It’s Snowing 🙂

by | Dec 5, 2010

Janet Scott

   

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my very favorite holidays!  It has actually been snowing here off and on today in middle TN.  That is a rare occasion and usually when someone here says it is snowing I don’t even look because as a Norther MI girl I don’t like to have to strain to see a flake or two!  LOL 
I have found some interesting tips and recipes that I just thought I would share with you and I would love to share a blog that a friend has that I think you will absolutely LOVE!  Check it out at www.
Honey Tips
Some new ideas for a classic sweetener:
“I try to use honey in place of sugar; it adds body, is complex, and it isn’t as sweet as adding sugar to a dish,” says Chef Ryan Scott.

Of course, honey is the perfect accompaniment to simple fruit dishes and peanut butter sandwiches, but why stop there? Try mixing a glaze of equal parts honey and soy sauce to brush on meat. Combine honey with butter to spread on toast. For dessert, serve toasted nuts and honey alongside cheese or spooned over yogurt.

I have even found personally that honey when grown in a area where the bees are getting pollen and nectar from alfalfa fields is very beneficial for fighting my allergies.  Honey and Lemon tea works great for scratchy throats and colds.

Ok, so today is my birthday and I want to share with you the cake recipe that my Gramma Barraw use to make for me every year for my birthday!  I am not sure why out of all the bazillion grandchildren I was the blessed one to receive this but itis a wonderful heart warming memory I have to this day of her and makes me miss her all the more every 5th of December!  We always called it – Wacky Chocolate Cake!  I don’t have a picture unfortunately but it is a very moist chocolate cake and topped with your favorite chocolate frosting makes it absolutely to die for:
Sift together:
3  Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
6 Tblsp Cocoa
2 Tsp. Soda
1 Tsp. Salt
Add:
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tblsp. Vinegar (yes, it’s vinegar – you will just have to trust me on this one! )
2 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Cups Cold Water (NOT milk)
Mix with a mixer until smooth and pour into ungreased oblong baking pan.  Bake at 350* for approx. 40 min.
                                                                                                    Sugar Cookies
We have to have Sugar Cookes for Christmas right?  Here we go:
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Butter Softened
1 Pkg (3 oz) Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp Almond Extract
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Egg Yolk
2 Cups all Purpose Flour
Colored Sugar or Sprinkles if desired.
In large bowl beat all ingredients except for flour and colored sugar or sprinkles with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in flour until well combined.
Shape dough into 3 disks. Wrap dough in handy wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour for easier handling.
Heat oven to 375*.  On floured surface with rolling pin, roll out 1 disk at a time to 1/8 inch thickness (keep remaining dough refrigerated).  Cut dough with 2 & 1/2 inch round or shaped cookie cutters; place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.  Decorate with colored sugar or sprinkles.
Bake 6- 10 minutes or until light golden brown, do not overbake or they will be too dry.  Immediately remove from cookie sheets.
I will post more recipes for the season this week so keep your eyes open and if you have any great tips for this season that you would like to share please feel free to post or you can email them to me and I will post them on my next blog at [email protected]  Also if you have not signed up for our ladies daily Bible study please join us!  You can sign up on our website www.freeourfamily.com or you can email me and I will be happy to add you!
God Bless!
Janet

1 Comment

  1. Linda Burgett

    Happy belated birthday Janet! I am going to have to give this unusual cake recipe a try.