Tag Archives: Sweet Treats

The City of Roses…and Sweet Cherry Caflouti

03 Tuesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Family, Food, Oregon, Photography, Sweet Treats, Travel

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It has been a busy summer, and as autumn begins, I once again have the opportunity  to return to my simple indoor pleasures. The garden has, for the most part, run its course, travel has slowed down (though it never really stops), and I can reflect on the places we have gone and the things we have seen.

We try, and always succeed, in seeing each of our five children scattered across the country at least once a year. This summer we joined our daughter’s family from Minnesota, and our son’s family from Maryland on the Oregon coast for a most fantastic vacation. My next several postings will be devoted to our trip and the many things we saw, and the many things we did.

Our first stop was Portland, “The City of Roses”. Our three families flew into Portland, where we spent several days exploring the city, getting a feel for its inhabitants, and relaxing in a small house, on a corner lot, in an old and historic neighborhood.

What a charming little place to spend time with family.

Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It is located at the foot of Mt. Hood, and at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

Before European settlement, many Native Americans of the Chinook made this area their home. The thousands of Chinook from the Clackimas and Multnomah bands made this area the most densely populated on the Pacific Coast.

When streams of settlers traveling the Oregon Trail began arriving on the west coast of the American Northwest, they could not help but notice the vast forests. Two of these settlers, William Overton and his friend, Asa Lovejoy staked out a claim, cleared many of the trees in a business venture, built roads, and erected the first buildings in the area. Eventually, Overton moved on, selling his share of the settlement to Francis Pettigrove. As the settlement grew and prospered, it was called  “The Clearing”, and “Stumptown”, but finally, in 1845 it was decided by virtue of a coin toss between Pettigrove and Overton, that the town would be called Portland.

Early settlers found vast forests in the area that now encompasses the city of Portland.

By 1850, Portland had approximately 800 residents, and the town was incorporated in 1851. Industry in the area was benefited by its location on the newly laid railroad. Workers in Portland made their living in lumber, fishing, growing wheat, and raising cattle. Over the years Portland has grown to be the second largest city in the Northwest.

A few scenes from Portland…

Downtown Portland…
the entrance to Chinatown in Portland’s Old Town…
and apparently, according to my husband, son, and son-in-law, you cannot visit Portland without eating and drinking at Deschutes Brewery
Portland on the Willamette River.

Our first big outing was to the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland’s Old Town…what an amazing place. We wandered around the garden for quite some time, marveling at the beautiful flowers and plants and enjoying the kids as they enjoyed the huge koi! But one of the best parts of this visit was our lunch at the Tea Room. We ordered several items and shared them all around.

Both the grandchildren enjoyed watching the fish in the pond…

and our granddaughter could have stayed right here for hours listening to the soothing, beautiful music…

Another day we traveled to the International Test Rose Garden in Washington Park. Pictures do a much better job than words ever could to describe this beautiful place…

We met friends of our son’s at Washington Park to give the children an opportunity to play on the  playground. While they played, and wore their parents out, I took a walk along one of the paths and realized for the first time that I was actually in the rain forest…

We wandered around Portland for several days, enjoying the sites using their mass transit. One of my favorite places to visit was Powell’s Books, the largest independent book store in the world. I cannot believe I did not take a picture…guess I was too busy buying books, and wondering how on earth I would get them all home in my luggage…on a plane with weight restrictions. I did it, but it wasn’t easy, and Jim’s luggage was suddenly heavier than he remembered it on the flight here. And to round out one very busy day, we stopped for some of Portland’s famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Oh, how the two kids enjoyed those!

And on our way out of Portland, we stopped at another of their magnificent parks for a picnic lunch…as we headed to the coast, and a beach house on a hillside. But more about that in another post!

Tired kids, tired grandpa…on our way further west…

Sweet Cherries…Sweet Treat

Some of the best sweet cherries, known as Bing cherries, are grown in the American Northwest. Here is a slightly adapted recipe for a sweet cherry caflouti from the Portland Farmers Market. A caflouti is a custrdy cake which originated in Southern France…and it is really delicious.

Sweet Cherry Caflouti

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. milk, warmed just a bit
  • 4 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 2 Tbsp. amaretto (optional; you may substitute 1 Tbsp. of pure almond extract)
  • 1 lb. of sweet cherries, stemmed and pitted
  • a bit of confectioners sugar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, and make a well in the middle.
  2. Add the milk, eggs and amaretto.
  3. Stir the mixture together with a wooden spoon until well combined. The batter will be similar to heavy cream.
  4. Butter the bottom of a cast iron frying pan with the butter, and cover evenly with the cherries.
  5. Pour the batter over the cherries and bake at 375 degrees on the middle rack of the oven until the clafouti is firm, about 35- 45 minutes.
  6. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  7. Dust with a bit of confectioners sugar. and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Stonehenge x Two…and Almond Shortbread

11 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Cookies, England, Food, Photography, Sweet Treats, Travel

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Several years ago, I read the novel, “Salisbury”, by Edmund Rutherford, and since then visiting Stonehenge had always been on my bucket list. This past summer I was able to realize that dream as we traveled to England to see Stonehenge and a lot more of the country of England.

