THE WHOOPIE PIE RECIPE

I've had several requests for the Whoopie Pie recipe, so here goes:

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1 2/3 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 tablespoons Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. In the mixer bowl, beat butter, shortening and sugar until combined. Beat on medium for 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla. Beat for 2 more minutes. Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Drop cookies by a tablespoon on a cookie sheet (I use parchment paper on my sheets). Spread cookies apart as they will spread. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
FILLING
7 oz. jar marshmallow fluff
1 1/4 cups Crisco
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Beat marshmallow fluff and shortening for 3 minutes. Reduce to low and add sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
Sandwich filling between the flat sides of two cookies.


NOTE: I live in a high altitude, so check your oven temperature and length of baking time. I don't know if you would need to adjust for a different altitude. This is a 1950's recipe - I bet it will work anywhere! Back then, we weren't concerned with altitude (or the huge amount of Crisco used!!)

A GIFT IDEA AND MORE GLIMPSES OF CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE

For a quick gift, how about some Hot Chocolate Mix?

This is what you need:

1 (8 qt. size) dry instant milk

1 (8 oz. size) non-dairy creamer

18 oz. hot cocoa mix

1 lb. powdered sugar

6 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix

Mix everything together. Package up in a jar and decorate with instructions to use 1/4 cup mixture per 8 oz. cup of hot water.

I like to give the mix with 2 mugs made by a local potter. These great mugs were made by Dan Masimer. They have nice large hand-warming handles!





Here are some glimpses of more Christmas decorating around our house!

May your preparations for Christmas be a joyful experience! In all of the scurrying around, take a few moments to reflect on the reason we celebrate.

Thanks for stopping by,

Sally

GINGERBREAD BOYS AND GIRLS, AWARDS AND TAGS

It's time to make gingerbread boys and girls at Grammy's house.

We're getting the hang of it!
The flour is flying now!

It's time to frost, and that means lick your fingers!!


The boys need eyes and buttons; the girls get eyes and a belt.


We're done - time to lick the bowl!


Grammy has done her job - filled them full of sugar! Now it's time to take the kids home to their parents.

I've been tagged by Robyn at There is always thyme for to list the things that reflect my love of Christmas. Along with the tag, came this great Christmas Spirit Award. Thanks, Robyn.

My love of Christmas ----

1. I enjoy my house all decorated with the mementos of past Christmases. They invoke so many memories of when we were first married, of our children when they were small, and all of the friends and family that have visited during the Christmas season.

2. I love my grand children around the house cooking with me in the kitchen, checking out the trees and their goodies, and playing with the Fontanini Nativity set with Baby Jesus and all of the animals. The joy of Christmas through their eyes is wonderful!

3. Christmas is not complete without going to candlelight services at church on Christmas eve. I'm amazed how good and quiet little children are when the candles are the only source of light. Their eyes sparkle like nothing else.

4. I can't forget the food. We experience new tastes with the gifts of food. There are always new recipes to try and old ones to make again. It ALMOST makes me like to cook.

5. I love the cold weather and the snow at Christmas. Unfortunately, we usually don't get that until January; but I can dream.

6. Anytime of the year, I like to shop; but at Christmas it is special shopping for others especially our little ones and those children less fortunate.

7. My kids have never missed coming home to our house at Christmas since they have become adults. I enjoy their company!!!!

8. And the best thing -- my faith in God is always renewed this time of year. I become so aware of my blessings.

Also, Carrie at Oak Rise Cottage has honored me with this award.

It states, "This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs exceedingly are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!" Isn't that beautiful? I have so much to live up to!!!!

I appreciate all of the awards I have received in the few months I have been blogging. But more than the awards, I'm appreciative of your friendships. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Have you noticed how independent most bloggers are? I, too, am not too good at following the rules. So, I have dispensed with them!! If you read my blog or are on my blog roll, please accept one of these awards. I treasure all of you!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sally

SNOW ON THE MOUNTAIN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Snow on the Mountain Chocolate Mini-Cheesecakes are a staple around here during the month of December. I keep them in the freezer for a quick dessert or snack.

This is what you need:

About 18 tablespoons of crushed up chocolate graham crackers

2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup of milk chocolate chips, melted

1 - 8 oz. container of Cool Whip, thawed

Put about 1 tablespoon of the crushed up chocolate graham crackers in the bottom of each lined muffin pan cup.

Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed in mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate chips.

Fill each muffin cup almost full.

Bake in 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Cool before removing from pan. As they cool, they will shrink a little. Top with Cool Whip.

These freeze well. Thaw slightly before serving. Makes 18 mini-cheesecakes.

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I have had a request for the recipe for the Peppermint Sandwich Cookies, also. It is one of those recipes that you almost hate to share because it is so easy and, of course, not all that good for you. I got the recipe a long time ago from a Betty Crocker Cake and Frosting Mix cookbook. Sorry no pictures, but here goes:

You will need:

2 eggs
2/3 cup shortening or oil
1 package cake mix (I've tried both chocolate & white mixes)
1 can prepared white frosting
Crushed peppermint candy

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Blend eggs and shortening in mixer. Add half of the dry cake mix. Beat at medium speed. Add remaining cake mix. Blend on low speed.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on sheet 1-2 minutes before removing.

To the prepared frosting, add a drop of red food coloring and crushed peppermint candy. Frost 1/2 of the cookies. Top with the other 1/2 of cookies to make sandwich cookies. Makes 2 dozen sandwich cookies.
My family's favorite is probably chocolate cookies with the peppermint; but I have made them with just plain chocolate frosting. My new favorite is using Dot's (at ) peanut butter frosting.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

TABLESCAPE TUESDAY

Once again it is Tablescape Tuesday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Please stop by her blog for a list of all of those participating in showing their clever tablescapes!

