POTLUCK BANANA CAKE AND A NEW DRYER

POTLUCK BANANA CAKE from Taste of Home
This is a tasty cake, and the frosting reminds me of my mom's coffee cookies which I will post here sometime. The cake is super moist even a couple days later and everything is just as tasty.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

COFFEE FROSTING:

1/3 cup butter, softened

2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add

eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in

vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed

mixture alternately with bananas and sour cream, beating well after

each addition.

Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for

35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes

out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar

until smooth. Dissolve coffee granules in milk; add to butter mixture and beat until smooth. Spread over cake. Yield: 12-15 servings.

So my dryer broke last Thursday...had 3 loads of laundry backed up that I washed Friday so when Mister got home we could just go to the laundromat down the street and dry them. EEEEWWWWWW is the best thing I can say about that laundromat. So yesterday we spent some time at Lowes. I was romancing some beautiful machines, sweet talking to this Samsung and caressing an Electrolux. Luckily common sense ruled out and we went with another Whirlpool from the scratch and dent area saving about $100 dollars and keeping the expense to a minimum without getting a cheap machine. This is after all a dryer (I keep telling myself that) and knowing that we need more room then available in this house when we get a chance to move I do not want to take appliances with me the next set will be the sexy stuff...maybe even Electrolux.

KOOL-AID COOKIES AND CUB SCOUTS

KOOL-AID COOKIES from Kitchen to Kitchen

I used the fruit punch flavor, while at Kitchen to Kitchen they loved the lemonade and watermelon flavors. I really took a liking to these cookies, soft, chewy and bursting with flavor. Hopefully the Cub Scouts coming over tonight will love them too.

1 pkg kool-aid (with no sugar) Used fruit punch flavor and LOVED it.
1 2/3 Cups sugar
1 1/4 Cups butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 Cups flour
1/2 Cups sugar for dipping

Mix kool-aid with the sugar. Add softened butter and mix until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in salt and baking soda. Add flour in 1/2 cup increments and mix well after each addition.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place them on greased cookie sheet and into 325 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Don't over bake! Remove cookies from sheet after 1 minute and let cool.

So, I got an email message asking if Mister would lead the Cub Scout den meeting tonight, he agreed. This means we will have about 8 boys plus parents over to the house tonight. Last minute makes things exciting. The funniest part of it all is we are working on achievement 5 in the Wolf book, which is hand tools. Yes a group of 8 year-old boys armed with hammers, pliers and screwdrivers. They will be practicing how to use them, IN MY HOME!!! LOL Yeah I am crazy and if the furniture isn't beat up enough now it surely will be by the evening's end. I started my fanatical cleaning routine and had to pause to make Kool-Aid Cookies for the kids. I figure, popcorn, cookies and Tang to drink should be good enough to get them through tonight's meeting. As for me I am not sure, I think there is still some Kahlua in the pantry it might numb the anxiety of children with hammers at my kitchen table. I will contemplate that as I finish cleaning...

CARROT COOKIES AND SERENITY

CARROT COOKIES adapted from Home Cooking Magazine

These are a delightfully soft cookie, not huge on carrot flavor but made me think spring.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cooked, mashed carrots or 12 oz carrot baby food (I used the baby food)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 C coconut

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Orange Icing, below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. For cookies, blend flour, carrots, shortening, sugar, coconut, baking powder, vanilla and salt well. Drop by the teaspoonful onto prepared sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes.

FROSTING

Juice of 1/2 orange (3 to 4 tablespoons)

grated rind of 1 orange

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Combine juice and orange rind with butter; stir in sifted confectioners' sugar until desired spreading consistency is reached. Add more juice or confectioners' sugar as needed.

Yesterday was rough, the boys have been extra spunky lately and I have not. Outside play is limited because we have had a real cold snap come through, so we are all on top of each other in the house. Don't get me wrong the house is a decent size home it is some enigma that occurs within that has us stacked up like cord wood. For some reason wherever Mister and I are all three boys are too, we all end up occupying the same 4 square feet of space at the same time. For goodness sakes can't leave the dog out of it, no she has to be there too, after all, we are her pack. Yesterday was Mocha's birthday she is now 4 years old, she has been with us longer then the two youngest kids.

