Before Jimmy Carter became our 39th President in 1977 and before he was elected as the Governor of Georgia in 1970, he was a peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia.

As one can imagine, the Carter family has a love for all things related to peanuts. Rosalynn Carter was known for her delicious Peanut Butter Pie and made it quite often for her family and social gatherings. So today in the kitchen, I decided to make this delicious concoction topped with homemade meringue. It tastes like peanut butter fudge poured into a pie crust – oh my!

Rosalynn Carter’s Peanut Butter Pie

You will also need one 9” baked pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar peanut butter until well combined. Set aside.

In a three quart saucepan over low heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, milk, eggs yolks and salt until well combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens, about 10 minutes (this will vary, based on exact amount of heat, thickness of pan, etc.). When thickened, remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and butter until butter is completely melted. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the meringue.

While filling is cooling, place the egg whites in a medium size bowl and beat on medium speed until the whites begin to foam. While beating, add cream of tartar and pinch of salt. Beat on high until whites become glossy and soft peaks begin to form.

While mixer is running, slowly pour in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then add vanilla. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Set meringue aside.

Stir peanut butter into cooked filling mixture until completely combined. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Spread meringue onto pie filling, mounding slightly in the middle, and completely sealing meringue edges to crust. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned.

Let pie set on a wire rack until completely cooled before slicing, at least 2 hours.

Here’s the recipe that I used from Yesterfood

Today in American history…Ronald and Nancy Reagan were married on March 4, 1952 in Los Angeles, California.

“When I say my life began with Ronnie, well, it’s true. It did. I can’t imagine life without him.” – Nancy Reagan

“The nicest thing a girl ever did for me was when a girl named Nancy married me and brought a warmth and joy to my life that has grown with each passing year.” – Ronald Reagan

It’s a snowy Saturday here in Virginia and it’s the perfect day to bake comfort food – chocolate chip cookies 🍪

I had a few bags of different types of chocolate morsels and didn’t want to make the traditional one type chocolate chip cookie so I combined all that I had – bittersweet, white and dark chocolate morsels + of course, walnuts for the ultimate cookie crunch.

Now I can’t stop eating them!

Here is my own personal recipe. Enjoy ❤️

The Historical Homemaker’s Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 Cup (1 Stick Unsalted Butter)

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 large egg

Dash of Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup of chocolate morsels (bittersweet, white and dark chocolate)

1/2 Cup Walnuts (or pecans)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the softened butter, vanilla, egg, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix thoroughly until a soft dough is formed.

Add the chocolate chips and nuts (I used walnuts). Stir really well until everything is combined.

Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cool on a baking rack for a few minutes and then enjoy!

Buttermilk Pie is believed to have first originated in England and the recipe was brought to the United States by Southern settlers.

The pie was predominately made in Texas where they were very resourceful with buttermilk because it was in large abundance and also inexpensive.

Buttermilk Pie is very similar to Chess Pie and the only real difference is that Chess Pie uses cornmeal as a main ingredient while Buttermilk Pie does not.

Southern Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon loosely packed lemon zest

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Store bought refrigerated Pie Crust (or you can make your own homemade pie crust…I used the store bought refrigerated pie crust)

Garnishes: fresh berries, whipped cream, fresh mint

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together first 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients into flour mixture.

Pour into the pie crust.

Bake at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes or until almost set, shielding edges with aluminum foil after 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool 1 hour.

I used the recipe from Southern Living.

Today in American history…George Washington was born on a plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia on February 22, 1732. We all know the stories of him being a hero of the French and Indian War…the Revolutionary War…and the very first President of the United States and is often referred to as “our founding father.”

But did you know that he was just a regular guy who loved to eat breakfast at his beloved home Mount Vernon?

In honor of George Washington’s Birthday today we made his favorite breakfast: Hoe Cakes. President Washington loved to have his favorite breakfast topped with a lot of butter and honey along with a cup of hot tea.

Washington Irving once wrote that our founding father’s favorite meal often included “two small cups of tea and three or four cakes of Indian meal (called hoe cakes).”

Here’s the recipe from Southern Eats & Goodies. It’s very simple to make that you can make them in your own kitchen and eat like George Washington!

Cheesecake was very popular in the new colonies. By the 1730’s the city of Philadelphia even had a tavern called the “Cheesecake House!” How cool is that? I wonder if it was like our beloved Cheesecake Factory – but colonial style 😉

Cheesecake was also listed in the book A Booke of Cookery and Book of Sweet Meats which was given to Martha Washington upon her first marriage to Daniel Custis in 1749. In the book, Cheesecake is also listed as a Curd Pudding. These were all flavored with rose water, spices and currants.

The basis of the American Cheesecake changed dramatically in the 1930’s from a cheese curd type to a much creamier and richer flavor – as well as texture – due the use of cream cheese in the filling.

Our friend, Tara, asked that I make a Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake for her husband’s birthday this weekend. Luckily I had enough Oreo’s to make the crust thanks to my Oreo loving Mr. Dixon 🤣

Happy Birthday to Kevin! Enjoy your special day…and your cheesecake!

Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients

Directions for the Oreo Crust

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9” springform pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the Oreo Cookies until you get 2 cups of crumbs. Add in the salt and butter and pulse until thoroughly combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Directions for the Cheesecake Filling

Mix in the vanilla, heavy cream, buttermilk, and vinegar and mix until combined.

Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes then, without opening the oven door (I know you want to peek. I’m a peeker too!) reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for an additional 50 minutes.

Once the 50 minutes is up, turn the heat off and slightly crack the oven door for about 20-30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to slowly cool. (NOTE: this step is not necessary, however it is so incredibly helpful because it helps reduce cracking – and we don’t want a “Humpty Dumpty” cracked head lookin’ cheesecake!)

Chocolate Ganache Topping

With the whipped cream topping, it’s important that you serve immediately. If you aren’t serving immediately, refrigerate the cake until you are ready to serve – then top with the whipped cream (and chocolate shavings is beautiful on the top too!)

I used the recipe from My Heavenly Recipes. Make sure to look on their site for additional delicious recipes too!

The Hummingbird Cake is a Southern favorite. The tantalizing 3-layered cake with bananas and crushed pineapple is just as what my husband likes to say…”it’s lip smacking’ Betty Cracking” (that’s my Mr. Dixon for ya! 🤣)

The recipe for Hummingbird Cake was first submitted to Southern Living magazine in 1978 by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina and would become the magazine’s best selling cake. Ever. After making this delicious cake for years, I can understand why. Especially layered and topped with homemade cream-cheese icing? It doesn’t get much better than this.

This coming Monday (February 20th) is my friend Becca’s birthday. Hey, it’s also President’s Day FYI. But anyway…back to Becca. She is a friend. Also the dog walker aka “dog whisperer” to my two rambunctious 70 pound Australian Shepards, Waylon and Willie. She also loves Hummingbird Cake. So to show my appreciation of her – especially for dealing with my boys on a daily basis – I made her favorite cake…which just so happens to be a vintage one too!

Now onto everything for Hummingbird Cake…

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Time to make the Cream Cheese Icing😋

Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Top with second layer, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with third layer, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange pecan halves on top of cake in a circular pattern.

Today in American history…Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky.

In honor of President Lincoln’s birthday, we made one of his favorite desserts: Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Cake. Read here to learn more about the history behind the cake and about family life in Springfield, Illinois.

Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Cake

Ingredients

1 cup blanched almonds, chopped in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectionary sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and baking powder 3 times. Add to creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in almonds and beat well.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn out on a wire rack and cool. When cool, sift confectionary sugar over top

A basic white frosting sprinkled with almonds was also popular.