jane's apron

idiot margaritas

This recipe is not "easy bake" but it is easy.  The "idiot margarita" is a recipe from my brother-in-law and we've been making them his way for a long time now.   Easy, easy, easy and WAY better than any margarita mix, this is one of those recipes that everyone will request as in "...and bring those margaritas".   It is all based on one measure of a frozen limeade...more cans of limeade makes more margaritas.

Idiot Margaritas

frozen limeade
beer
tequila
water/club soda/ice

Empty one can of frozen limeade into a pitcher or mixer.   Fill the can with tequila and add to mix.  Fill the can with beer and add to the mix.  Mix or stir and serve over ice.

The secret to this recipe is the beer...it makes the margaritas nice and foamy.  Adjust the tequila amount by adding less than a can but be sure to fill the partially full can with water or club soda.  Of course, garnish with fresh limes and margarita salt. 

As always, I'd love to hear from anybody that makes these...let me know!  And happy Cinco de Mayo.

soft chocolate chip cookies

Trying once again to take a picture of food.  But it's probably impossible to make chocolate chip cookie dough look bad. These are my new favorite cookie...soft chocolate chip cookies.  They are made with a touch of sour cream and they are like little chocolate chip cakes (loaded with both semisweet and milk chocolate).  The recipe is from Martha Stewart Living and you can find it here.  Try them this weekend...you probably have all of the ingredients. 

I hosted book club and a Pampered Chef party this week so I made lots of these cookies.  The Pampered Chef party was to partly benefit our upcoming school auction. I've never hosted a show before and am now "kind of" thinking about buying the Stainless Cookware Set.  Is this crazy?  Does anybody have any experience with the cookware?  Pros/Cons?

swedish jam shortbread

I know there must be an art to photographing food.  I have tried several times now and the results are the same.  Like those pictures in vintage cookbooks, whatever I try to take a picture of looks ewww-y.  Instead, I've taken a picture of my new favorite (thrifted) baking dish.  It's a great 9x11 pyrex dish with a cute red pattern.   It's been used a lot lately and when it has a day or two off, I keep it on my counter filled with cookbooks and recipes. 

I got this recipe for Swedish Jam Shortbread from my cousin and it's a perfect 'easy bake' recipe.

Swedish Jam Shortbread

1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix

1/2 C finely chopped pecans

1/4 C butter; softened

1 egg

10 oz. jar preserves (strawberry, apricot...whatever you like)

Combine cake mix, nuts, butter, and egg and mix with a pasty blender until crumbly.  Press into a greased 9x13 pan.  Spread preserves over top of mix and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  While still warm, drizzle with a glaze of 1/2 C powdered sugar, 2 1/2 tsp. water, and 1/2 tsp almond extract.  Cool completely and cut into 1 in. squares (small is good because these are really sweet).   

teachers' favorite brownie mix

When my kids were really young, they were all in some combination of daycare, preschool, and regular school...sometimes with several "teachers" each.  To make holiday gift giving a little easier, I started making brownie mixes as teacher gifts.  I just get some big ziplock bags and make an assembly line of brownie mix ingredients.  I think I am on my 10th year of these goodie bags and they have become quite famous at school.   I like to try different packaging and this year I'm going to use an idea from "Martha Stewart Holiday Handmade Gifts" idea book from last year...I'll use lunch bags and some of my favorite scrapbook papers. 

Teachers' Favorite Brownie Mix

1 C + 2 T flour

3/4 t salt

1/3 C cocoa powder

2/3 C packed brown sugar

2/3 C granulated sugar

1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 C white chocolate chips

Add the following directions with the mix:

Combine brownie mix with 1 t vanilla, 2/3 C oil, and 3 eggs. Stir until combined and pour into a greased 8x8 pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (or 35 minutes for a 7x11 pan).

The mom and daughter on this recipe clipboard are ready to mix some brownies...the wooden spoon says it all.  I'm sending this cute clipboard to a fellow baker...stop by the apronista for details. 

frosted cranberry cherry pie

I'm hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year.  It's not really a big deal because my sisters, mom, and mother-in-law will all bring big parts of the dinner and dessert.  Still...a slight panic has set in...all of the shopping, preparing, and cleaning, family day at school and, of all things, a soccer tournament.  And then of course is the temptation to completely goof off and make stuff for the craft show that is coming up.  Serenity now...

