Pear Honey Syrup

 

I made this super easy recipe last week for the kids when they were in town visiting and realized I needed to share.  It's one of my fall time favorites.  Can be served alone or over pancakes, French toast, or biscuits.  Pour warm syrup over biscuits and top with vanilla ice cream. 

 

PEAR HONEY SYRUP

 

2 tablespoons butter

7 large pears, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup orange juice

 

Melt butter in sauce pan.  Stir in pears, sugar, and honey.  Simmer 15 minutes, stirring often, until juices thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir in orange juice.  Will keep up to 2 weeks.  Serve warm or cool.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 



Chia Smoothies

So...it's a balmy 55 degrees here in the midwest!  Is it time for smoothies yet?  John and I have been coming up with ways to add Chia seed to our diet.  And in the midst of trying to lose weight for this summer's beach vacation, I came up with a non creamy version of smoothy because if anyone knows my husband, he will not drink anything dairy.  I did manage to sneak in a little flavored yogurt, which he isn't minding.

Fruit Smoothies

 

Combine in blender:

8 oz. flavored yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice (milk if you prefer more dairy)

3 Tbsp. honey or agave syrup

1 Tbsp. Chia seed

 

Blend well, honey tends to clump in the frozen ingredients.

 

Add:

 

1 cup frozen strawberries (if whole, cut up)

1 cup ice cubes

1 banana or 1 cup frozen blueberries

 

Blend until smooth!  If too liquidy, just add more ice or strawberries.  Serves two.

 



Red Velvet Cake

We had some friends come out for a visit and I wanted to make something easy, but tasty for dessert.  I'd been holding onto a recipe for some time that I decided to try.  It turned out wonderful and because of the raspberry base and jello, it was super moist.

I'm pretty sure it's a Pampered Chef recipe from years ago, but it's ripped out of a booklet so I'm not sure.

Red Velvet Cake

1 package (12 oz.) whole frozen raspberries (not in syrup), thawed

1 package (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix (plus ingredients to make cake)

2 cups water

1 package (6 oz.) raspberry flavored gelatin

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 squares (1 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate for baking

Powdered sugar

Whipped cream or cool whip or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Garnish with (optional)

Fresh raspberries

Mint leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray 9x13 inch baking pan with oil spray.  Spread raspberries evenly over bottom of pan.  Prepare cake mix in large bowl according to package directions; pour batter over raspberries, spreading evenly.  

In microwave safe bowl, microwave water on HIGH 4 minutes or until boiling.  Combine gelatin and cornstarch in small bowl.  Whisk gelatin mixture into boiling water until dissolved.  Pour gelatin mixture evenly over batter. 

 Bake 40-45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.  chop chocolate using food chopper; sprinkle evenly over cake.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar using a sifter.  Serve warm or cool.  Garnish with whipped topping/ice cream, fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

Cherry Delight Cookies

I was in the mood for baking today and so, decided to make my third batch of these cookies of the season.  They are a family favorite and we make them every year.  They make a great tea cookie.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we have over the years. 

Cherry Delight Cookies

1 cup of butter

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup white Caro Syrup

2 eggs yolks (save whites)

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour

7 oz. fine ground walnuts

1 carton of candied cherries

 

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg yolks and syrup.  Keep beating, slowly add in flour.  Chill 2 hours.  Roll into small balls. Beat egg whites.  Dip rolled balls into egg whites.  Roll in walnuts.  Place on greased cookie sheet or non-stick cookie sheet.  Press in 1/2 cherry.  Bake 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

 One very used recipe card!!

 

 

Fall Cookies

One of my favorite holiday traditions is making Christmas, cut out sugar cookies.  Well, occasionally I get to craving them early and, thus, Fall cut out cookies!  When I was a little girl, my mom would help us make these cookies every year...no fail!  After my girl's were born, I started the same tradition.  Here's Ari at 2 helping to cut them out.  She's now 21!  

 

It's going to be a little different this year making them without at least one of the girls here to help. 

There is something about these cookies, everybody loves them.  I guess it's the perfect combination of tart, crunchy cookie and crispy frosting that makes us all crave for more.  I don't believe in "secret family recipes."  If it's that good, it should be shared!

 

Holiday Sugar Cookies

 

4 cups self rising flour

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs ( 1 seperated )

1 tsp. clear vanilla

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

 

Cream butter and sugar until light.  Add 1 whole egg and beat well.  Add egg yolk of second and beat.  Beat in vanilla and lemon juice.  Add flour little at a time.  May not take all the flour, make like pie crust.  Lightly flour table.  Divide into 4 parts.  Chill probably overnight.  Let dough become room temp. before rolling.  Roll with rolling pin on floured counter to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut with metal or plastic cookie cutters. 

Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees on greased cookie sheet or non-stick cookie sheet.

 

Frosting for Sugar Cookies

 

1 egg white

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. clear vanilla

Dash of salt

 

In electric mixer bowl, add all ingredients and whip until fluffy and frosting peaks.  If too thin add more powdered sugar.  Spread on with small knife.  Immediately sprinkle with favorite sugar and candy toppings as frosting will quickly set and harden.  May add food coloring to frosting.  Covers at least 3 dozen cookies. 

I always make a double batch of frosting.  I roll my cookies pretty thin getting about 7 dozen cookies out of one batch of dough. 

 

 

 Now this is the fun part!

    

 

...and this is when you get to be creative!

 

 

 

 

 

 



She's "21"

When your children hit certain milestones, one often wonders where the time disappeared to.  With Ari's 21st birthday, there was no exception.  I'm amazed how fast we have come to this time in our lives and sometimes wish I could push a magic button and stop time.  She's a special young lady, with a heart for God, and compassion for people.  We spent the weekend visiting with her and her husband, Anthony, and Beki.  The weekend really didn't go as planned, life rarely goes as planned!  But, regardless, we had a nice dinner downtown at the Springfield Brewing Co. Restaurant to celebrate. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you ever feel like you could just be swallowed up in sadness?

I miss my girls so much, things just aren't the same without them around.    You know what's the hardest,  it's missing out on the everyday things...

hearing their daily stories, talking and laughing together, just knowing if they are ok or not.

 

Sometimes I feel like I'm just sitting in a dark room waiting for little glimpses of light.  Waiting for a note or call that says...

 

"Hey, you're not forgotten." 

 

 

Crepes, Etc.

 

There are so many little places to explore down here in the West End.  One of our favorites is this French crepes restaurant.  The first time we visited,  we were with friends.  We went back this past weekend and shared a breakfast.  It was great weather for hanging out on the patio.  The crepes are to die for...perfect every time!