DAY 109 and PEACH COFFEE CAKE

I love peaches! They are one of my most favorite fruits! I love peaches so much that this week I am sharing two recipes using peaches that I made over the last few days. 

The good news for you (just in case you don't loves peaches as much as I do) is that both recipe could be made using other fruits. Only the second recipe says you can use other fruits, but I've cooked enough to know you could use a different fruit pie filling and make the recipe and it would taste just as good.

The first recipe, Peach Coffee Cake, uses a peach pie filling, but the second one I will be sharing mid-week, Amish Peach Pie, uses fresh peaches. Even though I thought the peaches were ripe, they weren't, but cooking for 45 minutes, they weren't too bad (but you'll hear more of that when I share that recipe).

The Peach Coffee Cake, I made and took to the thrift shop for the volunteers. Even though I am still presently not volunteering, I recently decided I should be treating/thanking those who have decided to come back to volunteer during this coronavirus pandemic. It also give me a serving of a sweet without being tempted to eat more. 

Wayne and I are still working out at the Y on the average three days a week. I am still making masks - this time personal print requests for some more servers at Corner Cafe. I also plan to make more masks for grandchildren Madison and Tyler as they will be required to wear them when school starts in August. Today the city of Kansas City begins a mask order in all public places. We have always worn as masks but it seems like more and more people aren't wearing them out in public so we are glad to have the order. Of course, lots of people are not happy about it. Instead of seeing the request as being respectful of others, many see it as the government telling them what they can do. Numbers of confirmed cases and deaths are increasing in several states and so they are starting to back tract on opening up. Deaths are not rising as much so I am thankful the doctors are being more successful with the treatment of the virus.

The recipe came from my Midwest Old Threshers Cookbook, 1989 - 40th Reunion Limited Edition.
PEACH COFFEE CAKE

1       can peach pie filling (or your favorite pie filling)
2       teaspoons ground cinnamon

3       cups flour
3       teaspoons baking powder
1       teaspoon salt
1       cup sugar
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2    cup (1 stick) softened butter
3       eggs

1/4    cup packed brown sugar
1/4    cup chopped nuts
2       tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 - inch pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Cut peaches in filling into chunks with two knives. Mix pie filling and cinnamon; set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl;

then add milk, softened butter, and eggs.

Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl several times. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl frequently. 

Pour half of the batter into the pan.

Spoon half of the pie filling mixture (1 cup) on top of cake batter.

Careful spread the rest of the batter over the fruit.

Drop the remaining pie filling on top.

Sprinkle brown sugar and nuts over pie filling. Drizzle with melted butter.

(I combined the brown sugar and nuts in a small bowl and then added melted butter to the mixture.

Then dropped small chunks over the top.)

Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center.

Best served warm.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC NUMBERS, 6/29/2020

UNITED STATES

CONFIRMED CASES    2,637,180   
RECOVERED                1,093,527
DEATHS                           128,438

GLOBAL

CONFIRMED CASES   10,272,180
RECOVERED                 5,574,527
DEATHS                            128,438

DAY 105 and MRS. YODER'S CHERRY PUDDING

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've made four desserts in the last seven days and hope to make another one in the next day or two... the new one to take to the thrift shop for the volunteers. I just have to figure out what it will be.

Last week when we went to the grocery store I bought two bags of frozen whole pitted sweet cherries. I didn't really have a recipe in mind, but they looked so tempting on the picture on the bag I decided I would probably find something to use them for. There's always a smoothie as an idea.

Well, it didn't take me long to find a recipe in my cookbook, Art of Amish Cooking for Cherry Pudding. I was prepared this time when I saw the word "pudding" to not expect a creamy sweet dessert. Mrs. Ada Yoder of Iowa used 2 cups cherries (pie cherries). When I tried to measure the large frozen cherries, I decided to just use the whole 16 - oz bag. I laid them out on a dinner plate in a single layer to thaw some while I was mixing up the "pudding".

