Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie

Wow this pie goes back to my single days when I dated a guy I wanted to impress, I asked him what he would like for his birthday, "strawberry/rhubarb pie"  so I found this in the Betty Crocker cookbook and went to work.  To make a long story short, he was thrilled with it and gave me his best compliments, "this is better than Marie Calendar's".  I love it too for it's "sweet/tart" flavor and it's one of our favorites in our home, especially served warm with vanilla ice cream, it can't be beat!

               Pat Brough's Pie Crust Recipe
(this is my mother-in-laws's recipe, for the crust, it is a good one)

2c. flour
1c. shorterning                            
1 tsp. salt
Take out 1/3c. flour and put in bowl, add 1/4c. cold water to make a paste.  Then crumble the rest of the flour, shortening, ad salt, using a pastry blender until there are small crumbles.   Now add flour paste and mix.  Roll into ball and put in refrigerator for about 1 hour.  Roll out using a little bit of flour if needed.  The trick is to roll out without working the dough too much.  Put in pie pan.

                                                Strawberry/Rhurbarb Pie
                                                   (from Betty Crocker)
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
2c. cut up rhubarb(i cut them small so you don't get a huge bite of bitter! about 1/4 inch pieces)
2c. sliced strawberries
2 Tbsp. butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees.   Mix sugar, and flour.  Turn half of the rhubarb and strawberries into pastry-lined pie plate; sprinkle with 1/2 of sugar mixture.  Repeat with remaining strawberry/rhubarb, and sugar mixture.  Dot with butter.  Cover with a top crust, I usually use strips from the leftover crust, and sprinkle the top crust with sugar.   Cover crust with foil to prevent burning, and remove the last 15 min. of baking.   Put pie on cookie sheet and place in 
oven.  Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.  About 40 to 50 min.  **I use frozen rhubarb slightly thawed so not to watery.  I have two rhubarb plants which produces more than I need.  And I will wash and cut them up into 2 c. and freeze so I can just thaw and add.  Dont let it thaw all the way.  

My New Favorite Barbequed Pork Chops

Soo this past Saturday, we spent the day cleaning out my mother in law's home, she passed away February 5th and we have been getting it cleaned out and ready to sell.  It has been a mountain of a job!  Makes me want to gut through my things, but that's for another day.  In the morning I had decided that I would marinate mushrooms in Wishbone Mediterranean Italian dressing, by the way, if you haven't tried marinating them in some type of Italian dressing and then grilling them the next day, you are missing out on a special treat!  My husband's idea and they are the most coveted food item on our table :)  Anyway, when I came home, I was so exhausted and decided to search the internet for a good recipe for marinated pork chops.  My husband was skeptical, I this recipe seemed like a winner, and besides all the comments were good.  I use thinner pork chops and you could use bone in.

                        Marinated Barbeque Pork Chops

12oz. Coke
1/4c. Soy Sauce ( I used 1/2 Yoshida's gourmet sauce)
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 pork chops
---I used 12 for our family and doubled the recipe putting each set in a gallon ziplock bag, then adding the pork chops.  Let marninate overnight in refrigerator.   Barbeque on the grill until done.
                        Barbequed Mushrooms

1 package of mushrooms, washed
put in ziplock bag and add Italian dressing and let marinate in refrigerator overnight  can marinate up to 3 days (which I think is best) and grill on barbeque until done.  
The recipe for the pork chops came from Taste of Homes.






                       

Wow it's been a while

Well life is happening and I'm hoping to get back to posting more recipes.  This one that will be in the next post is a keeper!

St. Patrick's Day Pot of Gold Cake

This a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  The Brough family makes this cake.  You can use any cake recipe and frosting.   After putting the batter in cake pan, you randomly put coins or dollar bills which are folded up and wrapped in wax paper (I fold and wrap it small), into cake, and push it into batter.  I usually put one bigger bill in for the person who gets the biggest prize.  I decorated the cake as usual with frosting and I put chocolate gold coins on top with sprinkles and chocolate clovers.  I have even made a vanilla cake, and poked holes with fork and poured green jello (that is mixed up and dissolved) over the top, and top with whipped cream for a nice dessert.  A fun way to celebrate!  Can also do this idea with cupcakes.

