STRAWBERRY CAKE, FRESH VEGETABLE DINNER AND POOLSIDE AFTERNOONS

 

July has come to an end which means
we must begin to set the tone for the entire holiday
season for 2025.
Yes, school begins on August 4th in Atlanta
and August 10th here at home.
I so wish there were three full months
of summer for children like we had growing up,
Young people need this time to just be kids, have fun
and play...
We live simple days at home in our senior years
and have no travels to report on....

I do want to share a Southern Classic recipe with you
which is a delightful homemade Strawberry Cake.....

I have been making this strawberry cake since the early 1970's
and it a long time family favorite, especially for birthdays!
Talk about a taste of summer,. it is light' yet bright with a
burst of strawberry flavor in every bite!

One box strawberry cake mix
one 3 ounce box strawberry jello, using 1/2 the package
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, nashed

THE FROSTING
1 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1-2 T. milk
1/2 pint strawberries, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix cake mix and all ingredients in mixing bowl
and beat with a hand mixer until blended.
Pour evenly into two prepared round cake pans
Bake for 28 minutes.
Allow to cool before frosting.

I have always used a Strawberry cake mix for my recipe which boosts
the flavor of the berries much more than white cake mix!

One of my all tine favorite summer lunches is
chicken salad on a toasted croissant with butter lettuce
and a side salad of crisp lettuce with peaches and cherry tomatoes
sprinkled with a lemon herb vinaigrette!

I love, love, love having a pot of fresh green beans
and sliced golden potatoes on the stove in the afternoon.
This reminds me so much of my childhood from both
my Mother's kitchen as well as my grandmothers!

A delightful summer dinner with squash casserole,
beef rice and mushroom casserole, green beans
and Texas Toast!

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

Otis loves an afternoon of pool play...
his favorite thing recently is to JUMP~~~

What a baby....

We have celebrated family birthdays this summer,
beginning with Luke turning 17!



The Atlanta family headed to South Carolina for four
days of the National Track Meet....
I simply cannot believe he only has two more years of high school...

A fun July birthday party with our son at his home, grilling burgers
and spending time with our grandchildren!

The darling and I celebrated our birthdays together
as they are one week apart...
we no longer have candles that tell our age.....



The weather tells us today will feel like 107 degrees....
I plan on making a good Gumbo this weekend...
I am also spending time purging some of my
collections, like cookbooks, linens and seasonal decor..
Hope y'all have a good week!

POTLUCK POT PIE and SIMPLE BREAD PUDDING..THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD

What comes to mind when you hear the words,"COMFORT FOOD?"
How about a chicken pot pie and bread pudding for a few....

Here is how Paris Ritchie described the Potluck Pot Pie..
"This is the only pot pie I have ever eaten, and it is the only
pot pie I will ever eat!
This is how I grew up eating pot pie and so to me, it's the best!
I do not like pot pie with a piecrust and after trying this
recipe, you probably won't either.
This pot pie has a creamy filling and a buttery-biscuit like
topping that is amazing!"

POTLUCK POT PIE
3 cups shredded chicken, cooked
3 cups mixed vegetables, frozen or canned
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup chicken stock
Black pepper
1 1/2 cup Pioneer Baking Mix, or Bisquick
1 1/2 cups milk
1 stick of butter

I made my own batch of homemade Cream of Celery Soup
as I did not have the canned variety in the pantry...
delicious....

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix chicken, vegetables, both soups
and the chicken stock. Sprinkle with black pepper.
Pour this mixture into the baking dish.
In a separate bowl, mix baking mix and milk until smooth.
Pour over the chicken mixture,
Slice the butter into pats and place all over the top of the pot pie.
Bake for 1 hour uncovered until hot and bubbly
and the top is a golden brown.

Oh it's sooo good y'all.....

Classic recipes will bring people together....
now for dessert...

I can always tell a good bread pudding....
and this recipe is perfection!

Today's featured recipe is a classic!
It comes from one of my all time favorite cookbooks,
THE VINTAGE CHURCH COOKBOOK!
AND THE DESCRIPTION IS AS FOLLOWS....
"This is my grandma's bread pudding recipe and it is my favorite!
It's a simple pudding just the way I like it...
no raisins or brioche, just white sandwich bread.....
There is a hint of cinnamon and a whisper of lemon....."



6 eggs
4 T. melted butter
3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 tt. salt
12 sliced white sandwich bread, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, milk, sugar,
vanilla, lemon, cinnamon and salt.
Add the bread cubes to the egg mixture and use a spoon
to squish all the bread into the egg mixture.
Let this sit for 6 minutes.
Pour into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes!

