Garden State of Mind BAKE

Mondays are not my favorite day of the week. They are stressful and not much fun. I very rarely blog on Mondays. Usually not in the mood.

Today was a good day and so here I am.

Over the weekend, Mr. Bubbles and I worked in our garden. We tilled and tilled. We looked at the plants and seeds we had and decided to enlarge it another 6 x 28 so we tilled and tilled some more.

We have our "mail order " tomato plants that supposedly grow to 8 feet tall and produce 60 pounds of fruit. We are planning on planting 5 or 6 of these. So excited to get everything in. I am dreaming of  all the different salsas we will create with the bushels of tomatoes we will have!

         After all, some of last years harvest...

became this!

I was so busy with the garden all weekend that I nearly forgot to BAKE something! I could do something quick. Cookies? So, I asked Mr. Bubbles what he was in the mood for and of course he asked for Candied Bacon Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip cookies.

A bit of extra work but they are so worth it!

Candied Bacon Macadamia with White Chocolate Chip Cookies  

                                                                          

                                                                         Preheat the oven 375

                                                                    Makes 3-4 Dozen

Candied Bacon:

10 slices of smoked Bacon

3/4 cup brown sugar

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Lay out the bacon flat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly on the bacon, then press into the bacon. Bake for 7 minutes. Flip and bake additional 7 minutes. Remove from pan cool on a cookie rack. Coarsely chop for the cookies.

Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup chopped candied bacon

With electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on high for 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beat for 1 minute on high. Mix in flour, soda and salt. Fold in bacon, nuts and chips.

Drop by spoonfuls unto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes, till edges are slightly golden.

Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Move to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in airtight container. Don't worry about keeping the cookies in the fridge, they will be fine. They won't last that long anyway!

It was a great and productive weekend and it ended with a sweet treat because I made one these...

Have a wonderful week Sweeties!

Love and Peace,

Sweetcheri

Betty Crocker and the BAKE

Last week, during a commute home from work I started thinking about Betty Crocker cookbooks. I don't know exactly what triggered these thoughts, but by the time I got home from work, I was both happy and sad.

Happy, because I love Betty Crocker cookbooks! I read cookbooks of all kinds. But Betty Crocker cookbooks...Well 'they take the cake' so to speak. When I have finished with one, I will give it away or re-sell it back to a local used book store. NEVER have I done that with a Betty Crocker. I have many of her fine works!

My first recollection of a Betty Crocker Cookbook was maybe 1966. "Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook." My mom had one and she would let me look through it. It had color pictures of vegetables, meatloaf and of course, BAKED stuff! And for some reason it smelled of shortening and vanilla.

To this day, when I beat up shortening and vanilla for anything, I think of my mom. And all 10 of my Betty Crocker cookbooks smell like shortening and vanilla, just like hers did!

Betty Crocker Butter Icing

3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1-2 tablespoons whipping cream

Beat the butter and shortening on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add vanilla. Beat again for 2 minutes.

Stir in cream. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating 1 minute each time. Makes frosting for two 8 or 9" layers or 13x9 oblong.    

 

As I was saying before I randomly stuck in "my secret buttercream recipe", I was both happy and sad.
Sad, because I have memories of my mom that some days, haunt me.

Vivid memories of my mom...
During the summer of '69, I got a library card. To me, this was a very big deal and I remember that day as if it was just last week...
My mom took me, my sister and little brother to Downtown No. St. Paul for lunch at Mac's Dinette and when we were leaving Mac's, I saw the Library next door and I asked her if I could get a library card. I had learned about them in second grade and my teacher had said the cards were FREE at any Library. Mom gave me that look that mothers give. You know the one. The one that says 'no' without words. I thought for a second and I reminded her that school was out for the summer and so I could not borrow books from the school library. I just had to keep reading during summer break or I might forget how! With a smile, she said "Well, we can't have THAT now, can we?"
I was so excited!  I knew that the "real Library" had way better books than my stupid school library.
I borrowed 3 books that day...Betty Crocker's Boys and Girls Cook Book, a picture book about planets and a book on how to draw horses.

Like I said, vivid memories, it's as if it really was just last week.
Well, right after our library adventure downtown, my mom went on a trip with my new step dad and step grandparents. I missed her. It was horrible to be without her. Plus, they had car trouble on the way home from California so it took FOREVER for her to come home. When she called to talk to us about the car trouble, I remember telling her that my library books were going to be overdue. She said not to worry, that she would talk to the librarian and pay whatever fines might be due.

Summer of '69.

A "Magical Summer" as my brother always puts it.
                                               There was a moon landing.
                                                                 I learned how to draw a horse.
                                                                                I learned how to BAKE.

And I told my mom that she could never leave us like that again...

I wanted to publish this blog on April 27, 2012, the 40th anniversary of my mom's death.

I couldn't. I was just too sad.

April 27, 1972. She was 33 years old and she died of ovarian cancer. I was only 11. I am thankful every day that I still have these vivid memories of her.

I think of her single every day. I have missed her every single day of the last 40 years.

She was a beautiful and talented BAKER.
I miss you Mom!

 XOXOXO, Sweetcheri.