I hadn't prepared my husband so when I asked him if he wanted some of the Cherry Pudding, he said yes. Even though it wasn't what he expected, he did eat some and said it was good, but they should have called it something else besides "pudding". 😁 

CHERRY PUDDING

3/4     cup sugar
2        tablespoons butter or shortening (I used butter that I softened to room temperature)
2        eggs
1/2      cup milk
2        cups flour
2        teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
2        cups cherries (pie cherries) (I used a 16-oz bag of frozen sweet pitted cherries, thawed slightly.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 quarts - 8 x 11 - inch baking dish.

Mix sugar and butter til smooth,

then add eggs and milk.

(I changed to a whisk from my wooden spoon.)

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt and

add to sugar mixture.

Add cherries and

stir up well.

Spread in baking dish and bake 40 to 45 minutes or till set in the center.

Cool before cutting.

Serve with sweet milk (or ice cream).

Store covered in the refrigerator.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC NUMBERS, 6/25/2020

UNITED STATES

CONFIRMED CASES    2,463,438

RECOVERED                1,040,608

DEATHS                           124,294

GLOBAL

CONFIRMED CASES     9,558,441

RECOVERED                 5,198,001

DEATHS                             485,611

DAY 102 and BAKED APPLE FRITTERS

My last post was on Day 90 and now it is Day 102.  Not really sure what was going on and why I didn't blog anything new during those 12 days. It is easy for the days to just run together with our continued "stay-at-home". I mean we aren't completely staying at home but since my regular activities haven't restarted, it feels like I am just staying at home. 

My canasta friends met last Friday at a park for a picnic and to visit while social distancing and wearing masks. It rained most of the 2 hours, but the shelter was large so we didn't get wet. Even though we have stayed in touch with group texting it was good to "see" everyone.

I also had my 6-month full-body checkup with my dermatologist. Hard to believe it has been 4 years since my in situ melanoma was discovered and removed on my leg. I had the surgery the first week in July and the silver dollar sized "crater" was finally healed the middle of September. That was an interesting summer. Except for finding a friendly tick (he really didn't want to let go), my report was good.

My six-month dental cleaning had to be rescheduled from May due to Covid-19 and that occurred the same week. I was a little nervous since it was seven-months since my last cleaning, but everything went fine! (They also liked the Baked Cherry Fritters I took the staff. I always take them something so they will be good to me and not hurt me. 😉)

Our other exciting (?) news is Wayne and I rejoined the Y to get more exercise. They are doing an outstanding job trying to keep the 60+ members safe. They close at 8:00 AM for 30 minutes to clean and then reopen at 8:30 til 10:30 for 60+ members. Every other piece of equipment (except for the circuits) is closed so there is social distancing. The also have plenty of cleaning aids so we can clean the equipment before and after we use it. Temperatures are checked when we walk in and a face masks is required except in the actual workout areas. 

I haven't returned to the thrift shop to volunteer yet, because my "job" is working a register. Even though precautions have been made for the volunteers, Wayne and my friends are still concerned because I would be dealing with the public. So I told the staff it would still be awhile before I come back, BUT in the meantime I would continue to bring them treats to eat. That changed their frowns to smiles. (Just kidding.) This recipe is the second one I have taken to them since this all started.

I saw the recipe on Facebook and thought it just looked too good to not try. I have let my imagination run while by considering using (no sugar added) cherry pie filling which I did for us and for my dentist. (I made it in two pie plates instead of a 9 x 13 - inch pan and just separated the pie filling in half after I cut the cherries in half). But I think you could use blueberry pie filling or strawberry pie filling, too. I told Wayne I would try it just adding fresh blueberries instead of the pie fillings. I will let you know how that turns out. 

If you follow me, you know I like to do EASY and this recipe definitely fits the bill. It only takes 3 ingredients and 45 minutes to bake or 30 minutes if you make only half of it.

BAKED APPLE FRITTERS

2       "cans" of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
1       can apple pie filling (or cherry, blueberry, strawberry, etc)
1/2    cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan for whole recipe or an 8 or 9 - inch pie pan for half of the recipe. Set aside.

Chop the pie filling so that the apple slices or in chunks and put in a large mixing bowl.

Add the chopped nuts and

stir to blend with spoon.

Remove the cinnamon rolls and cut each roll into quarters.

