I'm no longer on the list and my Dear Jane is still not finished. I really like this one and I'm very glad I don't have a lot of competition for it, only Richard and I eat it. The kids don't but Krystal did try it this Thanksgiving.

Apples, Cranberries and Yams
4 Cups of fresh yams sliced thin and peeled
3 Cups of apples, Granny Smith are the best
1 Cup of fresh cranberries
1/4 Cup of granulated sugar
1/2 Cup of dark brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 Cup of walnuts or pecans

Toss sugars and spices add the apples. Take 1/2 yams, place in a baking dish (9" X 13"). Put half of the apple mixture and half of the cranberries in the pan. Cut half of the butter in slices on top of the layer. Repeat. Sprinkle with the nuts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.

You can cut the sugar and the butter and it still taste great.


Here it is after it was baked, I forgot the nuts when I first placed in the oven and add them for the last 5 minutes. They are better if added at the beginning. I don't think I should get a job as a food photographer.

Holiday Recipe Cranberry Mousse

This recipe was a favorite of my friend Roise, I ate it at her house for many a Thanksgiving and Christmas starting in 1985. Rosie was a single mom and I was a single gal when we meet. All her kids call me Aunt Mary and her home was always just like home to me. The kids can tell you stories of me falling asleep on the couch and snoring. We both found good men to marry and we still stay in touch. I just don't see her for Holidays any more. About 2005 she moved out of the Valley of the Sun up to Pine Top.
This year I finally asked her for the recipe and made it. It is very good. Roise has more style then I so she chilled it in a jello mold and turn it out unto a plate and it looks lovely. I don't have a jello mold, so I just severed it in one of my glass baking dishes. Yes I had already sampled it before I severed dinner. It is that good.

Ingredients
1 package (6 ounces) strawberry gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple
1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 medium granny smith apple diced (I left the peel on)

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Drain pineapple, setting the pineapple aside and adding juice to gelatin. Stir in cranberry sauce, lemon juice, peel and nutmeg. Chill until mixture thickens. Fold in sour cream, pineapple, apple and pecans. Pour into a glass serving bowl or an oiled 9-cup mold. Chill until set, at least 2 hours. Yield: 16-20 servings.

I made mine the day before.

Holiday Recipe Pumpkin and Mince Pie

OK here is another one of my Holiday Recipe. Of all my recipes I have been making this for the longest. I learned this from a co-worker in 1981, she had made it for a work pot luck and she gave me the recipe. I have made it every Thanksgiving and Christmas since. When Richard & I were dating and he had his first piece, he loved it. He likes it so much he won't eat plain pumpkin pie any more. Now the kids are another story, I made the mistake of say it had mincemeat in it and so they won't even try it.
So here is the recipe:
2 - 9" deep dish pie crust
1 jar of mincemeat
1 can of pumpkin (the small one that makes one pie)
Pour half of the mincemeat mix in each pie crust.
Prepare the pumpkin as you would for a pumpkin pie and pour on top to the mincemeat in the pie crusts. Bake as directed for the pumpkin pie. Serve with whip cream on top.
Enjoy & take care.

Holiday Recipes Baked Corn

Before the oven.


One of the things I love about this time of year are the special recipes that come out of hiding,are made,served and eaten with great enthusiasm. Part of what makes them special are that they are served only at special times and the other is the memories that are attached to them. I have four special recipes that I make for the Holidays, my husband & I love them. The kids not so much but they only like green bean casserole, which is OK but these recipes are way better. My taste buds like them anyway. I'm going to share one a day, feel free to try them. Today we have Baked Corn. One of my co-workers shared this recipe with me around 1985.

Baked Corn or Corn Custard
3 eggs well beaten
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 can cream corn
1 cup of milk
Pinch of salt
Mix sugar & starch, I use a sifter
Add to eggs, add other ingredients
Pour into 1 qt baking dish
Sprinkle nutmeg on top
Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour
I usually double the recipe and use a 2 qt oven proof dish.

There is a custard that surrounds the corn.

After baking.

Christmas Treat

Here is a recipe that I make every Christmas, it makes a lot so it can easily be shared. I made it today and have it all portioned out to deliver later.

Hot Butter Wassail
12 oz Orange Juice Concentrate
12 0z Lemonade Concentrate
6 oz Pineapple Concentrate
8 quarts of water
6 cups of sugar
1 tsp ground cloves
2 TBSP of butter

Mix in a large pot and serve warm.

Hints: I cut the sugar to 4 cups. Since I don't have a pot big enough to hold 8 quarts plus, I only mix it with 4 quarts of water and dilute it again when I serve it. Since I can't find 6 oz Pineapple Concentrate anymore I use the whole 12 oz.

Enjoy