Recipe of the Week...Mom's Orange Picnic Cake

I recently made my mom's orange picnic cake to take to work to share with my peeps...it got rave reviews and was gobbled up quickly! I know you'll love this yummy cake too, so here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup raw oatmeal
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan. Heat orange juice to boiling, pour over raw oatmeal and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream together margarine, sugars, and eggs. Add vanilla to creamed mixture. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Blend the dry mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the OJ/oatmeal mixture. Fold in chopped nuts and spoon mixture into prepared bundt pan. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into cake center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before slicing and serving.

If desired, you can prepare a glaze like I did to drizzle over the cake. Simply whisk together a little powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to desired consistency and spoon it over the cake before serving.

Although I haven't had much time to post on my blog lately, I have been working on some fun projects for gift giving! I can't post them yet, because I don't want to spoil the surprises...but stay tuned 'cause I'll have pics and tutorials for you soon!

In closing I want to share a photo of the pretty Chinese Pistachio tree that we have growing in our backyard...I love looking out my back windows and seeing the colors of its leaves in the fall!

Have a TERRIFIC week!!

Blessings,

Quote Sunday

Silly Saturday

 

Have a GREAT weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, lots of turkey and pumpkin pie! Have a blessed day, friends!

Recipe of the Week: Robbi's Cranapple Granola Bread

Good morning, friends! I am so looking forward to Thanksgiving this Thursday, aren't you? Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! It's such a nice day to relax and enjoy time with family; reflecting on the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us during the past year.

The recipe that I am sharing with you this week comes from my good friend Robbi R., who is BY FAR the BEST cook that I know!! She makes amazing, melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone ribs; as well as scrumptious pies and desserts! On top of being a terrific cook, she is a pre-school director and one of the sweetest gals you'll ever meet...I am very fortunate to have her as a friend!

Robbi's Cranapple Granola Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. yeast
• 2/3 cup apple juice (warmed)
• 2/3 cup applesauce (warmed)
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 3 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1/2 cup granola
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Method:
Stir together warmed juice and applesauce with honey and yeast. Let stand for about 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly. Add the butter, granola, cinnamon, salt and white flour. Flour a flat surface. Work in the cranberries and whole wheat flour. Knead until just pulling away from the counter, but still slightly sticky. (I add the cranberries and wheat flour while still in my mixer, using my dough hook.) Place in a greased bowl and make sure the whole surface is coated. Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise until doubled in size. Punch dough down and place in a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Allow to rise until dough has topped the edge of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Yields one 2 pound loaf.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I love eating this bread warm with butter and a cup of coffee on the side.

Wishing you a blessed week,                

Quote Sunday

"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough."

~Charles Dudley Warner ~

Silly Saturday

Loch Ness mystery solved...you're welcome!!

Now just to figure out the Big Foot quandry....LOL!! ;) Have a fun weekend, friends!

"Loyal Companion" Scrapbook Page

I'm so excited that the weekend is almost here!! The Affair of the Heart craft show will be at the Tulsa Fairgrounds this weekend - YIPPEE!! My friend Joy, my best bud Jamie, and I are going together to check out all of the uber-crafty goodness and will be picking up a few Christmas gifts along the way...I can hardly wait!! I'll post pics early next week of my AOTH finds, so stay tuned.

Today I'm sharing with you a scrapbook page that I created a while back about my son's beagle Hunter. (If you remember, Hunter, who was 13 1/2 years old, passed away in September. Click HERE to read the memorial post for her.) Anyhoo...Hunter was such a sweetie and had the most soulful eyes, which is what this layout is about:

 

Below is a close-up photo of the journaling block. The journaling says:

"Hunter has the most soulful eyes of any dog that we've ever seen. Even when she is being mischeiveous, all she has to do is look at us with those pitiful big brown eyes and we melt! We are total suckers to her adorable doggie antics."

Thanks for looking! Have a SUPER day!!

Blessings,

Scrap-It-Girl November Challenge: Use a Tree in Your Project

Hello, friends! Don't miss the opportunity to win this TERRIFIC prize package over at Scrap-It-Girl's website! Here's an itemized list of what the prize package contains:

• 6×6 Carta Bella Merry and Bright paper pad
• CTMH acrylic fall stamp set
• Heidi Swapp Color Magic Note Cards
• Heidi Swapp Color Shine Tinsel Spritz
• Ducktape
• Craft Buttons
• The Rubber Cafe Sheer Glue
• Set of cards/envelopes
• Cosmo Cricket Art Angel Element Deck
• American Crafts Tags
• Queen and Co. Twine
• Black Clothes Pins
• Ink Daubers
• Stars
• Blank Tags
• Photo frames

All you have to do to be eligible to win this spectacular prize package is create a project using a tree, (diecut, photo, stickers, etc.); link your challenge photo(s) to the Scrap-It-Girl website; post it on your site, and share the love…tell your other crafty friends about our new challenge. Click HERE for challenge details and don’t forget to subscribe to the Scrap-It-Girl site and to the SIG Facebook page too.

Good luck!! I can hardly wait to see the great projects you create and link up!

Happy Scrappin'!!

Quote Sunday

In remembrance of our veterans...

Blessings,

Silly Saturday

Wishing you a fun and safe weekend!

Did you know that just a mere 92 years ago women were finally granted the right to vote? In August 1920 the 19th amendment was added to our constitution, and prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on gender. Just think...many of our great-grandmothers were denied the right to vote until that time! Being able to vote is a gift that we have been given by those who came before us; those who fought long and hard for our voting rights and who suffered tremendously to secure those rights for us.

Therefore, no mater how you feel about politics, the Democrat or Republican parties and the candidates representing those parties, PLEASE exercise one of the most powerful rights that you have as an American citizen and vote tomorrow, Nov. 6th!

Have a blessed day!

Quote Sunday

Silly Saturday

Have a great weekend!!

Recipe of the Week: Zesty Chicken and Rice

A little over a week ago, my best bud Jamie fell and broke her arm - OUCH! She has been in a lot of pain and has to wear a cast/sling for a few weeks. To help her out, I took a "comfort dinner" to her family...a yummy pan of zesty chicken and rice, a garden salad, hot rolls and cookies. (Actually, Mike made the cookies...his INCREDIBLE chocolate chip cookies! Click HERE for that recipe!) Anyhoo...here is the recipe for the chicken dish that I made for her:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 package Hidden Valley Italian dressing mix
• 1 chicken boullion cube disolved in 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9" x 13" casserole dish. (I used a foil pan for Jamie's dinner, so she wouldn't have to worry about cleanup!) Spread rice in the bottom of the buttered dish. In a large mixing bowl combine soup, dressing mix, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk water/chicken boullion into soup mixture. Pour over the rice and place the chicken on top. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with grated parmesan cheese. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Wishing you a blessed day!