Pineapple Sheet Cake

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, with juice
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. pineapple extract

 

Mix dry ingredients together well, then beat in the remaining ingedients. Spoon into greased pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Cool well before cutting, may frost with cream cheese frosting if desired.

Moist Almond Mug Cake

I love mug cakes, but so many of them can be so eggy they just aren't that tasty.   I am always on the look out for new recipes and then try to adapt them to my own taste.   Here is one I've been working on and think I've come up with something good.    This recipe will make two mug cakes, so you will have one to share.

1/4 cup and 2 tbsp.  all purpose flour
1/4 cup and 2 tbsp.  almond flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4-5 tbsp. sugar, white or brown your choice
a pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk
5 tbsp. melted butter or vegetable oil (butter is more flavorful of course)
1 tsp. vanilla
a couple drops of almond extract

Spray two large mugs with cooking spray.   Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.   Then add the milk, butter and extracts.  Mix well and then divide between the two mugs.   Place in the microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick.  If toothpick comes out clean, it is done.  It not, continue cooking for another 30-60 seconds or until the toothpick comes out clean.   Cool before eating.  You can frost or just sprinkle with some powdered sugar.  

Rhubarb Dump Cake

Rhubarb Dump Cake

1 pound rhubarb, cut into ¼ inch pieces (between 3 and 4 cups)
1 cup white sugar
1 (3 ounce package) strawberry jell-o
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup water
¼ cup butter, melted
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb, followed by the jell-o, and finally the cake mix. Pour the water and melted butter over the top. Do not stir. Bake for 45 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender

Panko Crusted Swai Fillets (Fried Fish)

I have been seeing a new fish at the grocery store, called swai   I tried some this weekend and it was really tasty.  It is a firm white fleshed fish, very mild and very tasty.   I can highly recommend it.  Usually, I just lightly flour my fish fillets and then brown quickly in butter.   This time I decided to do something a bit differently.   I beat together 1 egg and about 1/2 cup buttermilk (plain milk would work too) with about a tablespoon of hot sauce and 1/4 tsp. of Mrs. Dash.   I dipped the fish pieces in the egg/milk mixture, then dipped the fish into a plate of panko bread crumbs.   I pressed the crumbs firmly onto the fish.  Meanwhile, I had a 12 inch non-stick skillet with a couple tablespoons of olive oil heating.   When the skillet was nice and hot, I added the breaded fish fillets.   Allow to cook until golden brown, then gently turn over and brown on the other side.   By the time both sides are well browned, the fish should be done and flake easily.   Serve with a wedge of lemon or some tartar sauce.    To vary the taste a bit, add some good quality grated Parmesan cheese to the panko bread crumbs and about 1/2 tsp. Italian herbs to the egg mixture.   Enjoy!

Kool-Aid Pie

There are times when you want something sweet and you want it fast.   Either your sweet tooth gets a craving or you have guests coming and you need something fast and easy.   This makes a delicious dessert and takes maybe 5 minutes to make.   It is also very tasty too!

1 can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk or it won't work)
1 pkg. unsweetened Kool-Aid drink mix
1 bowl whipped topping or 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped
1 8-inch graham cracker or cookie crust

Empty the sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl.   Beat in the powdered Kool-Aid drink mix and continue stirring until it begins to thicken.   Fold in the whipped topping or whipped cream.   Spoon into the graham cracker crust and chill until very firm.   Enjoy!

You can use any flavor of Kool-Aid you wish, but I think that strawberry or cherry taste the best (just my biased opinion).   You can also garnish the finished pie with fruit if you like.   I made one using black cherry Kool-Aid and put it in a chocolate cookie crust, then drizzled some chocolate syrup over the pie when I served it.   Delicious! 

A quick fruit pie

When you have unexpected guests and want something tasty to give them with coffee or tea,  or you just get a craving for something sweet that is fast and easy to make, this pie is perfect!  It uses stuff from the pantry and goes together fast and is also quite tasty.   I got the recipe from a woman I used to work with.

1 cup flour
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick softened butter
1 can pie filling, any flavor
spices to taste (cinnamon and a bit of clove for apple; cinnamon, clove and nutmeg for peach or apricot)

Mix together the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and spices if using.   Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture.   Press about 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom and sides of an 8-inch pie plate.   Add the pie filling and then sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.   Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.   Cool before cutting.    Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

Irish soda bread is something that I love, although I don't bake it all that often.   It is easy to make and so good spread with some butter and jam or butter and honey.   Here's my recipe:

6 cups white flour (or use 3 cups white flour and 3 cups whole wheat flour or 3 cups white flour and 3 cups oatmeal)
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.   Grease and preheat a 10 inch cast iron skillet, with lid if possible.  (preheat by placing in the heated oven while mixing the dough)    Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.   Quickly stir in the buttermilk to make a soft and sticky dough.   With floured hands, form into a round cake a little smaller than the size of the skillet.   Place in the preheated skillet, pat it smooth and then cut a cross in the top of the dough.   Cover with the heated lid and place in the preheated oven.   Bake about 40 minutes, until brown and crusty.    When done, remove from the pan and wrap in a clean cloth towel.   Allow to cool in the towel for about 2-3 hours.    Slice with a sharp, serrated bread knife in fairly thick slices.   Enjoy!

For a slightly fancier loaf, you can add a couple tbsps. of sugar to the dry ingredients or honey with the butter milk.   You can also add chopped dried fruit or raisins to the dry ingredients as well.    Some grated lemon or orange rind is tasty too.

A camping recipe from my sister Susan

My sister Susan is one of the readers of my blog.   She and her husband live in the wilds of Idaho and love camping.   Susan sent me this recipe and said I could share with you folks.   I don't camp, but this still sounds like something I would make at home.

"
Food for two (with good appetites from hiking and setting up camp)

4 thin pork chops (1/2 inch is good, bone-in has better flavor, but is
messier to eat)
1 large Burbank potato, skin on (can use red-skinned but they take longer
to cook) cut into bite size pieces
1 medium onion, bite size pieces
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery sliced
1 small can mushrooms (or fresh if you like, but they don't keep well on a
camping trip)
Some kind for summer squash- yellow or zuccini (sp?)
1 medium tomato or a hand full of grape tomatoes, cut up

Wash all vegetables. Prepare as directed. (I may even do this at home, put
in ziplocks in the cooler).

In a cast iron dutch oven (4 quart is good size or any kind of skillet
with a lid) brown the pork chops in a tiny amount of oil. Don't over cook
or they will be tough.  Add all vegetables (except squash) and a cup of
water. Cook on high until boiling, then reduce to simmer.  Cook until
veggies are getting soft, then split the squash and lay over the top. Be
sure there is enough moisture so it doesn't burn, but not too much or you
will get watery gravy.
As the vegetables cook, the potatoes and carrots should add just enough
starch to the cooking fluid to make a slightly thickened sauce for your
vegetables.

Serve with salt/pepper to taste.  An absolutely delicious one pot meal. I
don't take a lot of spices with me camping, they get old in the camp box
and it's too much work to replace them each time, so I try to add plenty
of savory veggies so spices seem less needed. When camping out, tired and
hungry, you won't miss a lot of fancy dressing up!"

Enjoy!