What a long day! I was so hungry all day and I had plenty to eat. My body is definitely adjusting to the difference in food (a.k.a. lack of carbs). I tried snacking on nuts. I tried snacking on veggies. Nothing was getting the job done. Also missed my coffee this morning, but switch it out with some Irish Breakfast tea.
Following my own advice, I started some prep work by toasting up some pecans and walnuts last night. I have never been much of a raw nut person, and guess what? I'm still not. But I can tolerate munching on them here or there. Pistachios are on the list of foods to eat, and those are darn right delish!
Tonight after work I ran to town, because there's a farmer's market Tuesday evenings. I stocked up on peppers, green beans, zucchini and summer squash. I also found some grape tomatoes and broccoli. I also picked up some chicken, because I'm feeling like part of my problem is that I'm not getting enough protein at noon. I got it all cooked up and ready to go for tomorrow. Also baked up some egg cups with Canadian bacon, spinach and green onions.
Last night I tried the vanilla crème out of the South Beach Diet book. It's not bad...I'm not a big fan of the grainy texture of ricotta cheese, but the flavor was decent. I tried it with toasted pecans and that wasn't bad. I put in a little cinnamon, and that wasn't bad. Tonight, I tried putting in a little cocoa powder and that was the magic trick, made even better by a little instant coffee.
Plenty of temptations today, too. Someone at work had chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting, one of my favorite things. He also had caramel flavored coffee. I took a bite of a bite of a bite of a bite of the cake (equivalent to about 1 tsp.) and a few sips of the coffee. It was so hard to turn it down, but I did and I feel good about it. When I got home from town I was feeling so hungry and tired, and I had a headache, and it had been a trying day anyway... I broke down and cried. Just for a minute. But I know...I can do this!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
South Beach Diet: Day 1
This time I'm gonna do it for sure! I'm motivated and determined to succeed losing weight. After speaking with my doctor, I decided to give the South Beach Diet a real try. Off to the library I went and picked up a copy. Surprisingly, I actually read it! Immediately I thought, "I can do this as long as I'm not hungry." Over the years I have found that for me, hunger will get the better of every diet, every time and my problem has originated with never allowing myself to be hungry.
Today is day one. It's been a hard day... I am hungry! I have been fighting sweet cravings all day! I so badly want some chocolate! But I will not give in!!! I must not give in! I am disappointed with my prep work, which was very limited and I am already tired of eating veggies. I am concerned I won't have time to do better prep tomorrow, but if I can make it through another day I will do okay. I think once I get geared up and better prepared (hopefully before Phase 1 is over...) this first phase will be a breeze!
Today is day one. It's been a hard day... I am hungry! I have been fighting sweet cravings all day! I so badly want some chocolate! But I will not give in!!! I must not give in! I am disappointed with my prep work, which was very limited and I am already tired of eating veggies. I am concerned I won't have time to do better prep tomorrow, but if I can make it through another day I will do okay. I think once I get geared up and better prepared (hopefully before Phase 1 is over...) this first phase will be a breeze!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Summer is Soup Season--isn't it?
These last few weeks have been crazy busy and hot. Heat means I can't bake and I miss it. It happened to cool down over the weekend--and rain finally! Oh how I love cool, rainy days. They remind me of fall and I love fall, in all its dreary, drab, cold and wet wonder. Cool weather makes me crave soup!
I have been on what I affectionately call a "Soup Kick" for several years now. I eat soup year-round as opposed to those who only eat it when there's snow on the ground. What could be better than a piping hot bowl of soup in the middle of July?! Maybe a frosty bowl of ice cream... In all seriousness, I love soup. It's like a liquid hotdish and I so enjoy a good hotdish. And bonus: My husband will eat soup while he mostly whines about having hotdish.
