Cheryl's Gourmet Grains Hot Cereal

Kirsten & Scott, the generous hosts sharing their new home

Christmas 1991

These pictures are from the Christmas when Brandon was just finishing his mission in Seattle, and we all converged on Kirsten & Scott. I thought there were a lot more family pictures, but then I realized we have a video with lots of details. Willy B. and his new train, Cheryl and her new microwave, and reading through the family memories on the calendar, Erik taking the candy out of Scott's stocking and giving it to everyone, Cheryl and Kirsten reminiscing on the Donny Osmond poster, etc. So much fun when we are all together! 

John & Cheryl, Mom, Dee & Scott, 

Brandon, Jared, Brenda

Steven's Pass, Washington

Kyle, Mom, Dee, Erik, Tacia, Kirsten, Jason, Doug, Brenda, Michelle

(Sorry, this one is washed out)

Kyle, Brenda, Scott, Michelle

John and William

William, John, Scott

Zoo Lights at Point Defiance

Scott, Jason, Kirsten, Kyle, Scott, Brenda, Jared, Dee

Scott & Kirsten sandwich Kyle

Mom, Kirsten, Kyle, Jason, Jared, Scott B. (?), Brenda,

Erik, Scott, Dad

baby Jesus = Kyle

Joseph = Jared

Mary = Michelle

? animal = ??

wisemen/wiseguys = Scott B., John

shepherds = Erik, Jason

see cast of characters above, then add Angel = Kirsten

photographer = Kirsten

Scrabble and Boggle are the standard family games. 

By this picture, the journal read "Jason challenges everyone to Battleship".

Dad, Jason, Brandon

day is done—12-25-91

Scott B., Kyle, Scott, Sarah, John

Merry Christmas family!

Cheryl's Gourmet Grains Hot Cereal

1/4 c. each of millet, red wheat, white wheat, oat groats, barley and brown rice (or use 1-1/2 c. of mixed grains)

Boil 4+ cups of water; add the mixed grains and 1/2 to 1 t. salt. Boil on stovetop for 2 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover pot; place in oven overnight. In the morning, heat individual bowls. Serve with brown sugar, milk, raisins, etc. Can use leftover cooked cereal in bread making.

Dee note: I received this recipe from Cheryl when we lived around the corner from each other in Utah. It was so fun to have the two of us nearby, with Stephanie just around another corner (and another, and another...depending on which move!). And then Mom was just half and hour away. Those days were wonderful! This Christmas I decided to mix up a huge batch of these grains and give it out as Christmas gifts this year for VTees, HTees, friends, etc. Not that sweets aren't great (Mom's candies are divine!), but sometimes it's nice to get a non-sweet treat. I think the next time I have my wheat grinder out, I'm going to put some of this through and come up with a 'Cream of Six Grains' cereal. Hmm...what do you think?

by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter
and Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Kyle and Dee

Mom's Christmas Candy

Alan, Barbara, Scott and Karen at Christmas, 1960

I thought we should do a post on Mom's Christmas Candy. She's famous for it. All her friends and neighbors wait to get it every year. And the rest of us look forward to her sharing with us when we come to visit. And Dad said she's making it this week! Here are a few recipes from her cookbook. Knowing Mom, she doesn't really follow them; so if we do, they won't turn out with her candy magic! You can get more recipes from her cookbook by clicking on Barbara Doney on the top of the page.


DIVINITY
2-2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. water
2 egg whites
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. nuts, broken

Stir sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring, to 260° on candy thermometer (or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball). In mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla, beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. Fold in nuts. Drop mixture from tip of buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Do just 1 batch at a time.


ENGLISH TOFFEE
1 c. sugar
5 T. water
1/2 lb. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 c. walnuts
Chocolate chips

Cut walnuts coarsely and scatter on cookie sheet; set aside. Stir butter mixture constantly in heavy pan on highest heat. Mixture will appear fluffy. When mixture start to leave side (10 to 12 minutes) turns amber (250°) and starts to smoke slightly, remove from heat and pour over nuts. Spread chocolate chips on top.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
1-1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. honey
26 graham cracker squares, crushed

Mix honey and peanut butter together. Add crushed crumbs. Mix well. Mold into small balls and chill. Drop into melted dipping chocolate and lift out with two-tined fork.

Barbara and Alan at Michelle's wedding reception, 2007

Finally, when we visited with Mom and Dad last year, she helped me make my favorite candy (acquired taste from BYU roommate) called Seafoam. I read through the Seafoam recipes and almost all of them are similar to Divinity (see above recipe). We tried this recipe, and it turned out perfect. Mom tried it; I tasted it : ) She even used it on her candy gift plates last year. Yum!

SEA FOAM 

1 c. white sugar
1 c. dark Karo syrup
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 lb. light chocolate to dip [or dark...hello!]
Candy thermometer

In medium pan combine sugar, syrup and vinegar; bring mixture to boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat and cook slowly until temperature reaches 300 degrees F. Do not stir while cooking. (This allows candy to remain porous.) This takes approximately one hour. Remove from heat. Gradually add baking soda while stirring. Pour into buttered 8x8x2 pan. After candy is cool break into small pieces and dip into chocolate. [or just have it plain!] Put on waxed paper to cool. Melt dipping chocolate in a double boiler. This is a fabulous Christmas treat!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1647,154173-244203,00.html

Cream Cheese Coconut Pecan Pound Cake, Jan Black's Delicious Blueberry Pie

Brandon and Cheryl's families celebrate Thanksgiving 

together in New Hampshire 2010

This cake is possibly the best thing I have ever cooked!
I am also sending David's mom's amazing blueberry pie recipe.

Cream Cheese Coconut Pecan Pound Cake
Cream together:
1 .5 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

Slowly add:
3 c. sugar
6 eggs

Add:
1/2 t. salt
1/2 T. vanilla
1/4 c. buttermilk
3 c. flour

Add:
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. coconut

Bake 90 minutes at 325 in a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan or bundt pan.
Cool, then top with cream cheese frosting.



Jan Black's Delicious Blueberry Pie

1 (9”) baked pie shell
5 c. blueberries
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
½ t. salt
1 c. water

Place 1 c. berries in saucepan. Chill remaining berries. Add sugar, water, cornstarch and salt to saucepan. Cook over low heat until clear.Remove from heat. Add chilled berries. Mix well. Cool combined mixture for ½ hr. Pour into pie shell. Refrigerate until set. Top with Cool Whip.

by Stephanie, wife of Barbara's son Brandon