Author: Amy Eason

Caramel Pumpkin Italian Cream Cake

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Don’t let the length of this recipe stop you from trying it.  It comes together pretty easily and is so moist and delicious.  It got rave reviews at a church function.

Ingredients
Cake:
2 c. pecan halves
2 c. sweetened flaked coconut, divided
1/2 c. plus 2 T. shortening
1/2 c. plus 2 T. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
6 eggs, separated
1 1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
Caramel Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. light brown sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/8 t. fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt
1 t. vanilla
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened 
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.  Reserve 8-10 halves for decorating the top, then finely chop the remainder.  Set aside 1 c. chopped for the cake batter, then place the remaining chopped pecans in a samll bowl.  Toast 1 c. coconut in a nonstick skillet over high heat until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, stirring often.  Reserve remaining coconut for cake batter. Place the toasted coconut in the bowl with the pecans and mix.  Set aside.
2.  Cream the shortening, butter, sugar, and 1 c. light brown sugar together until fluffy on medium speed.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, until incorporated.  Beat in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 t. vanilla until well mixed.
3.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/2 t. salt.  Add to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Stir in 1 c. reserved (untoasted) coconut and the reserved 1 c. chopped pecans.
4.  Beat the egg whites until stiff in a medium bowl.  Gently fold into batter.  Divide the batter equally among 3 (9 inch round) cake pans that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and lined with parchment paper or wax paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack.
5.  When cakes are completely cool, make the caramel frosting. Place 1/2 c. butter, 1 c. light brown sugar, 1/4 c. heavy cream and the fleur de sel in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to rapid boil and boil for 1 minute while stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and beat in 1 t. vanilla and 2 c. powdered sugar with a handmixer on medium speed until mixture is thick and spreadable.  Immediately spread half of the frosting on the first cake layer that has been placed on cake plate or cardboard cake round, bottom side up (flat side up).  Place the second layer on top, bottom up, and spread the remaining frosting to the edges.  Place the third layer on top, bottom side up.
6.  Make the cream cheese frosting.  Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy and fluffy with the whisk attachment on high speed.  Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until fluffy and smooth.  Beat in vanilla.  Frost the outside and top of cake with frosting.  Carefully press the reserved coconut-pecan mixture into the sides of cake, then place pecan halves on top for decoration.
Source:  riceandbeansprintablerecipes.com

Pink Grapefruit Smoothie

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Ingredients:

pink or ruby red grapefruit, peeled, membrane removed
1 banana
1 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. orange juice, chilled

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.   You may find a whole grapefruit is too sour for your taste buds so add half first and do a taste test to see if it needs more.

Source:  craftylittlegnome.com

“True and Faithful”

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I have a connection to the 10th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was born on his birthday, July 19th (a mere 88 years after his 1876 birth).  I am excited to study his teachings this year in Relief Society.  As I was perusing the first lesson in the new manual for our 2014 course of study, I read the following the words:

Taken from the manual, Teachings of Presidents of the Church:  Joseph Fielding Smith, “President Joseph Fielding Smith ‘used three words that I can never forget, ‘ recalled President Gordon B. Hinckley.  Those words were “true and faithful.’  President Hinckley said, “In his public addresses, in his private conversation, in his prayers to the Lord, he pleaded that we might be true and faithful.”  President Thomas S. Monson shared a similar memory:  “Even in his advanced years, [he] always prayed, ‘May we be true and faithful to the end.'”

My initial reaction was, “huh, that’s not what I was expecting”.  Then it hit me!  President Smith had been born into a family that had experienced many dramatic events in the history of the church.  His grandfather, Hyrum Smith, was martryed alongside his brother Joseph Smith  (the founder) of the Mormon church.  His father, Joseph F. Smith, was only 5 years old when his father was martyred and helped his family migrate to Salt Lake City across the plains.  His mother, Julina Smith, came from pioneer stock as well.  His heritage was rich indeed.  Therefore, being “true and faithful” was a magnanimous task yet so pertinent and straightforward to the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I began to ponder how my life could be changed for the better if I were to put those 3 words to the test.  I desire to be “true and faithful” to the end.  I decided to make these 3 words part of my New Year.  May we all be found striving to be “true and faithful”.

Sausage and Apple Stuffing

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Ingredients:

2 sticks plus 3 T. butter, divided
2 c. water
2 (14 to 16 oz) bags of your favorite dried cornbread stuffing mix
1 lb. pork sausage
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1 t. dried sage leaves
1 c. chopped walnuts
3 medium apples, cored and sliced
2 to 3 c. homemade giblet stock or low sodium chicken broth

*I added a cup or so of dried cranberries for taste and color.

