Starlight Mint Chocolate Cake

I wanted to make a wonderful WOW type dessert for our big Christmas Eve dinner.  I don't know that I succeeded, but this is what I made.  It was the 1951 Pillsbury Bake Off Grand Prize winner.  My biggest mistake was in using the high altitude directions.  They were decidedly not necessary and I believe they made the cake dry.  I left them out of the directions below.

Starlight Mint Chocolate Cake:
Frosting
2 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup chocolate chips, melted

Cake
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cups flou
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, vanilla and peppermint extract; blend until smooth. Add powdered sugar alternately with hot water, beating until smooth. Add melted chocolate; blend well.   In another large bowl, combine 2 cups of the frosting mixture and 1/4 cup butter; blend well. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour, baking soda, salt and milk; beat until smooth. Pour batter evenly into greased and floured pans.  Bake at 350°F. for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.  To assemble cake, place 1 layer, top side down, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/4 of frosting. Top with second layer, top side up. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.  Garnish with crushed candy canes.  Store in refrigerator.

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Gingerbread House 2009

So.  I joined the Daring Bakers.  I feel like I am blogging with the big boys now. 

December's challenge was a gingerbread house.  In the past, I have bought a few of those kits for the kids to put together.  When they were even younger, we attempted a few milk carton/graham cracker creations.  This time, however, I had to make it from scratch and the entire thing had to be edible.  I also wanted the thing to be frugal.  There was no way I was going to the store to buy a ton of candy to decorate it.  I went to the internet to search for some ideas.

Here is the template I created.  Note to self: gingerbread expands when baking and nothing will end up plumb.

   I used shredded wheat cereal for a thatched roof.  I used crackers for the doors and windows.  Royal icing kept everything well glued together.

 Finally, I decorated the house with regular frosting.  Our wood burning stove was going and the frosting began to look really runny, so I took it out onto the front porch to firm up... I forgot about it until bedtime, but luckily the neighborhood cats didn't eat it.

  My brother thought my attempt at snow on the roof  looked like a couple of birds had flown overhead.  Luckily, my children thought it was neat-o and have since consumed most of it.

Merry Christmas!

               

I want to wish all of you wonderful bloggy friends a Merry Christmas!

There are so many of you that have become a special part of this blogging experience. Thank you for your sweet comments and encouragement.

Whether Santa is generous or on a strict budget this year, may your holiday be filled with memories and love!

The Blue Cheese Won!

I really am trying to be calm, but I'm having a hard time not jumping up and down.  If you will recall, I entered a shortbread cookie contest a few weeks ago.  I entered a savory blue cheese currant appetizer pinwheel.  This morning I went over to the Sophistimom's site and found out that my entry won.  The prize is  a year's supply of butter.   WHOO HOOO!!!!

Holiday Snack: Sweet Chex Mix with Almonds

We were given a bag of this from a neighbor years ago.  I fell in love with the first bite.  I did not, however, find the recipe for years.  It was a burr in my shoe that I couldn't find it.  Then, one day, I was reading through a cookbook and Shazam!  I found myself reading this very recipe.  I made it for all of my friends that following Christmas.  We were given another bag of these goodies this year.  It was gone in half an hour.


Sweet Chex Mix with Almonds:
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
12oz box Rice Chex (or Golden Grahams or Corn Chex or a combo)
2 cups coconut
1 7oz pkg. slivered almonds
Mix cornsyrup, butter, sugar and salt in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave until boiling. Remove, stir and cook 2 more minutes. It should be boiling vigorously by now. Add baking soda, then vanilla. Stir well. Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine cereal, coconut and almonds. Pour sauce over cereal mixture and stir until well coated. Spread out on a greased jelly roll pan. When cool, break up and place either in bowl to eat immediately or zip-loc bags to save until no one else is around  give away to your friends.

