MAKEOVER SWEET HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

 

I love a moist, rich cake that is simple to make. And if it is sugar-free or no-sugar-added, that makes even better since Wayne and I try to reduce our sugar intake. I know everyone isn't like us though so if you want to use a banana cake mix that will have lots of sugar, feel free to do so. The cake will still be moist and rich and simple to make. You can also use the vanilla frosting in a container that has sugar to use. (If I wanted to use one that wasn't SF though I would use the cream cheese variety.)

I made the cake for the canasta group that met at our house on Tuesday on Monday so it would be even more moist. I knew they would be excited about the choice and they were. Friend Vicky wasn't there so it was just four of us. That meant there was more leftover for us, but I did send some home with Friend Fran and to Friend Janice's husband Leon to enjoy.

Print recipe.

MAKEOVER SWEET HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

1       8 - ounce can of crushed pineapple (or 1 cup with some juice from a larger can)

1/2   cup mashed ripe banana (1 banana)

1/4   cup milk

2       eggs

1       teaspoon banana flavoring

1       Sugar Free yellow cake mix (or banana cake mix)

1       6  - ounce can sugar free vanilla frosting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. (I used Baker's Joy spray.) Set aside.

Beat together the first five ingredients ( crushed pineapple - banana flavoring ) in a large mixing bowl at low speed until

completely blended.

Add the cake mix and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Pour batter into the pan and smooth out evenly. 

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. (Cake will also be pulling away from the edges of the pan.)

Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Then remove the cake from the pan and continue to cool completely on the wire rack.

Remove the plastic lid and the foil seal on the container of frosting, and microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or until pourable. Let rest for1 minute and then drizzle over the cake allowing around the center of the cake allowing the frosting to drizzle down the inside center and outer edge. 

Chop some pecans and sprinkle over the top. Press lightly to make sure they will stay on.

MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

 

What is it about a chocolate chip cookie that makes it such a favorite cookie? I know I love them so much. A good chocolate chip cookie just might be my favorite cookie of all time. I am always searching for the recipe for the perfect one and I may have finally found it.

Different people like different ingredients in their chocolate chip cookie. My friend Martin who also happens to be the godfather for my MO grandkids like what some might consider a plain boring cookie. He doesn't want any added ingredients...no nuts, no oatmeal, no pudding, no peanut butter, nothing extra but the chocolate chips. He's not particular about which chocolate you use which is nice. (I will eat any chocolate chip but my favorite is dark chocolate. I also prefer mini-chocolate chips, but won't turn down one with regular size or even chunk chocolate chips.)

Some people like soft chocolate chip cookies, but I prefer a slightly crunchy cookie. Seems like lately more than likely, the cookies I make will be more soft than crunchy.

As I said above, this just might be my favorite recipe, finally. The cookie is raised as it bakes, but in the two minutes you let them cool on the cookie sheet after taking the pan out of the oven, the cookies will flatten nicely. You just bake them until they start turning brown around the edges.

Something I especially like because I try to reduce our sugar intake, you can substitute 1/4 cup of stevia or Splenda for the 1/4 cup sugar and then also substitute 1/2 cup of brown sugar blend (complete) for the brown sugar and anyone eating the cookie would never guess it. 

The recipe makes almost 2-1/2 dozen which is just the right amount for just two people to keep in the cookie jar. If you wanted more, you could just simply double the recipe. 

Print recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

8       tablespoons (4 ounces) butter, softened

1/4   cup sugar (stevia works fine)

1/2    cup packed brown sugar (brown sugar complete works)

1         large egg

1-1/4 cups sifted flour

1/2     teaspoon salt

1/2     teaspoon baking soda

1         teaspoon dried orange peel

3/4     cup chocolate chips (I prefer mini chips)

1/2     cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Beat the butter and both sugars in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. (I used a stand mixer and just  set it to a medium speed and let it cream while I measured out the dry ingredients.)

Sift the flour with the salt and baking soda. Add the dried orange peel. 

Scrape the sides of the bowl and then add the egg. Beat until the mixture is fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients and stir. I just used a spatula and

then add the chocolate chips (and nuts if you are using them).

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the batter about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until brown. I baked mine 11 minutes. The cookies will be puffy but should be browning on the edges.

Allow the cookies to cool 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cookies will flatten during this time.

Makes almost 2-1/2 dozens.

PATIENCE CORNERS BLANKET OF HOPE

 

The first time I made this block pattern I was involved in a group I found on Facebook that contained thirty women who were to make thirty 12.5 inch quilt blocks, one for each member of the group. With the thirty blocks, each person could then make themselves a quilt with blocks from all over North America. You could make the same block if you wished or make different ones. 

