Strawberry Winning Recipe...time will tell

Ahhh...strawberry season has arrived in the Natural State! Don't you just love the taste of fresh strawberries? They are so low in calories and full of vitamins, fiber, and minerals, you should really include these juicy little morsels into your meal plans any way you can!.  Lots of ways you can do this, too!  And...according to the London, Ohio Strawberry Festival, how about a few, fun strawberry facts?

1. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside
2. The average strawberry has 200 seeds.
3. Madame Tallien, a prominent figure at the court of the Emperor Napoleon, was famous for bathing in the juice of fresh strawberries. She used 22 pounds per basin. 
4. Strawberries are a member of the rose family.
5. Ninety-four percent of US households consume strawberries.

Check out this site for more interesting trivia on strawberries. But, in the mean time, if you are one of the 94 percentile of families in the US that consumes this delicious fruit and doesn't bathe in them like Madame Tallien, please read on...

I have been working on a recipe for the Real Women of Philadelphia Contest  and, recently have come up with a wonderful and hopefully winning dessert that will rock Paula Deen and her boys socks off!  They are judging this super contest, and I have my fingers crossed to get to meet them in Savannah, come late June, to cook this luscious recipe I just originated, especially for Paula! Check out all of my cooking videos for this fun contest on YouTube! And, try this prize winning recipe...at least in the Hocut home...when your local berries come in season!

Strawberry Scone Shortcake

with Strawberry 1/3 Less Fat Philly Cream Cheese

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, unsifted

3 tablespoons sugar

2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 

6 tablespoons butter, cold

1/3 cups milk, whole

1 (8 ounces) tub of Strawberry 1/3 Less Fat Philly or more!

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F
2. Wash, hull, and slice berries
3. In an upright mixer, mix together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder and then add the butter
4. Mix until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs or cornmeal and remove from mixer
5. By hand, mix in about 3/4 cup of the prepared strawberries
6. Add all of the milk and with a fork, toss together until the mixture holds together, well
7. With floured hands gently form into a ball
8. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thickness with a rolling pin
9. Cut the dough with a 2 1/2 inch circle cutter
10. Place the scones onto a greased cookie sheet and bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown
11. Remove from oven and serve your Strawberry Scone Shortcakes warm and generously spread with the Strawberry 1/3 Less Fat Philly
12. Sprinkle with the remaining strawberries

When I tasted these scrumptious scones lathered in the Strawberry Philly for the first time, I knew they were absolutely the best dessert I have made in a good while! I hope you enjoy the simplicity and tastiness of this ???prize winning??? recipe. The Strawberry 1/3 Less Fat Philly Cream Cheese is the perfect topping for these perfect Strawberry Scone Shortcakes.  And, thanks for stopping by Di's Cup Cakes...we always love your visit and especially enjoy reading your comments! And, as my Nannie use to say..."Y'all drop in when you can!"

Happy Birthday, Real Woman...Debi Wood

If by chance you have been living under a rock lately, and not heard of the Real Women of Philadelphia Contest, you have to drop by the site and check out this Real Woman...Debi Wood! This month, I've been told is her birthday, and if it isn't...who cares...you gotta meet this gal!

On her Real Women Contest profile, Debi considers herself a "lucky girl." Yes, Debi, as for my experience, the harder you work, the luckier you get...and, I see how hard you are working at husbands, kids, grandkids, gardening, pets, a rewarding job, cooking, and everything else that comes your way like this Real Women Contest.  I'm worn out just writing about it! And, you are doing a terrific job, Debi, because apparently you are doing the things you love! Debi also says, "As you can see I wear many hats, and speaking of hats, I have a huge collection of unique hats, too!"  Well, Debi, if those hats are as colorful as your shining personality, I'm gonna need some powerful shades, for sure, if I ever get to the Sunshine State to meet you!  Happy Birthday and congratulations on your "lucky" life...and thanks for all you do on the Real Women of Philadelphia website! We other Real Women appreciate and absolutely love your humor and zest for life!

Check out all of Debi's contest entries at YouTube...your're in for a Real treat! And, don't forget to wish her a big 'ol Happy Birthday, all month long!

My New Love...A Friend With Benefits

This Ordinary Housewife has been working especially hard these days!  Blogs, husband, kids, animals, shopping, cooking, cleaning, lover (tee hee hee...just checking to see if you're still with me)! However, I have taken a new love... Philadelphia Cream Cheese...my new BFF and cooking buddy!  I've hooked up with this dude because Kraft Foods has sponsored an exciting cooking contest called Real Women of Philadelphia. So, I have been recreating every cream cheese dish imaginable to enter in this fun and rewarding challenge.

