Dear Sweetie Pie,
Here is a great recipe for celery soup.
Dear Sweetie Pie,
Well, it’s that time of year again. Pumpkin spice time! I imagine where you live pumpkin spice is everywhere. Not so up here in the north of Norway. Even though pumpkins are available for Halloween, canned pumpkin is not something easily found.Which is why I smuggle a few cans home with me after a trip to the states.
Now, I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, or lattes in general. I like my coffee black. I’m probably one of few people that actually goes into a Starbuck’s and orders black coffee! But I do like pumpkin, especially this easy to make pumpkin spice cake.
I got this recipe more than 30 years ago from a lady I used to work with. Way before pumpkin spice was a THING. And way before Starbuck’s was more than just a local business in Seattle. I can remember a time before Starbuck’s? Geez! I must be getting old!
Thank’s, Nancy D.!
Pumpkin Spice Bars
Cream Cheese Frosting
This is so easy! Preheat oven to 350 F (175C). Grease a 9X13 inch cake pan.
For the cake, dump EVERYTHING into a mixing bowl.
Mix with a wire whisk til smooth.
Pour into your pan
and bake for 25-30 minutes.
While the cake is cooling , make your frosting. Place cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl.
Beat until fluffy.
Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Add milk or cream and vanilla and beat til smooth and creamy.
Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate to let the frosting firm up a bit bfore cutting into bars.
This cake stays nice and moist for several days. You can also freeze it. I like to freeze it after it’s been cut. then I can grab a piece or two to thaw a little and have with my morning coffee. 
I hope you enjoy making AND eating this! And have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
The title of this post was supposed to be A Valentine’s Dessert for Two. But I struggled trying to learn to post on my tablet, and in the end I just gave up. And now Valentine’s Day has come and gone. But hey! Any day is a good day to have a creamy, chocolate dessert. Right?
I was browsing through my favorite food magazine, http://finecooking.com, and came across this recipe. French recipes have always intimidated me. I mean, if I can’t pronounce it, it must be hard to make, right? Boeuf Bourguignon, Croque Monsieur, Coq Au Vin. Sounds complicated. But this recipe looked so simple and easy, i just had to try it. 
Pots de Crèmehttp://www.finecooking.com/recipes/bittersweet-chocolate-pots-de-creme.aspx
Heat the half-and-half and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. (not quite boiling, but very hot)
Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl.
Slowly whisk the hot milk into the eggs. You have to do this SLOWLY so as not to cook the eggs.
. Return the milk mixture to the pan, reuce heat to low, and whisk until it thickens. About 1 or 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, sugar, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Pour into two small serving glasses. You can serve this in small coffee cups, or martini glasses, or whatever fancy little cups you have. 
Regrigerate until set, a couple of hours. decorate with a little whipped cream, and maybe a fresh strawberry or raspberry. (I was berry free).
I hope you try this, it simply delicious!
Have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
Home made cole slaw is just one of those dishes that every one should be able to make. It’s ridiculously easy. I admit, though, that buying a bag of pre-shredded cabbage and a jar of dressing is tempting. But home made just tastes better. If you’ve got cabbage, a carrot and some mayo, you’ve got cole slaw!
Chop up half a head of cabbage. I first slice it thinly, then take the knife and chop right through it again.
Place the cabbage in a strainer over a bowl and toss with a teaspoon of salt. Let this sit for about an hour. The salt will draw moisture out of the cabbage, and make your finished slaw crunchy without becoming watery.
Depending on how much moisture is in the cabbage, you will have some water in the bowl under the strainer. Just toss that. At this point, taste the cabbage and if it seems salty, rinse under cold water. You should then pat it dry with a towel. However , if it tastes fine to you, continue with the recipe.
Place the cabbage in a bowl and grate a carrot into it.
Now you are ready for the dressing. You need half a cup of mayonaisse, and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
I like to add a few dashes of tobasco, also.
Now just season to taste with salt and pepper. Some folks like a little sugar in the dressing, but that is up to you. I prefer it without.
So that’s how easy it is to make Cole slaw. I hope you enjoy it.
Have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
Today we’re making shredded pork in the slow cooker. Now, some people call this pulled (ew) pork, but as you can see, I have a serious problem with that word. Pulled (ew). How is that appetizing? It’s NOT! It just sounds so…wrong! Am I right or am I right?
