Mondays with Mom Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I remember the first time I made chocolate chip pudding cookies. My mom had clipped out the recipe from a newspaper...she was always doing that! 

In fact, I can't even tell you how many newspaper clippings she kept. Now that I think back on it, that was really one of her hobbies. I think most of them were for recipes though. Like me, she loved trying out new recipes and had quite a collection of them. I enjoy reading through them, all yellowed with age! She would get a kick out of knowing I still have them.

Anyway, Mom and I thought this recipe sounded interesting...what would adding a package of pudding taste like? So we made a batch, and we loved them! Sweet and delicious, they were a winner. The texture was a bit more cake like, and they kept well for days. Mom liked to freeze them. AND I liked to raid the freezer and eat them frozen...they are even better that way!

I made this recipe tons of times when my kids were small too, but somewhere down the line I kind of forgot about them and stopped making them.

But the other day I felt like doing some baking, and this recipe popped in my mind, so I made a batch. As you can see in the photo one cookie is missing.....

I couldn't even wait to take the photo...I HAD to have one...lol! 

When Brent came home he ate one...ok..more like 3 or 4....and the first thing he said was, "you haven't made these for years!" 

I guess I'll be making these more often!

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp.soda

1 c. butter, softened

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding

2 eggs

1 c. or more of chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugars, stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour,soda,and pudding. Mix well and stir in the chocolate chips. Bake on greased cookie sheets at 350 until lightly browned.

Blueberry Bars....... Monday's with Mom

                               

                                                       

I haven't had much time to give my blog some love this past year so I'm going to try to remedy that. Now that we have moved back into our home, I won't be doing as much traveling back and forth anymore. Brent will still be commuting to work though, but for the most part I am now in one place!

 I SHOULD have more time for lots of cookin' and posting.... that's the plan anyway!

Several people have asked me for more Monday's with Mom posts, so I dug out some of her recipes. I came across tons of them that she had cut out from newspapers and magazines. The ones she had tried, she always put the date she made it and maybe a note beside it. I still do the same. I always mark every recipe, so my cookbooks are kind of a mess...especially my fave ones.

 I also have the habit mom taught me of planning every holiday meal to the tee....with a final copy of my recipes written out on an index card. I keep them all, dated by year, so I know what I have served the year before, and also if the dish was a keeper or not. Yes...I do try new recipes on holidays or even for entertaining....I try new recipes ALL the time. Nobody seems to mind...even if one is a flop! I know I should test them before.... but that seldom happens!

It's alot of fun to come across a note about a meal that my mom planned....brings back so many good memories. It's also fun to see her collections....I'll find several recipes using garden produce....then several with no-sugar...Christmas...etc. Now I know what she was up to all those long cold northern winters when I was growing up! She always sat at the kitchen table, the warmest place in the house, while Dad and I watched TV in the living room. She was cutting out recipes! And reading her Bible. She did alot of that too.

The Blueberry Bars she had made for a church potluck, and had marked it as a keeper. I don't ever remember trying it, and I had some fresh blueberries in the frig, so I gave it a go.

The verdict is .....she was right! It's a keeper. It's really not too sweet, which was what I was expecting, and it tastes especially great warm....with a dab of ice cream on top. I LOVE the hint of cinnamon.

Mom would be pleased to know I have followed her footsteps collecting recipes...and that her granddaughter does too. In fact, my daughter probably has the most recipes of all 3 of us and is one of the best bakers I know. That would make mom really happy too!

Blueberry Bars

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. flour

pinch of salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together., and add:

1 stick butter

1 egg

Mix until crumbly, and pat half the mix into a 9" greased pan.

Mix in another bowl:

2 c. blueberries

1/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Pour on top of  the crumb in the pan, and then sprinkle the rest of the reserved crumb mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 min. until lightly browned. 

Fannie Farmer Fudge....Monday's with Mom

I was NOT going to make fudge this year.

 It's not a safe thing to do....I'll eat the whole pan myself!

