To Grandmother's Recipe Box We Go

The chocolate chip cookies Grandma always had in the cabinet, the jello salad she always made for holidays, her famous pickles............all those foods that Grandma was known for and you have the recipes......somewhere!

I have put together an heirloom recipe book, using my grandmother's recipes.
Below are a few sample pages from my Grandma's Recipe book.

It was so much fun for me to put this book together, and remember my grandmother.
Each recipe brings back a special memory of Gram.   I spent many hours in the kitchen with my Grandmother and many more Sunday dinners enjoying her great cooking!  What I wouldn't give for her homemade cinnamon rolls, her noodles, or the strawberry/banana jello salad she always made because she knew I loved it.  

This is a great way to organize your own recipes, preserve family recipes, or give as gifts.
I can customize the paper and layout to achieve the look you are going for.
These books start at $30.  I have 18 recipes in my book, plus a title and dedication page.
This 8"x8" book can hold 36 recipes (depending on the size), and pages can be added.
The pages also have the protective plastic so that while you are making Grandma's famous cookies, your cherished recipes are protected.

All you have to do is gather the recipes and I will take care of the rest!

Cupcakes on Memory Lane

I remember chocolate cupcakes from kindergarten that my mom made, with the candy pumpkins on them.  So, I had to make them with my favorite chocolate cake recipe.

This is the chocolate cake that I make for birthdays and special occasions.
The cake is so moist and the icing is a dreamy chocolate!

Not sure what is next in the Test Kitchen - probably trying out new recipes for Christmas.

Coming soon......the unveiling of my logo for Treva's Test Kitchen & Creative Design!

Pumpkin Patch

I made my favorite sugar cookies over the weekend.   I have decided that these cookies are better without icing.  They taste so yummy on their own and icing just makes them too sweet!   They are generally a puffy cookie, but I was able to tone that down for a better result for shaped cookies.  These sugar cookies will be on the Test Kitchen menu, but with sprinkles for the decoration; that way the flavor of the cookies can be thoroughly enjoyed!

The icing I tried is good, but not the best for decorating larger cookies.
I will try a different sugar cookie recipe and royal icing for Christmas cookies.  
This icing in white and with rum rather than vanilla, is going to be on an Eggnog Cookie I am about to test.

Next up will be chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing.

And, the jack-o-lantern turned out really well!

Brownies by the Sea Salt

One taste of these brownies and you will understand my blog name! :)

This is my true Test Kitchen recipe.  I first made the base brownie recipe several years ago and have made changes here and there until I have gotten them just right!

I think they taste best with the sea salt, as it really brings out the chocolate.  The peppermint iced bite size brownies are an amazing Christmas treat.  The peanut butter iced and cappuccino iced are also yummy varieties.  And of course, there is always plain.

They are sure to cure any chocolate craving!

Banana Bread for Breakfast

This banana bread is so moist and delicious!  I am so happy that after so many years of being disappointed with the banana bread recipes I have tried, that I have found this one!

Sea Salt Brownies just came out of the oven and will be photographed shortly!

This weekend in addition to carving a pumpkin, I am going to change up the tastiest sugar cookie recipe ever and make Halloween sugar cookies.  I am going to try out some new icing/decorations for the cookies.  

Happy Friday!

This Isn't Your Grandma's Texas Sheet Cake

I tried the White Texas Sheet Cake recipe yesterday.  It turned out well and was enjoyed by many.  I thought it would be a prettier cake, but as with Texas Sheet cake, the icing is more of a glaze than a pretty frosting.  I added the orange drizzle and got more of the look I was going for.  I will try this again, modify the icing a little, and add different decorations.  Overall, I really like the recipe and the finished product.  It sure does taste good!

Next up in the Test Kitchen, I am making my Sea Salt Brownies, to introduce them to a local salon.

I am also working on an album that is a collection of my Grandma's recipes.   This will be a sample of recipe albums that I will put together.  An 8X8 album with 20 pages, that will hold 10-40 recipes.  These albums will start at $30.  

Preparing to Launch

As I prepare to launch Treva's Test Kitchen & Creative Design, I am testing recipes and creating sample scrapbooks and albums.    My favorite part of creating is seeing people's reactions when they bite in to a dessert, or see an album or card that I have put together.

This week in the test kitchen I will be trying out a new recipe for White Texas Sheet Cake and adding a Fall/Halloween touch.   Recently I perfected my Pumpkin Chip Cookies,  made the BEST Banana Bread, created Cappuccino Brownies, and made a Texas Sheet Cake that tasted just like Mom's!

I am currently taking orders for Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving desserts.
These include Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin Chip Cookies, Sugar Cookies, and as always Brownies!

Check back for more tasty test kitchen updates!