Today in American history…our 33rd U.S. President, Harry Truman, was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri.

In the archives of the Harry S. Truman Library is a food questionnaire that President Truman once responded to.

“I like well-done steaks…Mrs. Truman’s chocolate cake, and chicken and dumplings. [My] mother’s custard pie and fried chicken.” When asked how he preferred fried chicken, he wrote, “Ask mamma – she’ll know how. Haven’t seen many who do.”

In honor of President Truman’s birthday – I made a homemade chocolate cake.

Since I could not find a recipe for Mrs. Truman’s chocolate cake, I made a chocolate cake that he surely would have approved of. Nothing is better than a homemade Hershey’s Chocolate Cake with Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting 😋

Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 – ³/₄ cups all-purpose flour

³/₄ cup Hershey’s Cocoa

1 – ¹/₂ teaspoon of baking powder

1 – ¹/₂ teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

¹/₂ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 cupboiling water

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting.

“Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

¹/₂ cup butter or margarine(1 stick)

²/₃ cup Hershey’s Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

¹/₃ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately, add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.

Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

It’s National Oatmeal Cookie Day! What a great way to celebrate by making homemade delicious oatmeal cookies. What’s ever better? Fresh from the oven when they are warm…oh my!

Homemade Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspooon ground cinnamon

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

Optional: 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, chopped nuts or raisins (I added walnuts – hubby’s favorite!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.

Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an hand held mixer) for about 30 seconds until butter is a light yellow.

Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined.

Stir in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture until completely combined.

Gradually stir in the oats until completely combined. If using raisins or chocolate chips, stir them in at this point.

Drop cookie dough by rounded 2 Tablespoon-sized balls onto the
parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Space the cookie dough balls at least 2″ apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and cool to set.

The temperatures are starting to rise and it’s beginning to feel like Summer. Lemon Cheesecake Pie is the perfect dessert on a hot day. It’s nice and cold and lemon desserts are always incredibly refreshing.

Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

1 ready-to-use Nilla Wafer or Graham Cracker crust (I made my own graham cracker crust – was feeling energetic today!)

2 boxes (3.4 oz each) lemon instant pudding mix

2 cups half & half creamer

1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip

Optional: fresh lemon slices and/or lemon zest for garnishment

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, add the dry pudding mix and half & half creamer.

Whisk together for about 1-2 minutes until thoroughly combined.

Let the pudding mixture sit for a few minutes which will allow the pudding to thicken.

Once the pudding mixture is thickened, spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding mixture into the pie crust.

Set aside the remaining pudding mixture for later use.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar until creamy and combined.

Use a spatula to fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese/sugar mixture until combined.

Add half of the Cool Whip mixture into the remaining pudding mix that was set aside.

Spread onto the pie crust to form the second layer.

Spread the remaining Cool Whip/cream cheese mixture onto the top of the pie or you can use a piping tip and bag to pipe the Cool Whip mixture around the edges of the pie for decorating.

Optional: Add small slices of lemon wedges onto the piped Cool Whip mixture or sprinkle fresh lemon zest to the top of the pie.

Today in the kitchen I made a delicious Apple Cake in honor of Passover week. The cake was made with Matzo Meal instead of using traditional flour and I topped it off with my homemade whipped cream.

There is nothing in the world like an apple cake baked fresh from the oven topped with homemade whipped cream 😋

Apple Cake for Passover

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups matzo cake meal, divided ***

4 large apples, peeled and sliced (I used Granny Smith apples)

2-1/4 cups sugar, divided

6 eggs

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon potato starch (I used cornstarch in the place of potato starch)

Whipped cream, optional (see recipe below for homemade whipped cream)

***if you cannot find matzo cake meal, use regular meal and use a food processor to grind the meal into flour.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup matzo cake meal. Set the dish aside until it’s time to add your cake batter.

In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the eggs until slightly thickened. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until thickened and has a lemon color.

Beat in the vegetable oil and water.

Combine the potato starch and the remaining matzo meal; add to the egg mixture and mix all of the ingredients really well.

Pour half of the batter into your prepared baking dish. Top with the slices apples and remaining batter.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center of the cake is completely done.

Cool on a wire rack.

If desired, top with whipped cream.

Homemade Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Using a handheld or stand alone mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form (about 3–4 minutes).

Use immediately or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

We all know Emily Dickinson as an American poet but did you know she also enjoyed baking? I came across her recipe for Coconut Cake recently and had to follow up and read more on Emily Dickinson’s love of baking.

In 1845, a young Emily wrote a letter to her friend Abiah Root:

“I am going to learn to make bread to-morrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, salaratus, etc., with a great deal of grace.” 

A decade later her “rye and Indian” bread won a prize at a local cattle show.

She loved to bake for her family and friends and continued even after she stopped leaving her home permanently.

She has two recipes for her Coconut Cake and here’s one below.

1 cup cocoanut

2 cups flour

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoonful soda

1 teaspoonful cream of tartar

This one makes half the rule

The original recipe did not have directions attached.

Emily Dickinson’s Coconut Cake

Adapted from a recipe in the collection of Donald and Patricia Oresman

Ingredients

½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8½″ X 4½″ loaf pan with butter, line the bottom with parchment, and butter the parchment.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well.

3. Sift the cake flour together with the baking soda and cream of tartar, and whisk to blend (or substitute a scant 2 teaspoons of baking powder for the soda and cream of tartar).

