Recipe: New deserts! Red Velvet Cookies, Carrot Cake and 'Smores

I have been reading a murder mystery series, the Hannah Swenson series by Joanna Fluke.  I have gotten some great recipes.  Here are 2 more winners, in fact I would have to say, "WOW!!"  I have never made either of the recipes from any other version of the recipe and I was a bit nervous, but they turned out amazing!

The first one is a picture of "Hannah's Special Carrot Cake" from the book, "Carrot Cake Murder"

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F rack in middle position
2 C white (granulated) sugar
3 eggs
3/4 C vegetable oil (not canola, or olive, or anything but veggie oil)
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 C sour cream
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t salt
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, juice and all - -
2 C chopped walnuts (or pecans)
2 1/2 C flour (pack it down when you measure)
2 C grated carrots (pack it down when you measure)

Grease a 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan and set it aside

Use an electric mixer

Beat the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla together in a large bowl.  Mix in the sour cream.  Add the baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix them in thoroughly.

Add the flour by half-cup increments, mixing after each addition.

Grate the carrots. (A food processor makes it so much easier than hand grating it)

Mix the carrots BY HAND.  Grated carrots tend to get caught on the beaters of the electric mixers.

Spread the batter in your prepared cake pan and bake it at 350 F for 50 minutes, or until the cake tester (I use a food pick that's a little longer than a toothpick), inserted one inch from the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the cake pan on the wire rack.  When it's completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting while it's in the pan.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ounce package softened cream cheese
1 t vanilla extract
4 C confectioner's (powdered) sugar

Mix the softened butter with the softened cream cheese and the vanilla until the mixture is smooth.

Hannah's note:  Do this next step at room temperature.  If you heated the cream cheese or the butter to soften it, make sure it's cooled down before you continue.

Add the confectioner's (powdered) sugar in half-cup increments until the frosting is of proper spreading consistency.  (you'll use all, or almost all, of the sugar)

Hannah's note:  If you are good with a pastry bag, remove 1/3 of the frosting and save it in the little bowl to pipe on frosting carrots and stems.

With a frosting knife (or rubber spatula if you prefer) drop large dollops of frosting over the surface of your cooled cake.  I usually end up wit somewhere between 6 to 12 dollops.  The dollops are like little stacks of frosting you'll spread neighboring stacks together, working your way from one end of the cake to the other, until you've frosted the whole cake.  (This dollop method prevents uneven frosting thickness and "tearing" of the surface of your cake as you "pull" frosting from one end to the other.)

If you decide to use the pastry bag to decorate your cake, mix most of the remaining frosting with one drop of yellow food coloring and one drop of red food coloring (unless you can find orange).  Mix it thoroughly to make orange frosting and pipe little carrots on top to decorate your cake.  You can save a bit of uncolored frosting to color green and dab green stems on the large end of the carrots.

 This next recipe/picture is of Red Velvet Cookies.  These seem to have been very popular lately.  I have never eaten them or made them.  I was surprised at how wonderfully yummy they turned out.

RED VELVET COOKIES  from Carrot Cake Murder

Preheat oven to 375 rack in middle position.

2 once-ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate

1/2 C (1 stick) butter at room temperature

2/3 C brown sugar, firmly packed

1/3 C white (granulated) sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 large egg

1 T red food coloring

3/4 C sour cream

2 C flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)

1 C (a 6 ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with Pam.  (If you don't have parchment paper, you can use foil, but leave a little "ears" of foil sticking up on the ends, enough to grab later when you slide the whole thing on a cooling rack.)

Unwrap the squares of chocolate and break them apart.  Put them in a small microwave-safe bowl.  (I use an 8 ounce measuring cup).  Melt them for 90 seconds on HIGH.  Stir them until they're smooth and set the aside to cool while you mix up your cookie dough.

Use an electric mixer.

Combine the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat them until they're smooth.  This should take less than a minute.

Add the baking soda and the salt, and resume beating on medium again for another minute, or until they're incorporated.

Add the egg and beat on medium until the batter is smooth (an additional minute should do it).  Add the red food coloring and mix for about 30 seconds.

Shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.  Then add the melted chocolate and mix again for another minute on medium speed.

