JUST SIMPLE SOMETHINGS: December 2016

Cardinal Color

Here's where I'll be sharing:

Weekend Snapshots * Wordless Wednesday * Image-in-ing * Photo Friday *

The recipe for this cake was given to me about thirty years ago by my sister-in-law. She found the recipe on the back of a cake box and I never knew the name of the cake. I can't tell you how may times I've made it and everyone loves the gooey chocolate coconut goodness!!!

It's similar to "Earthquake Cake"

minus the cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter. (I can't even imagine how rich that cake would be.) I did a google search of ingredients to try to find the name for it, without success.

Here's the list of my cake's ingredients:

1 boxed German chocolate cake mix

2/3 cup of coconut

2/3 cup of chocolate chips

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:

Mix the cake as directed on the box and pour into a 13 x 9 greased pan.

Sprinkle the coconut on top of the cake mixture. Follow with the chocolate chips and third, sprinkle on the nuts. DO NOT MIX.

And that's it!

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and pop it in. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean.

Another easy-peasy dessert...

If anyone out there knows a name for this old recipe, please let me know!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday * Tasty Tuesday * Delicious Dishes * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town * Waste not Wednesday * Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars * Before and After Wednesday * the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * What's Cookin' Wednesday * Create it Thursday * Creatively crafty * Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations * Friday Finds * Foodie Friday * Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and Everything Else * Friday Features * Party Palooza * What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Saturday Sparks * Best of the Weekend * Happiness is Homemade * Sundays at Home * What's for Dinner * Sunday Crafters-noon * Nifty Thrifty Sunday *

Quick and Easy Window Lights

Are you tired of the time and work it takes to hang Christmas lights in your windows? Not to mention the mess with tape or hooks?
I guess I sound like a tv commercial lol!!
But I found a fast and easy way to get the job done.

First, I bought two white adjustable spring tension rods for each window... for less than $2.00 each.

Then for each window, I looped the lights around the rods and placed one at the top and on at the bottom. I used a 100 light string for the window above and placed them in a zigzag pattern. Adjust the tension of the rods for a snug fit.

When the blinds are let down, the rods are hidden, inside and out!

Outside view

A Pittsburgh First

On December 1, 1913, the World's First Drive-In Gas Station opened on "Automobile Row" at the intersection of Baum Boulevard and St. Clair Street in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Filling a car with gasoline was very different 100 years ago. A driver had to hop off the seat, the gas tank was underneath - it needed gravity's help to reach the carburetor because the fuel pump wouldn't be invented for another 15 years. Check the fuel level with a dipstick, since there was no fuel gauge. And someone needed to start cranking the gas because it wasn't going to pump itself.

Only 30 gallons of gasoline, costing 27 cents a gallon, were sold on opening day, Dec 1, 1913. The station also provided free crankcase service, air, water, tires & tubes. This impressed the early drivers of the $400 Model T so much that sales jumped to over 350 gallons several days after the opening.

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

Turkey is a must on Thanksgiving... but baked ham is always on our menu for Christmas and Easter dinner. Mister and I eat ham often because we both love it. Last year, after the holiday, our local Aldi's had hams for $ 5.00!...not $5.00 a pound but a whole ham for that unbelievable price. Needless to say, the were flying out of the store. I always save the leftover bone with some of the ham left on it for soup. Just wrap it well and freeze.

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup
Put the ham bone into a large soup pot. Fill the pot about half full with water. Heat the water to a rolling boil so that any ham left on the bone will cook off.

Boil for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the bone and pull off any remaining ham with a fork. Discard the bone and put remaining ham back into the pot with the liquid.
Add half of a medium onion, chopped.
3 cans of great northern beans, drained and rinsed
A handful of chopped celery
Fresh carrots, chopped
Parsley
pepper
minced garlic to taste
*Secret ingredient - I add some chopped pepperoni slices to increase flavor.

Cook on low for one hour.

**Sprinkle in a small amount of instant mashed potatoes. (great as a thickener for soups and stews).
Serve with crusty bread or crackers and enjoy!

Ham and Cabbage

Here's a recipe that I use often:

Put the ham bone into a large soup pot. Fill the pot about half full with water. Heat the water to a rolling boil so that any ham left on the bone will cook off.

Boil for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the bone and pull off any remaining ham with a fork. Discard the bone and put remaining ham back into the pot.

1 large onion, chopped

Add about 6 - potatoes,quartered. I used red ones because that's what I had on hand. Cook until potatoes are tender.

  Add half a head of cabbage... chopped in large pieces.

  Add bag of frozen green beans

Hubby likes a thicker broth so I sprinkle in some instant mashed potatoes. (great as a thickener for soups and stews).

Make sure you make enough for leftovers because it's always better the second day after the flavors mingle!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday  * Tasty Tuesday * Delicious Dishes * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town  * Waste not Wednesday * Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars * Before and After Wednesday * the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * What's Cookin' Wednesday  * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty * Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations *  Friday Finds * Foodie Friday * Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and Everything Else * Friday Features * Party Palooza *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters *  Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend * Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * What's for Dinner * Sunday Crafters-noon  * Nifty Thrifty Sunday *

Kennywood Park, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

I grew up just a few miles from an awesome amusement park. This park has been around since 1908. Over the years, several small parks in the state have closed, but this park has continued to grow and draw people from all over the country. We always had our annual school picnic here....oh, what fun and good memories. The last few years, they have re-opened between Thanksgiving and Christmas for

"Kennywood Holiday Lights"

... with food, limited rides, and Christmas music!