Hello,
I stop by the read the messages when I can. Sorry I have not been participating more. This has been a horrid summer for gardening. My cookbook shelves are overflowing, so I do not want a cookbook, but I have enjoyed all the recipes that were posted and will try to remember to come back and share a few.
Is there anyone else like me who might like the recipes on a CD rather than or in addition to a cookbook? Probably saved in Mirosoft Word. I love to be able to pull things up on the computer and then print out whatever recipe I plan to make. Anyway, if there is an interest in that, let me know. I could do it. I would have to give you a price. I'm sure it would be less per copy (and less for postage) than the cookbook... but yes, I know most people love to add cookbooks so this is absolutely not a negative comment on that idea. Okay?
Jeanne

I would love one of these cookbooks! I can not think of any names for it at the moment, let me think about it!

Karen

Jeanne, thanks but if we wanted a cd, actually we could all make one for ourselves for free. My thoughts are we wanted this to be something special designed for our group with receipes we've made and love. Though I do love to pull them off the computer and print them but it seems everytime I need to print one that will be exactly the time I'm out of ink.

Jeanne, I do like your idea but I am one of those who needs the book out on the counter with me when I am cooking, I used to print out recipes that I had saved and then I lose the paper when I want it for the next time. I need my books lol! My son made a beautiful wooden cookbook rack for my growing collection. Now they are all nicely organized and beautifully displayed. :o)

Ok Gang, here is the list of possible names for the cookbook so far. When you are ready to vote just copy and paste your favorite Title for the Petal Pushers Cookbook into your message and we will begin tallying on the 22nd. Please keep posting names and recipes! I hope lots of our Petal Pushers come in to visit, especially the ones we haven't heard from in a while! We set up a chat room so zip me an email and I will send you a link to come visit with us in the Petal Pushers Lounge!

The Pedal Pusher's Cooking Across America Cookbook (NC)

The Pedal Pusher's Friends and Flowers Cookbook (NC)

The Pedal Pusher's Homecooking Cookbook (NC)

Pedal Pusher's Friends Sharing Across America (NC)

The Petal Pushers: Friends, Flowers, and Food (NC)

The Petal Pushers: Friends, Flowers, and Food Across Amercia (NC)

The Petal Pushers: Pushing (or Petaling) Friends, Flowers, Food, and Fun across America (NC)

The Petal Pushers Potluck (vic)

Petal Pushers Across The Miles Cookbook (Deb)

Petal Pushers Sharing With Friends (Deb)

Petal Pushers From My Table To Yours (Deb)

Petal Pushers Good Food, Good Friends! (Deb)

Petal Pushers "All My Best" Cookbook (Deb)

Petal Pushers "Try This" Cookbook (Deb)

Peddling Recipes with the Petal Pushers (Deb)

I thought that you wanted it in BOOK form... LOL, but I had not been reading along carefully. For myself, I will be going back and doing some "copy" and "paste" and "save" so thanks to those who shared.
Anyway, here is a recipe since I have not shared one yet. This is very good! It is from my great uncle's sister-in-law many, many years ago. I don't even remember what her name was but we went to visit her and she served this and I had to ask for the recipe.

Apple Impromptu

4 c. apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 c. plain flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare 4 cups apples by peeling, coring, and slicing. (I use Granny Smith.) Place in well greased 8 or 9 in. pie pan. Combine 1/4 c. sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min.
Topping: Cream 1 tablespoon butter and gradually add 1 cup sugar. Cream well. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and one slightly beaten egg; beat well. Sift together 1/2 cup plain flour (not cake flour) and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Blend into the creamed mixture. Spread evenly over apples in pan. Bake for 20-25 min. longer at 400 degrees until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, topped with whipped cream or ice cream if you wish.
Yum!
My favorite cookbook name is the one with "Cooking Across America."
I know you will be so proud of the book when it is printed!
Talk to you soon.
Jeanne

Jeanne, that sounds delicious! I have all the ingredients for that right now. I think I will be trying it tomorrow night for dessert. That title is my favorite so far too.

Feel free to post some more ideas for titles everyone.

