Two of My Many Quilt Tops

Chocolate Town Special Cake

1- 3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup oil or shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2- 1/2 cups flour
1- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350. GREASE & FLOUR PAN

Cream oil and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and salt and add alternately with buttermilk to mixture. Make a paste of the cocoa and boiling water, cool. Add to mixture and blend. Bake for 35 minutes.

French Cream Frosting

Gradually add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar to 1/2 cup butter that is room temperature. Cream well. Add 1 egg. Mix thoroughly. Blend in 3 Tbsp. cocoa and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until of spreading consistency. Thin with milk if necessary.

My Amish Quilt

This is one of my UFO'S (unfinished objects). I put it together years ago. It is basted ready to be hand quilted and the edges finished. A good project for this winter.

It is a small quilt or wall hanging.

Mike and Dave's Favorite Chocolate Chewy Cookies

Mix together until no clumps
1 3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder

Combine wet ingredients together and add to cocoa mixture
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 Tbsp. vanilla
3 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter

Mix dry ingredients and add to above mixture
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Roll walnut sized balls in powder sugar and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Bake until not quite done when you take them out. They continue to bake after removed from oven. Otherwise they with be too hard.

Crockery Beef Stew

Sometimes a clear or broth soup tastes good. This is a nutritious, economical meal. Good on your food storage menue. If you have stored potatoes & carrots, dried onions and fresh or dried celery, you have a meal. I served this Wednesday to Kristen and her 3 children, Dad, Diane and I. Even Diane had a second helping. Thursday Dad and I enjoyed it again. This was my table setting for lunch today.

2 lbs. Cubed beef
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp. oil
OR 1 or 2 cans beef from cannery
1 bay leaf
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce - I use 1/4 Tbsp.
1 onion chopped
1 cup beef bouillon or 1 tsp. beef pwdr or granules to 1 cup water
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
6 carrots peeled and sliced
1 cup sliced celery
4 potatoes, peeled and cut
2 med. turnips (optional)
4 cups water

Coat meat in flour and brown in oil if you desire. Sometimes I don't brown cubed meat. Combine all ingredients except flour and oil in Crock Pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hrs. This is so yummy on a cool Fall day!

Can add grated cheese and crackers.

Steve's Wheat Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. raw sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup oil

Mix together and cook in a waffle maker. Everyone knows Steve loved whole wheat waffles with PURE Maple syrup!

Buttermilk Pancakes

Cameron spreads peanut butter on his pancakes before he puts the syrup on. They are yummy. Grandpa tried it and it tasted so good that he had an extra stack.

1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp. melted butter

In a small bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, beat together egg and buttermilk. Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture, beating until smooth. Blend in melted butter. Enjoy!

German Pancakes

1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Tsp. Salt
6 Eggs
4 Tbsp. Butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While melting butter in a 9X13 Casserole dish in oven, mix remainder of ingredients well. Pour mixture into dish with melted butter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes on bottom rack of oven as they rise high during baking. Eat IMMEDIATELY with syrup, jam or your choice of topping. This is a favorite of Grandma Jean's Grandkids. YUM!

First Day of Autumn

Autumn officially greeted us this morning with cool wind, rain and the top of Timp was lightly powdered with snow. Mother earth is definitely letting us know which season of the four we should be preparing for.

Late in July and August I began looking forward to relief from the long, lazy days of oppressive heat both day and night. The first sign of change is usually around August 15th. The nights start cooling down and sleeping is enjoyed with fresh cool air coming through the open bedroom window. As the nights continue to grow colder, the splendor of the trees are seen dressed in their vibrant Fall colors. It is one of earth's delights. A ride through American Fork Canyon, up over the Alpine Loop, past Sundance and then home makes for a memorable afternoon drive. Another Fall ride I look forward to every year starts from the cabin in Torrey. We view the glorious quakies going over the Boulder Mountain. Then continue along what we call the Devil's Back Bone. It is a narrow two lane highway with immediate drop offs 100's of feet on both sides of the road.

But, I must admit with the good and the beautiful comes the bad and the ugly. FLIES. As the weather turns colder to do it's magic on the leaves of the trees, the pesky little flies seek for warmer and cozier surroundings.

As my old grand pappy used to say - "The only thing that doesn't appreciate an encouraging pat on the back is a fly." Well, I've patted a few this Fall.

In the Wee Hours of the Morning

Sometimes in the wee hours of the morning, I wander out the front door and sit on the porch. The man in the moon smiles down at me and I smile back at him. I like the feeling of being bathed in the glow of his light. Around me I see dark objects with their dark shadows. Sometimes I see a stray Tom cat gracefully and quietly slinking by on his soft padded feet. In the distance, across the lake I see the twinkling of street lights. Everything seems peaceful and at rest. I take deep breaths and enjoy the fresh cool air and I feel renewed. I hear the crickets and from across the valley I hear the muted sounds of cars and trucks on the freeway. I feel "all is well, all is well" and am thankful for my abundant blessings.

"It's A Brand New Day, Grandma"

As I was waking up this morning I realized it was a cool morning and it felt good to snuggle in the covers. I thought warm cocoa and toast would taste good. I watched the sun come over the mountain lighting the east side of the trees to a rich bright green. The trees long shadows stretched across the dew covered lawn westward. This scene reminded me of a greeting a friend's grandaughter cheerfully gives her every morning, "Its a brand new day, grandma". My mind then went to a song the "Tabernacle Choir" sings so beautifully.

Morning Has Broken

Morning has broken, like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain's new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise ev'ry morning,
God's re-creation of the new day!

Eleanor Farjeon

Praise ev'ry morning, God's re-creation of the new day!

"Who knows but that something wonderful may happen today. Have faith that it will. After all every morning is a chance at a new day."

Marjorie Pay Hinckley