I must confess, Philly (pet name for my love) is not really a new love...rather a comfortable old friend I have kept around for many, many years!  Ahhh...a friend with benefits.  The reason I have resorted to such behavior is because Philly is such a versatile ingredient that goes so well in tons of different  appetizers, desserts, side dishes, and entrees!  Philly thickens my soups, enhances my doughs, and satisfies in ways you can never imagine! Warning, once you begin this kind of affair with Philly, you will never be able to live without it.

Check out the recipe entries on my Youtube Channel!  Please be sure and tell me what you think...go ahead...I'm a big girl...I can take it...but, please be nice...my feelings get easily distressed  these days because I'm worried at any time now, #3 will begin to suspect my sinfully indulgent amusements, and I will never hear the end of it!

Happy Birthday, #3, If You Only Had a Heart

     

                                                                        

                                                                            

                                                                                 
On this day in 1951 a wonderful and big surprise came to the Hocut family in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  No, they didn't win big at the now famous Oaklawn Race Track http://oaklawnpark.com, which, by the way, opened February 24, 1905 and is still growing bigger and better every year.  They also did not get pampered and rejuvenated at one of the legendary hot baths on Bath House Row http://buckstaffbaths.com. And no, they didn't stay at the famous and exciting  big Arlington Hotel http://arlingtonhotel.com in downtown Hot Springs.  They didn't even go for the big, plate sized pancakes at the Pancake Shop http://pancakeshop.com on Central Avenue, either.  They had bigger things to do as they headed to the Hot Springs, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital to deliver a bouncing, big, baby boy  into their lives! Douglas Michael Hocut, sometimes referred to as BIG Mike, was born to Vollie Mae and Juanita Hocut on February 10, 1951. By the time this dude started grade school, he was always the biggest guy in the class every year, which probably was the reason Big Mike always attempts to surpass everything on the mediocre or average scale with an appetite for only the biggest and the best!

BIG Mike happens to be 6'6" tall and a whopping 300 pounds! But, that is not the biggest thing about him...his heart is also very, very big!   Yes, this big guy is loved by all (just ask his grandkids) and always the life of the party (just ask his co workers). In fact, there is nothing average about him.  He has successfully worked in the trucking industry for over 30 years becoming a vital part of the company he loves, MHC Kenworth/Volvo in Springdale, Arkansas. He is devoted and happily married to the woman of his dreams (and nightmares) for 23 years...me...of course.  And, for a guy of this magnitude...he deserves a big cookie on his birthday today!  Not just an average cookie, rather a Big Heart Cookie.  I adapted this recipe just for BIG MIKE, the big guy with the big heart! You will need an 11inch heart shaped cake/cookie pan.  Don't have a heart??? Shop for your heart pan at Wilton...http://wilton.com.




Big Mike is not just the only big happening to the small town of  Hot Springs...check out all these great Hot Springs sites, just like we are gonna do on BIG Mike's BIG Birthday Bash!  See you there! We'll be the ones with the big cookie.  You can't miss us...nobody can miss BIG Mike.

Big Heart Cookie

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate morsels

Ganache

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Spray 11 inch Wilton Heart Pan with cooking spray

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a med bowl and set aside

Cream butter and sugars using a mixer until fluffy

Add egg and vanilla and mix

Add dry mixture and blend well

Stir in chocolate morsels

Transfer cookie dough to the pan and spread evenly until the bottom of pan is covered

Bake about 12 minutes or until nicely browned 

Remove from oven and cool, then remove carefully from pan

While cooling, make the Ganache

Heat cream and butter in a saucepan until melted and remove before boiling

Place chocolate morsels in a bowl and pour cream mixture on top

Let it sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth 

Let cool and then spread on top of cookie with a spatula

Decorate as you like, and be sure to give it to someone you really love!

Happy Birthday, Noah

What a wonderful grandson to have!  Today is Noah's 11th birthday and we celebrated this momentous occasion with favorite foods (Pepperoni Pizza and Cupcakes), family, and friends! The party included Noah, of course, and his mommy, good friend...Rianne, Trey, Nana and Pawpaw.  Our scrumptious pizza party consisted of Noah and Rianne making their very own 'scratch' pizza...as they like it.  If you have not ever made homemade crusts and tomato sauce along with your favorite toppings...what's your problem? Try these great recipes and you may never order take out pizza again! And, so long Chucky Cheese!

