The Best Apple Cake You'll Ever Make

This recipe, like many others, are from my grandmother. I bake one every year for the holidays. Simple, but take it to a potluck and everyone will want your recipe!

Mamaw Ashby's Apple Cake

1 cup vegetable oil (you can use melted butter as long as it's one cup)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups chopped apples
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg (you can use just 1/2 teaspoon of each if you want a milder taste)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x13 pan.

Mix wet ingredients together. Sift the dry ingredients, taking a teaspoon of the dry mix and tossing with the apples and nuts (this will make sure the apples and nuts don't sink to the bottom of the cake.) Mix the dry ingredients with the wet just until combined, then fold in the apples and nuts. Pour into greased pan, bake at 350 degrees about 40 - 45 minutes, or until the cake bounces back in the middle when you touch it, or a toothpick comes out clean.

You can let it cool, but it's incredible served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or my grandmother's favorite, a scoop of buttered pecan. Yum!

Holiday Pumpkin Quick Bread

The one thing that makes me so proud is the legacy I have from my Mother, my Grandmother, and my Aunts. They put love in everything they did. If they put their arm around you, the love was there. If they lectured you, the love was there. And if they presented you with a dish that was your favorite, the love was there.

My Grandmother was born in 1899 - that's just unreal when you think about it. What she lived through, she had an amazing life. I especially feel blessed to have all of her recipes. Today I was looking for her Banana Bread recipe and I came across one for Pumpkin Bread. Now, recipes are pretty much all the same, but I noticed something I had never seen - she put a 'heaping' spoonful of the jelled cranberry sauce in the batter. I went right to the kitchen and it was in the oven in less than 10 minutes. It is delicious - easy to make and perfect for the holidays. I like to bake different breads, wrap them in the festive cello paper, tie with a bow and give them as gifts. I always have a box ready at the holidays in the refrigerator so if someone pops in, I can give them a gift to take home.


Finding this recipe today was the best gift I could have hoped for. It's like my Grandmother letting me know she's still looking out for me. What more could I ask for?


Mamaw Ashby's Pumpkin Bread


1/3 cup melted cooled salted butter
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I grate mine fresh)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon jelled cranberry sauce



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan, I use a 9x5x3. I also layer the bottom of my pan with parchment paper because I like the bottom of my bread to look as pretty as the top.


Stir wet ingredients together, then add the dry ingredients. Beat until combined but don't over mix. At this point, if you'd like you can add 1/2 cup of raisins, or walnuts.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for about 45 - 55 minutes, but check after 30 minutes in case you want to turn the pan. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, it's done.

After cooling about 10 minutes, run a knife around the sides to loosen the loaf, remove and let cool on a wire rack. You should let it cool completely before slicing - sometimes it doesn't make it that far at my home!

For extra decadence, spread your slice with a generous smudge of cream cheese.

Make some memories today, bake something with your family. Let the scents of the holidays fill your home!

A Raising Hope menu!

I don't know about you, but my family is in love with the new sitcom Raising Hope!

One of the most popular things I've done is create a menu for things that mean the most to our family. We've been enjoying "Christmas Story" dinner for years, eating Meatloaf-Smeatloaf Double-Beatloaf.

I've tried to envision what they might eat. So here is your first menu for watching Raising Hope. Enjoy!

Your Father's Home, Come Eat Tator Tot Casserole

2 lbs ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 cup milk
1 bag of tator tots
1 - 8 oz bag shredded mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In large skillet over medium heat, brown hamburger. Remove from heat, drain grease then add 1/2 tsp salt, sprinkling of pepper, onion, soup, (and make sure you buy the right thing. someone has been putting the soup cans upside down) half the bag of cheese and milk, stirring until combined. Pour mixture into a grease 9x13 greased pan. Top with remaining cheese, then top with tator tots until casserole is covered. Bake for about 1 hour (check it after 40 minutes and make sure it's not bubbling over. )

I'm Allergic to Fruit...Fruit! Mock Apple Pie

Box of ready made pie pastry (there should be 2 in the box, you'll need both of them)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, broken slightly
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out one pastry in a 9 inch pie pan. Put cracker pieces in crust and set it aside.

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar and cream of tartar to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let cool.

