Cake Decorating My Way

I've always thought it would be fun to take some kind of cake decorating class and maybe some day I'll actually do it! Until then I try to be a little creative based on the person I'm making the cake for. I think so far this is my all-time favorite!
My Mom loves cardinals and also likes "real" things, as in "not fake".
I had found this cardinal that of course is not real, but the alternative wasn't possible in this case!
For the greens, I went tramping around our place...there's pine needles (which kind of represent Idaho), holly leaves and english ivy.
The red berries are little rose hips, just minatures of the kind we used to pick and make jelly with in Idaho.
It's so amazing what can be done when you just look around you!

Peach Cheesecake

I will give the cheesecake recipe I use (from Libby Bryan in Idaho), but you can use whatever cheesecake recipe you favor.
The topping is what this post is really about!

Love cheesecake? Like to try new things? Stray from the tried and true, and traditional? Years ago my Mom tried this when we had fresh peaches on hand and it became an immediate favorite with me!
Cheesecake:
1 & 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (1 pack,crushed)
2 Tablespoons sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
Combine and press into a 10" spring form pan.
Bake 7 minutes @ 375 degrees.
While it is baking, mix 'til smooth:
2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese (room temp.)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pour over crust and bake 18 minutes. When it is cool, you are ready for the fruit topping of your choice.
Or... if you are not into fruit on your cheesecake, try this.
Cool 15 minutes.
Mix:
1 pint sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Spread on top of cheesecake and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake 5 more minutes.
Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
FRUIT TOPPING
Cook together 'til thick:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 & 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
While it's hot, add 3 Tablespoons jello.
Cool and add fruit.
When you use peaches, use orange jello. The peach flavored jello tastes too fake. Add as much fruit as you like.
This recipe for thickening works well for fresh fruit pies too. Like strawberry... just use strawberry jello.
I like cheesecake good and cold, so I refrigerate it for a while after I put the topping on.

Serve and enjoy!

Bolivian Potato Salad

Here's a real different one for you! Our brother-in-law Omar from Bolivia, South America hooked us on this one. It's a favorite amongst the family. My sister-in-law Tia just got her LPN license and we did a celebratory dinner last weekend. Since she loves this salad like I do, I made it and took the pictures so I could post it when I got time...
Peel and cube 6 cups of potatoes - I used red ones. Cook till just done, not mushy, with minced garlic in the water. Cool. (I like to get everything ready the night before so the ingredients are cold and ready to put together.)

Peel and dice approx. 2 cups carrots, cook 'til tender crisp. Cool. (you can use frozen)

Add 2 cups frozen peas.
Also 2 cans diced red beets, drained.
For dressing, all the original recipe calls for is mayonnaise and of course salt and pepper. Toss all ingredients, chill, and serve. The longer it sets, the pinker it gets!

I happen to like to add some basil pesto into it to jazz it up a bit. It really is interesting with all the different textures.

Oatmeal

After posting the recipe for Baked Oatmeal, I thought I must put in a plug for cooked oatmeal yet too. I have learned a couple ways my girls do really enjoy it...
Since most folks know how to cook it, I won't give the how to's. Just add:

BUTTER, BROWN SUGAR, and VANILLA
Don't be stingy, either! Especially with the butter... remember butter is an all-natural fat, just the way God made it and kids need that! (I'm just a big kid, right?)

The other alterative that works well at our house is...are you ready?....
CHOCOLATE CHIPS
Need I say anymore? In our defense, we are an all girl household most mornings!

Baked Oatmeal

What I have here is a recipe for baked oatmeal. Oatmeal will never be the same again, after you have tried this! We love it!

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups oatmeal, quick or rolled
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
cinnamon (optional)
Pour in a greased pan. I use a glass 9"x11".
Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes
In a hurry? Crank it up to 400 and it'll be done in 30 minutes.

Now for some variations...
I have found the melted butter in the microwave after the oatmeal was baked. It turned out ok, but the butter does make it better!
The original recipe given to me, says you can use syrup in place of brown sugar. I have never tried that.
You can also exchange apple juice for the milk, which I have also never done. We are a milk loving household!
I usually leave out the cinnamon, but it's just personal preference.
We love to eat this with homemade yogurt and fruit over it. Thickened fruit, like pie fillings, are good, but just about anything you like, goes!
For some reason, Baked Oatmeal is really great leftover. Just cold and plain. I have never had a problem knowing what to do with it, when I make too much. It's always gone by the end of the day.
For those of you who like to eat soggy food, it just might be good with milk over it. I say that grudgingly, I can't figure out the whole liking for soggy food. Give Abe a pack of graham crackers and a bowl of milk and he's smiling! I guess that comes from growing up eating things like "milk soup". (Cold milk, fruit, cubed bread, and sugar)
I love making Baked Oatmeal for company. People always like it! You can make it up the evening before and pop it in the oven when you get up. By the time you are dressed and combed it's ready to serve.
Happy eating and a great morning to you!

