Sad to say . . . no chocolate here today!

Often when a friend or a relative is celebrating a birthday I will call them on the telephone and serenade them with my rendition of the song . . . "Happy Birthday To You." It never fails to please the recipient, even though my voice may not be the best in the world. Leona Lewis I am not! I can always hear the smile on the face at the other end of the telephone line, in the voice of the person I have called and in truth, my own heart sings with a smile as well.

The Happy Birthday song was written by two sisters from Kentucky, USA back in 1893, and it would not be surprising to learn that it is the world's best known song and the one that is sung and has been sung more than any other song ever written. Actually, with each one of us having a birthday every twelve months and there being billions of people in the world, it's quite obvious that it's happy, friendly and loving words are being sung and heard somewhere in the world every minute of every day!



Patty and Mildred Hill, it's original authors, first wrote the song as "Good Morning To You." Then in 1935 a song publisher with great foresight decided to give it a makeover and it became "Happy Birthday To You."

I have several close friends this month who have birthdays, and a much beloved son as well, and so I will be calling them on those special days to sing this special song to them. When I do so, I will think of these two sisters who first penned the words.

I wonder . . . did they realize at the time how many individual lives through time would be blessed by their simple words??? I dare say they didn't have even the slightest idea of the impact their writing would have on the world. I can only hope that I am able to leave behind a fraction of this same type of legacy behind, and if I am able to do even that, what a wonderful thing that will be.



I know, this is Tuesday . . . and once again there is no Tuesdays With Dorie post here at Oak Cottage. The recipe this week was the Chocolate Caramel Chestnut Cake on pages 269-272, as chosen by Katya of Second Dinner. We don't do chocolate in this house, unless we are having guests who will help me eat it. Todd hates chocolate cakes and cookies, and in today's economic climate, and with me slimming, I just can't justify baking anything that won't be eaten. (It does sound really good though!!!) I hope all the Tuesdays With Dorie people understand. If you are interested in seeing the recipe check it out on Katya's page and do please check out the blog roll to see what some of the other ladies came up with. Next week Em of The Repressed Pastry Chef selected Cran-Apple Crisps on page 422. Now, that . . . I can do!

So no chocolate here today, but I do have these scrumptious Oatmeal Whoopie Pies to share with you! I have often made chocolate whoopie pies for my children when they were growing up, and in fact my sister and I both independantly won blue ribbons at our individual county fairs back in the 1980's by using the same whoopie pie recipe, and in the same year too! Now what are the chances of that happening! It was pretty special indeed. At any rate we don't do chocolate nowadays as I have said and I found this Oatmeal Whoopie Pie recipe in one of my newest cookbooks, The Amish Cook's Baking Book, by Lovina Eicher. They're fabulous, simply fabulous! (how could anything Amish not be?)



*Oatmeal Whoopie Pies*
Makes 24 whoopie pies
Printable Recipe

These are very similar to Little Debbies Oatmeal Cookies, but better coz they're homemade. If you like oatmeal cookies and whoopie pies, then you will love these!

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed soft light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups quick cooking oats
2 tsp baking soda
3 TBS boiling water
Filling:
1 large egg white
1 TBS vanilla extract
2 TBS milk
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, softened



Pre-heat the oven to 205*C/425*F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Beat this into the creamed mixture. Stir in the oats and cinnamon. Mix all together well. Stir together the baking soda and the boiled water. Stir this mixture into the rest of the batter, mixing it in well.

Drop by the tablespoon onto the baking sheets, placing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm and just starting to turn golden around the edges, some 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets to wire racks to cool completely when done.

Combine the egg white, vanilla, milk and 1 cup of the icing sugar. Cream well together. Add the remaining icing sugar and the shortening, beating all together until smooth. Spread 1 tablespoon of the filling on the bottom of one cookie and top with a second cookie.

Wrap each whoopie pie individually in plastic wrap and then place in a tightly sealed container to store. They will keep up to five days this way. (If you have them around that long!!!)



In honour of British Sausage Week, we have sweet and sour meatballs on offer over at The English Kitchen today. Wonderful darlings, just wonderful!!