If you want to think in terms of weight loss, soup is great! A good veggie soup with 99% fat free broth and lean chicken--it's perfect. It's hearty, filling and good for you. And since you cook all those veggies in the soup, and don't drain out the nutrients, you reap all the goodness those vegetables carry. Add a little barley, which is gluten free, fat free and a whole grain, and you have a one pot meal. That's the other beauty of soup--you typically cook it all in one pot or throw the ingredients into a crock pot, start it to simmer and WALK AWAY. What could be easier?!
Yes, soup is wonderful. Soup is also good to soothe the soul and is often a comfort food for me. It's been a stressful few days here, a stressful few weeks--months--heck, years! And being as food is my coping mechanism, it's not hard to see why I turn to such a comfort food as soup when I'm feeling stressed out and lonely.
So tonight I'm making soup. I cannot lay much claim to this recipe as I found it on the back of the Quaker Barley box, but it's really very tasty and will likely make you feel like a warm hug has embraced you. I usually have all these ingredients on hand, or some form of them, so it's easy to toss together and let simmer away. It will also freeze wonderfully, so you can plunk some in the back of your freezer for when the days are short, the air is icy, and you need a burst of warmth from within.
Quaker Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
7 cups water
1 (14.5 oz) can unsalted whole tomatoes, undrained, cut into pieces (or run through blender to puree)
1/2 cup Quaker Medium Barley, uncooked
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 beef bouillon cubes, or 2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 (9 oz) pkg frozen mixed vegetables or equivalent in fresh veggies
In 4 qt saucepan or Dutch oven, brown hamburger. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in remaining ingredients except frozen vegetables. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables and cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Additional water may be added if soup becomes too thick upon standing. Makes 12 (1 cup) servings.
Try this with my Whole Wheat Beer Bread and you'll be slumped over in your recliner, lids heavy, fighting off that post dinner nap before the 6 o'clock news is over!
I have been on what I affectionately call a "Soup Kick" for several years now. I eat soup year-round as opposed to those who only eat it when there's snow on the ground. What could be better than a piping hot bowl of soup in the middle of July?! Maybe a frosty bowl of ice cream... In all seriousness, I love soup. It's like a liquid hotdish and I so enjoy a good hotdish. And bonus: My husband will eat soup while he mostly whines about having hotdish.
If you want to think in terms of weight loss, soup is great! A good veggie soup with 99% fat free broth and lean chicken--it's perfect. It's hearty, filling and good for you. And since you cook all those veggies in the soup, and don't drain out the nutrients, you reap all the goodness those vegetables carry. Add a little barley, which is gluten free, fat free and a whole grain, and you have a one pot meal. That's the other beauty of soup--you typically cook it all in one pot or throw the ingredients into a crock pot, start it to simmer and WALK AWAY. What could be easier?!
Yes, soup is wonderful. Soup is also good to soothe the soul and is often a comfort food for me. It's been a stressful few days here, a stressful few weeks--months--heck, years! And being as food is my coping mechanism, it's not hard to see why I turn to such a comfort food as soup when I'm feeling stressed out and lonely.
So tonight I'm making soup. I cannot lay much claim to this recipe as I found it on the back of the Quaker Barley box, but it's really very tasty and will likely make you feel like a warm hug has embraced you. I usually have all these ingredients on hand, or some form of them, so it's easy to toss together and let simmer away. It will also freeze wonderfully, so you can plunk some in the back of your freezer for when the days are short, the air is icy, and you need a burst of warmth from within.
Quaker Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
7 cups water
1 (14.5 oz) can unsalted whole tomatoes, undrained, cut into pieces (or run through blender to puree)
1/2 cup Quaker Medium Barley, uncooked
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 beef bouillon cubes, or 2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 (9 oz) pkg frozen mixed vegetables or equivalent in fresh veggies
In 4 qt saucepan or Dutch oven, brown hamburger. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in remaining ingredients except frozen vegetables. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables and cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Additional water may be added if soup becomes too thick upon standing. Makes 12 (1 cup) servings.