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Coming in 2010: Make Your Own Monday

I am already looking to 2010 resolutions.  Last year, I started Saturday Stories where I record stories of my parents, grandparents and beyond.  It's been a great project.  I will continue it until I run out of stories.  This year, join me on Mondays as I seek to figure out how to make our favorite store bought items from scratch.  My list of foods includes ravioli, pop tarts, ketchup, and pizza rolls.  I am hoping to come up with 52 recipes that match or excede my family's fondness for these factory made foods.  I may run out of ideas, so if you have a challenge for me, leave it in the comments any time.  Here's to an adventure filled 2010!!!

Saturday Stories: Santa's Visits

I don't usually tell Saturday Stories about my in-laws. There are still so many stories from my own side to record, but this season begs for a tale about my father-in-law.




My father-in-law was the type of person who considered all people his friends. He would talk to anyone, he would share with anyone, he would help anyone. For many years through the 1980s and 90s, he'd borrow a Santa suit and arrange with a few families to visit their homes. Sometimes, he'd be handed a few presents on the sly to give to the children. Other times, he'd just show up with a bag full of candy canes or little oranges. It gave him a lot of joy to see the surprise on the children's faces when he'd show up at their very own homes to see if they'd been good.



My husband got to drive “Santa” around. You'd not believe how unweildy a Santa suit can be. There was no way he would have been able to drive himself. The Good Guy helped with presents or figuring out which door to enter or setting up cameras if the parents had arranged for that, too.



One year, on the way to a prearranged destination, they passed a house that was obviously holding a large family Christmas party. After they finished with their visit, my father-in-law made the Good Guy stop at the party they had passed. He ran up to the front door and banged loudly on the door. Imagine the surprise when the owner of the house opened the door to find Santa Claus on the porch. All of the children near the door started shouting, “Santa! Santa! Santa is here!!!” What could the parents do? In barged my father-in-law with candy canes for all. He sat down in a chair and the children formed a line (that seems to be an automatic response in kids). The grown ups in the house cautiously reached for their cameras while keeping an eye on this stranger who had invaded their party. After all of the kids had had a chance to talk to Santa, my father-in-law got up and left as mysteriously as he'd arrived.



After that, Santa started crashing one party every year. He got a huge kick out of the looks on both the surprised parents and the thrilled children. No one ever turned him away. After our children had joined our family, we'd try to visit on the nights of his adventures. For a few years, they were thrilled that Santa knew where Grandma and Grandpa lived. Sadly, my father-in-law passed away before all of my children were old enough to remember those visits. That is part of the reason I am recording these stories.

Hot Mulled Cider

This is one of my favorite drinks to serve during the holidays.  My kids beg for it as soon as November hits and would drink it until spring if I'd make it that often.

Hot Mulled Cider
3 quarts apple cider or juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp whole allspice
1 1/2 tsp whole cloves
3 small cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp salt
lemon and/or orange slices
Tie spices up in cheesecloth. Combine all ingredients and simmer 20 minutes. If you don't have cheesecloth, just strain the spices out before serving. Serve warm. Your home will smell heavenly while this is cooking.

Holly Bloggy Christmas - Recipe Edition
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Foodie Fridays

What's Been and Will Be Done

1.The tree is up. It stood naked for about 4 days and then we got around to the lights and ornaments. Princess Pat is finally old enough to get Christmas. She loves to stand in front of the tree and look at all of the ornaments. She is very good about not touching, though we had to move one ornament that was made out of candy...she kept saying that it was for her and that she could crunch it.


2.I attended a nativity festival at church. I was amazed at the different and very beautiful creches. The most amazing display was the entire town of Bethlehem...just like a regular Christmas village, only with ancient dwellings and people dressed in Biblical type clothing. It was gorgeous.

3.We had carolers come to sing at our front door. They even brought cookies. All of the kids thought that was pretty neat.

4.I made the treats for the neighbors and friends. I usually end up making 30-40 plates of goodies. This year, I only did about 20 and they were popcorn balls. It was probably the easiest batch of goodies I have ever made.

