Author: Diane Becker

Breads, Cakes, Desserts

Strawberry Bread

If you’re looking for a quick & easy treat that includes strawberries, look no further. This bread can be whipped up in just a few minutes without dragging out the mixer. It’s a moist, not too sweet bread, with a tasty strawberry glaze, that goes great with a cup of coffee or a tall glass […]

Cakes, Desserts

Spumoni Cake

I was thumbing through a church cookbook and came across this recipe, submitted by Clarice Gorton. Anyone that knows me, knows that I don’t favor cakes made from a mix…just my personal preference. However, occasionally, I’ll come across a recipe that intrigues me, as this one did. I tried it, we liked it, so here’s […]

Desserts, Pies

Buttermilk Pie

The first time I tasted buttermilk pie was on a trip to West Virginia. I was quite hesitant to try it as I’m not a fan of sour tasting milk, but, so as not to insult the hostess, I graciously accepted. Wow…one bite of that pie and I was sold! It’s a light, creamy pie […]

Sauces

Marinara Sauce

Whenever we have pasta, my family prefers a meat sauce. But sometimes, you need a classic, simple serving of marinara sauce. Whenever I make chicken or eggplant parmesan, I serve it with a side of spaghetti with this marinara sauce. If I have a small amount of sauce left, I freeze it in 4 ounce […]

Breads

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Nothing goes better with a plate of stew or a bowl of sausage gravy, than a hot, out of the oven buttermilk biscuit. Talk about southern hospitality, these fluffy biscuits are easy to make, are very tasty and have that down home flavor. This recipe yields 12 biscuits (I use a 2 1/2 inch cutter).

Frosting/Icing

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

My favorite frosting is buttercream. Unlike most frosting which is very sweet, buttercream frosting is creamy, buttery and no too sweet. With this recipe, you can switch the flavor of the extract. For example, if you’re making a lemon cake, substitute lemon extract for the vanilla. Orange cake…orange extract and so on. Keep in mind, […]

Side Dishes

Cucumber Salad

There’s nothing more refreshing than freshly pickled cucumber salad. It’s the perfect combination of crispy cucumbers, onions and green peppers, drenched in a delightful vinegar and sugar dressing with a generous sprinkle of celery seed. This is a wonderful side dish to bring to a BBQ or pot luck dinner. Its economical and best of […]

Stuffing, Dressing

White Castle Stuffing

Somewhere back in the 90’s, my son heard about making turkey stuffing with White Castle sliders, which both he and his dad really enjoyed. At first I said “no way” but shortly thereafter, I saw a newspaper article with the recipe. Reluctantly, I decided to give it a try. While it wasn’t what I wanted […]

Desserts, Pies

Pie Crust

Fifty years ago, I purchased a cookbook titled ” Crisco presents Favorite Family Foods”. Through the years, I have turned to this book for its pie crust recipe. Although I have tried many others, I always come back to this one, as it is tasty, easy to roll out and has never failed! Well, the […]

Breakfast

Apple Butter (Crock Pot)

Apple season is here and there is nothing better than a crunchy, juicy apple picked fresh off the tree. Well, if you’re anything like me, you tend to buy more than we can use. So when you’re done making pies, turnovers and apple pancakes, how about whipping up a batch of apple butter! This tasty […]