Brooks; home from China.

Recipes  follow pictures.

Brooks and his girlfriend, Taylor

Taylor, Brooks, Alyssa, Mike

Mike and Beth in their matching China shirts

Brook's mother, Beth

 Beth in her new shoes.

We are so blessed to have Brooks returning safely from two months of study in China.  He brought some gifts...others are stuck in Chicago because he had to spend the night there instead of getting home on time.  United Airlines is going to have to step it up.  They are getting a BAD reputation.  Have you tried to use your frequent flier miles lately?  We have way over 100,000 and using them is simply useless to even try. (I figure they plan it that way.)

Any way, In China if you want to be exclusive (go steady) you ask if you would like to match.  That means matching shirts and other matching clothes.  If you click on the pictures one at a time you will see the logos and they are really well made clothing.

He brought his mother, Beth, a beautiful hand made pair of shoes.  She is proudly wearing them in these pictures.

Brooks will be a junior at the Citadel this year.  He is studying Chinese as one of his majors and went there to study in total immersion this summer.  We are glad he is home safe and sound.  He loved it and I image they adored him as well.  He is easy to love.

I have this in the oven right now. It is so good I just baked another one to take to Cincinnati.  It is excellent the 2nd (or more) day(s).

Cinnamon swirl bread                                       

Ingredients

For the bread:
• 3 over-ripe bananas, smashed up
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
For the swirl:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and four a loaf pan. Mine was 9 x 5, but you could use any sort, I suppose. Just keep a close eye on it in the oven, and adjust the time as needed
2. Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together. sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of the banana mixture. Then gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix!
3. In a small dish, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbs cinnamon.
4. Add 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle half, or a little more than half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan. Add the rest of the batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, but remember, if you’re using a different-sized loaf pan, be careful and keep a close eyeball on it!

I’m pretty sure most of you have encountered a layered salad, or two, in your lifetime. They’re popular for picnics and church basement potlucks. One thing that always amazes me is how silly it is to put a layered salad in a deep bowl. They’re ridiculously pretty, so I understand that part, but try to get some of every layer and you end up with an arm full of mayonnaise.

Sooooo…. I thought why not make it more simple? Everyone still loves how this salad looks, and it’s much easier to serve. Just layer, chill and cut into cake-like pieces. Voila!

serves 8 to 12

1 head iceberg lettuce

1/4 cup chopped purple onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped, fresh mushrooms

12 oz. package frozen peas, thawed

2 cups real mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons sugar or honey

1/4 lb. grated cheddar cheese (I like extra sharp)

1 lb. lower-sodium bacon, fried, cooled and crumbled

Remove core from head of lettuce. Cut head into quarters. Carefully seperate the lettuce layers. Put half of them in the bottom of a 9 x 13, glass cake pan. Top with half of the onion, half of the celery, half of the green pepper, half of the mushrooms, and half of the frozen (thawed) peas. Combine the mayo with the sugar. Spread half of the mayo mixture over the salad. Top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon. Repeat with another salad layer, starting with lettuce and ending with bacon. Cover cake pan tightly with foil. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Cut into 8 to 12 square pieces. Salt and pepper to taste. Serv

Egg Plant

Eggplant

I had never tasted egg plant until today. You know what?  It isn't awful!   I went wild and fixed a big dish of this concoction of fresh tomatoes, egg plant, Parmesan, peppers, and bacon. We had lovely purple globules handing on the bushes and I just had to do something with them. Now I am thinking Glenda loves egg plant Parmesan and that's basically what I made, so that is one dish for next week end in Cincinnati.  (Glenda called today and she is ecstatic about being able to finally go home tomorrow after two months in rehab and we are going to go  next week end for cards, cocktails, and delicious food, and, excellent company.) We have a bumper crop of egg plant this year in the containers and that is a perfect place for them to grow.  I like them small and they are really not bad in a dish with enhancement.  I never knew what an egg plant was until twenty or thirty years ago and now it is going to be a frequent addition to my recipe file much to Andy's dismay. (His mother used them during the war for lack of meat and he can't stand the thought of egg plant, yet he grows it...go figure.) I can't give you my recipe, because I fixed it outdoors while the cable men worried over the house and apartment looking for ways to enhance our system and add to it.  Good luck there.  So, the dogs and I gathered every egg plant, pepper, and tomato available and yet we made a large dish of goodness with still fresh vegetables going begging. We will take a load to Cincinnati, so they had better be ready to cook. The Internet has thousands of egg plant recipes, but I will try to find one near what I made today because it was so tasty...to some of us.