5.I finished my shopping on Tuesday. I had a $10 off $10 at Penney's and so off to the mall I went with the Good Guy and Princess Pat. Because there is a cat adoption place located there, too, we had to stop to see the kittens. Princess Pat always cries when we have to end one fun activity and begin something less exciting. She cried from one end of the mall to the other; but then we passed the place where Santa was sitting in his “house.” Did she stop? No, she started on a long tirade about how Santa didn't like her and wasn't going to come to our house. I couldn't get out to the car fast enough. I will reaffirm my belief that the two's are nothing on the terrible three's.

6.All of the presents are wrapped and sitting at the top of my closet. Those that had to be mailed have already arrived at their destination. I have always admired fancy wrappings. My sister-in-law worked for a time as a professional present wrapper. Her gifts put mine to shame every year.

7.I attended The Engineer and The Comedian's school holiday musical concert last night. It was really well done. All of the grades knew their songs and sang with gusto. The Engineer has a fondness for singing and because he is really tall for his age, was easy to pick out on the back row. The Comedian was placed behind a particularly tall girl. We had a hard time seeing him most of the time. Luckily, that girl moved around a lot in her space, so we could see him in flashes.  His ADHD meds had, by this time, worn off.  He sang, he poked his neighbors, he danced, he had fun.  It was all good.

8.The Christmas Eve dinner menu is planned. We always have BBQ beef brisket, twice baked potatoes, vegetables, rolls and pie. The kind of pie is the only variable we have from year to year, but even then, it's probably going to be apple, raspberry and maybe pumpkin.

9.I didn't send cards this year. I usually write a long letter about the family and send a picture and card, but financially it's impossible this year. Hopefully, I won't be removed from the “send to” list of family and friends.

10.I still need to bake gingerbread boys and hang them from the dining room light fixture. I think I will do it around the 20th. That should give them enough time to start falling by Christmas. See this post.

11.I want to make a gingerbread house. Sometimes we buy the kits, but I think it will be fun to make it from scratch this year.

12.On the Sunday before Christmas, I am accompanying some musical numbers at church. I may be substituting for the organist, too, but I still need to check on that.

13.Despite what I have or haven't done this year, it is, as always, my favorite time of year. I appreciate the colorful decorations, the beautiful music, the wonder of the children. I find comfort in the quiet times, when I pause and reflect on the real reason for the festivities.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV)
 

 

 

Thursday 13

Homemade Ornament Tradition

In the 1960s, when my parents were young marrieds, they had no money for Christmas ornaments. They made their own out of whatever materials they happened to have. One particularly memorable ornament was made from a toilet paper roll covered with fabric and tassels. Others were made by tracing cookie cutter shapes onto felt. These ornaments meant a lot to my parents. It showed ingenuity in poverty. They still put them on their tree to this day.

My grandmother, however, did not agree that newlyweds should have to scrounge around at Christmas. She vowed that her granddaughter (me) would not have that problem. She started making me nice ornaments on my first Christmas. She made one that first year, two the next year and so on up to my twelth Christmas. For the next few years after that, she made me a dozen each year. Now, all these years later, my tree is covered with memories. I have other ornaments that people have given me or that I have made myself, but those that Mamie made are the most precious. Some, like the ones made for my fifth Christmas made out of lifesaver rolls, didn't stand the test of time. Others, like the salt dough ornaments from my seventh Christmas, are too fragile to put out while my children are young. Most, however, are sturdy and child proof.
There are crocheted angels:

There are clothes pin soldiers:

There are matchstick/christmas card stables:

There are also crocheted bells, felt soldiers, crocheted snowflakes, strange egg carton/foil stars and these ingenious tuna can/key chain creations made with ribbon and star stickers:

All combine to make a beautiful tree:

 

 

Holly Bloggy Christmas Bash: craft edition