Peach Upside-Down Cake

I recently shared with you my Grandmother’s Standard Shortcake recipe.  In that post, I described how one of my favorite ways to make the cake was as a peach upside-down cake.  Well, this week at the farmer’s market I bought some amazing peaches, and I immediately knew what I wanted to do with them!

I felt like I needed to give more specific instructions for the peach upside-down cake I mentioned and not just leave it at “pour the batter over some peaches”. So, today’s post will be an addendum to the previous post.

There are a couple of ways you can go about this because you’ll need more than half of the batter for the cake, but not quite all of it.  You can make one upside-down cake and toss the rest of the batter (No! Don’t do that!!), or you can make the cake and bake off the rest of the batter as one or two cupcakes.

I was making today’s cake to take to a family friend who just had surgery, so I decided to use my extra batter and make a mini peach upside-down cake in my jumbo muffin pan.  I couldn’t just make one of my favorite cakes and then give it all away! This way I got a taste, too.

Peach Upside-Down Cake

• 2 cups sliced fresh peaches
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 recipe standard shortcake batter

Preheat oven to 350⁰ and coat one 9-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Toss peaches with brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Spread evenly in bottom of cake pan.

Pour ¾ of your cake batter over the peaches (bake off the rest of your batter however you wish).

Bake for about 50 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen.  Turn out onto a plate and enjoy!

I love this cake served with fresh whipped cream (or in a pinch, a squirt of the spray-can type)!

Taco Casserole

We have a standing Friday night family dinner date with my in-laws at our favorite Mexican restaurant here in town. Oh, how I love Fridays! Of course, sometimes other commitments get in the way, so it’s good that I have this stand-in in my back pocket for those emergency “I need Mexican!” moments.

This taco casserole is easy to put together, and you can customize your own toppings to however your family likes their tacos. Maybe your family is spicier than mine!

Taco Casserole

1 lb. Ground Chuck

1 Packet Taco Seasoning

1 Can Red Kidney Beans, drained

1 ½ Cups Water

1 8 oz. Block Cheddar Cheese, shredded

10 Corn Tortillas

Toppings of choice: Diced Tomato, Lettuce, Sour Cream, Salsa, Avocado, etc.

1. Brown the ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain if necessary.
2. Stir in taco seasoning, water, and beans.  Simmer on medium low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Use the back of your spoon to smash about half of the beans into the mixture. Stir. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350⁰.
5. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
6. Layer 3 corn tortillas in the bottom. Place two tortillas diagonally across from each other; break the third tortilla in half and use each half in the empty space to cover the bottom.
7. Spread in 1/3 of the meat and bean mixture. Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
8. Repeat the layering of the tortillas, meat, and cheese two more times.
9. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve with toppings, if you wish.

It’s a Painting Party!

Have you ever tried to plan the perfect party?  Sure, of course.  Have you ever actually pulled off the perfect party? Ha! Now that’s a different story. I LOVE planning a party – the menu, the decorations, the favors, the activities.  I could go on and on, but once it actually comes time to put it together and host the party, it’s the “what have I gotten myself into” panic. So here’s my new philosophy – Let Go.

I’ve always had this need to be in total control and do everything all on my own.  Having a child certainly has helped me put things in perspective, and planning birthday parties for the Little One has sure knocked me down a few notches.  Trying to get a bunch of 3 year olds to do what you want is like trying to herd cats! So what do I try to do these days, and what is my advice to everyone out there? Let Go.

Plan the party of your dreams – I still do! I write it all down; I have lists and sticky notes and ideas clipped from magazines or pinned on the computer.  And then I take a step back and a big breath and I think, “what are the things here that are most important?” Let’s keep those and let go of the rest of the list to make this most manageable.

I tried to keep this new philosophy of mine in mind as I recently planned my son’s birthday party.  I wanted to do a painting party because he’s at a stage where he loves painting. So as I searched Pinterest for ideas, I kept asking myself, “is this realistic for a 3 year old?” Canvases on easels? Yeah, probably not. But tables covered in butcher paper with stamps and stencils? Why yes, I think we can do that.

Here are some of the pictures from our party that really did turn out to be a huge success.  Did all the children gather around beautiful tables on the patio wearing their colorful aprons and make masterpieces together as I had envisioned? Big no. It rained. Some kids didn’t want to wear my fabulous aprons. Others hated having their hands dirty. Sigh. But did they have fun? Yes, oh yes. Some painted (in my drop cloth covered living room) and others ran around like crazies through the house playing chase. And you know what? On that rainy Saturday when I just let go of some of those perfect plans, we all relaxed and watched our kiddos enjoy each other. Isn’t that really the point anyway?

For the invitation, I went the more economical route of making them myself.  I used my mother-in-law’s Print Shop Program (thank you!) and some cute clip art. Printed on cardstock, and voila!