I've set the table for a snack on a cold afternoon using my snowmen dishes from Debbie Mumm. I purchased them several years ago from Target.

I always giggle when I see snowmen (or snow women) with feet!!

For a snack today, we are having Snow on the Mountain
Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes and also Peppermint Sandwich Cookies.



Each snowman plate is different!



For a hot drink on a cold day, how about Hot Chocolate with a snowman 'Peep' marshmallow?



Thanks for stopping by, and please check out the other tablescapes.



Sally

TABLESCAPE TUESDAY

Once again it is Tablescape Tuesday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Check out her blog for a list of delicious tablescapes!It is November and time for a simple harvest soup supper for just the two of us.
These are my everyday Blue Willow dishes which I purchased at the grocery store several years ago. You know - get a place setting for $1 with the purchase of a certain amount of groceries! Plus, you could purchase serving pieces at a reduced rate. Being a dish lover, I couldn't pass that up!! I'm so glad I bought them - they have been wonderful - so durable and never chip or break. They are marked "Churchill, made in England".

I've paired them with my 1960s red Fostoria in the Argus pattern.


The table topper is a small quilt I made in 1997 to illustrate a magazine article. The quilt is called "Migration". Can you see those birds migrating south for the winter?


Now, back to the harvest soup supper. I'm so fortunate to have Bob who loves to garden in the summer and provides bags of fresh vegetables in the freezer for me to make soup throughout the winter.

So, a handful of this and a handful of that with some cubed meat all thrown into the crock-pot; we have harvest soup. Served with bread sticks from our favorite bakery, we have a warm and fulfilling supper.

Then to top it off, how about a taste of pumpkin dessert!!

It sure tasted good on a cool, Colorado evening!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sally

RECIPE PARTY BY SANTAMAKER!

A SANTAMAKER'S JOURNEY is hosting a party Monday showcasing simple go-to recipes. Please check her blog out for a list of those participating. Look at her previous posts, also, as she is an amazing talent with a beautiful home!!!

A simple, go-to recipe for me almost always involves the crock-pot. The following recipe is good for when I'm gone all afternoon, and we are going to need a quick supper. The grandkids love this on a bun for lunch, also. PLUS, it is good to take to a potluck or serve on a buffet table as an appetizer.

BBQ SMOKED SAUSAGE

Cut smoked sausage or kielbasa into 1" pieces to serve at a potluck or as an appetizer. Cut into 4" pieces to serve on a bun.

Mix together for a BBQ sauce:

1/2 cup catsup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Put sausage into crock pot; add sauce over sausage and cook on low for 4 hours.

And what is a post without a picture!! Here I am in 1958 as a 19-year old new bride. I knew nothing about cooking; but look out June Cleaver, here I come with my house dress and apron.

And look at those shiny, new pans and utensils!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sally

A RECIPE AND "WORDS FROM MY SOAPBOX"

Do you have a surplus of green tomatoes in your garden?If you like fried green tomatoes, you'll like this casserole!

This is what you need:

3 cups of coarse bread crumbs (I make my own out of leftover ends of various breads)

1 tablespoon sugar (either white or brown)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4-5 medium green tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 6-cup casserole. Combine sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Arrange 1/3 of the tomato slices in the bottom of dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the sugar mixture, 1/3 of the breadcrumbs and 1/3 of the cheese over the tomatoes in a layer.

Repeat with a second layer of tomatoes, sugar mixture, bread crumbs, and cheese.

For a third layer, add remaining tomatoes, sugar mixture and bread crumbs.

Dot with butter.

Cover casserole and bake 1 hour. Uncover and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.


Makes a good side dish to enjoy with meat.






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That's the recipe, now for some "Words from my Soapbox!!"


Please refer to my previous post about learning to read with Dick and Jane.


I am so amazed when I go into a first grade classroom today. It is as different as night and day from my experiences as a first grader. Even the physical aspect of the room is different. It seems so dark, the ceilings are low, and the room appears so crowded. Some kids are seated at round tables in a social enclave with their backs to the teacher, and some are lounging on the carpeted floors. The room is filled with interest centers where you can feed the fish, pet the gerbil, play house, finger paint, play on the computer, etc. etc. There are educational toys and games, lots of books, art projects hanging from the ceiling, bulletin boards loaded with calendars, pictures, and learning aids. There are jars of reward candy; sometimes even breakfast is being served. There are literacy aides helping kids, with other children going in and out of the classroom to other special classes. I've seen coffee pots, microwaves, refrigerators plus CD players and lights that can be dimmed for atmosphere in the classroom.


Oh my!!!! Even though I am an adult, I sometimes feel overwhelmed and unable to focus in this situation. Do the kids feel that way, too, I wonder?


In spite of all of these resources and the fact that the majority have been to preschool and kindergarten; there are too many children who are unable to read and are lacking any self-discipline. I know all too well that the schools are not solely the problem or the solution. I'm well aware of what teachers are faced with today, as my son is a high school teacher and my husband substitute teaches in the elementary schools. Discussion at our dinner table is often about this subject and the huge numbers of emotionally-needy kids out there. My hope is that every child can experience a joyful thirst for knowledge followed by the inner reward of learning. But, it appears to me that this is becoming a rare thought process in the children of the 21st century.


I certainly don't have the answer; I'm not even sure of the question!! Any comments?



Thanks for stopping by,


Sally