I made pie.

Several years ago, a teacher friend made this for me.  It changed my life.

AMEN.

Hopefully, it will change yours as well.

Thrifty-ness, the lovely JG, & Vanilla-Bean-Oreo Ice-Cream.

As most of my friends know....  I like to save a buck or two.   My current job allows me to save even more than that.    I can't name location simply because there is a confidentiality clause  I am bound to.  I can, however, claim bragging rights.   Someone needs to do it.

Some recent  finds include........

Juicy Couture Charm Bracelet....  1.49   (EBAY is listing at $50.00)

Brighton Bangle........  1.49        (original price   25.00)

Brighton Votive Candle......  .99       ($24.00 in store)

Kate Spade Sunglasses...   .99     (original price...about 150.00)

Michael W Smith NEW CD......  .99     (original  price...  10.00)

Calphanon NEW non-stick omelet pan....  9.99 (originally $50?)

Super Cute Large Basket...  1.99

Cuisinart Ice-Cream Maker.........    about 1.99   (I had a $20 off coupon)   It was NEW and in the box.
(original price..  79.00 at Williams Sonoma)

Scentsy Christmas plug-in thing...   7.99       (EBAY lists it at $29.00)

Santa Claus  stand-up        3.99        (Kirklands @ $19.00)

Reebok's    12.99 .........  more that $50.
 
                                                    Cute CZ bangle bracelet.........  .75

                                                    Cute gold & blue long necklace........  1.50




Total Spent........   Less than $50.00

Total Saved.......       I could have spent about $400 on all this stuff.   I wouldn't have.

Now, about that Ice-Cream Maker.......   After using it several times this month, I believe that 

I would consider paying the full retail price.    It came with 2 freezer tubs......totally needed.    I just keep them in the freezer.   That way they are ready to go when the urge to make ice-cream hits.  BTW.......it hits my dear husband weekly.     This is a fun kitchen toy.  And it isn't loud like the predecessors are.   NO CRANKING NEEDED!

I was bragging to JG this morning about my new gig.  She was immediately envious of the low stress filled environment and of the sweet things I can find.    We were talking what I have been making with my toy.    Apparently her dear husband, KG, loves cookies & cream ice cream.....  He needs this.

Vanilla-Bean Ice-Cream

2 cups sugar
3 cups half & half
1 vanilla bean scraped  (I have also used plain vanilla.)
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Heat the first 4 together.   Stir a lot.  Have  8  (mixed up) egg yolks handy & at room temp.
Slowly temper a ladle or two of milk stuff into the yolks.   Slowly add them to the milk stuff.

Continue heating until it is thickened.  I use a wooden spoon.  It seems to show the thickening better.
It has been taking about 6-8 minutes.  STIR CONSTANTLY!

Throw out the vanilla bean at this point & pour all that goodness through a fine wire mesh sieve.
Add  3 cups heavy whipping cream and stir gently.  Cool down for a few hours in the refrigerator.

(I thought the sieving was a little weird at first....  just do it.  TRUST ME)

After I ran it through the machine I crushed up a sleeve of Oreos and stirred it together before refreezing.   Wait a couple of hours before eating.  It needs to mesh together in the freezer.   Eat a spoonful..... just for tasting and research.  Hide it from the kids.  Hide it from your husband.  Good luck  JG!

My dear husband also likes it with 3 mushed up bananas stirred into it before refreezing.

***  A friend of mine, MB, found  these super cute quart-sized ice-cream containers at Marshalls & TJ MAXX.  They were 5.99 and made of a really good hard plastic with silicone lid.   ADORABLE!      They were seriously needed and if you are going to make fabulous gourmet ice-cream......  Shouldn't it be served in a fabulous container?   ABSOLUTELY!

Carrot Cake....It is simply the best.