But....what if I just made a quick recipe, in a smaller pan, and I shared most of it with my friends?

It didn't take long to talk myself into it, as you can see!

I usually make a 9 x 13 pan of Fantasy Fudge, it's the the one my mom and I always made when I was growing up. She would store it in the back porch along with several other Christmas goodies. I would grab a knife on my way out the back door and cut a hunk every once in awhile. It was freezing out there, and I never stopped to put boots or a coat on! But the fudge was worth it. You know, she never said a thing when over half the pan was gone by Christmas Eve! LOL!

Sometimes on rare occasions during the rest of the year, though, she would let me make a small pan of fudge with ingredients we always had on hand. She would find this recipe in her book and dig out the ingredients, and before we knew it we had a 8" pan of chocolaty fudge! It was called, "Fannie Farmer Fudge."

I have never had the real Fannie Farmer fudge, so I have no idea if it's the same or not! But I have had plenty of Fannie Farmer boxed candies, and they are delish! I think this fudge is too.

So I dug out all the ingredients and made a pan. I thought about mom, and all the wonderful Christmases we had together making fudge. It was a great day!

Then the next day, I boxed it up and brought it over to my friends!

Fannie Farmer Fudge

2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp.butter

2/3 cup carnation milk

10 large marshmallows

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional

Boil the sugar, butter, milk, and marshmallows for 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Take off the burner and add the chocolate chips,nuts, and vanilla. Stir until the chips are melted and pour into a buttered 8" square pan.

Monday's with Mom Butterscotch Brownies

My mom belonged to a club called Faculty Wives in the 50's and 60's. I'm not even sure what that was! I think it was the teachers wives from the school faculty that belonged to it. 

 I know they got together about once a month and had coffee. I think the group also did fund raisers and things for the community. My dad was the high school principal, so I suppose that's why she joined.

I mostly remember helping her bake for it when she had to serve. Sometimes she would come home with a recipe or two from some of the other members. That was always fun! We would make it together, they were always so good!

One of the recipes she brought home was this one for Butterscotch Brownies. It was from the math teacher's wife. Mom always put the persons name down by the recipe when she copied them into her recipe book, along with little notes about the recipe.  I love reading them!

It's a simple recipe...an oldie...they taste best warm from the oven!

Chewy and gooey!

Butterscotch Brownies

1/4 c. butter, melted 

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 c.flour

1 tsp.baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c chopped nuts

Melt the butter, stir in the brown sugar and set aside to cool slightly. Stir in egg and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, and add. Stir well. Add nuts. Pour into a parchment lined 9" pan and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. Best served warm!

Monday's with Mom..... Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries...do you prefer from a can or homemade? 

It seems everyone has their favorite, and canned usually get bashed for being too jelly like and phony. My family has always preferred the canned though, including me!

But my mom usually made her own cranberry sauce for the holidays...she very seldom bought it from a can. (I didn't even know it came in a can for many years...LOL!)  I used to love to watch her make it. I liked to see the cranberries pop, and the bright red color was always so appealing. It looked so good, and smelled so good, but was always way TOO tart for me. I filled up on turkey and stuffing instead!

 But it wasn't Thanksgiving if mom didn't make it and I saw it sitting on the dining room table. She always had a lace tablecloth, and the red looked beautiful on the white lace. The dish was crystal, with a pedestal...so they looked pretty fancy to me!

This year as I was scrolling through recipes for the holidays, I found her recipe for cranberries. So I made a batch, and now as an adult, I can say I really LOVE them! Not too tart anymore, just right. I love the hint of orange, it adds such a bright, delicious flavor.

I wonder what my family will say? I plan to have a can on hand... just in case!!!

Cranberry Sauce

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries

1 c. sugar

1 c. orange juice

Combine all in a sauce pan and cook about 10 minutes until cranberries burst and pop. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Monday's with Mom 7 Layer Salad

One of my favorite salads that my mom used to make was the old fashioned, ever present pot luck favorite....THE 7 Layer Salad!

