The Original Hip Hostesses

Mother's Day Recipes.

Tomorrow is a special day when we can pay tribute to those very special women in our lives that made us who we are. For both of us, our love of entertaining, food, and design definitely came from our mothers. So you could very well say that they are the Original Hip Hostesses.

Below are a couple of our favorite recipes from our childhood that came straight from our mothers' kitchens. Enjoy...and don't forget to call your mom on Sunday!


Marlene's Vegetable Soup
This soup was a stand-by in our house either as soon as the weather turned cold or when someone would come down with a cold. It's super easy and convenient...and unbelievably comforting.

2 lbs Stew Beef (cut each cube in half to make more bite sized)
2 cans of Veg-All Vegetables (or another mixed vegetable equivalent)
1 small can of green beans
1 small can of corn
2 cups of shredded cabbage
3 - 4 medium potatoes, diced
1 46 oz can of tomato juice
2 -3 beef boullian cubes
1 can of diced tomatoes
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 5 hours. Mom always served this with crackers and sliced sharp cheddar...delicious.

Mom’s Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake

Back in the day, my mom would get requests from everyone in town to make this cake for them. The secret is in the glaze.

Cake
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
3 eggs
¾ c. vegetable oil
¾ c. buttermilk
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. drained crushed pineapple
2 c. shredded carrots
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray (2) 9” round pans with non-stick cooking spray and then line with parchment paper and spray paper again.

Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt together and set aside. In mixer beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Slowly add flour mixture. Add remaining ingredients one at a time until thoroughly blended. Bake in 350 degree oven for 55 minutes.

Glaze
1 c. sugar
½ c. buttermilk
1 tsp. corn syrup
½ tsp. baking soda
½ c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring all ingredients except vanilla to boil and cook 5 minutes. Add vanilla and pour over cakes immediately after removal from oven. Let cake stand until cool to touch and run knife around outer edge of pan and then flip onto cooling rack.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
½ c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. orange juice
Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature. In mixer cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar followed by orange rind, vanilla and orange juice until desired consistency.