We had a WONDERFUL day celebrating the 241st anniversary of the independence of America!  The Annual Bull Frog Loop parade (Bull Frog Loop is the name of our street) goes by our cabin.  It’s the perfect time to host a brunch for our neighbors and friends before the parade.

Here in the mountains, everyone decorates their cabins for the holiday so there is an abundance of flags and patriotic symbols.  This year we added more red/white/blue flag bunting to the deck railings.  I purchased this homemade wooden flag from a sweet dad and his two sons who were selling them on the side of the road.

For brunch, I made my egg casserole and fresh cherry coffee cake, (both recipes I have shared on previous posts).  We also made my new favorite go-to salad, Orange, Strawberry, Avocado with Citrus Poppyseed dressing (by one of my favorite bloggers, Monique at Ambitious Kitchen).  We rounded off the menu with fresh berries, Mimosas and a special cake for dessert.

I found these red/white/blue roses at Safeway~~I thought they would make a nice centerpiece on the table.   The girls laughed at me but I bought them anyway! The older I get, the more they laugh at me….go figure.

Our cabin is at approximately 8,000 feet altitude so it’s a bit of a challenge to bake here.  The girls and I decided at the last minute to make an American Flag Cake. I saw a post about the Top 30 July 4th desserts published by Country Living and this one looked interesting.  Baking at this altitude requires a bit of science and a lot of chemistry.

My daughter, Elisabeth, added the raspberries and blueberries on top of the delicious buttercream frosting. There were lots of oohs and ahhs when we cut into the cake.  Isn’t it amazing?  Surprisingly, with the high altitude adjustments, the cake was moist and all 8 layers worked out to really look like a flag!

We set up a self-serve buffet and then went outside and waited for the parade. This sweet homespun parade was started by Susan Palmer-Hunter. Years ago, Susan was so surprised that there was no July 4th parade here.  So, with determination she started one.  Susan and her husband host this parade every year. The much-anticipated parade has now grown and several hundred residents get to enjoy (and participate, if they like), in this very fun, patriotic event.   From decorated golf carts to bikes and floats, this parade represents the best of America. Here’s a glimpse:

Not only did this family participate in the parade, but they made cupcakes for all!

What a fun play on Red Cups!

And here is my good friend, Tracy, as Miss Bingo!

This parade, and all the red, white and blue, is such a reminder how lucky we are to live in this country!  Thank you, Susan for making this parade possible and gathering our community to celebrate Independence Day.

Also, we want to send our thoughts and prayers to those fire fighters who are working this holiday to manage the forest fires in Arizona.  We are so grateful for their service.  The fire danger is very high here and we pray for the monsoon season rains.

I hope you had a memorable holiday with your family and friends.  Happy July 4th!

With the July 4th holiday right around the corner, an icy, tall glass of fresh lemonade seems to be the perfect beverage for hot summer days.

Simple, straightforward lemonade is always delicious, but here are two new ways to prepare lemonade, giving it a sophisticated flair.

It is very easy to memorize a simple lemonade recipe~~one part water, one part lemon juice and one part simple syrup.  Simple syrup is also very “simple” ~~two parts sugar to one part water.  If you want more tart and less sweet, I have also made simple syrup with one part sugar to one part water. I find it easiest to put the sugar in the water in a saucepan and dissolve it over a low temperature.  There are many ways to bring additional flavor to your lemonade by adding an herb to your simple syrup while it simmers.

Basil Lemonade

This recipe, Basil Lemonade is, without a doubt, the family favorite.  By adding a bunch of fresh basil to the simple syrup, it adds a different twist to the lemonade. The basil flavor and fragrance is infused with the simple syrup.  Actually, you could add various things to any simple syrup~~ginger, lavender, mint, thyme, rosemary, geranium, lemon grass~~adding a hint of flavor to your lemonade.

Simple syrup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  After the syrup cools, strain out the basil.  Mix the lemon juice, water and basil simple syrup together. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon and sprig of basil.

~~Basil Lemonade Recipe~~

Strawberry Lemonade

My family’s 2nd place favorite, is Strawberry Lemonade.  Place fresh strawberries in a blender or food processor and puree.

Strain the puree (I used a fine mesh sieve) and discard the seeds.  Simply, mix the puree with the lemon juice, sugar and water and you have this beautiful, refreshing lemonade.

~~Strawberry Lemonade~~

Ingredients

2 quarts fresh strawberries or 2 packages frozen

6 large lemons

1 cup sugar

2 quarts cold water

Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor and puree.  Strain the puree and discard the seeds.