Shut off mixer and scrape down the bowl again.  At low speed, mix in half of the flour.  (That's 1 cup).  When the flour is incorporated, mix in the sour cream.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and give it a stir with a spoon.  Mix in the chocolate chips by hand.  (a firm rubber spatula works nicely)

Use a teaspoon to spoon the dough onto the parchment - lined cookie sheets, 12 cookies to a standard-sized sheet.  (if the dough is too sticky for your to work with , chill it for 30 minutes or so).  Bake the cookies at 375 for 9 to 11 minutes, or until they rise and become firm.

Slide the parchment from the cookie sheets an onto a wire rack.  Let the cookies cool on the rack while the next sheet of cookie is baking.  When the next sheet of cookies is ready, pull the cooled cookies onto the counter or table and slide the parchment paper with the got cookies onto the rack.  Keep alternating until all the dough has been baked.

When all the cookies are cook, peel them off the parchment paper and put them on waxed paper for frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1/4 c softened butter (1/2 stick)

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1/2 t vanilla extract

2 C confectioner's (powdered) sugar

mix the softened butter with the softened cream cheese and the vanilla until the mixture is smooth.

Make sure the cream cheese and butter mixture is cooled down before the next step.

Add the confectioner's (powdered) sugar in 1/2 increments until the frosting is of the proper spreading consistency.  (you'll use all, or almost all, of the sugar)

Yield about 3 dozen cookies.

If you really want to pull out all the stops, brush the tops of your baked cookies with melted raspberry jam, let it dry, and then frost them with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

I am always so grateful when I find new recipes that my kids like.  They have inspired and been very influential in helping me to learn to cook better and try new things.  I applaud them and their kindness in helping me to find great things and enjoy my cooking, THANK YOU KIDS!!

My parents have also been very helpful in this area.  They have always loved me and encouraged me even when I made mistakes and needed a lot more practice.  Thank you!


Here is one more desert that I found on the internet.  It is a "Smore" recipe and is a favorite.

Ugggg, wow, that is out of focus, it was shot with my phone, I need to remember not to take pictures with my phone.

I first made this recipe March 17, 2015


S'MORE COOKIE BARS

1/4 C butter, room temperature
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1 large egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/3 C all purpose flour
3/4 C graham cracker crumbs (about 7 full graham crackers) (I used a food processor)
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 super-sized (5 oz.) dark chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey's)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow crème/fluff (NOT melted marshmallows)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.  Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.  Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.  Place chocolate bars over dough.  Two 5 oz. Hershey's bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 in thick.  Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff.  This is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag.  Use your palms to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag.  Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers.  From there peel the bag up and spread the dough when it is uneven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Trek for Derek

Derek just got back from Trek.  It was from Wednesday the 10th through Saturday the 13th.  The stake went to Wyoming and as best they could reenact a bit of what the pioneers went through.

Trek for Derek and Barrus pioneer family history

Story about Aroet Hale and orphaned siblings crossing the plains

This is a copy of an email my mom sent to Derek.  He is leaving for Trek today with the 
stake young men and women.  Derek was to bring a story of an ancestor of his that 
crossed the plains.  I am very grateful to my mother who does so much for me.  This
 is such a personal touch for Derek and for our family.  Thank you so much Mom,
I love you!

I always worry when the kids go away without me.  I hope that he has a great time filled
 with many good experiences, fun times, new adventures and many spiritual experiences. 
 I am proud of Derek for going on Trek.  He just came down with some new health issues
 in the form of severe allergies.  He had to take 2 inhalers, an epi pen, 2 types of allergy 
pills, etc.  He is such a trouper.  He and I are definitely not outdoorsy type people and for
 him to do this on top of having severe allergies says a lot about his character.  I am 
very proud of him and his decisions.  

I can't wait til he comes back and I get to hear all his stories.  Hopefully his picture happy 
mother will get some pictures to put in this family history...

Hi Derek,
Here is the story you requested. I am sure that Aroet is pleased that you are learning about him and remembering him and his brothers and sisters. Have fun!!

Thanks for asking me for this.
Love, Grandma

Aroet Hale pronounced Uhrowet. accent on the "row" syllable.

 He was grandfather to my great-grandfather, Frank Lucius Clark. Frank was the father of my grandmother, May Isabelle Clark, my father's mother. So, Aroet would be my great-great grandfather. ----- I think. I can lost in the generations.

Aroet's father was Jonathan Harriman Hale - Bishop in Nauvoo, who knew Prophet Joseph Smith and served under him and Brigham Young. He was a leader helping those in need leave Nauvoo, highly energetic, devoted to church and serving. He broke his leg in an accident, came down with sickness in Winter Quarters and died. His wife died and 2 small children also died.