Yeah sure she looks innocent enough, but she is like a vulture the way she tail the boys when they have food. Really though she is Kaleb's best friend, my automatic vacuum, early warning system and peace of mind. She is a huge presence in our home, and I am not referring to the fact she is, like a few others around here, overweight. Poor lady has white around her muzzle already, but I think my cousin said it best, "boys can age a woman like that"

SQUARE FOOT GARDENING AND FLUFFY FROSTING

Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew, is interesting. I like the concept and I half-attempted it last year just because my way of thinking is usually askew from the norm. The idea behind square foot gardening is that you make your garden into plots of 4'x 4' plots. One plot is enough for 1 person's worth of fresh produce, but not enough to save for the winter. The plot is broken down into 12" squares and you plant a crop in each square, the number of plants per square depends on each plants spacing needs. For example you can fit 1 tomato plant in 1 square or 16 carrot plants in 1 square. Carrots only require 3" spacing while a tomato requires 12" of space. Of course this book advocates vertical crops, which I am already a fan of and had every intention of doing more of this in the garden. I already grow peas and tomatoes vertically, like most people, but after seeing a special on Disney's garden I wanted to grow my cucumber vertically as well. Well this book has inspired me to also grow my melon and squashes vertically too. Already committed to the boxes Mister made for me last year I will break up the boxes (4' x10') into 4' plots and leave a 1' by 4' swatch between plots and at the front of the box for herbs and beneficial flowers (marigold and nasturtium).

I am excited to see if some of the information I gleaned from the book produces noticeable results. In true Linda fashion I managed to make many mistakes last year and I am ready to make a whole new load of mistakes this year. LOL I am learning...all preparation for one day having more land  and a bigger garden; a girl can dream.

This next recipe is my all-time favorite white frosting recipe. I found it in the booklet that came with my Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

FLUFFY FROSTING
Imagine a mix between marshmallow creme and vanilla frosting...yeah I know your mouth is watering too. It has a nice airy consistency and tastes a bit like marshmallow. I could eat just the frosting and forgo the cake.

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C water

1 1/2 tbsp light corn syrup

2 egg whites

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Place sugar, tartar, salt, water and corn syrup in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves completely, forming a syrup.

Place egg whites in mixer bowl. Whip egg whites until they begin to hold shape, almost soft peaks. Continue beating while slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites in a fine stream and whip 1-1 1/2 minutes. Add vanilla and whip 5 minutes more until frosting loses its gloss and stands in stiff peaks. Frost cake immediately.

Frosts: 12-16 servings; 2 layer cake or 13x9x2 inch cake.

CHOCOLATE CLOUDS AND GREY SKIES

I found a great companion cookie to my mom's raspberry meringue cookies, and here they are...

CHOCOLATE CLOUDS from Cooks.com  

I love these cookies for their chocolately sweetness and chocolate chip yumminess. They are so very tasty and will look beautiful next to the pink raspberry meringue cookies. Plus what does not go with chocolate? That is rhetorical I am not looking for any smart answers because I think chocolate goes with EVERYTHING. It goes with beer, fruit, bread, it even goes with baby blue.

3 egg whites, room temperature

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. cocoa

2 c. (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate mini chips

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place parchment paper on cookie sheets (instead of parchment I use the brown paper bags from the grocery store, I just cut them to fit on my cookie sheet). In large mixer bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and vanilla beating until soft peaks hold. Sugar is dissolved and mixture is glossy. Sift cocoa onto egg mixture, gently fold just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 35-40 minutes or just until dry. Carefully peel off paper, cool completely on wire rack. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

The weather forecast does not instill warm fuzzy feelings for Kaleb going to school tomorrow. Yes I am a betting woman and I am betting I get an automated school call that they are cancelling if it starts snowing/sleeting/raining tonight. Our county is under a severe weather alert...it looks like an extended Martin Luther King day to me.

POMPLAMOOSE AND TASTY BANANA BUNDT CAKE

I love Pomplamoose, and I want a t-shirt. I think my favorite song is, "If You Think You Need Some Lovin" but who am I kidding I love them all, and have listened to them so many times it would make any normal person's head spin around and pea soup shoot out of their mouths.