If you haven't decided on a good Thanksgiving dessert yet, I have a recipe for Frosted Cranberry Cherry Pie that is really pretty and also good.  It won a pie contest hosted at our school picnic a few years ago.  It's a good mix of tart and sweet.  To save a little time, I googled it and found the same recipe I have here.

I also wanted to let everyone know about National Tie One On Day on November 21...find out more about it Apron Memories.  I don't know if I will be able to participate fully but all of the girls in my house will have their aprons on on Thanksgiving Day.

One last thing...thanks to everyone for all of the birthday wishes...you really made my day!

banana bread pie

I know this category is called "easy bake" but this recipe is almost too easy to make...a little dangerous.  It's called Banana Bread Pie because it's a little like banana bread and a little like a custard-y pie.  Serve it warm or cool, with ice cream or whipped cream...you can't go wrong.

Banana Bread Pie

2 very ripe bananas

1/2 cup biscuit mix (like Bisquick)

2 large eggs

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp. butter; melted

1 tsp vanilla

Place bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well blended.  Pour the mixture into a 9 in pie place and bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes.  The pie should be caramelized on the edges but still a little soft in the center.

fudgy brownies

I have not used a single boxed brownie mix since finding this recipe for fudgy brownies in Everyday Food a few years ago.  They are simple to make and simply the best.  I have adapted the recipe just a little to make the steps easier.

fudgy brownies

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 c semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 c flour

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave (about 1 to 2 minutes).  Stir until smooth and then whisk in sugar and salt.  Whisk in eggs.  Whisk in flour.  Pour into an 8x8 pan lined with buttered foil and bake at 350 for 45 - 50 minutes. 

When the brownies are completely cool, lift them out of the pan with the foil, remove the foil, and cut the brownies into squares.  For what looks like a fancy dessert, I cut them into perfect 1 inch squares and drizzle them with chocolate glaze...seriously impressive.  Of course, when it's just us at home, my kids (and husband) just pull off pieces before I get a chance to cut them.

The photo is from Everyday Food...and you can find the original recipe here.

picnic cake

Our local newspaper used to have a "recipe exchange" feature (this was before you could just google a recipe) where readers would ask other readers for recipes they could not find.   I found the recipe for Toll House Bundt Cake that way (I still have the newspaper clipping).  I made the cake for some family event and found out my mom was one of the ladies that submitted the recipe to the newspaper...her name was right there and I never saw it.   She has a copy of the Toll House Heritage Cookbook and I was happy to find my own copy at the thrift store a couple of months ago.   The bundt cake is very good and very easy...and travels well...perfect for a summer picnic. 

Since it was kind of "picnic-y", I placed the cake a vintage picnic tablecloth that I bought a few years ago.  The tablecloth is a big sheet that family members signed with names, dates, and some great drawings...everything was then embroidered.  The date, 1947, is embroidered in the middle.  I bought the tablecloth for $2 at a neighborhood garage sale and use it all the time...it's a major conversation piece and I discover something new on it every time.

I'm taking a small blog break this weekend but will be back next week with my 100th post...a giveaway and (hopefully) a fun new apron project.   Have a happy 4th!

strawberry pie

I haven't shared this in my blog yet but, since it's kind of  a "creative" thing, I thought I'd try.  I bake.  My Mom has always made baked goods from scratch and it is just something that sticks with you.  My husband's family is the same way...his Mom makes the best lemon meringue pie. 

The closest thing we have to a family recipe is my grandma's strawberry pie.   I've never seen the recipe anywhere and still didn't find it in my vintage Eagle Brand recipe booklet.

When I was first dating my husband, I made him this pie.  I wish I could tell you that my sweet personality won him over...but that just isn't true (I'm a bit more "smart ass" than "sweet")...I'm pretty sure it was the pie.

My Grandma's Strawberry Pie

Prepare your favorite pie crust (pastry or graham cracker are good choices) and let it cool.

Combine one can of sweetened condensed milk with 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice...stir until thickened.

Fold about 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries (rinsed but well drained...you don't want the custard to be watered down by the strawberries) into the custard.   Turn the custard mixture into the prepared pie shell and chill.

Just before serving, top the pie with sweetened whipped cream.  I like to use 1  cup heavy cream + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.

That's it...it's that simple...but plate-licking good.  If you try this recipe, let me know!