Lemon Blueberry Bread

Thank you Pinterest for another delicious recipe idea. I saw this recipe for Lemon Blueberry Bread and I had to make it.
This is the end product. (Don't you always like to see what you're making before you see the process? I do!) :)

 Here's the cast of characters:

• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbs grated lemon zest (I just used the zest from 1 large lemon)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I vote for fresh!)

       Ingredients for the Glaze

• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar

 Step 1: Mix together butter, sugar, lemon juice, and eggs.

Step 2: Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3: Combine your wets into your dry ingredients. Alternate milk and egg mixture until all wets are mixed in.

Step 4: Fold in the lemon zest and blueberries.

Step 5: Pour this fine looking batter (pictured below) into a greased and floured loaf pan (8x4)

 Step 6: Bake it in a 350 oven for 60-70 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)

Step 7: After taking it out, wait 10 minutes and then remove the bread to cool on a wire rack.

Step 8: Once the bread has cooled a bit, make your glaze by mixing the 2tbs lemon juice and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle over the bread and then enjoy! 

It was a hit at our house, and I'm sure it will be at your home too!

Quick Pickles: A (Preggo) Girl's Best Friend

Truth: There are always 5-6 jars of different types of pickles in my fridge at any time. This seems to bother the RedHead, but I think it's perfectly normal. There's too many kinds to pick just one...spears, chips, minis, sweet, dill, or bread and butter.

But my favorite kind are homemade pickles. These aren't the kind that you make with a mix and "can" (botulism scares me) so I guess you'd call them semi-homemade.

I've bought cucumbers at the Farmer's Market pretty much every week so I can keep these in the fridge. Make some and enjoy before summer's over!

Quick Pickles 

2-3 sliced cucumbers
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 to 1 tsp celery seeds
pepper to taste
**1/2 cup water

Slice and layer cucumber in glass jar.
Heat all ingredients (except water) in saucepan, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves.
Add water.
Pour over cucumbers and refrigerate.

Variations: Add in a sliced onion if you like them. 
Add in dill for a nice twist.

Note: The cucumbers in this recipe are fairly sweet. Decrease sugar to 1/3 cup if you prefer them less sweet.

  

  
 

Summertime Living

My favorite thing about summer has to be the food, fresh fruits and veggies, macaroni salads and yummy dips. We did a little shopping this morning and I picked up a few things...cucumbers for making sandwiches and soaking in vinegar, a big honkin watermelon, and some fresh green beans to make these green bean bundles with dinner tonight.




http://kim-thislittlelifeofmine.blogspot.com/2011/07/bacon-wrapped-green-beans.html

I also got some sweet blueberries that Lilly-Belle enjoyed with yogurt as soon as we got home.

These are a few more recipes I can't wait to try:
Pioneer Woman's Macaroni Salad

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/06/the-best-macaroni-salad-ever/
Karen at Home's Skinny Poolside Dip

http://www.karenathomeblog.com/2012/06/skinny-poolside-dip.html

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

Rose's Brownies

I have made these brownies for two years for our local Charity League's Holiday House event and they are so good I thought I should share the recipe.  Just make these once and trust me, you'll never want boxed brownies again.

I think the secret is that the icing is just as thick as the brownie and it a slight mocha taste from the coffee you put in. Enough trying to sell you on them, here's the recipe:
Brownies:
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons cocoa
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix dry ingredients; then add eggs and butter. Add vanilla and nuts and mix well. Pour into (2) greased 8x8 inch pans. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes (toothpick should come out clean).

Frosting:
1 stick butter, melted (with 1/3 cup milk added to it)
1 box powdered sugar
3 heaping tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix powdered sugar and cocoa. Add milk and butter. Add vanilla and coffee. Beat well and then pour over warm brownies.

Now you will be tempted to eat the entire pan right away, but they really are better if you wait till the next day to cut them. So eat 1 pan when you make them and then save the other for the next day! Enjoy!

Homemade Brunswick Stew

This is seriously the best soup you will ever make. If you like Vegetable Soup, you will love Brunswick Stew. It's like vegetable soup on steroids! Here I have made a double batch because I was sending in some to my Monkey's school for the teachers, but you don't have to double up (unless you love it as much as I do!)

Grab your biggest pot get started!