TASTY BANANA BUNDT CAKE

Courtesy of a magazine no longer in print, Home Cooking, submitted by Denise Hansen of Jackson, Minn. I love to make quick breads, and I always have bananas around. I of course had to tweek the recipe because I have a hard time leaving things alone. I would slap my own hands with a wooden spoon, but I am not into pain I would make a bad masochist.

1 (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix

1 1/4 C banana slices

2 eggs

1 C buttermilk

1/4 C cold coffee

1 tsp vanilla (my addition)

1 tsp nutmeg (my addition)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan. Combine cake mix, banana slices, eggs, buttermilk and coffee in mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until blended. Beat at medium-high speed 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50-65 minutes or until tested done. Cool in pan on wire rack for 45 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Garnish with whipped cream and additional banana slices before serving, if desired. Serves 10-12.

I love the quick ease it takes to throw this bread together and I just love nutmeg in my banana bread which is why I added it here. Yes, I am a nutmeg-in-my-banana-bread type of person as opposed to the cinnamon banana bread people, but can't we all just get along?

CONVERSATION HEARTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Why is it these little hearts, with sappy little messages, can make everything seem right with the world? I suppose I should not question why, just ride the wave of euphoria...did that just sound crazy? I swear though, I bought my first bag of the year of conversation hearts yesterday morning and the day just seemed happier, the future brighter. Maybe I am cracking and this is the first sign; I will know for sure if my cereal starts dictating commands. Whatever the case, the boys and I enjoyed munching on some of these simple candies yesterday afternoon.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES from the Best Cookie Collection Ever

 What I love most about this recipe from all other recipes is that they are so soft, and I love using French Vanilla pudding mix because the cookies come out orgasmically delicious. I have also noticed the cookies tend to maintain a little more substance then the other chocolate chip recipes that tend to spread out into more of a wafer then a cookie.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

2.In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3.In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.

4.Add sugars gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 more minutes. Stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary.

5.Beat in the instant vanilla pudding mix until blended.

6.Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and then the vanilla beating until smooth.

7.Scrape down the bowl again to make sure everything is well combined.

8.Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

9.Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts if using.

10.Drop by heaping tablespoons (or cookie scoop) onto lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

11.Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or just until lightly golden brown around the edges.

12.Cool on baking sheets for a minute or two, then transfer cookies with a thin metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

13.Store in an airtight container.

MORAL FORTITUDE AND WALNUT WALKAWAYS

I thought I was going to get at least 9 hours of sleep last night silly girl I am; the boys fell asleep early so I went to bed early. I was jarred awake from my slumber by E at 10 pm last night. Seems the little fellow was burning up, but could not get warm. I laid down next to him, and tried to convince him to go back to sleep. Well that did not go so well, so I administered the children's Tylenol. E then proceeded to puke, in his bed and on the boys carpet. That was about the time I decided we should head downstairs, poor E. So after a round of laundry at 1 am I have decided to make some Walnut Walkaways today to have around to munch for New Year. I am hoping for the moral fortitude to make it through a full day of boys. I might be losing the battle...A is tantruming when I kick him out of the cabinets and drawers and I feel a little on edge. A little bakers therapy is definitely necessary. Love is patient, love is kind...on second thought groosefraba.

SIDE NOTE:
On a funny note Mister (who is home now) and I talked on the phone about 7am and I told him I was struggling with moral fortitude. Mister gets all goofy and asks what? I said it has been a morning and I am not very patient. Mister: Moral fortitude, your morals are questionable? Me: well maybe just fortitude, (pause)  no definitely moral fortitude because I might kill a kid today. Mister: oh good as long as you are not wanting to sleep around. Me: (laughter) but it is ok to kill one of our children? Mister: yeah we can always make more. LOL That made me laugh so hard I have had a smile on my face since. He cracks me up. Of course he was JOKING, we do not even hit our kids, just sometimes feel like choking them, but no hands ever laid upon the little dearies.
WALNUT WALKAWAYS (makes 3 rolls)

A tasty dessert I can remember my mother making throughout my childhood, this is one of those that everyone asks for the recipe. My father used to work at First National Bank of Chicago (no longer the name) and a co-workers wife sent these in. My dad had no qualms about requesting a copy of the recipe so here we are today. I have hoarded this recipe for long enough, here world enjoy!


