Five Brown Kids

Oh my goodness!  I made cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and saw this recipe on the back of the bag.  I had just enough cranberries left to whip these up and if you love coconut and cranberries as much as me you will love these! 

Courtney’s fave!  Sauce: 1 cup mayo 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 1/2 tbsp mustard 2/3 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Mix in with noodles, hard boiled eggs, green onions and celery. 

Mix: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs 3 tbsp butter 5 sweet potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed

Last weekend we had a little birthday party for Tryone and me.  I purchased fresh Pink Lady apples from the farmers market.  (My favorite apple any time of year, but fresh off a tree, into a basket and for sale the next day is to die for!) I sliced a bunch up and served with this caramel dip and it was a hit.  The favorite food of the party by far.  I ended up replenishing the apple plate several times. Caramel Dip 1 cup brown sugar 1 stick butter 1 cup corn syrup 1 can sweetened condensed milk Bring to a boil, stir for two minutes. Pour over popcorn (no seeds) for yummy caramel popcorn or into a serving bowl and let cool for apple dipping.

Taye's first summer visit to the farmers market the other day.  We were on the hunt for peaches but he couldn't leave without some okra.   He washed and sliced the okra and then dipped it in this batter.  1 whole egg 1 egg white 1 cup flour 2/3 cup cold water salt and pepper to taste He just puts a cup of vegetable oil in a small saucepan, brings it to a boil and then cooks a few pieces at a time until it's toasty brown.  So tasty!

This recipe takes a lot of effort for one pitcher of juice - I wouldn't recommend planning gallons for a party but it does make a perfect afternoon activity for vacationing children. And ends with really tasty results. We followed the recipe from this pin. 1. Make a simple syrup of 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar  - heated until the sugar dissolves 2. Juice 6-7 lemons (to make 2 cups of lemon juice) 2. Puree a cup or two of fresh or frozen strawberries 3. Combine syrup, lemon juice and strawberry puree in a pitcher and add water to taste (about 8 cups - start low and add til it's just right.) We added a lime and some fresh mint too because Taye was involved (he likes to experiment).  It was really delicious!

This is a yummy recipe from my childhood that came from my mom's cooking with whole wheat cookbook.  I loved this as a kid and it's still just as tasty. I've posted the recipe just in time for strawberry season. Crust: 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/4 brown sugar Filling: 2 egg whites 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups fresh strawberries (16 oz frozen bag) 1 tbsp vanilla 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 cup whipping cream Combine crust ingredients in a 9x12 baking dish.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. While crust is cooling prepare filling by combining the egg whites, sugar, strawberries, vanilla and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.  Whip for a full 15 minutes.  (Using a kitchen aid mixer would be perfect for this - too bad I don't have one....) In a separate bowl whip the cream. Fold whipped cream into the strawberry mixture and combine gently.  The egg whites do not get cooked - if you have issues with that don't make this recipe! ...

Not sure which blog I found this recipe but they make great cookies - nice and thick and not as sickly sweet as typical shortbread cookies. 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup butter softened 1 cup sour cream 1 egg 2 tsp. vanilla Cream together in a large bowl. Then add... 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. salt 5 cups flour Mix until combined. Do not chill. Roll out in 2 batches. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 425 degrees for 5-7 minutes depending on size. You just want them golden on the edges. Don't over cook! Cream Cheese Frosting 1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 stick butter, softened 1 bag powdered sugar  (I keep in a large jar so I just added until I had a good consistency) 2 tsp. vanilla Mix together until smooth and fluffy. Dye any color you like and top cookies with icing and sprinkles.

Taye wanted to try the okra at the farmers market. The only thing I knew about okra was that it got slimy in stews - ewww. So we asked one of the workers at a booth. She said to slice it, dip it in cornmeal and fry it. So we did just that. Delicous! A little homemade veggie chip. We are southerners now! 1. Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in small saucepan. 2. Slice okra in 1/4 inch pieces 3. Dip handful of pieces in cornmeal and then drop in hot oil 4. Cook 1-2 minutes, moving them around a bit 5. Remove with a slotted spoon, let rest of a piece of paper towel, sprinkle with salt 6. Make more

No mayonaise in this coleslaw. It's a Pauline Brown special and I love it. We've been eating it on fish tacos (baked tilapia, toasted Trader Joes tortillas with melted cheese, coleslaw and cilantro vinaigrette or mango salsa - off the hook good!) It would be great for a summer BBQ too. 1 head of cabbage, shredded 1 green pepper, diced 1 small onion, diced 2 carrots, shredded (or one store bought bag of coleslaw mix :-) Toss above with 1 cup of white sugar. Bring to a boil and pour over the cabbage/sugar mixture: 1 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup vinegar 1 tsp celery seed 1 tsp dry mustard 2 tsp salt Refrigerate overnight. (Or at least a few hours.) Serve with a slotted spoon!

