Southern sweetness...in my mouth

I love some Southern sweetness...especially in my mouth. Luckily, the Pioneer Woman (yes, her again) had a great recipe which she got from Steel Magnolias, a good chick flick about the women in a Southern town (which I finally watched in full this weekend, but now I digress). This yummy goodness is as easy as its name: a cuppa this, a cuppa that, another cuppa, and bake! I present to you the Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy all things Southern.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of self-rising flour


• 1 cup of sugar


• 1 can of fruit cocktail eith the juice


• softened butter to grease pan


• Cool Whip for topping

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Stir together the flour, sugar, and fruit cocktail (including the juice). Pour into a buttered pan.

Bake for 45 minutes. The cake will be a perfect golden color, just like any Southerner. A cut into the cake will show you the yummy goodness inside. Pair with a scoop of Cool Whip and enjoy!

Beam...it's what's for dinner!

What's a hungry girl to do when the main ingredient in my kitchen is a handle of Jim Beam? Use it to make dinner naturally.

I stole this recipe from the Pioneer Woman (check her out if you haven't already). It seemed like a perfect fit. It was quick and easy and makes a large batch. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces sliced mushrooms (baby portabellas work well)


• olive oil


• kosher salt


• black pepper


• 2 tablespoons butter


• 1 whole large white onion, peeled and sliced


• 1 3/4 cups of whiskey (Beam works well)


• 1 cup heavy cream


• 12 ounces pasta

Cook 12 ounces of pasta.













Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice 24 ounces of mushrooms. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat olive oil along with the butter over medium heat. Throw in the sliced onions and saute for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the whiskey and allow to bubble for a minute or two.

Whiskey bubbles (in case you were wondering):

Pour in broth and allow the liquid to reduce for a couple of minutes.

Stir in cream and reduce to low heat. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and simmer until sauce thickens.

Toss in the cooked pasta.
Voila! Here is the delicious result:

Verdict: very yummy and pairs nicely with Sam Adams Coastal Wheat.

* Note: this is probably not a child appropriate meal.

Lollipopping 101

Last week Morgan asked me to help her with lollipops for a bachelorette party. I had never made lollipops. It turns out that they are fun and easy to make! This past week, Ben pointed out that I had posted a blog since January...oops! So, here's a new post all about making lollipops.



How does one make lollipops? Simple! First, head to the craft store. Michael's had a good selection, but Hobby Lobby has a fantastic selection of supplies. You will need to buy a candy mold, chocolate melts, and lollipop sticks. This is a cheap and easy project. If you want, you can buy little treat baggies and ribbon if you want these pops to go.

Sidenote: Hobby Lobby has a large selection of candy molds (hearts, stars, animals, bridal themed, sports, etc.). They also have a wide assortment of colors for the chocolate melts.

First pour about 25 of the chocolate melts into a microwave safe container. Set for 30 seconds. Use a spoon to mix the chocolate melts. It will form a nice chocolatey liquid.

Scoop a dollop of the melted chocolate into each mold. It doesn't have to be perfect. Once all of your molds are filled, tap the entire tray on the counter. This will help the chocolate fill each crevice of the mold. It will also prevent bubbles in your final product. Add a stick to each.

Stick the mold tray in the fridge and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

When you remove the mold tray, tap it lightly on the coutner. The lollipops will be easier to remove. They should pop out easily.

Add a treat baggie and ribbon, if desired.

The color choice of the pops in this blog post are no mistake. Next weekend there is an alumni of Florida universities of event. Attendees were asked to bring something to share. I will be bringing about 100 orange and blue lollipops. The display will be the best part. I will post picture once it is done. Bring on football season! :)