Category: MEMES & LINK PARTIES

Save Room for Dessert…Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The balmy temperatures of the past week had me thinking of the tropics, and I was inspired to bake myself a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday.  I’ve given you two options – a cake from scratch and one using a cake mix.  I’ve made both, and they are both delicious!  Enjoy! 

Also, I’d like to invite you to enter a giveaway over on my blog, Louanne’s Kitchen.  I’m giving away two cookbooks to two lucky followers.  Head on over, become a follower, and leave a comment to be entered.   Up for grabs this week are a subscription to Louisiana Cookin’ magazine (US residents, only), Marcelle Bienvenu’s Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux?, Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, Tom Fitzmorris’s New Orleans Food: More than 225 of the City’s Best Recipes to Cook at Home, River Road Recipes: the Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine.  All you have to do is leave me a comment telling which you would like to win. If you are the lucky winner chosen by random.org, you’ll win your choice! The giveaway is open to everyone, even my international blogger buddies, although the magazine subscription is only valid for residents of the US.  I’ll choose two winners on Friday, 2/25. I do ask that you be a follower of Louanne’s Kitchen.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Printable recipe
3 sticks unsalted butter, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup pineapple juice
3 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
2-20 oz cans pineapple rings in juice, drained (reserve juice for cake)
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

  • Melt 1 stick of butter and pour into 13×9 baking pan; be sure to butter sides of pan, as well.
  • Sprinkle turbinado sugar over melted butter and arrange pineapple rings over sugar; sprinkle on pecans and set pan aside while preparing cake batter.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 2 sticks of softened butter, vanilla, and granulated sugar; cream together until well mixed.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
  • Alternately add flour and pineapple juice to butter mixture, beating until well-mixed.
  • Pour cake batter over fruit and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow cake to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake, convenience version
1 pineapple cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 stick, plus 1/3 cup butter, melted and divided
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
2-20 oz cans pineapple rings in juice, drained (reserve juice for cake)
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

  • Melt 1 stick of butter and pour into 13×9 baking pan; be sure to butter sides of pan, as well.
  • Sprinkle turbinado sugar over melted butter and arrange pineapple rings over sugar; sprinkle on pecans and set pan aside while preparing cake batter.
  • Prepare cake batter by combining cake mix, eggs, juice, and 1/3 cup melted butter.
  • Pour cake batter over fruit and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow cake to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting.

PHILLY STROMBOLI

Here’s what you’ll need: 

Lay out 2 loaves of the frozen bread in the morning.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, put the loaves in the dish and then cover it with tin foil.  Let these loaves sit for about 7 hours.

Philly Stromboli
1 frozen Rhodes bread loaf
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 cup fresh mushrooms
1 onion, cut into strips
6 slices of Provolone cheese
Garlic
Basil (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:  Put out bread loaf in the AM, per directions. After it has risen, push out onto a LIGHTLY sprayed cookie sheet (cover whole sheet). Layer the above ingredients and top with spices to taste. Roll up the sides and ends of the bread to enclose ingredients like an envelope.
Press seams to seal.

Flip loaf over so seams are down. Bake (preheated) 375 for about 20min. Allow to cool 5min before slicing and serve. Can add different cheeses, salami, etc as your family prefers. Enjoy!

*Makes great leftovers, too.

Modifications:
-I actually had mushrooms but forgot to add them!

Cut up the onion, garlic and green peppers.
Uncover the risen loaves.  
Lightly spray a cookie pan with cooking spray and put one of the loaves on it.  
Spread the dough out all on the cookie pan.
Sliced up a package of deli roast beef and lay it out on top of the dough.
Lay the onions, garlic, and peppers on top.
Place the cheese on top and roll the dough up.
Place in a 375 degree preheated oven for about 30 minutes.  
What you’ll end up with:

Fire Day Friday Fail

I thought about this recipe all day long and knew what I wanted to do.  It ended up being good in concept but definitely I have to chalk this up as a fail for one reason.  The one component that I wanted to showcase – the tamale cake – was lackluster.  It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either.   But the idea and flavors worked perfectly so I’ll try again and just tweek the cake recipe.

The idea was simple. A spicy cheese sauce, a sweet corn tamale cake, pulled pork, and a sweet bbq sauce.

