Saturday, March 16, 2024

ST PATRICK'S DAY CAKE- SORRY IT'S SO LATE!!!!!!

 March is half over already!!

How can that be?
AND SUNDAY 
is 
ST. PATRICK'S DAY!


Even all you
NON-IRISH
pretend to be
 Irish  
just for a day.

Well, except for a few of you
English that wouldn't
lower yourselves to do so.
You know who you are,
but being the
loving people we are,
we forgive ya,
and God Bless ya,
all the way to the
Blarney Stone and back.

I grew up in a small
Irish Community in Pennsylvania.
I believed in leprechauns
until I was at least 12...
well...maybe older...
hmm..matter of fact I'm
pretty sure I might
STILL BELIEVE
in them.

So, today I am going to
give you a little recipe.
You have a 
ONE DAY
get your butt to the store
for the ingredients so
you can make it for your family.
And your family will lay down
in your path and let you walk on
them after eating this.

Ready?
Now please don't be asking me
where I got this recipe because
the truth is
I don't remember.
So, if anyone has the source for it
I will be glad to give credit.
I THINK it came out of a
Taste of Home magazine but
I'm not betting my 
IRISH CHINA
on that fact.
Crème de Mint Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
2 teaspoons mint extract
12 drops green food color
2 jars (16 oz each) hot fudge topping (i only used one 16oz. jar last time and it was really good, too).
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Thin rectangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
Make cake batter as directed on box, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract with the water. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.
Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan one-fourth turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.
Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 teaspoon mint extract &  remaining 9 drops green food color. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.
Now, I will tell you that being
St. Paddy's Day
 all the calories
 have all been removed
so you can enjoy every bite.
( Removing those calories
is an Irish trick that I promised not to tell)
I'll be serving it to
The Fam here in the Heartland.
Let's hope one of the grandkids doesn't
eat all the Andes Mints beforehand
because if they are gone
YOU KNOW
they will blame it on
THIS ONE.
Have a wonderful day as you prepare yourself
for all the
IRISH DRUNKS
that will be running amuck on
Sunday.
I won't be one of them because I don't drink
GREEN BEER.
I will be the one sitting in the corner
taking pictures for 
BLACKMAIL PURPOSES-----
and that's all I'm gonna be 
saying about that!
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Wednesday, February 14, 2024

THE GOOD THE BAD & THE UGLY VALENTINES!

 The good:

This sweet little 
Vintage card.

The bad:
A real heartbreaker indeed!

The ugly:
1980's oversized heart sweater
If this is in your closet well...
I'm sorry I said anything (NOT)

What?  Didn't like THAT sweater?
How about  this one?
Reminds me of those 
Christmas sweaters.

How about a heart on a pig?
Now THAT'S pretty cute 
if you ask me.

But the best is yet to come!
My favorite?
This little Valentine!!!!

Couldn't you just eat him up?
Looks like somebody tried but
couldn't get past the kissing!
Hope you have a great day!
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Friday, February 9, 2024

A VALENTINE'S DAY TUTORIAL--NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

 I LOVE READING THROUGH

my memories on the blog.

This is one of my favorites.

Those of you that have followed me since the

early days of blogging,

will remember all these little girls...

now pretty well grown up!

So- I dug another post out of the archives
to share with you.
Grab something with caffeine because
you will be tired when you are done reading this.

Step One:
First you must hang a banner inside 
so the grandkids
will know which holiday they 
are celebrating.

Just a word of caution..
If you hang one
that looks like
the one below..
SOMEONE
(who shall remain nameless)
will be sure to ask..
IS HIMS NAKED?

Your reply should be
Absolutely..
That is why he is
carrying an envelope.
This is sure to produce
a giggle from at
least 2 or the 3 grandkids.
The third one doesn't giggle.

She doesn't giggle 
because she doesn't
"get it".  
She is trying to figure out 
where HIMS got that big of an envelope.


Step Two:
You must lay out supplies.
These will cost somewhere
in the neighborhood
of $459.00...and....
after you buy
ALL THAT STUFF,
you will realize that you have
forgotten at least one or
two crucial supplies..
Like...
Elmer's WASHABLE glue. 
Lord help you if you buy the 
regular Elmer's glue
because it will NOT be pretty!


Now that you have
your supplies home
and have signed the bank loan
to cover the expense..
you must lay out the goodies...
Lay them out nice and neatly..
Sigh over the paper-Oh So Sweet

Step Three:
HANG A FLAG OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR.

A cute little cherub flag
to greet them with a smile.
Isn't it perfect?
Love Mary Englebriet's flags.
Then they arrive bringing presents.
Bringing PRESENTS?
PRESENTS FOR ME?
Yep-these are for Nana..
and they made them all by themselves.

Inside are beautiful little
hearts made with love..
One from Ria.
Two from Lulu...
and one from SweetCheeks.
Of course I must put them all on..
I pick up SweetCheeks...
What does this say, SweetCheeks?
That's jus' sumbuddy ehlse's name
on there...Doan't pay eny
attenshun to the name...
just putt it on..
Whereupon I am informed
by Lulu that
"I told SweetCheeks
NOT to give you that one".
Whereupon SweetCheeks says
NOAH.YOHU.DIDN'T.LULU
an' I dohn't care cuz I am ghiving
it to her enyways! PFFFFFT!
I start the legal paperwork
to change my name to Allison.
Great.. We are off
to a nice, calm start...

