Mom's Oatmeal Cake

It doesn't look too much like winter around here yet (this pic is from last year) ... in fact, we're dealing with freezing rain this weekend. I'd much rather have snow! Even though I'm not much of a fan of winter, I still enjoy the beauty of early winter snowfalls...especially when holiday lights brighten the city landscape.

But it is the perfect day for staying in and off the roads. A little baking makes things nice and toasty inside. Yesterday I baked my Mom's Oatmeal Cake. It should be called "Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cake", because the brown sugar adds such a rich taste to the cake. 

Watching my mother bake this cake is a vivid childhood memory...my mother was a stay-at-home mom and a frequent baker...and this cake was one of her best recipes. I remember anxiously waiting for the cake to come out of the oven, being topped with this wonderful brown sugar-butter-coconut  mixture, and then going back in the oven, under the broiler for a few minutes, to create the perfect sweet and chewy topping.  We would let it cool just a bit before we would dish it into our bowls with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top. Oh, yum. I didn't have the ice cream yesterday, but the cake still lived up to its memory.

So here is the recipe--

1. Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a pan. Add 1 cup of oatmeal. Reduce heat. Add 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter. After butter melts, turn off heat. Let it sit as you mix other ingredients.

2. Mix 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup sugar. Add 2 eggs.

3. Mix in 1 tsp each of baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add 1/4 tsp of salt.

4. Mix in the slightly cooled oatmeal mixture. 

5. Mix in 1 1/3 cups flour. 

6. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.

7. When cake is almost done, prepare cake topping on stove top. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add 1 cup brown sugar and then 1/2 cup of Carnation Evaporated Milk. Finally add 1 cup of coconut. 

8. When the cake comes out of the oven, turn up the heat on the topping until it starts to bubble. Cook it until it starts to thicken up...just a bit. Meanwhile, poke a few holes into the cake (I used a small knitting needle). Pour the topping over the cake and put the cake back into the oven, close under the broiler. Watch the cake carefully...allow it to bubble for a bit. This will help the topping caramelize and become slightly chewy.

9. Let it cool a bit...or until you can't stand it any longer...then enjoy! Preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Still a great cake when it cools too!

There you have, a lovely cake for winter! Enjoy. 

Mabel's Molasses Cookies

I am baking my favorite Molasses Cookies for Art Crawl. I found the recipe years ago in an older edition Better Homes & Garden cookbook. I saved a worn copy of this cookbook from being tossed when my mother moved years ago. I've since have started a small collection of old cookbooks. I love the ones from the 50-60's, because their illustrations are rather comical now--and they remind me of my childhood.

Now there is a painting to go along with the recipe! I had completed the whole painting, but was trying to come up with a plan for the background. I felt the woman looked very domestic and then creative inspiration hit! I decided to incorporate the cookie recipe in the background. I decided to name the piece Mabel was a Domestic Goddess (she seemed like a Mabel to me).

My creative wheels were still turning. I was thinking that this would make a great commissioned piece (and a great gift that will remain a keepsake for years to come!). If you have a treasured family recipe, I could use that recipe in the background. 

I am not trying to do portraits, but would certainly be open to some input on colors... Each piece would be unique. I think it would even be awesome if a broach/necklace with special meaning to the recipient could be incorporated in the piece (otherwise, I have a stash of vintage pieces).

What do you think? This piece is 10x20 (offered at $125). I was also thinking of offering it in a 12x24 size (offered at $150). I will have this piece on display during the Art Crawl and will be accepting commissions. Following Art Crawl, I may throw it out there on Etsy!


Let me know if you're interested! Oh, and here is the recipe:

MABEL'S MOLASSES COOKIES


Mix together thoroughly...
    3/4 cup soft shortening (shortening!...that indicates the age of the recipe!)
    1 cup brown sugar
    1 egg
    1/4 cup molasses


Sift together and stir in...
   (I just mix in my dry ingredients, no sifting!)
     2 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 tsp ginger
     1 tsp cinnamon
     1/2 tsp cloves
     2 1/4 cups flour


Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of a large walnut. Dip tops in sugar. Place, sugared-side-up, on greased cookie sheet. Press with fork (or meat hammer). You may sprinkle each cookie with a few drops of water to produce a crackled surface. Bake at 350-375 for 10-12 min.
   

Blueberry Buckle

 Here's a treat for the middle of the week. It's called Blueberry Buckle, but really that's just a fun name for coffee cake! The recipe is for a square 8x8 pan...these pictures are from a time I doubled the recipe and threw it in a 9x13 pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix with spoon:

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine (really, butter all the way!)
1/4 cup shortening (in a pinch, use more butter!)
1 1/2  tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Spread in ungreased 8-inch square pan.

Sprinkle with:

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries
  (I have used other types of berries, but blueberry is the best!)

Mix until crumbly:

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine (butter, please!)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle over berries!

Bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown (like top photo!) and toothpick inserted in cake's center comes out clean (my oven runs a little hot so I cook it a little less--you know your oven!)

I have baked this for years now...frequently taken it to work to share with buddies...my family love it...it's a summer regular in our house. 

Baking is just another way I feel creative and I love sharing what I bake! If I could serve you all up a piece, I would! But this is the best I can do!

Hope you enjoy!



(Sorry, blogger is not letting me get rid of this white space at the end of the post. Grr.....)

Spicy Christmas Shortbread

Here's the recipe for my shortbread that I make every year---

2 sticks (1 cup)  butter or margarine (at room temperature)

(may I just say that don't try to be "good" here--use butter!)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel (optional)

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground gloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

pinch of granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 325. Have two 8-9 inch round cake pans ready (no need to grease).

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar. Add orange peel, spices, and baking soda and mix until fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, beating until just blended.

3. Divide dough in half and press even over bottom of ungreased pans. Sprinkle dough with sugar.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes until tops look dry and slightly cracked. Don't overbake! Edges will be higher than centers. (It makes the house smell sooo good!)

5. Cool in pans. Cut while still warm. 

Tastes delicious warm or cool. When warm, melts in you mouth. Cool, it's delightfully crunchy.

It's not Christmas at our house without the shortbread. Usually I'm baking it several times from Thanksgiving till Christmas--but I just made my first batch yesterday! I was in a bit of a baking frenzy Christmas eve--I almost made over 6 dozen peanut butter bonbons! I think I'll make more cookies today!

Enjoy your holiday!

Sugar Cookies

So apparently just writing about feeling overwhelmed and juggling helps you feel better about things...good enough to make some of those cookies. I've been making these cookies since I was in junior high...just a recipe I found in some church cookbook...and it's been a favorite ever since. These will melt right in your mouth (thanks to all the fat in them)...but sometimes you just need to indulge yourself.

Happy Holidays!

Sugar Cookies

2 cups white sugar

1 cup margarine or butter (pick your poison)

1 cup vegetable oil

3 egg yolks (nope, not the healthy part of the egg)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

Cream sugar, butter, oil and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and dry ingredients. Roll in balls and place on cookie sheets. Press with a fork or meat hammer. Sprinkle with sugar. (Using a meat hammer will create a lovely pattern and hold the sugar better. Use colored sugar for the holidays) Bake at 35o degrees for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!