Coca-Cola Cake

Does anyone need any introduction to this?  Do you need to be told how moist, chocolate-y, and delicious it is? 

I didn't think so.

Coca-Cola Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 sticks butter, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa power, divided

1-1/2 cups coca-cola, divided
1/2 cup buttermilk (**please see my note below in italics about buttermilk!)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix the first five ingredients in a heat-proof bowl.  While you're at it, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13" x 9" pan. (I'm sold on any recipe that has me "grease a 13 x 9 pan," if we're just telling the truth.)

In a saucepan over medium high heat stir 2 sticks butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1 cup coca-cola, and buttermilk together until boiling. 

**By the way, if you don't happen to have buttermilk just sitting around in your fridge (um, who does?) then you can easily do what I do:  measure out ALMOST the amount of buttermilk you need in regular milk, then top it off (a couple tablespoons - you can just eyeball it) with regular vinegar.  Let it sit for a few seconds and VOILA! You have buttermilk...or at least an equivalent.  I do this pretty much every, single time a recipe calls for buttermilk and it always turns out just fine. 

Remove saucepan from heat and slowly add to the flour mix.  Whisk until smooth and combined.  Then add eggs and vanilla extract.  Beat.

Pour batter into pan.  Bake for about 30 minutes.
  
While cake is baking, mix 1 stick butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 1/2 cup coca-cola in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once that boils, remove and slowly stir in powdered sugar and pecans. 

When cake is done and out of oven (toothpick should come out clean), pour this
warm glaze right over the top of the hot cake!

Cake should cool a bit, but can be served warm or room temperature. 

Prepare for the oooohs and ahhhhhhs as your guests or family delight in this.  This is super to take to family picnics/reunions/etc. 

Strawberry Custard Pie

Curt's request this week: Can you make a strawberry pie?

Why, SURE, man o' my dreams.

For the record, making pie crust from scratch is downright easy. One of the four (4!) ingredients is ice water, for crying out loud. Rolling out the dough can make a bit of a countertop mess - but who doesn't have paper towels and the ability to wipe up something? Heck, get the husbandator to clean up.

You made the pie, after all.

There are thousands of pie crust recipes out there, and I've used a few, but tried Ina Garten's today. Making it in the food processor is a BREEZE. Here's the link: Barefoot Contessa Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

By the way, Ina's recipe makes two 9-inch crusts, only one of which you'll need for this pie. Pop the other in the freezer and you've got homemade crust ready whenever you need it.







Do exactly as Obi -- I mean, Ina says. 


















You can get fancy with your crimping technique. I prefer the rustic approach. Simple.





Don't forget to prick your pie crust with a fork before baking. Otherwise, it puffs up in odd places in the oven. Ewwwww.

OK, so you've made the crust, now onto the pie. This pie has a creamy, custard filling (no Jello pudding here, folks) and a sweet glaze that you, once again, whip up using ingredients (water! sugar!) that we all have on hand.

Now you can buy a comparable pie in the store. Your man may be pleased. But I can guarantee you that his smile will be wider if you make this yourself. Come on.

Strawberry Custard Pie
(from Southern Living Annual Recipes 2000)

Here's a link to a printable version: Strawberry Custard Pie (printable)

1-1/3 cup sugar, divided
7 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell (see recipe in post above)
1 cup water, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
garnishes:  sweetened whipped cream, strawberries

Combine 2/3 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan; stir in milk.  Bring to a boil

over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Whisk milk mixture gradually into egg yolks until blended. Return mixture to saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until thickened.  Remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon hot filling into pastry shell. Stir together remaining 2/3 cup sugar,

remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons water.

Bring remaining water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar mixture.  Cook, whisking

constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened and clear.  Remove from heat.

Stir in lemon juice and food coloring; cool. Fold strawberries into syrup mixture.  Spoon over custard

mixture; Chill 4 hours. Garnish, if desired.

Ironically, I got a little peeved when I opened the refrigerator door and found I had no room in which to store my freshly-made pie. 





A stocked fridge is a BLESSING. It means we have food to eat. It means we don't have to go out for supper. The fact that it's cramped and sticky and needs organizing is secondary. Thank you, Lord, for your bounty. And for refrigeration, for that matter.

So the lesson today, folks: Make your own pie crust. And be grateful.

When you see me out at the grocer, complaining to high heaven, with store-bought pastry in my shopping cart, remind me of this post.

I've been away for a while. . .

. . . taking care of little man and reveling in mommy-hood. 

Every mother-to-be should be warned that she will fall so in-love with her baby while giving him baths that she may want to eat him.

I'm also sure that infants grow at the speed of light - so on a Tuesday, they have begun sitting up in their crib and the next morning, they are doing algebra.

Cecily has compiled a list of words to help Perry with his spelling when he approaches (according to her heading) the 3-5 year age range.  She may be the coolest bonus daughter EVER.

This is some impressive penmanship, I might add.