 1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
2 C flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 C butter
1 C sugar
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 tsp lemon peel
1 C chopped walnuts


Soften yeast in the warm water. Combine flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yeast and egg; mix until just blended. Refrigerate until ready to use (see directions and pics below). Make the filling by combining the cream cheese, sugar and lemon peel. Take dough out of refrigerator and divide into thirds. Roll out one portion at a time on lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/8" thick. These are going to look rustic (translation, not tidy and neat). Spread 1/3 of the filling all over the dough, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the nuts. Roll up jellyroll fashion, place seam side down on lightly greased cookie sheet. Starting one inch in from end (towards the center) slit roll lengthwise to within one inch of the opposite end; spilt should be about 1/2 of the depth of the roll. Repeat for the other 2 pieces of dough. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Cool and cut into slices.

Just a few pics and notes to help anyone trying this recipe. This is a persnickety dough, I usually put down a piece of cling wrap, use my had to rub flour all over it, then place a piece of dough sprinkle a little more flour down and then pat it down a little with my hand, sprinkle some more flour and the take another piece of cling wrap and flour that, place the cling wrap on top of the dough and roll it out that way. It makes it easier to flip the dough, and roll the dough jelly roll fashion. I usually pull the cling wrap off and reflour a few times to make it easier on myself too. My mom sometimes uses confectioners sugar instead of flour when rolling out for fear of making the pastry too tough but I have never had that problem and I do not care for the extra sweet the sugar adds. So here are some pics

This has the filling and nuts on top, the filling was giving me fits so I was not able to go all the way out to the edge.

Roll it up, and mark it with a "b"...not wait sorry no marking only...

slicing it long ways stopping short of the ends about an inch. do not cut all the way to the ends.

Baked, it spilts open, very rustic.

In a lack of common sense I decided to bake this morning. Being sleep deprived I was foolish to attempt it. I made walnut walkaways, normally somewhat hard to make, but I have a knack for it. Today it was terrible the dough did not want to cooperate and the filling gave me issues, and then after cooking them I realized I think I added 3/4 C water instead of 1/4 C water, geez. They are still edible, just not as tasty as they should have been. LOL I try best intentions and all.

Well I am going to shoot this off to you before I get a bellow from E, he just woke and is a hot mess poor kid.

TOWERS AND BIG GINGER COOKIES

Ok, I started my Christmas cookie madness, and I made Big Ginger Cookies. I like these cookies, but my husband loves them. They have an ingredient that I would have never put in a cookie, but it really works. What ingredient you ask? Well it looks like this...

Nope, it's not ginger although there is ginger in the recipe. Do you give up?

IT'S

WHITE PEPPER!
This are a nice zingy, almost slightly warm feeling cookie.

BIG GINGER COOKIES

2 1/2 C flour
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 C (2 sticks) plus 2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
6 Tbsp unsulfered molasses
1 large egg
1/2 C sanding sugar


Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In medium bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice, and white pepper; set aside. In electric mixer bowl with paddle combine butter and light brown sugar until light ans fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg; mix well. Add remaining dry ingredients beat until just combined. Form dough into ball and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Shape dough into balls and roll in sanding sugar then place on baking sheet. Flatten with the palm; bake 10-15 minutes.

LAZY LINDA TIP: coat the measuring spoon with cooking spray when measuring out molasses it makes it slip right off the spoon. Side note, your cookie height depends on how much you flatten your cookie before baking, I do not flatten very much.

Here is my great tower maker, the stacker to top all other stackers. E is obsessed with stacking, not blocks or Legos, but toys, all the toys get stacked, or are used to barricade off sections of the house.

He is awefully cute, but I still think 3 is a bit too young to have a fetish. LOL

CINNABON CINNAMON ROLLS AND A KID AT HOME SICK

I made some minor modifications since the directions at all recipes reads for a bread machine, and I do not use bread machines, I like to make mine by hand.

