{ Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake & Firefly }

 If I asked you what a Browncoat was, would you know?

Or would you simply stammer, "Uh... a coat..that is brown?".

If you know the correct answer to this question, I'll scootch over on the couch, cause we are about to become good friends.

"Browncoat" is a nickname for the Independence fighters in Joss Whedon's much loved, but tragically short lived series, Firefly.

Quick aside. I freaking love Joss Whedon.

I mean, Firefly, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, The Avengers. And.. Hello people, he wrote the screenplay for Toy Story. TOY STORY. Do you hear me??? *I love you Joss* (Don't tell my husband).

As I said, Firefly was short lived, short as in one season. 14 episodes. 14 episodes, however, of goodness.

There is also a movie, Serenity, made some 3 years after the end of the show, but that's another story
(story is, I haven't watched it yet! gasp!).

This is Malcolm (Mal) Reynolds, the captain of the Serenity. 

I have no idea where this photo is actually from, but I assume all copyright belongs to Fox or Joss Whedon
mmmm... Nathan Fillion. 

Ok, a little background here, and this will sound SO weird, but... This show takes place in what seems to be the old west... in outer space.

Confused? Yeah, ok, but 'saucesome. Believe me.

What does any of this have to do with baked goods? Well, my friend Darla of Bakingdom, who is also a rabid fan, asked me if I'd like to team up with her to do a Firefly post. Um. OK!

So, here we are. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the premiere of the show.

Now, 10 years ago I did not watch it. If you were a fan back then, you can blame me as one of the non-watchers and therefore, I am, in part, responsible for the show's demise. Don't rub it in too much though, I blame myself as well. Bad Tina! Bad! BAD!

 I'd like to thank Netflix for allowing me to stream this wonder into my house now though! 

Firefly takes place in 2517 and our planet is now referred to as "Earth That Was".  Food is not easy to come by up there in outer space and they mostly live on artificial proteins and flavorings. Very, very basic.

The cake I decided to make is rustic & quite basic. Now, they would have a hard time coming across the sugars in this cake, and possibly the flour. In episode eight (Out of Gas), when Kaylee makes the Doctor a birthday cake, she mentions that she couldn't find enough flour & that it was mostly made of the same proteins they'd just eaten for dinner.

I don't think I could make ANYTHING delicious from their stores!

Basically, as River once said: "My food is problematic." 

So this is what I've ended up with.

This recipe, like my last, Striped Delight, comes from the Family Cookbook I mentioned.

It's an Oatmeal Cake.

When I told my hubs I was making an Oatmeal Cake, he objected. 

When it was done, he no longer objected. The Bean didn't either. In fact, the Bean went back for seconds.

This is my Mother In Law's recipe, but tweaked a bit.

You'll  need:

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake

Cake:

1 1/4 Cups Boiling Water

1 Cup uncooked Quick Oats

1/2 Cup (1 stick) Butter, softened

2 eggs

1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

1 Cup White Sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 1/3 Cups Flour

dash of Nutmeg

 For Icing:

1/2 stick butter

1 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup evaporated milk

Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.

 Measure your oats into a large, heat proof bowl. 

Boil up your water.

Pour over your oats & allow to soak for 15 minutes.

Measure out your cake ingredients and beat together.

After the 15 minutes, your oats will be super thick & sticky, like this.

Add them to your cake mix & beat a couple minutes.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan & bake for 30 minutes.

While baking, prep your icing.

This is where mother in law and I parted ways. Her icing contains nuts (which I don't like) and coconut (which the hubs and Bean do not like). 

Internet, save me!

And so it did. I found an extremely similar recipe by My Wooden Spoon, yet her icing was much more appealing to us. From her recipe, I also got the idea to add the cinnamon & dash of nutmeg (her's calls for 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, but I just wanted a hint).

So, I made her caramely icing.

 Heat the brown sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a pan. When melted nicely, remove from heat.

 Then add enough powdered sugar to thicken, but still be able to pour. Just throw in a little at a time until you get to a nice consistency. As you can probably see in the photo above, I poked holes into the cake so that the icing would seep into the cake.

YUS.

Pour over hot cake.

Serve warm or cold.

Amazing both ways.