Stonehenge MST

In the meantime, while I awaited our trip of a lifetime, I was able to enjoy Stonehenge on a smaller scale, right here in my own hometown. And I have been back since our trip with a newer understanding and appreciation of both Stonehenges (not sure what the plural of Stonehenge should be!)

Our Stonehenge in, Rolla, MO, sits among modern buildings. Thousands of automobiles drive past it each and every day.

Our Stonehenge in, Rolla, MO, sits among modern buildings.

My hometown Stonehenge, constructed on the campus of Missouri University of Science and Technology,  is a half scale partial reconstruction of the original in England. Its ring has a diameter of fifty feet with 29 1/2 sarsen stones that surround a horseshoe of five trilithons. Sunrise and sunset can be seen through these trilithons, which one depends on the season of the year.

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Sunrise through the southeast trilithon at Stonehenge MST

There are two features that have been added to our Stonehenge that are not part of Stonehenge in England. One is the addition of an analemma, a figure 8 carved in stones that lie behind the south facing trilithon. Each day at noon, the sun, if is it shining, casts a light through a small opening in the trilithon onto the figure 8 which corresponds to that day’s date.

The analemma behind the south facing trilithon

The analemma behind the south facing trilithon

The second feature of the Stonehenge MST that is not found on the original is the Polaris Window found on the north facing trilithon. On a clear night, a visitor will be able to observe the location of the North Star through this window.

The Polaris Window in the north facing trilithon.

The Polaris Window in the north facing trilithon.

Stonehenge, England

I was so excited about seeing the original, the authentic Stonehenge, and it did not disappoint. Stonehenge lies out in the English countryside, and the trip there was all by itself, a real treat.

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Sometimes, when you travel to a site you have looked forward to seeing for a very long time, you find you are somewhat disappointed…you have, after all, seen that place many times, depicted in many formats, and now here it is, and it is just as you had seen it pictured so often. This was not true of Stonehenge.

Of course I had seen pictures of Stonehenge many times, from many angles, but it is not the same as seeing it up close and realizing that men, not machines, were responsible for its construction. I understood that even before the bus took our group out to the site. There is a huge stone on rollers at the bus platform. It is hard to fathom how any group of men could have moved a stone weighing somewhere in the area of 40 tons to another spot, let alone then standing it on its end!

A sarsen stone on rollers...the method used to move the stones that became part of Stonehenge.

A sarsen stone on rollers…the method used to move the stones that became part of Stonehenge.

And then you finally arrive at Stonehenge. I will leave you to discover the specifics of its physical properties and the purposes for its construction with your own research. My intent in this post is to express its impact, its meaning to me as I walked on the path around it.

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Stonehenge is a magical, and for me, a very mystical place. I was struck by its size, and by the sheer strength and intense work its construction must have entailed. I was amazed at the mathematical understanding of the planners and the builders, who were able, in 2300 B.C., to put up a structure of such magnitude. I was intrigued by the religious significance of Stonehenge, and the religious beliefs of the people who gathered at this important site. And it was so old, and still so solid, so substantial, so permanent.

There is a stone a bit away from Stonehenge, called the Heel Stone. It is believed that this half buried stone, may have been there before any building began, indeed it may have been the reason the builders chose this particular spot to build Stonehenge. It is over the Heel Stone that you will see the rising midsummer sun.

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The Heel Stone at Stonehenge

And then you see them, the gatekeepers of Stonehenge, the rooks.

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Rooks are fairly large black birds, and they are everywhere around the Stonehenge structure. They do not appear to be afraid of people, and often seem to be staring down the visitors at the site. They nest in the sarsens of Stonehenge, and they were an experience I had not expected.

A rook "standing guard" atop the Heel Stone.

A rook “standing guard” atop the Heel Stone.

Rooks flying off a trilithon at Stonehenge.

Rooks flying off a trilithon at Stonehenge.

Another unexpected treat on our visit was the reconstructed neolithic buildings at the visitor center. The small village gave us all a look into the lives of the people who lived in the area, and who would have gathered at Stonehenge.

the reconstruction of a small visit depicting life in the time of Stonehenge.
Inside a village hut
Items that would have been used by the people of Stonehange.

Stonehenge is a marvelous place, and our little Stonehenge here in Rolla is also worth a visit!

Afternoon Tea

While we were in England, I insisted that we have afternoon tea. All the family looked at me as if I was crazy…I absolutely do not like tea! But if you are in England, well…I was introduced to really good black tea at Harrod’s, and ever since I have enjoyed tea very much. Apparently I don’t like the tea here in the states, in a tea bag…my daughter calls me a “tea snob”.

I purchased a small cookbook, “Tea Fit For A Queen” written in association with the Historic Royal Palaces. In it I found a wonderful recipe for shortbread that goes perfectly with my afternoon tea. I have changed all the recipe amounts to the measures we use here in the United States. Enjoy!

