jack's cheesecake

My brother Jack loves cheesecake and I used to make cheesecake.  Until my kids started settling in the big city Jack's house was where I stayed when I needed to be in the city overnight.  One year when I was staying with him I brought him a portable mixer, a mixing bowl and a springform pan and my recipe for cheesecake.  I taught him how to make cheesecake and now when we get together for Christmas he brings cheesecake.  He makes a great cheesecake.  He is better at it than I am.  I still make cheesecake once in a while but it has become Jack's cheesecake now.

Jack's cheesecake is a New York style cheesecake with 32 ounces of cream cheese in it.  He prefers it unadorned but it is pretty good with a little caramel and chocolate syrup and a few nuts to make a turtle cheesecake or some fruit topping if that is what you prefer.

Jack's cheesecake

I cup graham cracker crumbs

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp butter melted

4 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp flour

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp vanilla

Crust:  Combine cracker crumbs, 3 Tbsp sugar and melted butter.  Press into bottom of springform pan.  Bake at 325° for 10 minutes.  Cool. 

Filling: Combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and and flour mixing on medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the sour cream and the vanilla.  Pour over crust.  Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 250° and continue baking for 1 hour more.  Loosen cake from the rim of the pan .  Cool before removing the rim of the pan.  Top with can of cherry pie filling if desired.

Joining Foodie Friday

oscar and alma's popcorn balls

Oscar and Alma were my paternal grandparents, my dad's mom and dad.  They made popcorn balls each Christmas along with a bunch of other--mostly Norwegian--goodies.  My grandmother would load up her popcorn balls into a large red shortening tin each year.  I have one of her tins.

This is her recipe for popcorn balls.  

Oscar and Alma's popcorn balls

5 quarts popped corn

3/4 cup corn syrup

2 Tbsp water

1/4 cup butter

2 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 cup marshmallows

Use a large bowl for the popped corn.  In heavy pan combine all but the popped corn and boil over low heat.  Immediately pour over popped corn and mix to coat all popped corn.  Wet hands with cold water and form into balls.  Should make 12 good sized balls or more smaller ones.  Wet hands several times as needed during the forming of the balls. 

chex mix

We make chex mix every Christmas.  Perhaps I am stuck in a rut but I always make the original.  I buy the cereal and the mixed nuts but often forget to get the pretzels and other add ins.  So ours is just cereal and nuts most years.  This year I used a can of mixed nuts and a bag of Spanish peanuts as that is what I had on hand and I usually make a double batch.

Chex mix

6 cups corn chex

6 cups rice chex

6 cups wheat chex

1 container mixed nuts

1 bag Spanish peanuts

12 tbsp butter (1 1/2 sticks)

4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp seasoned salt

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Combine the cereal and nuts in a large bowl.  Melt the butter and add the seasonings.  Pour over the cereal and mix well.  Pour the cereal mixture into a roasting pan and bake at 250° for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.  Pour onto paper towels to cool.

cooling  chex mix

 

puppy chow

We first found this recipe for puppy chow in a church cookbook.  Although it sounds like it is a dog treat it is really people food.  Similar recipes with different names are prevalent now.  We always make the original.  It is quickly put together and requires only a few ingredients and the first two on the list do not even need to be measured.

Puppy chow

12 oz box of Crispix cereal

12 oz package of milk chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

3 cups confectioners sugar

In microwave or stove top melt chocolate chips with peanut butter and butter.  Pour over cereal and stir gently until all pieces are coated.  Pour coated cereal into a brown paper grocery bag and shake with the confectioners sugar until evenly mixed.  Pour onto parchment paper or waxed paper to cool.

 

caramel puffcorn

One of the snacks that we make each Christmas is caramel puffcorn.  We use the Old Dutch Puffcorn and the recipe comes from the back of the package.  It goes together fairly quickly--a few ingredients melted together on top of the stove and poured over the puffcorn in a big bowl.  Stir until all the pieces are coated and then transfer to two parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes.  At the end of 45 minutes pour onto parchment or wax paper to cool.  Break apart any large pieces once it is cool.