I used the corn tamale cake from this recipe, which made 4 cakes.  I tried cooking on on the griddle, but it didn’t hold its shape.  It spread out like a pancake.   This pic is obviously “pre-pancake mode”. 

I tried cooking the other three in the oven but they did the same thing.

Finally I made another batch and this time upped the masa harina flour amount as follows.

1 15 oz can corn kernals, drained well and then pulsed in a food processor
3 Tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup masa harina flour
2 Tbsp all purpose flour

I baked them at 400f in muffin tins.

The cheese sauce was
6 oz Mexican dipping cheese w/ jalapeno
4 oz milk
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes

 Then I ladled about 1/4 cup of cheese sauce on a small plate and placed a cake in the middle.  Top that with about 1/4 cup of leftover pulled pork and then a sweet bbq sauce.

I think the consistency and flavor of the cake is good now that I added flour but cooking them in the muffin tin made the texture too much like plain cornbread.  Next time I’ll try the oven with free standing cakes again.

The spicy cheese sauce contrasting with the other sweet flavors was tasty.   This was a great use for leftover pulled pork!

BAKED PINEAPPLE BLACKBERRY CUSTARD ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

BAKED PINEAPPLE BLACKBERRY CUSTARD
I originally got this recipe from my cousin Jenn, and it quickly became our family favorite. This recipe is really good warm, but also just as good cold. It also works as a wonderful custard to fill cakes too.
2 large cans crushed pineapple (drain & save juice)
2 cups pineapple juice
2 eggs beaten
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 package blackberries, rinsed and chopped
1 cup sugar
mini marshmallows (OPTIONAL)
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Place pineapple in the bottom of a greased 13 x 9 pan.
  • Sprinkle blackberries over pineapple.
  • In a sauce pan whisk together the pineapple juice, eggs, sugar and cornstarch.
  • Cook until thick.
  • Pour over the pineapple and bake 20 minutes.
  • Top with marshmallows and return to oven until golden.

Tostadas ~ Healthy Meals

Who knew Tex-Mex could be healthy and low-fat? Last week, we made Tostadas, and they were delicious! It’s also easy.

Ingredients:
Lean ground beef, browned with a packet of taco seasoning
Re-fried Pinto Beans, warmed
chopped lettuce
chopped tomatoes
2% Mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Old El Paso Tostadas

I prefer to use the Goya Ranchero Refried Beans because they are lower in fat than most brands. The Ranchero sauce in the beans makes them taste great!

I also buy Kroger brand ground beef that is 93% lean. Sometime I use Laura’s Lean Beef (96% lean), but it is expensive.
Any type of lettuce and tomatoes (hothouse, vine ripened, etc.) will do. I’m sure any brand of tostadas will do as well, but I always get the Old El Paso because they taste fresher, and I know the calorie and fat content of them. To keep this lowfat, I choose Kraft 2% mild cheddar and go easy on the cheese.
I put some beans on the bottom (about 2 tablespoons), a little meat (about 2 oz.), lettuce, tomato, and 1 1/2 Tablespoons of cheese. It doesn’t look very pretty, but it sure tasted good!
You’re getting some carbs (for energy), beans and meat (for protein), lettuce (soluble fiber), tomatoes (for a serving of fruit), and cheese (dairy). Balanced and healthy! Serve with a side of Spanish rice for a filling meal!

1 and 1/2 tostadas = 360 calories, 35 carbs, 12 grams of fat, and 32 protein.

Wild Rice Casserole with Sausage and Pecans

One of my favorite go-to meals. For those days when you haven’t really made any real plans for dinner. I always try to keep sage pork sausage in the freezer. It is quick to put together and cooks for the most part, in the oven. Serve with a side salad and bread and you have dinner. Try not to skip the pecans they make the dish.
Wild Rice Casserole with Sausage and Pecans
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1 (1-lb.) package sage ground pork sausage
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 2 (6-oz.) packages long-grain and wild rice mix (I use Uncle Ben’s brand)
* 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1. Heat 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove toasted pecans from skillet.
2. Brown sausage in same skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon; reserve drippings in skillet.
3. Melt butter in hot drippings over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and sauté 10 to 15 minutes or until celery is tender.
4. Remove 1 seasoning packet from rice mixes; reserve for another use. Combine sausage, vegetable mixture, remaining seasoning packet, rice, and next 3 ingredients in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Stir in chicken broth until well blended.
5. Bake, covered, at 325° for 1 hour or until liquid is almost absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