• 925

This sort of looks like mine, but really just throw in what you like and Bob's your uncle. (I used Mr. and Mrs. Ts spicy cocktail mix for bloody Mary's for the base and Carfagna's sauce for the cover.)   I did not use pasta but it's a choice.



North College Hill Bakery gets rave reviews and we are going on Friday! Yea!  One said the breakfast cheesecake was not to be missed...so we won't miss it for sure.  Thank you.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "North College Hill Bakery...the best!": 

I grew up in North College Hill went to school across the street from the Bakery. Married a military man and have traveled all over the world. North College Hill bakery is by far the best. Every time we go home to visit family we make a trip there. My daughter and her husband went to Cincinnati last week and called from the bakery to see what I wanted. Breakfast Cheesecake, that is heaven on earth. I've never been able to find it anywhere else. 

Glenda's Coming Home~

After three major operations on one leg and a couple of months in therapy rehab my dear sister-in-law gets to come home on Sunday. Joe, her husband, called right away to tell us the news and to invite us down for the week end next.  We will be there with bells on and a hamper full of goodies.  I am not taking a cake.  Since College Hill Bakery can't be beat, we will simply make a trip over there and hopefully we can do it when there isn't such a crowd.  I want to inspect everything this time. Today, if my legs hold up, I want to try the coffee cake from the last post which won a ribbon at the fair.  I am thinking that that base cake is what I need for various fillings to copy College Hill Bakery as best I can.

The big move has finished and everyone has settled in nicely at Many Branches.  I did not have to kill or maim anyone.  It was almost perfect and that is unusual.  Now in two weeks this enormous driveway of ours is getting extended and re coated. So that will be disruptive.  We have decided to put off the elevator until next spring.  I have had almost as much change as I can stand for one season.

I do have to get on my sagging soap box, once again, about hired workers.  I have never seen the like of such big babies in my life.  Two men said they could take on the grapevines, honeysuckle, and other choking vegetation both in the front and back yard along the fence line which our neighbors fail to do.  These vines are choking our trees, and theirs, but we are the only ones who care evidently.
Indeed the two did get the front yard looking pretty good but when faced with the back yard they suddenly developed a fear of poison ivy which they said was EVERYWHERE and if they even looked at it it would hop upon them and cause great stress.  I thought, if they didn't dress like Chippendale dancers, and old ones at that, they might avoid the poison ivy had they dressed appropriately. (I would have appreciated that any way.) They had planned to come back today to spray the poison ivy, and one did show up and sprayed, with a promise to return to work on Monday. Landscapers with sensitive skin....unfortunate.

Oh my.  Here comes Andy with gigantic vegetables and a boat load of tomatoes. What am I to do? I know, I'll take them to Cincinnati. I have frightened everyone around me in Columbus with vegetables, now I will take them on the road.

Oh happy day~Wednesday and Cook's Corner's winning Fair recipes

I am a happy woman today.  It's Wednesday which means Cook's Corner with my coffee AND the winning recipes from the Ohio State Fair.  I am sorry if you live in Columbus and have this paper at hand, because I am going to inundate this post with goodness and you have probably already selected what you want to make from your Dispatch.  This is for those who don't get the paper.