Pour cool mixture over crackers, dot with margarine and sprinkle with cinnamon. Put the other crust over the top, crimp at the side to seal. Put a few small slits in the top. Bake about 25 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven to cool.

The Best Mashed Potatoes you'll ever make

All of us like mashed potatoes. A good bowl of mashed potatoes can pull any meal together, regardless of what leftovers you have in your refrigerator.


But let's be honest; a nice pan of homemade mashed potatoes can be very daunting. But before you reach for that packet of instant potatoes just imagine if you made one big pan of mashed potatoes and saved them for later in the week. That's what I do, and it's a quick and easy way to pair with sliced ham and cole slaw for a nice dinner. With your potatoes already prepared you have have dinner on the table before the pizza delivery car pulls in the drive-way.


Ducky's Best Mashed Potatoes


One 5 lb bag of yukon gold potatoes
1 cup milk
2 sticks butter
2 tbs kosher salt


Peel potatoes and cut in either cubes or discs. Cut them about the same size for even cooking. Rinse in a colander and put them into a heavy saucepan (you'll need a fairly good size pan) and cover potatoes in cold water. Over high heat, bring potatoes to a boil. Reduce heat just slightly, and boil for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you should be able to put a knife through a potato. If there is a little resistance, you can continue to boil for 5 minutes but any longer and they'll turn to mush.


Drain potatoes and return to the pan. This will ensure any water left in the potatoes will dry out since the pan is still hot. In the meantime, warm the cup of milk and 1 1/2 sticks of butter until warm and butter is melted (reserve the other 1/2 stick to top potatoes.) Set liquid aside.


The best way to mash the potatoes is using an old fashioned potato masher. Mine has a round end and looks like a grid. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of kosher salt over potatoes, and mash the entire pan. This is going to take you a few minutes but it's worth it. After mashing for a few minutes, use a wooden spoon and stir potatoes, then mash again. Once you have a smooth mash, start adding the liquid/butter slowly, stirring after each addition. Remember, you can add more but it's hard to take away. As soon as all the liquid and potatoes are incorporated, stop stirring. Taste for additional salt and if you like, add pepper. Smooth the top (making sure there are some indentations for the pools of butter) and then using the last 1/2 stick of butter, distribute in small pats all over the top.

In normal circumstances, you should have 20 + servings of potatoes. You can go ahead and package up half the potatoes now because trust me, these potatoes are so good they'll go quick.

If you do this once a week, you have a great side dish for anything. If you are at the deli of your grocery store, the rotisserie chickens make a great entree, and if you have the potatoes at home then all you have to do is grab a container of cole slaw, or cottage cheese and you have a meal. Much better than burgers or pizza. Cheaper too.

Best Pineapple Upside Cake recipe you'll ever need

This is like eating a slice of fresh pineapple. I bake mine in a 9x13 pan because I have a Tupperware container that fits it perfectly. You will love it, trust me.

My Mother's Table Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Glaze
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 - 20 oz cans of crushed pineapple (drained, reserve liquid)
12 maraschino cherries

Cake
2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup reserved pineapple juice
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 large eggs, slightly beaten, room temperature

Heat oven to 350 degrees. It doesn't hurt to spray the baking pan, even though there is butter in the recipe. Every little bit helps.

To make the glaze
Place butter in 9x13 pan and place in oven just until butter is melted. Remove from oven, tip pan so butter covers pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter, then spread pineapple. Add cherries (they should be pressed down in order to touch bottom of pan so they show when you turn out the cake.) Set aside while you make the cake.

Making the cake
Mix together sugar, flour and baking soda until combined. In a small sauce pan, bring butter and reserved pineapple juice to a boil. Cool 5 minutes. Add slowly to the flour mixture. Mix well. With mixture running on slow, add buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Mix just until combined. Pour over pineapple in cake pan. Drop pan on on counter once or twice to remove bubbles. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until top feels firm (depending on your oven, I'd check the cake after 30 minutes just to be sure. You can always bake longer but you can't take it back if you over bake.) When done, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then flip cake on a serving dish.

This cake serves 12 people, but it's very rich yet refreshing. So in my home, we get at least 18 servings. If you take it to a pot luck, it will go very fast!

Funeral Potatoes?