4. Add half the milk to the butter-sugar mixture and stir to blend, then add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add the remaining milk and then the remaining flour, mixing briefly after each addition. Fold in the coconut.

5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake on middle rack of oven for about 55-60 minutes, until golden around the edges and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

Today in American history…Thomas Jefferson, our third U.S. President (1801-1809) was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia.

Along with being a U.S. President, he was one of our founding fathers and the primary author of The Declaration of Independence.

He was also the second Governor of Virginia (1779-1781), second U.S. Minister to France (1785-1789) first U.S. Secretary of State (1790-1793) and second Vice President (1797-1801).

Thomas Jefferson accomplished much in life as a statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, planter and philosopher but one of his greatest personal accomplishments was the founder of the University of Virginia.

He passed away on ironically on July 4, 1826 on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Our second U.S. President, John Adams, passed away on the very same day.

Before he passed away, Thomas Jefferson wrote his own epitaph and was buried at his home at Monticello. His epitaph reads:

Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.

One of the crops grown at Monticello were sweet potatoes – it was one of his personal favorites (along with pecans!) The recipe is from the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the NCC, Thomas Jefferson’s biscuits were served at the very first meeting of the First Continental Congress in 1774.

Thomas Jefferson’s Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, cut in small pieces

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup of milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sweet potato, mashed (about 1 large Virginia Sweet Potato)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I omitted the pecans)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F

Combine the dry ingredients. Add butter with fork, food processor or pastry cutter until the texture is small crumbs.

Combine milk and sweet potatoes. Add to flour mixture. Add pecans.

Knead dough with your hands until it is a smooth mass. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2″ thickness and cut with a 2″ biscuit cutter.

Place on a greased baking sheet 2″ apart.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Nothing is more comforting as a fresh out of the oven banana bread – especially loaded with blueberries 🫐

Blu’Nana Bread was a favorite of President and Mrs Ford’s and we are very fortunate to have been able to use her personal recipe.

The bread is super moist and tasty – everything you would expect and desire from a delicious banana bread.

Blu’Nana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, at room temperature

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups sifted flour, divided

5 ripe bananas, mashed

3 teaspoons allspice ***

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries (I used fresh blueberries)

*** since I didn’t have allspice on hand, I used a teaspoon each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

Cream together sugar and butter.

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Fold in half of the flour and mashed bananas.

Place remaining flour less 2 Tbsp in a sifter and add allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift and fold Into banana mixture.

Sprinkle blueberries with remaining flour and fold into batter. Divide batter into both prepared pans.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes.

Test with toothpick to determine if bread is done.

Today in American History…former First Lady Elizabeth “Betty” Ford was born on April 8, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois.

To celebrate Mrs. Ford’s birthday today, we are going to enjoy her personal recipe of Chinese Pepper Steak for dinner.

And for dessert (because there always has to be a dessert!) I made one of her and President Ford’s favorites: Blu’Nana Bread 😋

Betty Ford’s Chinese Pepper Steak

Ingredients

2 pounds flank steak (I used ribeye – just a personal favorite)

2 tablespoons shortening (I used unsalted butter)

3 green bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (I used tri-color bell peppers)

1 package onion soup mix

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup sherry

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Cut steak lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips and then into 1-inch pieces.

Melt the shortening in a skillet and fry the steak just long enough for it to change color.

Remove the steak and sauté the green peppers.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.

Add onion soup mix and continue to boil for 10 minutes.

Stir in the meat and green pepper and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch (diluted in a little water), salt and pepper.

Cook until slightly thickened. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4.

I’m looking forward to attending Vintage in the Valley tomorrow in Strasburg and modeling in the vintage fashion show at 1PM.

Make sure to come out and enjoy these wonderful festivities tomorrow! I’m personally excited for the carriage rides, all of the fabulous vendors and of course…the wine🍷

Here is a fun look back at previous vintage fashion shows. It’s not very often I get the chance to walk a runway 🤣

For our Easter dessert tomorrow I made a cake that my son loves. He adores anything with strawberries…and chocolate…so what goes better than a chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream frosting – with chopped strawberries in the frosting! 🍓

My little granddaughter helped me in the kitchen today. Shes going on 2 years old and it was so much fun having her help me make the cake. She really wanted to just eat the cake batter and lick the spoon – don’t we all??!! 🤣

For the cake recipe, I used 2 boxes of pre-made chocolate cake mix BUT added chocolate chips in it to “make it my own.” If using 2 boxes of cake mix, I would add in about 2 cups of chocolate chips.

Prepare the cake according to box directions. I used 2 cake pans (filled 3/4) and baked for 28 minutes and cooled.

I also had enough to make 6 cupcakes with the rest of the batter.

Once the cake is cooled, it’s time to add the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.

Homemade Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

4 cups powdered/confectioners sugar (add more if needed after mixing)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt add more to taste, as needed

2-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

Optional: Whole strawberries and halves for garnishing the cake

Directions

Place butter in the bowl of a stand alone mixer (or use a large bowl and an electric mixer) and beat until creamy and smooth.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined.

Add heavy cream or milk and stir.

Add the chopped strawberries and fold into the mixture.

Add more powdered sugar if needed until you get the frosting consistency you desire.

Begin frosting the first layer and then the top layer and the sides. Add the whole and/or chopped strawberries for decoration.