Try this with my Whole Wheat Beer Bread and you'll be slumped over in your recliner, lids heavy, fighting off that post dinner nap before the 6 o'clock news is over!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Sweet End to Bitter Week
Tonight I have been sitting here, the 2012 London Olympics on in the background, trying to find inspiration for a post. You might think with all the talent coming over the air-waves I could find some inspiration, but when the majority of my thoughts are consumed by food--good food--it's hard to find inspiration watching so many phenominal physical specimans. My husband and I have been joking about what our Olympic talent might be. We have decided he could be an Olympic truck driver and I would be an Olympic pee'er. I admire these athletes--the drive and ambition and hard work it takes to accomplish their dreams it's absolutely amazing to me, because I am nothing like that!
My thoughts in recent days have been consumed by the fact that our humble abode has been invaded by mice. A whole variety of mice. We hear them scurrying overhead at all hours of the day and night. We even here them forging new paths in the wee hours of the morning. Bonus: I have been lucky enough to have them invade my car! This means WAR! I have stocked up on sticky traps and snap traps and I am ready for battle! Time to take back the quiet of the night and quiet my mind.
We have also run into a hiccup in our house building project with the ceiling paint, which has mysteriously developed a perfect crackle finish over what is supposed to be a lovely, clean, smooth finish. Now we have to decide if we want to texture it to cover it up and keep the project going, or sand it and re-do it. I do not like textured ceilings or walls, but I can't hardly stand the thought of dealing with these mice much longer. I have not had a good week, which means I have been craving chocolate and sweets.
You might well wonder how in the world am I going to relate Olympics, rodent invasions and crackled ceilings to cooking or baking, but stay with me here.
So I decided to make some Reese's Peanut Butter Bars because they satisfy a variety of cravings. I broke up some graham crackers and plunked them into the food processor, clicked it into place, pressed start and...nothing. Damn thing broke for the third time. But I was not to be deterred by this fact. A few choice words as I stomped over to grab a bag and rolling pin was enough to keep me forging ahead. I melted the butter and mixed in the peanut butter and thought about the first time I made that recipe, which was many years ago on a visit to Appleton, MN. A cousin and I were bored so her mother suggested we make some bars, and this was the recipe we made. I remember thinking how foreign it was that her mother would leave us to that task unattended.
Here's my recipe, tried and true!
Reese's Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 - 2 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups powdered sugar
1 bag chocolate chips (I prefer milk or a combo of milk & semi-sweet)
Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter. Add graham crackers and powdered sugar. Mix well. Spread in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and spread over top. Cool. Cut. Enjoy!
Tomorrow is Monday...yuck. Back to the grind!
My thoughts in recent days have been consumed by the fact that our humble abode has been invaded by mice. A whole variety of mice. We hear them scurrying overhead at all hours of the day and night. We even here them forging new paths in the wee hours of the morning. Bonus: I have been lucky enough to have them invade my car! This means WAR! I have stocked up on sticky traps and snap traps and I am ready for battle! Time to take back the quiet of the night and quiet my mind.
We have also run into a hiccup in our house building project with the ceiling paint, which has mysteriously developed a perfect crackle finish over what is supposed to be a lovely, clean, smooth finish. Now we have to decide if we want to texture it to cover it up and keep the project going, or sand it and re-do it. I do not like textured ceilings or walls, but I can't hardly stand the thought of dealing with these mice much longer. I have not had a good week, which means I have been craving chocolate and sweets.
You might well wonder how in the world am I going to relate Olympics, rodent invasions and crackled ceilings to cooking or baking, but stay with me here.
So I decided to make some Reese's Peanut Butter Bars because they satisfy a variety of cravings. I broke up some graham crackers and plunked them into the food processor, clicked it into place, pressed start and...nothing. Damn thing broke for the third time. But I was not to be deterred by this fact. A few choice words as I stomped over to grab a bag and rolling pin was enough to keep me forging ahead. I melted the butter and mixed in the peanut butter and thought about the first time I made that recipe, which was many years ago on a visit to Appleton, MN. A cousin and I were bored so her mother suggested we make some bars, and this was the recipe we made. I remember thinking how foreign it was that her mother would leave us to that task unattended.
