Bev's Creamy Rice Pudding

Very creamy! Great on a chilly day. Thanks for sharing the yumminess, Bev! 

1 1/4 c water
3/4 teas. salt
1/2 c raw long grain rice
1/2 to 1 cup raisins

1/2 c sugar
6 Table. flour
3/8 teas. salt
2 1/2 c milk
3 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 1/2 teas. vanilla
1/8 teas. nutmeg
1/8 teas. cinnamon

Directions:

Bring water and salt to a boil in a small pot. Add rice and stir. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Add raisins during the last 10 or 15 minutes to plump them.

Meanwhile, in top of double boiler combine sugar, flour and 3/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in milk slowly, mixing after each addition so there are no lumps. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Add a small amount of the cooked milk mixture to the egg yolks, stirring as you add it. Then stir the egg yolks into the milk mixture in the double boiler and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in rice, raisins, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Serve warm or cold.

Credit to "Now... you're cooking!" 

Lowe Chocolate Potluck Cake

cake:
1 pkg. devils food cake mix
1 c. vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 c water
1/2 c vegetable oil
3 large eggs

topping:
1/3 c finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/3 c light brown sugar
1/3 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Place cake mix, yogurt, water, oil and eggs in large mixing bowl. blend with electric mixer at low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. Batter should be stiff and smooth.

Pour batter into 9x13 pan that is sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle topping on top of the cake. Bake for 30-35 min or until cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Cool on wire rack about 20 min. Serve warm. Store at room temp for 3 days or in refrigerator for 1 week.


Here you go, Judy. You need to take this one with you for Texas baking ;)

Alayna's Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 cartons of chicken broth

2 cans of chicken (you can use fresh or canned)

3 chopped carrots

3 chopped celery

Some noodles, or substitute for 1/2 cup of barley or rice

salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add the celery and carrots, and after ten minutes add the chicken.

Ten minutes before serving, add the noodles. If using barley, or rice, cook for twenty minutes.

Season with salt and pepper!

Love,

Alayna Lowe

French Boule Bread

Since I have recently been dubbed the "official bread maker" of the family, I thought I would share this bread recipe that has been well loved by our family and friends. My grandmother made this bread a few years ago while at our house and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. So, of course, we needed the recipe....

(My family usually doubles this recipe, and so the amount ends up being about 4 loaves)

3 cups of lukewarm water (105 - 115 degrees)

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

6 1/2 cups flour

Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt. When mixing the dough, keep it as wet as you can handle. Mix into a semi-rounded ball. My family has found that this bread tastes better if it sits in the refrigerator for a while before baking. But either way, when the dough is mixed form it into loaves, sprinkle the tops with salt, and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes to rise. The bread needs to be baked at 450 for 30 minutes. We bake our bread on circular pizza stones because we found that it turned out better, but the stones are not necessary. Put a shallow pan in the bottom of the oven to heat. After the bread is in the oven ready to bake, put a couple of cups of hot water into the heated pan. It will sizzle, and a cloud of steam will be produced. This will help give the bread a crusty outer. My family has found this extra step to be worth it:)

Enjoy:)

~Olivia G.

Bev's Garlic Salad Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons italian seasoning(oregano, tarragon, basil, rosemary
freshly cracked black pepper to your taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
sugar to taste

Shake well and refrigerate.