Almond Shortbread

Almond Shortbread

Almond Shortbread

Ingredients

  • 1 stick + 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 c. caster sugar, plus extra for dusting*
  • 3/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. all purpose flour
  • 1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/4 c. ground almonds

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, and lightly grease an 8″ round pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium low speed until light and creamy.
  3. Sift in the flour and cornstarch, then add the ground almonds to the bowl.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture on low speed.
  5. Press the mixture evenly into the greased pan.
  6. Press a knife edge or fork along the round edge to make a pattern on the shortbread, then score into eight wedges and prick all over with a fork.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and score the shortbread again.
  8. Continue baking for 30-40 minutes or until golden around the edges.
  9. Dust with additional sugar. Cool in pan.

This shortbread can be stored for up to five days in an airtight container.

*Caster sugar is very finely granulated sugar. It is not easily found in the United States, but you can make your own caster sugar by pulsing regular granulated sugar until it appears sand like. Do not pulse too far, or you will end up with confectioner’s sugar!

 

Finding Your Park in Your Own Backyard, #13…A President From the Neighborhood and Ozark Pudding

05 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by in Find Your Park, Missouri, Photography, Sweet Treats, Travel

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  • Adventure #12–Harry S. Truman National Historic Site

On an absolutely gorgeous October morning in our home state of Missouri…

Traveling north on US 63 as the fog lifts off the Gasconade River.

Traveling north on US 63 as the fog lifts off the Gasconade River.

—my husband, Jim, and I started out for Independence, and the home of our 33rd President, Harry S. Truman, and his wife, Bess. It was a beautiful drive across the center of the state, through farmland and small towns.

We were on our way to visit the last of our Missouri National Park sites as listed on the NPS website.  As our nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of our National Park Service, we decided to find our national parks…in our own backyard, our own state. What an experience it has been. We have learned so much, had so much fun, and have come away from our journeys with so much more appreciation of our nation, its natural places, its history, and its impact here and on the entire world.

When we arrived in Independence, we stopped for lunch at Cafe Verona on the city square. The grate on the front windows was very intriguing, adorned with dozens of locks. I took a picture of them and posted them to my Facebook page. I was surprised when a friend commented that there is actually a tradition to locks on bars and fences. The lock is put on by loving couples to signify that their love is for no other, and will never end.

Tokens of love on the window gates at Cafe Verona in Indepependence, MO.

Tokens of love on the window gates at Cafe Verona in Indepependence, MO.

Harry S. Truman NHS Viaitor Center

Harry S. Truman NHS Visitor Center

Our next stop was the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is located at 223 N. Main St. There we viewed a film on Truman’s life in Independence and picked up our tickets to tour the house itself.

219 N. Delaware St.

219 N. Delaware St.

The Truman home is at 219 N. Delaware St. My first impression as we drove up to the curb in front of the house was how much the area reminded me of the Midwestern neighborhood in Michigan in which I grew up, and how much it reminded me of the Midwestern neighborhood in which we raised our own five children. The house looked, and felt warm and inviting, like a place where a family really lives.

Though Harry Truman and Bess Wallace had been acquainted since childhood, it was on a day in 1910, when Harry returned a cake plate from his cousins, who lived across the street from the Wallaces, to Bess’s mother that he fell head over heels in love. After a courtship of nine years, they were married on June 28, 1919, and moved into her family’s home.

While living in the Wallace house in Independence, which became the Truman home after the death of Bess’s mother, Harry Truman opened and lost a men’s clothing store, was elected to two judgeships in Jackson County, lost one re-election bid, was elected to serve as a US senator from Missouri, and in 1944, was elected to be Franklin Roosevelt’s Vice President.  While living on N. Delaware, Harry and Bess also welcomed a daughter, Margaret, their only child.

Less than three months after assuming the Vice Presidency, and following the death of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman was sworn in as the 33rd President of the United States on April 12, 1945. It would be many years before Harry and Bess could return to their quiet, Midwestern home in Independence, MO.

But return they did, to the place they both loved best. It was amazing to me how normal a life the former first family was able to lead, though it did have its challenges. There had always been people who wanted to see the place “where the President lives.” The biggest intrusion on their quiet life had been the installation of a security fence to keep out the sightseers, especially those who thought it was okay to walk into the garden and pick one of Bess’s prized flowers. Some had even torn boards off the house. On one occasion, Bess discovered two “visitors” walking through the house!

This fence was installed around the yard to keep "visitors" at a distance.

This fence was installed around the yard to keep “visitors” at a distance.

Until 1963, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, former Presidents were not given Secret Service protection…and Harry Truman, citizen, did not like it when it did come! Secret Service agents were installed in a house across the street, which is privately owned and inhabited today. They did not come into the Truman home without an invitation, and that was rarely extended.

