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This is a picture of a cake I made My Other Half for his Birthday a couple of years back. I came across the picture and thought I would share. I love to decorate cakes! Ps. He loves barns. We really need a bumper sticker that says this car breaks for barns! He has more pictures of barns than anyone I am sure! LOL :-) T

 Friends of ours invited us to a outdoor brunch during the summer. Never wanting to show up empty handed I made this cake. It was a yellow cake with colored white frosting and chocolate chips for watermelon seeds. I was quite proud of this cake! :-) Happy Baking! :-) T

A close friend I worked years back new I liked making cakes. She requested I make her wedding cake. I told her my cakes were not wedding quality. She proceeded to talk me into it. This cake was my wedding gift to her and her husband. I also added the 1 year anniversary cake for her to put in the freezer.

Here are a few recipes you may like to try.

Tasty Treats!

Ingredients:

• 36 large fresh mushrooms (about 3 pounds)
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped onions
• 3 cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Remove stems from mushrooms; set caps aside. Finely chop stems. In a skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter; saute stems and onions until tender. In a bowl, combine crab and lemon juice. Add onion mixture, mayonnaise, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; mix well. Stuff into mushroom caps; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
    Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Melt remaining butter; drizzle over mushrooms. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm. Yield: 3 dozen.

Tasty Treats!

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 9 whole crackers)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free cottage cheese
• Sugar substitute equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 13 medium fresh strawberries
• 4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
    Hull strawberries if necessary; puree in a food processor. Remove and set aside. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Transfer to the food processor; add cream cheese, cottage cheese and sugar substitute. Cover and process until smooth.
    Add strawberry puree; cover and process until blended. Transfer to a large bowl; fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set.
    For garnish, wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. Cut tops off berries. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate at 50% power; stir until smooth. Dip each berry tip until half of the berry is coated, allowing excess to drip off. Place with tips pointing up on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
    Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Arrange berries, chocolate tips up, around edge of cheesecake and place one in the center. Garnish with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Mmm... Mmm... Good!

Ingredients:

• 3-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 12 ounces)
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Few dashes hot pepper sauce
• 3-1/2 cups milk
• 5 cups (20 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

Cook macaroni in boiling water until almost tender; drain.
    Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt, mustard, pepper and pepper sauce until smooth. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in the macaroni, milk and 4 cups cheese.
    Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, undrained
• 1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) lima beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) chili beans, undrained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) wax beans, drained
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard

Directions:

In an ovenproof Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-1/2 hours or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Yield: 6-8 servings. Cowboy Baked Beans can also be heated in a slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours. Cook and drain the beef and onion as directed before adding to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients.

Delicious Delights!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted sunflower kernels
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 hamburger buns, optional
• Lettuce and tomato slices, optional

Directions:

Place sunflower kernels in a food processor; cover and process until ground. Remove and set aside. Place beans in food processor; cover and process until ground. In a large bowl, combine the sunflower kernels, beans, carrots, onion, flour and oil. Shape 1/2 cupfuls into patties.
    In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the patties over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and crisp. Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Yummy in the Tummy!

Ingredients:

• 1-2/3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 1-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup biscuit/baking mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg

Directions:

In a bowl, combine vegetables, chicken, soup and thyme. Pour into an ungreased deep-dish 9-in. pie plate. Combine biscuit mix, milk and egg; pour over chicken mixture. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 6 servings.

Mouth Watering Delights!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
• 1 envelope Alfredo sauce mix
• 1 package (8 ounces) crabmeat
• 6 ounces bay scallops
• 6 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons butter
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare Alfredo sauce according to package directions.
    In a large skillet, saute the crab, scallops and shrimp in butter for 2-3 minutes or until scallops are opaque and shrimp turn pink. Stir into Alfredo sauce. Season with garlic powder. Cook and stir for 5-6 minutes or until thickened. Drain fettuccine; top with seafood mixture. Yield: 4 servings.

Tasty Treasures!

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 2 meaty beef soup bones
• 2 beef bouillon cubes or 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup medium pearl barley
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven or soup kettle, bring water and soup bones to a rapid boil; add bouillon. Stir in ground beef in small amounts. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1-1/2 hours or until the meat comes easily off the bones. Remove bones. Strain broth; cool and chill. Skim off fat. Remove meat from bones; dice and return to broth along with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 10-12 servings (about 2 quarts).

Sweet Treats!

•     1 3/4 cups flour                                               
•     2 cups sugar                                                    
•     3/4 cup baking cocoa                                           
•     2 teaspoons baking soda                                        
•     1 teaspoon baking powder                                       
•     1 teaspoon salt                                                
•     1/2 cup vegetable oil                                          
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                     
•     2 eggs                                                          
•     1 cup sour milk, make by adding 1 Tbls. vinegar to reg. milk   
•     1 cup strong coffee or 2 ts. instant coffee to 1 cup water     

Sift to combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Add eggs, coffee, sour milk, oil and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for two minutes.

Pour into well greased and floured 13" x 9" x 2" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy brownies. Do not overcook.

•     1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter                              
•     2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate              
•     1 cup sugar                                                    
•     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract                                   
•     2 eggs, large                                                  
•     1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs.  flour                                     
•     1 pinch salt                                                    
•     1/2 cup chopped walnuts                                        

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position rack in the bottom third of oven. Line a 8" square baking pan with foil, shiny side up. Lightly grease the foil with melted butter or cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup butter and the chocolate in a medium-sized, heavy bottom saucepan. Warm over very low heat, stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove the pan and let cool 3 min. Stir in the sugar and vanilla, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the flour and salt and stir until just incorporated. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the batter evenly into the lined pan. Bake for 20-25 min., or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

? It's better to err on the side of under baking, rather than over baking. Place the pan on a rack and allow to rest until it's cool to the touch.

Carefully lift the foil-wrapped brownies out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cool completely. Cut into 16 squares.

Snickerdoodles

These cookies puff up at first, then flatten out, resulting in crinkled tops.

Yield; 5 dozen

•     1 cup shortening                                               
•     1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbls. sugar, divided use                     
•     2 eggs                                                          
•     2 3/4 cups sifted flour                                        
•     2 teaspoons cream of tartar                                    
•     1 teaspoon baking soda                                         
•     1/2 teaspoon salt                                               
•     2 teaspoons cinnamon                                           

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl of a electric mixer on medium speed, thoroughly cream 1 1/2 cups sugar, shortening and eggs. In a large separate bowl combine flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt. With mixer on low speed add flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Form dough into walnut-size balls. In a small bowl combine remaining 2 Tbls. sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough balls in sugar-cinnamon, place 2" apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. When done remove cookies to wire rack to cool.