Aunt Ruth's Bran Muffins

This is a recipe from Aunt Ruth(my Dads Aunt), or Great Aunt Ruth to me.  I didn't know Aunt Ruth well, but I do know she made good bran muffins.  These are fiber-licious!  The buttermilk helps make them soft and moist.  Definitely a yummy breakfast or snack food.

Bran Muffins 

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 c. buttermilk

2 c. All Bran Cereal

2 1/2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. boiling water

1 c. bran flakes

Combine boiling water and Bran flakes to soften, set aside.  Sift flour, baking soda and salt together.  In separate bowl cream shortening, sugar and eggs.  Add buttermilk and All Bran Cereal.  Stir in sifted dry ingredients., then add the soaked cereal.  Fill greased or lined muffin tins 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 for 15 min.

Cajun Tilapia with Mango Salsa

This mango salsa recipe is delicious!  My friend Tiffany R. shared this with me, and I'm so glad she did.  It was great with the fish, as well as an appetizer with chips.  I used my Cajun seasoning for the fish.  I love the Cajun recipe because it stores well.  It is great on chicken too!

Cajun Tilapia with Mango Salsa  

Cajun Seasoning Blend:
2 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. ground red pepper
1 Tbsp. black pepper

Tilapia fillets(or whatever fish desired)

Combine ingredients and store in an airtight container.  When ready to use rub a small amount of Cajun mixture on fish. (This can be kind of spicy, so go easy on the Cajun mixture, until you figure out how much you like.  It doesn't take a ton to get a good flavor)  Add a couple of dabs of butter on top.  Bake at 350  until fish is flaky (about 20 min. or so depending on thickness of fish).  Top with the mango salsa before serving.

Mango Salsa:
3-4 medium size, ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the mango, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper in a bowl. Add the lime juice and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

English Scones

These are delicious!  One of my(and of course Larry's) favorites!

English Scones
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup cream
1 egg
Handful dried currants or dried cranberries

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening. In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Birthday Cakes

We just finished the round of birthdays for the boys. (Done until December!)   Anyway, here are the cakes they each chose this year.

Bolt

Transformers

Basket balls, soccer balls, baseballs, and volley balls.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are very tasty!  I like the combination of white flour and whole wheat flour.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp. salt
4 lg. eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. sugar
1 (15 0z) can pure pumpkin
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease or line muffin tin with muffin cups.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin and oil, mix well.  Stir into flour mixture until moistened.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.  Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove from pans.

Makes: about 36 muffins

Pencil Cake

I made this for the boys before school started back up for the year as a "back to school" treat(I know, I'm super late posting this!!). We had a couple of friends over and made a party out of it. Everyone loved it!! It was a really simple recipe I found in my Food Network magazine. It looks like a lot of directions, but it is really very simple.

Pencil Cake

2 16-ounce frozen pound cakes, thawed

1 16-ounce tub vanilla frosting

6 drops red food coloring

23 drops yellow food coloring

2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

2 green sour belt candies

Cut a 2-inch piece from one cake for the eraser; set aside. Trim 1/2 inch from the uncut ends of both cakes. Line up the cakes to make 1 long cake.

Using a paring knife, score 2 lines down the length of both cakes, 1 1/4 inches in from each side. With the lines as a guide, trim the cake sides at an angle, as shown.

Mix 1/2 cup vanilla frosting, the red food coloring and 3 drops yellow food coloring in a glass liquid measuring cup. Microwave the frosting about 20 seconds, stirring every 5 seconds.

Make the eraser: Put the 2-inch piece of cake on a rack set over a baking sheet. Pour the warm pink frosting evenly over the cake. Chill until set, about 20 minutes.

Microwave the chocolate chips in a resealable plastic bag (unsealed) in 5-second intervals until melted. Push the chocolate to one corner, twist the bag and secure with tape; freeze until set.

Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups frosting and 20 drops yellow food coloring. Frost the cake with an offset spatula, following the beveled edges.

Make the tip: Cut one end of the cake into a tip, shaving it with a paring knife so the pencil looks sharpened.

Remove the chocolate cone from the bag and trim the base to make it flat. Attach the chocolate tip to the pencil with frosting; attach the eraser to the other end.

Lay the sour belts across the end of the pencil near the eraser, trimming as needed. Gently press into the frosting to secure.

Smore's Cookie Bars

I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe. These were a yummy treat, and my boys loved them!!

Smore's Cookie Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups marshmallow topping, like Marshmallow Fluff or Creme
2 cups milk or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 short sides. Grease the foil with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Divide the dough in half. Press half into the bottom of the prepared pan until the dough is evenly flattened. Dollop the marshmallow topping on top of the cookie base and gently spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

Scatter the remaining dough over the top in clumps. Don’t worry about completely covering the top, the marshmallow and chocolate chips should peek through. Bake the bars until golden brown, about 30-32 minutes. Cool completely. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil overhangs. Cut into bars and serve.