This is the recipe that started it all.    A few years ago I made this carrot cake for G.G.'s  birthday.    After that, he requested it for fathers day.  Did I mention that fathers day generally falls about a week after his birthday?   Have I mentioned that he hates cake?  This one really is the best cake ever.  I promise.  Your family will sing songs and write poems about you and this carrot cake after only one bite.  Who wouldn't want that to happen?  This cake  completes the Easter table.  It is a best seller for all your bake sales or cake walks.    It is the one that just makes the world a better place and cures world hunger.   Everyone wins!  Get the picture?  UNDERSTAND????   MAKE THIS CAKE!

ps.  My oldest girl, C.G. finds nuts offensive in food.   So no nuts were harmed in the baking of this cake.

pps...  Friends,  if you ever want the jpg version of my recipe cards.....just leave a comment.

Mountain Dew Bundt Cake & the solution to hoarding

I never make cake.  My husband doesn't care for it.  Something scarred him as a child with cake and we can't figure it out.  He only eats carrot cake.  He considers it a vegetable.  Right?

This story has two questions.

1.  If I don't make cake...Tell me why do I need the 2 bundt pans in the closet?
 (ANSWER... I must be a hoarder.)

2. Why was there a can of mountain dew in the pantry?  We don't drink that soda.  (ANSWER....  It belongs to a child living here?)

The obvious solution to both questions....MAKE CAKE.    The husband & I are watching our diet this month.  We are really trying to eat better and cleaner.  We won't eat this...RIGHT?  He hates cake. I don't care for mountain dew.   It is a winning solution for all and the pantry gets cleaned out in the process.

MOUNTAIN DEW CAKE

1 yellow cake mix
1 small box of lemon instant pudding
12 ounces of mountain dew
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

Mix it together.  Pour into a greased & floured bundt pan.
Bake @ 325 for about 50 minutes.

Let sit in pan for 20 minutes to cool before flipping.

Glaze...

3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tb Mountain Dew
1 small teaspoon of lemon extract  (yes, I had that too...go figure.)


I suppose you are asking yourself who ate the cake.  Between 4 teenagers in the house and 2 adults.....that picture is all that currently remains of the cake.  It was an epic diet fail. However, the pantry did get cleaned out!!!

Tiger Butter!!

Doesn't this look yummy?   Well, if you like the PB & Chocolate combination....ABSOLUTELY!  This stuff is amazingly easy and it looks like you might have slaved over a stovetop with a candy thermometer in hand.

This recipe come through my email the other day and I knew it would be worth trying to see just what "Tiger Butter" tasted like.  I have seen it at all the theme park fudge factories and have never wanted to pay the 29 dollars for about 3 servings.   This entire recipe was less than $3.50 to make!  It also took less than 3 minutes & 50 seconds to make.

Run (or drive) to Wal-Mart or wherever and buy a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, a brick of White Almond Bark and a jar of peanut butter.  I used the creamy peanut butter.

Simply microwave the bricks of almond bark according to the directions.
Scoop about a cup of peanut butter into it when it is all melty and stir together.
Pour it onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet pan.
Melt a cup of the chocolate chips (30 seconds).   Stir & swirl it into the melted peanut butter stuff.

It needs to firm up which might take a few minutes or so...Or just simply chill in the refrigerator.
Break it apart and give it to the neighbors....!!!

Better than EVER Christmas Cake

Friends....  Let me just say that when December 1 rolls around I start dreaming in peppermint.  It really doesn't matter what form it is in.  I prefer it paired with chocolate.  I will drink it.  I will eat it.  I will snack on it.  It doesn't matter.......I just want it.  When I saw this recipe I knew immediately that it was a keeper.  It tastes like a Girl Scout Thin Mint.  YUM!  It tastes like a York Peppermint Patty.  YUM!  It tastes like those crazy good mints at Olive Garden.  YUM! YUM! Yum!

I think the oreos could be swapped for Girl Scout Cookies.  I think a few crushed soft peppermints would be good crumbled on top also.  