How did I not know the name of this recipe was Funeral Potatoes! From the time I can remember we called the dish Hashbrown Casserole. They are amazing! Uh, unlike funerals.

Hashbrown Casserole

2 lb package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed (I use diced but shredded is good)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 stick butter or margarine, melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp dried minced onion
topping optional (and for some, here is where it gets authentic)*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease casserole dish (I use a nice 7x11)

In a large mixing bowl, combine soup, sour cream, cooled butter, milk, cheese and onion until creamy. Add thawed potatoes, mix gently until potatoes are coated. Pour into greased dish, bake until bubbly (about 45 minutes.)

*The topping is optional, and very controversial evidently. I usually top mine with just cheap old bread crumbs that I've sauteed lightly in butter. I put mine on the potatoes after they've baked for 45 minutes, then I return to the oven for 15 minutes. You can also use Ritz crackers, but they aren't always around. Authentically? You use crushed corn flakes. I've done it, but I tossed them with a little melted butter because they browned better.

These are the best potatoes in the world, I don't care what anyone says. If you take them to a pot luck, take the recipe. Everyone will want it.

Mamaw Ashby's Apple Cake

I grew up with this cake, we had it all year around. It was good during the spring and summer, because my grandmother always loved fruit during the warmer seasons. But there was something great about apples in the fall and winter, I think the cinnamon and nutmeg just scream holiday. But in the end, there wasn't one single pot-luck event that didn't have this wonderful cake. Enjoy!

Mamaw's Apple Cake

1 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups self-rising flour
1-teaspoon vanilla
3 cups chopped apples (I peel mine, my grandmother did not)
1-cup nuts
½ cup raisins
1-teaspoon cinnamon
1-teaspoon nutmeg

Combine oil, sugar and eggs. Beat well. Add flour and beat well. Add remaining ingredients and blend well with spoon or spatula. Turn batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Great the next day with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Don't forget the trick of tossing the raisins and nuts with a tiny bit of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of your cake! And my grandmother tossed the apples with the spices before she added them to the batter, rather than adding the plain apples then the spices.

Chocolate Bourbon Pie

This is a staple in almost every Derby party or menu. It's so easy to make, you'll be a hit at any gathering. Plus it won't cost you $10! Some chocolate chip pie recipes call for the thick light or dark corn syrup - not mine. You can go right to your pantry and make this dessert!

Mrs. Borden's Famous Chocolate Bourbon Pie

2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted/cooled (important to be cooled)
1 cup chocolate chips*
1 cup chopped walnuts* (optional)
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional, can use bourbon extract if available)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1- 9 inch pie crust (Deep dish is best)

Beat eggs til foamy. Add flour, sugars, and mix well. Add butter. Stir in chips, nuts, bourbon and extract. Pour into 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees one hour, checking 30 minutes into baking and every 10 minutes after. Should be a golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream.

This pie isn't exclusive to Derby in Kentucky, we fix it all year. Great for a pot luck and can be made the day before.

* Toss the chocolate chips and walnuts in a tiny bit of the flour before you add them to the mixture. It keeps them evenly distributed so they won't sink to the bottom.

If you find yourself with 2 smaller ready made pie crust and they are 8 inch, you probably will be able to split this pie mixture into 2 pies. I however, like a deep dish pie crust.

Butter Cake with Homemade Frosting - recipe from the early 50's!

This is a recipe that is at least from the early 50's - but if I had to guess, was part of all the recipes my grandmother used in her lifetime (I'm only 49, but my grandmother was born in 1899 - I'm proud of that.) In 1937, Louisville KY suffered a terrible flood; my grandmother was asked to cook for the Kentucky National Guard. My mother often talked about how, as a child of only 12, many troops were gathered at her home eating breakfast, lunch and dinner on a constant 24 hour loop. They slept when they could. I can't imagine that would happen in this day and age, but this was 1937 - and they let my grandmother keep whatever wasn't used at the end of the mission.