His children were left alone, four orphans. Aroet was the oldest. Aroet had two younger brothers and a sister about a year younger than he was.

The orphans followed their parents example and worked hard to prepare themselves to go across the plains and be self-sufficient.

They grew crops in Winter Quarters so they would have enough food for the fall and winter in Winter Quarters and also enough for their trip across the plains. They prepared.

 A year and a half after their parents and two little sisters died, the four orphans left to go across the plains. They were older, prepared by their own hard work, and strengthened by the unity of working together.

The pioneers were grouped into three large divisions: one led by Brigham Young, one by Heber C. Kimball, and one by Willard Richards.

The three groups totaled 2, 417 men, women and children, and 792 wagons.

The four orphans, led by their oldest brother, Aroet were assigned to the Heber C. Kimball division. He had been a good friend and advisor. And they were in the first group of fifty people under the direction of their uncle, Henry Harriman, who was the captain.

These divisions also had 74 horses, 19 mules, 1,275 oxen, 699 cows, 184 cattle, 411 sheep, 141 pigs, 605 chickens, 82 dogs, 37 cats, 3 goats, 8 doves, 1 crow, and 2 beehives.

For the year and half before they left, Aroet had hunted and sold hides, and much of their family's possessions to towns along the Missouri River. He did this to lighten their load and to get enough money to purchase what they needed for the trip and to have enough cash for the trip.

He was hard-working and very resourceful in getting what they would need.

 Aroet was dependable. He saw to it that they had the equipment they would need and that it was in as good a condition as he could make it.

He had:

• two good wagons
• four oxen
• two cows.

 His sister drove one wagon, and he the other. His little brothers would help drive the wagon when Aroet went off to hunt.

There were lots of buffalo and antelope for these first groups of pioneers. So, the general plan was that each group would provide their own fresh meat by hunting. Aroet was assigned to be one of the hunters for his group.

There were occasional problems with Indians.

 The orphans were not alone. They had prepared well and were with wise leaders. Aroet wrote that "President Young and President Kimball were very kind and indulgent. They would often arrange their encampments within a mile or so of each other, so that the young folks could visit with each other." His sister Rachel fell in love with the man who would become her husband on the trek and Aroet met and began to fall in love with Miss Olive Whittle, whom he later married.

 President Young wrote in his diary about the trek that they traveled about 12 miles a day, except Sundays when they rested and found their cattle. He also wrote that many of the cattle died because it was a very dry season, the grass was scarce. In addition, the heavy dragging and the dusty roads meant that much eating and drinking dust also was not good for the cattle.

 President Young's division arrived in the Salt Lake area first. Four days later the Hale children arrived with President's Kimball's division. They had spent four months coming from Winter Quarters. They had traveled over 1,000 miles with their ox teams, walking a good portion of the distance.

 When they arrived Aroet was 20, Rachel was 19, Alma 12, and Solomon 9.

They were given a plot of land on North Temple Street, two blocks west of Temple Square, on the north side of the street. They were assigned a lot next to their uncle Henry Harriman.

Under Aroet's direction the children worked together to build their own home of logs and adobe. There was only one lumber mill and many people so they were allowed boards enough for one window frame and one doorway. The floor was dirt. The home was ready for them before the severe Salt Lake winter set in. They did not have a door or glass for a window so canvas was used to keep out the winds. Within the next year they constructed a two-story home, with two rooms above, and two below and a lean-to in the rear. It is said to be the second home constructed in the 17th Ward in Salt Lake City. The home was largely made out of adobe bricks that the children made from clay dried in the sun. Aroet had a frame made to shape the bricks.

Aroet married and took good care of his family and everyone around him. It is said about Aroet that he was dependable, hard-working, public-spirited wanting to help all in the community, He always worked and always served gladly. Among other positions he was a missionary, a stake president's counselor, and a patriarch.

At his funeral, the bishop said: "Patriarch Aroet L. Hale was a man dearly loved by all who knew him. He had a smile and a kind word for everyone. He radiated sunshine and goodwill wherever he went. He possessed a generous tolerance and a broad human sympathy. He never spoke unkindly of anyone. He love life and he loved people. To him it was a privilege and a pleasure to be alive. To have been in his presence was to be made happier. I never knew a man who really enjoyed life as he did."

