Stella's Growing Up!

Every now and then....

Stella comes to visit us at Brown & Hopkins!

Here she is picking out candy......

She is Angela's cutie patootie pup.......

Everyone speaks in a higher tone when she is around......

that's just the way it is....

Rustic Angel Vine Topiaries!

We just received a limited supply of these sweet little carefree "live" plants!

They are going fast!

Come on in and check them out today!

Apple Spice Cake

Who loves butterscotch???

Have I got a recipe for you!

It's so easy, and I am guessing that you probably have everything

in your pantry except for two items....

4 cups of Granny Smith Apples and Spiced Rum Butterscotch Sauce (Stonewall Kitchen)

Of course, this dessert topping is yummy served over cheesecake, ice cream and more! And while I am posting this recipe for you to enjoy, who's to say you can't go get a store bought coffeecake or apple pie, and drizzle this over the top?! That will impress them enough! Heck, ya wouldn't hear me complaining!

But if you are in the mood to bake...here ya go!

Apple Spice Cake

Ingredients

1 stick butter, room temp.

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups Granny smith apples, cored and shredded, leave peel on.

1 jar Spiced Rum Butterscotch Sauce (Available at Brown & Hopkins)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 10" Bundt pan.
Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix.
Spread batter in prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.
Serve each slice with Spiced Rum Butterscotch Sauce
......and heck, how 'bout a little bit of whipped cream?

Enjoy!

Mother's Day Contest!

Would you like a chance to win a $100 Shopping Spree???

Here are the rules:

1) Join our Facebook Fan Page

www.facebook.com/brownandhopkinscountrystore

2) Copy and paste the following into a post on our page

"I LOVE Brown & Hopkins Country Store and I would LOVE to win a $100 shopping spree!"

3) Upload a treasured photo of Mom ~ Grandma ~ You and the Kids ~ You and Grandkids ~ Family....etcetera

4) Tag Yourself and others in the photo who are on Facebook (If you are not in the photo, then just tag the picture with your name, so it'll appear on your homepage)

Instructions are found on Facebook as well!

And that's all there is to it!!

Drawing will be held on May 6th!

Grand prize winner will be chosen at random (names in a hat)

and some runners up will be chosen as well!

Not on Facebook? Whatcha waitin' for??? It's a fun way to keep in contact with friends and find out what is happening at your favorite country store!!!

Here are just a few photos recently entered into the contest!!

Good luck everyone!

And remember.....

"A mother is the truest friend we have,

when trials are heavy and sudden, fall upon us;
when adversity takes the place of prosperity;
when friends who rejoice in our sunshine desert us;
when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us,
and endeavor by her kind percepts and counsels
to dissipate the clouds of darkness,
and cause peace to return to our hearts."

Washington Irving, American writer, 1783 - 1859

Say Cheese!

Cheddar Cheese, that is!

Did you know that Brown & Hopkins sells sharp cheddar cheese,

straight from a Vermont cow, well, sorta, kinda...LOL

Did you know that cheese has been a staple item on provisioners' counters since Colonial times, and so became known as "store" cheese.

Here's a recipe I found when looking through an old recipe book, dated 1968.

Cheese-Onion Bread

1/2 cup diced onion

2 T melted butter

1 and 1/2 cups packaged biscuit mix (Bisquick)

1 cup shredded store cheese (1/4 lb.)

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

Simmer the onion in 1 T butter until tender and golden.

Combine the biscuit mix with 2/3 cup of cheese; add beaten egg and milk, mixing just enough to wet all ingredients; stir in the onion. Spread in well-greased 8" cake pan, brush top with remaining melted butter, then scatter remaining cheese over all. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Serve at once. Serves 4 to 6.

This is a superb hot bread and is excellent with scrambled eggs or an omelet.

This cheese will be sampled on Friday and Saturday,

and would make a perfect addition to your Sunday dinner!

A little wine, a little cheese,
a little more wine, some cheese-onion bread.......you get the picture.....

Kidding aside, this is the creamiest cheese around,

and canot be bought at a grocery store.

It just tastes better when it is cut off the big block of cheese.....

In my best RI accent, "It's just like butta!".