Happy Birthday, Dear Friend. . .

What would we do without our good friends? Today we celebrated a little belated birthday of one of my dear friends... Angel food cake...
sweet, red strawberries...


a little mocha latte....
And the sun was shining... what a pretty day! Happy weekend!
-----------------

Luscious Lemon Angel Food Cake with a Citrus Glaze

Paula Deen's

The perfect spring cake - light and beautiful!

Serves: 10
Cook Time: 85 Minutes

Smithfield Product: None

Ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of juice from a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• For the glaze:
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• A few drops of yellow food coloring

Steps

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup sugar and the flour. Set aside. In another bowl, use an an electric mixer to beat the egg whites on low until light and foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and the salt. Increasing the speed to high, continue to beat adding the remaining 1 cup sugar a little at a time until the egg whites form shiny soft peaks. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice until just mixed in. Fold in the flour and sugar mixture a half cup at a time. Pour the batter into an un-greased tube pan. Drop the pan lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles and smooth the top. Place the cake on a lower rack in the oven, and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when pressed with a finger on top.
In a medium bowl combine the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice. Add drops of yellow food coloring until desired color is achieved. Remove from oven and invert over the neck of a bottle. Let the cake cool completely before trying to remove from pan. When cooled, run a knife along the edges of the tube pan to release the cake. Put the cake, bottom side up, on a cake stand and drizzle the lemon glaze over the top.

Serving Suggestions

Garnish with your favorite fresh flowers.

Mom's wonderful oatmeal cookie recipe

I love these cookies. They are a tiny bit chewy, crisp a bit on the outsude, and soft inside... My favorite recipe that doesn't include chocolate!
--------------------------------------
2 sticks butter

1 c. brown sugar (packed)

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

Cream together the above.
--------------------


Mix the following in separate bowl and then add to first batter


1 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

Mix with low speed thoroughlly. Add

3 c. quick oatmeal

1 1/2 c. raisins

1 1/2 c. toasted pecans, chopped

Stir together. Drop by teaspoon on silpat or lightly greased tin. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from tin and cool.... Hide the batch between binges!

Potato Soup and Bean Cakes

My mom dared me to post these. Tonight my son had to work late, so we didn't get to have our usual Thursday Night Spinner party, and it was the two of us again. Our neighbor/renter/snow removal hero also decided to turn cook, and he brought us an ice cream carton full of Navy beans. Mom had made potato soup

Potato Soup Recipe

4 medium potatoes
water to cover
salt to taste
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped

Rivels (or may use store-bought flat noodles
1 egg, beaten with fork
1 c. flour
pinch salt
work in together until combined and the size of peas

Final ingredients
1 1/2 c. milk
1 stick butter
1/4 c. Velveeta


Cube potatoes and mix all vegetables. Fill soup kettle 3/4 full water or less and cook until just tender. To boiling soup mixture (do not drain) use fingers and mince rivels into boiling water and stir often. Cook about 8-10 minutes util rivels are cooked through and do not taste of flour. Add 1 1/2 c. milk, 1/2 pound Velveeta, cubed, and stick of butter. Heat but never boil again.

-------------------------------
I decided to use the beans in a different way. They were very thick, little water, and kind of mushy. Nice seasoning and delicious. I made bean cakes.

Bean Cake recipe
1 1/2 c. thick beans, mashed and drained
1/2 c. flour
1 T Harry and David red pepper and onion relish ( could use pimientos and dash of cayenne))
1/2 c. shredded mozarella cheese (reserve some to garnish tops)
1 rib minced celery
1 t. chicken bouillon

2 T. cooking oil

Directions

Heat oil in skillet
Mix all ingredients and form into flat patties. Cook over slow heat until crispy on both sides. Sprinkle tops with a little more cheese if desired.



Not our usual Thursday fare but rather rustic and delicious. I liked the bean cakes in the soup.... Mom thought we were hillbillies.

Cheeseburger Soup

Honeysuckle Hill's Cheeseburger Soup

2 lb hamburger

1 C chopped onion

1 C shredded carrots

1 C diced celery

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

4 T butter

3 C chicken broth

4 C diced peeled potatoes

¼ C all-purpose flour

8 oz processed American cheese (Cubed)

1 ½ C milk

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ C sour cream

In a 3 quart saucepan, brown beef; drain and set asided. In the same saucepan, sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until potaqtoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour, cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper, cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8-10 servings.

--------------

This is delicious! I added a bit more chicken broth, a little Velveeta, and a bit more milk to make it "soupier"! We loved it. I also just had the sour cream on the side for some who aren't too fond of it.(like Mom)...