One of life's interruptions :)

So it's been a while since I was able to post any recipes, I just posted the Rolo cookie recipe because my neighbor begged me after my 9 year old daughter must have sneaked the last two on the counter on the way out of the door to school and my neighbor was driving carpool, soon I got a text saying have to have this recipe!  My daughter was begging me all day yesterday to be able to take a plate to school for her teacher.  I baked two batches and froze most of them and put some on the kitchen counter only to be devoured by anyone walking into my kitchen.
Life has a way with twists and turns and I'm learning to just go along for the ride and quit planning my expectations.  Not always easy to do, but I think I'm getting the hang of it :).  My mother in law, who was taking care of my alzheimer father in law, was diagnosed with a brain tumor just before thanksgiving.  We had a wonderful dinner here with most of the family.  The Tuesday after, my family flew to Disneyland,(this was planned two months earlier).  That Friday, while we were away, my mother in law had surgery to remove the tumor.  It was discovered to be malignate, and the type of tumor that grows back, is aggressive and no cure, she will die from it.  We came home that Sunday, drove straight to the hospital to see how she was doing, which she seemed like she wasn't feeling too well, then I took the kids home so my husband could relieve his brother and brother in law, and stay with her.  That night my husband brought his dad to our house, and it's been non-stop stress.  Nothing prepares you for this, and I sure wish I had been!  We just take it one day at a time and pray we get through it.  It's funny how life can be, one minute everything seems ok, and the next, life changing!  but this too will pass and life goes on.  So far, my father in law has become worse(more than likely because he is out of his familiar environment), my mother in law is regretting the surgery, and losing the will to go on( she has two children who both died from cancer-she is anxious to be with her daughter and son on the other side), so we are hoping we still will get some time with her, and we are looking at long term care for my father in law.  I will post when I can.

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

These cookies come from a Pillsbury bake off recipe, but my very first encounter with these chewy and carmelly(my own word) cookie of goodness was when the lady I babysat for brought me a plate for Christmas.  I will admit, I thought I died and went to Heaven! Ok so I just had to have the recipe and actually found it in the Pillsbury cook off book- the rest is history, and now it's always on my Christmas must make list!  As a matter of fact, this year my 9 year old was begging me to give them to all her friends and her teacher, good thing I made a double batch, and bought the box of Rolos at Costco!  Enjoy!

                         Chocolate Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 c. Flour
3/4 c. Unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. Sugar
1 c. Brown sugar
1 c. Butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
48 Rolos

White chocolate chips

-----Heat oven to 375 F.  In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; blend well.  In a large bowl beat butter, then add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy.  Ass vanilla and eggs; beat well.  Add flour mixture; blend well.  For each cookie, shape about an inch ball around a Rolo, covering completely, then dip one side into granulated sugar put on baking sheet about 2" apart and bake about 7 to 10 min or until set or and slightly cracked.  Cool on rack.  Melt whit chocolate chips in a Baggie and snip the end--decorate to your hearts desire!

***  High altitude adjust flour to 2 3/4c.

My Christmas cookie platter for Christmas 2023 - 

Poppy Seed Cake

I can't remember the exact memory of when our neighbor Tammy brought this moist wonderful tasting cake over.  She was truly my idol when it came to cooking, she was the best! Everything she made was always a "slice of heaven" I was so grateful to get this recipe from her, now you get to enjoy it too!
                        Poppy Seed Cake
              (I use a Bundt pan for this)
1/2 c. vegetable oil 
1 small box instant French vanilla pudding
2 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 c. Water
**Mix all ingredients and beat for 3 min.  Place in a well greased and floured Bundt pan.  Bake at 350F for 45 min. Or until done by inserting a toothpick( mine is usually done at about 35 to 40 min)
Glaze:  2c. Powder sugar,  3 Tbsp. whipping cream or evaporated milk(may need more, I use this to make it rich :)) , 1/4 c. Butter( 1/2 cube) softened, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and almond extract
Beat butter until smooth, add powder sugar, then milk and flavorings until thick but not as thick as a frosting, spread onto cake when it is cooled.   I like to decorate with sprinkles of the season. Enjoy the moans of delight!