If my picky boys like it, I'm pretty darn sure Mal and the Serenity crew would approve!

Now, go visit Darla and see her AMAZING Mudder's Milk cupcakes!! Chocolate amazingness folks! 

Go see!

photo by Darla of Bakingdom.com

 Bakingdom

Happy Firefly Day!

also not my photo. It's Fox's. Or Joss'. Or someone else's!

Tina

Shared at:
Somewhat Simple

{ Herb Roasted Chicken }

Hello, my lovelies!

I'm back from vacation with 1,000 photos (no, really) & stories to tell.

Those will wait, however, because right now, imma gonna tell you a story about a chicken.

 Looks good, huh?

Ever made an herb roasted chicken? Or have you been too... wait for it... chicken?

(c'mon, I hadda do it!)

It may look intimidating, but folks, it's so easy. SO. EASY.

Here's what you'll need:

Herb Roasted Chicken

1 whole (thawed) chicken (3-4 lbs)

1/4 cup oil (any will do: veg, canola, olive, corn)

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley (dried or fresh)

1/2 teaspoon chopped cilantro (dried or fresh)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*or any mixture of herbs/spices that you prefer

onion, apple, carrots, lemon, garlic cloves, etc

Preheat oven to 350

Check your chicky for 'gifts' inside. If those are in there throw away! Ewwy.

Rinse chicken with cold water, including the cavity. Pat dry with paper towels. The drying helps makes a nice crispy skin.

Stuff your lady with an onion/lemon/apple/carrot. This is just for aromatics & helps retain the moisture of the chicken while she cooks. You WILL NOT EAT THESE. I'm sure that goes without saying, but... I'm saying it anyway. 

 I used 1/2 a lemon & 1/2 an onion in mine.

Just poke 'em in there.

Measure your oil into a small bowl. Add your spices & stir.

Pretty!

Brush onto your chicken. You won't need to use all the mix at once. You can brush on more about an hour into cook time. OR you can brush it all on at once. Doesn't matter!

I always fill my pan with onions, because, onions? I loves them. It's good to stick a few in there even if you don't like onions though. They add a nice flavor.

 Then pop into your preheated oven.

 

As you can see, I did two here. Just double the recipes for the rub, of course. It's very easy to do several at once. Great for a dinner party. 

Bake for approx 2 hours or until the chickens are golden.

The USDA says:

Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

Then.... remove chicken from oven and allow to 'rest' for 10-15 minutes. This ensures that your chicken stays moist. If you cut right into it all the good juices will escape and your chicken will be dry.

And sad. And we don't want that.

Remove the aromatics & carve away!

Yum!

 Your house will smell AH-MAZE-ING. No jokes.

As for the herbs & spices I listed above, that is just what I used when I made it this time.

I've used a mix of about anything you can think of. Fresh herbs, dried herbs. 

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme... 

Anyone?? Anyone?? Yes, that song is older than I am, but doesn't everyone know it?

This recipe is based off of one by Pastor Ryan* who sometimes appears on The Pioneer Woman's site.

I started making it as soon as I saw his recipe. It's a staple in our house now. My guys are picky eaters (grumble grumble) and they both love it!

Hope you will too.

Served with a side of homemade mashed potatoes and a veg? Nom.

Thanks, Pastor Ryan!

Tina

*if you read Ryan's recipe, he says to cook for an hour at 450*. When I tried this it spit all over my oven & smoked up my house, thus, my reduction in temp & addition in time.

{ Grammy's Pancakes }

Sit down now, and let me tell you about my Grammy's pancakes.

They. Are. Delicious.

Fat and fluffy. Golden and crispy. Tender and yummy.

Delicious.

These are a definite Christmas Breakfast staple around here, and any other time of the year we feel like having them. ;)

Grammy, who is actually my hubs' grandmother, has been making these for him since he was tiny.

Possibly before, I'm not sure about that, I'd have to ask.

A few years ago Gram mentioned that the recipe that she had taped inside her cabinet door was getting hard to read. I wrote her a new one with her promise that I could have the old. It's written in her handwriting, and up in the corner, it says quite clearly that this recipe is for my husband's pancakes.

I now have it taped inside my cabinet door, but I have it inside plastic.

