Seven Layer Pumpkin Bars

I made this Fall twist on an old favorite recipe on Saturday to serve alongside dessert. Pumpkin Roll was the star but these bars gave the roll a run for her money. So yummy!

I'm back with a recipe this morning and just like the good old day there are a many. many changes.

Ican'thelpit.

Six or Seven Layer Pumpkin-Ginger Bars

2 cups gingersnap crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans(My guys don't like nuts in baked goods so I give in to their wishes)

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut ( I prefer 1 cup)

  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the butter and crumbs and then pat into your pan. In another small bowl combine the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk and spices. Stir and then pour over the crust.  sprinkle the coconut, the nuts and chips.  Bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool, cut and serve.

Okay, the recipe above called for an 8 x 8 pan.  I think they would have been way too thick.

I read other similar recipes with the addition of chocolate chips so I used 2/3 cup of all three types of chips. Other versions called for one cup of pumpkin.

*Next time I would use a cup of pumpkin, a bit less cinnamon and no chocolate chips.

The original recipe bake time was 25-35 minutes this was probably accounting for the 8 x 8 pan size. I'd would check them at 20 minutes.

My friend Shelly's family assembles the original 7 Layer Bars before guests arrive and then put them in the oven right before serving dinner.  Spoon the hot gooey goodness over ice cream and serve.  

Yes please!

Easter Basket Cookies

I haven't made these cookies for Easter since the boys were little but I guess I was feeling nostalgic and I wanted to bring back this Easter tradition. They are a fun treat while you're waiting for the Easter Egg Hunt to begin.

Chocolate No Bake Cookies aka Easter Basket Cookies

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter (some recipes call for 1/4 cup)

4 T. cocoa

1/3 cup milk

3 cups quick oats

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

In a sauce pan, combine coca, butter, milk and sugar. Bring to a boil  and boil between 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not boil longer.

Remove from heat and add oats, peanut butter and vanilla.  Stir all together.  Drop by scoop or spoonful onto waxed paper.  I use the medium scoop and my mini muffin tin from Pampered Chef.  Or my small scoop for the dropped version.  I sprayed my tin with cooking oil and they popped right out of the muffin tin.

The muffin tin gives a basket shape and the spoonfuls give a nest shape.

Press three small jelly beans into each cookie for the eggs.

I think they turned out okay this time but honestly Rice Krispie Bars and Chocolate No Bake Cookies are my nemesis in the kitchen. The struggle is real and y'all know that I can bake.

Happy Easter!

*Reminder, no one pays me to write this drivel or recipes.  Pampered Chef or Rice Krispies pay me nada.

Pie Fixes Everthing

After the snow storm the pie pals were ready to get out of town.  We had a field trip planned for Friday, and surely by then we would be able to leave town.  By Thursday I do not think another 15 inches of snow could have stopped us.  We were busting out. 

It was Jodi's turn and she says she doesn't bake pie so she would drive. 

We got to a Starbucks in Skagit and she brings out the cutest, tastiest pies ever.  Little heart shaped pies in wax paper bags with Valentine embellishments. She does bake!

Jodi and Shelly ran into Starbucks to get coffee, Becky decided to dash in and use the facilities, Holly and I are in the car and we see Becky come running out of Starbucks and jump into the wrong car. There was a woman in the passenger seat who looked quite frightened.  I could not stop laughing at her reaction, and at Becky's reaction. I am laughing with tears running down my cheeks as I write this story.  It all happened so fast.

I guess you had to be there.

Anywhoo, those pies were delicious!

We had a great time shopping in Arlington.  They have a hardware store in Arlington that is fantastic. And other antique and gift shops in their downtown.

We found our motto.

 We did a little junkin' and I love the television in the window of this shop for the '47 Curtis Wright.

We had planned to go to the Stilly Diner but they were closed so we tried a new place in town, Kafe Neo Woodstone Taverna.  Everyone raved about their food and drinks. We want to go back so we can have lunch at the Stilly and at the bowling alley.  More trips to Arlington, yes please!

Jodi found her recipe for the pies on Pinterest.  They make a sweet Valentine treat.

Cherry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

There was a lot of post storm therapy, shopping for diamonds and guns and some junkin'.

Pie fixes everything but the pie pals sure help too.  Oh, and diamonds.  Diamonds help everything.