Brooke LaValley | Dispatch

Burst of Lemon Muffins

Winning recipes at 2014 Ohio State Fair

Wednesday, August 6, 2014 07:36 AM

Cooking contests at the Ohio State Fair are almost as old at the fair itself. The first competitions — bread- and cheese-making — were introduced in 1853, the third year of the annual event. Culinary showdowns did not begin in earnest, though, until 1886, after the fair had acquired its present-day permanent home (at what today is I-71 and E. 17th Avenue)

 

 

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Tom Dodge | Dispatch

Burst of Lemon Muffins

Wednesday August 6, 2014 7:36 AM

•   

These lemon coconut muffins won first place for Ann Bumgarner of Powell in the muffin category, and also took best of show in the quick breads division.
Makes 1 dozen
For the muffins: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup lemon or vanilla  yogurt 1 egg 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 to 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup flaked coconut
For the topping 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat the yogurt, egg, butter, lemon peel and juice until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the coconut. Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 for 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown and muffins test done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
In a saucepan, combine lemon juice and sugar. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in the coconut. Using a toothpick, poke 6 to 8 holes in each muffin. Spoon coconut mixture over muffins. Serve warm or cool to room temperature.
PER SERVING: 226 calories, 3 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 21 g sugar, 7 g fat (5 saturated), 33 mg cholesterol, 190 mg sodium.

 

 

Thank you, thank you.  I have been looking for this base dough recipe since...I don't know how long.  This filling reads great as well, but I have additional ideas about what to do with this dough.  Can't wait to try this.

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Tom Dodge | Dispatch

Round Coffee Cake

Wednesday August 6, 2014 7:36 AM

•   

Warm potato water is one of the secrets behind Columbus resident Judy Sandman’s prize-winning coffee cake, which took first place in the coffee cake category, yeast bread division at the fair. The yeast bread contests were sponsored by King Arthur Flour and offered more than $850 in prizes in eight categories.
Makes 1 ring, 8 servings
For the dough: 1 package active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm potato water (see note) 1/4 cup milk, scalded then cooled 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1/4 cup butter 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups King Arthur flour
For the filling: 2 tablespoons soft butter 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
For the Creamy White Glaze: 1 tablespoon milk 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm potato water. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, egg, butter and half the flour. Mix with spoon until smooth.
Add enough remaining flour to handle easily; mix with hands or a spoon.
Turn onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Round up in greased bowl; turn once to bring greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch dough down. Roll into a rectangle, 15-by-9-inches; spread with butter.
Stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins; sprinkle over dough.
Beginning at long side, roll up tightly as for a jellyroll. Seal well by pinching edges of roll together. Stretch roll slightly to make even. Place sealed edge down on lightly greased baking sheet and connect the ends together to make a ring.
Pinch ends together; with scissors, make cuts 2/3 of the way through ring at 1-inch intervals; turn each segment on its side. Let rise until double, about 45 minutes.
Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. (Cover dough lightly with foil for the first 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning).
To make glaze, combine all 3 ingredients until of spreading consistency.
Frost cake while still warm and embellish with nuts if desired.
Editor’s note: Potato water is the starchy water remaining after boiling potatoes. Make it by boiling two or three potatoes, peeled and cubed, as if for mashed potatoes, for about 20 minutes. Save the water. Cool to warm before using. Sandman saves her potato water whenever she cooks potatoes and freezes it for use in bread later. Substitute warm water if you don’t have it, but Sandman says the potato water gives the bread a great texture.
PER SERVING: 390 calories, 6 g protein, 71 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 41 g sugar, 10 g fat (6 saturated), 51 mg cholesterol, 168 mg sodium

   

  

Penny Yonker of Lancaster entered this Key lime pie in the single-crust category for pies, and won first prize in her class and best of show for the pie division.
Makes 1 pie, 8 servings
For the crust: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup cold shortening 1/2 cup frozen butter, cut  into chunks 5 to 6 tablespoons very  cold water 1/3 cup toasted coconut, divided (pulsed lightly  in a food processor to  break it up a bit)
For the filling: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 15-ounce can Eagle brand condensed milk 3/4 cup cream of coconut (suggested brand is non-alcoholic Coco Real found in liquor section of grocery store) 3/4 cup fresh squeezed Key lime juice (from about 1 pound of Key limes) 1/2 teaspoon pure lime oil (optional) Reserved toasted coconut Lime zest (taken from limes before squeezing them)
For the crust, pulse dry ingredients in food processor. Add shortening and pulse until well-combined. Pulse frozen butter, lightly. Add part of water. Pulse. Add remaining water little by little, just until dough holds together, but is not wet.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature a few minutes. Roll dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top and just roll into surface with pin. Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut to decorate pie.
Ease dough into 9-inch pie pan and bake with weights approximately 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove weights and bake approximately 10 minutes longer, or until golden and set. Remove from oven and cool.
For the filling, squeeze limes for juice and set aside.
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add condensed milk and beat well. Add lime juice, cream of coconut and lime oil (if using). Beat well. Pour into baked crust.
Cover edge of baked crust with foil and bake pie at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until pie is just set in center. Cool.
Decorate with toasted coconut and lime zest.
PER SERVING: 759 calories, 12 g protein, 77 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 49 g sugar, 46 g fat (25 saturated), 175 mg cholesterol, 759 mg sodium

