Mama Says Monday: DESSERTS!

Cynthia Kay's Famous Crack Puffs

This will be a busy week for me!  I have a trip to Gainesville early Monday morning; followed by working at the Journal Monday and Tuesday; then, working at the Church Wednesday; then, baking for the Cake Auction on Thursday; a Stamping Night (Hen Party) Thursday night; lunch with my Sunday School Class on Friday; then, the Cake Auction Friday Night.  Ok, so, can I admit that I'm tired just looking ahead at my week?

I was given a subject to talk about this week by Mrs. Laura Klock, but with it came no real guidelines.  The subject is BAKING.  So, I'll start with where it all began...

My daddy (Ercelle) showing off his tame bull

I was raised on a farm; so, I started helping in the kitchen early.  I started with little chores, like setting the table, helping with clean up, and washing dishes (still one of my least favorite chores).  Then, Mama started helping or supervising me when I made cakes or cookies.  By the time I was nine, I was pretty much on my own with desserts.  

I mentioned earlier that I was raised on a farm.  In the Summer, especially during watermelon season, we fed the farm workers.  Back then, most of the workers were high school kids that didn't have transportation, so they couldn't run back to town for lunch.  Although there were two or three restaurants in town, they weren't of the fast food variety.  And we didn't provide "fast" food.  Our lunches generally consisted of several vegetables that were picked that morning from the garden.  You had to get to the garden early, because then you had to come home and shell the peas or butter beans, wash and slice the squash, etc.  We would also generally have either rice or mashed potatoes, fried meat (chicken or steak or pork chops), biscuits or rolls, and a dessert.  So, while my Mama concentrated on the main part of the meal, I had to fix the dessert.  

(Left to Right) My daddy (Ercelle), Grandma Lois, my youngest brother Gregg and Angie, my Mama (Betty Lee), Karen and my older brother Grady, and me (My middle brother Justin and his wife Kathy were absent from the photo).

Now, my Mother came from a long line of chocolate lovers.  So, while she sort of left me to decide what to bake, it had to be of the chocolate variety at least half of the time.  This is why the chocolate-loving line sort of ended with me.  Chocolate is okay every once in a while, but I much prefer something tart, like lemon or lime.

My daddy.  This photo was taken at our hunting camp.

One nice thing about growing up in my family is that my Daddy would try anything that I would cook.  He was my hero.  Even if it wasn't really good, he would just comment, "Now, Sister, that's not something I want to see every week."  

Then, I got married and had kids, and was blessed with very picky eaters.  Go figure!  For the next 30 years, I found recipes that my family liked and wasn't really very adventurous with trying new recipes.  I just collected cookbooks and looked at recipes.  

Not too long after I retired, I was asked to help with Wednesday night suppers. To start with, I sort of helped with all of it, but gradually, I just started doing mostly the desserts.  I get to try new recipes!  The only problem is I don't always get a lot of feedback.  I guess some of the people are just too nice to say that they really didn't like it.  There are a few that always tell me when they do like something.  And then, there are the ones that just prefer jello...Whatever floats your boat, I suppose...

I don't really have a certain "style" of baking.  I look through cookbooks, and check out recipes on Pinterest and the internet.  But let me tell you, any recipes that have 10 or more ingredients lose my interest real quick.  Some things I make from scratch, some things I use shortcuts, or use a cake mix added with some ingredients.

(Author's Note:  I've had a few people ask me "What is your mama baking this week?"  Bless their hearts, it's almost laughable, they don't realize that my mama is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of lady.  She rarely knows what she's baking for church until the morning of.  That's just how she rolls.)

Today, I've been planning my desserts for the FFA Cake Auction that will be held this Friday night.  First on my list is Crack (one of the few recipes that I don't share...).  Also, I think I will make an Almond Cream Cheese Pound Cake, some Pay Day Bars, Pecan Pie Bars...and then, if I have time, some Key Lime Cheesecake Bars.

So if you have no plans for Friday night, and you love desserts, come to the Chiefland FFA Ag Shop; view all the goodies by all the good bakers in our area, bring your money, and get ready to bid!!!

#SouthernBlog #MamaSays #Desserts #SmallTownLife #Baking #Nostalgia