I don't have step-by-step photos of this because it was my supper.

I quite literally took photos seconds before eating these.

Quick photos, you know, so my pancakes didn't get cold!

Speaking of that, do you all have dinner or supper?

I have supper. My husband has dinner. Different names, yet eaten at the same time.

We've debated about this so much over the years that my hubs now simply refers to it as
"The Evening Meal".

There's nothing quite like Breakfast for Dinner Supper is there?

So, to make my Grammy's fluffy, tender, crispy edged pancakes, here's what you'll need:

Grammy's Homemade Pancakes

Oil for frying pan

Large frying pan 

and

1 Egg
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil


Whisk together until smooth.

Pour a bit of oil into your pan and let heat. Drip a drop of the batter into the oil. When it begins to sizzle, add your pancakes.

When bubbles form on the cakes, carefully flip them over.

Test center by poking a small hole in it. If batter comes out, cook another minute or so.


Place on a paper towel just for a second to absorb any extra oil, then place on plate and serve!

This recipe makes about 6 medium sized pancakes.

For my family of 3, I made 2 recipes.

They are super delicious with your standard syrup, strawberries and whipped topping, or you can make your own syrup following my recipe here. This is perfect for when you want pancakes but forgot to buy syrup. All you need to do is keep a small bottle of Maple flavoring on hand (and sugar and water)!

I hope you'll love Grammy's pancakes as much as we do! Be sure to let me know!

They are great for Breakfast, of course... and also for  Dinner Supper!

Tina

shared at:

Mandy's Recipe Box
33 Shades of Green
Tip Junkie
Skip To My Lou

Homestead Simple

Footnote: I hope you enjoyed this post! It took both time and love. If you enjoyed it, please take a second to comment or share it. Or both. Yeah, both!! If you didn't like it, please feel free NOT to tell me and make me face High School-esque rejection! Kthx.

{ Cheesy Ranch Potato Wedges }

Lemme just tell ya, people are obsessed with Ranch.

Ranch flavoring that is. I don't think most of America is going out and purchasing thousands of acres and hiring Cowboys.

But ... I could be wrong.

Ranch Dressings, Ranch Chips, Ranch Croutons, Ranch Crackers, Ranch, Ranch, Ranch.
Go to a restaurant and listen to people order dressing. I'm betting a good 75% order Ranch.
I order Vinaigrette. Coloring inside the lines was never my strong suit.

Oh, Hidden Valley, did you KNOW you were creating an obsession?

I think you did.

I host monthly Game Nights here. Mostly, it's teenagers. Shockingly, I'm ok with this. I like these teenagers.

I made these taters up for said Game Night (this month's theme was "I Mustache You A Question").

Here's your line up:

Cheesy Ranch Potato Wedges
8 potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/3 cup oil

salt, pepper

1 to 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1-16 oz container Sour Cream

1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix

3/4 cup Milk
Bacon, fried and chopped or Real Bacon Bits
Green Onion (if desired)

These take a while to bake, but they are so easy.

First, scrub up some taters. I did 8 - this is a rather large recipe.

Chop them into wedges, then toss them in 1/3 cup oil.

Mix up 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt. 

Toss in a little regular salt and black pepper.

You can add other seasonings if you like too!

Place wedges on baking sheet lined with parchment (or foil) and sprinkle seasonings over them.

Sprinkle with a bit of dried parsley too (optional)

Bake at 400 F for about 45 minutes or until tender.

While those are baking, make your Ranch Sauce. In a bowl, mix together a 16 oz container of Sour Cream, a Packet of Ranch Dressing Mix, and 3/4 cup milk. Put in fridge until potatoes are done.

When tender, remove potatoes from oven and top with hobgobs of cheese (1-2 cups).

 Return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gooey.

Remove from oven, and top with Ranch sauce.
Pour it all on. Well, pour on at  least 1/2 of it, and save the rest for dipping.

We wouldn't want a ranchless potato. Oh the humanity!

Sprinkle on bacon & green onion, if desired
(no green onion here, not because I don't like it, but because I didn't possess it at the time)

 mmmm... ranchy and gooey

My niece (who is 18) took the leftovers home. All of them. And there were a lot.