Mt grandmother was a wonderful cook and nothing - I mean nothing - went to waste. Leftover grits served for breakfast? Refrigerated, sliced and fried later (in bacon grease no less!) in crispy/creamy discs usually served with braised pork chops. Egg shells and vegetable peels were used as mulch on her garden. And cakes were made from scratch. Now there's nothing wrong with a boxed cake mix, but the homemade cakes have a different texture - there's nothing like it. And you really must use real butter in this recipe. If you are going to take the time to make it homemade, use the best ingredients. Every now and then, you must remind yourself why you work, why you sacrifice. Believe me, it's worth it. As far as the name? On the recipe card, it wasn't named. So to me, she was "Mamaw." But to everyone else, they referred to her affectionately as "Mrs. Ashby." So in her honor, I hope this will bring some great memories to your family as it has mine.

Mrs. Ashby's Butter Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 2/3 white cups sugar (I use Domino's Sugar)
1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened
1 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla (I used Penzeys)

Preheat oven to 350*. Thoroughly and grease a 13 x 9 inch pan.

Combine all cake ingredients, beat at low speed just until moistened, then beat on high until mixed, be careful not to over mix. Your mixture probably won't look like a cake mix batter - that's okay. It's part of making a homemade cake. Pour batter into your 9 x 13 pan and bake about 30 - 40 minutes. Like most baked goods, a toothpick will come out clean when it's done. Cool while you make your frosting.

Frosting


6 tablespoons butter
3 cups powdered sugar (just about 1/2 cup shy of a box)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons milk (at the most, sometimes I use only 1 tablespoon)

Now here is what makes this frosting different; brown the 6 tablespoons of butter. Watch it closely and it may get foamy but when it turns a beautiful brown remove it from the heat. In my estimation, it takes about 5 minutes. You must cool completely before you proceed (can you tell I've missed this step before and wasted my ingredients?)

Mix the cooled browned butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add just enough milk so your frosting will be a thick, gorgeous spreading consistency. Frost the cooled cake.

Try not to eat all of it. (Can you tell I've missed this step too?)

Enjoy!

My Mom's Fluffy Frosting

I've never had anything like this frosting, but I believe it's a standard frosting originally used for a Red Velvet Cake. It's not easy to make, and I've discovered using my Kitchen Aid really makes a big difference. My mother never had a KA, she used a hand mixer and it still turned out perfect - it's just a lot of work.

It makes lots of frosting, easily frosts a 2 layer cake. During the holidays, I've been known to put some orange zest in a standard white cake to make something different. And once when I couldn't find my Bundt pan, I ended up making cup cakes with my pound cake batter and I frosted it with this frosting. My teenagers still talk about them. But more importantly, it's one of those things you make, and with every taste, I can close your eyes and for just a brief second and I'm 6 years old again standing in the kitchen with my mom. Those moments are important to me. I can't reach out and touch her, but it's nice knowing those memories are as close as my kitchen.

Martha's Fluffy Frosting

1 cup whole or 2% milk
5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 sticks of butter or good quality margarine
1 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth and no lumps remain. Over medium heat, cook mixture until it coats the back of your spoon, stirring constantly. When it gets to the correct consistency (thick and creamy) remove from heat and pour contents into a clean bowl to stop the cooking process. Let cool completely to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat together cold butter, sugar and vanilla until combined and fluffy, somewhat pale yellow in color. By tablespoons, add (while mixing) the cooled milk/flour mixture. At this point, your frosting will be yellow, rather gritty and might not look like a fluffy frosting at all - this is temporary. On medium-high speed, beat constantly until frosting gets very thick and turns a pale white. It can take up to 10 minutes for this step - but it's completely worth it. You can frost a 2 layer cake easily with the amount of frosting it makes - don't be afraid to use a generous amount in the middle of your layers. And I'll say it again, you can't just throw this together, but it's so worth the effort. I like it better than a traditional butter cream frosting.

Enjoy!

The Best Chocolate Chip recipe ever

This recipe dates back to my childhood - my grandmother always mixed butter with shortening for all her cookies. I don't know if that's the secret, but I do know these are a hit whether I am serving them at home, or giving a box of them to friends.

My Mom's Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened (I use Kroger brand margarine "Better for Baking" 80% vegetable oil)
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar (I use Domino's)
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 - 12 oz package mini chocolate chips (I use Nestle)

Cream butter and shortening, gradually adding sugars, and beating well at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Sift flour, soda, and salt, then and add to creamed mixture, mixing well but not over mixing. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by 1/4 cup onto greased cookie sheet. Lightly press down. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 17 minutes until light brown. I sometimes sprinkle mine with vanilla sugar - I love the crunch on top!

