Crock Pot Rice Pudding with Dried Apricots

2 1/2 C milk (1% is fine)

1 can (13.5) light coconut milk

1/2 C sugar

1 C arborio rice

1 cinnamon stick

1 C dried apricots, chopped (I think I only used about 1/2 C, snipped with scissors...alternately you could use raisins.)

Whisk milk, coconut milk and sugar in crock pot. Stir in rice and drop in cinnamon stick.

Cook, covered, until the rice is tender and milk mostly absorbed, about 2-2 1/2 hours on high. Discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the chopped apricots. This is best while still warm....refrigerated, it get pretty solid...rewarm in the microwave, top with a little squirt of whipped cream.

Recently Read....Theodore Rex

I listened to this on Audible and it was fascinating....such a window on this period of American History...the Panama Canal, Sherman Antitrust Act, Teddy Bears, Booker T Washington, "Speak softly and carry a big stick", Yellowstone Park, "a square deal", Chinese Japanese War, Edward Arlington Robinson, The Jungle, William Randolph Hurst, spelling reform(!), Cuba, the Supreme Court, the "yellow peril", National Parks, child labor, William Jennings Bryant, Conservation,...I love "reading" these big books on Audible because I would never have enough "sit down time" to get through them...this is the second of Edmund Morris's trilogy on Theodore Roosevelt. The first is The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt and the last is Colonel Roosevelt.

Scott's Krazy Kornbread Kake

Scott's Krazy Kornbread Kake

Let them eat cake! or cornbread??? With this recipe you can have it both ways....either a lighter,yummier cornbread to go with your chili or whatever...or a not too sweet cake... perfect for a light snack after school or dinner....

1 box yellow cake mix

(plus whatever you add: eggs, water, oil)
3 C Marie Callender corn bread mix
1 1/2 C water

Mix everything together and pour into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350....a little longer than for the cake since there's more stuff in the pan. Make sure it's done in the middle....if it starts to get too brown, cover with a piece of foil.

Serve with honey butter (or just butter) or give it a light coating of canned frosting (or homemade if you are so inclined).

These Were Good....Ginger Molasses Cookies

These cookies stay soft!

Ginger Molasses Cookies

2 sticks unsalted buttered, softened

2 C brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 C molasses
3 C bread flour
1 T baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
3/4 t cloves
3/4 t nutmeg
1 1/2 t ginger

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses and mix until just combined - 20 to 30 seconds. Add all dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated (don't overmix).

Use cookie scoop and drop onto parchment lined sheets or use a Silmat. Bake 11-13 minutes until slightly crackled. The center will be soft. Let cool on trays. These stayed soft and chewy!

Happy Birthday, Kaity...Raspberry Scones

I wanted to get this on the blog before I got to October...September is a happy month for many reasons...but chief among them is it's the month Kaity was born!

In honor of Kaity reaching her quarter century birthday and actually eating two raspberries I thought we might make Raspberry Scones...

Raspberry (or Cranberry) Scones

1 3/4 C flour

1/4 C cornstarch

2/3 C sugar

2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

4 T butter

1 C frozen raspberries

(or chopped cranberries)

2 t orange rind

3/4 C plain or vanilla yogurt

sugar for top

glaze

Cut butter into dry ingredients with pastry cutter or twoknives. Add orange rind and yogurt. Stir until a sticky ball forms. Add berries and gently fold in. Pat onto buttered cookie sheet in a large circle. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake about 20 minutes. Drizzle with glaze (1/2 C powdered sugar thinned with a little milk).

R2D2 - Pretty spiffy!!!

Last year Karl, Christian and Alec's project was painting Karl's old Toyota truck...they did an amazing job...

....so this year they painted R2D2 (my old 95 Honda Accord)....looking good, guys!!!!
(Does the Toyota truck have a Star Wars name???)

Lovely Low Fat Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 yellow or white cake mix
1 C Libby's pumpkin

2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 C water

Mix for two minutes; fill lined cupcake pans; bake about 18 minutes at 350. These are great even unfrosted! Or add a little cream cheese frosting for super deliciousness...