August 2011

In The Kitchen – Preacher’s Cake

by Deb McCormick on August 31, 2011

I’m going to re-name this recipe to Pineapple Dream. Is that OK? I have nothing against preachers. I love preachers. My uncle is a preacher.

But Pineapple Dream sounds so…dreamy…and tasty. I got this recipe from my mom, (AKA Mimi, or AKA Ms Williams Sonoma) She has many names.

Make it and enjoy it. I have and I am!


Pineapple Dream

cake ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 eggs

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup nuts ( I didn’t use them – don’t like nuts in my food!)

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained

 

frosting ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1  3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup nuts ( didn’t use them – don’t like nuts in my frosting!)

2 tsp vanilla

 

Mix up cake ingredients and pour in a greased baking dish. And get this! You can just stir it up! No blender required!  Bake 350 for 30 to 45 minutes. ( do the toothpick test to check for done-ness. Or just eyeball it, if you are a really good cook)

Let it cool a while.

Mix the frosting ingredients and frost it. Also, no blender needed. I just used a whisk.

 

And if you have time to browse, you should visit Become.com and read their Baking Tips. Lot’s of good information!

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Recipes, Sometimes, I am Just Like Martha

21 comments

The correct answer is not always the right answer

by Deb McCormick on August 30, 2011

K5 is going well. The kids seems to really like it and the teachers, and they are making friends. I was helping them with their homework last night. I have to do the same homework sheet three times in a row. Because I have triplets. In case you are new to my blog and did not know that. Triplets….three times in a row….welcome to the McCormick Tutoring Service.  No, there are no spots available. We are full.

They are learning the sounds letters make. We are on sound B this week.

Circle the pictures that start with  B

 

Our conversations went like this, each time I called one of them to the “school table”.

“Ok Luke, I need you to look at each picture, and circle it IF it starts with the   ‘BA’ sound”

“What is this picture”?

“BA, BA,… Apple”

“No no no, don’t circle it! Does is start with the sound  ’BA’?

“BA, Apple”…. “yes”

“No, listen to me…you don’t say the sound of B and then the name of the picture. Don’t say BA. Ok, now look at this picture and tell me what it is.”

“Apple”

“YES!! Very good – now, does apple start with ‘BA’?

“yes”

“No…it doesn’t! Listen to the sound BA. Does apple start with BA or Aaaaa?

“Aaaa”

“Good!”…………………….Luke? Don’t circle the apple! You are not circling the apple because it starts with Aaaaa, not BA”.   “Do you understand?”

“Ok, now look at this picture and think about it really good. Does this picture start with the ‘BA’ sound?”

“no”

“Luke… listen to me. Yes it does.  Look at the picture and say what it is and listen closely to the sound.”

“Ok, now try it again.”

~

~

“Parrot”

~

 I had to go through the same conversation three times.  These kids are way too much alike. And I need to talk to Mrs. Crowell about the whole parrot or bird thing.  It’s hard enough helping them with their sounds and then I have to  explain that “Yes that IS actually a parrot but in THIS example it is just a bird and it begins with BA, NOT PA, so we have to circle it.

~

“BA parrot”

~

“Just circle the Parrot!  Now go play.”

Somebody send me sympathy money… please.

They underestimate just how smart little 5 year olds can be.

Paypal linky will be up shortly.

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Dear Internet, Parenting: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

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Photography Club House – use your window for studio lights

by Deb McCormick on August 30, 2011

You know those really nice photos of food that are so bright and clear, it looks like the plate is sitting right in front of you?  That you could just reach out with your fork and grab a big ole bite of it? Yeah, me too. There are many food blogs and websites that have the most stunning food photography I’ve ever seen. One thing I’ve learned is you have to use natural light. Cut off the flash! Even most point and shoot cameras now a days, have a program wheel. My little carry camera is a point and shoot but it has the wheel where I can choose portrait, landscape, action, etc.  I am getting better at taking food photos. I still have a long way to go, but I can see a big improvement with my recipe pictures by using a simple technique of turning off my flash and sitting the plate in front of a window. Just natural light, and plenty of it – is all you need.

I found a wonderful tutorial on creating your own “light box” to use along with your window light.

 

 

 

Window Light Tutorial

I can’t wait to try something  like this – it’s inexpensive to make, but look at that result!

Do you have a food photography tip or trick that helps you get that “GIMMIE A BITE RIGHT NOW” look?

 

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Photography and Photoshop Elements, Photos, Wild Card

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