Caramel puffcorn

1 9 oz package Old Dutch Puffcorn

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (not margarine)

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

Place the puffcorn in a large bowl or large roaster.  Combine the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until melted.  Stir in the baking soda.  The mixture will foam and lighten in color.  Pour over the puffcorn and stir until thoroughly combined.  Transfer to parchment lined baking sheets or a large roaster.  Bake at 250° for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.  Pour onto parchment or waxed paper to cool and break apart any large pieces.

puffcorn bagged up into single servings

crepes with mascarpone filling

One of our favorite celebratory breakfasts is crepes and I usually make a sweetened mascarpone or cream cheese filling and we top them with slices strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.  We often also have Nutella available to add an additional layer of flavor or as a substitute for the cheese.

souffle on left and crepe on right

Crepes are similar to a thin pancake.  They are made one at a time in a skillet on the stove.  I use my cast iron skillet but in the past I have also used a small  nonstick pan with sloping sides.

As the crepes are cooked I stack them on a plate where they stay warm until ready to serve.

To serve crepes a small amount of filling is added to a crepe and it is folded in quarters or rolled up and then topped with the fruit and whipped cream.

Crepes

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup water

6 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla

blend the flour, sugar and salt in food processor or blender.  Add milk, water, eggs butter and vanilla and process until smooth.  Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a non-stick 6 inch skillet or cast iron skillet over medium heat until a drop of water dropped on the surface bounces and sizzles.  Quickly pour into center of pan about 2 Tbsp of batter and lift pan to swirl to coat the pan evenly. Cook until the batter sets, about 30 seconds.  Flip and cook the other side until just barely golden.  Stack the crepes as they cook.  Makes about 36 crepes.

Mascarpone cheese or cream cheese

Process the cheese in a food processor or mixer to soften, add a tablespoon or two of sugar or honey (to taste) and a splash of orange juice (optional)

Fruit

We usually use strawberries but any fruit or a combination of fruits would work.  If the fruit is not naturally sweet a tablespoon of sugar can be added and allowed to stand a few minutes to increase sweetness.

Whipped cream

I usually whip heavy cream adding a teaspoon or two of sugar and a splash of vanilla when it is almost stiff peaks.

To assemble

Lay a cooked crepe on a plate and top with a heaping spoonful of the sweetened cheese mixture. Fold or roll the crepe and top with fruit and whipped cream.

individual souffles

Souffles are something that we have often eaten, both as a brunch or as a light supper.  My first souffle was a plain souffle and that remains our family favorite today.  This is not a classic souffle that is runny in the center as we prefer our souffle more well done   This is our version. Sometimes we make it in a large souffle dish but today I made individual souffles.  It is the same recipe just more dishes to butter. 

A souffle is basically a white sauce made with butter, flour and milk to which eggs are added.  The eggs are separated and the yolks are beaten until they are pale colored and added to the white sauce.  Then the egg whites are beaten until stiff peaks form and added to the white sauce/yolk mixture.  The souffle dishes are prepared by buttering the bottoms and the sides and the egg mixture is placed in the dishes.  When I am doing individual souffles I place the dishes on a baking sheet so that all can be put in the oven and removed from the oven at the same time.  

Individual souffles

1/4 cup butter 

1/4 cup flour

1 cup milk

5 egg yolks

5 egg whites

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  When melted stir in the flour.  Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until a thick white sauce forms.  Remove from heat and allow to partially cool.  Both the egg yolks and egg whites need to be beaten separately, the yolks until they are pale and the whites until stiff peaks form.  I usually beat the egg yolks in my food processor and the egg whites in my stand mixer.  If you only want to use one appliance you will need to beat the yolks first and then wash the beater and bowl before beating the whites or beat the whites first and transfer them to a different bowl and then you can beat the yolks.  It is not necessary to wash the beater and bowl when doing the yolks after the whites.

Add the beaten yolks to the white sauce and gently mix.  Add a portion of the whites to the yolk/white sauce mixture to lighten up the mix and then fold in the remaining beaten egg whites taking care not to deflate the mixture.  Spoon the egg mixture into a well buttered souffle dish or dishes.  Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. 

The souffle should be baked just prior to serving and care should be taken when serving as the ceramic dishes will remain hot for a while.  We use a set of tongs to lift each dish to a plate and eat from the dish but I imagine that the souffle could be scooped out of the dish onto a plate to prevent little fingers from touching the hot dish.

Danish puff

This is a recipe that I got from my mother years ago.  It is a great pastry that we often have for breakfast or brunch.  The bottom layer is a crust made from flour, butter and water that is topped with a cream puff type layer.  It bakes in the oven and when cool it is topped with powdered sugar icing and sliced almonds and cut crosswise into slices.

