Monthly Archives: March 2011

Trying To Be Good Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on March 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

My mother always used margarine in her cookies, but now we know those yellow sticks are worse than butter. A tub of Earth Balance is my substitute for trying to be good, but I can’t give up on the sugar. With old-fashioned oats instead of instant, the cookies are chewier and crunchier.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup Earth Balance
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix ingredients together. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes, until brown around the edges.

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Dinosaurs in Hawaii

Posted on March 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

Scary Dinosaur outside the Bishop Museum

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Guinness Beer Bread

Posted on March 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

Guinness just doesn’t taste the same outside of Ireland,

but the bread is fast and has that certain something…

  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bottle (12 ounce) Guinness

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add beer and stir until combined.  Add more flour as needed to create a dough ball.  Place bread into a round cake pan lined with foil that has been greased with olive oil.  Brush top with beaten egg.  Bake until brown – about 45 minutes.

Best eaten hot, smothered in butter.

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Green Food for St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on March 17, 2011 | Leave a comment

Watergate is history, but the cake lives on – and it’s green.  I plan to make my mother’s version today; she used ginger ale to the traditional recipe to give it some kick.

Ginger Watergate Cake

  • 1 package white cake mix
  • 1 package instant pistachio pudding mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup ginger ale
  • 1/2 cup walnuts

Mix all ingredients and bake in small cake pan for about 45 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

And I remember her  Lucky 7 Watergate Salad (7 ingredients):

  • 1 can crushed pineapple, not drained
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 small box of instant pistachio pudding
  • 1 small container of cool whip
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped apples

Mix all ingredients and chill overnight or at least 3 hours.


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Not a Pioneer Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Posted on March 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

My mother made this in her electric fry pan; I remember  drinking the maraschino cherry juice after she used all the cherries.


  • 6 tbsp shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ¼ cups sifted flour
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 can sliced pineapple and maraschino cherries – drained

Blend shortening with sugar and egg until creamy.  Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk or fruit juice and mix well.

Preheat electric fry pan at 250 until light blacks out.  Melt 4 tablespoons butter in the pan.  Add ¾ cup brown sugar and blend, spreading evenly at the bottom of pan. Arrange pineapple slices with cherries in center of each on bottom of the pan. Pour batter carefully over the fruit.  Cover and cook for 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool and invert onto a plate.

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