Happy spring to all!

Layered Peppermint Cheesecake Cake and Expectation

Another overblown blog title. I promise there will be a killer recipe, with photos, at the end. 

SOOOOOOOO anywhoo, there are these women - Hollywood starlet-types - who profess to LOVING being with child so much that they would just be tickled to death to be pregnant all the time.  You've seen them interviewed.  I've heard them quoted before. 

What medications are they abusing?

Now these nine months have gone exceptionally well. God is good. But there's no way I would prefer to be in this state 24/7/365.  Your ankles swell to the size of Sequoias.  What used to be easy tasks (putting on socks, sitting down, standing up, moving in general, etc.) become Olympic events.

Two things make it all better:  pedicures and bubble baths.  They force me to be STILL and WITH my feet up, which helps greatly with the before-mentioned Redwood-Forest issue.

For readers concerned that Baby Boy Downey would have no where to lay his little head - we've progressed on the nursery.  And Curt has laid down hardwood floors in this "wing" of the house.  ("Wing" brings to mind images of a Gothic manse a la some Bronte novel, one in which the plucky heroine stumbles upon an abandoned suite of rooms, festooned with grime and gilt edges and prickles of ghosts. . . but I digress, horribly and predictably.)

But, as you can see, we're/I'm still not done.  But at least BBD won't be sleeping in the bathtub.

Oh! Wasn't there supposed to be something about a Layered Peppermint Cheesecake Cake in this post?  Well, folks, feast your eyes on this, which is actually MUCH simpler to execute than you would think.  Click on the link below for the recipe. 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/layered-peppermint-cheesecake-00420000008157/

Their finished product is snazzier than mine, but I'm just humble enough to show you what our homespun kitchen produced.  It tasted good.

Merry Christmas to all!  May we remember that the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place is because of our overwhelming joy that our SAVIOR, Christ the King, was born one night in Bethlehem, the same Savior about whom prophecies had spoken for centuries, the same Savior who died for our sins years later. . . the same Savior who gives abundant life, in this world and the next, to those who know Him!

Happy Veterans Day

This day should cause us all to consider our blessings as Americans and it should fill our hearts with gratitude for those who have served us in the United States military.

What have these men and women's sacrifices enabled me to do?  (I'm in a reflective mood, people.)

It's 7:30 a.m., and so far this morning I have done the following:

1.  woken up in a warm, comfortable home, where I feel safe and free from attack.  There are no mortar shells exploding over my head and no one is trying to mess with me.  I can pretty much do as I please today.

2.  walked out to the driveway to procure our newspaper.  Soldiers have died to ensure and protect our freedoms, one of which is freedom of the press.  Our nation's founders, those who crafted the documents that define our liberties, took great personal risks for my sake. Many of them were or became veterans.  Their sons and grandsons took up the cause of freedom and fought alongside others to defend our way of life, the one you and I enjoy today.

3.  turned on our sprinkler to water our lawn.  WHAT???? You mean, I have extraneous, clean water that I can just use to hydrate my petty camellias???  In many places in our world, people have no access to safe drinking water and I am using it on plants.  Our soldiers fight and die so that Americans can continue to prosper and thrive (to a ridiculous degree) without threat.

Thank you, veterans - past, present, and future - who courageously, selflessly, and sacrificially give their all.   Thank you to my Papaw, my father-in-law, my great uncle, and the thousands of others.  Thank you.

Hobo Dinners

What is it about fall that makes us all want to "nest?" 

Today was the first legitimately cool day of the season.  We are always inclined to make comfort foods - warm, hearty dishes that make us feel good - during this time of year.

Hobo Dinners are no exception.

My mother made these when I was growing up.  I am not sure why they are called "hobo dinners" but as a child I assumed that nomadic, train-hopping men with scruffy beards and overalls carried the ingredients for this dish around in their little bandanna bags tied on their sticks.  Whenever they "made camp," they would whip up this tasty little meal.  I supposed someone was there to document the event and record the recipe for posterity.

Now that I'm older and (presumably) wiser, I know that these are a great mid-week meal that you can make quickly and that kids enjoy because they get their own little individual packet of fun!  You can customize using any vegetables you have on hand.

Hobo Dinners

ground beef
potatoes, diced
onions, sliced
carrots, diced
any other vegetables
olive oil, Worcestershire sauce


1.  Form ground beef into patties, just as if you were making hamburgers.  I usually add some Worcestershire sauce and diced onion.

2.  Lay the patty onto a square of aluminum foil and top with chopped vegetables.  I almost always use carrots, potatoes, and onions and but will add whatever I happen to have in the fridge.  Tonight I threw in some chopped red and yellow peppers.  Mushrooms, squash, zucchini. . . anything would be good.

3.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, garlic powder, some Worcestershire, and olive oil.  I add a pat or two of butter, also.  Can't hurt. 

