Kitchen work at Church Camp

Our church has camps throughout the summer and few a days during the summer I go there to work in the kitchen.  We have lots of fun working, visiting and there is always lots of laughter. The camp is set in the woods away from civilization... with no internet access or even little cell phone access.  When I go there it is a time to relax, get away from the day to day trials that stress me and be with others that believe the same way, cooking, baking and talking about the trials and temptations that beset us on our travels.  Each year I meet someone new and a friendship starts.

Hasscib Lake Camp

serving and making breakfast for 60-70 people

there is always baking to be done

 

A lesson is given and then pulla was served for afternoon snack
the children ate 13 loaves! 

   

Nature

 
                                               Enjoying the Fireplace- hot dogs, visiting and singing.

Once again this year I had a fun time.  Cookies were baked and frozen for the next camp, no pulla as that was eaten fresh and the children kept asking for more.  As I leave the camp, I reflect on my days there and marvel on how God has been so gracious.
                                 til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys
   

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party August 24/12

153 fabulous recipes were linked up last week and where are we going HIGHER, I didn't hear you.... Where are we going HIGHER- That is right we are going higher and this is going to be the best Linky Party of the century.  Well, I can dream can't I.  I love all the recipes and the best part of this all is that all these recipes are at my fingertip.  Whenever I want something new, all I have to do is scroll down through my linky party.  Isn't that great.... You, yes I am talking to you, can have this too.  You could also become a member of this terrific group by going to Foodie Friends Friday and asking for an invite and you too can become a member of this great group.

Last week our party was sponsored by Farm Girls Glitz and received lavender body scrub.
 The Top 3 Voted for last week were:

Jams n Pans
Petits Gateaux ..Apple carrot and walnut cakes 

Hugs and Cookies XOXO
Reese's Overload Cake

Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Chicken Pot Pie 

Congratulations to all the winners and I hope you enjoy your giveaway.

Top 3 Clicked for this week are:

Swedish Berry Blondies from Hun... What's for Dinner

No Bake Butterscotch - Pretzel Bars from My Biscuits are Burning

Petits Gateaux - Apple carrot and walnut cakes from Jams N Pans

Host Favorite:   Goes to All is Amazing for her confetti bars and a ride down memory lane for me.

Please grab button for your page.

For my recipe for confetti bars you can go here

Now for this week's party

3 Randomly Picked Recipes

will received Home Hot Jam

Sponsored by Dogwood Acres

3 Randomly Picked Recipes will Receive Homemade Hot Jam Sponsored by Dogwood Acres
One of our own FFF members R Dawn @  http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Come and Join the Fun 

Members:

Tracy @ http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com/

Marlys @ http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Robyn @ http://www.robynsview.com/

Lois @ http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Ericka @ http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Cindy @ http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/

Skye @ http://avirtualessence.blogspot.com/ 

R Dawn @ http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com/

Angie @ http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/

Sarah @ http://everythingkitchensink.blogspot.com/ 

Lindsey @ http://www.familyfoodfinds.com/

Michelle @ http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com/

Rules:

Butterscotch Confetti Squares

Last week as I was going through all the wonderful recipes that were linked up on our Linky Party, I came to a blast in my past recipe.  I had forgotten about this one and haven't made it for years.  It was one of my favorite squares.... something that I would make when I felt down and needed a pick me up.  Something to remind me of home and I am not even sure why as I don't remember them ever being made at home but they were always at any gatherings... showers, parties and just get-togethers.

I haven't made these for years, probably because my husband has a peanut allergy, but I decided to make them now.... I would hide them and he will never know that they are around. :)  They will just be for me.... all mine. And as long as you don't break the secret, I will have them all to myself.

I also took out my good peanut butter for them.  The jar that I hide in the pantry cupboard, the one that only I know where it is.  My Canadian Kraft peanut butter, yes they are going to be good.

This recipe was found All is amazing, but as all the recipes I have shared... this one I do differently and here is how I make them.  I apologize my pictures didn't turn out very good.  So I made these again today so that I could maybe get some better pictures....