When you visit the Truman home today, you will see it just as it was on the last day Bess lived there. Their daughter, Margaret, helped the park service set the dining room table as her parents would have it set when the entire family was there to eat together. The same appliances, dishes, wallpaper, and furniture are just as they were. As you look into the library you will see the books each of them enjoyed. The yard has been kept as the Trumans preferred it… natural, with no fancy, formal gardens. And in the garage sits Harry’s last car, a Chrysler Newport.

Each and every day, Harry Truman took a two mile walk around Independence. You can still follow in his footsteps as you follow the signs that mark his route. You can also visit the Noland Home across the street, where Harry Truman’s cousins lived.

You can walk the streets of the neighborhood, just as Harry Truman did each and every day.
The Noland House
Inside the Noland House, you will find displays relating to the lives of Harry and Bess Truman, and their Midwestern roots.

A visit to the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site would not be complete, however, without a stop at the Truman Library, just a couple miles away.

The Truman Library

The Truman Library

The library is a marvelous place, with displays depicting the times of the Truman Presidency. Here are a few of the memorable things you will see on a visit to the library….

A replica of the Oval Office as it looked when Harry Truman was President…
You will find an exhibit pertaining to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan, ordered by Harry S. Truman in an effort to bring an end to World War II…
An exhibit dedicated to post-war challenges in the United States…
Oe of the exhibits explains the challenges, and the horrors of the Cold War…
The Garden where both Harry and Bess are buried…
An eternal flame in honor of our 33rd President.

You can learn more about the Truman Home and the Truman Library by visiting their websites at:

http://www.nps.gov/hstr/index.htm for the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site, and

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/ for the Truman Library

This year spent visiting the national park sites in our own state of Missouri has been so rewarding. It has reminded us of how fortunate we are to live in this country, this place we call the United States of America. America is a homeland to cherish, even as we take stock of who we are as a people, learning from our mistakes, taking pride in our successes, and forever moving forward to create a better country, a better home for all of us, and all who want to become a part of us.

So go on, get online, find the national park sites in “your own backyard”, and then get out there and discover your America. Have a great time while you are traveling, exploring, and learning, gaining a new understanding of your backyard, your own state, that one that you call home!

Bess’s Ozark Pudding

It is said that when Harry felt homesick for Missouri and their house on N. Delaware Street, Bess would make him some Ozark Pudding. She would also often serve it for dessert to visitors at the White House.

I must say, it is really easy to make, but tastes like it takes a lot more time than it does. It is not like a real pudding, but rather a gooey, puddingy cake (not sure about that word, puddingy, but it fits the dish perfectly. The top is like a crusty, browned meringue. When you break into it, it falls immediately, but don’t worry, that is what it is supposed to do. Bess would have served it warm with fresh whipped cream with a bit of rum added. We ate it warmed with vanilla ice cream, and it was absolutely delicious. There was something about it that tasted very homemade and comforting. It reminded me of my childhood, eating at my Grandma’s house…love!

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Bess’s Ozark Pudding

  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. chopped apples
  • 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Beat egg well with an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until light and creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to egg mixture, blending well. Lightly stir in apples, nuts, and vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured 1 qt. baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Enjoy!

 

Finding Your Park In Your Own Backyard #7…Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, Clydesdale Horses, and White Haven Rice Pudding

30 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Find Your Park, Missouri, Photography, Sweet Treats, Travel, Uncategorized

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U S Grant National Historic Site

Continuing our quest to visit national parks in our home state of Missouri, we head back to the eastern side of the state and the city of St. Louis. It is time to visit the home of one of our Presidents, and take a peak at the world famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses.

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White Haven

Ulysses S. Grant began his life of public service when he entered West Point Military Academy. Upon graduation, Grant was assigned to Jefferson Barracks Military Post in Lemay, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi river just south of St. Louis.

He had been invited by his roommate, Frederick Dent, to visit his family home, White Haven Plantation, in St. Louis. And so it happened that on one of these visits he met, and soon fell in love with Julia Dent, Frederick’s sister. They were married on August 22, 1884.

Following their marriage, Grant was assigned to many different posts throughout the country, and Julia followed him to most of them. But after all the moves, and all the wars, Ulysses and Julia decided to settle down and raise their family at White Haven. They moved to Galena, Illinois for a period of time, but in 1869, they purchased White Haven from Julia’s family. It was the home they loved, the home with so many sweet memories, the home they wished to live in for the rest of their lives. But, once again, service to the country intervened, and the Grant’s would spend eight years in the White House. During those eight years, Grant managed the plantation through staff he hired to handle its day to day operation.

When you visit White Haven today, you will tour the house with a guide. As you move through the rooms, the guide will share information about the Grants and their life on the plantation. The tour was very interesting, the guide very engaging, but I did wish they had had more period furnishing to “fill” the space to better reflect what life in this house would have looked like.

The study where Grant would conduct his business affairs.
A friendly game of checkers is set up in one of the rooms.
And the color…You might have expected White Haven to be, well…white. But after careful research and much careful scraping, historians has determined that the Grants had the house painted Paris Green with a darker green trim in 1874. This was a typical Victorian color combination. Research also verifies the color with the discovery of ledger sheets verifying the sale of the paint from a local store.

