Cinnamon Pudding

A few days ago, I needed a quick but yummy dessert for a friend and her family that I was taking a meal to.  I was thinking something with apples, so I got out the cookbook my grandma had made for my cousins & I several years ago.  Instead of an apple dessert, I found the recipe for one of my favorites "Cinnamon Pudding." The name is deceiving, because it's not really pudding, it's more like a fluffy cake with this yummy, gooey, cinnamony syrup on the bottom. Oh, so good! It was so easy to make, I wondered why I had never attempted it before! I'll be making more of this very soon!

Here goes:

Cinnamon Pudding

1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.

Syrup
2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups cold water

Bring syrup ingredients to a boil, and pour on top of batter mix.  (It's ok if it looks like its making holes in the batter, it's not suppose to stay on top!)  Sprinkle with nuts.  Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Do not over bake. Cake will appear bubbly and under baked, but when it cools, the syrup settles to the bottom and the cake will be on the top.

So easy & so yummy! And an easy one to make on short notice, since you probably have all the ingredients on hand! I was going to take a picture, but it got devoured before I had a chance!

Christmas Traditions

A family tradition at Christmas time has always been making Sorghum cookies with my mom. We'd cut out little teddy bears and gingerbread men and use those little edible silver balls for buttons or eyes (which, I think aren't considered safe to eat anymore!). Every one would look forward to having sorghum cookies right out of the oven throughout the Christmas season. I have continued this tradition with my kids and try to make at least one batch of these yummy cookies every Christmas (and if I don't, my cousin and husband get rather upset!)
Another tradition that we enjoy is our annual Cookie & Candy Making Day. This will be our 6th year getting together with friends and spending the entire day making Christmas cookies and candy. It has grown from 4 adults and one kid to anywhere up to 7 adults and too many kids to count!! And when I say entire day - I mean ENTIRE day - from 9 am until 9 or 10 pm! We have so much fun making and sampling all our goodies we can't wait until the next year! I've got lots to do before Tuesday, when we have Cookie & Candy Day 2011!!!

To get started on all the amazing sweets I will be making this year, here is the recipe for Sorghum Cookies. I'll be adding more recipes as I get a chance.

Sorghum Cookies
5 Cups Flour
2 Eggs
1/2 cup sorghum (or molasses)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup Crisco shortening
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cold water

Mix all ingredients together and chill over night. Roll dough in sections 1/2" thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Don't over bake!! Makes 6 dozen 2 1/2 inch cookies. (They can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for "fresh out of the oven" taste!)

Enjoy!!!

Hair Bows!

Yes, I do something other than cook. This morning, we had our Mom's Coffee time at my house, and Beth brought over her basket of hair bow making supplies. Of course, I had to get my stuff out, and since that is half the work, I actually sat down and got several flowers and bows made for the girls for the upcoming holiday season! Yippee! We had been wearing the same 4 flowers and didn't have any cute Christmas bows, so I got down to work. Here's what I made:


The "Parts" - I either take apart store bought flower stems (the dollar stores are a great place to find cheap flowers) and I also found containers of patterned or solid fabric flowers at Hobby Lobby for $10 for 50 pieces.


The finished flower clip. Pick your colors and sizes, layer, and use a small dot of hot glue between each layer. Add a jewel, fun brad, button, or pom pom to the center and a hair clip to the back.


All in a day's work


The ribbon bow parts. Cut pieces of ribbon and loop to make the size you want and then glue in a "X" pattern. After stacking and gluing blue ribbon, the I looped the white ribbon over the top to give it a finished look on the front and back. A bright jewel and clip complete the bow.


The completed bow


The makings of the flower/bow combo. I took a long piece of the green ribbon, looped it so the center was open and wrong side up and glued between each layer. I then just assembled and glued the small flower in the center. Kenzie helped with this one and wanted to model it for me.


A flower & bow combo clip

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

For two of our Thanksgiving meals, I was to bring a dessert. I found this recipe earlier this fall and we all loved it. I tweaked it just a little and have also made it with a cinnamon butter cream frosting instead of the cream cheese frosting. It is super yummy and easy to make!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 pkg spice cake mix
¾ cup applesauce
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
¼ cup oil
3 eggs

Icing

1 pkg (8oz) Cream Cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg (16 oz) powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer until well blended; spoon into 24 paper lined muffin cups. Bake 20-22 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min. Remove from pan & cool completely.
Icing: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Blend in cinnamon. Spread over cupcakes.

Yum, Yum!!

Apple Butter

A family favorite to add to peanut butter sandwiches or on rolls is homemade apple butter. Yummy! That's what I'm making today! It is super simple and makes your house smell so good while it's cooking too!

What You Need:

2 doz medium apples (about 6 lbs)

2 qts sweet apple cider

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

How You Make It:

Core and slice apples. Cook apples in cider until tender. Press through sieve (or food processor). measure out 3 qts of apple pulp (you just made homemade applesauce too!). Cook uncovered in crock pot on low or over low heat on stove until it begins to thicken. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Add sugar & spices. Cook slowly, stirring frequently until thick enough to round on spoon. Usually a couple hours on low heat. Pour while hot into hot jelly or quart size jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.