Grandma B’s Christmas recipes #12

Well hello! I bet you’ve been wondering what happened to me? I’m so sorry to disappear for a bit – but the month of December was a whirlwind of craziness- but it was so much good and fun, I didn’t mind! So here we are and I haven’t blogged for a while! How about we talk Christmas?

When it comes to Christmas goodies – my girl, Mackenzie and I love to bake. I dare say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, because my mom does too – and so did Grandma! This year we decided to make several of Grandma’s cookie recipes for our treats that we share with friends and family.

Here’s the list of what we made that were in her recipe box – some of which I’ve featured here before!

Ginger Cookies – always warm, chewy and delightful
Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies – which we dressed up for Christmas with coconut, pecans, craisins and white chocolate chips
Magic Layer Bars – some call these 7 layer bars – but Grandma’s version didn’t have 7.
Sugar cookies – we did a half batch of cutouts and had fun frosting them with my mom a few days after Christmas, so they didn’t make it onto the tray below.
Rocky Road fudge – This is the fudge with graham cracker bottom and marshmallows mixed in.

We also made Oreo Balls, Buckeyes, Egg Nog Cookies and rice Krispy treats. All of these goodies together made for a festive tray to share at Christmas! Here’s a Christmas hack for you: I also purchased a few goodies from Trader Joe’s to decorate the tray- mini chocolate mint stars and peppermint meringues. Man, do I love a pretty tray of Christmas Cookies.

Here’s the recipe for the Magic Bars – so simple, but definitely yummy! It won’t take much effort to try these! Let me know if you do! And Happy New Year!

Grandma B’s recipes #11 ginger cookies

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Well, friends Its been a while – September and October have been busy with anniversary and birthday celebrations, and travel and so much more. But, Mackenzie and I decided to make a new recipe this past weekend!

We needed to make a fall dessert and so we chose this recipe: Ginger Cookies!

Let me tell you – these cookies did not disappoint! In fact I’m going to tell you to make them. now. don’t wait. They are fantastic. soft and chewy, and perfect for fall or Christmas baking.

I can’t say that I remember Grandma making these cookies – maybe one of my aunts or my mom can recall having them before? But in any case, they are worth the time. If you enjoy ginger, sweet and spicy flavors, these are for you!

As far as the recipe goes, we followed the card instructions and didn’t really make many changes. I did add nutmeg and cloves to the sugar mixture that we rolled the dough in and it added a nice little bit of warmth and zing. We did make them a little big, so the batch was just under 2 dozen cookies. I do think you could make them a little smaller, and bake them for a shorter time.

Alright – that’s it for now – please let me know if you make them and how it goes! I hope you love them as much as we did!

a bit of history · friends and loved ones · in my kitchen · Uncategorized

Grandma B’s recipe #10- a real favorite

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Over the holiday weekend, Mackenzie and I were trying to decide on something to bake. We love baking around here and I have to say that girl is becoming a force in the kitchen. But I was slow to make plans because I’ve had a cold and I just wasn’t very interested.

Then she said, “Why don’t I bake something from Grandma’s box? maybe some cookies?” So she started digging and pulled out a recipe. It was extremely familiar to me, one my own mom made A LOT when I was growing up. It’s titled “Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies” and on the card it says “from mother.” I spoke with my mom about this and we are pretty sure they were her dad’s favorite cookie!

Well, Mackenzie didn’t have to ask me twice! I sent Michael to the store for a few ingredients to make sure we were ready to roll. YUM!

There’s not a lot to say here, because Mackenzie followed the instructions, right up to the raisins! You might remember – no raisins for us in baked goods! Instead, she divided the batter and put chocolate chips in one half of the batter and I chopped up dates for the other half.

These cookies turned out perfectly – just like always! They are one of the best cookies- soft and chewy – with an extra hidden flavor of coconut that makes them truly a favorite!

We’re 10 recipes in on this project – and having lots of fun! Even Mackenzie’s into it now! Let me know if you try these cookies!

a bit of history · in my kitchen · Uncategorized

Grandma B’s Recipe #8 & #9 – Brown Cow bars and zucchini honey nut loaf

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I have this vibrant food memory from my childhood. I’m sitting at my Aunt Betsy’s kitchen table after school. I’m eating a tiny chocolate chip cookie – she always baked hers bite-sized- and I’m drinking chocolate milk – Chocolate milk that was made with Brown Cow.

