On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress proclaimed “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”

As new States entered into our union after our Nation’s independence in 1776, new stripes and stars were added.

In 1818, Congress enacted a law stating that the original thirteen stripes be restored and only stars be added to represent new states.

The first observance of Flag Day was was held on June 14, 1877 – the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the American flag. The U.S. Congress proclaimed that the American flag was to be flown from all public buildings throughout the country.

It wasn’t until 1949 that the U.S. Congress officially designated June 14th as Flag Day – which was to be a National day of observance for the American flag 🇺🇸

Peanut Butter Cookies are my all-time favorite. Especially fresh from the oven! My “go to” recipe throughout the years has always been the recipe from my personal worn Betty Crocker Cookbook that was given to me as a wedding gift in 1993. It has my children’s (and mine!) smudge prints throughout the book along with my personal notes. It’s been my faithful recipe friend for three decades.

This recipe was also used by my mother and it brings back memories whenever I bite into a cookie. It’s like tasting something from childhood. So thank you, Betty Crocker for the recipe and for the memories ❤️

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/4 cup shortening 

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine or butter, softened 

1 large egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees 

Mix into a large bowl with a wooden spoon the following: granulated sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, margarine or butter (softened) and egg. 

Stir into the mixture: all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

Shape the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Put the balls about 3 inches onto a cookie sheet. Flatten balls gently in cross cross pattern with a fork dipped in sugar.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool cookies 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove with spatula to a wire rack. Then cool.

Recipe from: Betty Crocker’s Best of Baking cookbook

Today in American history…former First Lady Barbara Bush was born on June 8, 1925 in New York City.

One of my favorite quotes from her is: “Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people – your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way.”

A few personal memories of her shared by those who had a chance to meet her were one of my former boss at The Pentagon. I worked for a high-level official who was invited to the Naval ship christening of the USS George H.W. Bush on October 7, 2006. My boss saw an older lady fussing with a camera and didn’t take notice at the time that it was Barbara Bush. Mrs. Bush saw my boss and and asked her, “would you mind taking a picture of my family together?” and then it dawned on her…this is Barbara Bush asking her to take a family picture. It was just so sweet and humbling. A woman who just wanted to take a private moment to have a picture of her family. of course, there were official photographers everywhere. There was the press. But she wanted a picture taken with her own personal camera.

Another is of when Mrs Bush visited my children’s elementary school and read to them one afternoon. They sat in a circle and she read one of her most recent published books about her dogs. One again, a very humble and real person who loved her family, children and her country.

Mrs Bush was known for her friendliness and fun but above all – she was truly dedicated and loyal to her family. It’s not surprising at all that she would have a treasure trove of family recipes and how generous it was of her to share them so that we could enjoy them too!

Barbara Bush’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Ingredients

1 cup butter 
1 cup granulated sugar 
1 cup brown sugar 
2 eggs 
2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups instant oatmeal
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) chocolate chips

Directions

Blend the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs. Sift and add the flour. Add the baking soda and salt. Add and mix in the oatmeal, vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

Today in American history…our 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts.

“Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met—obligations to truth, to justice, and to liberty.” – President John F. Kennedy

Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and for our freedom. We are forever grateful and will never forget you. #MemorialDay

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
John 15:13

Ingredients

1 (14.75-oz.) can salmon, drained

1 tbsp. dill weed

1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 large egg, beaten

A dash of salt & pepper for seasoning

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed for frying

Directions

In a large bowl, add first 8 ingredients.

Season with salt and pepper and mix until well blended.

Form into 5, evenly-sized patties.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook patties until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately.

You can serve over a bed of fresh spinach and squeeze a lemon over if desired. I made steamed asparagus as a side dish for ours.

Today in American history…Dolley Madison was born on May 20, 1768 in New Garden, North Carolina (present day Greensboro, North Carolina).

She married James Madison on September 15, 1794.

She was First Lady from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817.

She was a very popular First Lady and hostess and was known for her social graces and hospitality which helped contribute to her husband’s popularity while he was President.

Known for her love of entertaining and afternoon tea, one of the items at her famous tea parties were her Woodbury Cinnamon Tea Cakes.

Woodbury Cinnamon Tea Cakes

Ingredients

1 large egg, separated

Pinch of salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup of flour

2 TBSP melted butter

1 tsp baking powder

1 TBSP ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease either a bundt pan or mini bundt pan (I used mini loaf pans). You can also use a square baking pan.