Brunswick Stew – Makes 6 quarts

3 large Chicken Breasts – boil until done / cool / shred

1-1  ½  lbs Barbecue (I use sliced and I shred)

4 medium Potatoes diced

1 lb Carrots diced

Cook Carrots and Potatoes until tender

In large pot add:

1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes

3-4 cans Tomato Sauce

2 - 3 cans Chicken Broth

2 cans Kitchen Sliced Green Beans

1 can Black Eye Peas

1 bag frozen Baby Limas

1 bag frozen Shoe Peg Corn

Potatoes and Carrots

Shredded Chicken & Barbecue

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes crushed or 1 Tbsp Chicken Base (Paste found in Chicken Broth section)

Salt & Pepper to taste

 Sugar (1 TBSP)

Nature Seasoning

Simmer on low for 1-2 hours stirring often. This soup freezes well, so don't worry at all about what to do with any leftovers you'll have (as if there will actually be any!) And a big Thank You to my Mama who helped me make all of this!

Improv Icecream

The other day I read this post on Cowboy Boots and Baby Booties and before I could even leave her a comment I had to go make some of this delicious icecream!  I decided I would take her advice and make it with the kids today since it is the last day of summer vacation.

Recipe for One Serving:
1 cup half and half
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I upped it from her recipe...I'm a sucker for vanilla)
Ice
Kosher Salt

Mix the first three ingredients in a baggie and then put that baggie inside another baggie. Double Bag it baby!

I didn't have any large ziploc baggies so I threw ours in a large Tupperware container with the ice and salt and shook away. It took about 5-7 minutes of shaking and if you like yours more firm you may have to add a few minutes. (This made me rethink my position on the Shake Weight...maybe it really does work. And that means I got a workout while I made icecream. Yes!)

Once you've reached the consistency you like, just pull out the clean icecream baggie and serve it up.
Mama Bear and Baby Bear portions!

If you decide to make some make sure to go tell Laura how much you loved the idea. :)

Just One More Reason

Just one more reason why I love him...

He cooks! Yummy sausage breakfast casserole to be specific. :) 

Sooo good!*

*But be a good cook** like him and leave out the salt or you won't be able to wear pants for days.

**Good cooks also use Neese's Hot Sausage, but I realize some poor unfortunate souls don't have this available so just do the best you can. ;)

 

Mamaw's Pound Cake

I first posted my recipe for my Mamaw's Pound Cake as part of the Sips of the South series that I participated in, but that was months ago and I think that this is a recipe worth sharing twice. Plus I have a picture of said delicious cake this go round.

I made this cake to take to the men who are working on our new house...just a sweet treat to say thanks. (This is actually the second cake. The first one was promptly eaten by myself and family when the crew failed to show up to work on Saturday. We didn't complain about having to eat it too much though.)

I didn't make the icing for this one because it will be in the heat but I highly recommend making it, it's divine.

And a few more tips:

This cake is NOT made in a bundt pan. I use a tube pan; it looks exactly like an angel food cake pan except that it isn't two parts. If you don't have one go find one, they make the best cakes! If you can't, a bundt pan will suffice until you get a tube.

Don't you dare think of substituting margarine for the butter or heaven forbid one of those artificial sweeteners for the sugar. (I know what Splenda claims but I just don't believe it.)

Remember not to preheat your oven. And it may take a little over 1 and 1/2 hours, just let the top get a bit crusty and lightly golden.

Now go forth and bake!

Southern Banana Puddin'...Go Make This NOW!

Want a yummy treat to cool you off on these hot summer days? Make this banana pudding...you won't regret it! Well, maybe your thighs will regret it, but it has fruit in it so that has to count for something.

Ingredients:
4-5 ripe bananas (but not mushy)
1 box Nilla Wafers
1 8oz tub Cool Whip--thawed (get Lite and this dessert is practically "healthy")
8oz package cream cheese (softened)
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 3.4 oz box of Banana Creme instant pudding
1 3.4 oz box of Vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy.

2. Mix in sw. condensed milk and vanilla extract and mix.

3. Add both pudding mixes and milk. Beat until smooth.

4. Pop it in the fridge for about 5 min. to let it set up.

5. Fold in 1/2 of the cool whip.

Layering:
Layer Nilla Wafers, then bananas, then pudding mixture. Repeat so you have 2 complete layers. Top with remaining Cool Whip.

Voila!

Put it in the fridge to let it marinate or eat it immediately if you lack the willpower to wait!

Kid Approved!

Better Than "WHAT" Cake?!

It's the Better Than Sex Cake...I wish I knew another name for it (especially when I'm trying to tell other people about it) but that's its name and rightly so. It is one of the tastiest cakes I've ever eaten!