I’m pretty confident that Brown Cow syrup is not sold in the states – but someone may have different information. Brown Cow syrup in milk was an amazing treat at Aunt Betsy’s house – because I don’t really remember my mom ever buying Brown Cow when we were living in London. But, maybe she did once or twice…

Looking thru Grandma’s recipe box with my daughter- we came across a recipe in the “squares” section we wanted to try. Now for all of you Americans reading – a “square” is like a bar cookie. In Canada brownies, rice krispy treats and those types of cookies all fall into the “square” category. They should not to be confused with the “cookie” category. Believe me when I say – Grandma’s “square” section in the recipe box was one of the biggest. The recipe we were interested in was the Brown Cow Peanut Butter Squares recipe.

Mackenzie made these and they were perfect! Super chewy and delicious – very peanut butter-y. We added Reeses pieces to the top! We ate most of the squares within a day or two! And our advice is : definitely make these! You will NOT be disappointed.

Onto the next recipe – Zucchini Honey Nut Bread. Our reviews are not so raving for this one. I made this recipe – and the flavor was not so yummy. We aren’t sure, but it just wasn’t quite right. I added coconut instead of nuts- but based on prior experience, that should have enhanced the flavor not made it unsavory. Oh well! you win some, ya lose some! Here’s the recipe, in case you want to give it a shot! 🙂

As always – Brubacher family, let me know if you remember anything about these recipes! And to everyone – I’d love to hear if you make any of the recipes! More recipe testing to come soon.

a bit of history · in my kitchen · Uncategorized

Grandma B’s recipe #7- raise your hand if you like fruit cocktail…

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This week I chose a recipe that caught my eye when I first looked thru Grandma’s recipe box. and not for good reasons, I suppose. “Fruit cocktail cake” the card was titled. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan of fruit cocktail.

My initial thought was – How could this possibly be any good? But then I read the ingredients and thought to myself: How could this be anything but good?

Have a look for yourself:

And so – with one substitution in mind, I got ready to bake. Here’s what I did! I did NOT use actual fruit cocktail. I could not bring myself to put those canned grapes and cherries in this cake. Instead I selected some canned fruit and made my own concoction for the cake: peaches, pineapple and mandarin oranges.

When I read the back of the recipe card I realized I wasn’t sure which canned milk to use… sweetened condensed milk? or evaporated milk? I knew there was SO MUCH sugar in the brown sugar topping and the icing already – I decided to go with the evaporated milk.

I mixed the ingredients up, and poured the batter into a 9×13 pan. Then, spread the topping over the batter and baked at 350 as directed for about 35-40 minutes. When I pulled it out of the oven it was nice and brown. While it was still hot I poured the cooked icing over the top.

Are you wondering how it turned out? I’ll tell you! It is rich and sticky- gooey- delicious- especially if you eat it warm. It’s not super fruity flavored – but very sweet! I give it a thumbs up and think you should try it!

Here’s a little history – my mom doesn’t remember Grandma making this cake when she lived at home. But, the card says “Katy” on it so my mom thinks the recipe came from her Aunt Katy, Grandma’s sister-in-law. I’d love to know if any of the family remembers tasting this cake in years gone by! Feel free to leave a comment below! And please – tell me if you make this cake! I’d love to know what you think!

I’ll be back soon with another recipe from Grandma B’s recipe box!

a bit of history · friends and loved ones · in my kitchen · Uncategorized

Grandma B’s recipe #6: Summer’s Best

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A long time ago I learned to eat rhubarb. It grew in a prolific patch at the back of our property where we lived in Danville, Illinois. One day in early summer my sister got me to try some. And I learned then what I still believe now: Rhubarb is best eaten with a lot of sugar, preferably in baked goods.

One of my favorite “recipe memories” is of my GG’s rhubarb crisp. She made it in the summer when we would visit and there was always a healthy dollop of cool whip. Oh it was delicious! But I digress.

It is no surprise then, that one of the recipes from Grandma’s box I’ve chosen to try is Rhubarb Cake. While rhubarb grows heartily farther north, it isn’t so easy to come by in Tennessee. So, when my mom texted and said they were at Publix and had found rhubarb in the produce section and did I want some… I gave a resounding YES!

Recipe # 6 is Rhubarb Cake!

The card looks as though Grandma may have made it a few times over the years, although my mom doesn’t remember tasting it. I followed the recipe as written. However, it didn’t indicate what size or type of pan, so I chose a bundt pan.

