Nature and Life Notes

Blueberry Pound Cake

The best thing to do during cold weather is bake something good. Sunday afternoon was one of those days and I wanted to do use some of my frozen blueberries from last summer’s days of picking. This recipe uses blueberries with a traditional pound cake yielding a rich buttery blueberry cake. I thawed the frozen…

Having a Bluebird Day

Although I am not a cold weather person, one of the joys of the winter is the Eastern Bluebirds which arrive to feast on mealworms. Bluebirds have made a big comeback in the area in the past twenty years with many people providing boxes for nesting and an active Pennsylvania Bluebird Society. If you want…

Bran Bread

With the snow falling and more in the forecast, I had the afternoon off from work yesterday. So what better way to spend a snow day than watching the birds at the feeders and baking bread? I pulled out an old recipe booklet that I have had since I was in high school – Fleischmann’s…

Feasting on the Wreath

Each year after we remove the decorations from the Christmas tree, we put the tree in the yard to serve as cover for the birds during the cold and snowy days of winter. This year I purchased a wreath made with fresh greens including juniper which has lots of little blue berries. When I finished…

Early Education on Twitter

Do you tweet? Twitter is a quick way to communicate and stay up to date on news, events and other items of interest. If you are interested in early learning, you can follow the school readiness initiative I coordinate, PEAK, on Twitter @PEAKPartners for the latest information on early education for families and teachers. Click…

Pistachio Chicken Strips

Here is an easy recipe using chicken breasts with a crunchy coating of chopped pistachio nuts mixed with curry powder. Easy to mix and bake and ready in 20 minutes! Pistachio Chicken Strips 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders 1/4 cup chopped pistachios 1 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs 1/2 teaspoon curry powder Cooking spray…

Apple Pocket Pies

This recipe uses crescent roll dough to create a crusty pocket for an on-the-go apple pie. The original recipe used frozen pizza dough for the crust but I did not have any available and did have two packages of crescent roll dough in the refrigerator. Crust, apples, sugar and cinnamon — definitely the makings of…

Cream Cheese Breakfast Cake

This is a yummy sweet treat for breakfast or to use as a dessert. Crescent rolls are used on the bottom and top of a cream cheese filling with cinnamon/sugar and nuts sprinkled over the top. When I want it for breakfast, I usually prepare it a day ahead and refrigerate until time to cook,…

Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans

Here are some pecans with a cinnamon-sugar coating – great addition to holiday treats. Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg white 1 pound large pecan halves 1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, lightly beat egg…

Jam and Jelly Jars

I grew up living in the country and active in 4-H Club and had a lot of experience with canning various fruits and vegetables. Over the years of married life, I have done some canning here and there when we have had a garden or fruit. This past summer I spent a lot of time…

Fruit Cake

I am not a fruit cake eater but it is something that my husband and brother enjoy so after many years of no fruitcake, I decided to make it again this year. This is my grandmother’s recipe and has a cake-like texture. Feel free to make substitutions in fruits and amounts. Mamma Franklin never had…

Tutti-Fruitti Cookies (Lady Baltimore Cookies)

This is a recipe that one of my cousins developed when she was in high school. She won a national cooking contest with the recipe and as I remember the prize was a new stove. The recipe uses a filling similar to the Lady Baltimore Cake between two buttery cookies. I usually cut the recipe…

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies

This is a recipe given to me by a co-worker. A great chocolate cookie with a mint candy surprise in the middle… You can either use the whole peppermint patty in the cookie or use just half of the patty. Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon…

Raspberry Coconut Cookies

A great cookie to have at Christmas or anytime during the year… Raspberry Coconut Cookies 3/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Filling 1/4 cup butter, softened 2/4 cup powdered sugar 2 teaspoons milk…

Mississippi Mud Cookies

Mississippi Mud Cakes are popular in the South – a rich chocolate sheet cake with chocolate chips, nuts and marshmallows. This is a cookie recipe that uses the same basic ingredients to make a chewy chocolate cookie. Good at Christmas or anytime of the year. Mississippi Mud Cookies 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels 1/2 cup…

Cathedral Window Candy

I found this recipe while in high school and we starting making it at Christmas since it makes such a pretty addition to the Christmas desserts. My original recipe used a double boiler (remember those?) to melt the chocolate pieces and butter. But now the microwave has taken the place of the double boiler for…

Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

Stollen was a Christmas staple for my German mother-in-law. I continue to make stollen yearly for my husband which he enjoys with a generous dollop of butter and a cup of coffee. The recipe below makes two large loaves. Rather than two large loaves, I divide the dough into four parts and make three smaller…

Russian Tea Cake Cookies (Raspberry Pinwheels)

This is a recipe that my German mother-in-law always made at Christmas. I have no idea where it got the name of “Russian Tea Cakes” but is absolutely my favorite cookie – a rich dough formed into a pinwheel with raspberry jelly, nuts and cinnamon on the inside. Use parchment paper on the cookie sheets…

Pfeffernuesse (Pepper Nuts)

This is a traditional German spice cookie that my mother-in-law always made at Christmas. Pfeffernuesse 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup butter,…

Cream Cheese Dainties

Another one of my Christmas cookies. The cream cheese makes a very delicate cookie with a hint of almond flavor and I love the green and red candied cherries – looks wonderful on your cookie tray. Cream Cheese Dainties 1/2 cup butter 1 3-ounce package cream cheese (softened) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon almond extract…