Ingredients

• 1 chocolate cake mix, prepared and baked according to the directions on the box.
• 1 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 14.5 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar Smuckers hot fudge sundae sauce
• 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 1 cup crushed Oreos
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• Andes Peppermint Chips for topping (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• Crushed Oreos for topping (approximately 1 cup)
• 
  

Instructions

1. Once the cake has cool, use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke 20+ holes in the cake.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the peppermint dairy creamer. Pour over the cake, trying to fill in the holes.
3. In the same bowl, whisk together the hot fudge sundae sauce and 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer. Mix in 1 cup crushed Oreos.
4. Pour and spread the fudge mixture over the cake as evenly as possible.
5. Spread the cool whip over the fudge. Sprinkle on the Andes candy bits and crushed Oreos (as much or as little as you want).
6. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, until the sweetened condensed mixture has soaked into the cake and it's thoroughly chilled. Cut and serve.

Celebrating.............

It was National Smores Day!  We had to celebrate.  What self-respecting-blogging-mom wouldn't celebrate?  Most especially when that particular mom LOVES s'mores and that certain mom had allowed the girls to invite their friends over.  This is the ever-so-lovely C.S.  She is a keeper.  I love it when little Miss C.S. is in the house.  She is the child of the man-who-shall-remain-nameless.  I can't even put his initials up.......This is a Family Blog.  Secretly, we do like the guy.  We just can't let him know this.  He doesn't need any more power or self-esteem.

We made marshmallows.  We toasted them over the gas cooktop and made a really BIG mess!!!!!

We mixed them up with vanilla ice-cream and made the best-est ever S'Mores Ice cream Shakes. 

(Just add a toasted marshmallow or 2, some mini chocolate chips with some vanilla ice-cream and a splash of milk.  Blend it all together.  Add some whipped topping on top and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs!!)  You will thank me later for this ....

This is the recipe I use for the marshmallows.  Don't be intimidated here...it is really easy! 

 I PROMISE!!!!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-marshmallows-recipe/index.html

You pretty much know the drill on the rest....I like to think of my blog reading friends as intelligent...So I won't bore you with details on how to properly burn marshmallow's and how to properly sandwich a s'more.  I will beg you to not purchase inferior chocolate.  Run get some Hershey's, Ghirardelli  or Godiva bars........... something that is good......not generic or low-grade.  

These marshmallows deserve better!

Strawberry Pie...oh my.....

Did I mention STRAWBERRY PIE?  Fresh STRAWBERRY PIE!!

My husband wanted this for his birthday dinner  this year.  Usually, he asks for carrot cake.  It is always a good choice.  This year, the big guy changed his mind!!!   Can I get an AMEN now?? 

This pie is one step above amazing.  This is the stuff dreams are made of.  Are you drooling yet??  Trust me here!!!   I am drooling!   I am also kinda sad because there wasn't any left this morning after the kids finished it off.   Grrr.....

First you have to make this crust...don't worry!  It is super easy and totally looks like it was difficult.  It will impress all around you!!!  

Super Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt..   (I have been using kosher salt.)

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 cup cooking oil

Combine the dry stuff in the pie pan.  Slowly add in the milk & oil.  It looks really disgusting before it is all mixed together.  Just don't look at it too closely.  Mix it together with a fork and mash it all together to fit the pan.  Bake at 350* until browned...which should be between 10 and 15 minutes.  Let this cool before you add the pie stuff.

Strawberry Pie

1 cup sugar

3 heaping Tablespoons of cornstarch

3 Tablespoons of strawberry jello mix

1 cup water

1 pint of strawberries,  hulled and halved

In a medium saucepan, combine everything except the berries.

Stir well and cook over medium heat until the get stuff is thick and clear.  Stir this constantly to prevent scorching.  Set it aside until cooled down.

Arrange the berries in the pre-cooked pie crust.  

Pour the strawberry gel stuff over the berries and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Top with whipped cream if you like.   I will pass on that.  I'm a purist.

PLEASE INVITE ME OVER FOR DESSERT NOW!

I can't claim fame to these recipes.  They came from my new favorite book.  

The Southern Plate by Christy Jordan.

This is the link to her website.  She is the girl who gave me the recipe for her peanut butter frosting.  Yes, I like to think that we are BFF's.  Someday, Christy, Ree & I will get together and drink ice tea on the deck at the ranch.  After that, we will contemplate the meaning of life & donuts.

http://www.southernplate.com/

Seriously Good Banana Pudding.......