   
                                                             Butterscotch Confetti Squares
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 bag butterscotch chips
3/4 bag of marshmallows (10 ounce bag)- either white or coloured
3/4 cup sweetened coconut (optional)
1/4  cup diced peanuts (optional)
1/4 cup toffee bits (optional)

In a large bowl melt butter, peanut butter and butterscotch chips in the microwave.  I do 30 seconds to 1 minute interval and stir in between... If all the chips don't all melt, that's ok, I like the little bits of butterscotch in my squares
Add miniature marshmallows, coconut, peanuts and toffee bits if you want.  The marshmallows may melt slightly.  Once it is all mixed, spread in greased 8 X 8 pan and place in fridge until firm.  Cut in squares and enjoy... And try not to eat the whole pan.

my Canadian Kraft Peanut Butter <3

mixing all ingredients.

spread in pan and wait until firm... this is the hard part!

 

Enjoy! I bet you can't eat just one!

Enjoy!

                       til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys
Links:  Food Holiday Link Party

Dove Fudge

A couple of weeks ago, I found a recipe for Dove Fudge that was linked to our Foodie Friends Friday party by Dawn's Divine Delight and I picked it as my host favorite.  At the time of the party I wasn't able to make it as I ran out of time, but I did have the ingredients and this past week I made it and it was absolutely amazing. If you love dove candy as much as I do, you will love this fudge and it is hard not to eat it all in own sitting.  So, if you are like me and need some chocolate... you need to make this, NOW.

Ingredients:

1/2 bag mild chocolate dove candies

1/2 bag raspberry dark chocolate swirl dove candies

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup homemade marshmallow fluff - recipe here or 1 jar (7oz) marshmallow creme

1 tsp vanilla

Make homemade marshmallow fluff using directions found here.  This makes a large batch, so you may want to half it. Set aside 1 cup.  The rest can be place in fridge for upto 2 weeks.

Cut up dove candies and set aside.  Bring sugar, butter and milk to a full rolling boil on medium heat. Boil for 4 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees.  Add chocolate and marshmallow fluff, stir until melted.  Add vanilla. Pour into foiled covered pan ( I used a 9 X 13 pan).  Cool and once firm cut into bars and enjoy.

                                                                

Enjoy!

These are so good... and the raspberry flavour..... YUM!  I am thinking that these would be good with different chocolates too... I think I will be experimenting in the near future, especially when I have about 3-4 more cups of marshmallow fluff left over.
               til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

This recipe was shared on: Tasty Thursdays #6, Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party, Sweet Confessions Sunday Link Party, Make the Scene Monday, Food Holiday Link Party

Spicy Berry Drink

Do you make something and then think of the 100 possible ways that you can photograph it?  Well, I do and I make things just to take pictures of them.  Today I was wondering what my neighbor's were thinking if they saw me traipse around my house and also my next door neighbor's place with a full glass and a camera.  I think they already think we are little strange and now I am taking pictures of food outside and moving flowers around my food.... But I love doing it.  I also try to do it while my husband is gone because I know that he will think I have gone over to the crazy side.  But the exciting part was that today I was able to go over to the neighbor's yard and take pictures... Her flower garden looks so much better then mine does right now.

Now that I have shown how crazy I can be... I will get onto the recipe that I made with a little bit of help from Ally's Kitchen with her Spicy Gatsby Refresher.  Her pictures made this drink look so wonderful that I had to try and make a non-alcoholic version of it.  I did some research to see what I could use instead of the alcohol to make the flavours comparable.  So here is what I did and the flavours that came through were incredible or at least I thought so.  I am also not very creative with names, so mine is just simply..............
                                                                  Spicy Berry Drink

1 can blackberry izzy

1 can ginger ale -  I used Vernor's ginger ale

1 cup fruit ( blackberries, cherries, peaches, raspberries, blueberries)*

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

a few sprigs of thyme

2-3 crystallized ginger ~~ cut into small pieces

splash of lemon

ice

Cut up fruit into small pieces and place in pitcher.  Add blackberry izzy drink and red pepper flakes and let sit for 1/2 hour.  Once marinated, add ginger ale, thyme, crystallized ginger and splash of lemon.  Add ice to glasses and pour drink over it.  Garnish  with sprigs of thyme, lemon, ginger and cherries.  Enjoy!

* the first time I made this I used, cherries, raspberries and blueberries and the second time blackberries, cherries and peaches.  Both combinations were fantastic.  Also the raspberries and blackberries that I used were frozen which worked good too.

ingredients of the first time I made this

   Note you will want to serve this drink with a spoon as your guests will want to get every last morsel of the fruit that you placed in the drink.... YUM!