Slice the lemons in half and squeeze each into a large measuring cup.  Remove any seeds.  You should yield approximately 1.5 cups of juice.

In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice, sugar and strawberry puree.  Stir in the cold water and serve over ice.  Makes approximately 12 cups.

Enjoy!!

P.S. I haven’t figured out how to put two printable recipes in one blog post….so my apologies for that!

Is there any other fruit that conjures up such joy and happiness?  Summer and picnics? Watermelon is always an invited guest.  They are refreshing and sweet and when chilled, they provide a fun way to combat the heat.  Can you find an easier dessert than watermelon?

Most people believe that watermelon is only made up of water and sugar, however, it is actually considered to be a nutrient dense food.  It has a high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for a low amount of calories. According to an article in the Medical News Today:

One cup of diced watermelon (152 grams) contains 43 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates (including 9 grams of sugar) and 1 gram of fiber. One cup of watermelon will provide 17% of vitamin A, 21% of vitamin C, 2% of iron and 1% of calcium needs for the day.

Watermelon also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, choline, lycopene and betaine. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelon contains more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.

Despite being a great source of the above nutrients, watermelon is made up of 92% water.

Along with cantaloupe and honeydew, watermelons are a member of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae. There are five common types of watermelon: seeded, seedless, mini (also known as personal), yellow and orange.

Now I feel much better about sharing this next recipe, because it is delicious and healthy!  As you know, I am a BIG fan of Monique from Ambitious Kitchen, everything from her food philosophy to her fabulous recipes.  She is also part of the Healthy Glow team which I wrote about in a previous post.  This concoction, her Skinny Jalapeno Watermelon Margarita has become my summer cocktail~~and it’s easy to double, triple or quadruple the recipe. It’s not too sweet, but light and refreshing.

You can control the heat of the jalapeno, depending on your personal preference. And look at that beautiful color!!

I have tried different combinations of rim coatings~~ from just coarse salt, to salt/organic sugar mix and the Mexican flavoring, Tajin Classic Seasoning.

My second, rather fun, recipe involving watermelon is a Vietnamese-style salad that makes a refreshing accompaniment to any kind of barbecue meat.  Originally this recipe, Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Hoisin-Lime Dressing,  appeared in Bon Appetit in July 2002 in their Flavors of the World article.

With 7 simple and fresh ingredients, this salad is so easy to make.  Start with cubes of watermelon and English cucumbers.

Mix them together and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.  Drain and discard the liquid that will accumulate.

In the meantime, make the dressing and chop the fresh herbs and dry-roasted peanuts.

Toss all together and garnish with the nuts.

Enjoy the recipes (click on the recipe names in the bold links above) and explore with using watermelon in different recipes.  There is actually a website that focuses strictly on watermelon~~recipes, nutritional value and you even get to meet the 2017 National Watermelon Queen..who knew?  You can find it  all here.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter holiday weekend.  I love this holiday as we get the opportunity to blend family traditions from both sides of our families while creating new ones for our children.

We had a very relaxing day which included attending Easter service and the annual egg hunt in the orchard.  My girls also colored eggs~~ it is the only time of the year we buy store bought white eggs, which color and peel easily.

So what to do with all those beautiful hard boiled eggs?  There’s a breakfast tradition in my husband’s family passed down from his mother, Mabel.  A life-long educator, Mabel, wasn’t a gourmet chef, but a simple, straightforward cook.  She didn’t waste much and came from a generation where less is more. She learned to cook in a Home Economics class in school (remember those?) and this recipe is one of the first meals she made as a new bride for her husband, John (Scott’s father). This recipe, entitled Goldenrod,  is straight out of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  We have the 1968 printed edition, and yes, Goldenrod is on page 267.

Scott makes his mother’s Eggs a la Goldenrod recipe for Easter and Christmas and it has become a family favorite.  This recipe utilizes all aspects of the hard boiled egg (except the shell of course!) and makes a wonderful special breakfast.

First, peel the eggs and slice in half.  Separate the yolks from the egg whites. Chop the egg whites and reserve. Smash the yolk with a fork until it is crumbly (or press through a sieve).  Make a white sauce and then add the chopped egg white.

Toast a slice of bread, butter it if you’d like.  Pour egg white/white sauce mixture over the toast and then sprinkle with the egg yolk (the goldenrod).  Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Here is the recipe for Mabel’s Eggs a la Goldenrod.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:7]

Have a wonderful weekend!