Initially, I tried a few “scrumpies” from the bottom of the pan, and oh boy was it flavorful and moist. What I didn’t realize would happen is that the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture that I sprinkled on top soaked into the batter – it completely disappeared from the top.

The cake turned out to be very moist and a lovely texture. It was delicious, not overly rich – but, I would add a LOT more rhubarb – maybe another cup. Other than that, we topped with whipped cream and it was just right! You should make it – it is yummy!

a bit of history · friends and loved ones · in my kitchen · Uncategorized

Begin Again

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2017 was one of the good ones. It was such a fun year for me. Really- it was probably pretty good for my friends and family, too. That was the year I baked a cake a week. Fifty-two bundt cakes in 2017. Many folks enjoyed my endeavors!

Not long after that I had a health situation and I just couldn’t do the extras. Things like cake baking were set aside – and I stuck to the basics. Since then – I’ve baked some here and there – but I’ve longed for a project like “Cake-a-Week”. I knew when the right thing presented itself, it would be obvious and it would feel right to dig in again!

Well, here we are and it’s time!

How do you make a fresh start? How do you begin trying something again, without putting too much pressure on yourself? I had so many thoughts about all of these questions, but I realized I just needed to stop over-thinking things.

So, in an effort to enjoy the process, I got out the recipe box. I read through the cards of several sections and picked out the first 45 recipes that I want to make! Goodness, I have no idea how long this project will take. And, I haven’t set many parameters at this point- only that I will NOT bake with raisins. Among all the cards, there are recipes with hard-to-find ingredients. There are recipes without instructions, only ingredient lists. And unfortunately, there are recipes that do not appeal to me. How will this all turn out? I DO NOT KNOW!

But do you know what I DO know? My heart has already been completely overtaken by these cards. They are handwritten by my grandmother, and the friends and family who loved her. Even more, they are a part of my history, and I’m learning so much about where I’ve come from. It is literally THE BEST!

Ready or not, I’m jumping in the deep end and getting started. Hopefully I won’t drown. I’m starting with the first recipes this coming week, so keep watch! You never know what I might make first! Whatever it is, it probably will have coconut in it – that or Dream Whip- both are very popular ingredients in Grandma’s recipe box.

For my Brubacher family: I’m being very careful to put the recipe cards in page protectors in a notebook for the duration of the project. That way I will be able to reassemble the box when I’m finished!

a bit of history · friends and loved ones · in my kitchen

You’ve Got Mail

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Man, do I have good news for you!

A few days ago, a box arrived. My cousin from up north put it in the mail to me maybe a week or two back. And now here it was in my hands! I was holding my Grandma Brubacher’s recipe box. Full of hospitality and history. Really it is a piece of Grandma herself.

The contents of the box are examples of all the ways she fed and cared for family, friends, missionaries and travelers from all around the world. It’s rich with ideas for ways I can do the same. And I could not be more excited.

More specifically – at first glance it appears that maybe 9 out of 10 cards are devoted to desserts and sweets. Cookies, cakes, pies, breads, spreads & frostings, squares, frozen treats and party punches. Then, there are a few meats, veggies and salads. This is directly proportional to the sweet tooth Grandma genetically bestowed on all of us in the family. Just ask any Brubacher…

After absorbing the good news that this recipe box brought to me, all the way here in Chattanooga, I realized there’s only one thing to do. It’s time to bake and blog. I’m going to take a little time to plan and prepare and then I’m going to work my way thru a bunch of these recipes. When I’m ready, I hope to blog about each recipe as I make them and SHARE THEM WITH YOU! Won’t that be fun!?!

I’m terribly excited about it all. There are recipes for treats like Sparkling Red Velvet Punch, German Chocolate Upside Down Cake, Zucchini Honey Nut Loaf, Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies and Maple Syrup Pie. Don’t those sound delightful?!?

Now, I’ll admit there are also unusual items like Ham and Macaroni Loaf which really makes me raise an eyebrow and possibly question Grandma’s judgement. And there’s also a Raisin Loaf– which I have no words for and definitely do not intend to make. (I do NOT endorse raisins, baked in any form)

It’s going to be quite the adventure! I hope you’ll read along! Watch for more posts later this Summer! 🙂

in my kitchen · more cake, please

Testing 1,2,3…

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I love to bake. You probably know that by now, if you read my blog much. The truth is, last year was a dream because I baked something new each week – it wasn’t easy, but I really thrived regularly trying new recipes.