4.  Fold foil to make a little "packet."  Isn't this the cutest little meal ever?  It's very Girl Scout-y.  Bake at 400 degrees until done. 

Open with caution - steam will escape and it will be hot!

We're having a BABY!!!

Come January, there will be a mini-Curt gurgling up formula and pooping in his little britches.  I hope Baby Boy Downey (let's just call him "BBD") will be just like his Daddy. 

Now is the time for the frenzy of baby preparations.  Or at least it should be. 

So many of my gifted and assiduous girlfriends find out they are preggo and then in a matter of mere days, the nursery is impeccably appointed, buzzing with readiness for the bundle of joy. The entire project, start-to-finish, is documented via Facebook for all to ga-ga- over. 

Needless to say, I do not have any cute nursery photographs to show because, er, the nursery isn't READY yet.  This would be because I am a a procrastinator. Every last friend I have is nodding their head.  Really, I am a "crock pot" kind of gal.  That is, I like to mull over a project or assignment or event for, say, months on end.  It's not like I'm not working on it in my brain. I am. But for my marvelous, no complaints, get-it-done-in-the-blink-of-an-eye Husbandator, it's probably frustrating.

I've heard it said that procrastinators tend to be perfectionists - which, on the surface at least, doesn't make any sense at all, but upon further reflection seems quite logical.  We want every detail to be so perfect that we have a difficult time "self-starting" (to use a popular term.)  See, I'm not so bad.  Or maybe I'm twice as bad now. Go figure. 

So here is my once-glorious closet that is now deserted - and will soon become BBD's domain.  Yes, I said closet.  Please do not report us to DHR.  This closet has it's own zip code.  We could have converted the guest room into a nursery, but what is the point of having a precious baby boy if not to have family and friends come to stay to visit him?

Fingers crossed, everyone, that BBD will come home to a finished nest.  It's gotta be perfect, you know.  :)

Birthday Wishes and Cream Cheese Pound Cake

We just celebrated a 10-year-old birthday. Hard to believe! This girl is growing into a beautiful, poised, intelligent, loving, funny young lady.

She requested a "plain pound cake" for her birthday, which made her grandfather really happy because he loves it and was here to commemorate the event with us.

I made my old stand-by, Cream Cheese Pound Cake.  Pound cake may be the easiest dessert to make.  It's a great place for a novice baker to start because it's virtually fool-proof, even making it from scratch. 

This recipe came from  my mother or my Nana or my Mother Rene, but I'm not certain which one.  I've made it so many times and for so many years that I forget. 

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
1-1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a sturdy mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour then vanilla extract.  Pour into a greased and floured 9" bundt pan. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours, until golden brown.  Let sit for a few minutes in pan then invert onto rack for cooling.

Your slice of cream cheese pound cake may best be enjoyed after running through a sprinkler, especially given that autumn is right around the corner and you won't be able to do that much longer.

There is no frigate like a book to take us lands away

Don't you just love Emily Dickinson?

I made a recent observation.  Looking up from my spot on the couch, I saw that all three of us sitting there had a nose in a book.  Minutes later, I spotted the other of our family of four reading a book while brushing his teeth.

Boy, we are some readin' rascals.

There's so much to do in our busy lives . . . so much zaps our time.  This is why seeing people enjoying reading brings me so much pleasure.

Reading is a personal habit.  As an English teacher, I can say without reservation that avid readers tend to be better writers, better communicators, and better students.  I'd be willing to suggest that this makes them better employees, citizens, and contributing members of families and society.

But enough with the sobering facts.  Sometimes, it's just fun, you know.

Nutty Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

There are oatmeal cookie people, and there are chocolate chip cookie people.  This recipe bridges the gap between the two.

There are several adaptations/unexpected twists to the usual recipe:  instead of using chocolate chips, I used chopped Hershey bars.  Yum.  And though the recipe didn't call for it, I threw in some dried blueberries.  Finally, I used a cocktail mix for the nuts instead of just pecans - we needed to use up a can in the pantry.  Here's a post that explains my theory on "making do" with recipe ingredients instead of blowing a gasket. It made for an interesting texture and taste in the finished product.

Because you process the oats until they are ground, they are less "visible" and the cookie might be more appealing to those who don't like oatmeal.

Nutty Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

1-1/8 cup uncooked regular oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (1.55 ounce) Hershey candy bars, chopped
3/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I used a cocktail mix for variety - peanuts, almonds, pecans, etc. - but you can simply use pecans or walnuts or whatever you have on hand)
1/2 cup dried blueberries

1.  Process oats in a blender or food processor until ground.

2.  Beat butter and sugars at medium speed in a mixer until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and blend.

3.  Combine ground oats, flour, and next three ingredients.  Add to butter mixture and beat.  Stir in chocolate and nuts.

4.  Drop dough by tablespoons (I use a medium ice cream scoop instead) onto baking sheets.

5.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Makes approximately 2-3 dozen.

Get your cold glass of milk ready!