Did I mention this is a BIG recipe?

So yummy.

Want. Now.

Have. None.

Sad. Tina.

Credit: this recipe is based off of this one from Oh So Delicioso

{ Egg In A Frame & Stories About My Mamma }

Pin It

Have I told you about my Mamma yet?

I know there are about 100 different ways to spell this word, but this is how we've always spelled it.
There's also Mama, Mamaw, Mammaw, and then the variations like MeMa, MeMaw, MawMaw.
In any case, this post is about my Grandmother. Specifically, my Mom's mother.

She's a dynamo.

In April, she will be 92 years young.

She can work circles around people 1/4 of her age. She loves to wash dishes and do laundry. She REALLY loves to organize.

No grass ever grows under her feet.

She's still very active in the community. If the church doors are open, she's there. Every summer, she works the snack station at our Vacation Bible School. She still a member of the Hospital Auxiliary as well as the American Legion Auxiliary. She goes to Card Parties at the local Grange Halls and American Legion Posts three times a month. She plays Chair Volleyball (and is dang good at it) at the Senior Center each Thursday.

She'd do anything for anyone who needed it.

Need a shirt? Because she'd give you the one off her back.

Everyone loves my Mamma!

When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

As a kid, there was nothing better than going to Mamma's house and spending the night. We'd build puzzles, go on nature walks, play dominos, walk to town (about a mile) and get ice cream, she'd tell me stories, and we'd just have the best time ever.

In the morning, she'd make me my very favorite breakfast. Egg in a Frame. Oh, and coffee. Yes, I was like 8 years old and drinking coffee. Well 1/2 milk, 1/2 coffee, and a whole lotta sugar.

Yes, my Mamma made me lattes long before they were popular here in the USA!

I just love, love, loved Egg in a Frame.

I know this is a simple recipe, and most of you have probably had it, or made it, but eating this always reminds me of sitting on the counter in her teeny, tiny kitchen, sipping my 'coffee', while she fried me up an egg in a frame.

Here's the deal.

For one Egg in a Frame you'll need:

Egg in a Frame

1 slice of bread
1 egg
butter
salt
pepper

Most any bread should work. When I was a kid, it was always white, yum. Now, it’s wheat… Still delicious though!

I've seen a lot of people plop the butter in the in the pan, Mamma did not do this. She buttered the bread on both sides.

Then, she cut a hole in the center

and popped it into a pan. I spray mine with cooking spray first.

Keep your pan no higher than Medium.

Crack the egg into the hole you made in the center. You can break your yolk, if you are the type that likes hard yolk. Me? I’m all about the runny stuff.

Liquid Gold. YUS!

Salt and Pepper to your liking.

Toast on one side until nice and brown, then flip

Cook until the other side is browned and delicious looking.

Oh! It’s not in these photos, but I did toast the little circle. My pan was too small to do it all at once.

BE SURE YOU TOAST THAT CIRCLE. It’s The Circle of Deliciousness!

In the end, what you get is a toasty, buttery, eggy dish.

For me though, I get memories on a plate.

Do you have a food that brings back memories for you?

Share with me!

One last thing, I really think you need to see this. Last Christmas my Mamma was in the play at church. She played a teenager.

Yes, I said a teenager!

Our minister's 20-something daughter put her up to it. She also made this shirt for Mamma.

To which Mamma said to me, “I’m Bieber’s biggest fan! I don’t know who that is, but I think he’s a singer or something!”.

Man, I squishy heart love that lady.

Isn’t she cute!

Tina



Shared at:
Miz Helen's
Gooseberry Patch

{ Obligatory Thanksgiving Post }

Thanksgiving is in 4 days here in the States!

Woo!

I love Thanksgiving. Not just for the food, but the warm and thankful feeling of it all.

Not to mention that it totally ushers in the panic that is Christmas.

Which, I totally love. Panic and all.

Panic has totally started to set in already. I’m not loving it… yet. Simply because I’ve accomplished next to nil so far.

Go me!

*

I won’t be posting and step by steps for you today, simply because I don’t have the photos to go along with.

However, this will be quite the recipe laden post.

And who can’t love that.

*

Let’s start with our veg.

I love vegetables, totally and fully love vegetables.