This salad was present at just about every function up north while I was growing up, right beside the hot dish and jello. It's such an easy salad to bring anywhere, and of course it tastes GREAT!

I'm not so sure about the 7 layers though. This used to bother me when I was little....as I would count the layers and always came up with more than were in the salad! Mom's recipe has 8 if you count the topping as one layer, and the cheese as another layer. And most people throw whatever they have on hand in....like chopped eggs, tomatoes, etc. making even more layers!

Regardless of how many layers, it's always a hit. It looks beautiful in a glass bowl, but back then, I ALWAYS saw it in a 9x13 pan, and that's how I make it too. 

7 Layer Salad

1 head of lettuce, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 package frozen peas,thawed

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped red or green pepper

Topping:

1 1/4 c. real mayo

2/3 c. Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. sugar

In a 9 x13 glass pan, layer the lettuce, onion, peas, bacon,celery and peppers. Mix the mayo, Parmesan cheese and sugar. Spread over all, and sprinkle with shredded cheddar. Refrigerate until chilled.

Monday's with Mom .....Swedish Nut Cake

My mom loved walnuts and pecans, and usually leaned towards recipes that featured them, like this Swedish Nut Cake. The frosting is covered with them, and some are also included inside the cake. You are sure to get some in every bite!

This is a super moist cake, as it has a can of pineapple WITH juice. It's a great dessert for any occasion, but mom often made it for company. She always kept bags of nuts in the freezer, and I do too. It's so handy to have them on hand for recipes like this one...and for snacking of course!

Swedish Nut Cake

1 c. sugar

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

 10 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice

1 egg

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Mix well and pour into a 9" greased pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. 

When cool frost with:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. butter softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar

Mix well and spread on top of cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans.

Monday's with Mom...Fruit Cocktail Cake

I haven't posted a Monday's with Mom for a long time!

Today I'm sharing a cake mom made often for clubs and organizations that she belonged too. In those days, they ALWAYS served a dessert at every meeting. 

She always kept boxed cake mixes, cans of pie filling, and cans of fruit on hand for quick and easy recipes like this one.

One of her favorite pastimes was to sit at the kitchen table and read the paper or magazines....clipping out interesting recipes to try. Now I find myself doing the same thing, and have passed that tradition on to my daughter. My mom would get such a kick out of knowing her granddaughter does the same thing she loved to do too!

I remember eating this cake many times. It's SO moist and scrumptious...a perfect quick dessert for coffee or actually any occasion.

The brown sugar topping is delish!

Fruit Cocktail Cake

3/4 c. sugar

1 c. flour

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

14 oz. can fruit cocktail with juice

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour into a greased 8"pan.

Mix and top with:

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4. tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes.

Monday's with mom....Cinnamon French Toast

Most Sundays I like to make a brunch after church. We love breakfast type foods! Eggs..bacon...pancakes...they are all SO good!

 I used to make a big meal with some type of meat and mashed potatoes and gravy EVERY SUNDAY, complete with several sides and a dessert. But with just the two of us, we don't really need that much heavy food. I guess I always had big Sunday dinners because that's what my mom always did. Her specialty was roast beef..she browned it in her cast iron skillet and finished it in the oven. It always just fell apart. And her gravy...well..it was just the best! I can never seem to make it like she did.

One of my brunch favorites to make is french toast. My mom used to make it for me for breakfast before I ran off to school many mornings. She never measured much of anything and it always tasted perfect! One time I watched while she made it, and wrote down "about" what she used. It was one of the first things I learned to cook by myself. It's probably one of the first things everyone learned..it's so simple and easy. But I was so proud that I could make it myself!

Now days, I like to add some cinnamon and sugar, and I use real cream. Mom never used french bread either, just regular store bought. Either way, it's delicious! 

I usually serve this for brunch with fresh fruit and an egg bake. It makes two meals for us, as it reheats well in the microwave. I say, "usually" as sometimes its hard to limit Brent to just 2 pieces..he loves it! As soon as he smells the cinnamon.... he's headed to the table!