Directions:

1.  In a large pot melt 2 sticks butter in water.  When melted add dry cornbread stuffing, stirring to incorporate liquid, set aside.

2.  In a large saute pan set over medium-high heat melt 1 T. butter and add sausage.  With a wooden spoon break up sausage and saute until lightly browned and cooked through.  Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain.

3.  In the same pan melt remaining butter and saute onions with the garlic, celery, thyme and sage until onions are translucent and celery is crisp tender.

4.  Add walnuts and saute for 1 minute.  Add apples and saute for one minute more.  Remove from heat.

5.  Combine cornbread stuffing with sauteed ingredients and stuff turkey.  Roast turkey as usual.

Alternatively:  Fill a 10x15x2 inch pan with the stuffing, moisten with the giblet stock and bake in a preheated 350 oven, covered with foil for 1/2 hour.  Remove foil and bake until top is lightly browned, about 15 minutes more.

Source:  Food Network

Sweet Cornbread in a Bread Machine

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Ingredients:

2 eggs, at room temperature
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, at room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 c. flour (or flour of your choice)
1 c. cornmeal
1 T. baking powder

Directions:

Add all ingredients to your bread machine in the order listed.  Select the Quick Bread cycle.

Source:  Grain Mill Wagon

Pumpkin Lust Cake

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Ingredients:

1 stick butter, melted
1 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans
2 T. sugar
8 oz pkg of cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
16 oz container cool whip
2 pkg (3.4 oz) jello instant pumpkin spice pudding
3 c. cold milk
nutmeg for sprinkling

Directions:

1.  For the crust:  Combine butter, flour, chopped pecans and sugar and press into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.  Let cool completely.

2.  For the cream cheese layer:  Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 1/2 c. cool whip until smooth.

3.  For the pumpkin layer:  Mix pudding mixes with cold milk, whisking for several minutes.  Set it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken.  Spread over the cream cheese layer.  Top with remaining container of cool whip.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.

4.  Cut into squares and serve.  Keep refrigerated.

Source:  Just a pinch recipes

Best Venison Chili Recipe

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Here’s a great recipe for hunting season.  The kiddos will never know you used deer meat instead of hamburger.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground venison
2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 t. ground cumin
2 T. chili powder
1 T. hot pepper sauce
1 t. salt

Directions:

1.  Saute onions and garlic in a pan over medium heat.  Add ground venison and brown.

2.  Add spices to mixture and transfer to crockpot.  Place remaining ingredients in crockpot.  Stir.  Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours.  (I recommend the low setting.)

Source:  id-rather-be-deer-hunting.com

What is Ennui?

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 “It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui.” 

― Helen Keller

 
What is ennui you may ask?  The dictionary defines ennui as boredom from lack of interest: weariness and dissatisfaction with life that results from a loss of interest or sense of excitement.  Can’t you just picture it?  Satan’s plan frustrated to the max!  The more I come to know the Savior, Jesus Christ and what’s important to Him, the more power I feel I have to combat Satan.  I have also come to know the devil quite a bit more over the last 2 years and that was some difficult knowledge to acquire.  But, you gotta know what you’re up against, right?

Full-Flavored Beef Stew

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This is a quick crock pot recipe.  It makes your house smell wonderful all day long!

Ingredients:

2 lb. beef roast or stew beef, cubed
2 c. sliced carrots
2 c. diced potatoes (I like to leave the skins on)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 1/2 c. peas
2 t. quick-cooking tapioca
1 T. salt
1/2 t. pepper
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 T. brown sugar

Directions:

1.  Combine beef and vegetables in slow cooker.  Sprinkle with tapioca, salt and pepper.

2.  Combine tomato sauce and water.  Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.

3.  Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.

Source:  Stacy Petersheim, Mechanicsville, PA

Wet Coconut Cake

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This is 5 ingredients of deliciousness.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 14 oz. can condensed milk
1 8 oz. can of cream of coconut milk
12 oz. cool whip
1 7 oz. can coconut

Directions:

1.  Mix cake according to package directions.  Bake in a 9×13 pan.

2.  While cake is still warm, poke holes in cake with fork.

3.  Combine condensed milk and coconut milk, pour over warm holes punctured in the cake.

4.  Let cool in the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours.

5.  Cover with cool whip and sprinkle with coconut.

Source:  cooks.com