German Chocolate Cake

                  Guess what I have been doing? 

I have been scanning and then saving my recipes to my pictures on my computer. I already had several but decided I needed to do the rest of them. Goodness knows I need another project!! 😉

My daughter asked me why!! Good question. But, when someone wants a recipe from me I can just email or message it. When I want to share a dish with all of you... I just load it into my post. 

Even though I don't cook like I used to I do enjoy trying new recipes. Some I keep... some go right into the trashcan. 

All of my recipes are on file cards and I store them in a file box. 

Then when I am ready to use one, I clip it in my duck's beak so I have it handy to refer to as I cook. 

Oh, golly,  my duck needs a bath!! and it would help if I painted an eye on there!

I picked up that cute little duck years and years ago at a yard sale. Good buy!

So, today I will share one of my recipes with you. 

It is sooooo good. Wish I had a piece right this minute. 

We were living on Midway Island (back in the late 1950s) the first time I ever heard of German Chocolate Cake. My step-sister sent me the recipe and it is still a family favorite. 

Time Does Fly By!

 It's Sunday morning and the wind chill factor is in the single digits. BRRRRR!! Okay, countdown to spring starts right now. I am so over this bitterly cold weather. 

One thing about it being too cold to get outside, you try to find things to do inside. I decided I'd try a new recipe. I did  make a couple changes to suit what I had to work with. I had large chicken tenders instead of the breast and I used balsamic vinegar instead of regular vinegar. I was happy with my choices. And, it was so quick and easy. I'm all about quick and easy these days. 

Are you watching the Olympics? I don't follow any of the sports until they go head to head in the Qlympics and then I am hooked. Loved the American couple who ice danced the story about the matador. So well done. 

And, how about that Ollie ? Doing the Big Air at 17 years old, a broken arm and he was unbelivable!! 

It all is a nice diversion from the usual mundane tv stuff we have to watch. I stream everything now. Feel like I can be more selective, when and if I want to.

Today would have been my husband's 96th birthday had he lived. He's been gone 15 years now. I can't believe it's been that long and too, that I am still here. I feel very blessed in that regard. Also very blessed to have been married to such an amazing man for 60 years. God's certainly been good to me. 

This was taken at the last birthday he celebrated (2010). He was in an assisted living facility then and some of the family joined him for his big day. 

and here he is in happier times with his grandson, Griffin. This was taken in 2001 at the beginning of his Alzheimer's journey.

How time does fly!! And, the older we get the faster it goes. 

As the author, Elizabeth Keebler-Ross, wrote:

"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up - that we begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." 

I'm Back in the Saddle Again

 Okay...

I am ready to roll... but I don't know which direction to go in. It's been so long since I've posted anything of substance.. maybe my brain is still on pause. Who knows. Let's see where this is going!! 

First of all, I wanted to spend time with my kiddos far away but I really didn't mean to do the trips back to back. Lordy, that was a journey. But, I did fine. Proved to myself, that at 91, I don't have to sit at home, I can get out and go... nearly everywhere I want. 

I usually spend time away from home, reassessing my 'status', making new plans, getting rejuvinated. This time was no different. 

I decided that I wanted to try making one new recipe a week and sharing it with my friends. I don't cook much anymore so it won't be fancy stuff, just stuff that I thought might be good. So... here's my first weeks endeavour: 

Frozen Yogurt-Honey Blueberries 

This picture came from the internet

Ingredients:

1 pint blueberries, washed and drained

1/2-3/4 cup Greek Yogurt ( I use Chobain sugar free)

2-3 tsp honey

Mix honey and yogurt. Pour over blueberries, stir to coat. Lift individual berries out with a fork and place them on a parchment lined pan that will fit in your freezer. Keeping them separate makes it easy to lift out a couple, three for a snack anytime you want them.

Freeze then place individual berries in a ziplock bag and put back in the freezer. Yum

I also decided to rearrange the closet in my office but haven't felt up to that yet. Will keep you posted when I get the urge to tackle that chore.

I didn't feel like my balcony was very inviting so I gave that some thought and soon as I got home, I started redecorating it... Well, actually I can't say re-decorating it 'cause it wasn't decorated in the first place. 

Here's what the space looked like. Don't you agree it's not some place just calling you to come sit awhile? 

So far I have gotten this look going. Still working on it. Any suggestions out there? 