Of course, if you want smaller cookies, just use a rounded tablespoon - they are just as good.

I have to tell you about my day - and it includes a dental appointment, an insurance company, and a sex hotline

This blog is meant for food, and I try to keep it on topic; I may mention my personal life, but it's all about gathering around for dinner, especially with working parents, I want to start at least, with a Sunday dinner together - dinner that can be put together with ease, good fresh food and within your budget.

But today, oh my gravy, today was just something else. So I am going to give you the details of my day. It was a new experience for this po-dunk mom in Kentucky.

I've not mentioned this to anyone because I try not to let it define my family; but in November, after almost 10 years with a company, my husband was laid off. It was a shock. We've been through this before, but it was years ago. To put it in perspective, we've been through this in our late 20's; but we've never been through this in our mid 40's. We are blessed but it's been stressful. We've never ever been without insurance. And we have a chronically ill child, so it's extra stressful.

The insurance we had, health, dental & vision insurance was good insurance. We paid our Cobra but it's a difficult process, and the 3rd party benefit company who collects every one's money (ours, the company and the government) only updates once a week. We have a dental emergency, and my husband needs to be seen right away but since it appears our insurance lapsed, we are in a loop of red tape. This morning, I called the benefit company, the insurance company, and one passed me on to the other. I was frustrated, I was almost in tears from"they have to call us" and "no, we don't call them, it's up to them...."

The insurance company (who will remain unnamed, because they are really a great company) has a voice operated system; after four calls to them today, I was pretty well versed in the "customer....eligibility.....dental...." so I quickly dialed the number for the fourth time.

But I didn't get the insurance company.

I dialed one wrong number at the end.

And this po-dunk mom in KY got a sex line. Not just any sex line, a racist, stereotype sex line.

I soon realized saying my script I had been saying all morning, "customer.....eligibility..." would take on a whole new meaning. I passed the phone quickly to my husband who hung up. Upon redial, I saw my mistake so a little worse for wear, I dialed carefully. After getting the information I needed, I felt the need to at least mention the one number difference. So the well meaning, yet awkward conversation went like this:

Insurance Company: Is there anything else we can do for you today?

Po-Dunk-Me: Actually, yes, I just want to mention in case anyone else goes through what I did, do you know if you misdial the last number of your 800 number, you get a very racist, dirty sex line?

IC: Uh..........no.

PDM: No one has ever mentioned that to you?

IC: Uh.....no, no they haven't.

PDM: Well, it's really bad. Terrible, insulting.

IC: So....you like, listened to it?

PDM: Well......yeah, because I was....shocked, confused.

IC: But....you listened to it?

PDM: I......yeah.....didn't mean to.

IC: I see......and it's a.....what? Sex line?

PDM: Oh not JUST a sex line, a horrible stereotypical sex line!

IC: And you know this because you listened to the whole thing?

PDM: Uh.....wait....you don't understand what I've been through this morning. I was taken off guard.....I......didn't understand.

IC: Ok........we.....we will certainly note the account.....

PDM: No, no, don't note my account. I was just warning you!

IC: Yes ma'am, we......understand.

PDM: I was just warning you in case someone else goes through what I did...I mean, it's not like I thought you all diversified or anything and branched out, I just.....misdialed. Really, I misdialed.....I did....

IC: Yes, you mentioned that. We'll note.....we'll......tell someone.

PDM: Okay....you don't have to. Never mind. Forget I mentioned it.

IC: Oh, I don't think.......we won't forget it. Thanks.......for.....uh....have a great day!

I can, with every ounce of conviction, assure you there is a big sign at the insurance company, of me with a big slash through it that says "this woman is a pervert."

What a day. I'm going to go eat a dozen of hot doughnuts from Krispy Kreme and pass out in a sugar coma. It will be the best part of my day. I could lose a limb, and it would make it a better day.

This Is Not A Recipe- Potato Soup

Stuck in the house and want a pot of soup? Just don't have time or living out of your pantry or freezer?