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Tom Dodge | Dispatch

Heavenly White Chocolate Cake

Cheryl Adkins, of Bloomingburg in Fayette County, entered her cake in the Other Favorites category, where she took first place, and went on to win Best of Show in the Cake Division.
Makes 1 cake, 12 servings
For the cake: 1/4 pound white chocolate, coarsely chopped 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup boiling water 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 4 eggs, separated 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 1 cup buttermilk
Combine chocolate and water, stirring until chocolate melts, set aside. Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Combine flour and soda; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form; fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Coconut-Pecan Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING

1 cup evaporated milk 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 1/2 cups sugar 4 egg yolks 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine first four ingredients in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and cook over medium heat 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add coconut, pecans and vanilla; stir until cool and thick enough to spread.
PER SERVING: 685 calories, 10 g protein, 71 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 43 g sugar, 42 g fat (21 saturated), 196 mg cholesterol, 186 mg sodium

There's more to come, but I have to get into the kitchen ...NOW.

Things I've found ~

Here is a good test for finding out the freshness of eggs. (fill a bowl with water and see how they float.)

 Glorious summer bounty.

Carfagna's, the Italian speciality store, has the best brat patties.

 I want this!

I have a new pasta machine, so I am trying Asian noodle recipes. But here is what I have in the oven today.
An old fashion mound cake from the 1980s Cook's Corner.

My son has proclaimed this the best cake in the world.

Ingredients:

Servings:

                 Servings                 12             

12

Units: US | Metric

• 1 (18 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup water (or as called for by your cake mix)
• bake 30-35 minutes at 350

For filling layer

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 24 large marshmallows
• 1 scant tsp. corn starch
• Bring to a boil till melted and then add the coconut
• 14 ounces coconut
• pour over hot cake then COOL

For frosting

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips
• Bring to boil the sugar, butter and milk for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips; stir til smooth. Pour over coconut mixture and let stand for several hours until chocolate mixture is set. Chill over night.

Rum cake takes the cake~

 

  Yesterday was crazy, but tomorrow, Friday will take the cake.  I have lost count of how many people will be here.  I think I will have to give the dogs anxiety pills to help them through the day (and I'll have one of those, thank you.)  It will be fun.  I am calming myself by cooking and baking.  I hate to see any one hungry when I can be of service. Today I have in the oven a recipe from Wednesday's Cook's Corner. It is called onion-Parmesan roasted potatoes and that dish is for today.

I have made these and they are scrumptious.
5 pounds red potatoes or Yukon Gold sliced 1/4 inch thick
2/3 cup olive oil
2 envelopes dried onion soup mix...I used Lipton's
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Oven 350
Toss it all together and put the slices on a 1/2 sheet pan, cover and roast for 30 minutes.  Then uncover and raise the heat to 375 and roast until crispy and brown 20-30 more minutes. This can be made a day or two in advance and save the last roasting to the day you want to serve it.  It can also be made as a layered baking dish.  That's what I've done.

Today's cake: Golden Rum Cake from all recipes.com (I made this cake today and it is glorious.)

Rated: Submitted By: Jackie Smith Photo By: Tricia Jaeger Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Servings: 12

"My family requests this rummy Bundt cake from me at all our get-togethers. The butter rum glaze makes it special. An easy way to glaze your cake is to pour half of the glaze into Bundt pan, reinsert cake, then pour the rest of glaze over the bottom of the cake. Let absorb well then invert back onto platter."