Shredded is a much nicer term. The meat is shredded not pulled, with two forks. Even if you use your fingers (which you shouldn’t because the meat is hot and you’ll burn your little pinkies) it is still shredding, not pulling. Now that we covered that, this dish shall only be referred to as Shredded pork.
This is more of a method of cooking than a recipe. And doesn’t take a long list of ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need.
Cut the roast into manageble pieces. 
Season well with whatever seasonings you choose. I suggest seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper or lemon pepper, smoked paprika. Season liberally, the meat can handle a lot of salt and spices.
I used a blend of smoked paprika, alder smoked salt, garlic, pepper and brown sugar.
Slice or chop an onion and place in crock pot. I had a couple of shallot onions threatening to grow legs and make a run for it, so I threw them in the pot, too.
Place the meat in the pot.
And add 1/4 cup of water.
Put on the lid, and let cook on low for 6 hours.
Now, vacuum those floors, pick your dirty clothes off the floor and start a load of laundry. In the next few hours a wonderful smell will start to permeate your apartment, drifting over to the neighbor’s apartments. Don’t be surprised if people start knocking on your door, asking what that heavenly smell is. It’s absolutely heartbreaking! BUT, resist the urge to peek!
I peek all the time!
They say it takes 45 minutes for the crock pot to come back up to temperature after you’ve lifted the lid. I still peek!
When the meat is fall-apart tender, take it out of the pot and SHRED with two forks.
Pour off the cooking liquid in the pot, strain it, and throw away all the solid stuff. Reserve some of the liquid for moistening the meat. Wipe the pot out with a paper towel, and dump the shredded meat back in. Now it’s time to add your favorite barbeque sauce.
Use as much sauce to suit your own taste, and also some of the reserved cooking liquid to add a little more moisture.
Cover the pot, and let cook another half hour to an hour on low.
That’s it! Easy wasn’t it? Just pile that delicious meat on a toasted bun, crown it with some crunchy homemade cole slaw,
and enjoy!
Have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
Eat your vegetables! That’s what mom’s are always telling their kids. But most kids turn their noses up at vegetables, especially broccoli. Now, I happen to love broccoli, even just plain steamed or boiled broccoli, unadorned with butter or some kind of sauce. But I’ve recently discovered roasted broccoli and I’m here to tell you that this stuff is incredible. Even the most hardcore, veggie hating veggie haters will love this. Even your brother, who’s allergic to all things green, loves this. In fact, I’m quite certain that even George Bush Sr. would change his mind about broccoli.
This is how you roast broccoli:
Place your broccoli in a baking dish
Drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon pepper. Lemon pepper is the KEY!
Add a little butter, because, well, ….butter!
Roast at 375F or 400F for 20 minutes, or until broccoli is starting to be brown.
Give it a stir or two while roasting.
That’s all there is to it. Be sure to make plenty, cause there won’t be leftovers, and if there is, hey, it’s delicious cold, too!
Have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
It’s that time of the year again! The days are getting warmer, the sun is shining more, and it’s time to bust out that grill! Here is a great and tasty recipe that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters. Would that be you? Naw! You were never picky, as long as rice wasn’t involved. Or soup. Or stews. Or fish. Or anything white. I’ll stop now. You’ll love this. You do love this. The chicken is marinated in cocnut milk, and the coconut milk does amazing things to the meat, making it tender and juicey. And to top it off is a sweet,hot chili glaze that is almost like pancake syrup. Sweet, syrupy, and spicey. Delicious! But you have to plan this meal a day in advance. You want that chicken marinating over night. Okay? Here we go.
Sticky Coconut Chicken
Marinade:
Wash and trim the chicken breast. In a large bowl, mix the marinade ingredients.
Place the chicken breasts into the marinade, making sure the meat is below the surface of the marinade.
Now let this sit in the fridge overnight so the cocnut milk can work it’s magic.
The next day, get ready to cook! Prepare your grill, and make the chili glaze.
Chili glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a medium size saucepan, and bring to a boil.
Let it boil for 8-10 minutes, until reduced and syrupy. Keep it at a rolling boil during that time, but keep an eye on it and stir occasionally to prevent boiling over.
When it’s done, just remove it from the heat and let it sit until the chicken is done.