Venison Jerky

We have learned it is quite simple to make our own jerky. Abe got quite into it this fall and he made a lot. I don't just love cutting meat so he obliges me by doing that part. Actually all I usually end up doing is the "jerking" ! :) We found it works well to throw the meat in the freezer and then make it at our leisure, as we want more. Meat also slices easier when it's a bit frozen. We have a seasoning recipe from my uncle, but you can change and experiment as much as you like.
Here goes:
Uncle David's Jerky
For 32 lbs. meat:
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
3/4 - 4/5 cup liquid smoke
4 Tablespoons black pepper
3 Tablespoons onion salt
3 Tablespoons garlic salt
10 Tablespoons salt
Mix this all together to dissolve the salts. Use this to marinade the meat, at least overnight or for days. We cut this recipe down to do about 4 lbs. at a time. It will not seem like a lot of liquid, but remember whatever you add, it has to be dried back down. We liked adding fresh jalapeno peppers to this. We tried minced fine for a hot bite now and then, or pureed for an over-all warmth. We also added cayenne pepper for heat. Abe also likes to add Montreal Steak seasoning. (It's his favorite for steak, why not on the jerky?)


I have cooling racks that fit on my baking sheets. You can put the strips of meat right on the pan, but I think it speeds it up to allow air to circulate under. We put it in the oven at 190 degrees. Put a wooden spoon in the door to keep it cracked open just a bit to allow moisture to escape. Depending on how thick you cut the meat, the drying time varies. Usually 3-4 hours. We do it in the evening. It always dries a bit further as it cools, and we don't like it crackling dry, so you can turn it off just a bit before you think it's done and leave it in the oven as it cools down. Two pans like this don't last us very long! I think 4-5 lbs. of meat make about 4 pans. If you make a large quantity, keep it in the freezer to avoid spoiling, just in case it's not dried enough.

If you lived near us and passed Abe on the road, he'd probably stop and talk a while and share a handful. Our neighbors and friends all like it by now! Thanks, Uncle David!

Feather Light Pancakes

At our house, pancakes are a well received breakfast. We like this recipe:

Feather Light Pancakes

2 cups flour - I use fresh ground fine whole wheat

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons sugar

Combine:

2 beaten eggs 1 & 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup vinegar 1/4 cup oil or melted butter

Mix well. Add to dry ingredients, stir until smooth. Bake on hot griddle. Yield - 20

Now for variations:

I recently learned from my brother-in-law (who would have thought!) that if you like added nutrition and are a flax seed fan, you can exchange 1/2 cup of the flour for 1/2 cup ground flax seeds. They turn out really good! My kids never noticed the difference.

If you like blueberry pancakes, just sprinkle a few fresh or frozen ones on each pancake while the first side is baking. This fall my brother went home to Idaho for a visit and came back with some huckleberries. He was sweet enough to share and using them on pancakes makes a little go a long way! Talk about bring back memories! Straight from God's garden!

On a birthday last fall we tried the teddy bear shape here. That was a real hit and just takes a bit more time. We all have lots of that, don't we?! :)

The girls used chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, which soon went to nose, smiles, paws... Anything to get a bit more chocolate on there! We found if you put them on right away, then they get all melty and you can spread chocolate out all over! Big hit!!! (We have other non-traditional ways of using chocolate chips if you need any tips! :))

Now for syrup... My Mom always used this recipe. I have no idea where it came from!

Pancake Syrup

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

4 Tablespoons flour

2 cups water

1 cube butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix sugars and flour, add water and cook till thickened. Add butter and vanilla and stir till melted. Serve warm. This syrup is good on waffles or anything else you use pancake syrup on.

Now, I usually like to cut back on the sugar in anything, as much as possible without sacrificing too much taste. This syrup can take it! I go way skimpy on the sugar and way heavy on the flour. Then I keep adding water as it thickens till it's the right consistency. I also like to add a bit of maple flavoring. Note: You only need half of this recipe for the pancake recipe above. Leftover does keep in the fridge, but not indefinitely!

When you ask Abi if something is good, if it is, she nods and gives a thumbs up! The more she likes it, the more emphatically she does it. You can see how she rates these!