I made our birthday banner with paint chips from the hardware store.  I tried to be as nonchalant as possible, but really, who needs 15 different colored samples all at one time.  I’m sure the paint stores have cursed Pinterest many times over! Anywho, I was able to make the banner in one afternoon by gluing my cut out letters to the paint chips, punching a couple of holes in each, and stringing them along some black yarn.

And here we are all set up in the living room! After watching the weather all week and determining that yes, in fact, it was definitely going to rain, I ran back to the hardware store (again!) for some drop cloths.  I went ahead and sprang for the nicer canvas ones thinking that I can probably find something fun to do with them later. We set the tables up with aprons, mini canvases, paint, stamps, and brushes.

People thought I was nuts when I said I was doing a painting party with 3 year olds, but we really did have so much fun!

Cornbread Pudding

This is one of those recipes we’ve been making ever since I can remember.  I don’t know where the recipe came from, and I’m sure there are many versions floating around out there, but it is one of our favorites, so I thought I’d share it anyway!

This cornbread pudding seems to go with everything, and it’s my go-to potluck dish. Plus, it’s one of the few things my 3 year old will eat! We always have the ingredients on hand, and it’s a snap to throw together.

The recipe below is my basic way of making it, but you should know this dish is super flexible, and you can add in all kinds of extras.  We’ve added cheddar and bacon bits, monterey jack and green chiles, or extra corn and other veggies.  Use your imagination!

I hope you enjoy this cornbread pudding as much as we do.

Cornbread Pudding

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

1 can cream style corn (I like the white better than the yellow.)

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Spray a 9×9 square pan with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to an hour until set and golden brown.

Recipe Review – Martha Stewart’s Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

It’s so nice when I find a recipe that presents as a fancy meal but is actually really easy to make. This is one of those awesome finds!

I found this recipe for Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta in the Martha Stewart Living Magazine (April, 2013), but around here we just call it Mediterranean Chicken.  It’s become a regular in our dinner rotation, but it’s also one that I will pull out when company comes over.  I think one of the main reasons that I find it so appealing is that this is a one-dish, throw it all in the oven at the same time recipe.  Who wants to be stuck over the stove stirring something when you have guests over? Not me!

The colors in this dish are beautiful, but the flavors are the real star.  You have the briny bite of the olives mixing with the sweetness of the tomatoes and shallots and then the touch of creaminess from the feta cheese. Mmm…mouth watering.

I like to serve this chicken with a side of couscous (another super easy and fast dish!) and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts.

In my notes – I’ve tried substituting onions for the shallots; I definitely prefer the shallots.  I’ve also substituted different cuts of chicken depending on what’s on sale, just know that you may have to adjust your cooking time.

I highly recommend you give this Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta a try whether you are cooking for company or just looking for a new weeknight meal for your family.

Here is the link to the recipe on Martha’s website: http://www.marthastewart.com/967896/roasted-chicken-thighs-tomatoes-olives-and-feta

 

DIY Art Hanger

When the Little Man started his Mother’s Day Out/Preschool program, I needed a special place to display all the fabulous artwork he was bringing home.  Our refrigerator isn’t magnetic, so that wasn’t an option.

I knew I wanted an easy way to change the artwork and thought he would enjoy having it hang in his bedroom. I looked around a bit and liked the type of hanger that is basically a wire mounted to the wall with clips for hanging the art or pictures. The more I looked at them, the more I thought I could probably make something for less than what the stores wanted. So I did!

I used some wood trim pieces from the hardware store (even already painted white!), eye hooks, and twine. For mounting to the wall, I used repositionable Velcro strips because I figured we would end up changing it around when it was time for a “big boy room”.

I screwed the eye hooks into the center of one of the sides of each wood trim block. (I did discover that it was best to use a small nail to make a pilot hole first or the eye hook would just break under the force of screwing it in.)

Then I tied the twine between the blocks at the length I wanted and stuck the Velcro strips on the back. So easy, and I probably made both hangers for under $10!

It’s so cute when he comes home from school and immediately wants to hang his art in his room!

Summer Succotash

Spring has come and gone like a flash, and at this point I think it’s safe to say we are in the full swing of summer! When you live in Middle Tennessee, sometimes your springs are short-lived, and all too soon you are left with heat, humidity, and mosquitoes. However, it also means tending my own garden, strolling through the farmer’s markets, and finally getting to use amazing locally grown fruits and veggies. Definitely a plus.

Recently I got my hands on some fresh sweet corn (a summertime fav!) and tomatoes.  I decided to make a fresh corn succotash, and it turned out beautifully! This side dish to our grilled steak (YUM!) was filled with bright colors and bright flavors.  I highly encourage you to give it a try.