Cinnamon French Toast

4 eggs

1/4 c. cream (or milk)

1/2 tsp.vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. sugar

8 slices French bread

Beat the eggs, cream and vanilla. Mix the cinnamon and sugar and stir into the egg mixture. Dip the bread into the mixture and fry in butter until golden brown on both sides. Serve with more butter and maple syrup.

Patriotic 7 Layer bars....Monday's with Mom

Happy Memorial Day!

When I was growing up, we always had picnics on Memorial Day. Usually we went to a park at a local lake. It was always a fun day. Dad would bring along the baseball and gloves and we would all play catch. Sometimes it was a Frisbee or a football. Mom would bring a blanket and watch. She was ALWAYS cold even when it was 80! She wore a sweater and scarf over her ears all summer long. You remember these..she had them in every color!

The meal was usually grilled hot dogs, beans, homemade potato salad and Old Dutch potato chips.

( In later years it was Barrel O Fun chips) Dessert was usually a cake or bars. BUT she always made it patriotic. If it was an angel food cake, she would frost it with red, white and blue icing.

So in honor of mom today, I made some well known "7 layer bars"...with some patriotic M & M's of course!

Have a great day everybody! 

Patriotic 7 Layer Bars

1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. grahams, crushed

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. M & M's

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 c. shredded coconut

Heat oven to 350. Place the butter in a 9 x 13 pan and put in the oven until melted. Remove and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs on top, then the chocolate chips, and walnuts. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over all. Sprinkle with the coconut and top with M & M's.Press down slightly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until edges start to brown. Cool before cutting.

Monday's with Mom...Walnut Cookies

My mom LOVED walnuts. She always had a bag in the freezer and put them in almost every cookie or bar she made. You know how the recipes often say,"nuts optional?" Well, they were always an option for her!

She often baked cookies to take to various meetings and organizations, and lucky me...I would get to taste one before she left! BUT only one,"these aren't for home" she would say when I complained.

I think she often baked at home when she was growing up too, as I found one of her very old cookbooks from her hometown church with lots of recipes that had comments or were circled from when she was a kid.  I guess growing up in a family of eight, one would need lots of goodies! Her father ran a "five and dime" variety store and I know she often worked there, especially around the holidays. But she must have had time for baking too, from the looks of this cookbook.

This recipe she had marked as "good" and if I remember correctly, she made them to take to a teachers meeting once,too. Of course, they had walnuts!

I had to find out if this was the recipe I remembered, and so I made them. I couldn't wait to take a bite, so I ate one right from the oven.

 I was kinda disappointed.

While they tasted ok, they just weren't what I remembered. 

SO I went and ran a few errands, came back and decided to eat another one.

NOW they tasted how I remembered! 

Yes....a delightful, slightly crispy, sugary coating that dipping them in the egg white and sugar gives them, with the soft center and crunchy walnut on top. 

A great sugar cookie!

This has happened to me before with different baked goods, they taste MUCH better later, sometimes even the next day. I'm not sure why that is,but I'm glad I gave them another try...delicious! Just like mom had made.

Old Fashioned Walnut Cookies

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1/2 c. walnut halves

1 egg yolk (reserve white for dipping)

vanilla ( I used about a teaspoon)

Combine ingredients and form dough into balls and dip each into egg white and sugar. Place a walnut on each one, pat down and bake on greased cookie sheets at 350 for about 5-10 minutes until lightly brown on the bottoms. Cool a bit and remove from cookie sheet.

Monday's with Mom..Spanish Rice Hotdish

I'm not sure why this is called Spanish Rice, but that's what my mom called it. The original recipe she found in her trusty ole Betty Crocker cookbook. She always omitted the onion and green peppers,sometimes even the cheese on top... not sure why she did that either! Maybe she just used whatever she had on hand when she needed to make a quick meal. She always served it with salad greens from the garden.... and of course...bread and butter. I don't think she ever set out a meal without bread and butter!

