Rustic driftwood built-in tv/ wood storage cabinet.

Completed over Christmas break, built in media/wood storage cabinet. The driftwood (collected along the Ohio River banks) hinged door hides video and audio components. The signals from the a/v remotes are able to pass through the openings between driftwood pieces. The door can remain shut at all times to hide component clutter. The wood storage is ample and adds more to the authencity of our modern log cottage. 

 http://www.remodelaholic.com/2014/04/quick-easy-weekend-projects/

Rustic cheesy bacon ranch potatoes

Rustic cheesy bacon ranch potatoes to serve a crowd....a Sunday favorite at our house. 

5 lbs. potatoes washed and sliced (we like the skin on in our family)

1 tsp seasoned salt

0.5 tsp pepper

0.5 tsp onion powder

0.5 tsp garlic powder 

0.5 lb uncooked bacon cut into 1 inch pieces

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese cubed or shredded 

8 oz Monterrey jack cheese cubed or shredded

8 oz bottle ranch or spicy ranch dressing 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In lightly greased 13x9 casserole, toss first 5 ingredients. 

3. Place cut up bacon pieces over top of potatoes.

4. Bake potatoes in oven for 60 mins. 

5. Remove potatoes from oven and toss them with cheeses and ranch dressing. 

6. Return to oven for 15 mins or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

January sentiment

Hubby's chalkboard print in our mud entrance hallway post Christmas. The perfect January sentiment. 

Sugared pecan bread pudding with Smitty's apple pie whiskey custard sauce

BREAD PUDDING 

6-8 pieces of torn sourdough bread

2 T. butter, melted 

12 oz. can evaporated milk

4 oz. milk 

4 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of salt

1/2 c. golden raisins (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch casserole dish. 

2. Place bread in casserole dish and drizzle butter over top of bread. 

3. Mix the rest of the ingredients until combined and pour over bread.  Let sit 5 mins making sure all bread pieces are saturated. 

4. Bake 50-60 mins or until center is set. 

SUGARED PECANS 

1 c. pecans 

1/4 c. sugar

1 T butter 

Pinch of salt

While pudding is baking, make the pecan topping by combining first three ingredients in nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until sugar is liquified. Then pour mixture on to parchment. Sprinkle pinch of salt over cooling nuts. Nuts will be ready to eat in 10 mins.  

SMITTY'S APPLE PIE WHISKEY CUSTARD SAUCE 

  

1/2 c. butter

2 T. water

1 egg

1 c. sugar 

2 T. Smitty's Apple Pie Whiskey 

 In saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat, do not allow to simmer. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes. Mix water and 1 egg in small bowl; stir into butter until blended. Stir in 1 cup sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in whiskey. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

TO SERVE:

1. CUT BIG SLICE OF BREAD PUDDING

2. SPRINKLE NUTS OVER THAT SLICE

3. POUR A LIBERAL AMOUNT OF THAT WHISKEY SAUCE OVER IT ALL AND ENJOY

Sweetwater Shed's Favorite Santa's Whiskers

Sweetwater Shed's Favorite Santa's Whiskers 

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 cups flour

3 cups shredded coconut 

1 cup chopped candied cherries (the kind you use in fruitcake)

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg, milk, extracts, and salt until well mixed. Mixture may look curdled.  

2. Add flour and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. 

3. Add 2 cups of the coconut (reserving 1 cup for later) and the candied cherries to the batter. Mix until evenly combined. 

4. Chill dough at least 2 hours. Overnight works well. 

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

6. Form dough into ball shapes and roll each ball in remaining coconut that has been placed in shallow bowl. 

7. Place on Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheets. 

8. Bake 10-14 mins. I bake mine for 12 mins.  Or until coconut barely starts to brown. 

Makes approx. 45 cookies. 

Blue Ribbon Toasted Coconut Cake with Rum Cream Filling

Coconut Creme Cake:

1 box white cake mix
1 c. flour
3/4 t. salt
1 c. creme of coconut milk (the kind used to make piña coladas)
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. water
1 t. coconut extract
2 T. canola oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift with whisk the first 3 ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Beat with medium speed mixer for 2 mins. Scraping down sides as needed. Pour batter equally into 2 round cake pans that are oiled and floured. Bake 25-30 mins. or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove cakes from pans and cool on wire rack. While cakes bake prepare rum cream filling.


Coconut Rum Cream Filling:

1 box vanilla pudding
3/4 c. creme of coconut milk
1/2 c. milk
3/4 t. rum extract
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes (can use sweetened, but I prefer unsweetened)

Directions: Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl for 2 mins. on medium. Scraping bowl as needed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap touching top of filling mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.


Fluffy Coconut Buttercream Icing

1/2 lb. room temperature salted butter (can use unsalted, just add 1/2 t. salt)
3 c. confectioners sugar
2 T. cream
1 1/2 t. coconut extract

Directions: Mix butter in bowl with medium speed mixer for 7-8 mins. Mixing until butter is pale in color. Add the rest of ingredients and beat for 5 more minutes. Frost cake when cooled.


Toasted Coconut

1 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions: Place coconut flakes on cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 5 mins or until very lightly toasted. Remove from oven and cool.




Assembly of cake: Working with cooled cakes. Place custard mixture between the 2 stacked cake layers. Keeping away from edge by 1/2 in. Next frost cake with the icing. Then gentle cover cake with the toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Grandma's fruitcake bonbons

(Copy of Grandma Vera Bogler's recipe above, same recipe below.)


GRANDMA'S FRUITCAKE BONBONS Approximately 100 bonbons

1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange-juice concentrate

1/2 cup molasses

1 package (15 ounces) dark raisins

1 jar (1 pound) mixed candied fruit

1/2 cup butter softened

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Petite paper candy cups

Candied cherries

1. In a saucepan, combine orange-juice concentrate, molasses and raisins. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add candied fruit. Cool.

2. Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and baking soda; add to sugar mixture. Stir in fruit mixture and nuts.

3. Place candy papers on a baking sheet; put 1 tablespoon batter into each paper. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until cakes test done. Transfer to cooling racks and garnish with a slice of candied cherry.

Note: The oven rack should be placed in the top half to third of the oven; watch carefully for burning.

Data per serving Calories 56 Protein 1g Fat 1g Carbohydrates 11g Sodium 18mg Saturated fat 0g Monounsaturated fat 1g Polyunsaturated fat 0g Cholesterol 6mg