This is a recipe to savor and share!

'If baking is any labor at all, it’s a labor of love.

A love that gets passed from generation to generation.

 ~ Regina Brett

SUMMER GARDEN BLOOMS and TEXAS BLACKBERRY COBBLER

 Hello kindred spirits… let’s take a look at the summer gardens this morning but before we do, I have a question for you! Who inspired you to have a love for gardening? For me, my inspiration came from my mother and both of my grandmothers, Grace and Estelle! They loved to create and nurture beautiful plants for all four seasons and they were all knowledgeable and successful at being rewarded with their yard of the month wins! I owe any success I have to them!

Creating a serene and inviting space for relaxation
and enjoyment with those you love....that's my goal.
I plan on drying this oak leaf hydrangea bloom and 
keeping it for a fall arrangement....

I focus on bright colors for pleasing the eye
that will evoke a sense of peace and harmony

The Wisteria I planted last year has finally bloomed

I was over the moon happy when I saw my planting thriving....

My Cottage Rose bush....

Did you know that Geckos love to visit you while you
sit close by....

The Four O' Clocks are wonderful shelter
for garden bunnies......

I love Lantana in the summer....

Rose of Sharon blooming amongst the Zinna's

Now it's time for a dip in the pool

Have you made a summer cobbler yet?

I used Blackberry Pie Filling and fresh blueberries.....

Take time to enjoy the summer months as you make life a
beautiful experience.....

COOKIES AND CREAM CAKE

Hello Loves...
It's time......during the Summer,
I begin planning for the holidays....indeed I do....
decorations, recipes to try and planning the menus! 
This is a fantastic cake which I have added to my list
and it received a five star rating from the boys.....

You will need a package of Oreo Cookies,
along with a bag of mini Cookies and Cream candy bars

Cookies and Cream Cake!
The Best Dessert You Will Ever Make!

1 box of milk chocolate cake mix

1 3.4-ounce instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup of cooking oil

3 large eggs

Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

The Frosting

1 block 8 ounce cream cheese

1 cups powdered sugar

8 Oreos, crumbled

4 mini candy bars cookies and cream. crumbled

1 tsp vanilla

12 ounces cool whip

Blend the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar. In a food processor, crumble the cookies and candy bars together. Blend with the cream cheese, add vanilla and fold in the cool whip. Frost cake, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This cake is light, moist and perfect for summer too!

Hey....a brilliant idea.....
our darling granddaughter sent me this photo of her
German Chocolate Cake and I was in awe of how
beautiful her presentation was....I never thought of this......

So, of course I copied her idea....brilliant!

PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES..VINTAGE, EASY AND SO LIGHT AND DELICIOUS

Oh Y'all....this little dessert is wonderful!
It reminds me so much of one of Mother's summer
deserts that we loved after a fresh vegetable dinner from
the Farmer's Market!

This would be lovely to enjoy on a  hot summer evening

after grilled burgers  or a barbecue....great for a large gathering too!

And, it has only four ingredients.....

Angel Food Cake Mix
Crushed Pineapple
Fresh Strawberries
and
Cool Whip

This is very light and refreshing...
Here's the recipe for your files...y'all enjoy!

See ya' next time!

THE BEST DESSERT FOR YOUR SPECIAL DINNER GUESTS...MARSALA ICE CREAM WITH AMARENA CHERRIES

 The spring and summer season is a wonderful time to
throw a party....
set the table with beautiful dinnerware, linen napkins,
light the candles and serve your special guests
a dinner to remember....
and I have just the dessert to put your celebration
over the top.....

This is a brilliant and somewhat sophisticated blend
of ice cream, Marsala Wine, Amarena Cherries and Biscoff Cookies....

Start with a good quality vanilla ice cream....
make sure it is a tiny bit melty from the freezer....just a tad.....

Drizzle about 2 T. Marsala wine over the ice cream.....

This smells soooo good.....

Take a generous spoonful of Amarena Cherries over the ice cream and wine....
drizzle a bit of the juice over this also....
Imported from Italy, Amarena cherries are often
used for an Old Fashioned or Manhattan's.
They are lovely used with bourbon, whiskey and brandy. 
Of course they make a delicious topping for ice cream, gelato and cheesecake!

Surround this goodness with a bit if real whipped cream and add
two Biscoff cookies on the side....absolutely heaven.....
This recipe was shared by the creator Cortney LaCorte!
Cortney used Sherry in her recipe and I chose to substitute Marsala....