Butter and then flour the pan so the cake will easily come out of the forms after baking.

Beat the egg white with a pinch of salt until still soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg yolk, and vanilla; slowly fold it into the egg whites.

Fold in the flour, melted butter, baking powder, and cinnamon until just combined.

Pour mixture into prepared baking pan or mini pans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a metal rack for cooling.

Immediately, while the cake is still warm from the oven, brush on the additional 2 tablespoons melted butter. Then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the cake.

Today in kitchen I made Olivia Walton’s Applesauce Cake.

Some of you may be wondering…who is Olivia Walton? She is a fictional character of the popular classic television show The Walton’s which aired from 1972-1981. Olivia Walton was the matriarch of this beloved family.

The show took place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and was about the Walton family and how they survived through the tough times of The Great Depression and World War II.

The show was narrated through the eyes of their eldest son, John Boy Walton, whose only dream in life was to be a novelist.

The show is based on the life of Earl Hamner, Jr (who was the creator of the show) and his family growing up in Schuyler, Virginia.

The Walton’s is my husband’s all time favorite television show – he has seen every single episode and we watch the movie The Homecoming every year at Christmas.

In the fall of 2020, we had the pleasure of visiting Schuyler, Virginia and it was wonderful to see the museum dedicated to The Walton’s television show and strolled through Earl Hamner’s boyhood home – which was based on the television show.

Olivia Walton’s Applesauce Cake Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

2 cups light raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp baking soda

3-1/2 cups flour (sifted)

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cloves

2 tsp nutmeg pinch of salt

Directions

Sift together: Flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Take 1/2 cup of flour mixture and stir into the nuts and raisins.

Set both aside.

Cream butter until whipped soft. Add sugar a little at a time until mixture is smooth. Beat in eggs vigorously. Alternately stir in flour mixture and applesauce. When all mixed together, add nuts and raisins and mix well.

Pour batter into a well-greased cake mold (I used a Bundt Pan).

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

Cool ten minutes, then turn out on cake rack.

Frost if desired

Bess Truman’s Ozark Pudding was one of President Harry S Truman’s favorite desserts. During the Truman Presidency, there were many who wrote letters to The White House asking for the recipe.

Ozark Pudding is kind of a cake-like fruit pudding with pecans. My husband (aka official taste tester) said it tasted like a pecan pie and apple crisp combination. He loved it!

This original recipe is from the Social Correspondence Office Files of the official Truman Papers and was sent to everyone who asked for the recipe.

Ozark Pudding Recipe

1 egg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1/2 cup raw apples (finely chopped, I used granny smith)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat eggs and sugar a long time until very smooth.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and stir into the sugar-egg mixture.

Fold in apples, nuts, and vanilla.

Bake in a buttered pie pan in preheated oven for 35 minutes.

Cool to room temperature and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

(Source: Archivist, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum)

I had leftover blueberries. A few lemons. So I thought…what a perfect combination for a cake! It’s a delicious cake that reminds me of Springtime and the reminder of all things fresh and new on the horizon.

The recipe that I used today is from one of my favorite “go to” sites: Sally’s Baking Addiction. I adapted/tweaked a few things to make it my own but here is the original recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

2 TBSP lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice (would be about 3 lemons)

1 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen will work too!)

Ingredients (for the Lemon Buttercream Frosting)

3 Cups powdered sugar

1/3cups butter or margarine, softened

3 TBSP lemon juice

1/2teaspoon grated lemon peel

Directions (for cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease three 9-inch round cake pans or 8-inch round cake pans (8-inch pans produce thicker cakes), line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper.

Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy – about 1 minute.

Beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2-3 minutes.

Beat on medium speed until everything is completely combined, about 2 full minutes.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Beat on low speed for 5 seconds.

beat in the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice just barely until combined. Toss the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of flour and gently fold into the batter. Batter will be very thick.

Let the cake cool for about ten minutes then remove from pans onto a baking cooling rack.

Start to make your frosting.

Directions (for Lemon Buttercream Frosting)

Beat butter, lemon peel and lemon juice in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat 2 to minutes longer or until light and fluffy.

Once the cake is completely cooled – time to frost. (Hint: Add extra blueberries and lemon zest for garnish!)