Here's my recipe, tried and true!
Reese's Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 - 2 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups powdered sugar
1 bag chocolate chips (I prefer milk or a combo of milk & semi-sweet)
Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter. Add graham crackers and powdered sugar. Mix well. Spread in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and spread over top. Cool. Cut. Enjoy!
Tomorrow is Monday...yuck. Back to the grind!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Cooking to Save My Spirit
Lately I have felt like I am living in a void, like my spirit is being slowly sucked from deep within. I can feel it as it seeps through on its way out. Sometimes I fear it's a mid-life crisis creeping up, but mostly I think it stems from the fact I am not doing what I anticipated I would be doing at this point in my life.
I sometimes think I have an underlying struggle with depression. I cycle through moods, and sometimes I seem to get stuck at a certain spot. For a couple years now I have been stuck on the notion I'm not doing what I wanted with my life at this point, and my life feels empty because of it. And I get angry because what I want seems so simple for most people, and I don't understand why it should be so hard for me. Then I struggle with my purpose in life, and I can say now what a hard place that is be. When you don't feel like you have purpose, you don't feel like your life has meaning. You start to feel like you mean nothing to no one, and you retreat into a darker place. It's hard to find something to live for when your whole life to a certain point was laid out to achieve this one goal God has decided probably just isn't for you. Very vicious cycle of sadness, anger, loss, hope...
So how do I break free and feel good again? I bake. I cook. I create something someone will enjoy. I may not be the best, but people seem to enjoy it. And I like to learn about different things. What can I learn about today? If I spend too much time dwelling on what's bad about my life I forget to enjoy what's good, and though it might not feel like it some days, there's a lot of good in my life!
It's summer! Time to enjoy summer veggies. Here's a salad I concocted a few years ago. The ingredients list is all in proportion to what the consumer wants. If you want more of one thing, and less of another, it will still work!
Cucumber Tomato Salad for One
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
1/2 tomato or whole Roma tomato, chopped into bite-size chunks
6 black olives, sliced
2-3 T. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 T. Italian or Balsamic dressing (I'm really liking Ken's Steak House-House Italian)
Sprinkle of roasted sunflower seeds, optional
Mix and enjoy. Yes, it's that easy!
Here's another creation I made earlier last week. I used half the batch to make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake, and put the rest in the freezer for some other yummy dish!
Cheesy Hamburger Gravy
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3-3/4 of soup can of milk (about 1 cup)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
2 oz. Velveeta
Brown and drain hamburger. Add soup, milk and onion soup mix. Simmer. Add cheeses (can add more or less as desired) and stir until melted. Use or freeze. Could halve onion soup mix to save on sodium because this mixture is pretty salty.
To make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake:
Make 4 servings instant mashed potatoes or similar amount of homemade potatoes. Spread roughly half to two-thirds in the bottom of a greased 8x6 or 8x8 glass baking dish. Spread Cheesy Hamburger Gravy mix over. Dot/spread remaining potatoes over top and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly around edge and potatoes have started to brown slightly. My husband and I got 2 meals out a 8x6 pan.
Other ways to use the gravy mix:
Over egg noodles. Could add a few dollops of sour cream for a cheesy stroganoff. Could grab out of the freezer for a quick meal with boiled potatoes or rice. Or cut a loaf of French or Italian bread in half length-wise and hollow out middle. Put in cheesy hamburger mixture, wrap in tin foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375. Add some mixed veggies and throw it over a layer of crescent rolls in a pan and top with mashed potatoes, bake at 375 for maybe 30 minutes or so for a quick Shepard's pie. Put between two pie crusts for cheesy hamburger pot pie. Spread a prepared biscuit (such as Pillsbury) in a greased muffin tin. Spread up the sides, fill with cheesy hamburger mixture and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until biscuit is done. Cheesy Hamburger Pasties! Add shredded hash browns and bake for a while in the oven for a hearty winter meal. Also good on buns as a sandwich mix. That's just what I've thought to do with it while I sit here typing! The possibilities could be endless...