Since then I have made a couple of Blankets of Hope for our church's quilt ministry using the pattern. It makes such a pretty quilt that several other members have used the pattern also. I just finished one that I especially liked because of the fabric prints I used and since I haven't had a tutorial in a while for a quilt pattern, I thought I would show how to make it.

It is such a versatile pattern because of its versatility with fabrics. If you are making a lap size quilt (about 42 X 48 inches), it makes up nicely using a charm pack or make it "scrappy by using scraps, or like how I made this one, use one "busy" print for all of the 4.5" squares.

The pattern consist of 42 (forty-two) 4.5 inch squares and 42 strips 4.5 X 2.5 inches and 42 strips 6.5 X 2.5 inches. To make the quilt 42 X 48 inches, I added a 3 inch border.

I used a solid for the strips that went well with the print I used for squares. I cut a strip the width of the fabric and 4.5 inches wide and a strip the width of the fabric and 6.5 inches wide. Then I cut the two strips into 2.5 inch wide pieces to make the rectangles.

From the busy print I chose, I cut strips 4.5 inch across the WOF. From each one I cut  9 (nine) 4.5 inch squares. Doing the math, that means I cut 5 (five) strips.

If you are using a charm pack, you will have to trim the squares down to 4.5 inches for this size quilt. *

Since my busy print was non-directional (didn't have a pattern that had prints going one-way), I could speed up the time to make the blocks by "chain-sewing". I took all of the squares in a pile and first sewed the shorter rectangle to one side of the square without stopping to cut the thread. I  pressed the seams first to seal the stitches and then pressed the seam on both sides to one direction.  Then I stitched the longer strip down the perpendicular side with the first seam. Repeated the pressing. AND the blocks were made. 

All I had to do was arrange them on my design wall so that I distributed the print out over the top.

Did you notice how I arranged them? I alternated the rows so that the squares were completely surrounded by the solid color. Now that meant sometimes corners were touching with the squares and sometimes they weren't. I'm not sure which were the "patient" corners - the ones meeting or the ones not. What do you think?

I sew the blocks together to make strips (rows or columns) depending on which would be the less. In this case, the top is 6 columns by 7 rows so I will sew the vertical blocks together to make 6 columns because that will be one less strips to sew to complete the panel. 

When I have the columns made, I seal the seam and then press the seams in each column going the same directions for the column. So that the seams will "nest" when I sew the columns together, I press the odd numbered columns going back toward the first block and the even numbered columns going away. Now you can do which ever way you prefer. It is easy for me to remember this way. You just want to be consistent so your seams will match up when you sew them.

Once you sew the columns together, you can press the seams any direction you wish, I just think it looks nicer if you do all of the columns the same direction.

Now I added the 3 (three) inch border by cutting 5 (five) strips 3.5 inches wide (remember the two quarter inch seams) across the width of the fabric. You need five because the "length" of the quilt will be 48 inches and your fabric is probably 42 inches at the most. The fifth strip will be pieced with two of the other strips for the sides. Sew the top and bottom strip on first and press it toward the border unless it is a white fabric. Cut off any access that you might have. Then sew two of the other strips together pressing the seam to one direction and sew it to one side of the top. Cut off the excess and then sew the excess to the last strip you cut and sew it down the last side.

To finish the quilt, I went back to the pink that I had used for the rectangles in the blocks to cut for my binding. I cut the strips 2.5 inches wide across the width of the fabric for the binding. I usually cut five strips but this pink fabric was wider and I only used three and part of a fourth one to make the binding. I sewed the binding on the back and then brought it over to the front and machine stitched a fancy decorative stitch to sew it back down. If you are sewing the binding down by hand, you will machine stitch it to the front of the quilt and bring it over to the back to slip stitch down. I have only started doing the fancy stitch because sometimes my arthritis in my hands does not want to corporate with me. 

I "turned in" the Blanket of Hope yesterday when our quilting group met.

Let me know if you have any questions. I would love to see your finished quilts in the comment section. Enjoy.

AWARD-WINNING CRANBERRY SCONES

Another Platte County Fair has come and gone until next summer. This was a first for me - at least for the Platte County Fair - to enter some items for judging. I entered three things and all three took ribbons. Yay. So exciting. 

I was planning on entering one of my lap quilts like I make for Blankets of Hope; I just needed to get it finished. But when I was encouraged to enter three things so I could get a pass for all four days, I thought I would enter another quilt I had made with a "farm theme" - animals and food. I actually made it for Blankets of Hope but liked it so much I was talked into keeping it. The third item, I wasn't sure of. 

Saturday afternoon, the day before I was supposed to take the items to the fairgrounds to drop off my entries, I was missing doing any baking and decided to make some cranberry scones. I had found the recipe earlier when I was going through a cookbook I thought I could donate. Well, they tasted so good and looked nice enough, I decided I would package up a few and they would be my third entry. 