CINNABON CINNAMON ROLL CLONES adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup butter, melted

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

In mixing bowl dissolve yeast into warm milk. Add eggs, butter, salt and sugar and stir. Add flour and mix at low speed until dough comes together. Put in bowl, cover with towel and let rise in a warm, draft free spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

On cold days like today I swirl hot water around in my mixing bowl to warm it up, then I add the yeast and warm milk, stir to dissolve. Next, I add the room temperature eggs, salt, melted butter and sugar. I stir it with a silicone scrapper then I start my lovely Kitchen Aid up on low speed, with dough hook attached, and add the flour. Once the dough comes together scrape down the sides and let the mixer go around a couple more times.

Then you can pull that dough out of the bowl, and any pieces of dough/flour left behind, and place them on a floured countertop. This is where you need to go by feel; the dough should be slightly sticky, but not as sticky as it will want to cling to you instead of staying a dough ball.

I spray my mixing bowl with some Pam, toss my ball into the bowl, and then turn it once so that it is lightly coated in grease. Since it is a balmy 10 degrees F outside I heat the oven until it is just warm enough that when I open the door I am tempted to crawl right on in. Do not get the oven too hot or you will cook your dough. Place a dishtowel over the top of the bowl and stick it in the oven let it sit about an hour to double in size.

Then while dough is sitting in oven to double, take the time to wrestle your kid down and force their anti-biotic down their throat.

On a floured surface I roll out the dough until it looks like this…

Then I slather on the yummy butter, I like my softened, not melted and then I sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture. Please try this with chopped pecans sprinkled on top of the cinnamon before rolling, because it really tastes good with the nuts. With all the baking I have been doing around here we are out so I will have do go sans nuts.

Then roll it up…

And now you can cut it into slices, I use a serrated knife and saw through the log starting right down the middle. Then I cut those two in half again so I have 4 separate logs. Each of those 4 logs needs to be cut into thirds so there are a grand total of 12 rolls. Then I place them in my greased pan and cover them up and stick them back into the oven (which is not turned on) to raise one last time, about 1 more hour then they go from this…

to this...

Yuummmmyyy almost good enough to eat, tasty little morsels, but DON’T they are raw. Believe me they are better cooked this is experience speaking. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake them for 15-20 minutes, mine always seem to need more then the 15 minutes. They should come out looking like this…

The rolls should be browned on top and when you touch one of the center ones the bread should not be squishy (very technical cooking term). Then you really have to let them cool before frosting unless you like the type of rolls that have the frosting melted in. However, if you are going for the true Cinnabon type experience once the rolls are nearly cool, only slightly warm, slap on that cream cheese frosting! Since I have already licked the beaters I can tell you the frosting is heavenly, it could also do with the fact that I actually use 4 ounces rather then 3 ounces of cream cheese.

Here they are in all their glory, before the vultures swoop down and annihilate them…

I told you those vultures are quick, I just frosted these and barely got a picture, one is already missing.

These are totally DIET-FREE; just remember big girls need lovin’ too.

Well I have a sick boy calling me…it’s the house that TB built. No, not really I do not want to create a panic and find myself quarantined…although most days I already feel detained in my home.

TREPIDATION AND GINGERBREAD

I so need to freakin' clear out this clutter in the house, why oh why can I not seem to get moving? I think I will need everything, but then I do not use most of it... I am not a hoarder by any means, but I just seem to like to gather information, hold onto it then I purge in these random spurts.

I go to start clearing, and I stand around for a few minutes, not feeling in the mood to conquer it, not knowing even know where I want to start. I often think only if I had more room, but then would that make a difference?

This weekend was gingerbread house weekend. I made my own gingerbread and royal icing to put everything together.

Customize a picture collage

I am posting the recipe I used and a tip...make sure the royal icing is very stiff or else it takes forever to set.