Except Peas and Carrots. You know, Green Bean’s ugly step sisters? Yeah.

There are actually carrots in this recipe though. Ya know why?
Because they don’t taste like carrots when you are finished! 
Take that, Oh Orange Ones!

Now, the fact that these are covered in processed cheese and butter might have a *wee* to do with it.

I only make this at Christmas and Thanksgiving. It’s so one of my favorite things though.

Easy. Peasy. Lemon. Squeezy.

MIXED VEGETABLE AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

 

1 (20 oz.) bag frozen vegetable medley (broccoli, carrots, onion, etc.)
1 (20 oz.) bag frozen cauliflower
8 oz. pasteurized process cheese (Velveeta) cubed
1/2 c. butter, melted

1 cylindrical package of round buttery crackers (such as Ritz or Town House), crushed

Cook frozen vegetables, according to package directions, just until tender-crisp. Drain and spread evenly in buttered casserole. Top with cheese cubes, stir together melted butter and cracker crumbs and sprinkle over cheese. Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven or until bubbly. (Serves 12.)

 

Source Cooks.com (and my friend Lori who told me about it)

 

*

Next comes a recipe for Corn. Corn Casserole, Corn Pudding, whatever you wanna call it, I call it good.

 

And obviously, I cannot leave veggies in their birth form on holidays.

 

My mom makes killer green beans for holidays too, beans from the garden that my dad has grown and canned, cooked with mushrooms, onions, and water chestnuts.

 

You should be jelly of them, they are… wonderful.

 

Ok, so corn.

 

My Aunt Diana has, for years, make this recipe. SUPER easy. It really IS good.. but….

I found this recipe online last year though, and I think I like it a little better. Sorry Aunt Diana!

Here’s her recipe if you want to give it a try:

AUNT DIANA’S SCALLOPED CORN

1 can corn

1 can cream style corn

1 egg, beaten

1/2 to 1 sleeve Ritz/Town House Crackers, crushed

Butter oven proof dish. Pour corn into dish, add beaten egg, and crackers to mix, stir well. Reserving crackers to sprinkle on top. Dot with butter. Bake @ 350 for 40-50 minutes.

*

Now, for Mac & Cheese, I will point you in the general direction of Pioneer Woman.

Last time I made it, I added finely diced onion, bacon, and sour cream to it.

Yeah I did!

*

My mom makes the dressing, I never have. Last year I made this “oyster dressing” that my grandmother used to make and she dearly loves, but, sorry mom- gross.

Last year I made yeast rolls. Uhh…this year, I’m doing frozen dough

*

Now, let’s talk desserts.

Here is the Bean’s fav

He eats it sans crust as a pudding. Really, I can’t blame him, I myself, do not eat crust.

Yes, I just heard you all gasp out there in the interwebs.

Last year I made these pies for the hubster:

Recipe is here. This year he is back to normal and wants his peach pie.

I love my mom’s pumpkin pie. I think other pies less wonderful.

But everyone probably feels that way about their pie!

Here is my mom’s recipe though. It’s an odd amount, and doesn’t quite fill 2 pie shells. It MAY fill two 9” shells, however. Her’s are all 10” deep dish.

My Mom’s Pumpkin Pie

1 1/2 cup Pumpkin (canned)

1 Cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 Tablespoon butter

Mix together. Pour into pie shell. Bake @ 425 until toothpick comes out clean (35-50 mins).

Oh, and yes, the first pictures DOES have a Pecan Pie in it.

Here’s the recipe for that.

*

Leftovers you say?

Well… some of othe leftover turkey usually ends up here:

Turkey and Noodles, ummmhmmm.

Here’s that recipe.

*

Now, for the placecards, this year I will be doing these

or these

Probably the pumpkins. Learn how to make both in this post.

*

To finish off the evening, I will be settling down with a nice warm drink.

Maybe this

Pumpkin Latte

or

this

Warm Apple Pie Dessert Drink

*

I do start the day off with a super easy and delicious cheeseball.

I hope to get that posted before Thursday.

If I don’t, I want to take the time to say, thanks so much for joining me here at Sugar Bean Bakers.

I hope that you have a most wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Tina




Shared at:


Everyday Mom's Meals