Image my surprise when we went to the fair Wednesday afternoon and  I saw that both of my quilts had ribbons hanging from them. Third place on the first one I wanted to take and fourth place on the "farm theme" one. 

Then Wayne and I started looking for my cranberry scones. I had just about given up on finding them, when we both saw them at the same time. There was the closed container just as I had brought it in with a blue First Place ribbon attached to it. I was so surprised. I was really surprised that they had replaced the paper cardboard cover so no one could see what they looked like. But right above it was a coconut cake that had also won a blue ribbon and it was covered with the plastic wrap so you really couldn't see how delicious it looked. Oh Wayne said he wasn't surprised at all because they tasted so good.

The scones are really delicious and were so fast and easy to make. They are cut into 2 - inch circles, but if you think scones have to be cut in triangles, there is no reason, other than the fact you don't end up with as many servings, you couldn't cut them that way when you press the dough out into a circle to cut them into 2 - inch circles.  My sister-cousin, Marie, is allergic to cinnamon so she will have to omit the last step or try substituting nutmeg maybe for the cinnamon. She can also just sprinkle some sugar on top, too.

Print recipe.

 CRANBERRY SCONES

2-1/2     cups flour

2            teaspoons baking powder

1            teaspoon baking soda

1/2         cup sugar

6            tablespoons butter

1/2         cup dried cranberries

1            egg, beaten

1/2         cup plain yogurt

1            teaspoon dried orange peel

Cinnamon/sugar mixture for the tops

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray/grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

Sift together the first four ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly.

(I thinly slice the cold butter and add a few at a time and work them in with my fingers.)

Add the cranberries, beaten egg, yogurt, and orange zest. Blend all well to make a dough that barely holds together.

(I used my hands to work the ingredients until there are no dry ingredients.)

Drop dough onto a floured surface/board and pat dough out until about 1/2 inch thick.

(Make sure the dough is smooth.)

Using a 2 - inch round biscuit/cookie cutter, cut rounds using all of the dough. (Lightly work unused dough and flatten to 1/2 inch and cut.)

Place the rounds 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. (I made about 17 scones so also used a second pan. I used two racks in the oven.)

Sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden and well-risen.

Thought you would like to see my lap quilts that won the other ribbons.

Third Place:

Fourth Place:

CINNAMON ROLL - APPLE PIE BAKE

 I have been trying, not too hard, to get rid of some of my cookbooks since I have so many. So far we have taken 21 to Hillcrest Thrift Store, but that isn't even a dent in my collection. 

I found this recipe for a Cinnamon Roll - Apple Pie Bake in  Better Homes & Gardens' Hometown Favorites. It is actually pictured on the front cover of the cookbook and looks so delicious. It was one of a couple of recipes I discovered as I was going through it hopefully to give away. (Maybe soon.) It looked like something I might want to make for the gathering of my quilting friends' canasta group. That occasion came sooner than later.

Due to food sensitivities I needed something without dairy and soy. The list of ingredients looked like there wouldn't be a problem but as I had to buy the canned cinnamon rolls, I soon realized my problem. The popular brand of cinnamon rolls contains soybean oil so I couldn't use them. I checked the store brand and they did also. I was thinking I would have to find something else to bake when I picked up Annie's organic cinnamon rolls. They didn't have soybeans! Yay. I didn't drizzle any of the icing over the part I gave Friend Diane.

I decided to buy Granny Smith apples since they are tart and so tasty in an apple pie, but you can use your favorite apple.  I didn't think about it until after I put the apples in the oven to bake that I had forgotten to buy golden raisins. I didn't mention that to my friends and so no one missed them.

Everyone wanted to know the recipe and I have a feeling some of them will be making it. We might even see it again at one of our bi-monthly meetings.

Print recipe.

CINNAMON ROLL - APPLE PIE BAKE

1/2     cup sugar

2        tablespoons flour

1        teaspoon ginger

7        cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (I used 6 Granny Smith apples)

1/4     cup water

1        (17.5 oz) pkg (5) refrigerated large cinnamon rolls with icing, quartered.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and ginger. Set aside.

Prepare the apples (After I peeled the apples, I used my handy-dandy apple corer/slicer and made 8 wedges that I then cut into lengthwise.) and then dump them in an extra large bowl. Add the water and stir to coat.

7\/\

Dump the dry ingredients over top and then toss to cover.

Spread the mixture evenly into a 2 quart casserole baking dish.

Cover the dish with a lid or foil. Place a large cooking sheet lined with foil on the rack under the dish in the oven to catch any spills as it bakes.

Bake for 50 minutes until apples begin to soften.

Cut the cinnamon rolls into fourths and arrange evenly over the top of the baked apples. 

Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. 

Drizzle the icing that comes in the package over the top before serving.