GRANNY

By Terry Orr

For those that may have difficulty reading this:

Grandma’s Pie

Grannie made such beautiful pies!

One day, I asked her, “How do you get such beautiful pies with the crimps around the edge so even?”

“It’s a family secret” she said. “So promise not to tell.”

“I roll out the dough, then cut a bottom layer and carefully put it in the pie plate.  Then I slowly pour the filling, making sure it’s not too full. Next I cut a top layer and put it over the filling.”

“Finally, I take out my teeth and just run them around the edge of the pie crust and they make the nicest even impressions you ever did see.”

My ‘Granny’ was truly a compassionate, loving, and caring role model. A friend and source of many ‘tales’ and life lessons to guide her grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and impact their lives in a well grounded and positive manner.

While her methods of doing things might have seemed strange at times – the results were always a special treat.

Corn on the Cob – the water was to be boiling on the stove - before we could pick the ears off the stalk and clean the ears on way to the house.

Hamburger gravy – Saturday night would be hamburgers cooked in her old cast iron skillet.  The skillet was NOT cleaned when she was done.  It was covered for Sunday morning – when she would prepare her fantastic ‘hamburger gravy and biscuits’ for breakfast.

She had a good way of frustrating future baker’s trying to copy her recipe for Granny’s Chocolate Cake.  She never used measurements – just threw in what she thought would be enough – and only measured the boiling water – one cup!

 

National Chocolate Cake Day – Oh yummy!

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By Chef Diane

Recently the boss celebrated his 29th birthday (again!) and for his celebratory cake his lovely wife baked his favorite - a delicious chocolate cake using his grandmother's recipe.   I was unable to squeeze this secret family recipe from him; however, chocolate cake is the number one in cakes.  It is also my father's favorite cake, and one year I attempted to make one, like the one pictured on the front of the cake mix box.  They never turn out the same as the picture though.

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In 1948, Pillsbury introduced the first chocolate cake mix.  Today, the most popular kind of cake is chocolate. There are many different types, including Black Forest, Devil’s Food, Flourless, Fudge, Ganache, German Chocolate, Lava, and much more.

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Today is National Chocolate Cake Day.  I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than to bake a delicious cake, or buy one from your local bakery.  You can buy a chocolate cake mix, and whip one up in no time, but for a tasty homemade cake, I found this recipe on momswhothink.com.  So treat your family to some delicious cake today!

Triple Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

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Cake Ingredients:

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups boiling water

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2-1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.

2. In a medium bowl, stir the boiling water into the cocoa until smooth, and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

4. At medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. Turn mixer down to low speed. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

7. Stir in the vanilla, and do not over-beat.

8. Pour an equal amount of batter into each of the three prepared pans.

9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

10 Cool in pans set on racks for 10 minutes. Invert pans on racks, remove pans, and allow layers to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

1 6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup half-and-half

3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)

2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Frosting Directions:

1. Combine the chocolate chips, half-and-half and butter in a heavy saucepan.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate chips melt. Remove from heat.

3. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, stirring well.

4. Set the saucepan in a large bowl filled with ice, and beat at low speed with an electric mixer until frosting begins to lose its gloss and holds its shape. If necessary, add a half-teaspoon or so of half-and-half to achieve perfect spreading consistency.

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National Apricot Day

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Chef Diane

Apricots are one of the oldest fruits known, being introduced to Greece by Alexander the Great in 106 B.C.  The fruit, which reminds me of a peach or nectarine, is actually part of the plum family.  Due to its extensive cultivation process, it is one of the earlier fruits produced, available in early spring, and most of the ones in the United States are grown in California.

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Not only is the fruit tasty, it also has medicinal purposes such as relief of constipation or inducing diarrhea, the same as the effect of prunes.  Apricots have also been considered an aphrodisiac, or inducer of childbirth.  In Chinese Medicine, apricots are considered helpful in regenerating body fluids, detoxifying, and quenching thirst.  They are good for a quick energy source, and contain Vitamin A, C beta carotine, and Iron.

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You can find packages of dried Apricots on the canned fruit aisle at your grocery store, and I have seen some sugar coated dried rings in the candy section.  My husband loved those because of their sour and sweet taste.

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Apricots are also used in cooking; there is apricot nectar in the juice section that can be used for baking cakes, making glazes for meats, and jelly for your morning biscuits.  Below is a recipe I found on cooks.com for making an apricot cake using baby food.  So, today, on apricot day, why not try some delicious apricots, fresh, dried or nectar They are good for your health, and a treat for your taste buds!

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APRICOT BABY FOOD CAKE

Ingredients

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 jars Gerber apricot baby food

1 c. chopped pecans

1 c. cooking oil

2 c. self rising flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Directions

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly with electric mixer. Bake in greased and floured tube for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

National Fruitcake Day

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By Diane Forrest

I a confession to make - I have never eaten fruitcake.  I guess my distaste for fruitcake has been passed down to me from my father, who has always given it a bad reputation.  Trusting him as I do, I know he would never steer me wrong.  My father isn’t the only person who has a negative opinion of fruitcake.  According to holidayinsites.com, it's time to get rid of your fruitcake. Giving a fruitcake is a Christmas tradition for many. It is also believed that recipients will re-wrap the fruitcake and give it to someone else. Who knows how many years, or decades, a fruitcake has been passed along? Ultimately, the trick is to make sure you give away the fruitcake before the holiday season is through. Otherwise, you get the joy of storing it, until the next fruitcake-giving season.

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Fruitcakes have been around for centuries.   The Ancient Egyptians buried their loved ones with fruit cakes because they believed this particular food was essential for the journey to the afterlife. The Crusaders were known for eating fruit cakes during their campaigns. The small cakes could withstand long journeys without spoiling and were full of nutritious items like dried fruits and nuts.

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I remember a movie called Iron Will where a young man enters a dog sled contest which lasts for several days, and all he lives on is his mother's fruitcake.  He makes it through the race, and, well I won't spoil the ending for you if you have never seen it, but it is a great movie to watch.

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Today is National fruitcake Day.  If you have never ventured trying it, why not pick one up and have a slice or two?

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