Easter lamb cake (known as agnuszek or baranek wielkanocny in Polish) is a traditional Eastern European dessert. Every year during my childhood, we looked forward to Mom making the traditional Easter Lamb cake.  The cast iron mold was a cherished gift from her mother.  I knew, being one of 5 children, that I probably wasn’t the one who would inherit the lamb cake mold, so I purchased mine online several years ago on eBay.

The mold came in the original box and was made by Griswold Mfg. Co. from Sidney, Ohio. The price tag is still on the box~~~original price was $4.95 marked down to $3.95!!

In previous years I experimented with cake batter made from scratch and boxed cake mix, but this year I decided to make the recipe that came with the mold, which I believe to be from the 1920s.  Pound cake or firmer cakes seem to work best.

I seasoned the mold by greasing it and then baking it for 20 minutes on 375 degrees.  I poured out the excess melted shortening and then let the mold cool.

I made the batter according to the recipe, and put it in the face side of the mold (after I re-applied shortening and flour). In order to make sure the ears don’t break off, I put a toothpick (or shortened wooden skewer) between the ears.

With the leftover batter, I made a small bundt cake.  After I put the back side of the mold on top of the front side, I baked the mold face down on a baking sheet for 25 minutes and then turned the mold over for the last 20 minutes in the oven.

For the frosting, I made a Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream from Tessa Huff’s cookbook, Layered. 

I then coated the lamb with coconut, making the eyes and nose with Jelly Belly jellybeans.

Here’s the finished product!!! Isn’t he sweet? I am so happy that I can create this tradition for my family while bringing back fond memories of my own childhood.

I have purchased 3 lamb cakes molds over time that I will give to my children with hopes that they will continue this tradition when they have their own families.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday!

May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

St. Patrick’s Day is a significant day for our family.  March 17 is my Mother’s birthday. Mom passed away in 2014 at the age of 89. My second child, Julianna, was also born on March 17 and as a result was named after my mother, Julia and my great grandmother, Anna.  Though we are not Irish, Julianna feels like she is Irish by having this very special birthday date.

Tonight we will take her out to dinner to celebrate and then come home and have dessert. Julianna wanted me to make a Brooklyn Blackout Cake from my FAVORITE cake cookbook, Layered by Tessa Huff.  My son, Benjamin and I made this cake last summer and it was a big hit.  I will be assembling this cake later today so these photos were from the last time we made this cake.  Please forgive the clarity of the photography, but I wanted you to see this cake.

This decadent chocolate cake, was named after blackout drills during WW II. It was developed by Ebinger’s Bakery and was a staple for Brooklyn for many decades.  Unfortunately the bakery went bankrupt in 1972 and though many have tried to replicate it, apparently nothing can compare to the original.

This devil’s food cake is layered with chocolate custard and then the cake is covered in more cake crumbs. It is DELICIOUS and will be the perfect birthday cake for my sweet daughter.

As you know, I am always so curious as to why we celebrate and recognize certain holidays.

So who is Saint Patrick and why do we celebrate March 17th?

Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the “Apostle of Ireland”, he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, along with saints Brigit of Kildare and Columba.   However, St. Patrick was born in Scotland but devoted his life to missionary work in Ireland.

First, a few misconceptions about Patrick:

Patrick isn’t really a Saint with a capital S, having never been officially canonized by Rome. And Patrick couldn’t have driven the snakes out of Ireland because there were never any snakes there to begin with.

The modest observance of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland dates back to the 17th century, as a religious feast day that commemorates the death of St. Patrick which was on March 17, 461 AD.  Patrick is credited with having brought Christianity to Ireland, and as such became a figure of national devotion and, in due course, the nation’s patron saint. The day’s importance was confirmed in 1631 when it was recognized by the Vatican.

The first recorded celebration of St. Patrick’s Day was in 1737 in Boston, held by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston to assist Irish immigrants in finding jobs and homes.

The day grew in significance following the end of the Civil War and the arrival, across the 19th century, of ever increasing numbers of Irish immigrants.  In essence, St. Patrick’s Day was a public declaration of a hybrid identity—a belief in the future of Ireland as a nation free from British rule, and a strict adherence to the values and liberties that the U.S. offered.

The tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day grew across the U.S. and became a day that was also celebrated by people with no Irish heritage. Corned beef and cabbage—rarely eaten in Ireland but commonplace in American cities as a springtime dish—became the meal for March 17.

The power of St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. was its ability to survive and then spread. It survived over the decades because generations of Irish immigrants were eager to celebrate their origins.

So, wherever you may be on this day, raise a glass to toast not only good old Ireland, but America’s interpretation of it as well.

Happy 20th Birthday, Julianna!  Miss you, Mom….