But I loved it, however she made it! There is something about the combo of rice, tomatoes and bacon with the gooey cheese smothering it all that is just plain delicious.

I haven't had it in years, and as the craving for it just wouldn't go away, I made it! It was even better than I remembered.

Spanish Rice

1 c. rice, cooked according to package directions (makes 3 cups)

1/2 package bacon, cooked until crisp and diced

1 can diced tomatoes (about 2 cups)

shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the rice with the tomatoes. Put in a greased casserole. Top with bacon and cheese. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. ( can add diced onion and green peppers if desired..just cook them in the bacon fat)

Lemon Pudding Cake.....Monday's with Mom

As I was cruising around Pinterest the other day, I noticed MC Munaty Cooking had pinned some lemon pudding cakes...I stopped..and followed the pin..could it be the recipe I have been looking for, for such a long time? My mom made the BEST lemon pudding cake, and I never was able to find it in among her recipes, and have been looking for a similar one for years.

I read the ingredients and looked at the pictures, it SURE looked like the lemon dessert my mom used to make. But I had tried several before, and they hadn't even been close.

These were made in ramekins, and mom used to make it in a casserole dish. Hmm. It was such a small recipe and I always have a lemon on hand, so why not? I gave it a try.

I was in heaven stirring up this recipe, with the fresh clean smell of lemons all around me, and anticipating how sweet and tangy these would taste. I remembered how I loved coming home from school and smelling this cooking in the oven. Mom made it quite often, so it must have been a favorite of hers,too. 

I could hardly wait to take them out of the oven and let them cool. I had to go into my craft room and start a project to force myself to stay away!

Finally they were room temp, and I grabbed a spoon and dug in. 

Yep. This was IT! 

Creamy, slightly tangy lemon pudding underneath a sweet moist cake," double dessert" mom used to say. I knew it was the same recipe she had made so many years ago!

Lemon Pudding Cake

MC Cooking

1 egg white, beat until soft peaks form, set aside

 Mix  and beat in a separate bowl;

1 egg yolk

5 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. butter

Add and beat in to this mixture:

1/2 c. milk

Add and whisk gently into this mixture:

2 1/2 Tbsp. flour

pinch of salt

Fold in the beaten egg white gently.

Pour into 2 greased ramekins. ( they should hold about a half a cup) Set in a pan and fill with water until it reaches about half way up the ramekins. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until golden on top. Serve at room temp sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Monday's with Mom ....I found it!!!

My very first cookbook was the Betty Crocker Cook Book for Boys and Girls, I had every page memorized. I tried almost every recipe in that book, and it was like a good friend to me.

But somehow, somewhere down the line, it disappeared. Maybe my older sister has it, I'm not sure. I think it was originally hers anyway, and passed on to me. But I haven't seen it in years.

Until...my daughter and hubby came up for the weekend and we took them to our favorite tiny used bookstore in town. Both of them (and Brent) love to read action books, so they like to hit every used bookstore they can. They still appreciate reading from a real book..no Kindle for them..yet.. anyway!

I was digging around in a box on the floor while they were looking.....and there it was....my old Betty Crocker cookbook for kids!!!! I was SO excited! It's a reproduction of the original, but still dear to me. AND it was only 2 bucks! The first thing I thought of was my mom, and how she taught me to cook using that book.  

 

Mom literally let me cook and bake any time I wanted. I can't ever remember her saying no. If we had the ingredients on hand she always said yes...and if we didn't.... she would put them on her list. She was always by my side as I was baking, giving me hints and tips she had learned along the way. 

Well, as soon as the kids left for home ( we had a great time) I took the cookbook out and read it from cover to cover. Then I made a list of all the recipes I wanted to make again that are so familiar to me from my childhood. 

First on the list were the Brownies. 

Of course it would be a recipe with chocolate! If I could have a dime for every time I made these, I'd be rich by now. Honestly, they were such a favorite of just about everyone. My friends and I made them all the time, and ate the whole pan as soon as they were cool enough to handle. Rich and fudgy...just like a good brownie should be. No icing needed on these!

