Applesauce Cookies are quite delicious. They remind me of a pumpkin cookie – maybe because it has all of the delicious spices of cinnamon, ground cloves…nutmeg…but instead of using pumpkin – applesauce is used as its replacement. These are perfect Fall cookies that’s for sure! And right about now with these high temps and icky humidity I am ready for Fall, aren’t you? 🍁

Applesauce Cookies

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup applesauce

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and butter by hand or use an electric mixer until smooth.

Add in the egg and applesauce and blend well.

In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk the dry ingredients until all is well incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture.

Fold in the walnuts and raisins (optional)

Drop a spoonful of cookie dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown – about 14 to 16 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes in order for the cookies to set.

Remove from the baking sheet to completely cool onto a wire baking rack.

There is nothing like a fresh warm coffee cake directly from the oven. The buttery cake with brown sugar and cinnamon in the mix is truly amazing and delicious.

I used a simple classic recipe from Betty Crocker from 1973 and is truly timeless.

Homemade Coffee Cake

Cake Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 cup milk

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Topping Ingredients

3/4 cup brown sugar

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine oil, eggs and milk in a medium bowl.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until combined.

Spread the batter into a well greased 9 x 13 baking pan.

Combine the topping ingredients into a small bowl and sprinkle over batter (I swirled the topping into the cake)

Bake for 35 minutes.

Let the cake cool about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

It was my hubby’s birthday a few days ago so I made his ultimate favorite cake of all time: a chocolate mayonnaise cake with peanut butter buttercream frosting.

Marlin’s mother made this cake for all of her children’s birthdays (there are 6 total…only one, Ruby, wanted something different which was a pineapple upside down cake).

She also made it for Marlin’s dad’s birthday as well.

My husband and his siblings didn’t grow up with a lot of money and they had tough times but there sure was a lot of love amongst this crew of six – and there still is to this very day. I listen to the childhood stories of Marlin’s upbringing and the forefront of it all was his mother’s love. She didn’t have much to give for each child on their birthdays but she anyways gave this special token of love in making them their favorite cake on their special day.

So…it is definitely a family tradition that still lives on to this day. The Dixon’s love chocolate mayonnaise cake (except for the rebel “pineapple upside down cake lover”, Ruby ❤️)

Happy Birthday (again) to my Marlin. May your new year bring you all of the blessings and greatness that you deserve. And as your sister Ruby likes to say on each birthday…eat cake 😋

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Cake Ingredients

6 TBSP Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa

3 cups King Arthur’s All Purpose Flour

1 TBSP baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups Duke’s Mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cold water

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup of milk, heavy cream or half and half (I use whole milk)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

A heaping tablespoon (or more…all depends on your preference) of creamy peanut butter

Cake Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8″ cake pans or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt and sugar and mix well.

Add the mayonnaise, vanilla and water. Use an electric mixer at low speed and mix until smooth. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until completely done.

Remove from the oven and let the cake sit in the pans for at least ten minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and onto a cooling rack.

Cool completely before frosting.

Frost with your favorite frosting.

Chocolate frosting is a popular one for this cake. I always make Peanut Butter Buttercream for the cake because it’s a personal favorite.

Directions for Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

With a handheld or stand alone mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes.

Add 4 cups confectioners sugar, the milk, vanilla extract and peanut butter.

Beat for 2 minutes.

(Adapted from Duke’s Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake recipe)

I was at a farmers market recently and came home with way too much zucchini. So what’s a girl to do? Make zucchini bread of course!

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups grated or shredded zucchini

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Optional: 2 tablespoons light brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or use parchment paper) a 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, beat together the brown sugar, orange juice, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Stir or beat until smooth.

Stir in the zucchini and walnuts.

Add the batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the top with brown sugar if desired.

Bake the bread for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it in the pan for at least 10 minutes.

Remove from the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

Today is National Sugar Cookie Day! To honor this special day I’ve made former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower’s sugar cookies – using her own personal recipe.