Hungry Yet????

Well you should be needing a snack about now if you are checking out my little blog and seeing this picture.  

My husband has a fondness for banana pudding.  You know...the good stuff made with a recipe and with a layer of meringue sitting on top.  If you are thinking that it seems too time consuming for you to do, wait, here is my little secret.............I now give the recipe to my daughter and tell her to get busy!!!   And yes, her reward includes washing the dishes too.  Seriously...isn't it my job as the parent to teach her some life skills?    He wants pudding.  She wants to bake......and I don't want to do the dishes.  It is a win-win for all at our house.

I didn't create this recipe.  I found it in a Southern Living Magazine several years ago.  I did add one tiny tweak to the recipe.  Please make this!  Please make this when you have family in town and want to impress them with your culinary skills.  

Banana Pudding

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, for you non-cinnamon people)

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 1/2 cups milk

4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

2 T. Vanilla

1 box of vanilla wafers

3 large ripe bananas

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the first 3 ingredients.  Stir together the milks and egg yolks.  Whisk into the dry stuff.  Cook over medium heat until it is smooth and thickened.  Please whisk constantly!  (I have one of those silicone gravy whisks from pampered chef.  It really does a good job with this task...again, I make the girl child do this.)  Remove from heat when thickened and add the vanilla.

Arrange wafers in the bottom of a glass baking dish.  Slice about 3 bananas on top.  I like them kinda thin.  Pour the pudding over this.  

Arrange more wafers along the sides of the dish.  You can add another layer of wafers on top of the pudding if you wish.  

Beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add 1/3 cup of sugar, slowly.  Beat until stiff and fold in the rest of the vanilla.  Gently spread it on top and try to spread it around until it touches the sides of the wafers.

(You could sprinkle a little crystal turbino sugar on top here and get some bling!)

Bake @ 325 for about 25 minutes or until golden.

*Sometimes I add an extra egg white.  It all depends on the size of the eggs I have.

Enjoy!  

Slutty Brownies.

My neighbor's & BFF's love me.  I bring them brownies.  I tempt them with chocolate and other good things.   Think of what Jesus had to endure in the desert.....  If he can do that for 40 days  then would a simple bag of  brownies do them in??  Who could hate me if I showed up on their door with a bag of these?  Yes, you R.G.  I purposely tempted you with brownies. I knew you gave up sweets for lent.  You can never be mad at me?  Right?  ok...don't answer that.  Should I apologize for something I will most likely do again?  OK.... I know you love me.   Thank you.  Amen.

The baby girl wanted to make this.  She was bored.  There was a picture of them on Pinterest.

The name alone says.........  "Why Not!"   The ease factor says..... "NOW!"  

"Slutty Brownies"

Go buy a brick of cookie dough and mush it into a brownie pan.  Add a layer of Oreos.  Mix up a box of brownies and pour onto the top.  Bake @ 350 for about 30 minutes.

This is not Duncan Hines, Oreo or Pillsbury.  It is generic for us today.  Nothing says slutty

...like cheap & easy.  (oh.....yes!  I  just said that.)

NOW.... EAT ONE AND GIVE THE REST AWAY.  SERIOUSLY!  NO ONE NEEDS A PAN OF THESE IN THE HOUSE.

Friday the 13th.....I rambled.

Today was a big day at our house.  (The End.)  Yes, that sounds cryptic, mysterious and intriguing....but that is all I want to say.  Text or call me for more details if you are a curious friend or just curious.  The number is 867-5309.

As I entered into this day, I knew I needed something to kick my mind into thinking and doing.  Therefore, I blogged.  I needed to make some kind of treat for the teens at our church and I really didn't want to run to the grocery store in search of anything.  I don't want to get dressed and wear anything but the flannels until 3:30 this afternoon.....thus I cleaned out the pantry and googled.  I found a box of "confetti cake mix".  (My husband hates cake.  I am still wondering why I bought this box.  Most likely, it was on sale.)

Currently, I am calling this "Cake Mix Brownies".  Yep, that is boring.  If it is any good.....I will consider changing the name.  How does "Party in a Pan" sound?