SO, I made them, and with the first bite, I closed my eyes, and I was back home again, in the kitchen... with mom!

Brownies

(BC Cook Book for Boys and Girls)

2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz. )

1/3 c. shortening

Put in a mixing bowl. Set bowl in a pan of hot water and let melt. ( I used a microwave..didn't have one back then..haha)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

Beat into chocolate mixture.

3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir altogether. ( can add 1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional)

Spread in a greased 8" square pan and bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.

Swedish Sugar Toast..Monday's with Mom

My mom was mostly of Swedish heritage, and my dad Norwegian. This was a constant joke between them for as long as I can remember. They would lovingly tease each other, almost daily.

Which was the best? Being Norwegian or Swedish? 

I grew up hearing comments like, "that must be how Swedes do that" or "you are as stubborn as a Norwegian!" "Swedes are sweet!" Then they would laugh.. it was a special joke between them.

We celebrated both heritages at Christmas time, with several dishes from both sides of the family. My mom made the most incredible Swedish Toasted Coconut Cookies and Swedish meatballs. She only made them during the holidays. 

BUT one thing she did make almost daily when I was a kid were, "wind sandwiches." She would take some white bread, butter it, sprinkle sugar on it, and send me outside to eat it in the wind! I LOVED this!

I don't know if "wind sandwiches" were just a way to get me out of the house or not, but it worked!

Sometimes she would toast the bread and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. She told me her mom used to do the same, but added cardamom to the mixture. Mom never kept cardamon on hand, but bought it fresh every Christmas to make Kringler. So my wind sandwiches didn't have cardamon in them very often. They were delicious either way, and I was always asking mom, "Is it windy today?" 

Those are fun memories, and I decided it was time to have a wind sandwich {Swedish Sugar Toast} once again. So I made one, toasted, with cardamon, and ate it outside in the wind!

Swedish Sugar Toast

Mixture:

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cardamon

1/8 tsp. clove

soft butter

white bread

Mix the sugar, cinnamon,cloves, and cardamon. Butter the bread, sprinkle with mixture and toast in the oven at 350 for about  to 10 minutes. Eat in the wind!

Monday's with Mom...Potato Salad

Mom made the BEST potato salad!

But then again, I suppose everyone thinks their mom makes the best, haha!

It's just one of those everyday recipes that always tasted better when mom made it, you know? Like blueberry pie and fried chicken. I can never make them like she did, no matter how hard I try!

Mom made potato salad for every picnic. Our family went on lots of picnics, the lake was just a mile from town and had a great swim and picnic area, so we frequented it often.

Mom was very touchy about how she packed the salad. She never mixed the ingredients until she got out to the picnic. Everything was all on ice, chopped and ready to go. Then she would quickly throw it together right before we ate.

It was always so creamy, with just the right amounts of all the ingredients. She would taste it several times, adding a bit more salt, or maybe a splash more of milk to make it just the right consistency. 

She always used Miracle Whip, so did Brent's mom. I always use Hellman's real mayo in everything I make, but if I really want to make Mom's potato salad taste like hers, I buy a jar of Miracle Whip.

My friends and I were just having this conversation the other day...they all like Miracle Whip on sandwiches, but mayo in salads. We think it's because Miracle Whip has a slight tang to it. For years Brent would not touch anything with mayo, it had to be Miracle Whip. Now he likes both. Which ever you use, this is a great basic recipe for potato salad. Sometimes mom would add some chopped dill pickles,a sprinkle of dill, or even a squirt of sweet relish.

 It was always SO good!

Mom's Potato Salad 

6 good size medium potatoes

1 1/2 c. Miracle Whip or mayo

1 Tbsp. mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. celery, chopped

1/2 c. onion, chopped

splash of milk

(chopped dill pickles, if desired)

Shortcakes..Monday's with Mom

Mom often made this recipe when my brother and his family came to visit. They liked to cut down on sugar in their diets, and this recipe has very little.  There was nothing better for a summer dessert,light and flaky shortcakes topped with fresh picked strawberries and cream! I made them this time with raspberries and blueberries, as it's not strawberry time yet.

