My new friend Sarah, over there at Fortner Family, well hot damn, she tagged me.. Now this tag is for favorite recipes. I was in a stump for a moment, thinking.... hummm. what are some of my favorite recipes, so I asked all the peeps that know and love me best.. These rugrats. All the charming little ones (andnotsolittle, anymore) These are my nieces (4) and my phews, yes, phews, all 6 of them.. little dumplings of my life. ILOVEYOUGUYS!!! anyway, they said, by far and away, the best thing that I make is the very special and delicious Flag Cake. Now, I bet alot of you know this recipe, by Ina, my other homie.. but lets get back to this photo here, the one with all those adorable children.. The one, right smack dab in the middle, this is my sons Middle boy, he is Jake, Jake LOVES his Teta (Croation for aunt, thats me..)
his Teta Lisas cooking. Alot. He loves this cake so much, he calls me up and asks, no begs me, to make it for him, for his Birthday the last 3 years in a row. I adore that in a kid.. and I adore you, Jakey! All of you are awesome little sparklers..
This was taken this summer, we went over to Eastern Washington, Lake Chelan (heavenly) and rented 2 homes on the water, with their own swimming pools - for the first week of July. Let me tell you, these little rugrats were awesome, Their parents, well, we had alot of quality "together time".. nuff said. I still wonder how I got that gum in my hair...(thats next recipe, though)
Here is my friend Inas recipe for the cake, this above, is mine, not so perfect, but ooooh so good. Dont wait till the 4th to try it. Its easy, full of fat, and is pure cake perfection..
Barefoot Contessa's Flag Cake
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the icing:
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
To assemble:
2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth. Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries. I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.
Gathering around the thanksgiving buffet. Hey Cutz..see the Turnip gratin?? 
My brothers big hands, messing with the leftover taters..Making the devils tower...rememeber, anyone???
Excellent cousin Marcy and her hubby Jimmer, who by the way, makes the best MArTiNiS eva..
If I do say so myself...One thing I can grow is blueberries...although it doesnt take much, I just generally ignore them, except for having my sweet Bobvilla put a bird net around the bushes, this is all we do...
Its a very simplistic way to make a very AWESOMe breakfast for her children..
See?
This handsome dude is so multi-talented..Have I ever told you that?
Beautiful sweet, tart, colorful Gravenstein
First off you have to wash all the fruit.. slice quarter and take the core out.
More bathing beauties..
Make sure your quarts are good and clean, no breakage or chipped lids..
put those sweet little quarters in a good pan-"fer reducin.."
Have your hairy forearmed man stir and wait, ponder the lovliness..
More stirrin and more waitin..this makes the most heavenly scent of apple waft through your house. Mmmmmmm.
Now for the fun part. Keep cookin the apples, keep slicing the apples, keep on keepin on..
until you get this golden pan of tartness. pure smooth heaven. Add sugar to taste. Fill the quarts, pop on the warm lids and rings and give em a bath..HOT bath! And a facial for yourself if you want..
Oh, my..whats this..left over pie from the night before..like to try it?
How about Home made applepie, ala mode (with tillamook,no less) with a little hot fresh tart delicious apple sauce on top..
PERFECT! just perfect..
uhhhhh...except for this mess..
But its soooo worth it, on a drizzley NorthWest morning to serve these little sweeties a hot pancake with the golden love of home made applesauce on top..
Ode to the Pioneer Woman..
his Teta Lisas cooking. Alot. He loves this cake so much, he calls me up and asks, no begs me, to make it for him, for his Birthday the last 3 years in a row. I adore that in a kid.. and I adore you, Jakey! All of you are awesome little sparklers..