Basic Pizza Dough

Makes 1  10-12 inch round pizza

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups bread flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp rapid rise dried yeast

1/2 - 2/3 cups lukewarm water

1 tbsp olive oil

Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the yeast.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour in the water and oil and mix with a spoon to a soft dough.  Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place for about one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.  Punch down the dough.  Turn on to a floured surface and knead again for 2-3 minutes.  Roll out as required and place on a greased baking sheet.  Pinch up the dough to make a rim.  The dough is now ready for topping.

Tomato Sauce

Enough to cover 1  10-12 inch pizza

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp chopped mixed herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme, and basil

pinch of sugar

salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and gently saute for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, sugar, and seasoning.  Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes have reduced to a thick pulp.  Let cool.

Favorite Toppings

Have on hand shredded mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, chopped veggies, pepperoni, and cooked ground beef or whatever you so desire.  Spread the cooled sauce on the prepared crust. Sprinkle with toppings and cheeses.  Cook at 425 degrees until crust is brown and cheeses are bubbly...about 20-25 minutes.  Enjoy...along with a competitive game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey!

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls...share them with a friend

Found this great recipe on the Web and I wanted to share it with you.  These easy, delicious rolls are ready in no time! The puff pastry makes them extra French like.  I made them this morning and shared them with my neighbor.  Fun to talk and eat and talk and sip and talk... They would also be a great addition to any breakfast or brunch! Nice to always have some frozen puff pastry in my freezer for those times I need something elegant in a jiffy.                                                        

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry      flour for rolling the puff pastry

1/2 stick butter, softened    1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar    1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

6 slices of bacon, cooked crisply and chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Thaw puff pastry.  Mix sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Roll ou the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface.  Spread the softened butter onto the puff pastry.  Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture on top. Cover with a layer of bacon.  Roll up the dough into a log and cut into 6 equal portions.  Spray a 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and place one roll into each cup.  Sprinkle with more of the sugar mixture and bake for 20 -25 minutes.

For some cheesy and fun details on how to make these tasty rolls, check out my video at YouTube!

Ran Into An Old Friend At The Grocery Store...

I was shopping for some raw peanuts the other day in order to make my annual Christmas Microwave Peanut Brittle and lo and behold, I ran into Betty!  She was standing right by the raw peanuts in the produce section with this confused look on her face.  I saw Betty's bewilderment and asked if she was ok.  She was fine...just couldn't figure out what these strange things were in the Melissa's Organic Fingerling Potato Medley bag. http://melissas.com/ We laughed and joked about these tiny odd looking potatoes that were oblong and all different colors.  Betty said, "They probably came from overseas like everything else does these days!"  Ah, Betty...such wisdom...I enjoyed listening to her as we discussed everything from our kids, to our multiple husbands, to our job choices to just about everything else under the sun that girlfriends do chat about.  You see, Betty was a widow before she was twenty years old with three young kids to feed, so she went straight to the fields to do the man's work left behind by her deceased husband, and when she was able, she gathered her kids and moved to Springdale, Arkansas to get a more pleasant indoor job at the turkey plant.  She's been retired for a while...Betty's going to be 79 in January. I felt a twinge of sadness as Betty told me about her daughters and their families who lived close by and how they were all so busy.  But we were also proud that  we both had raised our kids to be able to support themselves and have good lives on their own.  I told her, "Now, Betty, you know they work every day and it's so hard to get loose."  She said, "Yes, but just one Sunday for a short while wouldn't hurt!"  Betty did have a point.  We joked and laughed right there in the produce isle for about an hour as everyone shopped around us. As we prepared to leave and go our different ways, I told Betty I would come and see her sometime soon.  She was so excited. Today, I've made Di's Christmas Microwave Peanut Brittle and I'm off to find Betty's house.  She told me where she lived...not far from me...I'm sure I'll be able to find her place...you meet the nicest people in the grocery store...

Di's Christmas Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup white syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup raw peanuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon soda

Put sugar in a glass bowl, add syrup, stir, add salt, stir, add peanuts, stir well, microwave for 3 minutes

Take out and stir, microwave again for 3 minutes.  Take out and add vanilla and butter, stir, microwave 1 minute.  Take out and sprinkle the soda over the mixture and stir. Quickly pour onto a greased cookie sheet. Allow to cool. Break into pieces and enjoy!