My brother and family only came to visit a few times a year, as they lived so far away, and mom looked forward to them coming SO much. She would plan the meals weeks ahead, and even the activities. Every summer they usually came when the strawberries were ready to pick, so often that was one of the things we all did together. We would pile into the cars with empty ice cream buckets and drive to the strawberry farm. It was also my nieces Birthday around then, and we would celebrate that also.

She always made the cakes right before supper, and left them cooling while we ate. Then she went to the kitchen and plated them, with the grandkids helping serve them. So many smiles, so many good times.

When I make these now, I like to think back to those days, remembering all the laughter and fun we had on those special summertime visits!

Shortcakes

1 1/4 c. flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp.salt

3 Tbsp. cold butter

1/2 c. buttermilk

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder,soda,salt and butter until coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk until moist. Knead 4 times, and pat in a rectangle. Cut into circles and bake on a greased pan at 425 for 10-14 minutes until lightly browned. Serves 5.

Monday's with Mom....rhubarb custard bars

I always think of home when I think of rhubarb. I guess because it was served at so many family gatherings through out the summer when I was growing up.

My dad loved it, especially made into a sauce. He would spoon it onto ice cream.

My mom must have loved it too, as she has quite a collection of rhubarb recipes. I guess the one I remember most would be her rhubarb double crusted pie. It was SO good, that buttery crust with the creamy tart rhubarb center! I could use a piece right NOW. Her rhubarb coffee cake was pretty good too....

BUT another recipe I loved that mom made was this one...rhubarb custard bars. She made them  for friends that came over for coffee. Seems like she always had someone stopping by for coffee, especially in the summer. She belonged to several volunteer organizations, and sometimes they met at our house. The bars went well with a cup of coffee!

They are sinfully delicious. First you have the sweet shortbread crust...and then on top of that is the sweet creamy custard layer with the rosy tart rhubarb peeking out through the crunchy topping. They really are a treat!

Mom served them plain, but of course Brent has to have cream on top of everything. My mom always called that "double dessert." She rarely put cream or ice cream on any desserts. I am a bit like her, and prefer many desserts without.

But either way, this recipe is delicious!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

2 c. flour
2/3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter, softened

Mix and pat in a 9x13 un greased pan. bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Beat together:
3 c. sugar ( can use less)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. flour
4 eggs, slightly beaten

Stir in:
4 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb

Spread on hot crust and return to oven for 40 minutes or more until center is cooked and is lightly browned. Slide knife around edges and allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve. ( these are eaten with a fork...they are a slightly firm bar, and are best eaten within 2 days)

links:
friday frensy

Mondays with Mom..custard cups

I went to a Christian Day school when I was young, which just happened to be less than a block away from our house. That meant that I could run home everyday for lunch. I loved that! No school lunches or brown  bags for me...my mom would make whatever I wanted for lunch!

When the clock turned 12, and everyone else was headed downstairs to the lunchroom, I ran out the door and down the street. I  hopped over the neighbors hedge into our yard, swung open the back door and ran into the kitchen. Mom was usually by the stove, getting lunch on the table for the two of us. She would turn around with a warm smile on her face.( And yes, she was wearing her checkered apron!)

It was a great day if she made chili on toast....that was my favorite! She made a thick chili and poured it onto toast triangles. Sounds strange, I know, but it tasted wonderful. 

It was also a great day if she made custard cups. I loved the creamy, sweet treat and would scrape the bowl clean with my spoon. As we ate, she would ask me about the morning at school. Before I knew it, it was time to head back out the door...and all I had to do was run across the street.

The playground was across the street from our house, and the kids were already outside for recess playing our favorite games...kickball or softball. Sometimes mom would watch us play from the kitchen window.

