A Late Summer Dessert

I receive emails from Betty Crocker and last week's had the recipe for an apple dump cake. Remember those dump cakes? They were popular in the early 90s and we used to like the one with cherry pie filling. I forgot about that recipe until my friend Betty reminded me! I had a tray of peaches in the refrigerator that needed to be used so I decided to tweak her suggestion and make a peach dump cake. It was easy and tasted good for a Labor Day meal.

 

I should have photographed the dessert on the table instead of the countertop as it appears camouflaged!

Peach Dump Cake
4 cups fresh peach slices/wedges
cinnamon
boxed yellow cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter

*Spread peaches in the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan (I lightly sprayed mine with cooking spray first).
*Sprinkle with cinnamon (I used a lot).
*Sprinkle dry cake mix on top, going to edges of pan.
*Evenly pour melted butter over mix and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes until bubbly.
*Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream on top.


I need to take a dessert to church in a few weeks so I plan to make it with 4 cups of fresh apples and a spice cake mix. 

 

Hope your day is peachy!

 

 

Doily Basket

I read about making doilies into baskets and the process seemed simple enough, so I decided to give it a try. I have a few doilies that were made by my great grandma and envisioned one of those transforming into a pretty little basket. They have more intricate designs and two are even colored. I felt it best to experiment with something that has no sentimental value in case it went wrong! I grabbed this little six inch doily which I had stashed in a linen drawer.

 

Using an inverted cereal bowl, I draped the doily and mixed equal parts of craft glue and water. Using my finger to apply the mixture, I spread it as evenly as possible.



 

I carefully pulled off the bowl after several hours when it was getting dry, but was still fairly pliable. I spread some plastic wrap over the bowl and replaced the doily to dry several more hours.

This is a side view of the end product.

You can't appreciate its depth in this photo, so I added some tea bags (below) so you would have some perspective.

 

 

I always enjoy trying a new project, but am not sure I would do this again. It turned out alright, but the little rosettes along the edge are a bit crumpled in places even though I tried to smooth them during the process. That makes me realize that an intricate design may not be as forgiving---unless I greatly perfect my method! I'm still glad I played around with it. 

 

Tuesday's Tablescape

Can you believe that Labor Day has come and gone and that fall will soon be here? I decided to do a late summer table since I am not quite ready to  decorate for autumn.

I used my blue tablecloth and napkins with a 50 cent fabric remnant atop.

I've had this filled vintage watering can for years. I love its collection of late summer blossoms.

Since I had no sunflower tableware, I improvised with these paper doily sunflowers beneath a clear salad plate!

Can  you see the faux bee working the sunflower?

 

I hope you have a sunny day!

 

A 'Grape' Salad

Are you familiar with this salad? It tastes 'grape'! Aunt Erma gave us this recipe several years ago and we have enjoyed the dish many times. It's always popular to carry-in to a potluck or group meal and it feeds a lot of people. Easy to prepare, it's a refreshing salad that is perfect for summer. Right now grapes are so sweet and tasty. Maybe you'd like to try this for your Labor Day weekend.

Here is an individual serving.

Grape Salad

1    (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1    cup sour cream

1/3 cup sugar

2     teaspoons vanilla extract

2     pounds green seedless grapes

2     pounds red seedless grapes

3     tablespoons brown sugar

3     tablespoons chopped pecans

Cream together softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add grapes  (which have been washed and allowed to dry on towels) and toss to coat. Just before serving, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle brown sugar and pecans on top.

This recipe is said to serve up to 20. It can easily be halved for fewer people.

For a printable version, click here.

Have a wonderful Labor Day!!

Glass Jar

When I retired, the Social Committee presented me with a very generous gift card to Hobby Lobby (they know me well!). I recently spent it when the store offered a 50% sale on glassware. I always had my eye on some sort of large, lidded glass jar. I like apothecary style, but also enjoy the lines of cylinders and squatty pieces. I wanted something large, but had not been willing to pay the price because glassware is expensive! This sale was helpful. My mother got stuck in the shopping trip and lengthy decision process as I considered all the choices. In the end, this is the jar that came home with me. I think it is perfect because it's the size I desired and is unique.

 

 

 It sits about 20 inches tall and is nearly as wide, so it's substantial. You can't see it in the picture, but it is footed.

Right now it is on the butler's pantry counter, but it can also be displayed on the dining room table, buffet, kitchen counter or even on the mantle. I think it will be fun to change the contents for the seasons.

 

For fall, I decided to fill it with these oversized metallic acorns. I picked up a few bags of them at the same time I bought the jar. By the way, would you believe that between the jar and all of the acorns that I spent all but one cent of my gift card?!

 

I love my purchase and will enjoy it for many years. It will always serve as a reminder of retirement and will represent my school family with whom I spent many happy years "playing school".

 

Tuesday's Tablescape (a day late)

Tuesday's tablescape comes a day late since our little birthday girl took top-billing in yesterday's blog!

Last week's lovely weather has packed-up and gone home, so we are back to hot and humid. Even though some of the flowers are winding down, I decided to focus on summer blossoms for the table.

 

I am borrowing these little floral trays  which were gifts to my mother from my great aunt and uncle. I'll bet she received them nearly 40 years ago. Although there are six in the set, I chose four of the most summery looking ones. The poppies and unidentified white flowers on the far left and the lily-of-the-valley on the far right are great accents for early spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I needed a simple centerpiece, so I grabbed my orchid. It is down to one bloom now and has another bud. It has grown a new leaf and looks good. I am trying my best to keep it healthy! This is the one the PTO gave me when I retired.

 

Have a great day!

 



Our Other Birthday Girl

Look who is ten today! About a month ago we celebrated her sister's birthday and now it's her turn. Since she had a rough day yesterday with her visit to the eye specialist, we're determined to make this an especially happy day for her!