CONSTRUCTION GINGERBREAD from King Arthur's Flour Cookie Companion

1/2 C vegetable shortening
3/4 C light or dark brown sugar
3/4 C molasses
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice or ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 C flour

In large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and brown sugar. Add the molasses, salt and spices, mixing to combine. Beat in eggs, baking powder, and baking soda, making sure to scrap sides of bowl at least once. Stir in flour. The dough will be stiff. Wrap dough and let it rest at cool room temperature for 1 hour; this will make it easier to roll out.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch and cut out gingerbread pieces (the book has an illustration but you can make your own templates on a cereal box to cut pieces) Bake the gingerbread pieces for about 20 minutes, until they are stiff and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven, cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
While gingerbread bakes, make Royal Icing for the construction mortar.
Trim up cooked gingerbread pieces, assemble the four walls together and let sit for several hours BEFORE attaching roof.

ROYAL ICING from King Arthur's Flour Cookie Companion
 1/4 C meringue powder
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 - 1 C cool water
food coloring (optional)
in medium-sized bowl, whisk together the meringue powder, salt and confectioner's sugar. Add the vanilla and 3/4 C cool water and stir, or beat on low speed. The mixture will seem hard and lumpy, but the sugar will dissolve after 4 or 5 minutes and everything will smooth out.
Once the mixture is smooth, gradually increase the speed of the mixture to high, take several minutes for the transition. Beat at high speed until icing is fluffy. Add food coloring as desired. Keep icing covered with plastic wrap or damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.

K is the only one to complete his, I worked on A's house since he is too small and E fell asleep on the armchair at 3 pm. Yeah I was thinking the same thing a nap is a good thing but hours passed, dinner came and went, then I was thinking I am screwed because he has been asleep for so long. I was worried for nothing, he slept through the night and woke up at 4 am so it was not as bad as I had feared.

I have a sick K at home today, no school for him and another crisis calls, there is crying involved, oh wait that is me, I am the one crying. The kids are something else today I am telling you...

PICTURE PERFECT AND SUGAR COOKIES

Well, if not perfect, pretty damn nice. I took a bunch of pics with the new camera and had to post some

This is my middle son, E, he has holes in his teeth and he will be the first to tell you that. We are supposed to be going to the hospital tomorrow so he can be put under general anesthesia while the pediatric dentist fixes all his cavities...still have not heard from the hospital with the time we should arrive tomorrow...my stomach hurts.

My lemon tree blossomed, and it smells divine. Amazingly enough little fingers have yet to find it and pluck it off.



This is A, the baby of the family, and he is very quick to catch on to things; must be a survival tactic.







K, our oldest boy with his usual deer-in-the-headlights look. I shake my head often at his antics.

This is Mocha, this is K's dog, and don't buy into that innocent look she is just as rowdy as the boys.

In addition to taking many pictures yesterday I managed to also bake those cookies I mentioned. I made sugar cookies, and I would have posted pics, however I never got to frost the darn things. As it happens many times in my home I never get to start a project and finish it all in one go, even something as easy and quick as a batch of cookies. I take multiple "pauses" throughout in order to attend to the boys' needs. This being no different from every other endeavour I had to stop so many times that dinner time rolled around so I thought I would frost them after dinner, but instead I collapsed in the fetal position on my bed after getting the boys all tucked in. I was less then motivated this morning when I came down stairs and saw the ravaged cookie tin, not that many left to make it worth the while to decorate. I guess I will have to make another batch soon, they were that incredible even naked. This time though I will make the dough the night before and let it sit in the fridge over night because it is very soft and that ate up a lot of my time because the dough should be refrigerated at least 3 hours before rolling it out. Without further ado...

BEST EVER SUGAR COOKIES
from Christy Hinrichs submitted to Taste of Home

1 C butter, softened
1 pkg (3oz) cream cheese, softened
1 C sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

FROSTING
3 3/4 C confectioner's sugar
1/3 C water
4 tsp meringue powder
food coloring

In large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture, cover and refrigerate 3 hours or until easy to handle. On lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown, cool 2 minutes before putting on wire rack.
Frosting: Combine confectioners sugar, water and meringue powder and beat on low just until combined, then beat on high 4 minutes until soft peaks form. Color if desired. Cover with damp towel between uses or this will harden.

Do not be afraid of the frosting, it is easy to put together and it makes a hard surface so you can stack these cookies. Meringue powder is fairly easy to find, especially if you live near stores like Williams-Sonoma, but I found mine in Michael's Arts and Crafts in the Wilton cake section. 

