Easy and Moist Blueberry Bread

    My family loves fruit bread!  I used to only make banana bread but then ventured away from my comfort zone and made Pineapple Bread,  Peach Bread Glazed Orange Juice Bread and my Glazed Strawberry Bread.  Both are so good but since I had a bunch of fresh blueberries, I decided to try my hand at Blueberry bread and I'm glad I did.  It is perfect to eat for breakfast with a cup of coffee or have it as a snack or even for dessert. 

For the bread:

2 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil or butter
1/2 c. milk
1 lg. egg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt


For the glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, cream together your oil (or butter, depending on which you use) and your sugar together.  Add in everything else for the bread but the blueberries.  Stir well and then fold in the blueberries. 

      Oil the inside of a large bread pan (9"x5") and then pour in the batter.  Fill the pan about two-thirds of the way up.  

     Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.  To check for doneness, stick a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean it is done.  

      Mix up the glaze by stirring the ingredients together and then drizzle it over the top of the bread.

Slice and enjoy!

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A Perfect White Sheet Cake Recipe

   

 

    Don't you just love sheet cake?  I know I do.  My Pumpkin Sheet Cake is always popular in the fall months and my Texas Sheet Cake is perfect anytime.    You might think a white sheet cake sounds boring compared to other flavors but you would be WRONG!  This cake is super moist and rich.  This cake would be perfect for brunch, a potluck or just for dessert at home!

 

For the Cake:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. butter
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 2 lg. eggs
• 2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

For the Frosting:

• 4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

    Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil your sheet pan.  I used a 17" x 11" sheet pan. 

      In a medium sized pot, combine the butter with 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil.  

 

Just to show you how I cut up my butter before adding in the water to boil.

     

     Remove it from heat and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, to cool off a bit.  Pour into a large bowl, and whisk in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

 

      In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract.  Once they are blended together, add it into the large bowl with the other ingredients.  Stir well. 

 

   Pour the cake batter onto the sheet pan and bake for 18 minutes or until it is done.  To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean, the cake is done.  

 

The baked cake.

     

    Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting it.  

 

      To make the frosting, combine the butter and milk into a medium sized pot and bring it to a boil.  Remove the pan from heat and stir in the almond extract and the powdered sugar a cup at a time.  Stir in the nuts if you desire and then spread the frosting over the cake.  Cut, serve, and enjoy!  

 
     This cake freezes well and the longer the cake sits, the better it tastes so it is best to make this cake a day in advance. 

Serves 20 and each piece has 60 carbohydrates per slice. 

 

    Be sure to view her Carrot Sheet Cake too.  So good!

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Great Depression Era Meals

      If you are like most of America, groceries are hard to come by right now.  Store shelves are pretty empty and items are limited.  People who lived through the Great Depression know what it is like.  People learned to make meals that required pantry items and frugal items and I am sharing some of them with you today.  They are tasty and may help you come up with some ideas for you and your family during these troubling times.

Great Depression Era Meals

  1.   Southern Ham & Beans.  This isn't just a great southern recipe, but one you can make and enjoy anytime.  I love serving this with Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread.  So good!

    2. Homemade Biscuits And Chocolate Gravy.  We love to eat this not only for breakfast but for supper too.  

     3. Old Fashioned Creamed Tuna On Toast.  It may sound gross but it is pretty good.  Very similar to chipped beef on toast or S.O.S.  It is a cheap meal that tastes good too.

    4. Breakfast Rice.  This is a breakfast meal but it is oddly satisfying and delicious.  Just a few simple ingredients but darn, it is good!

   5. Stew!  No matter how you make stew, it is a great meal that goes a long way!  We get 3-4 meals out of one pot of stew so it is a natural choice to make during hard times.

   6.  Potato soup.  It is another filling meal and you can just use the water you boiled the potatoes in if you are out of milk, or add in a bit of milk or a can of evaporated milk to make it more economical.

   7.  Goulash.  It's a meal that doesn't take a lot of ingredients and most of you probably already have on hand, so mix it up and enjoy it for supper tonight!

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What We Are Doing to Stay Safe!

     I wanted to tell you what I am doing to try and not get Covid-19. Some people (even some relatives) think I am going overboard but I don't think so. We wear protective masks everywhere we go and carry hand sanitizer, triple antibiotic, Lysol spray, and Lysol wipes everywhere we go. On the face masks, we were told by a virologist and an immunologist that most people are wearing the masks improperly. He told ours to wear them inside out. If you are sick and do not want others sick, you wear the mask the "normal" way with the charcoal layers, etc. against your mouth BUT if you want to keep stuff out and you are well, wear them with the filters facing out. I know that many masks do not block a lot but the MAIN reason we wear masks is to keep us from touching our faces.  