Behind the main house is a kitchen house which was built at the request of a cherished servant of the family. It has a kitchen and a wash room.

The kitchen house sits just back of the main house.
The kitchen
The washroom.

And a little further back on the property you will find a chicken house and an ice house.

The chicken house, in the foreground, alongside the ice house.

The chicken house, in the foreground, alongside the ice house.

When you first arrive at White Haven, you will enter the Visitor Center where you will decide how to visit this interesting place in American history. You will probably want to begin by watching the excellent film on Grant’s life, as a soldier, a husband, a father, and a man with the strong belief that all men should be free.

You will then decide if you will next want to tour the grounds with your guide, or visit the outstanding museum dedicated to Grant’s life, which is housed in the horse stable. Either way is fine.

Learn more about White Haven, and plan your own visit by visiting the website at http://www.nps.gov/ulsg/index.htm

The Clydesdales

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Adjacent to the Grant historical site is Grant’s Farm. Grant’s Farm was originally owned by the Dent family, then the Grant family, and now it is the property of the Busch family, of Anheuser-Busch fame. It is an animal reserve and park. It also has stables for the world famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses. The fifty or so Clydesdales residing at the Grant’s Farm stables range in age from six months to some that are fifteen years and older, and are retired.

While visiting Grant’s Farm you can purchase tickets to tour the Clydesdale facility…or you can do what we often do, which is stop and see them in their pastures from the bike trail that runs along the edge of the park.

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Visiting the Clydesdales while biking the trail adjacent to the park.

Hardscrabble, a house Grant built for his family on the Dent property, is also located in Grant’s Farm, and can be viewed on a tram ride through the park.

You can learn more about planning a visit to see the Clydesdales and Grant’s Farm at their website, http://www.grantsfarm.com/.

Enjoy the journey!

White Haven Rice Pudding with Lemon Sauce

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One of Ulysses S. Grant’s favorite foods in all the world was rice pudding. I played with several recipes I found, and came up with a version my husband and I really enjoy. I hope you will, too!

Rice Pudding

  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 3 c. hot cooked rice
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 2 c. half and half
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 c. slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Put the hot rice into a large bowl. Stir the butter into the hot rice.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly, then mix in the half and half, milk, sugar, lemon peel, vanilla, and salt. Add this mixture to the rice and stir together thoroughly.

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold the stiff egg whites into the rice mixture. Top with the slivered almonds.

Pour mixture into a buttered, shallow 2 quart baking dish. Place the baking dish into a pan of hot water. Bake for one hour or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. This will make eight warm and delicious servings.

Lemon Sauce

  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 c. boiling water
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
  • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in the boiling water.

Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the remainder of the ingredients. Serve over the rice pudding.

And yes, wild violets are edible, and they are delicious. I picked these from our back yard. It makes the dish look so pretty, even if you don’t want to eat them…my husband doesn’t like them much, and so just leaves them.

 

It Is Almost Valentine’s Day

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by in Sweet Treats, Valentines Day

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I just finished mailing treats to all our children and their families to celebrate Valentine’s Day. This is an activity I love, and one I repeat for Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving (Christmas has its own special offerings). I so love sending these brown paper packages and I suspect the kids enjoy seeing them on their doorsteps.

Since I got rave reviews for the fudge I sent last year, I sent the same fudge this time. I almost never repeat a treat, but this one is really good, and so easy to make. The recipe comes from a small book I purchased on Mackinac Island several years ago.

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Double Chocolate Fudge (adapted from a recipe submitted to Mackinac Fudge                                                    Recipes by Tiffany Hall-Graham)

  • 2 cups (12 ounces ) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 package (11 1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons cream or milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt the 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips with 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of milk or cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla over low heat. You will need to tend it and stir constantly. Spread the mixture into a foil lined 9 inch square pan. In another saucepan, melt the milk chocolate chips with the remaining sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Remove from heat and spread this mixture over the fudge already in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top, slightly pressing them into the fudge. Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Remove the foil from the fudge and cut into desired pieces. This will yield about 2 1/2 pounds of fudge.

Fudge is best stored in the refrigerator. Wrap the fudge in waxed paper and then wrap it in aluminum foil. If you wish to keep it for up to 3 months you can store it, wrapped, in the freezer. Remember to always allow the fudge to come to room temperature before cutting it into serving pieces.

I used this recipe as part of my post last February which highlighted the Island as a great destination for a family vacation. I am sharing the recipe again this year and hope you might also take a look at the entire original post, Mackinac Fudge for Your Valentine…and a Vintage Island.

Happy Valentine’s Day…I wish you many hugs and kisses to give and to receive!

 

I Am Thankful for Pumpkin Fudge… and a Whole Lot More

24 Monday Nov 2014

Posted by in Photography, Sweet Treats

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It is Thanksgiving time…time to reflect on all the things we have for which to be thankful. For Jim and I, it is family. Our children and their families are the most treasured gift we have, and we are so thankful they are ours.