So while I am a huge advocate of King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, this recipe is by far my favorite, as it is apparently for the other 6 people that live in the house. Did I ever mention that my parents live with us? That is a story for another day.

BISY BACKSON AND TEXAS SHEETCAKE

That is how it has been the past week, which is why I did not write this weekend. I have a feeling that the rest of the month will be much the same. This weekend we managed to decorate the Christmas tree, and mister bought me a Christmas present...a new camera, of course NOT Nikon. I am hoping to get this camera Wednesday/Thursday so I can start taking pics again.

I just made an outstanding Texas Sheet Cake that came from my mother via an aunt. Here is the recipe in case you want to give it a go.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

1 3/4 C flour
2 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C water
1/2 C butter
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Icing (goes on hot cake!):
6 Tbsp butter
1/3 C milk
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa
2 3/4 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Grease a 15"x10" jelly roll pan and dust with flour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Combine water, butter, and 1/2C cocoa in small saucepan; bring to a boil and stir. Remove from heat; pour into the flour mixture. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla and eggs, beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 17-20 minutes. Place on wire rack once it comes out of the oven (it will pull away from sides of pan when it is done baking). Prepare icing by combining 6 tbsp butter, milk, cocoa in saucepan and bring to a boil, stir. Remove from heat and gradually add powdered sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla. Stir smooth and then pour over hot cake.

Just a note the icing will want to run down sides of the cake, so pour icing towards the middle part of cake and work it out to the sides.

So yes that is what I was doing today, in addition to the daily laundry, cleaning and dousing the house with Lysol in efforts to keep Evan healthy so he can have his dental work done. I also had to lay out some Geotrax for the young laddie because I said I would, so I also managed to go through some of the many clothes in Evan's stockpile, pull some too small out and organize it, sort of. I have not had any time to quilt today and I am behind. While I was baking the school called, and I was thinking since we have had snow squalls since late morning the kids were being dismissed early. Nope, it was the school nurse and thanks to my son she and I are on a first name basis, yes, she even knows me by sight. My son is a fast eater, that is being kind the child inhales food like a vacuum. He was back at the nurses because his stomach hurt. Of course he had already eaten lunch, so she stood him by the toilet and finished helping another child. K is not one for tissues, all that nose blowing takes too much time, so because he snorts it up the mucous decided to come out another way, and sans fever he is sent back to the classroom. Thank you school nurse it is nice to know what my son does all day at school. Poor lady I should really get her a holiday gift.

I had had better get to that quilting, much to be done before Christmas...

REAL CHOCOLATE PUDDING

OK, I have flubbed up this one, I had a handful of new recipes to try that I found at  http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/ and I thought this was one of them because it was in the pile of recipes from that site I have sitting on my desk. I do not think it is from them though because I cannot find it on there, and I have looked at all my favorite sites and nothing, nothing that matches this recipe. I blame the boys, they are always distracting me and my mind has not been the same since they were born.  I will continue to search but I had to throw this recipe on here because I mentioned it yesterday and it is heavenly.

Real Chocolate Pudding

1/2C sugar
1/3C cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
2C milk or light cream
3oz (1/2C) chocolate chips, or semi-sweet
1 tsp vanilla

In medium saucepan whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Stir in a cup of the milk and whisk until smooth and well blended then add in rest of milk. Set pan over medium heat and cook, whisk constantly 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Continue to cook 1 minute more. Remove pan from heat stir in chocolate and vanilla. Let it sit for a few minutes to let chocolate melt, then stir smooth. Divide into four portions and let cool 20 minutes before serving warm or refrigerate (at least 1 hour) to serve cold.

I  LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this pudding, I used these holiday chips that were mint and dark chocolate instead of the chocolate chips and it was heavenly. I have never been a warm pudding girl but I have changed my mind after this recipe. So if anyone passing through knows where I got this I would really like to know so I can give them proper credit because this is super easy, quick and delectable. I am thinking I might just have to make more today and use white chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless, maybe throw in some instant coffee for mocha flavored, or some Kahlua (minus some milk to balance out liquid proportions)...I think I hear my fat cells growing.