Danish puff

Crust:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

2 Tbsp water

Combine flour and butter until it resembles course meal.  I use the food processor.  Add water and mix to form a dough.  Gather dough into a 12 inch long log.  Cut in half lengthwise and flatten each half into a long rectangle on parchment lined baking sheet.

filling: 

1 cup water 

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour 

3 eggs

1/2 tsp almond flavoring

Bring water and butter to a boil in a saucepan.  Remove from heat and add the flour mixing until smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the almond flavoring.  Divide the filling and spread half of the filling over each of the two crusts.

Bake at 350° for 55 minutes.  When cool top with powdered sugar icing and sliced almonds.  Cut crosswise into 1 inch wide slices.

peanut clusters

This is probably the first candy that we ever made for Christmas and it has been a staple of our holiday baking since the first time that we made it.  It isn't really even a recipe, just two ingredients.  It goes together quickly and is a great filler in the schedule of baking--while the sugar cookie dough is chilling you can whip out these candies.

Peanut clusters

I package of chocolate bark coating

1 package (8 oz) Spanish peanuts

Melt the chocolate coating in the microwave.  Stir in the Spanish peanuts.  Drop by spoonful onto parchment paper and allow to sit until they harden. 

chocolate covered cherries

This is another traditional candy that have made over the years.  Some years we have soaked the cherries in rum and some years we  have not and both are good.  This year the two places that I shopped for groceries only had jars of cherries without stems.  I think the stemmed ones are nice on the goodie tray.  The stems sticking out from the candy allow them to be differentiated from the other chocolate candies.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

10 oz jar maraschino cherries with stems

2 Tbsp rum

Soak cherries in rum for 2 hours, drain well on paper towels.

Fondant

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (eagle brand)

2 tsp light corn syrup

2 1/4-2 ½ cups powdered sugar

chocolate coating or dipping chocolate

Combine eagle brand milk and corn syrup, blend well.  Gradually add powdered sugar until a stiff smooth dough is formed, kneading in last of powdered sugar if necessary.  Wrap small amounts of fondant around cherries.  Refrigerate 20 minutes or until fondant is firm. Dip in melted chocolate.  When dry dip again.  This year since I did not have stems showing I drizzled the finished candies with a little white bark coating. 

oreo truffles

These are a fun and easy candy to make.  They require only three ingredients and come together in a very short time.  I use a food processor to crush the cookies and then add the cream cheese right into the crumbs and process until it forms a tacky mass of dark brown goodness.  The almond bark is melted in the microwave and the truffle centers are dipped and allowed to dry on parchment paper lines sheets or trays until set.

White or chocolate coating can be used.  You won't need the whole package of coating to coat the truffles but it is easier to dip having a larger quantity of the coating so consider having another purpose for the excess--perhaps some pretzels to dip or almonds to stir in for almond bark.  You could put the extra melted coating into a zipper baggie with the tip of one corner cut off and pipe cute stars or swirls or other designs.  Once they harden they can be eaten or top cupcakes or frosted cookies.

 oreo truffles

1 package regular oreo cookies

8 oz package cream cheese

almond bark coating, 

Crush all but 7 of the cookies into crumbs, using both the cookie and the cream filling.  Mix the crumbs with the cream cheese.  Shape the mixture into truffles, football shapes, balls etc. May chill to make it easier to form if mixture is too soft.  Melt the bark coating.  Dip each truffle and set on parchment paper lined baking sheet to  dry.  While the coating is still wet the extra seven cookies could be crushed and a few crumbs sprinkled on the tops of the candies.

This year we coated ours with white bark but these make great superbowl or fantasy draft party candies when shaped like footballs instead of balls and dipped in chocolate bark coating.  Once set white bark coating or frosting can be used to add details like the laces.

a center is placed in the melted coating

candy fork used to move the coated center to parchment to set

reese's peanut butter balls

This recipe was originally found in a church cookbook and called Reese's peanut butter bars.  What was the bottom layer of the bars became the centers of these candies.  Small amounts of the graham cracker mixture is rolled into balls.  The top layer of the bar is the chocolate layer and I use that to dip the balls.  The proportions are right for a 9x13 pan.  When made into balls there will not be enough chocolate to dip all of the centers so I would recommend being prepared to make  a second full or partial batch of the chocolate chip/peanut butter mixture for coating.

reese's peanut butter balls

centers:

1 cup butter, melted

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Mix together all ingredients, form into balls and chill or freeze.

coating:

generous cup milk chocolate chips

heaping Tbsp peanut butter

melt together and dip chilled balls to coat.  Place on parchment paper and allow to set or chill until chocolate is firm.  You may need more coating depending on the size that you make the centers.

