War Eagle for Katherine

 

Yes, I said "War Eagle" - I really did.... just for Katherine. Our sweet cousin is headed to Auburn this fall so we had a family party to send her off. Yes, my family wore orange and blue, too! Believe it or not!

 

It all started with this invitation found on Etsy.com!

 

 

 
 





 
 

 The décor included Aubie, of course, Katherine's Auburn cheerleader Barbie from childhood and some shakers!!

And we even had our own version of Toomer's corner! (A tree from my Halloween decorations)

 

 

 

 

  

I made the "straw flags" on Microsoft Word using Toomer's Corner - Go Tigers, Auburn and War Eagle. I would love to share but I guess I didn't save them. Oops! But they weren't hard to make at all! I ordered the

chevron straws on Etsy!

 

What would an Auburn party be without Toomer's Corner Lemonade? We actually used the recipe I posted last week. Here is the recipe!








The idea for the fruit salad of blueberries and cantaloupe came from amyspartyideas.com. Amy has some really cute ideas!

 Just like a tailgate party on Game Day!

 

 A for Auburn - these iced sugar cookies were quite tasty although I am not an expert in decorating cookies! By the way, have you seen the fabulous cookies from Whimsy Cookie Company in Memphis? Check them out! If you saw the movie "Blind Side" you will remember Collins Touhy, the daughter in the Touhy family who adopted Michael Oher - this is her cookie company!



Tiger Brownies - cream cheese brownies with the cream cheese mixture tinted with orange!

 

 

 

 

Katherine is part of the 3rd generation in her family to attend Auburn University! What a fun celebration it was for the family of aunts, uncles and cousins to celebrate with Katherine by showering her with orange and blue! She got lots of fun Auburn gifts to take to Auburn in a few weeks!

 

Congratulations, Katherine, on your graduation from high school and best wishes in your future at Auburn and....... 

 

just for you......War Eagle!

 

You can find the War Eagle Banner in the soon to open Etsy Shop - www.allsewcharming.etsy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Best Pimento Cheese

 

I love pimento cheese - if it is on them menu wherever I go, I am very likely to try it. This recipe came from my Mom and it is definitely a favorite!

Hope you like it, too!

 

Pimento Cheese Spread

 

4 oz. chopped pimento

1 C. mayonnaise

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. dry mustard

1/4 t. cayenne

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1-2 gloves of garlic, crushed

8 oz. Colby cheese

8 oz. cheddar cheese

 

Mix thoroughly all ingredients except cheeses. Add cheeses last and mix until well combined. Enjoy with your favorite crackers or as a sandwich spread on your favorite bread! It is a bit spicy so beware!

 

Printable Version

 

 

Thankful Thursday

 

Romans 3: 3-5

³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Lamentations 3: 21-24

²¹ Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

 

Today, I am thankful for sweet friends that God places in our lives to go through the trials of life. These two verses were shared with me by a precious lady named Currie, when we were both Moms of an infant in the NICU at Children's Hospital 10 years ago! This piece of paper has been in my Bible since it was given to me way back then. Our baby girls experienced quite a few ups and downs in their time at Children's. Just like any life - their are good times and bad times. This crumbled piece of paper serves to remind me, even today, about perseverance, hope, faithfulness and God's mercies that are new each day. Sometimes in life, people come along at just the right time and place and impact your life forever. Thanks, Currie, for sharing that NICU experience with us and being an encourager then and now through sharing these two simple verses. Although we live across the country from each other, we have been able to watch these sweet girls grow up through Facebook. I know, without a doubt, that we are both thankful for the mercies shown to us through those difficult days!

A Sip of Summertime

 

One of my latest, greatest Pinterest finds is this quick and easy recipe for lemonade! We made it at the beach and it didn't last very long!

 

Pineapple Lemonade

1 C. Countrytime Lemonade

2 C. cold water

1 (48 oz.) can chilled pineapple juice

2 cans chilled Sprite

Mix all ingredients together and serve cold or over ice!

My suggestion is to double the recipe or it will be gone before you know it. Billed on Pinterest as "best lemonade ever", it certainly lived up to it's billing!  Very refreshing, even if you're not at the beach! Add an umbrella straw and pretend! You'll love it!

Printable Version

Baking with a Purpose

 

If you have read my blog at all, you know that I love to bake! The only thing that makes it better is when I bake with a purpose other than to satisfy a sweet tooth or add calories to our plate! Last week, a newly formed non-profit organization, Heart of Tuscaloosa, held a BBQ and Bake Sale as their inaugural fundraising event. The goal of the Heart of Tuscaloosa is to bring awareness locally and globally to issues affecting individuals with disabilities. As part of their goal, mission and values, they have chosen Annie's school, Sprayberry Education Center, to support through some issues with building and space with the goal of helping to provide the most optimal learning environment for our Sprayberry Students. For more information on the Heart of Tuscaloosa, go to www.heartoftuscaloosa.com

 

 

So.... loving to bake and loving Sprayberry..... here are my recipes that I used for the bake sale  - by request!

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cake

www.allrecipes.com

 

1 box yellow cake mix

1 (3.9 oz) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix

½ C. sugar

¾ C. water

¾ C. vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 C. sour cream

½ C. milk chocolate chips

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Stir together the cake mix, pudding mix and sugar. Add the water, oil, eggs and sour cream, mixing until well blended. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.

Printable Version

 

Chocolate Toffee Cake

www.tasteofhome.com

8 oz. pkg. toffee bits

1 C. semisweet chocolate chips

2 T. brown sugar

Cake:

1 C. butter, softened

1 ¼ C. brown sugar

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

3 C. all purpose flour

1 ½ t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ t. baking soda

1 ¼ C. buttermilk

Caramel Icing:

¼ C. butter, cubed

2 t. all purpose flour

1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 C. brown sugar

Combine toffee bits, chips and brown sugar; set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, blending well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to the cream mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended. 

Pour a third of the batter into grease and floured tube pan. Sprinkle with one third of toffee mixture. Repeat layers twice. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-56 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add evaporated milk and brown sugar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Cool. Drizzle over cake.

 

Printable Version

 

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

www.allrecipes.com

 

3/4 C. butter, softened

3/4 C. sugar

¾ C. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 ¼ C. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

½ t. ground cinnamon

½ t. salt

3 C. rolled oats

1 2/3 C. butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well. Stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the oats and the butterscotch chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges start to brown.

 

Printable Version

All American Apple Pie

www.allrecipes.com

 

1 unbaked pie crust

6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

¾ C. sugar

3 T. all purpose flour

¾ t. ground cinnamon

½ t. ground nutmeg

½ C. all purpose flour

½ C. sugar

½ C. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place crust in a 9 inch pie plate and crimp edges. Mix together ¾ C. sugar, 3 T. flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples to coat. Spread evenly in unbaked pie shell. Using a pastry cutter, mix together ½ C. flour, ½ C. sugar and butter until evenly crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake for 45 minutes, until browned.

 

Printable Version

 

These are "keepers" for my recipe collection! Hope you enjoy them!

 

Many thanks to Emmy Stockman, founder of the Heart of Tuscaloosa and her board for caring about individuals with disabilities and for the work they are doing to support them!