I already feel better. Like I have contributed something to this world that is as simple as a fresh summer salad and good, hearty Midwestern fare. Cooking and baking are my therapy. I just get a little off track once in a while...
I sometimes think I have an underlying struggle with depression. I cycle through moods, and sometimes I seem to get stuck at a certain spot. For a couple years now I have been stuck on the notion I'm not doing what I wanted with my life at this point, and my life feels empty because of it. And I get angry because what I want seems so simple for most people, and I don't understand why it should be so hard for me. Then I struggle with my purpose in life, and I can say now what a hard place that is be. When you don't feel like you have purpose, you don't feel like your life has meaning. You start to feel like you mean nothing to no one, and you retreat into a darker place. It's hard to find something to live for when your whole life to a certain point was laid out to achieve this one goal God has decided probably just isn't for you. Very vicious cycle of sadness, anger, loss, hope...
So how do I break free and feel good again? I bake. I cook. I create something someone will enjoy. I may not be the best, but people seem to enjoy it. And I like to learn about different things. What can I learn about today? If I spend too much time dwelling on what's bad about my life I forget to enjoy what's good, and though it might not feel like it some days, there's a lot of good in my life!
It's summer! Time to enjoy summer veggies. Here's a salad I concocted a few years ago. The ingredients list is all in proportion to what the consumer wants. If you want more of one thing, and less of another, it will still work!
Cucumber Tomato Salad for One
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
1/2 tomato or whole Roma tomato, chopped into bite-size chunks
6 black olives, sliced
2-3 T. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 T. Italian or Balsamic dressing (I'm really liking Ken's Steak House-House Italian)
Sprinkle of roasted sunflower seeds, optional
Mix and enjoy. Yes, it's that easy!
Here's another creation I made earlier last week. I used half the batch to make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake, and put the rest in the freezer for some other yummy dish!
Cheesy Hamburger Gravy
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3-3/4 of soup can of milk (about 1 cup)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
2 oz. Velveeta
Brown and drain hamburger. Add soup, milk and onion soup mix. Simmer. Add cheeses (can add more or less as desired) and stir until melted. Use or freeze. Could halve onion soup mix to save on sodium because this mixture is pretty salty.
To make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake:
Make 4 servings instant mashed potatoes or similar amount of homemade potatoes. Spread roughly half to two-thirds in the bottom of a greased 8x6 or 8x8 glass baking dish. Spread Cheesy Hamburger Gravy mix over. Dot/spread remaining potatoes over top and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly around edge and potatoes have started to brown slightly. My husband and I got 2 meals out a 8x6 pan.
Other ways to use the gravy mix:
Over egg noodles. Could add a few dollops of sour cream for a cheesy stroganoff. Could grab out of the freezer for a quick meal with boiled potatoes or rice. Or cut a loaf of French or Italian bread in half length-wise and hollow out middle. Put in cheesy hamburger mixture, wrap in tin foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375. Add some mixed veggies and throw it over a layer of crescent rolls in a pan and top with mashed potatoes, bake at 375 for maybe 30 minutes or so for a quick Shepard's pie. Put between two pie crusts for cheesy hamburger pot pie. Spread a prepared biscuit (such as Pillsbury) in a greased muffin tin. Spread up the sides, fill with cheesy hamburger mixture and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until biscuit is done. Cheesy Hamburger Pasties! Add shredded hash browns and bake for a while in the oven for a hearty winter meal. Also good on buns as a sandwich mix. That's just what I've thought to do with it while I sit here typing! The possibilities could be endless...
I already feel better. Like I have contributed something to this world that is as simple as a fresh summer salad and good, hearty Midwestern fare. Cooking and baking are my therapy. I just get a little off track once in a while...
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Happy Birthday Pumpkin Nose!