I always keep a bag of the southern style hash brown potatoes in my freezer, and a jar of chicken base in the refrigerator. This is what I do if I need something in 20 minutes for my teenage sons.

Put the potatoes in a stock pot; cover with just enough water to cook them, and keep track of how many cups you use. Add a teaspoon of base for every cup of water you used. Add some pepper, maybe 1/2 a teaspoon of dried minced onion, bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Taste and add enough salt to taste (don't do it before you taste, some of the bases are salty enough.) Turn off the heat, add about a cup of cheddar cheese (or whatever you have on hand) and stir, put a lid on it and wait about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Homemade potato soup is wonderful; but don't let that keep you from throwing this together for a quick meal. With a piece of crusty bread, it's warm and filling. And it's ready in the time it would take you to order pizza, or go through the drive-thru. If you don't use chicken base, you can use chicken bullion, or canned chicken broth - I have to say, I probably don't use my good chicken stock in the freezer for this, I save that for my 'from scratch' foods. This is what my grandmother would affectionately call 'speed scratch.'

Enjoy!

The Only Punch Recipe You'll Ever Need

When I catered bridal, baby, or wedding showers this punch was a hit. The next day, I got so many calls asking for the recipe. It is so easy. Once you make this, you'll be the hit of the party.

1/2 gallon sherbet (or two of the smaller containers) of your favorite flavor
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 two liter of cold lemon-lime soda or ginger ale + another two liter because you might need about half to get the right consistency

Remove the sherbet and ice cream from the freezer about 20 minutes before you plan to assemble the punch. When you put the sherbet and ice cream in the punch bowl, use a spoon and chop it into smaller pieces. Slowly add the first two liter - gently stir. You'll want to do this about 45 minutes before you need it. You might need to add part of the second two liter before serving, just to brighten it up a bit.

Here is where it gets good - I color coordinated the punch to the event: a baby shower meant either raspberry sherbet making it pink for a girl; I used pineapple sherbet with a little blue food coloring for a boy, but sometimes you can find a blue sorbet to use in place of sherbet which is a perfectly good substitution. And of course, if you didn't know the sex of the baby, I used lime sherbet.

If I was making it for a bridal shower, I tried to use the colors of the bridesmaid dresses - orange sherbet was a hit. And if it was OK to spike the punch, the absolute favorite was pineapple sherbet with rum to taste and a few maraschino cherries floating in the punch. Overall, the pineapple sherbet punch - with or without rum - was the most popular.

Enjoy, play around with the flavors - but the vanilla ice cream makes it the best!

Hot chocolate everyone will love!

This is one of my best purchases ever. This makes the best hot chocolate you've ever had, right in your own home.

I start out with the hot cocoa mix from GFS, or your local foodservice; Nestle, or Swiss Miss is good too. Your Cocomotion will make 4 servings at a time, so make sure you measure the hot chocolate mix according to package directions. I use milk; you can use water, it's your preference. But what I do which I think, makes mine stand out, is using 1/4 cup of marshmallow cream. Add that to the milk and cocoa mix, turn the machine on and in about 10 minutes, you will have hot cocoa like you did when you were a kid.

And in the end, isn't that what it is all about? The things you do today are the memories your kids will look back on. It will remind them, when times get hard, of a soft place to fall. Doesn't everybody want that for their kids?

Now, go play in the snow!

Easiest Tomato Soup!

I used to get a bowl of tomato soup from a great sandwich shop almost 20 years ago when I was a working girl. As I always do, I asked the owner how they made it; most people will be honest, but you've got that one person, who either doesn't want you to stop paying $4 for a cup of soup, or they don't want to admit cooking can actually be easy. Either way, they gave me the instructions on how to make this soup, starting with expensive canned tomatoes. It took me almost $50 later and 3 failed, awful batches of soup when I finally gave up. I was destined to never have the soup at home, settling for one cup a week at work - in my dress clothes - even during the winter, when I was all comfy in my robe and fireplace going at home.

A few months later I went to the restaurant for my weekly cup of soup and I told the young girl at the take-out counter how this was something I looked forward to but the one thing I duplicate at home. She said "I don't cook, and even I can make this soup. Want me to give you the recipe?"