Just What I Wanted

I love a good snow storm.  The perfect storm for me is a lot of snow, just enough NE wind to make it interesting, freezing temps but not colder than mid twenties, no power outages, no where to go, and no trips to take.  The last thing I want is to be trying to leave town in a storm and I don't want to miss the storm because I'm on vacation.

The stars and weather systems aligned for me and it is a perfect storm for me.

When I took the Christmas decorations down this year I put up a little icy, snow decor up in the kitchen window.

 I had bought a snow scene painting at an estate sale this summer.  I painted the frame with Old White ASCP to freshen up the frame.

 Hubby has to work no matter what the roads are like.  Case in point, today there is a state of emergency and everyone is encouraged to stay home, that isn't an option for him. I appreciate him and his coworkers so I baked oatmeal cranberry white chocolate cookies and hot cocoa cookies for them.

Baking is an integral part of being snowed in and then sharing it.

 I go outside every day, more than once.  It feels good to get fresh air.  I do a bit of shoveling, bring in some firewood, clean off the Jeep. I plan to get my snowshoes out today.

 The pictures are from yesterday, there is more snow today.

 I love to cook when I'm snowed in and this storm I've been busy.  Hubby and I had been to Drizzle in Lynden just prior to the storm.  We bought Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil and Cranberry and Pear Balsamic Vinegar. I put a pork roast in the crock pot with some of the oil, sage and mushrooms. 

The oil and vinegar pair well for a salad dressing.

Yesterday I made 6-7 Cheese Mac and Cheese, I cleaned out the deli drawer.  I wanted ribs to serve with it.  Bill and Jodi were going to the store and to check on Mom.  They agreed to bring me ribs, I met them on the road and traded ribs for kahlua.  Friends walked to our place for dinner last night.  The mac and cheese and ribs were a good combo.  I made a big green salad too.  We watched the Superbowl and then mourned the outcome.

 I love our wood stove.  We had a short power outage on Sunday morning and it is nice to not have to worry about keeping warm.  Boots, hats and gloves dry nicely in front of the fire.

Unless you live here it is hard to comprehend what the wind from the Fraser Valley, Canada does to the snow in north Whatcom County.  It can be brutal. Many roads are closed, all schools are closed, and it is tough for the farmers.

But for me, it's the bomb!  I am loving it and making the best of this perfect storm.

Stay cozy!

luv, mum

I am still taking down the Christmas decorations here at the Stone House. It's grueling when you are a Christmas junkie.  I have one tree up yet and I keep hoping little January fairies will come and take it down for me.  I have tried to clean each room as I go so things are shaping up around here.

We had a lovely Christmas and New Year.  I have recovered from my cold and I am still working through the cracked ribs from my fall.  All in all, it's all good.

For Christmas this year I wrote my guys and their gals a cookbook.  I think everyone remembers this post, This Isn't Epicurious.   It pushed me to create an organized recipe book for my family.

When I have a serious or loving text for my guys I sign it, luv, mum.  The cookbook is a serious and loving message, hence the title.

I used Create My Cookbook online to help me get this book written.

I chose it because it was easy to move pages, it offered dividers and it let me use my own photos.

There were many page formats too.  Such as fitting two recipes or a recipe and a photo on a page.

The guys have texted Hubby many times for his Kettle Corn recipe.

It also let me add notes, such as the one on the Cranberry Fluff recipe where I hope and note that someday they all grow up and love fluff at Thanksgiving dinner too.

 I had to include Blake because he ate at our house a lot and no one eats Molten Lava Potatoes without thinking of Blake.

 The Hot Chocolate Cookies are a favorite at Mt. Baker.

And of course, a little subtle humor.  On the dinner tab I used a photo of Hubby and I dancing and singing our song, because I don't always feel like making dinner.  I should have labeled it mom, Mom, MOM, What's For Dinner?

I included two and a half pages of dinner ideas in addition to all of the dinner recipes.  Somethings don't need a recipe, such as tacos or grilled cheese or calling out for pizza.

Each book came with a code so they can get the cookbook as an app.  This is great if someone is in the grocery store and forgot the list of ingredients. I'm already loving the app.

Create My Cookbook did not pay me to share my experience or to make my book.  Once again NO ONE pays me to write this drivel.

