On Its Way - Nora's Big Day

Yesterday, I was so busy I didn't have time to post this, however, it was the day my oldest grandchild turned eight years old. Time has flown by so quickly.

Speaking of flying...

I'm leaving extreeeemly early tomorrow morning to fly to her house. 

Yes, I'm sure by the time I get there my arms will be very tired from all that flying. 

On Saturday, she will be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

I'm very proud of her and the choices she has made. 

(Thanks for letting me steal use these pictures, April DeLaMare Photography!)

Strawberry Banana Cake

Before we start, I want to show you this zucchini that is full of love. Can you see it?

You gotta love it that the zucchini is giving back the love. Okay. Let's move on. 

I made a cake for my brother for his birthday. He wasn't feeling well so he didn't come to dinner. We ate the cake anyway.

The layers are custard from scratch (click here for the recipe) with sliced bananas, and strawberry jam mixed with a little Pastry Pride and fresh sliced strawberries in the middle layer. 

Then the whole thing is frosted in Pastry Pride. You haven't heard of it? Next time you go to Gygi's, pick some up and try it out. It's a life-saver in a tight time schedule. You can even get it at Costco (for those of you who aren't conveniently close to Gygi's and therefore have way more money than I do since you obviously don't spend a boatload of cash at Gygi's) but you have to buy it in the 8 lb container, and you have to buy it online.
Some of my guests thought it was the real thing (whipped cream). Another comment was "this is the best cake I have ever eaten," accompanied with an offer of mowing our lawn for a year along with doing the leaves and shoveling the driveway through winter. I'm not sure, but I think he liked it.

Ginger Cookies

In an effort to help out my mom by taking her some dinners, I figured what's dinner without dessert? I found this recipe on OBB, but it is actually a Paula Deen recipe (don't worry, OBB gave Paula the credit when they posted the cookies).
I love ginger cookies. Well, let's be honest, I love pretty much any kind of cookie, unless it has walnuts in it. My sisters don't understand how I grew up in the same family as they did.
Here's some news for you- as I was texting Kate Jones (OBB author) to thank her for the baby announcement she sent me for her son, Will, she asked if I was coming to their new cookbook kick-off celebration. Duh! Of course, I'm coming! I told her I would gladly hold Will all day for her while she signed books. Anyway, it's going to be at Orson Gygi's again, and everyone can come! You don't have to be a lottery winner like last time. Stay tuned for more information on all that!

Breakfast Casserole

It's real name is Bacon and Hash Brown Egg Bake but that's just too much to type. So I'll call this Breakfast Casserole instead.
I made this for breakfast when the Chambers' family came over and they loved it, so I made it again yesterday for our missionary zone meeting and it was nearly gone at the end of the meeting.

I found the recipe here. The first time I made it, I followed the directions to the letter. I thought I didn't like the mustard, so the second time I made it I left it out. As it turns out, it needs the mustard in for a little more flavor. I guess Betty knows what she's talking about. After all, she's been at this business for a lot of years! I read once that there wasn't actually ever a real Betty. I think that's kind of sad.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I know it's a little early to be talking about pumpkin, but as Eliot was going to bed he asked for pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, which is why we made these. I don't know how I found this recipe because it isn't a blog I frequent. However, it was in my white binder (the binder in which I keep printed recipes from other blogs and the internet) and Eliot wanted pumpkin pancakes, so we gave it a go. All I can say is, Eliot had a great idea, and these pancakes were delicious (I adapted the recipe a bit).
See the little bitty cinnamon chips on there? Gygi's has decided to stop carrying them. Bad decision. I've been told that Kitchen Kneads has them so I'll have to check that out soon (update-yes! They do have them!). Who knows, maybe it is a good thing Gygi's isn't going to carry them as it's so hard to shop there without spending $100. What? You don't have that problem? Sheesh.

Suddenly, I had a little more inspiration and brought out the Reddi-Whip (on another day I might be tempted to whip up some fresh cream and pipe it on the cakes, but for today, this worked great.

Oh my, oh my, oh my. I'm telling you, it was like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast, except it was even better than pumpkin pie.

Laura and I decided we preferred the pancakes without the chocolate chips, using only the cinnamon chips instead. However, the chocolate chip ones were pretty good too.

Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups flour
3 T sugar, divided
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
4 eggs--separated
1/2 to 3/4 cup cinnamon chips (I didn't measure)
mini chocolate chips, if desired. 
Whipped cream or pressurized whipped cream
Sift together dry ingredients, using 2 T of the sugar. Combine milk, vanilla, melted butter and pumpkin puree, then add the egg yolks. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended. Beat egg whites with 1 T sugar until stiff and fold into batter. Add chips and stir gently. Pour onto hot griddle sprayed with non-stick spray, using about 1/4 cup batter at a time. Cook until tops bubble and turn and cook other side. You can top the pancakes with a few more chips at this point if you wish them to melt a little bit. Otherwise you can add more once they are plated, or if you want fewer calories, you can eliminate the extra chips!
Drizzle some buttermilk syrup over your stack and then top it with a dollop of whipped cream. Be ready for angels to start singing because you'll be in heaven after your first bite.  

Back To School Party

Laura wanted to have a back to school party for her kids, so she invited a friend's kids to join in the festivities and here's what it looked like.

This was a pin the apple on the tree game

When is an orange really an apple? When it's an orange-flavored cupcake disguised as an apple. 

Laura decided it would look cuter in a wrapper. 

Lollie-buggaloo!

Yes, Eliot is in his p.j.'s. He came home from the water park and was cold, so this is what he wore for the rest of the day. 

Little chalkboards with marshmallow chalk

Apple pies

More apple pies

How cute is this girl!!!?

Apple baskets of popcorn

Milk was added to the bottle a little later

The kids' table

Jason and Bonnie

A lolly for Lollie

While Laura was having this party, Bud and I went to a party of our own at a friend's house just after the guests arrived here, so I didn't get to see all that was going on, but it looks like they had a great time!