Traveling is one of our other most treasured gifts, and because those five children chose to live in five different states, we have lots of reasons (and excuses) to be on the road… a lot.

Our five children, over twenty-five years ago, on a trip to Bent's Fort in Colorado.

Our five children, more than twenty-five years ago, on a trip to Bent’s Fort in Colorado…and a Cabbage Patch doll, too!

So, this Thanksgiving I thought I would focus on the things for which we are grateful to the north, east, south and west, in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. Here are some of the things I came up with, though I have so many photos it was hard to choose my favorites.

To the north, east, south and west

We took a cruise to Alaska, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Here is Point Retreat Lighthouse, seen as we cruised up the Inside Passage.
We both love history, so Philadelphia is a perfect place for us to visit. This picture was taken as we strolled down Elfreth’s Alley, America’s oldest continuously inhabited street.
We have been to the Gulf of Mexico several times. We love walking along the beach.
We love to travel west to take in the magnificent Rocky Mountains. This picture was taken in Utah, as we traveled north of Salt Lake City.

It doesn’t matter what season it is, we love them all! Now that we are retired from teaching, we can take trips in autumn, winter, and spring. too!

I have always wanted to see the cherry blossoms in the spring in Washington, D.C. They were truly worth the trip.
This cherry tree was close to the Native American Museum.
We are both from Michigan, and we have a son who currently lives there. We also have a daughter in Minnesota, so the ferry across Lake Michigan is an option when we want to see them both on the same trip. In this picture, we are leaving the port at Ludington, MI.
We love the colors of autumn. We have traveled to many different places to see autumn colors, but the colors at Meramec Springs, within twenty miles from our home, are some of the best in the country.
The ice caves at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore are absolutely stunning. We just happened across them by chance, and were so happy to have found them.
Bayfield, WI is the home of the ice caves. It was so much fun to walk out on frozen Lake Superior to take a picture of this picturesque town. Jim says it reminds him of a Currier and Ives print. He mentioned that to our kids and they had no idea what he was talking about…we are really getting old!

Pumpkin Fudge

We discovered Pumpkin Fudge on our recent trip to visit our daughter in Arkansas. It is delicious! I knew I had to find a recipe to make some myself with the pie pumpkins we picked at the pumpkin patch near her home. This is the recipe for the fudge I made, slightly adapted from a recipe I found at https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/143188/spiced-pumpkin-fudge/.

Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Fudge

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 1-5 oz. can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree’*
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin spice
  • 2 cups white chocolate morsels (12 oz. pkg.)
  • 1-7 oz. jar marshmallow creme’
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Bring the sugars, the evaporated milk, pumpkin puree’ and spice to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Stir constantly for 10-12 minutes or until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (235-240 degrees F).

Stir in the white chocolate morsels, marshmallow creme’, vanilla extract, and nuts (if using). You will need to stir vigorously for two to three minutes making sure all the morsels and the marshmallow creme’ are melted.

Pour mixture int a foil lined 9×13 pan. Let stand for 2 hours. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

* I use pumpkin puree’ that I have made from pie pumpkins, but you may use any commercially canned pumpkin, as well.

Enjoy!

Arkansas In Autumn… and Buttermilk Pie

06 Thursday Nov 2014

Posted by in Arkansas, Food, Photography, Sweet Treats, Travel

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Traveling Around Arkansas

Each year, Jim and I take an autumn trip. This year we traveled to southern Arkansas to visit our daughter and her family who live in Monticello. What a great time we had, and what a diversity of landscape we saw. Because we rarely travel the interstate, and because we never go back the same way we went, we put over 1,000 miles on our Fusion Hybrid as we wandered our way around Arkansas and back home to Missouri—it is a good thing the hybrid averages over 45 mpg!

Our first stop, anytime we travel down highway US 63 is Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. It takes about two and a half hours from our house, and by then we are starving for breakfast at the Wood’s Riverbend Restaurant on the Spring River. It is not a fancy place, but the breakfast tastes like home and the view of the river is beautiful any season of the year.IMG_1458

After breakfast, we always go to Mammoth Spring State Park, right on the highway, to take a leisurely walk around the spring and visit the ducks and geese who are always in residence. Sometimes we also see a beaver swimming at the spring and sometimes we see trees on which he has been working!

We always enjoy walking around Mammoth Spring.

We always enjoy walking around Mammoth Spring.

We love meeting the many geese and ducks that reside at Mammoth Spring.

We love meeting the many geese and ducks that reside at Mammoth Spring.

After leaving the restaurant, we traveled down the eastern side of Arkansas to our daughter’s home in Monticello. On the way south we saw rice fields, already harvested…IMG_1485

cotton fields, in the process of being harvested…IMG_1495

and bayou areas..IMG_1496

While at our daughter’s house we took several side trips.

We visited a pumpkin patch, where each of us picked our own pumpkins. We tried to get lost in the corn maze, and just generally had a fun time.

Our grandaughter in the maze at the pumpkin patch.