Since there was an error with the printing I do have an extra sub par copy of the book.

If you'd like to win this copy I will have a drawing next Monday.  All you need to do is leave me a comment on the blog, face book does not count.

Bon Appetit!

This Isn't Epicurious

 I was looking for a recipe on my blog this morning and struggling.  When I started blogging in October 2007 I wasn't really thinking I'd still be blogging in 2016.  I do have labels for searching but even that can take a long time to go through the recipes when you need to find a cookie recipe from 2008.  I am not a professional blogger or cook so it hasn't been a priority to get one of those fancy headers with all kinds of sections.  It's not like I get paid to write this drivel.

It has come to my attention though that my guys are a tad frustrated with my lack of recipe sorting.  They're cute but they do get snarky with their mama sometimes.

 Some recipes make it on the blog and some do not and some have gotten on twice because I don't remember which recipes I've put on the blog.  I can't remember why I went into the laundry room so how could I possibly keep track of all the recipes I've ever made and posted.

 Is this sticky buns or PW's orange rolls?  I don't know.

 Was this for family reunion in 20whatever or for a pumpkin carving party? 

I don't know.

There is no recipe for my peach pie, I just make it.

Danny called me for the coffee cake recipe that I made most Sunday mornings for breakfast when he was growing up.  I was in New York City walking from Central Park to St. Patrick's Cathedral on a Sunday morning.  Uhm, no it's not on the blog, no I can't seem to recall exact measurement and no I don't want to text an entire recipe guesstimate right now.

In Danny's defense, he is the most tolerant of me.  God bless his heart.

Max gets irritated with me when I tell him it's on the blog because the search on the blog is pretty tiny on a iphone.  Especially when you're in a grocery store.  Apparently.

I didn't even realize just how irritated Sam was with his mama until this text exchange.

So on Monday when he asked how I make my mashed potatoes I dropped everything and texted him a novel.  I don't need that little emoji red faced angry guy again.

Max reiterated to me this weekend just how annoying it is when I don't have a recipe for every thing I've ever cooked or baked for them at my finger tips 24/7.

And here, all this time, I thought it was so great that they could reference the blog.

I can be so irritating.

Here's a newsflash, I get pretty irritated myself when someone calls me from the grocery store and wants me to give them a recipe when it's on the stinkin' blog!

Those guys are lucky to have a mama with a blog.  Just ask them.

I dare you...

Or call me from the grocery store for a recipe.

I dare you...

A Lot of Random

Last week I was super busy. I was like a sugar addict running after the ice cream truck.  Kate and her prince were in India and her wardrobe was all I could think about, that and how on earth does she go to India and not sweat.  Apparently, botox!  I seriously have a life, a busy life.  But the past ten days I have been following her trip and every single piece of clothing.  Where did she get that dress, can I afford it, does it come in my size?  Is there a copycat dress at Gap?

 I do enjoy following the royals, and this trip to India was gorgeous.  Tell me I wasn't the only one vicariously enjoying the royal trip.

While Kate was all cool and collected in India, I was baking cupcakes for my BIL Bill's 50th birthday party.  Jodi put on a fabulous party for Bill.  Good job, sissy!

 

 Yesterday was a scorcher in Ltown.  We seldom hit temperatures in the 80's in April.  Some years it doesn't happen until July.  Hubby was off work yesterday and we worked in the yard.  Until we fell over.  A big change this year is the beauty bark.  I have always thought bark was for old people's gardens.  After the plethora of weeds this spring I preened and then barked.  Waved the white flag.  The weeds overtook my dreams of an English garden with rich soil and pretty perennials. 

Speaking of old people, I am retiring from my job at the museum.  I have been there for 19+ years.  It's time to take care of some deferred maintenance here at home and spend more time with Hubby.

Everyone keeps asking me what am I going to do.  I'm going to get a dumpster, have a yard sale and clean up my house and garage.  That should take about three years.

Hubby and I are starting another trailer restoration.  That should keep me out of trouble too.  It's one hot mess.  It's a Curtis Wright model 6, and the only one we've found on the internet. It's a rare bird.

We get to pick it up this weekend.  I am so excited!

So, I think that just about covers random today.  A royal trip to India, Bill is 50, beauty bark is for old people, my retirement and our new baby.

Yep, that outta do it.