My Grandma's 83rd Birthday!

Last Sunday, May 23rd, was my Grandma's 83rd birthday and my family decided to throw her a surprise party for the occasion.


I'm usually the one to bake her cake. Well, okay, I have been for the past few years. She expects it of me now! So, as we planned out a menu for the surprise party that was held at Twin Falls State Park, I started cake planning, in my head first, of course.


Church members were all there. Aunts, uncles, cousins...It was nice. However, the nicest part was knowing that she already knew I was baking her a cake. When I asked how she already knew, she said, "Because you always do."


My grandma, Georgie Ellen Sizemore-Shrewsberry, taught me everything I know about working in the kitchen and baking. The least that I can do for her is bake her birthday cake, right?

Anyhow, the party was a hit, and the cake was gone practically before I even sat it on the table.



Moral of this story? Well, when your grandmother teaches you how to be a baking whiz (yes, I'm bragging), you bake her a cake anytime she wants one!

Homemade Blueberry Muffins, Kelly style...

I got a great recipe for blueberry muffins from my grandma and changed it a bit...as I do most recipes that I get my hands on. I change them to suit my own need and make them better, which is the ultimate goal in feeding your family, right?

Anyhow, I fixed a dozen this morning, and here is the recipe:

1 3/4 cup self rising flour
2 eggs
dash salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
About 2 cups of blueberries

Cream butter and sugar with salt until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat together with sugar mixture. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk until it's all mixed thoroughly. Add in berries. Bake in muffin wrappers on 375 degrees until done...

Peanut Butter Cookie Drops

This recipe is one that I made up while rummaging through my cabinets one night in a frantic search for sweets. I didn't have all of the ingredients needed for traditional peanut butter cookies, so I made do. To be quite honest, it's a favorite in my house and I never ever make peanut butter cookies from a regular recipe anymore. These are much better!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. vanilla (although not necessary, but better if you use it)

Start with egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add bits of flour and peanut butter gradually, alternating, until the mix is well blended.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of mixture onto lightly greased or ungreased cookie sheet. Bake on 350 for about ten or twelve minutes or until browned slightly.

*Cookie tip: If you take them out of the oven just a few minutes before they're done and let them sit for a minute, they'll finish baking on their own OUT of the oven. You have to time it right, but it does help to keep them soft. Also, put your cookies in an air tight container or cookie jar and leave one slice of bread in the container with them and the bread will keep them soft over night. The slice of bread will need to be changed out daily and will be nice and crisp, but your cookies will stay soft and moist!