Our granddaughter in the maze at the pumpkin patch.

We visited the South Arkansas Arboretum in El Dorado. This arboretum and botanical garden is a real jewel. It is Arkansas’ fiftieth state park, owned by the local school system and operated by South Arkansas Community College. What a wonderful way to take a walk in nature. Unbelievably, in an era in which everything costs money, this botanical garden and arboretum charges no entrance fee.

South Arkansas Arboretum is just a great walk in the woods!

South Arkansas Arboretum is just a great walk in the woods!

The many camellias at the arboretum are just beautiful!

The many camellias at the arboretum are just beautiful!

Cane Lake State Park. near Star City, is another place to have a great walk in the woods and visit an oxbow lake.

A walk in the woods at Cane Creek State Park is fun and invigorating.

A walk in the woods at Cane Creek State Park is fun and invigorating.

Cane Creek lake

Cane Creek Lake

But, by far, the most beautiful place we visited was Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton. While there, we hiked, climbed over “turtle” rocks, saw magnificent 500 year old Native American pictographs, and fell in love with the sunrise and sunset of this most picturesque place. Rather than go on and on, let me share some of my photos from Petit Jean…

These are the "turtle " rocks at Petit Jean, an unusual geologic site for sure.

These are the “turtle ” rocks at Petit Jean, an unusual geological site for sure.

Just past the turtle rocks we entered the Rock House cave in which ancient peoples left pictographs for us to discover so many years later.

Just past the turtle rocks we entered the Rock House Cave in which ancient peoples left pictographs for us to discover so many years later.

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One of the several pictographs we saw inside the Rock House Cave at Petit Jean State Park.

Sunrise at Petit Jean State Park

Sunrise at Petit Jean State Park

Looking to the west at sunrise provided as spectacular a view as the sunrise itself.

Looking to the west at sunrise provided as spectacular a view as the sunrise itself.

Once again, the view toward the west, as the geese awoke to the new day was as spectacular as the view in the east.

Once again, the view toward the west, as the geese awoke to the new day was as spectacular as the view in the east.

Sunset was also a moment to remember. We sat on the rock ledge behind the Mathers Lodge and watched the sun set and its aftermath for over an hour.

Sunset was also a moment to remember. We sat on the rock ledge behind Mather Lodge, watching the sun set, and its aftermath for over an hour.

And finally, this trip, as with all good things must come to an end. But not without a stop in Jasper, at the eclectic Ozark Cafe, one of our favorite places in all of Arkansas to enjoy an incredible hamburger.

the Ozark Cafe in Jasper, Arkansas...you won't be hungry for a long time!

the Ozark Cafe in Jasper, Arkansas…you won’t be hungry for a long time!

What a great trip! And what a great recipe I brought home with me…it is simple to make and easy to eat. We love this buttermilk pie!

Buttermilk Pie

DSCN3574

While looking through the book store at Cain Creek State Park, I asked the park ranger if she could recommend one of the cookbooks as a really good example of Arkansas cuisine. She not only led me to a book, but also showed me the recipe for Buttermilk Pie. She said that was the recipe I should make, because she and all her relatives had grown up on it. Her exact wordds, “My Granny made this pie for us all the time.” So here it is…and it is indeed very good!

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake one hour at 325 degrees. Enjoy!

The recipe for Buttermilk Pie is from the Cane Creek State Park 10th Anniversary Cookbook. It was published in 2002, by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Elephant Rocks…and Missouri Gooey Butter Cake

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by in Food, Missouri, Photography, Sweet Treats, Travel

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A little while back, CNN created a list of 50 Natural Wonders in 50 States (http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/07/travel/50-states-natural-wonders/). The natural wonder in our state of Missouri is Elephant Rocks State Park. It has been many years since we took our older children to Elephant Rocks, so we decided to pack a picnic lunch and head out to revisit this park we only vaguely remembered. I baked a batch of corn flake crusted chicken and we were off. Such memories…this was the chicken we took on all our family picnics when the kids were home, and it was fun to realize, once again, how good it really is (the recipe is always on the back of the Corn Flake Crumbs box).

Elephant Rocks State Park

These are the rocks that give Elephant Rocks State Park its name.

These are the rocks that give Elephant Rocks State Park its name.

The huge pink boulders at Elephant Rocks are red granite. The granite was formed when hot magma cooled over a billion years ago, then gradually weathered into the huge, rounded boulders we see today. Over time the boulders will erode away, while at the same time, other rock is weathered, making new “elephant rocks”. The huge boulders are strewn throughout the park which also includes an old quarry. The granite rocks were quarried during the 1800’s, becoming paving blocks for the St. Louis levee and its downtown streets, facing stones on the Eads Bridge in St. Louis, and the material from which the turned columns on the front porch of Missouri’s Governor’s mansion in Jefferson City were made. In nearby Graniteville, you can see an old schoolhouse and several homes that were built using the highest quality granite blocks from the quarry.