This recipe can also be made into bars in a 9x13 pan.  Mix up the ingredients for the centers but instead of forming into balls press evenly in the bottom of the 9x13 pan.  Spread the melted coating over the top and allow to set.

chocolate truffle tart with mascarpone topping

 

Chocolate Truffle Tart with

Whipped Vanilla Mascarpone Topping

For the crust:

1 cup finely ground cookies (25 choc wafers, 8 whole graham crackers or 35 Nilla wafers

2 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp melted butter.

Combine crumbs and sugar with fork, drizzle melted butter over and mix with fork until evenly moist, press into tart pan.
Bake 350° for 10 minutes. Cool

For the filling:

12 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp table salt

Melt the chocolate, milk and butter in microwave or double boiler. Add Vanilla and salt and then whisk until well blended and smooth. Set aside, whisking occasionally until room temperature and slightly thickened, about 1 hour. Spread filling over the crust taking care not to disturb the crust and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until filling is set. (4 hours)

For the topping:

½ cup Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

¾ cup heavy cream

¼ cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine Mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla and beat on low with electric mixer until almost smooth, 30-60 seconds. Increase speed to medium high and beat until mixture is thick and holds stiff peaks, another 30-60 seconds. Don't over beat.

Spread topping over filling leaving lots of swirls and peaks and leaving a little of the chocolate showing next to the crust. Serve right away or refrigerate up to four hours.

Homemade Mascarpone 

2 cups heavy cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Heat cream in a heavy saucepan to 190 on a candy thermometer.  The cream should be at a simmer.  Add lemon juice and continue heating at 190 for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  Put cheese in a strainer that has been lined with cheesecloth.  Use a bowl under the strainer to collect the whey that will drain away.  Cover with plastic wrap  and allow to strain in the refrigerator.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

chocolate pecan torte

A couple of years ago I bought a couple of small white cake stands.   I collect white dishes and serving pieces and these were too cute to pass up but I was limited as to what I could serve on them as they were only eight inches across.

So my next purchase was a couple--well three--six inch layer pans so that I could make small round cakes that would fit on the pedestals.

When I found this recipe for a chocolate pecan torte I decided it would the perfect recipe to try halving in order to used my little layer pans.  This recipe calls for making two 9 inch layers that are sliced in half to make four layers with frosting between and a glaze over the top.   

Chocolate pecan torte

2 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

3/8 cup ground pecans

1/6 cup ground pecans

1/8   cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 cup sugar

Chocolate frosting

3/8 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Rich chocolate glaze

Grease bottoms of two six inch cake pans,. line bottoms of pans with parchment circles and grease parchment.   Set pans aside.

Beat egg yolks at high speed.  Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar beating until mixture is thick and pale.  Combine flour and next four ingredients.  Add ;to yolk mixture alternating with water beginning and ending with flour mixure.  Stir in vanilla.

Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy.  Gradually add 1/8 cup sugar beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter.  Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 375°  for 16-18  minutes.  Cool ten minutes in pans then tip out.  Peel parchment from bottoms and cool completely.

Chocolate frosting

1/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar

1/6 cup cocoa

1 cup whipping cream

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Combine sugar and cocoa.  Gradually stir in cream and vanilla.  Beat on low speed until combined and then on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Rich Chocolate glaze

1 Tbsp cocoa

1 Tbsp water  

1/2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar

1/8 tsp vanilla

Combine first three ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners sugar and vanilla.

To assemble torte:

split the cake layers in half horizontally forming four equal layers.  Place one layer on the serving plate and apply a layer of frosting.  Add second cake layer, more frosting, third cake layer, more frosting and top with fourth cake layer. 

Cover the sides of the stacked layers with chocolate frosting and press pecans into the frosting.  I did not do this but I think next time I will pipe a ring of frosting at the edge of the top layer or bring the frosting of the sides up a little to contain the glaze on top until it sets.

Spread rich chocolate glaze over the top.

Source: Southern Living Christmas Cookbook

oatmeal pecan muffins

     These are a favorite muffin  either with or without the pecans.

       Oatmeal Pecan Muffins

1-1/3 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1/3 c cold butter

1 cup half & half

1 egg, slightly beaten

½ cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in  half & half and egg just until moistened. Gently stir in pecans. Spoon batter evenly into 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan.  Good without the pecans as well.

cookie ornaments

I love Christmas kitchens.  I live in a small farmhouse and so I have a small farmhouse kitchen without a lot of room for non-essentials.  Even though it is small I always try to squeeze in a few baking inspired decorations.