My puppy licked the egg shells. (Maybe I shouldn't be publicly admitting this???)  Would the health department need to know this?  Oh dear, didn't I send these to church?  It is a good thing that prayer covers all kinds of mistakes.  Will they ever forgive me for letting the dog lick the eggs?  Wait, I should be more concerned about the Lord forgiving me for this mistake.   Oops.....I should stop rambling now.

My cast of characters for the morning event included..............

This was super easy..... melt a stick of butter.  Add it and 2 eggs to the dry cake mix.  

Mash it into a brownie pan.  Mix up the cream cheese & 2 cups of powdered sugar.

Spread that on top.  Bake it for about 30 minutes at 350*.  Cool and Cut.

This stuff was easy.  I think the teens will like it.

I cleaned out my pantry.  It was decent.  It was edible.  It looked pretty.  BAM.  

It might be better with a chocolate mix...What about flavored cream cheese??

p.s...   I found this recipe on the Duncan Hines web page.  

For R.G.........Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

I have been baking brownies with no icing for years.   My children love them.  My husband has never complained.  They aren't spoiled.  I have always used a box of Duncan Hines and added some chocolate chips.  It truly hasn't been a big deal.  BUT.....  I found this icing recipe recently on another food blog and it instantly reminded me of the Elementary School Cafeteria and a kind of brownie they made.   We all know that comfort food is a must.  Anything that brings a smile and a feeling of coming home is always a good thing.  BUT enough of these guys and you have a totally new reason to come home...."BIGGER Pants"
Yes, these little babies are beautiful.  Yes, these little babies are awesome.  Yes, these are definitely not on the W.W. list of anything under 20 points a serving.  But yes, I bet you have everything in the pantry to make these guys!!!  Score!

Quick....run get a box of your favorite brownie mix.  I prefer the cheap plain kind.  Make them as directed and add about a third a bag of chocolate chips!     Let them cool down for a bit when finished baking.    Now that was easy.......

The harder part begins....  but isn't that difficult... I PROMISE!!!!

1 1/2 cup sugar
7 Tablespoons of milk
2 tablespoons shortening  (yes...just do it.  I know that is gross-looking stuff)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all of that together in a saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil and stir constantly.  Boil for 2 minutes and stop.

Add :
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of peanut butter

Stir this until it is all melted and pour over brownies.    Try to stay away long enough for this mad-ness  to settle in and get comfortable on top.  (yeah, leaving these alone is the hardest part.)  Go ahead and lick out the pan now...I promise not to judge.

NOTE....  if you are planning on making these to take somewhere...Go ahead and cut into individual servings.  It just looks nicer on a platter.  It is an amazing treat that everyone will love.  I guarantee this will be THE HOTTEST dessert on the potluck table.   I also guarantee you will travel home with an empty tray.   Maybe you should go ahead and make up another batch for the family now.  Have a good day my friends.........  Hugs to all in the blog world!!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!

In my efforts to keep it simple tomorrow....I streamlined dessert for our family celebration!!!    I found it this morning in an email from the Queen of Southern cooking........Yep, Paula Deen, herself.  That woman sure can dream up some good stuff.  It looks good.  It was easy.  It definitely has a freaking ton of calories.   My husband should love it.  I shall love the simple fact that it is done.

Here it is folks.......                               "Frozen Banana Splits"

This was super simple to do.  The hardest part was slicing the bananas!

You will need:

a box of regular size ice cream sandwiches

6 sliced bananas

a jar of hot fudge

a jar of maraschino cherries, drained

a bag of Toffee bits, halved

a jar of butterscotch topping

a tub of coolwhip

line a glass 13 x 9 baking dish with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Layer the stuff in the given order.  Top it off with the remaining 1/2 of toffee bits.  Keep in the freezer and make sure it has been refrozen for at least 4 hours. Pull it out of the freezer and slice.  

Paula originally added another layer of sandwiches between the butterscotch and the coolwhip....I didn't simply because my pan wasn't thick enough.   :(

I will tell you tomorrow about how yummy it was!!!