Now back to the chicken. Remove the meat from the marinade. If the marinade is really thick, just scrape it off the chicken.
Grill over high heat for 4-6 minutes, then flip and grill the other side for 4-6 minutes.
Continue flipping until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, maybe 5 minutes more. Enjoy the scenery while you’re outside waiting.
When the meat is done, transfer to a platter and pour the chli glaze (reheat if needed) over the chicken. Garnish with chopped green onions.
I served this with roasted potatoe wedges and fresh asparages. 
Yeah, it was literally finger lickin’ good.
Hope you enjoy it, and have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
It’s the dead of winter. Cold temperatures, blowing wind, wind chill, blizzards, OH MY! Time for some warm and warming comfort food. Sloppy Joes are easy to make, tasty, and sure to please. Especially if you throw everything in the crock pot before work. I know I love coming home to dinner already to go. It makes life so much easier.
This is one of those meals where I don’t really follow a recipe. I have the recipe from my mother, but I’ve tweaked it over the years. I’ve added a few things, such as jalepeno pepper, and you can add or remove things also. Sloppy Joes always come out good!
Sloppy Joes
Brown the ground beef with the onion, celery and peppers.
Now you can transfer it to your crock pot. Add all the rest of the ingredients.
Give it a good stir.
Cover the crock pot and cook on low for about 6 hours.
You can also cook this on the stove. Just follow the same directions, but add everything to the pot you browned the meat in. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve up on toasted buns or warm pita bread. It’s nice to have cole slaw or veggies and dip on the side. Enjoy!
Have a wonderful day!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
Christmas will soon be here! You are probably watching all your favorite christmas shows and planning all the goodies you want to make. And of course planning your first Christmas dinner away from home. By the way, children shouldn’t be allowed to grow up and move away from home and not come home for Christmas!!
With that said, You might like to have a little norwegian tradition for Christmas Eve dinner. So today we are making Riskrem, or Rice Cream with red berry sauce.
This is quite simple to make, with only a few ingredients. 
Let’s start with the rice. You can use regular rice, but if you can find pearl rice in the grocery store, use that.
Pearl rice cooks up a little differently, and is better for this type of dessert.
Norwegian Delight
First cook the rice. In a medium sized pot, bring water to a boil. Add the rice, turn the heat down to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until water is almost cooked in, about 10 minutes.
Add the milk, and allow to cook until thick. This will take about 45 minutes. Remember to stir the pot occasionally so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan, and don’t let lit boil over. (Because that’s a mess)
When the mixture is thick and creamy, remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a bowl and place in fridge. 
While the rice is cooling in the fridge, you can make the sauce.
Red Berry Sauce
Place the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat until just beginning to boil and the sugar dissolves. Add the frozen berries.
Bring this to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Allow to cool, and then place a strainer over a bowl. Pour the berries into the strainer and with the back of a spoon, press the berries to get as much juice out as possible, leaving the pulp and seeds behind.
This will give you a relatively clear and seedless sauce. Add a little squeeze of fresh lemon, and let cool in the fridge.
Now back to the rice! When everything is nice and COLD, using a electric mixer, whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Fold the whipped cream into the cold rice with a rubber spatula.
The only thing left to do now is get out your prettiest bowls, and serve this up!
If you serve this to some friends during the holidays, I guarentee they will be impressed! You don’t have to tell them how easy it is.
Have a wonderful holiday season!
Dear Sweetie Pie,
I’ve always liked broccoli soup but never made it because I’ve never found a recipe I much cared for. Until now, that is. This soup is as delicious as it is easy. Even Mr. Muscle, who seems to be allergic to anything green, called this awesome.
The Recipe:
Wash the broccoli and separate the florets. I used the florets and stalks.
Saute the onion and celery in 2 Tlbs. butter. 
Add the broccoli and 3 cups chicken broth. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
In another pot, make a white sauce by melting the 3 Tlbs. butter, stir in the flour…
and whisk in the milk. Stir until thick and bubbly.
When the broccoli is tender, mash it with a potato masher, or use a wand mixer to puree everything.
Now add the milk mixture , and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. I like mine with a little bit of kick, so I sprinkled in some cayenne pepper. Serve with some crumbled bacon on top if you like.
This is really delicious! Give it a try, and have a woderful day!
Princess Sweetiepie Learns to Cook 