                                          Til next time <3<3 <3 Marlys

Linked with this great party: Foodie Friends Friday

Fish soup

              

 This week when we made our fish soup I wrote down the recipe on a back of an envelope so that I would have it when I was ready to make post... and guess what? I must of thrown out the envelope when I was cleaning up the kitchen as it is no where to be found... Well, I have made this many times or at least helped to make it. So here goes it.  This time we made it hot, not just mildly hot but burning all the way down hot.  We planted some hot peppers in our garden this year and my husband didn't think that they would be very hot as we don't get enough sun... So he put in two... and he doesn't like hot food....

                                                                Fish Soup

Ingredients:

1 whole fish - head included, cut in steaks

1/4 cup olive oil
water approx 4 cups

1 small egg plant - cut into 1 inch slices.

2 small onions with greens

spices * please refer to comments under ingredients 

1 -2 maggi cubes

2 small tomatoes

2 hot pepper

1/2 banana pepper

salt to taste 

* for the spice I do a mixture of ground ginger, anise and an African spice called Kale.  I mix a large quantity of these three spice in equal amounts and use approximated 1 tablespoon.  I am sorry, I still haven't figured out what the Kale is... possibly cumin.

Place oil in a frying pan and place all pieces of fish and fry to desired crispness.  We leave the skin on the fish when we fry it.  Once fried place in pot with water, and eggplant, bring to a boil.  Add spices and maggi cube and continue to boil.

Grind tomatoes and banana peppers.  I use my food processor for this... I have a small one that is the perfect size.  Put in pot.  Add onions, greens and hot peppers.  Add salt to taste. Continue to boil for another 5 -10 minutes after all ingredients are in.  This is a good time make your rice or fufu.

Enjoy soup with fufu or rice.  To learn how to make fufu go here.

veggies from our garden - ready to be
put in the soup

frying the fish and yes there is a head in it.

fried fish

grinding tomatoes and banana pepper

bringing eggplant and fish to a boil

 

bring the soup to a boil after adding tomato mixture

soup is ready!

eating it with fufu.

This soup brought us just about to tears and I can eat hot peppers, but I think 2 was a little too much.  My husband told me that this was just a practice run for when we go back to Togo... and I say that I can eat hot pepper.

                                     Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys



Links: The Ultimate Soup List

Ice Cream Cake

I know, you don't have to tell me.... it has been a long time since I have done a post but I will remedy that and finish this post today as you may need this for a birthday or a celebration.
A couple of weeks or maybe even a month I go I saw this recipe on facebook from Mainelybakes and pinned it right away so that when I get company I can make and wow them... Well, I made it and I wowed them.  My company was quite impressed with my creativity and it all went except two small pieces that my husband and I shared a few days after.  I will be making this again and there are many different combinations that you can use, so make it your own.

                                                       ICE CREAM CAKE
The original recipe is Here and probably a bit more healthy as she used  light ice cream sandwiches and yogurt.  But who wants to be healthy... I was going for the gusto...

Ingredients:
1 box ice cream sandwiches
1 box Kemp fudge crunch ice cream (I didn't use quite all)
raspberries to cover the bottom and for garnish
Hershey Bits 'O Brickle Toffee bits
Hot fudge sundae topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

I used my 10 inch springform pan.  Cut 9-10 ice cream sandwiches in 4ths (if you want to see how it is done go here.  I didn't remember to take a picture of this).  Place around edge of spring-form pan and place in freezer until solid.  I waited for about an hour.
 Once the ice cream sandwiches are frozen again, I sprinkled the bottom with frozen raspberries or you could use fresh if you want.
 Scoop half of the ice cream over the raspberries and spread until level.  I then sprinkled the toffee bits over the ice cream.  Scoop the rest of the ice cream on top of the toffee bit and spread.  Sprinkle more toffee bits on top  Place back in freezer until ready to serve.
 When ready to serve place whipping cream in bowl and start beating on high until start thickening.  Add sugar (you could add more if you want sweeter whipping cream) and vanilla slowly and continue to beat until you get stiff peaks.
 Drizzle hot fudge sundae topping over the last layer of ice cream and toffee bits.  Top with whipped whipping cream and garnish with fresh raspberries.... Serve.

ice cream sandwiches layered on sides and frozen raspberries on bottom

One layer of ice cream and toffee bits on top

with second layer of ice cream of ice cream and toffee bits

drizzle hot fudge sundae topping, add whipped cream and raspberries

And Enjoy!

Just think of the possibilities that you could do with this dessert.... So many.  I hope if you do your own flavors and fruits that you will let me know how you did it.

                                         Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

LINKS