This dessert is heaven on a biscuit! Back me up Courtney... 1 quart strawberries, sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup shortening 2 cups white flour (don't use whole wheat for this) 2 tbsp sugar 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 3/4 cup milk Sweetened whipped cream, Cool Whip or vanilla ice-cream to top. 1. Mix strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar. Let stand for 1 hour. 2. Heat oven to 450. 3. Cut shortening into flour, 2 tbsp sugar, the baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, using a pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk just until blended. 4. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Gently smooth into a ball. Knead 20 to 25 times. Roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 3 inch cutter. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. 6. Split shortcake horizontally in half while hot. Spread margarine on split sides. Fill with strawberries; replace tops. Top with sweetened whipped cream

My Mom's Favorite Nut Bars Kid Friendly Truffles Those super easy M&M Pretzels Hot Chocolate for a cold day Pecan tassies and killer chocolate cheese cake coming up!

Just a thought for your leftover cranberry sauce. Tryone found this recipe a few years ago and really likes it - me too of course. I'm a cranberry junkie. 4 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup whole cranberry sauce 1 cup soft cool whip Mix cream cheese and cranberries, fold in cool whip. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

I can't say enough good about this jam. It rocks! The taste is so fresh you'll never want to eat ordinary jam again. The key is this happy little 'Ball Simple Creations No Cook Freezer Jam' packet that I find at my grocery store. It's so easy you can assign one person to each step and be done in a snap. 1. Pick fresh berries. Wash and hull. 2. Crush berries in blender until you have four cups. 3. Stir 1 1/2 cups of sugar and contents of package into a bowl and combine. 4. Add crushed fruit to sugar mixture. Stir until well combined and pour into containers. Freeze what you won't eat this week! PS - If you're in Raleigh our favorite Strawberry U-pick is Hunts at 4505 Watkins rd. It's down Louisburg a few miles and then right on Mitchell Mill, right on Watkins. 919-266-1619

1/4 cocoa powder 1/2 cup white sugar dash of salt 1/3 cup water Stir until smooth in a large sauce pot. Add 4 cups of milk and warm (do not boil). Finish with 1 tsp of vanilla if you like. Very chocolaty and perfect for warming up.

My mom always made these for Christmas growing up and they are delish! Crust: 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar Mix and press onto a cookie sheet, bake at 350 for about 10 mins. Topping: 2 eggs 1/3 cup corn syrup 1 can mixed nuts 1 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup halved Christmas cherries Mix toppings and spread on crust. Bake for 15-20 mins at 350. Make sure you have lots of time to let them cool. Cut into bars!

These were kind of messy but lots of fun. Makes 36 truffles. 2-1/2 pkg. (20 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened decorations: chopped peanuts, multi-colored sprinkles , crushed candy cane MELT 8 chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm. SHAPE into 36 balls. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. MELT remaining chocolate. Use fork to dip truffles in chocolate; return to baking sheet. Decorate, then refrigerate 1 hour. The recipe for those kid friendly M&M pretzels is here.

In case you have left-over cans of pumpkin from Thanksgiving these muffins are a terrific way to use it up. Yum, Yum! 2 cups pureed pumpkin (aprox one small can) 1 cup applesauce 4 eggs 1/2 cup oil 2 cups sugar 1 cup chocolate chips 3 cups flour 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt Blend pumpkin, applesuace, eggs and oil. Stir in sugar. Add remaining dry ingredients that have ben mixed together and then fold in the cholocate chips. Bake at 400 for 15-20 mins. Makes 2 dozen.

Just becuase it's so delicious here's a repost of the freshest cranberry sauce you can get. HOMEMADE WHOLE BERRY CRANBERRY SAUCE INGREDIENTS: 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 12-ounce package (or 3 cups) fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained (pick out all the soft and mushy ones) DIRECTIONS:Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 1/4 cups. Double or triple recipe as needed. Enjoy! Here I am with a school friend, Scott, out at the Western Head lighthouse picking cranberries for Thanksgiving dinner (the back of the photo says 1990). Scott is a geologist for Exxon now, living in Australia. I'm a mom of three living in the South. Who knew such talent could come out of such a small town :-)

This is a quick and easy warm dessert that Taye loves to make. It's pumpkin pie without the crust. My mom used to make this for us when I was a kid. I'm just following the pie filling recipe on the back of a can of plain pumpkin. Ingredients 3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use 1/2 cup so it's not so sweet) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2 large eggs 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin 1 can (12 fl. oz.)evaporated milk Whipped cream Directions MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. (We just dump it all in the same bowl and stir!) Pour into 8x11 pyrex dish and cook at 350° F oven for about 20 minutes or until you give it a gentle shake and it doesn't move or a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.