Today is my husband's 46th birthday. He hasn't had a good day. He had a truck break down 600 miles from home and he had to drive down to fix it. Not a fun way to spend your birthday when you had much more entertaining things planned for your day, and my dear hubby never likes to take a day for himself. He thinks of it as any other day--i.e. no good reason to sit around doing nothing or celebrate. It's taken a few years for me to appreciate and embrace this asepct of his psyche, but I have finally come around. I was glad when he said he would spend the day at an auction and spend his evening watching the NASCAR race (and Oh how I hate NASCAR!). But then the truck pooped out. Always something! Just one of the many challenges of being a small business owner. I'm glad he possesses the ambition and drive to continue being his own boss and takes pride in his accomplishments. One of the reasons I married him!
In preparation for his big day, I asked what he wanted for his birthday treat with an idea of what he'd choose--white on white. He really likes my white cake with white frosting. Sure enough "White on white" is what he told me as I stirred up a batch of Scotcheroos, which he then tried to claim as his birthday treat. I reminded him it was 2 days to his birthday and the bars didn't count! (Mostly I'd been craving them and I don't need to run the oven to make them, a win-win on a hot day).
I guess that means I need to give out a few secrets here... A few of my coveted recipes. WARNING: This message will explode in 60 seconds! Better print it off now!
First up: Scotcheroos, a.k.a KR Kryptonite (because he can't keep his fingers out of the pan no matter how hard he tries), or in our house simply Rice Krispie Bars. When I first joined this cohort and asked what type of treat I should make, I was told Rice Krispie Bars. Naturally I made the traditional marshmallow based goodie. Everyone stared at them in disappointment and I seem to remember something about "These aren't what Grandma makes..."
KR Kryptonite
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
Boil for a couple minutes--until the sugar melts or a soft ball stage. I test with my fingers, which can sometimes hurt, but it's effective. Do not overboil or you'll break your knife trying to cut them!
Stir in:
 |
Add:
6-7 cups Rice Krispie cereal
Spread in lightly greased 9x13 cake pan.
Melt together and spread over top of bars:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
I made these a short time ago and my mother in law complimented me on my recipe, to which I replied I used half a cup of white and half a cup of brown sugar. "Oh, you do?" she said. I said, "Ya, it's your recipe from the family cookbook!" We had a good laugh over that! I did switched up the topping, though and stole it from another good family friend. The original family recipe uses all semisweet chips and a GR amount of peanut butter: a blob.
White on White Cake
1 Ducan Hines white mix
Ingredients to make cake using extra large eggs--use the whole egg!
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Bake as directed on box. Check for doneness after about 26 minutes, as you won't want to overbake your cake. One cake mix will make a decent 9x13 (quarter sheet) cake or 24 regular sized cupcakes. Cool completely before decorating.
For fancier, more professional looking cakes, you can make 2 batches of cake mix. Each cake mix yeilds about 4 1/2 cups of batter. For a 9x13 cake, you'll want 7 cups of batter and for an 8' double layer round cake, you'll need 3 cups of batter per layer. If you're going to turn the cake out of the pan, be sure to heavily grease and/or flour the pan(s) or use parchment paper. Decorator's Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup Crisco shortening (not butter flavor and do not use generic brands)
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract or other flavoring
hint of almond extract (and I do mean "hint"-- 1/8 tsp or less), optional
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. merigne powder
2-3 T. water
You can vary the fat amounts, i.e. use all Crisco or all butter or some other combination of the two. Omit salt if using salted butter. Crisco leaves a snow white icing while butter gives the icing a pretty, light, ivory color. Color icing if desired. You can fill a double layer cake with fruit or custard fillings, add crushed Oreos or chopped candy if desired. Be sure to outline the bottom layer with a bead of icing before adding the filling to prevent the filling from spilling out once the cake is decorated.
I have dabbled in cake decorating for years. I have yet to master the art, but enjoy creating from time to time. My last two "creations" have looked pretty pathetic, but have served a purpose. As my father always used to say: It all looks the same when it hits the bottom. So it may not look very fancy, but it's gonna taste pretty darn good!