Now where were we?
Okay..girls..
Let's get started...
WHO WANTS TO MAKE A VALENTINE?

Everyone's hand shoots into the air.

In short order everything
 looks like this.....
All three girls are
Busy-Busy-Busy
Lulu made this-
 Ria loved the self-stick hearts...

SweetCheeks has changed into 
her 3rd Princess outfit and has busied herself
making th...........
Oh, Dear Lord In Heaven...
While I was refilling my coffee cup,
pray tell WHO handed HER 
the glitter?

There is glitter glitter everywhere..
On the floor and on the chair..
In her mouth and on her hair....
I could go on and on with the
rhyming thingy but I'm afraid
the Dr. Suess police will get me.


An especially nice touch? 


The globs of
glue that dropped here and there
and shine brightly up
from the chair...and the table...
and the floor...and the countertop...
Did I say floor? Ah..yes...
and back to the glitter...
Nothing like glitter on the floor
that can be tracked from
room to room..
Leave NO ROOM untouched
seems to have been the motto
of the day.
I decide I need a bathroom break
to dispose of the 3 gallons of coffee
that I have downed in an effort
to keep up with this
CRAFT DAY WITH THE KIDS.
Lo and behold,
in the small reading nook
(where the old steps used to be)
I SEE THIS!!!
How did all these books get off
the shelf and on the floor?
I ask ever-so-sweetly-
between slightly gritted teeth.
Uh-oh---Here it comes...

Welllll...says SweetCheeks..
Ria toohk a few books off
the shellf and then I helped her
and taked the rest offf..and
we jus' put 'em there for now.

Yeah? Where do you think
you're gonna put them later?

Wellll...It was Ria's idea.
I dunno how they gonna
get bahck on the shelfs.

Hmmmm...I dunno where YOU'RE
gonna go either if you guys don't put
these books back.
All too soon-
hahahahahahahaha
the day ends and we clean up the
mess, they put on their matching
dresses that Nana bought them
 and they get ready to go home.
As you can plainly see 
SOMEONE has been so overworked
she has collapsed in a heap
using her sisters as pillows.
These little girls are big girls now...
but I love them as much as I did 
when they were little like this...
even more...

Kind of bittersweet to look back on 
these special times.

I may invite them over to
do this again this weekend. 

If you don't see me by Monday
I will be glued to a seat somewhere
in the house.
I hope it is in a chair in front of
the computer.

Edited to add:
MyHero reads my blog and says:
 You SPENT $459 ON THIS STUFF?
(Sheeez...don't ya know a joke when you read one?;>)
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Thursday, January 18, 2024

JANUARY CALLS FOR GINGERBREAD---AND FREEZING TEMPS HERE!

 

I know Christmas is over
BUT---


I do have one more
little thing I want to share
with you because --Well--
just because!

I have a little tree that I 
set up in the kitchen that has
miniature kitchen tools
on it...spatulas and
soup ladles and small 
cookie cutters.

But the best thing this
tree holds is memories.
These are from some people
that are near and dear to my
heart....not family...but 
even better in some ways.


Pretty cute, huh?
Or- eh? as you Canadian gals say.


I love my little tree..
it reminds me that I am
warmly loved.

And warmly loved makes me
think of my Dad.
His all time favorite food was
gingerbread.
He got Parkinson's when I 
was 11 and, after he started
having difficulty swallowing,
Gingerbread went down easily.

When he married my Mom he
had been a bachelor for a long time.
He told her that she wouldn't have 
to cook big meals for him because he
was used to fending food for himself.

She said later that what he
DIDN'T TELL HER
was that she was going to have
to BAKE every day of life.
And what did she bake?

THIS:
GINGERBREAD!
He liked it plain or with butter
on it. 
We like whipped cream!

One day I baked gingerbread
when SweetCheeks was about three;
she was here
and
she looked at the pan and asked...
Where did HIMS go?
What? HIMS?
You knowah, Nana,
the GHINGERBREDDD BOY.

She thought the
gingerbread boy had been
baked INSIDE the cake!;>)

The recipe below is almost
identical to my mother's recipe.
(only better!;>)
Let me tell you- this stuff
is good for what ails you.
Uh-huh!!!!


Prep: 15 min. 

Bake: 30 min.Yield: 9 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light molasses
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon-2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • (1 tsp is pretty bland-adjust to taste)
  • 1\/2 teaspoon salt
  • Whipped cream

Directions 


  • Combine egg, sugar, molasses, butter
  •  and water; mix well. In a large bowl,
  •  stir together flour, baking soda, ginger
  •  and salt; add molasses mixture. Beat
  •  until well mixed. Pour into a greased 8"
  • square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30
  •  minutes or until cake tests done. Serve
  •  warm with whipped cream.
  •  Yield: 9 servings



I hope you all have a wonderful warm

JANUARY DAY!


We are at MINUS 6˚ DEGREES F today

with wind chill even colder!


My Hero is always cold.


This should warm him up!


January Jones!!!




Ummm.....Uh-Oh---

I guess it worked!

Look what happened to 

THE COOKIE

he was holding!



I hope you have a 

wonderful WARM weekend!


Keep smiling-

Spring is coming soon

unless you live in Wisconsin


PS.  I will give a health update 

on John soon.
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