Joy in the Kitchen!

  Easter is nearly upon us!  One of our favorite traditions is dying and decorating eggs.  Finding a way to use up those eggs in a timely manner is a challenge for me!  Years ago I came across a similar recipe in a magazine and though I've lost that recipe, I still make up my own version of it nearly every year.   The addition of cottage cheese helps mellow out the heaviness of the eggs, and shredded cheddar cheese adds some fun flavor.   Often we just spread the mixture on slices of bread, but I love a good crusty roll for mine. Enjoy! Humpty Dumpty Egg Salad Sandwiches 4 hard boiled eggs , peeled and diced 1/3  cup celery , finely chopped 1/2 cup cottage cheese 2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup mayonnaise  1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese salt and pepper to taste Bread of your choice lettuce leaves, optional Gently mix all of the ingredients except the bread.  Spread the bread with butter if you'd like and spread with a th...

I have fond memories of growing up near many of my cousins and Aunts and Uncles!  My Grandpa had let his kids purchase 5 acre lots of land to build on from the acreage he farmed so there were four of my Dad's siblings in a row on the road I grew up on.  The other four of the eight children lived further away, but still close enough to visit often, and until I was 8 years old, my Grandma lived just over a mile from us "in town". Each summer there was a family reunion held, often at Uncle Lloyd's house, which was just through the field from my house.  Tables laden with each Aunt's fried chicken and favorite potluck salads and desserts were the highlight of the day!   Adults visited and children played together in the shade of the old apple trees there in Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Gilberta's yard.  By late afternoon everyone parted ways and returned to their own homes, except Uncle Von and his family who often stayed with us for a few nights since they lived 4 hour...

  Ahhh   it's nearly time for April Fools Day !  I'm no expert on the origins of this day and I'm definitely NOT a fan of mean or hurtful pranks, but I do love to have a bit of fun with my family on this day!  Food is one of our favorite ways to celebrate any holiday, why not this one! You can find some other ideas in a previous post HERE  that I wrote a few years ago.  Some of those ideas take a little more time. This year, even if you don't have much time to be in the kitchen, you can select a few of these ideas to serve your family!  It's fun all day while kids are asking "what's for dinner" to say Fish Tacos or Chicken Sandwiches and then plate these up and serve! Life's too short!   Laugh! Here we have a colorful dinner consisting of a  Chicken Sandwich, with Fruit Slices, and Chips on the side. I just had to share a close up of that chicken sandwich.  Just makes your mouth water! You could add this lovely egg salad as a...

  I brought home an old cookbook from my Mom's stash of recipes.  I wish I'd have asked her more about it when she was alive, but now I'm just making guesses as to it's history.  This book is the Larkin Housewives Cook Book .  Copyright 1915,16,17, and 1923.   I love old books.  My Mom was born in 1929.  I would guess this is her mothers' cookbook.  Her mother passed away when Mom was 6 years old.  My grandpa cooked and had housekeepers to come watch after the house and children for several years after.  Any of them could have enjoyed using this cook book.    There are a few recipes with "good" or "very good" penciled in to the side.  A few small notes in lovely handwriting. (There are even pencil scribbles from a child on a few of the back pages - I had fun imagining my Mom or her brothers doing that while their mom's back was turned.)   One way I can tell the best recipes is in play in this book though, th...

  I don't know that it's fair to call this a pound cake, nothing was measured by pounds!   But it is moist and dense and delicious, just like old fashioned pound cake!  And chocolate to boot!  Can't beat that.  This is lovely in a Bundt pan but would work well in 2 loaf pans as well.  The smooth chocolate ganache on top is my favorite but you can just sprinkle with powdered sugar as it's cooling for a lightly sweet touch. I made this recently for an auction at church.  It was fun to see all of the fun desserts that others brought to auction off as well!  We went home with a delicious German Chocolate cake. Mmm! Triple Chocolate Pound Cake 1 chocolate cake mix (I prefer fudge or rich chocolate) 1 6oz box of instant chocolate pudding 1/2 cup white sugar 2/3 cup water 3/4 cup oil 1 cup sour cream 4 large eggs 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips Ganache 3/4 cup heavy cream 2 cups chocolate chips, semi sweet or milk 2 tsp. coconut oil, optional Prehe...

Lemon is such a vibrant fruit!  Color and flavor are bright and refreshing.  This old fashioned Luscious Lemon Cake is tart and sweet with a glaze that really packs a punch.  My mouth is watering just thinking about the melt-in-your-mouth goodness!   I got this recipe from my Mom who got it years ago from her friend at church.  I find so often that these recipes that were passed around amongst acquaintances are some of the best!  Tried and true, recipes to use over and over and pass along to a friend.   There is a 5 pound bag of lemons in my fridge waiting to be used so this seems like a tasty opportunity to share this recipe! Luscious Lemon Cake 1 lemon cake mix (any brand will work) 1 small package of lemon gelatin  4 large eggs 3/4 cup oil 3/4 cup water Glaze juice of 3 lemons grated rind from those lemons 2 cups of powdered sugar Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together (by hand or in a mixer) the first 5 ingredients, scrapi...

  It has been cold and snowy white as far as the eye can see where I live!  This week the temperatures are supposed to be above freezing for the first time in several weeks!  I mean high 30's!  Absolutely balmy!  When we're this far into winter, I'm always ready for some peeks into spring.  Though we are several weeks away from the snow melting enough to see the ground, I enjoy including this colorful, fresh salad in my menu!  It's a lovely reminder of the garden harvest I'll enjoy this summer.  This is more of a throw-it-together sort of dish rather than one needing exact measurements, but I have some guidelines I use as the base of this dish.   I make it in this quantity for myself for lunch, or I leave the garbanzo beans out and add another cucumber and a little more olive oil and lemon and use it as a side dish for the family at dinnertime.   I've never been a fan of vinegar and oil dressing on salads, but I love, love, L...