I haven't been doing swaps much at all this year either. Hurt my knee and wasn't able to do anything most of spring and summer and only a little now occasionally due to all the hours at work. But if Possible, I would love to be able to get one of these cookbooks. PLMK what I would need to do. Thanks, Melinda

Hi Melinda, how is your knee doing now? I hate that it had you out of commission for so long! I am so glad that you are interested in the cookbook.

We are compiling the recipes now and will be formatting it with an online publishing company that is already picked out. The price isn't set yet. The more we order the less expensive each copy will be. Right now we are looking at around 5-5.60/copy. That doesn't include shipping from them to us and then on to each of our Petal Pushers but we are working hard at keeping the cost down.

Once we have it pinned down with how many pages the book is and the number of copies that we need we will have a set price. At that point we will have each person who is interested pay for their copies through paypal or a money order. We're a little ways off from that at this point but are really excited about it and hopeful that lots of folks would want to participate.

If there are some people from other groups interested in participating we would love to have them. The more the merrier!

Tracy

Hello everybody,Sorry I`ve not been trading much this summer.My momma fell and hurt her back and we`ve had to stay with her some this summer.It`s been really dry here this summer and I`ve not been able to water and care for my gardens like I`d like to. I have been dropping in to catch up a little whenever possible.I definately want a cookbook! this is a great idea.I`ll come up with some recipes for you and post them here. Robin

Hi-I have another recipe to post when I have a minute today. It's my Grandmother's recipe for Fish Chowder. Really delicious.
Mariann

Jeanne, that sounds good!! I'm going to the grocery store today and was going to get apples to try Tracy's apple recipe, glad I seen this, I'm gonna get enough to try both! (I feel my hips getting bigger!)

Tracy, that is a great price! I know it will be more for shipping, but I still was thinking it would be at least $12-15 just for the book!

I'm gonna have to find some recipes to post, I tried something the other day that sounded good but......

Also, if there is anything you girls want me to do for this just lmk! Sounds like we are getting a great response!

Vic

Robin, it is great to see you! I hope your Mom is doing better. I'm sorry to hear about the gardens going on the back burner. I went through that a few years ago here. Hurt my back and couldn't even pull weeds without hurting it. Takes a while to catch up. I can't wait to see your recipes!

Mariann, I am looking forward to your chowder recipe! You just reminded me of my Baked Potato Soup recipe that I need to share.

Vic, I was really excited when we found the publishing site, it is easy to use and there are no upfront fees. Perfect for us. Can't wait to check out your recipes!

Tracy

Great! I am glad to be able to get a book and will get some of my family favs to put in it. Recipes passed from my grandmother to my mother and then me!
Do I just type them here for you or do you want them sent to you. If so, I will need an addy of where to send them. Thanks, Melinda

Jeanne, I'm confused (doesn't take much) when reading your recipe, for the topping is it 1 cup of sugar or 1/2 cup? I am asking b/c it calls for 3/4 cup sugar total......

Thanks,
Vic

Melinda, that is awesome! Thank you for sharing your family recipes with us. Those are always the best. Go ahead and post them here on the boards. Most of the recipes are going in the new thread for the Petal Pushers Cookbook Swap. Sassy and I are going to be copying them and pasting them into the format we need for the book from there.

Good question Vic, I'm guessing it would be 1/2 cup based on the ratio to sugar.

woops, meant to write based on the sugar to flour ratio in most recipes! Sheeze. Can't get my fingers to catch up with my thoughts sometimes. lol!

I have been watching this because I love to cook but I have a question. What does Jeanne mean by "plain flour" as opposed to "cake flour". I use whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, what am I using?
Thanks.
diene

Yes, that should have read 1/2 cup sugar. Sorry I didn't type more carefully. Actually, even making it the way the recipe reads, it is very sweet so I sometimes reduce the amount of sugar slightly. I like my apples tart!
As for plain flour, I wrote the recipe down the way it was given to me. I interpret plain flour to be the same as all purpose flour - basically meaning not self-rising. There is a special flour you can buy for making cakes and I know I used to see it in boxes in the store and it was labeled cake flour. They may not even sell it anymore. Nostalgia...
You will think it looks like too little topping when you make the recipe, but it melts and covers all or nearly all of the top of the apples. I just made two of them yesterday, but guess what - I added the extra sugar because I had just typed it that way. Oh, well, still plenty good to eat.
Jeanne

Jeanne, don't feel bad. I left the flour out of the recipe that I posted on the Oven Apple Pancake recipe on the first thread!