Summer Succotash

• ½ lb. Bacon, chopped
• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 4 Ears Fresh Corn Kernels
• 1 Bag Frozen Lima Beans
• 1-2 Tomatoes, diced
• 1 teas. Salt
• ½ teas. Pepper
• 1 cup water
• ½ teas. Dried Tarragon
• 1 Tablespoon Butter

Cook bacon in a fairly large skillet with high sides. Remove to drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Sauté onion in bacon grease for about 5 minutes, or until translucent.

Add corn kernels and any extra juice/pulp. (When you remove the kernels from the corn, run the back of your knife over the cobs to get the extra pulp!). Cook, stirring often another 5 minutes.

Add frozen limas, diced tomato, salt, pepper, tarragon, and water. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in butter and reserved bacon and serve!

Grandmommy’s Standard Shortcake

Losing a loved one is never easy, and no matter how prepared you think you are, it’s never enough. We were hit hard this year when we lost my grandmother, and immediately we were all reminded of how precious time with family is.

My grandmother was a force in the kitchen, and as we gathered to honor her memory, many of the stories shared involved food.  One of those told by my grandfather was about Grandmommy’s perfect shortcake.  This is a standard white cake recipe, but there is just something about it. It’s not too sweet, the texture is wonderful, and it is the perfect vessel for fresh fruit and whipped cream.

I’ve made this cake in so many ways, and the versatility is one of the reasons I love it. First, it’s an amazing white cake if you’re making an iced cake or cupcakes, but I’ve also taken those cupcakes and split them open for strawberries and cream or made a peach upside down cake by pouring the batter over fruit before baking.

I’d like to honor my dear Grandmommy and share the recipe with you.  Grandaddy’s favorite was as a strawberry shortcake.  What will be your favorite?

Standard 2 Egg Cake

• ½ cup (1 stick) Butter, softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• ½ cup Milk
• 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
• 3 teas. Baking Powder
• ½ teas. Salt
• 1 teas. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 375⁰. Coat two 9” cake pans with non-stick spray. Cut two 9” circles out of parchment paper, and line bottom of each pan. Spray again.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined, lighter in color, and slightly fluffy (about 3 minutes). Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Mix flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with milk.  Add vanilla.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on the top and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

DIY Photo to Canvas

I had been wanting to try the DIY Photo to Canvas that you see all over Pinterest for a while, and finally, I gave it a go! I looked at all the different posts, blogs, and methods, and made a plan. (Something you need to know about me – I always make a plan! I do not fly by the seat of my pants very well.)

I decided I liked the actual photo transfer method better than than the “use Mod Podge to stick a photo to canvas” method. I just liked the look better. So I went to the craft store to get my supplies:

• Gel Medium – I found it with the acrylic paints.
• Canvases – I went ahead and got a few. I figured it would take a couple of tries to get it right!
• Foam Brushes

Then I came home and collected my other items:

• Old credit card, library card, etc. – For smoothing the picture onto the canvas.
• Spray bottle with water in it – I used an old Windex bottle.
• My printed photo – Print your photo on regular copy paper using a laser printer. You may want to reverse the photo if it has any lettering or anything else that would look funny backwards since you will place it face down on the canvas.

Here’s how I did it and what I learned along the way:

1. Cut your photo down to fit the canvas, if needed.
2. Use the foam brush to smooth a layer of gel medium over the face of the canvas.
   • I liked the foam brush because it didn’t leave any stray hairs like a cheap bristle brush.
   • Make it an even layer, and make it pretty thick.
3. Carefully lay your printed photo face down on the canvas.  Use the credit card to help you smooth it down evenly.
   • Any bubbles, wrinkles, or creases will result in that part of the photo not adhering to the gel medium and will not transfer.

 

4. Set your canvas aside to dry overnight.
5. When you are ready to resume, spray the canvas lightly with water and let it absorb for a moment. Use your finger to rub at the paper.  The paper will start to rub off leaving your picture behind on the canvas.
   • Some posts said to use a sponge to rub off the paper, but I found I could better control how much pressure I was using by just using my finger instead.
   • I found it best to start at a corner.
   • If it dries and becomes hard to rub off, resist the urge to use your fingernail, just re-spray it.
   • It won’t all come off the first time, it’s more like it comes off layer by layer.

6. When you are satisfied with your picture, use your foam brush to paint another layer of gel medium over the entire canvas and let dry overnight.

My finished products are below and I love them!  With my photos that were darker in color, I painted the edges of the canvas, but with my lighter photo, I decided I liked the white border. Also you’ll notice some of my transfers have more white areas than others. Those were my first tries where I rubbed too hard and the photo started coming off.  It actually doesn’t look too bad; I’m calling it “rustic”.