A one mile paved Braille handicap trail leads through the park. There are several side trails leading to other interesting spots in the park. Children love to climb the rocks, they love trying to push the rocks, and hide behind them, making it a great place for a family outing. Here are some of the things you will see as you walk the trail at Elephant Rocks…

Trees and rocks live together in harmony in the park as seen here. The tree has made its way around this huge boulder while appearing to hold onto it for some support.

Trees and rocks live together in harmony in the park as seen here. This tree has made its way around the boulder while appearing to hold onto it for some support.

A long line of granite rocks along the path.

A long line of granite rocks along the path.

One of the side paths takes you to this ruin of an engine house from the 1890's. It serviced the trains of the Sheahan Quarries private railroad.

One of the side paths takes you to this ruin of an engine house from the 1890’s. It serviced the trains of the Sheahan Quarries private railroad.

The end of the line? A view inside the old engine house.

The end of the line? A view inside the old engine house.

When you reach the line of "elephants", you are at a point that provides great views of the surrounding countryside.

When you reach the line of “elephants”, you are at a point that provides great views of the surrounding countryside.

These rocks are ginormous. The largest rock at the park is 27 feet tall, 35 feet long and 17 feet wide. Dumbo, as it has been named, weighs 680 tons!

These rocks are ginormous. The largest rock at the park is 27 feet tall, 35 feet long and 17 feet wide. Dumbo, as it has been named, weighs 680 tons!

Men who worked at the quarry carved their names into the huge elephant rocks.

Men who worked at the quarry carved their names into the huge elephant rocks.

A view of the old quarry. The water is forty feet deep.

A view of the old quarry. The water is forty feet deep.

Can you guess how much this granite boulder weighs? It weighs 8,500 pounds, as much as a full-sized pickup truck.

Can you guess how much this granite boulder weighs? It weighs 8,500 pounds, as much as a full-sized pickup truck.

At the end of the day, Elephant Rocks State Park is a great walk in the woods!

At the end of the day, Elephant Rocks State Park is a great walk in the woods!

Elephant Rocks State Park is located in Graniteville, Mo, about 90 miles south of St. Louis. You can learn more about this “natural wonder” at http://www.mostateparks.com/park/elephant-rocks-state-park.

After leaving the park, we decided to look for a coffee drink. We found an antique, candy, coffee, etc. shop in Caledonia. It is called the Old Village Mercantile. What fun…we got great frozen coffee drinks, which remember was all we were looking for, plus 7 oz. bottles of coke (the only way it is really good), fudge, ground coffee, and those little sugar dots on paper I remember from my childhood. What a neat little shop in a tiny little town in rural Missouri. What a great day we had…a day trip not so very far from home!

We loved this little antique and coffee shop in Caledonia.

We loved this little antique and coffee shop in Caledonia.

Gooey Butter Cake was first made by a St. Louis baker in the 1930’s. It was actually a mistake in recipe ingredients that created this cake, but because America was in the midst of the Depression, the thrifty baker decided to sell the “mistake” anyway. It was a success and Missourians still eat lots of Gooey Butter Cake! There are two ways to make this cake. One way is to use a yellow cake mix and cream cheese. This method is quick and easy, but not the “real thing”. The real cake is made with yeast and lots of butter. It takes time, but it is so worth the extra effort! This slightly adapted recipe for Gooey Butter Cake is from Melissa Clark and appeared in the New York Times in November of 2009.

DSCN2860

Gooey Butter Cake

To make the cake:

  • 3 Tbsps. milk at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 tsps. active dry yeast
  • 6 Tbsps. unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 Tbsps. sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups flour

Mix the milk with 2 tablespoons of warm water(about 110 degrees) in a small bowl. Add the yeast and whisk until it dissolves. You should see a bit of foam on the mixture. Cream the butter, sugar and salt in a stand mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg. Add the flour and the milk mixture alternately, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time. Continue to beat the dough on medium speed for 7 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl. It will form a beautiful, soft dough that you will press into an ungreased 9 by 13 glass baking dish. Cover the dish with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place* until doubled in size, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

*Here is a good hint for raising yeast dough when the weather cools and your house may not have any really warm place. Put the dish with the dough into the oven. Turn the oven to preheat at 400 degrees for exactly 1 minute. Turn the oven off and allow the dough to rise…works great every time! Just don’t forget to turn the oven off!

To make the topping:

  • 3 Tbsps. plus 1 tsp. light corn syrup
  • 2 1/2 tsps. vanilla extract
  • 12 Tbsps. unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1 cup plus 3 Tbsps. flour
  • Confectioner’s sugar

Mix the corn syrup with 2 tablespoons of water and the vanilla in a small bowl. Cream the butter, sugar and salt for 5 to 7 minutes until it is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg. Add the flour and corn syrup mixture alternately, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Spoon the topping in large spoonfuls over the raised dough. Use a spatula to spread the topping over the cake in an even layer. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Be very careful not to over-bake the cake, keeping a close eye on it the last five minutes of baking. The cake, when finished, should be golden brown with an almost liquid center.

After the cake has cooled completely, sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar. Enjoy!