Mamie Eisenhower’s Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 Tbs. cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 cup flour

Directions

Mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter, add sugar slowly and cream until fluffy. Stir in well-beaten egg yolks and vanilla extract.

Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the cream.

Chill for one hour.

Roll and cut in any desired shape. Sprinkle with sugar before baking.

Bake in a moderate oven (350 or 375 degrees) for 10 to 12 minutes.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had known each other basically all of their lives. 

Growing up as next door neighbors in the small town of Plains, Georgia, their families were close friends. Jimmy’s mother, Miss Lillian, even helped bring Rosalynn into the world during the Summer of 1927. A young Jimmy, at three years old, met her for the very first time a few days afterwards. 

When Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter became officially engaged he gifted her with an engraved compact that had the letters ILYTGwhich meant “I love you the goodest” (it was something his parents affectionately said to one another). 

They were married on July 7, 1946 at the Plains Methodist Church in their hometown and as they say…the rest is history ❤️

First of all…Happy National Fried Chicken Day, y’all!

I’ve been making fried chicken for years and am often asked to make it for the family. Mr Homemaker (haha!) thinks my fried chicken is “out of this world delicious.” So…I just wanted to share my personal recipe with you ❤️

Coleen’s Fried Chicken

Ingredients

2.5 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs (if you prefer chicken breasts or even a mixture…that will work too!)

2 cups flour

4-6 eggs

Splash of milk

Salt and pepper for seasoning (or add in your other favorites too!)

Teaspoon of hot sauce

Directions

In a medium bowl, add the flour and seasonings. Whisk together.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs, hot sauce and milk.

Heat a large skillet on low heat. Add a cup of olive oil.

Take one piece of chicken and dip in the egg mixture than into the flour mixture. Repeat. I call this the “double dip” (kinda of reminds me of a Seinfeld episode haha).

Turn up the skillet to medium heat.

Place each piece of the double dipped chicken into the heated skillet. Cook on each side for about 7 minutes until browned.

Keep flipping the chicken every 3 minutes or so. The chicken will need to cook for at least 25 minutes until completely done.

Remove the chicken from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain the excess grease.

Today in American history…former First Lady Nancy Reagan was born on July 6, 1921 in New York City 🇺🇸

I was recently introduced to Ooey Gooey Butter Cake when my son told me about the delicious cake he came across when visiting a local convenience store. He actually loves this cake so much that he stops at the store every day now to purchase two slices (one for breakfast and one for the evening!)

He was visiting a few days ago and asked if I could replicate the cake. Of course…I’m always up for a new challenge and on the hunt for new recipes – especially ones that makes my loved ones happy 🥰

The cake is probably now in my top #3 of favorite desserts – no kidding! I love the butteriness of the cake…the browned caramelized top and it’s so incredibly moist. Literally falls apart before it gets to your mouth.

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 package yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup melted butter

Filling

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup melted butter

4 cups confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract and the melted butter.

Use a fork to mash all together until all of the ingredients are fully mixed incorporated.

You can either use a 9” x 3” round cake pan or a 9” x 13” pan and spray with baking spray or line a piece of parchment in the bottom of the pan (I used a 9” x 13” cake pan and came out perfect!)

Press the cake mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and get it as flat as possible. I used the back of a soon to flatten and also rolled a glass over the entire cake to flatten even more.

To prepare the filling, place the softened cream cheese, eggs, vanilla and melted butter in medium mixing bowl and use a hand held (or stand alone) mixer to beat on medium speed until the mixture is creamy.

Add in the confectioners sugar one cup at a time and mix on low speed until all of the sugar has been added.

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the entire cake mixture.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. The edges and top will be brown and the center will be a little bit jiggly. You do not want to over cook – so keep watch after 40 minutes of baking.

Remove from the oven and cool before serving.

Optional: sift confectioners sugar over the top of the cake.