Mama Hen

My Chocolate Coffee Creamer - updated

• 1 c heavy cream

• 1 c milk (as a short cut, you can buy a pint of half and half instead of milk and cream, I buy organic)

• 1/2 c baking cocoa
  

• 1 1/2 c organic white sugar (this could probably be replaced with something else, but I haven't experimented with it)

• a pinch of salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, mix together the cocoa, sugar and salt.  Pour in the milk and cream (or half and half).  Stir well. Turn the heat on medium and very slowly bring it not quite to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk or heat-resistant rubber scraper .  You want everything completely dissolved.  When it just barely starts to bubble on the edges of the saucaepan, not quite boiling,*** remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, stirring for another 20 seconds or so.  Allow the mixture to cool a bit, stirring periodically.  Pour into a container and store it in your refrigerator. You can adjust the "chocolateyness" by increasing or reducing the amount of cocoa.  I store mine in a salad dressing carafe.  It only holds about half the batch, but it is easy to pour.  The other half I store in a jar with a lid, and just pour the jar into the carafe when that is emptied.

I plan on experimenting in the future with some other flavors, and will post successful results.

(Hint, hint.....this might be very good on some icecream too! )

(P.S. In "healthier" I meant real ingredients, not low-fat! LOL)

***I actually altered these instructions, as I used to have the mixture boiled for a minute.  But this caused a problem.  If the mixture boiled too long, we ended up with a VERY thick substance, that could barely even be poured.  By not boiling it, but simply dissolving everything, it works just fine, and stays a pourable consistency.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Blackberry Season! & Cobbler Recipe

It is blackberry season in our area, and for the first time I have gone a-pickin' and a-preservin'! LOL

You see, the other day we were out geocaching, and the kiddos and I found a "sea of blackberries" and I told my hubby about it.  He said, "I would really love some blackberry cobbler......do you think you could make some preserves?"

So.....the kiddos and I got up early the next morning and headed to the "spot." There were more blackberries than we could ever pick!  The first day, we came home with about 3 gallons or more of blackberries.

This is a big 13x15 pan, and it is only about 1/3 of what we picked.


Look at how big some of these are!


Then I set to work...I made 6 - 1/2 pints of blackberry preserves and 8 1/2 pints of blackberry jam. I am actually very proud of my successful endeavor.  I have never made any kind of preserves before, and the only thing I have ever "canned" was my first set of pickles last summer. But those didn't have to "process."

Some of them...


The next day, we went and picked some more...I made 7 - 1/2 pints of blackberry jelly and two batches of blackberry cobbler.  One for us, and one for hubby to take to work. Then I filled the freezer with quarts and quarts of fresh blackberries.

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This was very good, and very simple!

Blackberry Cobbler

1 c flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c milk
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, melted
2 1/2 c fresh blackberries
1/2 - 1 c sugar (to taste)

1. Place blackberries in a large bowl.  Pour in sugar, and gently stir to coat.
2. In an 8x8 square baking pan, blend flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
3. Pour in milk and stir with a fork until smooth.
   
4. Pour in butter, and again, stir with a fork until mixed.
5. Drop blackberries all over the top of the batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-55 minutes, until the "cake" part is golden brown.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Elation

I tried an experiment last night...and the result was absolutely fantastic!!  But we couldn't call it "that really fantastic blackberry preserve cream sauce cake thing," so we had to come up with a name....






Blackberry Elation

Cake:

1 1/3 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c vegetable shortening
2/3 c milk
1 Tb vanilla
1 egg
powdered sugar

1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Add shortening, milk and flavorings, beat 2 minutes with a mixer.
3. Add egg, and beat 2 more minutes.
4. Pour into a 9" round cake pan (greased & floured, or treated with the "pan-ease")
5. Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool on a rack 5-10 minutes, and gently remove cake from pan.  Cool.
7. Place on serving platter and dust with powdered sugar.
   

Creamy sauce:
1 8 oz. block of Neufchatel cheese (similar to cream cheese, but creamier)
1 cup (8 oz) of whipping cream
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a mixing bowl, beat cheese and cream until fluffy.
   
2. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form.

To serve:
 Cut a portion of cake, place on dessert plate.  Place about 1/4 c of cream sauce over the cake. Top with blackberry (or your favorite) preserves.

*If you have fresh sliced strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc....Place about 2 cups of fruit in a bowl.  Top with some sugar, stir, and allow to sit a couple hours in the refrigerator.  This will draw out the juices of the fruit and give you a wonderful sauce.  This can be used to top the dessert, ice cream or anything else

Enjoy!

Ginger Yaps - dog biscuit recipe

This is where two of our doggies stay whenever I am cooking.  (They KNOW they are not allowed in the kitchen when I am cooking, so they stay right at the edge, where the kitchen meets the living room, and watch me.)



A few of the "Ginger Yaps"
The children helped me cut out all different shapes. JD said they smelled really good and asked if people could eat them.  I said yes, but I didn't know if he would like them.  Well...he tried one and decided that the dogs shouldn't have them! ROFL!  So I told him I would make him some "people ones" soon


Did you say "treats?" (Bear and Griff)


Hickory wanting to know exactly Why I hadn't made him some treats too!

I guess I will have to try and figure out a recipe for some kitty treats too!

The Recipe:

“Ginger Yaps”

5 cups whole wheat flour (I used fresh ground, organic)

1 ½ Tbsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

¾ c applesauce

¾ c molasses

½ c honey

¼ c vegetable oil

1 egg.

Mix all ingredients together and then turn out onto a floured surface.  Knead dough until it is stiff.  (I probably added another cup of flour in the kneading.)   Roll out to ¼ inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.  Place on a cookie sheet and put into a preheated 375 degree oven.

Bake for 8 minutes and turn oven off, keeping oven door closed.  Let treats sit in the oven until hard, 1-2 hours.

Chocolate Pie

RECIPE: Chocolate Pie

1. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks, and set aside. 
   
2. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, corn starch and salt.  Stir in milk and begin to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.  Allow to boil for 1 minute and remove from heat.  You will need to "temper" the eggs before adding them to the pan. This can be a little tricky. (If you just add the eggs to the pan, you will have scrambled eggs in your chocolate sauce!)
   
3. With a large ladle, scoop some of the hot sauce (about a cup or so) and pour it into the eggs while beating the eggs with the other hand. Mix it together well, and pour it back into the pan.
   
4. Return pan to heat, and cook one more minute, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla, stirring until butter is melted and all is mixed smooth.
6. Pour sauce into pie shell.  Allow to cool to room temperature and then cover and place in refrigerator to chill.

Blondies

1. Grease a 9x13 baking pan, set aside; preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars, beat until fluffy. Beat iin vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time.
4. Beat in flour mixture.
   
5. Fold in nuts and toffee bits.
6. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool.

The Best Chocolate Frosting