I have a piece of garland that I attach to the shelving that surrounds my stove.  It holds some candy canes, a few tiny wooden spoons and spatulas, some tiny rolling pins and a couple of copper cookie cutters.

My daughter added this to my collection this year.

For several years now I have had a small artificial tree in my kitchen.  It is decorated with more rolling pins and candy canes and some "gingerbread" boys that I made several years ago from a dough with only two ingredients--applesauce and cinnamon.  I store them in a zippered plastic bag and they still smell cinnamony when I pull them out and hang them on the tree.

my tree

"gingerbread" ornament

This year while out shopping my mom mentioned that she is thinking that next year she would like a tree in her dining room.  She has a holiday birthday so I am getting her ornament collection started for next year as her birthday gift.  She has Christmas dishes with snowmen on them and loves all things snowmen so I am giving her some "gingerbread" snowflakes to put on her tree.

Cinnamon ornaments

1 cup cinnamon 

3/4 cup applesauce

Mix the applesauce and cinnamon together until it forms a smooth dough.  I used the food processor.  Roll the dough out until it is 1/4 inch thick dusting the rolling surface with additional cinnamon if the dough is too sticky.  Cut with cookie cutter.  Use a drinking straw to poke a hole for the string.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in 200° oven for 2 1/2 hours.  Cool.  Attach twine for hanging. There are several similar recipes on the internet, with the same ingredients in the same proportions.  Some of those recipes do not require baking but instead are air dried for 2 or more days until they are thoroughly dry.  During the drying process the cookies need to be turned over several times to allow for even drying on both sides.  I used 1 1/2 times the amount of ingredients and made 13 4 inch snowflake ornaments. 

I went looking for candy canes that she could also use on  her tree.  Mine are the wrapped ones and I keep them and use them every year.  This year all our local big box had were the wildly colored ones so I am keeping my eye out for the traditional red and white ones.

Happy Birthday Mom!

I am joining Susan at Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.

Harley's favorite dog biscuits

Harley was a black lab who belonged to Jay and Patty and Patty used to bake these dog biscuits for him.  This was the first recipe that I had for dog treats and my dogs, Sadie and Codie love them as well.  The have bullion in them which allows for either a beef flavored treat or a chicken flavored treat.  They also have optional grated cheese in them which further enlarges the range of flavors.  I have made both the beef and the chicken and made both flavors with and without the cheese and my dogs like them all.  They are a rolled out treat, cut with a cookie cutter.  I have a fairly large dog bone shaped cutter which I use but I have also used a smaller heart or round cutter.  I have also used a pizza cutter to cut them into small squares for training nuggets.

Harley's favorite dog biscuits

Combine and let stand for 10 minutes:

1 cup oatmeal

1/3 cup butter

1 cup boiling water

Then add:

3/4 cup corn meal or tapioca flour

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp bullion granules

1/2 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheese

1 egg, beaten

3 cups whole wheat flour

Roll out fairly thickly and cut into shapes.  Bake at 325° for 35-45 minutes.

Honey's soft pumpkin dog treats

Honey belongs to Nikole and Brad.  She is a beautiful yellow lab.  I am making her treats for her Christmas stocking but she has a sensitive stomach so I got the recipe for her favorite treats from Nikole.  These treats feature pumpkin which is well digested by dogs.  Using a familiar recipe I know that they will be tolerated and enjoyed.

These treats include two ingredients that grew on our farm, apples and pumpkin.  I made the pumpkin puree using this recipe.  And I used this recipe to make the homemade applesauce.

Homemade applesauce

(makes 1/2 cup--enough for a double batch)

2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

3/8 cup water

1/8 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine the apples, water, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan.  Cook covered over medium heat for 20 minutes until soft.  Cool and puree in food processor retaining some texture.

Honey's soft pumpkin dog treats

 1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup applesauce

1/8 cup honey

1 egg

1 cup whole wheat flour

Combine the pumpkin puree, applesauce, honey and egg in the bowl of a food processor or mixer and process or mix until combined.  Add one-half of the flour and mix.  Add the remaining flour and mix again until well combined.  Using a 1 inch cookie scoop or two spoons drop onto parchment lined baking sheet.  These did not spread so you can place them close together.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.  Cool and store in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer.  Nikole feeds Honey these treats straight from the freezer.

ready for the oven

My double batch made 84 one inch balls.  The dogs at my house did a taste test.  Sadie gobbled hers up right away, Codie set hers down, sniffed it and looked at it for a moment and then ate hers as well.

I am joining Susan at Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.


Source (adapted) for applesauce:
Sources for treats using the pumpkin version.