I also started reading a book 'The Good Life' 

I have been on a soul-searching path to find myself, improve myself for sometime now but more about that later. 

Have a wonderful Sunday! I've missed you all and hope to get back on a better posting schedule soon. 

A New Breakfast Restaurant in Town!!

A lot of time I try to eat healthier.... (as I sit here typing away with a big chunk of fudge in my mouth)

I didn't say I was PERFECT! 

And, my son-in-law makes yummy fudge that they sell at their Easter Good Friday Bake sale so yes, I had to have some of it.. I mean, I wouldn't want to hurt his feeling! Hehe

I saw a question post on one of our 'neighborhood facebook pages' the other day asking what was being built just up the street from me. 

A couple people responded, First Watch.

Didn't have a clue what First Watch is! So, I do what everyone else does... I googled it.

First Watch is a breakfast/lunch restaurant that has a more healthier menu than we have ever had here in Suffolk. I mean, I just let out a 'whoop-dee-do' when I read that! 

They are weeks, maybe months from opening but I am already making plans.... a trip to First Watch at least twice a week! I noticed that they have avocado toast listed. I make my own but avocadoes ripen so fast it's hard for me to keep them handy often enough so now I can just pop over to the new restaurant whenever I get a hankering for that. I couldn't be happier. 

Here's my recipe if you are at all interested in making your own avocado toast. Or just grab your car keys and meet me at First Watch (after they are open). 

Sweet Potato Gingerbread

 The cool fall days make me think of my Mother. Oh, the things she would bake, filling the house with all sorts of wonderful smells. 

                 One of those was her Sweet Potato Gingerbread.

Here's my Mom's recipe in her own handwriting. What a treasure to have that to keep and to use since I no longer have her. 

I serve mine with a dollop of whipped cream, lemon sauce and a sprinkle of toasted almonds. 

I am sure you have similiar memories and I'd love it if you'd share in the comment section.

Strawberry Fields and Tales

 I bought some locally grown strawberries the other day.  I ate some and I froze some for me to top my ice cream or cereal with later on. 

Such a shame that the strawberries that are shipped in lacks the fragrant, sweet taste of local ones. But, that's why we rush out and buy them when they are available nearby. 

Have you ever eaten Strawberry Pizza? The recipe came from a Southern Living Cookbook. I used to make them but haven't in quite a number of years. 

The picture may be from a website but the recipe is from Southern Living. Maybe you'd like to try it. 

We used to grow a few strawberries. Had a patch by the side of the road in front of our house (on a dead-end road in the country, back when we were still in Alabama)

One day the police were chasing a car at high speed when all of a sudden the escapees realized the road ended so they plowed that car right through my strawberry patch. 

I guess they caught the guys... they had piled out of the car and ran into the woods, the cops in hot pursuit. It all was quite exciting. Sort of like watching a television show happening right before our eyes. 

Y'all Come Back Now!!

The Smell of Gingerbread

            There's the smell of gingerbread in the air.

Well, not really, not yet, but it's that time of year when people start thinking about gingerbread houses and Sugarplum fairies, twinkling lights and gifts under a tree. Christmas is creeping down the chimney.

Years ago dau. Shirley started adding gingerbread houses to her Christmas goodies for sale at Shirley Anne's Bake Shop. 

I'd never made a gingerbread house and here I was, 54 years old. I decided I didn't need to wait any longer. So, I made my very first... and I might add, only gingerbread house. 

My idea of gingerbread didn't come in the shape of a house. It was the smell of a cake baking in my Mother's oven. Gingerbread, warm and toasty, slathered with lemon sauce. There just isn't anything better! 

People can sit their gingerbread houses out to look at, dust settling on the icing decorated shingles and sticking to the gumdrops and candy canes. If that's what they want to do. 

Me... Just sit me down with a plate of my Mama's gingerbread. With her gone now, I carry on the tradition for Christmas. Below you will find her recipe, just as she wrote it so many years ago. I hope you'll try it and enjoy! 

                           Merry Christmas!

Fall Apples mean Fried Apples

         

                               Apples make me think of Fall. 

             How many of you go to Cracker Barrel to eat? I know, it's not located EVERYWHERE but if you've eaten there once, you'll go back. 

                        One of their treats is the fried apples. 

I can't get to Cracker Barrel just now but I can certainly make me some fried apples!