Peach Pie

 When peaches are in season, there is nothing better!  I got this recipe from Aunt Jan over 20 years ago. My most requested present.  I can get Austin to do anything for me if I promise him his own peach pie. 

Baked pie shell

Mash 2 peaches. 

Add 1 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. water. 

Cook 5 minutes until clear. Add 2 T butter and 1/2 t. almond extract.  Allow sauce to cool while you peel and slice 4 or more peaches into the baked pie shell. When your shell is full of peaces, pour sauce over top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

Best Lemon Bundt Cake

Thanks Aaron for the photo!

Best Lemon Bundt Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
 2 Tbsp of lemon zest
1 1/4 cups whole milk
10 tablespoons butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350°F. 
Grease and flour a bundt pan *This is an important step because bundt cakes tend to stick in their pans.  
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside
Beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes or until thickened and lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and lemon zest and beat in.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until smooth, scraping bowl as needed.
In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter just until butter is melted (don't let boil). With mixer running, gradually add milk mixture to batter; beating just until combined and scraping bowl as needed. 
 Bake at 350° for 28 to 35 minutes- until top springs back when pressed and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean 
Remove from oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes or until the cake starts to pull away from side of pan. With a knife gently release the cake from the sides of the pan and turn cake out onto cake platter. 
 After the cake has cooled slightly, drizzle on glaze

Glaze:

Stir till smooth- 2-3 T. fresh lemon juice, 2 t. lemon zest, 11/2 c. powdered sugar

After the cake has completely cooled.  pipe on lemon cream cheese frosting.  I have not figured out how to make this look pretty yet but I am working on it!  The lemon cream cheese frosting really makes it all come together.

4 oz. cream cheese
4 T. butter
3 c. powdered sugar
2-3 t. fresh lemon juice 
heavy whipping cream for desired consistency..about 2 T.

Serve with fresh berries.

*Cake is adapted from AmyKayskitchen.  Sounds like she should be related!

Jenny's Mint Brownies

Jenny's Mint Brownies

         This recipe is my sister in law Jenny's recipe.  She is not only beautiful but a fabulous cook! The whole Squires family loves and adores her!



Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt:       11/2 c. butter

               6 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate

Beat:       6 eggs

Add:        3 c. sugar

               3 t. vanilla

               2 1/4 c. flour

               melted chocolate

Bake in 11x17 jelly roll pan at 350 for 23-24 minutes.

While warm frost with:

 Mix:           6 T. softened butter

                   3 T. evaporated milk

                   3 c. powdered sugar

                   3/4 t. mint

After frosting the brownies, place them in the refrigerator or freezer to cool completely.

Meanwhile:

Melt:          9 T. butter

                  11/2 c. semi sweet choco.chips

                  3 t. vanilla

Spread over chilled brownies and then refrigerate again until chocolate is hard.

 



Grandma Oborn's Lemon Cheesecake

Grandma Oborn's Lemon Cheesecake

This has been a favorite of mine for over 30 years!  It is a light and delicious cheesecake.  I love Jeff's Grandma Oborn.  She was a delightful person who was one of the hardest workers I have ever met!  She was always on the go!  One day, in the middle of Adam's cancer, I felt like I couldn't get out of bed.  I had a thought come to me that I should pray for Grandma Oborn's help.  I had miraculous energy and drive that day that I know could have only come from her.  I know she is STILL watching over her posterity!

Crust

1/2 c. butter
18 graham crackers
4 T. powdered sugar

Crush graham crackers. Melt butter. Combine 2 ingredients with the powdered sugar.  Press a little more than half in bottom of 9x13 pan.

1 c. hot water
1 small box lemon jello

Dissolve jello in hot water.  Add:

4 T. lemon juice

Let cool till room temperature.

Beat 1 can of chilled evaporated milk until it forms soft peaks.

In another bowl:
Cream 1 8 oz.  package of cream cheese, 3/4 c. sugar and 1 t. vanilla.

Add lemon mixture to cream cheese.  Fold in whipped milk.

Pour filling onto graham cracker crust.  Refrigerate for several  hours.  Top with remaining crumbs.

This is a super light and delicious cheesecake!  Thanks Grandma Oborn.

Aunt Kay's Brownies

Can I really add 2 blog posts in one night?  Maybe that is the way to do it!  I was totally in the mood for brownies tonight...maybe because I made a plan with Ellen to start eating better next week (after school starts...hee, hee).  I love this other recipe that I got when I was a newlywed by Aunt Kay.  She probably has no idea how many times I have made her brownies.  All of our Squires aunts are amazing cooks.  I think Aunt Lila could be our own Rachel Ray.  I really want to publish some of her recipes soon.  Ammon just said, "Mmmm, mom these brownies are really good!"  Take from Ammon and try them.
*The recipe is slightly modified from the 70's when we used margarine instead of butter!

2 c. butter
1/2 c. cocoa
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 c. flour

Melt butter and cocoa together.  Meanwhile beat 4 eggs until fluffy.  Add 2 c. sugar gradually (while mixer is running). Stir in butter mixture.  Stir in flour and vanilla.  Bake at 350 in a 9x12 (?)  greased and floured pan for 35-45 min.  Check for doneness with toothpick.
Frost while warm with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. butter
6 T. milk
3 T. cocoa

Mix butter, milke and cocoa in saucepan.  heat over love (don't boil)
Remove from heat and add powdered sugar to desired thickness.  Add 1 t. vanilla and 1/2 c. chopped nuts. 
Frost brownies as soon as removed from oven.

Aunt Jan's Zucchini Cake

Jan gave me this recipe when we were newlyweds.  I have been making this cake for 33 years and I think Jeff likes it better every year.  He compared the cake this year with the carrot cake at Deer Valley.  That is a major compliment! My original recipe card is falling apart so I thought I would blog it and keep it forever! It is a great way to use up zucchini.

3 c. grated zucchini
3 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. oil
4 beaten eggs
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients togeter.  Mix wet ingredients together.  Mix all together and bake at 300 for 11/2 hours.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1 package cream cheese
2 t. vanilla
cream
powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add vanilla.  Add 1-2 c. powdered sugar.  Add 2 T. cream.  Add powdered sugar and cream alternately until the frosting is the desired texture and flavor. 

Oreo Mint Dessert

I just want to tell my darling daughter-in-law...Happy Birthday!  I am so grateful for her!  She is beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.  She is thoughtful, kind and generous of heart.  She takes such good care of all of us.  She has saved me over and over again on things like adding pictures to the blog, helping write Aaron's research paper at 1 am when it got lost on the computer, working for Jeff so I don't have to and a million other things!  Most of all I love how she is my son Austin's best friend.  How lucky can a mother get???

I thought I would send her a birthday wish and recipe. I think this recipe is in her top five faves!

Mint Ice Cream and Oreo Dessert

Crush about 24 oreo cookies (filling and all). Add 6 T softened butter to cookies.  Mix together and press into a 9x13 pan.  Freeze for at least 20 min.  In the  meantime, remove 1 carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream (during the holidays I use peppermint ice cream) from freezer and let the ice cream soften.  Press softened ice cream onto the oreo crust.  Freeze for an hour or more.  Cut in squares and serve with hot fudge sauce and whipping cream.  Add candles for Andrea's birthday and make a wish!