     We rarely go to a store but if we do, we put a bit of triple antibiotic into our noses and then our masks and goggles.  We take in a Lysol wipe and hand sanitizer.  We wipe down the buggy and as we shop, we stop periodically and use the hand sanitizer.  When we get to our van, all bags are wiped down on the outside of the bag with Lysol wipes and then the bags are covered with a tarp.  When we get home, each item is removed outside and wiped down individually with Lysol wipes and then brought into the house.  The bags are trashed outside and the tarp is removed and sprayed down with Lysol spray and hung on the line for 2 days.

    If we go to the ATM, I use hand sanitizer immediately after getting the money and I hand someone in the vehicle the money.  That person takes a Lysol wipe and wipes down each bill thoroughly with a wipe before it goes into my purse.  We do this with change at a store too but I have been trying hard to pay with exact change or if it is only a little bit, I say “keep the change”.

    It might seem like “over kill” but I prefer people to think I’m crazy then bring something home to my family unwillingly.

     Are you doing the same or do you do anything that we do not?

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How To Cook Pork Loin Perfectly

     I found a huge pork loin on sale the other day ($1.98 a pound) so I snapped it up.  

 

 

 

     I love pork loin.  It is so juicy and tender and full of flavor.  If you have never made it (or are looking for a new recipe), this recipe is for you.  It really is easier than you think and cooking it in the crock pot ensures you won't have to slave over a hot stove or heat up your house.

     

     This will definitely be the best pork loin you will ever make.  It's easy enough that you can make it today.  It's a real family pleaser!

 

 

    For those who are unaware of the difference between a pork loin and a pork tenderloin, they are both quite different.  They are two totally different cuts of meat.  The pork loin is larger and thicker than a pork tenderloin and a pork loin is intended to be cooked low and slow.  It is like the beef brisket of pork.  They need the and slow temperature to turn out tender and delicious.  

How To Cook Pork Loin Perfectly

3 1/2-4 pound pork loin

2 c. beef broth

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. olive oil

1 tsp. rosemary 

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. thyme

     Turn your crock pot onto high and replace the lid.  In a small bowl, mix together the spices.  Take the prepared spice blend and rub it all over the pork loin.

     In a large cast iron skillet,  pour in the olive oil and over medium-high heat brown the loin on all sides.  Don't forget to sear the sides and end of the pork loin too.  You are just searing the outside to "lock in" the moisture.  Now set the browned pork loin inside the crock pot.

    In a small bowl, mix together the beef broth, lemon juice, and soy sauce.  Slowly pour the liquid over the pork loin.  Cover and let it cook for 3 1/2- 4 hours.  The center of the pork loin needs to be 160 degrees to be fully cooked.  Once the pork loin is done, remove, slice and serve.  

     If you would like a gravy to go with it,  ladle out 2 cups of liquid from your crock pot.  If there is not quite 2 cups, just add a bit of broth or water to equal 2 cups.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of the liquid into a skillet.  In the 1/2 cup of liquid, stir in 2 tablespoons and stir until dissolved.  Now stir this into the skillet.  Heat over medium heat.  Whisk as it heats up and it should thicken pretty quick.  It should only take few minutes.  Once it is thickened, it is done.  If you prefer, you can use 1 cup of liquid from the crock pot and 1 cup of sweet red champagne for an enhanced gravy.

 

    Some of my other great pork recipes include: Ranch coated pork chops and my Delicious glazed pork chops.

 

 

 

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Bub Giving His Thoughts on Covid-19

   Yesterday I shared with everyone Ronny sharing his fears over Covid-19.  Today, my 22 year old son Brandon (aka "Bub") is talking with us over his thoughts with Covid-19.  Please take a look and share your thoughts with us. 

     If you would like to see some fascinating videos that Bub has done before on how to "hew" wood into lumber.  Below is his 1st video over it.

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Ronny's Thoughts on Covid-19

   The idea below was shown on Facebook and it made a lot of sense. 

  I "interviewed" Ronny and his video is below.  Remember that Ronny is autistic.  

    Here is a funny, feel-good-story that I think you will like.  Love the innocent nature of children and how they think and how they "interpret" what we say in funny ways. "Kids say the Darnedest things".

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