Those were fun days, and what wonderful memories. I hope you enjoy the custard cups as much as I do!

Custard Cups
1 egg
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp.brown sugar
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Mix the egg, milk, vanilla, and brown sugar. Pour into two custard cups, sprinkle with nutmeg and bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes until a knife comes out clean. 

Old Time 4H Whole Wheat Bread...Monday's with Mom

4H was a special part of my childhood. I not only had a lot of fun in 4H, but I met so many great people, and learned so many valuable life skills! It also provided me with many happy memories of times spent with my mom. I have blogged before about how my mom was the food leader for my 4H club, but I have not shared all the awesome recipes we made at our events. Today I am sharing a simple whole wheat bread recipe I learned to make when I was about 10.

I could hardly wait each month for mom to take me to our 4H  meeting. It was always a good time. Before every meeting we said this pledge, which I still remember...complete with the actions of course!!!!

After saying the pledges, we had our meeting. The meetings were run by us, with our adult leaders also there. We all had to participate, and were assigned which part we would do each meeting. Some of the jobs included giving a demonstration on one of our projects,or leading the pledge, providing snack, leading an activity to do, things like that.  I LOVED making the snack, and HATED giving a demonstration. It always made me so nervous to get up in front of everyone!  Afterwards we got to go outside and play games. Our favorite was Ante I Over. We played until it was time to go. I remember many warm summer nights playing until it was to dark to see!

Summer was an exciting and busy time for anyone involved in 4H. Especially county fair time. Fair time was when you reaped the rewards of all the work you put in on your projects. Kids had so many things to choose from for projects....clothing, animals, photography,wood working, gardening, food....just to name a few.

I always chose food and gardening. I don't really like to garden, but since one of my chores was to help weed and pick the veggies, I decided I may as well. I always entered a vegetable box in the fair, and always won a ribbon. BUT the real blue ribbon winner was our rhubarb. It won every year! It was a sure dollar in your pocket. Our sweat pea flowers always won,too. (Blue ribbons were worth a dollar, red seventy-five cents, white fifty cents and green was  for participation.)

For food, I entered as many categories as I could. I always entered bread, and each year I tried a different recipe. This recipe is one of them.( another tasty 4H recipe you can find here)

Mom always tried to have a practice run on any new 4H recipes we were going to enter at the fair. Several of us in her food group decided to make whole wheat bread, so she had the group over to our house. What a fun day it was! She taught us some tips and tricks about bread baking, and about how yeast works, stuff like that. Then we made the whole wheat bread, enough so we could each have a small loaf. It was delicious...fresh out of the oven.... still warm.... spread with plenty of butter!

Later that summer, I made it by myself for the fair. It did win a ribbon, but I can't remember which one. But what I do remember is that special day when my mom took time to teach us how to make it! I'll always be thankful for all the things my mom did for me, especially sharing her love of cooking with me.

I haven't made this recipe for years, as I have a family dark bread recipe that has been passed down for generations that I make most of the time. I'd post it, but it's one of those "old time" recipes that doesn't  have exact measurements. This 4H  bread recipe has molasses in it for some sweetness, and scalded milk which gives it some softness. I made small loaves, easy to freeze. It's a great tasting basic recipe for whole wheat bread, and SO delicious....just like I remembered!




4H whole wheat bread

1 c. milk, scalded
3 Tbsp. shortening
1/4 c. molasses
1 Tbsp. salt
2 pkg. dry yeast
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 c. all purpose flour ( I used about 2 1/4 c.)

Mix the warm milk,shortening, molasses, and salt in a bowl. Cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in one cup of warm water. Let it stand 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly. Stir into the milk mixture. Add all the whole wheat flour and 1/2 c. white flour. Beat until smooth. Add the rest of the white flour gradually, as needed, to make a stiff dough. (I used about 2 1/4 c.) Knead 5 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Punch down and shape into 2 loaves. ( I made 4 small loaves) Put in greased pans, let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes or until loaves test done. Cool.