Monday, June 4, 2012
My First Rhubarb Dessert
I have been away from cooking for what feels like too long--I think it equates to about 2 weeks. I am back on the wagon again, for a bit.
It's early summer, and here in the Midwest that means rhubarb! Everywhere rhubarb! This year's crop has been fantastic. We had an unusually warm winter which led to an unusually warm spring, and the rhubarb came to life by early May. This time of year I am always reminded of my very first trip here to SD with my husband, then boyfriend, to visit his family. It was the first time I met them Up to that point in my life I had declared I did not like rhubarb and never would. The first thing offered to me was a rhubarb dessert. I remember thinking about what I had been taught, that it would be rude to refuse what was offered, and I wanted to make a good impression. So I cringed and took a bite. If anyone had been looking, they might have seen my eyes light up, then roll back as I realized what I'd been missing out on all those years. That dessert was unbelievably delicious! Who knew, 10 years later, that that dessert would become an early summer tradition and trigger so many memories for me. Naturally, I must share this with the masses! It's an old recipe found in my husband's family cookbook; a recipe my father-in-law's mother used to make, and he's 70 years old, so you know these simple ingredients in just the right mixture can stand the test of time!
Rhubarb Dessert
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bottom Crust:
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 T. + 2 tsp. Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
Combine. Pat firmly into bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
In the meantime...
Beat 3 eggs until foamy--about 3-4 minutes. Add:
4 T. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 1/4 cups Sugar
4-5 cups Rhubarb, sliced, diced, anyway you like it
Mix until rhubarb is coated. Pour over crust and bake 35-40 minutes, starting at 375 degrees and reducing to 350 degrees about half way through. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or Cool Whip. Refrigerate leftovers.
Marriage isn't as easy as I thought it would be. My husband and I have been through some tough times. But foods like this rhubarb dessert remind me of what's good about our marriage, and what's always been good about our life together. We are simple like the ingredients in this recipe, and I think we're just the right mixture. Sometimes we bake up better than others, but in the end we're pretty good together. :)
It's early summer, and here in the Midwest that means rhubarb! Everywhere rhubarb! This year's crop has been fantastic. We had an unusually warm winter which led to an unusually warm spring, and the rhubarb came to life by early May. This time of year I am always reminded of my very first trip here to SD with my husband, then boyfriend, to visit his family. It was the first time I met them Up to that point in my life I had declared I did not like rhubarb and never would. The first thing offered to me was a rhubarb dessert. I remember thinking about what I had been taught, that it would be rude to refuse what was offered, and I wanted to make a good impression. So I cringed and took a bite. If anyone had been looking, they might have seen my eyes light up, then roll back as I realized what I'd been missing out on all those years. That dessert was unbelievably delicious! Who knew, 10 years later, that that dessert would become an early summer tradition and trigger so many memories for me. Naturally, I must share this with the masses! It's an old recipe found in my husband's family cookbook; a recipe my father-in-law's mother used to make, and he's 70 years old, so you know these simple ingredients in just the right mixture can stand the test of time!
Rhubarb Dessert
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bottom Crust:
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 T. + 2 tsp. Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
Combine. Pat firmly into bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
In the meantime...
Beat 3 eggs until foamy--about 3-4 minutes. Add:
4 T. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 1/4 cups Sugar
4-5 cups Rhubarb, sliced, diced, anyway you like it
Mix until rhubarb is coated. Pour over crust and bake 35-40 minutes, starting at 375 degrees and reducing to 350 degrees about half way through. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or Cool Whip. Refrigerate leftovers.
Marriage isn't as easy as I thought it would be. My husband and I have been through some tough times. But foods like this rhubarb dessert remind me of what's good about our marriage, and what's always been good about our life together. We are simple like the ingredients in this recipe, and I think we're just the right mixture. Sometimes we bake up better than others, but in the end we're pretty good together. :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)