Now that I don’t need to do something new each week for my cake-a-week challenge, I still find myself wanting to try new ideas. The good news is that because I’m baking for people in a little at-home business, I have found a way to keep trying those yummy new ideas! Each month I offer a cake of the month on my morecakeplease site – so I continually need to try fresh options!

This week happens to be my mom’s birthday – which is also the perfect opportunity to make a cake! I’ve known for a long time, since I was a little girl, that my mom loved “turtles” candy – caramel, chocolate, nuts – so, I thought I’d give this recipe a try. It looks pretty amazing! Warning: it uses a cake mix. I know, I know – its not exactly from scratch – but, I just could not help myself! I found it on http://www.iambaker.net. I think it turned out pretty well!

Fudge Turtle Brownie bundt

Ingredients:
Devil’s food cake mix
Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix
4 eggs
1 cup of oil
1 1/4 cup of water.
Toppings (caramel sauce, fudge sauce, nuts.)

Instructions: Mix together all of the ingredients but the toppings. Prepare pan and pour batter into the pan. Bake at 350 for about 50-55 minutes. When the cake is cooled, poke holes and pour caramel over the holes into the cake. Then dump the cake onto a serving plate. Top the cake with as much caramel and fudge sauce and sprinkle with nuts. make it as gooey as you like!

in my kitchen · more cake, please

What to do when you love baking cake…

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It is a few days into the new year, 2018. 2017 was a very full year for me – a year full of cake. 52 cakes for the cake-a-week page, in fact. And I managed to photograph and blog about (almost) every one. I still can’t believe I did it, to be honest! For the most part, I loved every moment of baking and experimenting and sharing. Can you handle the truth? All totaled, between the cake-a-week project, other opportunities and cakes that we gave as gifts- we think I made close to 100 cakes in 2017. (Kudos to Gladys, my remarkable stand mixer who never lets me down.)

The thing is, I love to bake. I especially love baking sweets. There’s just something about serving up a yummy treat and seeing faces brighten. In a way, you might say that the end of a baking project is not when I pull it from the oven, or successfully free a cake from it’s pan. A baking project of mine is complete when I know that it has made someone’s day special.

It wasn’t that long ago, a few years I guess, that I first understood how baking could be so fulfilling. Friends of ours were down-n-out at Christmas time – no money for gifts, no tree to decorate, no extra for special treats : there was nothing. But, they didn’t tell anyone- Michael and I had no idea. That year we showed up at their door, dropped off a Coconut Rum bundt cake, wished them a Merry Christmas and left. It wasn’t until much later we came to know the truth.

Our friends told us, to our shock, that they hadn’t celebrated Christmas at all – in fact the only thing they had that Christmas Day to make it special was the cake we had brought them. Please let that sink in a moment. One cake. For so many of my friends and family – Christmas is a time of extravagance. No desire is left wanting. Food, gifts, decorations – we have everything and more. When they told us the situation, I nearly cried. However, they remembered our gift with happiness and grateful hearts.

Since then, it has become so clear to me that there are many who are surviving. They have the basic needs. But, to have something special, something made thoughtfully with love and care – that is very rare for them. You can’t imagine how my heart swells when I’m able to give a cake to someone that says, “I see you. You’re important. In fact you are so special, I made this just for you!”

Look, I know not everyone needs cake. On a list of survival necessities, cake is not there. However, there are many who need to know that someone cares about them.

So….

What am I gonna do about this love for baking?

I’m gonna bake. I’m gonna sell cake to folks who would like to buy – and I’m gonna give cake away. It is pretty simple really. For every 5 cakes I sell, I will give a cake away – maybe to the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, maybe to a family who needs extra care – who knows? Maybe when you buy a cake, you’ll whisper in my ear the name of someone who would benefit. I’m truly confident that God is going to show me where to give cake.

BUT, here’s what will happen first, before I get started. I’m going to host a cake-tasting open house. That’s right! For those of you who live in the area, I’ll be inviting friends and family to stop by and taste. Cake. Cake. Cake. So many of you have been a part of encouraging me about my cakes -and now I want you- really, I need you- to help me on this ever so yummy part of this cake journey. You’ll taste and tell me what your favorites are! We’ll call it market research, okay? Be watching – I’ll announce the details really soon, okay?