Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks. Spread over top of cooled pie or dollop on bread pudding, gingerbread, cobblers, or other desserts.

When I grew up, I learned how to make whipped cream by watching my mom put in a glug of vanilla and a bit of powdered sugar into the whipping cream. Several people have asked me how to make whipped cream, so I looked it up on the Internet and posted it here. Beware: if you whip the cream too much you'll turn it into butter. I think every cook has done that at least once. (I have) When ever a recipe calls for cool whip, I'll usually use whipped cream instead. Cool whip is too fake for me.

Lunches

Click on the above newspaper and read the letter to the editor: Lunches by Mom

In case you can't read the article, this is what it says:

Lunches by Mom

The Guest View article by Trulie Ankerbery about school lunches caught my eye. (May 5) She said, “Millions of families do not have the funds to send their children to school with nutritious homemade lunches.”

I disagree with that statement.

It is possible to make nutritious homemade lunches for a minimal cost with a little time, effort, and planning. My six children are living proof of that. We don’t need another government program feeding our children their school lunches.

What we need is mothers and fathers taking care of their families.

Added Aug, 2023

In 2014 my daughter wrote an essay about, "The Power of Lunches".  Click here to go to our family blog where I posted her essay.  It was a payday for me. 

Californias Mormon Helping Hands Day.mp4

I know this isn't a recipe post, but SERVICE is a sure recipe for happiness. Our family was privileged to participate in the Helping Hands Service Day in California and Hawaii. A fun time was had by all. Our stake helped at the Peck Road Water Conservation Park in El Monte.

This video (produced by another stake) captures the spirit of the day. Just watching it will make you happy.

Red Potatoes

2-3 red potatoes per person, depending on size
Butter
Parsley or green onions

Peel a strip around the middle of each potato if you want to prevent cracking. Boil potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain. Toss with butter until coated. You can sprinkle with parsley or green onions.

I got this recipe off

www.LivingOnADime.com

Bacon Pea Salad

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen peas, thawed
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 cup cauliflower, in small pieces
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup sunflower seeds


Combine first four ingredients. Combine dressing and sour cream; pour over salad and mix well. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Before serving garnish with bacon and sunflower seeds.

I got this recipe from Living on a Dime Newsletter. ( I haven't tried it yet, but you can be sure I will.)


www.LivingOnADime.com

Lemon Custard Cake

1 prepared angel food cake (about 10 inches)
1 (3.4 oz.) box lemon pudding
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1 can (21 oz.) cherry or strawberry pie filling

Tear cake into pieces and place in a 13x9 pan. Mix pudding, milk and sour cream, beating until thick. Spread over cake, then spoon pie filling on top. Chill until ready to serve.

You could make this in layers in a large glass bowl for something special. This is also a good recipe to store in with your Christmas or Fourth of July recipes.

I got this recipe from Living on a Dime Newsletter. ( I haven't tried it yet, but you can be sure I will.)

www.LivingOnADime.com

Play-Dough Recipe

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 cup water
Few drops of food coloring
1 Tbs. oil

Mix dry ingredients. Mix water, food coloring and oil. Combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with large spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of pan and forms a ball. This takes only about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove to counter with a little flour on it and knead until smooth. This makes a soft dough that keeps it's shape when molded.

It will dry out but not enough to make things like jewelry. If kept in a plastic bag or airtight container in the refrigerator, it will keep for many months.

I used this recipe a lot when my kids were little. You can give the kids a rolling pin, cookie cutters, and plastic knives to use when they play with the play-dough. Add a Disney CD or other children's music and they'll be entertained for hours.

Another fun activity to do with kids that will keep them entertained for hours on a summer afternoon is to give them a paint brush (from the dollar store) and a bucket of water and have them "paint" outside. They can "paint" the sidewalk, fence, garage wall, etc.

Potato Salad

• Boiled potatoes – generally one medium or large per person
• 1 hard boiled egg – per person – for a large crowd ½ egg per person
• Cut up sweet pickles – to taste
• Green onion – to taste
• Miracle Whip salad dressing thinned down with sweet pickle juice and add a little prepared mustard.

I learned to make potato salad by watching my mom make it. I will add some more direction here. Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters. Cover and boil in salted water. When tender, drain off the water and put the pot back on a low burner to dry out the potatoes. Then just start adding "stuff". I have also used baked potatoes or red potatoes and added different things like celery, yellow or purple onions, Mrs. Dash seasoning, etc. That is the beauty of potato salad. Each batch is unique.