Butter Up Your Valentine!

 Valentine's Day is the perfect time  to butter up your favorite sweeties!  I found this recipe in the Land of Lakes  online recipe  file a couple of weeks ago and decided it would be a  perfect  butter up treat for my family. After watching my family enjoy this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and strawberries, I'm adding the recipe to the family favorite file with a special note to myself when I need a recipe for buttering them up!

 

Butter Cake With Browned Butter Frosting
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup Butter,softened
1 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all cake ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed, just until just moistened. Increase speed to high. Beat,scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Pour batter into greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking,stirring constantly and watching closely, until butter just starts to turn golden(4 to 6 minutes). (Butter will get foamy and bubble.) Remove from heat. Cool completely.

Combine browned butter,powdered sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla in small bowl. Beat at medium speed, gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cake.

 

Happy Valentine Day!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

                                                                             

                                                                                
       Due to the drought it has been very challenging  this year to provide good quality hay for our dairy cows. I'm thankful that we have been able to buy hay from farmers in other states that had an abundant supply.    

Dairy's Labor of Love

For the next few weeks, we will be observing and assisting heifers that will deliver their first calf. It's an exciting time as we watch these young heifers that we have raised from birth, give birth to their first calf and join the milking herd. No matter how many times we witness the birth of a new calf, it's always a miracle and a reminder that each animal truly represents a dairy farmer's labor of love.

On our farm, it's not unusual to have almost three years invested into caring for each heifer before she gives birth. Each phase of growth and development of the heifer requires a nutritious diet,good medical care and healthy living conditions. The investment in each animal pays off because the dairy farmer's labor of love leads to high-quality wholesome milk.

 

It's a fact:

 

A dairy farmer's labor of love provides healthy animals

 that are the foundation of a safe and abundant food supply.

Super Bowl Wins With Dairy

I'm admitting right up front that the thrill of the Super Bowl celebration for me is not the game itself, but the time spent with my  family and friends ,watching the TV commercials during the game and making sure that all the favorite snacks are available for getting the chosen team to victory. It's going to be fun this year to see for the first time ever at the Super Bowl-- a milk commercial!!

Even though we will have plenty of snacks, a sweet piece of Chocolate Sheath Cake served with a cold glass of milk or a dip of vanilla ice cream will be on our list as a  Super Bowl winner!

Chocolate Sheath Cake
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Bring butter,shortening,cocoa and water to a rapid boil. Pour over the sugar and flour and beat well. Add buttermilk and soda,vanilla and eggs. Beat, then bake at 400 degrees F. in metal loaf pan for 20 minutes. Cover with the following:

Icing
1 stick butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar,sifted
6 tablespoons milk
1 cup pecans (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring butter,cocoa and milk to a boil. Add sifted  powdered sugar,vanilla and pecans. Beat well and pour over cake while hot.

                                                                  Winners Drink Milk!!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                                                                      
   It's easy to talk about a subject that you are passionate about and an organization where membership matters. My friends James and Rick shared what Farm Bureau means to them personally and the benefits of membership during the KURM radio program. I'm thankful to be a Benton County Farm Bureau member!

Dairy Recipe Adventure

For the last few weeks, quick and easy have been  the top criteria for the meals served from my
kitchen. Fancy Baked Chicken (found in my Southern Living 1979 Annual Recipes)  not only met the criteria but also  brought positive remarks from my  sons when they came in for lunch!  Although they are not too critical when I try new recipes, I do get the rolling eyes and heavy sighs over being part of a new recipe adventure.

I will admit that in my hurry to get the chicken in the oven, I used shredded Parmesan cheese rather than grated. It was a little crunchy on top  but still dairy  good! 



Fancy Baked Chicken

1/2 cup butter,melted
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 to 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 whole chicken breasts,skinned and boned
1 to 1 1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs

Combine butter,cheese,garlic, and salt;mix well.
Dip each piece of chicken in mixture, reserving remainder; coat with breadcrumbs.
Place chicken in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish; spoon remaining butter mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done. Yield: 4 servings

Life on the dairy farm is always full of adventure--especially in the kitchen!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

Blessings often come when least expected. After attending the first day of the Southern Dairy Conference in Atlanta learing about dairy industry policy and on-farm practices, I enjoyed a visit with Nancy, my nursing school roommate from thirty-nine years ago, who lives in Atlanta. I'm thankful for the blessing of sweet friendship. 

 

 

"To know someone here or there with whom you can feel understanding in spite of distances or thoughts unexpressed that can make of this earth a garden"