The material was taken from "Bishop Jonathan H. Hale at Nauvoo: His Life and Ministry" by Heber Q. Hale [1938]

Information summarized for progenitor, Derek Ely, to know as he takes Aroet's name on his trek with the stake.

flowers for 2015

Well, I wanted to plant our flowers at least 2 weeks ago.  I always love to see the flowers and to watch them grow.  It is one of my "happy thoughts" (to take a phrase from Peter Pan).

This year during winter it seemed like we lived in Southern California.  We did not get the cold weather or the snow we needed in our very dry state.  But in May, we got a TON of rain!  I LOVED it, however, it made it so I couldn't plant.  It would have washed away my little flowers and drowned them.  Yes, we got that much rain, and it was big, hard rain.  I loved to be inside and watch and listen to it.

So, here are the pictures of the flowers,  I will as usual take pictures later to see how they have grown.

 I did something different this year.  I made 2 pots to put on our steps.  I LOVE topiary.  Hopefully the flowers will fill in on the bottom.  I also hope the topiary plant grows fuller and taller.  We will have to see how much it grows in the next 4 plus months.  I wish our flower season was longer.  Like I said earlier, I missed at least 2 weeks of may and the 1st week in June, so almost a month.

These pots have "Sweet Potato Vine" and "Calibrachoa" flowers around the topiary.

 Just another shot of the topiary pots to give a perspective of height.

 Hopefully these will really fill in.  I did a different pattern and chose a bit different by way of flowers.  We will see at the end of the season which I like better.  That big pot in the back is from David's sister, Debbie.  She gave us 5 of these beauties along with some other plants that are in the back yard.

I planted red Geraniums, Superbena dark blue flowers, and good old petunias.

 Another shot of the new flowers and layout in the front yard.

 I added some more plants to give color to the green hostas.  I put in

 Ooops, I forgot to plant one last night.  Actually I didn't forget, it just got so dark by the time I was done, I didn't see this one.

 I also found this "Coleus Kong Solenostemon"  It is the dark purple leafed with the green on the edges plant.  I love this one.  And of course one of my favorite plants, "Impatiens".  If I feel up to it I would like to get more "Coleus Kong" plants.

Another one of Debbie's beauties!

 Here are some "Colorblaze keystone kopper coleus" to go with the green ones.  I hope they can catch up in size.  I am learning (I hope) about plant placement and color etc.  The green plants came back this year, I am hoping the copper colored ones will as well.

 Here is the last flower arrangement in our shade garden.  This one is by the sidewalk.  I hope I haven't crowded the Coleus Kong and put the pink impatiens too far  out.  See what I mean about learning about plant placement.  I am glad that I am doing it though.  I sometimes have to fight my insecurities of not doing things just perfect and so not wanting to do the project.  I am glad I am getting better at this despite still hearing that I am not perfect in all aspects of my projects that I attempt.

 Just more of a shot of how they look together.

 Now, we are in the back yard.  This is TOTALLY new for us!  We have never had flowers back here.  Debbie gave us a bunch of perennials.   David actually planted all these in the back yard for me.  I was SO GRATEFUL!  I was so tired from all day planting and well past the night for planting the front yard.  I heard we were going to get more rain, possible storms this week and so I wanted to get them all in today.  This was also the only day that I was not working this week.

Unfortunately I do not know what any of these plants are.

Hannah's high school graduation

My little girl all set to graduate.  This has been a long time coming and yet it seems like only yesterday I was wondering if I would ever be able to have any children.  I am so proud of Hannah.   She is a tough cookie and a sweet cookie as well.  I love that I have been able to be her mom.

She has not only graduated from high school but has completed extra work to start out on her path to her career.  She is working as a certified nurses assistant (CNA) at a local nursing home.  She has some patients that are about as sassy as she is.  Hannah is a very hard worker and is dedicated to what she starts.  She is a born leader, and as that leader she inspires and motivates.  I love you Hannah, and I am proud to be your mom and your friend.

No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, I want you to know that I am here for you.

                                   Derek has a power of love and gentleness and compassion, it gives others strength and I am forever grateful that he shares that with us!

He sure is getting tall!  This is his saxophone!  To say he loves it would be an understatement!  I love that he loves beautiful music.  His soul is drawn to it.  I love to hear him create and play his music.

Proud Mamma and her daughter in her cap and gown.  We are at the Huntsman Center just before the ceremony.

Derek's turn will be in no time at all!

There is my Hannah Marie Ely!

Here is the front of the program

There is my Hannah, in the center.  What a wonderful night!

Wow, a lot of graduates!

Here is Hannah getting her diploma.

Her diploma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a happy night!