Pineapple Carrot Cake

Pineapple Carrot Cake

To be honest, I have never been that great a fan of carrot cake. There was just something about it that I didn't care for. It may have been the spices (it usually contains nutmeg and I am NOT a fan of that spice), the carrots may have been in too big chunks, too many nuts and or raisins, the cream cheese frosting may have been too cloying, who knows. It just wasn't one of my favorites. However, I have a very good friend who loves the stuff and I wanted to make something special for him. I have tried different recipes, but always on the lookout for one that is “better” in some way. I think I may have found it here. It contains crushed pineapple, no nuts and no raisins. The carrots are supposed to be grated, but I put them in my food processor and finely chopped them. For spices, mostly cinnamon, but just a little bit of ginger to perk it up a bit. And for the cream cheese frosting, only half the amount of cream cheese that most call for. The frosting is lighter and not as rich as most and quite tasty. I think you will like it. This cake should probably be refrigerated if not going to be eaten within a day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9x13 inch cake pan and set aside.

3 cups finely chopped or grated carrots (I used a 10 oz bag of shredded carrots that I then finely chopped in my food processor, but you can do as you please)

1 8 oz can of crushed pineapple, well drained (or use about a cup and a half of fresh pineapple chopped with the carrots)

4 eggs

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 cups dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Put all in a large bowl and mix until well blended

Then add to the bowl:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Using a spatula or large spoon, mix until just blended, then spread in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until nicely browned and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool until completely cooled.

For the frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 cups powdered sugar

Mix the butter and cream cheese together until well blended, stir in the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time and continue mixing until it is a fairly spreadable mixture, adding more sugar as need be or it gets too stiff, a little bit of milk can be stirred in. Spread a fairly thin layer on top of the cake.

Pineapple Sugar Cookies

I love pineapple and wanted a sugar cookie type cookie with a pineapple flavor.  All the pineapple cookie recipes I have found were more like a cake style cookie and that wasn't what I wanted.  They also tended not to have much of a pineapple flavor.  So I did some experimenting and came up with the perfect recipe.  It uses dried pineapple juice powder, but not sure if it really adds that much to it.  So feel free to leave it out if you can't find it.

1 cup softened butter
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. pure pineapple extract
2 eggs
2 tbsp. milk
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup died pineapple juice powder (leave out if you can't find it)
1/2 cup or more finely diced dried pineapple

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.   Then beat in the egg, milk and flavorings.  Mix all the dry ingredients together and mix into the butter and egg mixture.    Blend well, then cover and chill for a couple of hours.    When well chilled, form into balls using about 2 tbsp. of dough.  Place a few inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.   The bottoms of the cookies should just barely start to brown.   Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to continue cooling.   Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 dozen cookies.  

If you want a crunchy sugar coating, mix some white sugar with some of the pineapple juice powder and a couple drops of the pineapple extract and mix well, before baking roll each of the dough balls in the sugar mixture and bake as usual. 

Enjoy, I know I do!

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.

Pineapple Cookies

I have a very good friend who loves anything with pineapple.  I have been trying to find a good recipe for a pineapple cookie that is more chewy than cakey, with a good pineapple flavor.  So far this one is the best I've some across.  There are many variations of it, but this is the basic recipe that hits the high points of all of them.  Not quite as chewy as I'd like and the pineapple flavor isn't quite as strong as I'd like, but for now it is a very good start.   And the cookie is a very good cookie.   I can recommend it even it isn't exactly what I was hoping for.  I will keep looking, but until then I will be using this one. 

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

For the icing:(if using)

reserved pineapple juice

2 cups powdered sugar

I didn’t have any crushed pineapple, so I ran a can of pineapple chunks through the blender.  It worked, but crushed is better.

Iin a mixer bowl cream the butter with the sugars.  Add the eggs, pineapple and vanilla.  In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Blend into the wet ingredients.  Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

I like them without the icing, although it might give them a hit of pineapple flavor.   

For the icing: Gradually add pineapple juice to the powdered sugar by the tablespoon.  You want the consistency to be a bit thick, but still stream off the spoon.  While the cookies are still warm, spread the icing on the tops.

This recipe makes about 8 dozen soft, delicious cookies.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I grew up in the upper south, in southeast Missouri.   We ate all of those delicious traditional southern desserts like coconut cake, banana pudding, peach and blackberry cobblers, fried pies, etc.   One of my all time favorites though, was pineapple upside down cake.   I love the gooey brown sugar, the rich juicy pineapple and the tender buttery cake.   And when you got a mouthful of all three at once, it was heavenly!    They are really fairly easy to make too, the only real requirement is 10 inch cast iron skillet.   I've made them in regular pans and they come out very good, but I think the cast iron holds the heat better and gives a better crust, not to mention browning the brown sugar and pineapple topping better.   And although well drained canned pineapple is perfectly acceptable (and delicious) for this cake, I really do prefer using fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized bits.   But no matter what you use, you will love this!   Enjoy!

In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, melt 1/3 cup butter.  Remove from the heat and scatter 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar evenly over the melted butter, then evenly cover the brown sugar with drained pineapple rings or bits.   Set aside.   Now to make the cake batter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Mix together:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat in 1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat until smooth, then pour on top of the pineapple, brown sugar and butter.   Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.   When you take it out of the oven, run a knife around the edge of the pan, cover the top of the pan with your serving plate and carefully turn the pan upside down.    Allow the pan to remain in place for a few minutes, then gently remove.   If any bits of pineapple remain in the pan, take a spoon and gently replace on the cake.   Allow to cool before cutting.   Enjoy!

