The 44 Year Old Recipe Book

Do you tear recipes out of magazines?  Or save the magazine that has a great sounding recipe in it?  Or have 50 cookbooks loading down your cabinet?  I do all of these things and have for all of my 44 years of married life.  And with today’s technology, I am always searching for recipes on the web.

But, I especially treasure the little recipe box that I received at my church bridal tea in 1966.  It is filled to overflowing with “keepers”; many in the handwriting of that special friend who shared her favorite at a bring-a-dish pot luck event throughout the years.  The first index card in the box read:

“May you fill this little box with many favorites throughout the years.  One of my favorites is the “recipe for happiness” found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13.”

So I dedicate this first blog post to the wonderful ladies at Pleasant Plains Baptist Church in 1966.  The memories of those days and these sweet ladies are priceless.

And now, from one of those magazines I have saved- Southern Living, January 1999 included the recipe for Hummingbird Cake, and it remains the most requested recipe in Southern Living history.  And it is also the cake that my family requests the most.  One slice and you know why. 

Southern Living’s Hummingbird Cake

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

• 3  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  cups  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 3  large eggs, beaten
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1  cup  chopped pecans
• 2  cups  chopped ripened bananas
• Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)
• 1/2  cup  chopped pecans

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.

Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. (Diane’s tip:  I use parchment paper in my cake pans.) Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information - Calories: 642; Fat: 34.2g; Cholesterol: 71mg; Sodium: 312mg

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1  (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  cup  butter or margarine, softened
• 1  (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Preparation

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Nutritional Information - Calories: 71; Fat: 3.6g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium 34mg

I would love to hear your comments if you take time to make this delicious cake.  I’ll bet your family and friends will sing your praises for days after that first piece!

Until next time…..

Blessings,

Diane

Technorati Tags: Hummingbird Cake,Recipe Box

Three Little Words………

Busy, busy, busy!  We went to Franklin last week to visit our son and daughter-in-law and help a little bit with baby things.  Isabella will arrive around December 1st and there is so much to do and I am so thankful that they are welcoming our help.  Can’t wait to hold the little darlin’- our very first grandchild.

While were in Franklin I made a day trip to Columbia to visit with my wonderful friends Cleo, Leisa and Lisa.  I am so blessed to have friends like them.  They don’t come along often enough in life.   You can read all about my visit, plus the SURPRISE BABY SHOWER (with pictures) in my next post.  I am still smiling.

I was honored this week by my sweet young friend Amy who asked if I could come help her a little bit with her beautiful little month old daughter.  I spent part of three days with this sweet family and loved it so much.  Thank you Amy- hope to post pictures later.

I absolutely LOVE this card!  I borrowed the design from a fellow stamper on Stampin’ Up!’s demo community.  The colors are awesome together and I got to use my new embossing folder, Elegant Lines.  I have so many new stamp sets- and love playing with them every day.  I am getting ready for a workshop on Saturday- wouldn’t this be a great card to demonstrate?  The Ways to Use It challenge on Splitcoast today is to use Versamark.  Versamark is a sticky watermark element and the challenge was no problem for me- I probably use it every day.  I love the texture and finish it gives a solid or colored image.  And combined with the bird image from Punch Potpourri, a Level 1 Hostess set, it really makes this card “pop.” 

I also really like this cute set- Three Little Words.  The inside of this card reads – Thinking of You.  My friend Lisa said it should read – Send More Stamps!!!

View Full Album

I sure hope you are having as great a week as I am. 

Blessings,

Diane

Technorati Tags: SU!,Stampin' Up!,WT284,Three Little Words,Bird,Punches,Big Shot

All supplies can be purchased on my Stampin’ Up! website

Stamps:  Three Little Words, Punch Potpourri;    Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Basic Gray;           Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray;   Accessories:  Two Step Bird Punch, Big Shot, Top Note Die, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Stampin’ dimensionals, Gray Satin Ribbon, Versamark

 

Tax Free in Tennessee!

This coming weekend, the State of Tennessee is having a “back to school” tax free holiday on many items and over 30 Stampin’ Up! items qualify for this tax-free purchase.  I always stock up on glue sticks/pens, tape runners (SNAIL) and refills and other consumables that I know I will be using throughout the year.  This year I am going to treat myself and buy a set of Watercolor Crayons and save almost 10%!  Here’s the complete list, with item numbers.  Maybe you will want to save too!  It would be the perfect time to get those Many Marvelous Markers that have been on your wish list.

Item #	Description	Price
100425	2-Way Glue Pen	$3.50
104332	SNAIL Adhesive (tape runner)	$6.95
104331	SNAIL Adhesive Refill	$4.50
103305	Dotto	$12.95
100902	Dotto Refill	$6.50
104045	Anywhere Glue Stick	$3.95
104294	Sticky Strip	$6.95
104430	Stampin’ Dimensionals	$3.95
103683	Mini Glue Dots	$4.95
103579	Paper Snips (My favorite!)	$9.95
103179	Craft & Rubber Scissors	$29.95
101879	Watercolor Pencils	$19.95
105021	White Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen	$3.95
102945	Blender Pens	$9.95
Various	Stampin’ Write Markers	$3.50
120948	Many Marvelous Markers New Color Kit	$35.95
119801	Many Marvelous Markers In Color	$14.95
119700	Many Marvelous Markers Subtles	$28.95
119701	Many Marvelous Markers Regals	$28.95
119702	Many Marvelous Markers Brights	$28.95
119703	Many Marvelous Markers Neutrals	$28.95
120949	Watercolor Wonder Crayons New Color Kit	$39.95
119802	Watercolor Wonder Crayons Subtles	$16.95
119803	Watercolor Wonder Crayons Regals	$16.95
119804	Watercolor Wonder Crayons Brights	$16.95
119805	Watercolor Wonder Crayons Neutrals	$16.95
105394	Basic Black Stampin’ Write Journaler	$3.50
110755	Multipurpose Liquid Glue	$3.95
120962	Stampin’ Pastels	$24.95
120963	Stampin’ Pastels New Color Kit	$14.95

Stay tuned for information on my new monthly promotion.  I think you’re gonna love it!

Blessings,

Diane

Technorati Tags: Tax Free,Tennessee,Back to School