Spring Skillet Dinner

Want a tasty recipe that uses simple ingredients you're sure to have on hand? Here it is folks, Spring Skillet Dinner! A recipe from my Grandma's kitchen. She's superb at creating delicious meals at minimal cost. I appreciate this meal because of its simplicity, texture and taste.

Spring Skillet Dinner is one of my fallback recipes. What's that? It's a recipe that saves my butt when I've realized I failed to have a plan and supper is looming. My cupboards are barren because I desperately need to refresh my stock (free me-fact: I hate to grocery shop). My head is throbbing at even the mention of supper because I'm clueless. What will I DO? Oh wait... there's that great recipe I actually have the ingredients for and it takes less than an hour to make. Whew!

Start by browning your hamburger, diced onions and crushed garlic.

Add water and the uncooked rice. Boil uncovered for 40 minutes. Then add your diced carrots and potatoes and simmer until they're tender. Finally, season with soy sauce, salt and pepper and wah-lah! Enjoy your meal!

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24

Spring Skillet Dinner

Prep and cook time: 1 hour

Yields: About 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 lb. hamburger
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup carrots, finely diced
• 1 cup potatoes, finely diced
• 1-2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Brown the garlic, onion and hamburger in skillet. Drain grease from pan.
2. Add water and uncooked rice. Once this comes to a boil, simmer uncovered over low heat for 40 minutes.
3. Add diced carrots and diced potatoes. Continue to simmer until tender.
4. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Serve hot and put soy sauce on table to season to liking.

Super Rich Chocolate Cake

Well, hello there! We know, we know, it's been awhile. Months. We apologize. Spring and I took a little holiday break, but want to get back to bringing you delicious recipes. And I decided to start with one of my favorite recipes in the world.

When I was younger, I used to cook with my grandma. She taught me how to make old fashioned candy, the most divine peanut candy I have ever tasted (I'm hoping the recipe will make it to Thyme for Grace). And she makes the best cheese soup, which was a special treat she made on the night my family got into town for a visit (we always lived hours away and only visited twice a year).

Now I am blessed to be only ten minutes from my grandma. She makes this amazing chocolate cake and a few days ago I went to her house so she could teach me how to make it. We had a blast. She is from Southern Georgia, and she knows how to cook. I'm so glad I get the chance to bake with her, and share it with you!

So, the cake. Let me describe. It's moist, chocolaty and super fluffy. The frosting on the top is seriously out of this world. I'm not a huge frosting fan, I tend to rake it off and just eat the cake part, but I don't do that with this icing. I eat every bite, so good. Once, when I was in college, I ate 4 pieces of this cake at once. This is quiet unusual because I am more of a savory lover, as opposed to a sweets lover. Are you sold yet? I hope so. Enjoy this yummy chocolate cake!

"She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

- Proverbs 31:25-26 (NIV)

AMAZING CHOCOLATE CAKE

Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 sticks Parkay margarine
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 stick Parkay margarine
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp. milk
• 1 box (16 oz) confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Cooking Directions

1. Mix flour, sugar and salt in bowl.
2. In saucepan, mix margarine, water and cocoa.
3. Bring to boil and pour slowly into flour mixture.
4. In another bowl, combine eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla.
5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir well.
6. Bake at 350 in a greased shallow pan (we used a 15.25 x 10.5 x 1.25 sized pan) for 25-30 minutes.
7. For the frosting, mix margarine, cocoa and milk in a saucepan over a low flame. Do not allow it to boil.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Add sugar, chopped pecans (optional) and vanilla, mix well.
10. Frost cake as soon as it is removed from the oven.
11. Allow cake to cool, cut into squares.
12. Enjoy!