So many recipes call for cake flour and they changed the name of it on the bags here. Now they call it self-rising flour. I have to wonder why they did that. Just think of how many young cooks won't know what they're looking for at the store when trying to make their Grandma's recipes!

Hey Diene, so are you going to share some of your good food with us? Please?

Oh, the flour debate! LOL I have been reading on cooking at high altitudes and it has gotten me soooo confused! I'm supposed to use unbleached flour (can't remember why) and if I use cake flour I need to adjust the amt of baking powder/soda in the recipe so it doesn't rise too much, so I really have no idea WHAT I'm doing! LOL

Anyhow......sorry I didn't get back on last night girls, I made a HUGE mistake and showed Zack pbskids.org, my SIL in MI used to set him on her lap and play computer games and he has been bugging me to do the same. I thought he would get bored with it and not understand how to do it, NOT! He caught on to using the mouse in a flash and is bugging me now to get off here so he can get on it! I've created a monster! But, I guess I'll be able to get some house work done quicker today without his help : )

Jeanne, I kinda thought it was 1/2 cup, just checking.

Diene, I hope you share some recipes with us!!

Vic

I love the copy and paste feature I have, don't know what I would do with-out it. I store all the recipes on my thumb drive.

Also, I will offer something for a prize who ever wins on naming the cook book. I'm not for sure what it will be yet but I will come up with something.

LIFE IS GOOD,
Annie

Aw, Annie, You're too good to us! I'm planning on sending a prize too. Maybe some Sunrise and Sundown Echinacea?

So which name are you voting for? I am still stuck between Petal Pushers: Cooking Across America and Petal Pushers: From My Table to Yours.

That second one really hits it on the head nicely considering it is all of us sharing the foods we love to make with our friends.

My Vote is for:
The Petal Pusher's Cooking Across America Cookbook

Vic-When I was in High School we moved to Denver, CO. My mom had to change some of her recipes to account for the change in altitude. All I know is that the boiling temp. of water decreases as elevation increases.

Jeanne that apple recipe looks very tasty!

I'm so glad a recipe book is being worked on. I've been coping and pasting the recipes and they are hard to read.
Mariann

Just wanted to drop in and let you know I haven't forgotten about getting recipes for the book! Been very busy, but hope to get some to you all tomorrow or the next day if not too late! Thanks, Melinda

Count me in on the cookbook. I will try and get some recipes posted soon.

Love the apple recipe will have to try it this week as my Son brought me a bushel of apples today.

Shirley

Mariann,
"All I know is that the boiling temp. of water decreases as elevation increases"
LOL, that's about all I can remember too, and pasta takes longer...

My vote is for "The Pedal Pusher's Cooking Across America"

Night All,
Vic

Melinda, I can't wait to see some of your family recipes!

Shirley, thank you for joining in! I am anxious to see your recipes too!

I have to agree, The Pedal Pusher's Cooking Across America Cookbook has my vote too.

I vote for PP Cooking Across America also! Here are some of my family's fav.s.

**Monkey Bread

3 cans buttermilk biscuits
1 c. ice cream, vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar

Tear biscuits into bite size pieces. Place in a bundt-type pan. Melt together the remaining ingredients and pour over the biscuits in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or when golden brown on top. Tip out onto a serving plate.

**Best Barbecues

3 lbs hamburger, browned, drained
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 c. catsup
1 can tomato soup
1 can chicken gumbo soup
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp mustard
Simmer all ingredients for 2 hours. Works best in crock pot.

**Easy and sooo good Hot Dip

1 can chili without beans
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 lb Velveeta

Heat all ingredients and mix well. Serve with tortilla chips. Works great if you cube the velveeta and put all in a crock pot.