Variations:   some people like to decorate the top of the cake with maraschino cherries and chopped pecans, just place them on top of the brown sugar and butter mixture when add the pineapple bits.

An Indian Meal

Aaron and I both love Indian food.   One of our favorite restaurants is an Indian restaurant in Lawrence, KS and I often fix Indian food at home.    I have a large selection of Indian and curry cookbooks too.    One of my all time favorite Indian cookbooks is the Best Ever Indian Cookbook.   It has mostly northern Indian recipes, which is probably the style of cooking most common to Americans.   And there are enough meat recipes to keep most carnivores happy and with a smile on their faces.   If you are not a carnivore, either a vegetarian or just trying to cut back on meat, you can omit the meat in many of these recipes and substitute paneer (Indian cheese), boiled eggs, tofu or another kind of vegetable.   The sauces tend to be what makes the dish.   And I find that Indian recipes really lend themselves to substitution.   Use what you have and adapt the recipe as you go along.    I also find, that with a few exceptions, Indian cooking relies on spices that are most common or easily found:   cumin, cilantro, green chiles, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, ginger, etc.   And I have also noticed that many grocery stores, even here in Topeka Kansas, are stocking more things that used to be a bit hard to find...coconut milk, five spice powder, naan, curry pastes, etc.   And you may even be lucky enough to have an Indian import shop in your area where you can buy things.   We have a very nice one here in Topeka,  Cosmos, where I love to shop and always find the staff to be most helpful and kind.   They also offer cooking classes as well.

Tonight is Indian food night for Aaron and I.   I am going to make Kashmiri chicken, curried mushrooms with coconut and curried pineapple.   I'm also going to attempt making my own naan for the first time.   I have the dough rising as I type.   Should be a good dinner, wish some of you fine readers were here to enjoy it with us.    These recipes all came from the Best Ever Indian Cookbook, as referenced above.   If you like doing Indian cooking, I highly recommend this book.   Enjoy!   (I know Aaron and I enjoyed both cooking and eating these foods!)

Naan

2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast
4 tbsp. warm milk
8 tbsp. warm water (more or less)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. plain yogurt
2-3 tbsp. melted butter or ghee, for brushing the breads

Place the yeast in the warmed milk and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. to give the yeast time to activate.   Then place in a large bowl with everything except the water and melted butter.   Mix and add the water, about 2 tbsp. at a time until you have a soft dough.   Knead about 15 minutes, until very smooth and elastic.   Allow to rise, covered, in a warm place for an hour or so, until doubled.    When double, preheat the oven to the highest setting, at the very least 450 degrees.   If you have a baking stone, it is perfect for baking these.   But if not, place one or two baking sheets into the oven to heat.    When the oven is hot, knead the dough another couple of minutes, then divide into four balls.   Roll each ball out on a floured board about 1/4-1/3 inch thick.    Place each two rounds of dough on each baking sheet and return to the oven, baking 3-4 minutes, or until puffed up.    Remove from the oven and place under the broiler for a few seconds or until the top is slightly browned.   Brush with the melted butter or ghee and serve warm.   Makes 4 breads, enough for 2-4 people, depending on how hearty their appetite is.

Kashmiri Chicken Curry

4 tsp. curry paste
4 tbsp. tomato ketchup
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. five spice powder
1 tsp. white sugar
8 pieces of chicken, skinned (I used a package of boneless thighs)
2 inch piece of fresh ginger root
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Make a marinade of the following:  curry paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, five spice powder, sugar and a pinch of salt.    Stir until sugar is dissolved.   Then rub this mixture over the chicken pieces and allow to sit in the refrigerature for about 2 hour or overnight.   Allow to sit on the counter about 10-15 minutes before cooking.

Peel and then grate the ginger root.    Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet and fry half of the ginger with the crushed garlic until golden.   Take care not to scorch it.    Add the chicken with any marinade and fry until the chicken is sealed on all sides.   Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the oil begins to separate from the sauce.

Sprinkle the chicken with the lemon juice, remaining ginger and the chopped cilantro.   Mix well.   Serve hot with plain rice and/or naan.

Spiced Coconut Mushrooms

2 tbsp. vegetable ooil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 fresh red or green chiles, seeded and chopped (more if you like it really hot)
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
3 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (about 1/2 pound)
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Heat the oil and stir fry the garlic and chiles a few seconds.   Add the onions and continue to stir fry a few more minutes, until the onions begin to soften and color.    Stir in the mushrooms and stir fry about 3 minutes.   Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Boil rapidly until the liquid reduces and coats the mushroom slices.   It only takes a couple of minutes.    Place in a serving bowl, sprinkle cilantro on top and serve hot.



Chile and Mustard Flavored Pineapple

1 lb. of fresh pineapple cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
6-8 fresh curry leaves (optional)

Put the pineapple, water, coconut milk tumeric and first 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, salt and sugar into a large skillet or wok.   Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer and allow to cook about 15 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, heat the oil and add the mustard and cumin seeds.    Stir fry until the mustard seeds begin to pop, then stir in the chopped onion.    Cook about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onion is soft and begins to color.      Add the second 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper and curry leaves if using.   Remove from heat and stir into the pineapple mixture.    Stir well, then remove from the head.    Eat hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!