Midway to Paradise

wacky cake

This recipe came from a local cookbook called Dining with the Dragons (Roaring Spring Elementary).  I made it as Cameron's birthday cake, and it was awesome!!

Wacky Cake

3 c. flour

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. cocoa

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vinegar

8 tbsp. melted butter

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. cold water

     Measure flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar into 9x13 ungreased baking pan.  Stir together until well blended.  Make 3 holes in mixture with a spoon.  Into the first hole, put the melted butter, the second hole, the vinegar, and the third hole, the vanilla.  Over all the mixture, pour the 2 cups of water and mix.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

one-pot pork chop dinner

This recipe came from QVC Family Cookbook.  It was so easy to make, and really good!

One-Pot Pork Chop Dinner

4 tablespoons oil

Flour to coat chops

4 thick pork chops

1 cup rice (uncooked)

1 green pepper, sliced

1 onion, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups water

     Heat oil and fry floured pork chops in frying pan.  Take chops out of pan and drain excess oil.  Place chops back in pan and put in rice, green pepper, onion, salt, pepper and water.  Turn heat to low, cover, and cook 30 minutes, or till rice is done.  Serves 4.

pan-fried squash

I got this from a really awesome cookbook calledThe Practical Produce Cookbook.  It is so simple, and Cameron and I both loved it!

Pan_Fried Squash

Zucchini, yellow, crookneck or patty pan squash

Flour

Butter

Salt and pepper

     Cut squash into 1/4-inch rounds.  Dip in flour and fry in hot butter until golden-brown, turning once.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Double-Dipped Cherry Shortbread

I got this recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens Christmas cookie magazine from 1991--a customer of mine brought me a whole bunch of these magazines and cookbooks into work one day.  They cookies were really good!

Double-Dipped Cherry Shortbread

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon milk

2-3 drops red food coloring (optional)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

2 teaspoons shortening

3 ounces vanilla-flavor candy coating, chopped

2 teaspoons shortening

     -- Drain cherries on paper towels.

     --Stir together flour and sugar.  Cut in butter till mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Stir in cherries, milk, and food coloring, if desired.  Form into a ball; knead till smooth.

     --Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  PLace 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Using the bottom of a glass, slightly flatten balls to 1/2 inch.

     --Bake in 325 degree oven about 20 minutes or till edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned.  Remove; cool on rack.

     --Melt together chocolate and 2 teaspoons shortening. Dip half the cookies into melted hocolate mixture.  Place on wire rack till chocolate is firm.

     -- Melt together candy coating and 2 teaspoons shortening.  Dip remaining cookies into mixture.  Makes about 24.

The Homesteading Carnival THC

    I really had a great time reading all of the posts for this article!  Thank you all very much!  TYhis is my first time hosting The Homestead Carnival, so I am a little bit nervous, but very excited!

OPTED Magazine presents Tackle Your Junk Drawer posted at OPTED Magazine

Alvina Lopez presents 101 Ways to Go Green in College posted at Online College Reviews - College Ratings

Suburban Wife gives us Parmesan Bow Tie Pasta posted at Suburban Wife Life, saying, "An easy and cheap recipe that's perfect no matter how large your family is or how small your budget is."

Stephanie presents We Have Potatoes! posted at Stop the Ride! and Different Strokes posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood

Make It From Scratch gives us Home Canned Apple Pie Filling posted at Make It From Scratch

Lara DeHaven presents Making Hay While the Sun Shines posted at Texas Homesteader

Abi gives us "T" is 4 Tote.... posted at Lighter Side

Mr. Salsa gives us Mango Salsa Recipe with Carrots posted at Salsa Recipes for You, saying, "A really easy recipe to make mango salsa with carrots."

Alex presents How to Get Scuff Marks off of Hardwood Floors posted at Home Life Weekly, saying, "Wood floor full of scuffs?  Save yourself buying a new wood floor.  Removing the scuff marks on hardwood floors is really easy to do with this tip."

Linda Mundy gives us Creamed Corn and Basil Bake posted at LJM's Kitchen, saying, "This mouth-watering side dish is a taste of summer, featuring fresh sweet corn and a generous quantity of fresh, aromatic basil.  If the corn and basil are fresh from the garden, so much the better!"

Dora Renee Wilkerson presents A Good Chicken Sandwich posted at Knitting, horses and my family

Emma Evans presents WHy Kids Need Family Traditions and How to Start Them posted at Baby-Log

That concludes this edition.  Submit your blog article to the next edition of The Homesteading Carnival using our carnival submission form.  Past Posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

confectioners' frosting II

I tried this recipe for the last batch of cupcakes I made.  It is very good.  It has a nice consistency and tasted good too...  It is from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham.

Confectioners' Frosting II

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups confectioners' sugar, approximately

2 tablespoons cream or milk, approximately

     Cream the shortening and the salt together, then add the sugar and stir briskly.  Stir in the cream or milk and beat well, adding more sugar or more milk if necessary to get an easily spreadable consistency.  This is enough to frost and 8-inch two-layer cake.

peanut butter & jelly bars

This is another recipe from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten--I am sure getting my money's worth out of this cookbook!!  These bars are excellent!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups creamy peanut butter (18 ounces)

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups raspberry jam or other jam (18 ounces)

2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x13x2-inch baking pan.

     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until well combined. 

     In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.  Mix just until combined.

     Spread 2/3 of the dough in the prepared pan, using a knife to spread it evenly.  Spread the jam evenly over the dough.  Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam.  Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; the dough will spread when it bakes.  Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool and cut into small squares.

Makes 24 bars.

tri-berry muffins

This recipe came from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten.  These muffins are loaded with berries and are SOOOO good! 

Tri-Berry Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups milk

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

     Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

     Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl.  Stir with your hand to be sure the ingredients are combined.  In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and melted butter.  Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture, pour the wet mixture into the well, and stir until just combined.  There will be some lumps but don't overmix the batter!  Add the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and sugar  and stir gently to combine. 

     Using a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into the muffin cups to fill the liners.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean and the tops are nicely browned.

     Makes 16 to 18 muffins.

brownie cookies

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart's website.  I made them and took some to work, and everyone really liked them.  Then my friend Steve asked me to make hom some so he could take them to his buddies where he works.  They were a big hit there too!  My kids and hubby also loved them!

Brownie Cookies

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a sauce pan of simmering water.  Stir until melted, then let cool.

     In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until lightened in color.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until combined.  With mixer on low, alternately beat in chocolate and flour mixture; mix just until combined (do not overmix).

     Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cookie comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool.

quick and easy peach cobbler

My friend Steve at work gave me a big bag of peaches that needed to be used up fast--I got this recipe from cooks.com and everyone loved it!

Quick and Easy peach Cobbler

1 c. sugar

1 c. flour

3/4 c. milk

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 stick butter

1 (No. 2) can sliced peaches

   *6 to 8 fresh peaches can be used

     Sift flour, sugar and baking powder together and then add milk.  Stir thoroughly.  Melt butter in a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish.  Then drain all juice from peaches and arrange them in dish with the butter.  Next pour over the peaches the flour mixture.  DO NOT STIR.  Top with 1/4 cup sugar mixed with a dash of cinnamon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.