**Easy Lasagna

16 oz. can tomatos
12 oz. can V8 Juice
6 oz. can tomato juice
1 tsp. Basil
1 pkg. dry spaghetti mix
1 1/2 lb. Hamburger
1 small container Cottage Cheese
1 pkg. mozzerella cheese
8 oz. uncooked lasagne noodles
Parmesan cheese

Mix tomatoes, v8 juice, tomato juice, basil and dry spaghetti mix. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Mix cooked and drained hamburger and sauce. In a 9 x 13 inch pan, layer, starting with hamburger mix, then noodles, cottage cheese, nooodles and end with meat mixture. Top with Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. Can be frozen after baked.

**Cocktail Meatballs

1 lb. raw hamburger
1/3 c. minced onion
1 egg beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dried bread crumbs
1/4 c. milk
1 T. parsley flakes
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
SAUCE
1 10 oz. jar grape jelly
1 8 oz. jar chile sauce

Make bite size meatballs. Brown. Place in sauce. Heat together until jelly melts. Simmer for 30 minutes or use crock pot.

**Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

6 med. potatoes
3 tbsp butter
1 sm onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. cubed cooked ham
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 c milk
1 tbsp butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease 2qt casserole. Thinly slice potatoes to measure 4 cups. Heat 3 tbsp butter in 2 qt. saucepan over med. heat. Cook onion in butter about 2 min.s, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly, remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Spread potatoes and ham in casserole, cover with with sauce. Dot with 1 tbsp butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 60-70 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. Let stand 5-10 min.

**Potato Salad

6 med. potatoes
1 1/2 c. mayo
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 med stalks celery, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Boil potatoes until soft (30-35 min.) Cool slightly and cut into cubes. Mix mayo, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion, toss. Stir in eggs. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

**Taco Salad

1 head lettuce, shredded
1 lb. hamburger, cook & drain
8 oz. Shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Kidney Beans
4 tomatoes, diced
1/3 c. sugar
Taco Flavored Chips (Doritos)
Taco Seasoning (1 pkg.)
8 oz. bottle Thousand Island Dressing
1 tbsp Taco Sauce

Brown hamburger, add taco seasoning (saving 1 tbsp.) Layer lettuce, Kidney Beans, Hamburger, Cheese, Tomatoes, and end with chips on top. Mix Thousand Island Dressing, 1/3. cup sugar, 1 tbsp taco seasoning, and one tbsp taco sauce. Add this mixture RIGHT before serving and toss to coat.

**Easy Chocolate Dessert

1 c. flour
1/2. c chopped pecans
1/2 c. melted butter
1 8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 9 oz. carton Cool Whip
2 pkg. intant choc. pudding
3 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Crust: Blend flour, nuts, melted butter. Pat in 9 x 13" pan. Bake 15 min. at 350 degrees
First Layer: Beat the cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar in one cup of the Cool Whip. Spread on cooled crust.
Second Layer: Combine pudding , milk, and vanilla. Beat well and spread over first layer.
Third Layer: Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the 2nd layer. I like to sprinkle crushed Heath or Skor bars on top.

**Never Fail Pie Crust

3 c. flour
1 1/4 c. shortening(crisco)
1 egg white, unbeaten
5 tbsp. cold water
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp salt

Sift flour and salt. Use fork or pastry fork to mix or cut in shortening. Mix egg white, water and vinegar in a cup, with a fork. Add to flour mixture.

**All American Apple Pie

1 c. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
5 c apple slices or cubes
2 tbsp butter

Combine sugar, flour, spices, salt and lemon juice. Add apples, toss to mix. Put into pie crust and cover. Bake in oven (350) until done.

**Death by Chocolate

1 dark chocolate cake mix
16 oz. Cool Whip
4 c. chocolate pudding
6 Heath or Skor bars, crumbled

Bake chocolate cake mix as directed and cool completely. Crumble 1/4 of cake in a large bowl. Dollop 1/4 of Cool Whip on top. Dollop 1 c. of the chocolate pudding next, and 1/4 of the crumbled candy bars last. Repeat layers. Keep refrigerated. All I can say is, mmmmmmm!!!

Ok, I better stop for now. I'm so excited about this cookbook. Thanks so much Tracy and Sassy for such a great idea, and for the work you are putting into this!

Have a great day!
Karen

Here are a couple of recipes that my mother always made and now I make. My family loves them! So they could be done by me in memory of my mother, Marjorie Cox. She was also a member of GW and traded with many of the older ones I know.