So make this cake...

for yourself if your hubby's out of town.
for your hubby if you feel like you might have a headache that night. hehe
or for you both if you think you want to challenge that cake's name!

Ingredients:
Devil's Food Cake Mix
One Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
One Can Smuckers Caramel Icecream Topping
One Container Cool Whip
One Bag Heath Toffee Bits or a 6pk of Heath Candybars

Directions:
1. Bake Cake in a 9x13 pan according to box directions. Cool for 5-10 minutes.
2. In a pot, heat SC Milk and Caramel on low heat until smooth; just about 5 min. (This step isn't essential, but I think if the mixture is a bit runny v. thick it works better.)
3. Using a knife (I actually used a bamboo skewer) poke holes across the top of the cake. Lots of holes!
4. Pour milk/caramel mixture over cake.
5. Top cake with prechopped toffee bits or you can chop your own Heath bars to use. (Reserve about 2 handfuls.
6.Top with Cool Whip and then sprinkle reserved toffee on the top. I also use chocolate syrup to swirl the top...just to make it pretty.

Put cake in the fridge for several hours before serving. It's good warm, but it's wonderful cold!

Here's a picture of last night's cake which I forgot to photograph before we devoured the majority of it, but just to give you an idea:
Now make this cake and see if it lives up to its name!

A Pasta Trio...

I get on kicks. I will take something I like and cook it to death! I have tried my hand at biscuits and I'm not going to even bother sharing the pic of my second attempt. Just know, they looked like they might be edible, but again...no. Oddly, the bottom of the biscuit was quite delicious, but the middle was heavy and doughy. I still have one more recipe to try that was sent to me by a blogger friend when I cried out for help, but I've taken a brief intermission from biscuit making. I'm now on a new kick, pasta (because I'm ADD like that).

I tried three recipes from The Pioneer Woman's recipe index. My mama questioned my reasoning in making so many pastas, and all I can say is that I have been in desperate need of carbs since giving up sugar last week. Here's what I tried:

Baked Lemon Pasta: Sounded like it would be good. I love lemon and garlic and sour cream. But it wasn't. The hubby and I ate a little, but it just wasn't hitting on much. I'm not even sure if I know exactly what it was that I didn't like, but I will not be making it again.

Now that we have that one out of the way, I'll share the other two (which I LOVED).

Sesame noodles:

This one requires a few ingredients that I had to get at Whole Foods because our small town doesn't carry things like chili oil or sesame oil. It was super easy to make, simple flavor, but very tasty warm or cold...I've enjoyed it for lunch this week.

And the Mac Daddy of all!!!

Fancy Macaroni! You need to make this right now. Oh my goodness; could you think of anything tastier than yummy mac and cheese with bacon and onions! I ate 3 servings Sunday night, and then had it again for lunch the next day. I didn't have the cheeses she used, so I substituted mild cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella and it was divine. I am planning to make it again for our covered dish dinner at church on Sunday night (because I need to eat it again and I want to share the love too).

(all pasta pics courtesy of The Pioneer Woman website: linked above)

I feel like every other post has something to do with food lately...I'll try to think of something other to write about for a while.

I also want to thank Brittany over at Living in the Moment for this award; she makes me smile too!

I'll pass this on to a few ladies who make me smile!

Sara @ A Note On The Screen Door

Tess @ Adventure In Being A Homeowner

Neely @ Chronicles of Neely

Enjoy!

Clearly I am NOT my Mamaw

My Mamaw was known for her cooking, especially her biscuits. She constantly had a dough ball that she kept in a big tupperware bowl of flour and she would add ingredients to it to make more dough as she needed it (which was like every day). I'm not sure what I thought...maybe by divine intervention her biscuit making skills would be genetically passed down to me. I was mistaken.

It all started out well enough. I had my recipe to try: Southern Living's Stir-and-Roll Biscuits (that I blogged about on Monday).

I had all of my ingredients:


I sifted my dry ingredients together, and then stirred in my wets until it pulled together like a ball:


I gently rolled/patted my dough out, then cut my biscuits:



Into the oven they went to bake (please excuse the fingerprints, children live here):


And voila, out they came! Delicious little biscuit bricks!:


What went wrong?? They tasted quite yummy, but it was as if someone took them apart, removed all of the fluffy middle, and put them back together. They definitely don't look like the ones in the magazine (which promised them to be "high rising") and not like my Mamaw's either. If you're a biscuit maker, please help! I really want to be able to make some yummy, fluffy biscuits...it's a requirement for a Southern Mama!