Snowing and I am baking

Hello from a lovely snowy day in Colorado. It is a perfect day to be in the kitchen baking. I have classical music on, a candle burning and still in my jammies! I love to bake in my PJ's. I put the cute apron on that I got in England last year and make the biggest mess you have ever seen.

I dirty almost every dish and baking tool in my kitchen. Flour is always all over the floor and counters are sticky. And in awhile the yummy smells come out of the oven and I am transported back to my mom's kitchen. She also was a very messy baker. I always got the dish washing job after one of her baking sprees. I grew up really knowing how to wash dishes. But my mom wasnt a very patient teacher, so I never really learned to cook or bake from her. I just got to clean up!

But now that I am cooking through her recipe box, and I trying to learn to be as great of a cook as she was. Here are two of the recipes I would love to share with you today. Happy Baking!

Coffee Cake   9x11 pan      350 degrees  35 minutes

2 1/2 c flour
1 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup veg. oil

Mix well...save 1/2 c for topping

1t. baking soda
1t. baking powder
1 c buttermilk
1 egg
nuts  raisins  optional

Add to above and mix at med. speed

Sprinkle with topping before baking.



Fresh Apple Cake  9x11 pan  350 degrees  45 minutes

1/2 c butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t vanilla
1c. chopped nuts
4 c. diced apples

Cream butter and sugar
Add eggs
Sift dry ingredients and add all together. Mix

Mom's Recipe Box

Happy 2016. I decided that my New Years Resolution this year was going to be cooking through my mom's recipe box that I inherited when she passed a few years ago. My mom was an AMAZING cook so this could only turn out good, right?

Well...the first recipe was for her amazing Apple Cake. The recipe was written in my handwriting and when I looked it over I remembered my mom asking me when I was in Jr. High to rewrite some of her recipes over in better handwriting than the original cards had been written. I got out my grandma's mixing bowl, my mom's recipe and all the ingredients that were on the list. Mixing, baking, tasting. YUCK! What was that strong chemical taste? This was a great delicious cake when my mom made it...what happened?

So in my Jr. High years I wasnt very precise with my copying skills and instead of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda I had transcribed 2 teaspoons! Oh my...that does not taste so great when you take a big bite of it hot out of the oven. So into the trash that went and red pen was used to correct that error on the 3x5 card. Lesson learned.

Since that day I have made quite a few of her recipes and tonight is no exception. Chop Suey is on the menu. I will include her recent recipes with each of my blogs, and I hope you will try them out and let me know how you enjoyed them. Happy Cooking!

Millie's Recipes

Apple Cake

4 eggs                                                                    
2/3 cup veg. oil                                                  
3 cups sugar                                                          
2 t. vanilla                                                        
2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t cinnamon
4 cups flour

1cup walnut pieces
5 apples diced

Stir by hand first 8 ingredients
Add nuts and apples. Stir well.
Put in greased Bundt pan.
Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour


Apple Crisp

Peel and dice apples to fill a 6x10 inch greased baking dish
Mix-
1 c flour                                                                
1/2 t. cinnamon                                                    
1/2-1 cup sugar                                                    
1t. baking powder
1 t salt
1 egg
Mix and spread over apples.
Pour 1/3 c melted butter over all.
Bake 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes



Pineapple Pork Chops and Rice

6 thin pork chops(or chicken breasts)                                                
2 T. butter                                                              
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple                                
1 cup of water or a little more if needed                
3/4 t salt                                                                  
1 1/2 cups Minute rice                                            
 Season and brown pork chops in butter
Add pineapple. Reduce heat : cover and simmer till tender.
Cook about 20 minutes. Move chops to one side:add water and salt.
Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.                                                                              


Chop Suey

4 c pork cubes browned                                        
4 c diced celery                                                    
4 c diced onions                                                    
1-1 1/2 c water                                                  
                                                                           
Add all together and let simmer in pan with lid on.                                                                        
Add to skillet:
2 T Soy Sauce
1 T Molasses
1 can bean sprouts
1 can mushrooms
Mix together and heat through.                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                             .

Hope you enjoy. More recipes to follow as I test them out.