Add the quarters to the pie filling mixture. (I separated the pieces of the cinnamon rolls to make sure there were plenty of cinnamon roll pieces spread out through the pan. When I made the half cherry pie one for us, I didn't separate the quarters to see how it was. It was fine, but I think I like separating the quarters better.) 

 

Spread mixture into pan and

bake for 45 minutes (large pan) or 30 minutes (for pie pans).

Drizzle the icing that comes in the can with the cinnamon rolls over the top as soon as you bring it out of the oven.

Cool slightly.

Cut the 9 x 13 - inch pan one in squares.

I scooped out our cherry fritters in the pie pan with a large spoon. 

This is what our Cherry Fritters looked like.




























Day 105 and Mrs. Yoder's Cherry Pudding...



CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC NUMBERS, 6/22/2020

UNITED STATES

CONFIRMED CASES   2,356,841
RECOVERED                  980,367
DEATHS                          122,250

GLOBAL

CONFIRMED CASES    9,078,485
RECOVERED                4,861,774  
DEATHS                           471,247

DAY 90 and A BLANKET FOR TYLER

My living room is full of Blankets of Hope I have on display. Madison asked one day recently who they were far and asked me to make her one. Last Thursday when I had them for the day, I took her and Tyler to a fabric store and let them choose some material for a blanket for each of them. 

Saturday I started working on the blocks for Tyler's blanket. He told me he wanted certain colors together so that is what I did. To do that I decided to cut the print into 6-1/2 inch cut squares and then use the solid color as a "sashing" surrounding the print but I didn't want to do cornerstones. As I was making the blocks I thought it might be a good tuturial for those of you who have not done it before. 

The process is actually fairly simple. (You might be saying, "That's easy for you to say".) Well that is the purpose of this tutorial to show you that it is an easy block to make. One thing that is especially nice about the block is when you are sewing the blocks together there are no seams to match/nest together until you have to sew the rows together.

Each block is about 10-1/2 inches square when finished and is made up of one 6-1/2 inch square from your focus print and then four strips cut 2-1/2 inches wide and 8-3/4 inches long.

Tyler's quilt will be 4 blocks x 5 blocks or 20 blocks total. I cut a total of 20 squares 6-1/2 each. Since Tyler chose two different car prints, I cut 10 from each print and 40 strips cut 2-1/2 inches x 8-3/4 inches from each of the two solid colors. 

I had my iron on as I was pressing the seams as I sewed them.

It doesn't make any difference which side you start with, but I chose the right side of the square. I placed one of the strips along the side edge of the square with the excess at the top. I also checked to make sure there was 4 inches of the square showing.

I started sewing the seam a few inches from the bottom

and then pressed the partial seam toward the strip. 

Next I sewed the second strip on by matching it along the edge of the bottom of the square. This time it should measure 3-3/4 inches showing.

This time the entire strip is sewed and pressed toward the strip.

















Now the third strip is placed along the left side and sashing. This time I had to measure two different places...first at the top from the first seam to inside strip edge and then along the open bottom of the square.

It should be 3-3/4 inches at the top and

then 4 inches at the bottom.

I trimmed excess strip as necessary

before ironing the seams toward the strip. I cut the strips a little longer than I needed to account for seams and pressing.

Now I sewed the fourth strip on the top of the square by matching edges but checking to make sure 3-3/4 inches was open.

After I sewed the strip on, I cut off the excess and

then pressed the seam once again toward the strip.

Now I was ready to finish sewing on the first strip (all the way from the top to just past where I had sewed originally).

This should have 3-3/4 inches showing.

After this seam is pressed toward the strip, the block will look like this from the backside

and this from the front.

Here are the twenty blocks ready to sew together to make the top for Tyler's blanket. 

























Can you tell how much Tyler likes to play with cars from the prints he chose?

I will show you the finished blanket in a future post. I still haven't found a fabric for the backing yet so it will probably be next week. Hope you will come back to see the finished blanket.

Day 102 and Baked Apple Fritters...

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC NUMBERS, 5/10/2020

UNITED STATES

CONFIRMED CASES   2,046,075
RECOVERED CASES     788,885
DEATHS                           114,167

GLOBAL

CONFIRMED CASES   7,354,209
RECOVERED CASES  3,628,913
DEATHS                           414,376