Rum Cake-

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 butter yellow cake mix
1 pkg, instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup light rum or rum flavoring
1/c cup cold water
1/2 cup salad oil
4 eggs

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Crumble chopped nuts in bottom of pan. Mix pudding and cake mix together, add remainder of ingredients and beat 2 minutes. pour over nuts and bake 50 to 60- min. in 325 degrree oven. Remove from oven and immediately pour on glaze. Let set 30 min. and then
invert over serving platter.

Glaze-

1 cup sugar
1 stick real butter
1/4 cup rum or rum flavoring
1/4 cup water

Boil together for couple minutes and then pour on cake when done.

This is also one of my mother's favorites as well as the families.

Apple Cake

2. cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 cup salad oil
4 cups sliced thin apples
1 cup chopped nuts (we used walnuts, pecans will also work)
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients. Beat eggs and add to oil and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and then apples and nuts.
bake 350 degrees in well greased, floured pan for 50 to 55 min.
Cool and then frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese Frosting-

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
2 cups pwd. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 T. butter
mix well and spread on cooled cake.

Very moist and rich cake!

My mother and I's favorite candy!

Date Roll Candy

3 cups sugar
1 cup cream (whipping type)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dates

Combine sugar and cream and bring to a boil. Add dates and nuts and cook until mix forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and add vanilla.
Beat with spoon until mixture is stiff (and seems to have a dry appearance). Pour mixture onto wet cloth and roll up in a long roll, like for a jelly roll cake. Chill and when chilled cut in to 1/3 in pieces!

This recipe is from my grandmother, Jessie Cothren. She took it to church and things often as it is a quick, fast potluck dish everyone likes.

Dump Cake-
1 lg. can crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 sticks butter
Spray a 9x13 cake pan. Dump the pineapple (undrained) into pan. smooth out. Then dump cherry pie filling and smooth out
Dump cake mix (dry) over fruits. Sprinkle nuts over cake mix. Cut butter into pats and sprinkle over the top. Bake 1 hour in 350 degree oven.

This recipe is from my Great Aunt Alma! Loved to eat it at her house when I was a child.

Strawberry Pie-

1 cup strawberries and 2/3 cup water. Simmer 3 min. Mix 1 cup sugar, 3. Tablespoons cornstarch with 1/3 cup water. Add to simmered strawberries and boil until clear. Cut 3 cups strawberries and place into cooked, cooled pie shell. Pour the cooled strawberry mix over the berries. Top with freshly beaten whipped cream.

This recipe was my great grandmother's pie.

Grandma Spencer's cream raisin pie

1 cup milk
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
cornstarch or flour to thicken

Cream butter, eggs, and sugar. Add to boiling milk, stirring constantly to keep from burning. Add raisins and cook until raisins tender and adding cornstarch or flour as needed to thicken. Pour into pie shell and bake 350 degrees until golden brown.

Will add more later. Have to get busy on supper and other things! Melinda

YUMMY!

I have a couple to contribute, finally! lol
I have not made this before, but have had it and it's very good and looks easy to make.

Cheesey Potatoes

1 pkg frozen hash browns (1/2 way thawed)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
small chopped onion
1 stick melted butter
salt/pepper to taste

potato chips

Mix all ingredients together except for chips. Put in casserole pan and top with crushed potato chips.

Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hrs. (this sounds too long to me, I guess I'll have to try it and see)

Pudding Cake

1 Jiffy cake mix - yellow - baked in 9x12 pan

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
small box vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
(the above can be doubled if you want a thicker layer of "pudding")
1 can crushed pineapple - drained
Whipped topping

Blend cr cheese and milk together and set aside.
Blend pudding and milk, when it starts to thicken add cr cheese.
Spread on cake.
Spread pineapple on top.
Top with whipped cream.
Refridgerate until set

(can we use the "Jiffy" name?)

I also have a couple VERY basic recipes, almost too easy to be considered a recipe, would you like to see them? They DO NOT have to be included in the book.

Vic

Oh yes, I am all for very basic!!! We would love to see them here even if not for the book. Melinda