Come to find out, evidently the owner either didn't want to give up the secret, or didn't want anyone to know his expensive, fancy restaurant sold soup - by the cup for $4 - started out with a can of Campbell's Tomato soup.

It's so good, you can't believe how easy it is.

1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup (10 3/4 oz can)
1 teaspoon pesto*
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in saucepan; over low heat, whisk until combined. Heat until hot but not boiling.

That's it. This is a very rich soup, so you only need a small cup. I love crusty bread with mine, or buttery crisp croutons. Refrigerates well, so you can reheat it during the week. It makes an excellent dipping sauce for grilled cheese.

*Back 20 years ago, I used pesto. But my now 12 year old son is allergic to tree nuts, he can't have pesto since it has pine nuts. So I substitute a teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese, a small clove of garlic minced, a pinch of parsley and just a drop of olive oil. Plus the pesto, at my local store, is very expensive - and in my region so is the fresh ingredients of pesto.

Snuggle in and enjoy your soup!

This Is Not A Recipe

Last night, I took a large container of plain yogurt, let it drain overnight in a coffee filter (you can use your choice of method to strain.) Make sure you put a bowl under it that won't overflow into your refrigerator - sometimes you get a lot of liquid, sometimes not. Depends on the brand and how long it sits.

This morning, I threw away the liquid, took the thick yogurt mixture and added a teaspoon of Penzeys vanilla, half the zest of an orange, the juice from the half of orange and 2 packages of Sun Crystals (5 calories per package) mixed with a dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon, refrigerating until this afternoon.

About mid-morning, I took some fresh strawberries, cut them in half and tossed them with a teaspoon of sugar and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

When I crave a creamy snack, I layer the yogurt (I flavored myself exactly like I like it) with the strawberries - and don't limit yourselves to strawberries. I love raspberries, blueberries, whatever is available in your area and is afforable. Plus I make my own granola also affordable - just oats, coconut, almonds sweetened with honey, exactly what I like - none of that pesky granola full of cheap peanuts and fake maple flavor. Just watch it in the oven, boy it burns quickly!

That's the best part of making your own things at home - it's how you like it, at no extra charge. Plus when you make it yourself, you know it's not going to be wrong when you get home and opened the wrapper.

The only way I could get my young son to eat yogurt was to take the thick yogurt mixture, and instead of adding the stuff I liked, I added a package of the sugar free grape drink aid mix normally added to a bottle of water (and, it's not half bad!)

See, it doesn't always have to be a recipe!

Turn This Into That! French Onion Soup

I took the simple, inexpensive ingredients and made a delicious, satisfying lunch!

Yesterday, I purchased from Kroger, the following:

Campbell's French Onion Soup .......... $1 per can on sale (I used 2 cans for 4 servings)

Kroger Mozzarella Cheese .......... $1.99 for 8 oz. bag

Texas Toast Frozen Bread .......... $2.40 for a box of 8 slices

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bake bread according to package directions (usually 6 - 8 minutes.) While the bread bakes, heat the soup according to directions.

Just assemble and bake:

Cut the bread into cubes (one slice of bread per bowl, you can serve an extra piece of bread on the side or save it for later)

Ladle soup into oven proof bowl

Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at same temperature until cheese melts. Bowls are hot, be careful! And make sure your bowls are oven proof - that's really important!

For 4 servings, the total cost was about $1.60 per serving. If you ordered this at a restaurant, you can expect to pay at the very least, triple that amount. Mine was ready in a fraction of the time it would take to get carry-out, or going to the drive-thru. We never left the house.

Now, you can make the onion soup from scratch - which I do. But when I don't have homemade on hand, or day old french bread, the ready made ingredients keep me at home with my family instead of eating a cold sandwich or ordering out. And I always say, if keeping the ready made ingredients on hand means you don't settle for a dry burger and fries then it's worth it.

Homemade is good, but don't let not having the homemade-from-scratch ingredients keep you from making this soup!

And in my case, the fireplace inside our dining room with the snow falling outside was furnished at no additional charge - that means I had lunch on the table in less than 10 minutes, and my sons were more than happy to enjoy the meal with me. We laughed and talked for over an hour, and it only meant 10 minutes of work from me. I don't know about you, but I can't put a price on that.

Enjoy!