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped walnuts 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup dark rum 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup white sugar 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.
2.	In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan.
3.	Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto serving plate. Brush glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used.
4.	To make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the rum and and cover the cake with this brew.

3:25 AM - 30 Jul 2014

Baker's Poppy Seed Cake or Solo's (I choose Solo's recipe.)

                 

I have a great many recipes for poppy seed cake, but my favorite was the Solo brand dessert filling in the poppy seed category. I asked Andy to find two cans of Solo filling today at Giant Eagle and he came home with Baker's Brand saying Solo was not there.  I got on line to buy some cans of Solo and they all wanted to sell cases of one kind or another kind, but no mixing. I found out that WalMart carries the Solo brand but since Andy brought me Baker's and I was in the mood to bake, that is what I used.  It is in the oven now, so I will let you know how this recipe turns out.
Note:  This is a good fast cake, however, it does not beat the Solo poppy seed cake recipe.  This recipe needs a shot of sour cream.  It just does not have the zing that the Solo cake has although it is much easier to produce.  Now one could use the cake below to make nice little cream cheese tea sandwiches. And it might even be better the next day on its own. Sometimes a cake like this needs a day alone with its ingredients.

3 Minute Delite Poppy Seed Cake:

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sugar
Stir the above together, then add:
one cup of oil (10-12 ounces of oil makes a richer and more moist cake, but adds cooking time.)
4 large eggs
1 can (11-13 oz.) evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 jar of Baker's Poppy Seed filling
1 cup of nuts (optional)

Mix this all together; mix for 2 minutes. Turn batter into a large tube pan that has been greased and floured. Bake at 350 for 50 -60 minutes depending on your oven.

Here's hoping it is good because it certainly is big.  I hope Nordic (pan) can handle this. (Well, it is lovely in the pan, so far so good.)

However:
This is the best poppy seed cake and this is the old label with the recipe for the Solo brand.  That's the one to use.  
                                              

New labels:

Solo Poppy Seed Cake and Pastry Filling	Solo Prune Plum Cake and Pastry Filling	Solo Raspberry Cake and Pastry Filling

Solo Poppy Cake

Rating: 

5 stars

Description

This recipe has been in the Solo family for over 100 years.  It's a delicious classic that you and your family will love!

Summary

Yield	16 Servings
Prep time	5 minutes
Cooking time	1 hour
Total time	1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup

butter or margarine, softened

1 cup

dairy sour cream

1 1⁄2 cup

sugar

2 1⁄2 cup

all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon

baking soda

1 can

Solo Poppy Seed Cake and Pastry Filling or 1 jar Baker Poppy Seed Filling

4  

eggs, separated

1 teaspoon

salt

1 teaspoon

vanilla

   

confectioners sugar

Instructions

To bake this poppy seed cake, preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan and set aside.Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add poppy filling and beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat just until blended. Stir flour, baking soda and salt until mixed, and add to poppy mixture gradually, beating well after each addition. Beat egg whites in separate bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into batter. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

There are many collectors for this interesting antique item:

Pickle Castors

Now that's what I call a bean~

Andy likes to shock me with strange vegetables.  It's like "boo", ahhhh, it's a bean. This one would feed the family as a side...and there are more of them creeping toward the house.   

 Even the peppers in this picture are weird, but delicious.

I am going to stick to cakes which is the mood I am in.  This week end is the big one and I don't know how many people will be here. I'll feed them all, gladly.  I was hoping we would be in Cincinnati for the entire last siege, but no. So I must step up to the plate, in more than one way, and serve.

I told you about the cake doctor's book and she has so much information in the front defending the cake mixes and the ones to use and the brands and some are good for this kind of cake but better with that kind.  It is an interesting and useful tool in the kitchen. I figure I will need three bake ahead cakes for the week end and with 150 to choose from, we should come up with some winners. Oh, yes she also tells why some cake mix cakes are more moist, especially around the base, than from scratch cakes.  Interesting material like that.  If it is a poke care, then it is obvious, but if  not, she tells you why.

As I bake them and they turn out well, I'll post the recipes. For now  I'll leave you with the bean...

Unusual antiques:

                                                                             This is a garden seat.  I have seen these before but not in this design.