Country Easy

Does this look delicious, or what?!?  I got this recipe from my sister, June, who writes, "Cat, I got this recipe from my friend and quilt buddy, Beth Sprayberry." . It's called 3-2-1 Cake. 
I have not  yet tried this recipe, but only because I don't have an angel food cake mix in the house.  Go to the CAT FOOD page above for the complete recipe.  Proper credit is with the recipe, and it sounds, not only easy, but fun, and delicious too. 

I titled this blog Country Easy because this recipe just sounds so easy.  Let me know what you think of the recipe and please, do try it. This seems like one of those ideas that was long in coming and short on work. I'm going to make this and it will be so handy when someone drops in unannounced.

Click on the CAT FOOD page right now to see this easy dessert.

© 2012 Cat Brennan

Cool and Nutritious in the Country

Frozen grapes .. Yummy. I can’t claim to be the originator of this dee-lishous snack, after all, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9), but I’ll gladly pass on the idea. FROZEN GRAPES!

I’ve tried many different varieties; large black grapes and big reds. I’ve frozen the smaller seedless whites, greens and reds. They are all so good. The only criteria I have is strictly personal .. I choose the sweetest grapes. However, you may like the tart ones. These frozen delights remind me of Popsicles with natural sugars, no guilt and I get to decide on portion size .. a single grape or a handful of these cold little globes. When I bring home my grapes, I carefully remove them from their bag; rinsing it and setting aside to drip dry. As I remove each bunch of grapes, I wash well, then check for and remove any bad ones. Once they are all checked and rinsed, I let them sit in a colander for a few minutes to drain excess water.


Place the cleaned grapes back into their original bag and put the whole thing in the freezer. Depending on your appliance, they will be frozen in a few hours or overnight.


If your teeth are very sensitive to cold, choose the smaller grapes as they will be easier to bite into.


Take your summer country cooling one step further and look around at the other fruits from your garden, farmers market or wherever you acquire fresh produce. Water melon? Cute into shapes, balls or chunks, spear with a Popsicle stick and freeze. How about blueberries? Have fun experimenting with your favorite fruits.


Summer is in full force as we find ways to stay cool. You still can’t beat the original hydrator; water! Drink plenty and, if possible, stay inside during the hottest parts of the day.


Here’s to your Country Life whether you’re in the country or simply wish you were!
© 2011 Cat Brennan © 2011 Cat's Country Place
http://www.livingonadime.com/frugal-friday-link-party-summer-recipes/            

Country Cocktail Picks

At a recent ladies event at my apartment, I served ripe olives and sharp cheddar cheese bites along with other goodies.  Sure, I could have purchased some cocktail picks, but why would I buy something I could make with "stuff on hand"? 
Among the many things in my closet of crafting supplies, there is a shoe box full of sea shells including star fish, sand dollars, and ordinary sea shells. Some were collected at Myrtle Beach, some at Sanibel Island, some at craft stores and some came from a broken necklace.
Using some tiny star fish and other small sea shells, I crafted some nice little picks.
Since I grew up in cowboy country, I love my glue GUN (did you get it?), but chose to use a different medium this time to make sure the shells didn't come loose in the food. E6000® is an excellent multi-purpose adhesive and it held.
Check out the Cat Litter page to see some of the naked picks, front and back, as well as in the cheese bites. These really dressed up the little hors d'oeuvres and were a hit with my gal pals.
A little of the beach made it to my Country world of entertaining.
Beach or desert, sand or sea, it's all Country!  ­© 2010 Cat Brennan