Save Room for Dessert…Lemon Pie with Whipped Cream

Historically, lemon meringue pie and I have had a murky relationship.  There was the time I made 2 pies for a family fish fry and neglected to add the lemon juice.  Then, there was the time I mistakenly used baking soda rather than cornstarch; don’t even ask.  I think the worst time happened when I made an incredible filling only to burn the meringue under the broiler.  I begin to look at lemon pie as something to be conquered; when someone from work brought in an enormous bag of Meyer lemons, I knew there was only one thing I would make.  Lemon pie.  Now, you’ll notice I said lemon pie, rather than lemon meringue pie. 
Let’s discuss meringue.  Personally, I’m not a huge fan of meringue.  Not wholly true, let me clarify.  When there is meringue on anything, I scrape it off and eat whatever if underneath.  I don’t like the taste or texture of meringue.  However, I adore whipped cream, as does the husband, who shares my dislike for meringue.  While the filling would be traditional, I would top the pie with whipped cream. 
The filling – should I use the handwritten filling handed down from someone in the family (not even sure of the origin)?  Or perhaps I could alter an existing recipe in one of my cookbooks, or even use one of the million lemon fillings I’d found via Google.  I decided to use the family recipe, as I knew it to be tried and true, as well as quite delicious (if one remembered to add the key ingredient, i.e., lemon juice).
The filling is nicely tart and pairs well with the crisp crust and lightly sweetened whipped cream.  My sister raises chickens, and I was fortunate enough to have a dozen of her eggs.  The yolks are orange, which account for the deep color of the filling; otherwise, it’s not quite as yellow.

Just leave a comment and you’re entered to win!

Lemon Pie with Whipped Cream Printable recipe
1 prebaked 9″ pie crust
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pre-baked pie crust.

  • Combine cornstarch, lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest, and egg yolks – beat together until well-mixed.
  • Add water and bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick – about 4-5 minutes.
  • Immediately pour into prebaked pie shell.
  • Chill in the refrigerator until firm; top with whipped cream and serve immediately.

Whipped Cream

  • Whip cream until soft peaks form.
  • Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
  • Continue to beat until firm peaks form.
  • Use immediately.

CROCK POT BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN

Crock pot Brown Sugar Chicken adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 6 boneless, skinless breast halves
1 cup brown sugar (it’s okay. you can brush your teeth after.)
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (stay with me…)
2/3 cup vinegar (I used white wine, but think regular white would be fine)
3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
2 T soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat free are GF)
1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:  Plop the chicken into your croc kpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. It will bubble!

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.

Serve over a bowl of white rice with a ladle full of the broth.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Put the chicken down in the crock pot and add all of the other ingredients on top.

Here’s what you’ll end up with:

Our Thoughts:
This dish was really good.  It was sweet and the chicken was fall-apart tender.  I, personally, could have used just a touch of spicy . . . maybe some type of oriental-type pepper.  I ladled all of the sauce out of the bottom of the crockpot and put it in a separate bowl so everyone get put it all over their rice.

I served this with rice and one of Scott’s very favorite dishes-EVER.   Cheesy Cauliflower

VALENTINE’S DAY ~ WEEKEND OF ROMANCE FOODS

Today we’re rolling out the Valentine’s Day of Romance Menu for 2011 over at OUR KrAzY kitchen, but you get a sneak peek because I needed to write about something fun and upbeat.  So what are you doing for Valentine’s Day this year?
Valentine’s Day is a truly subjective menu.  Not everyone wants or dreams of the same foods.  So  awhile back when we were just sitting around I quizzed hubby in a round about way and was able to come up with his favorite romantic menu to create a romantic meal. At that time I obviously planned on doing the cooking, but unfortunately since I’m still not allowed to cook, he’ll be the one preparing the recipes, but all is good and we’ll make it work.  I did borrow a few photos from google images since hubby has yet to make the meal, the rest are from my archives, but the recipes are all ours.
STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS  
2 cups crushed ice 
1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree
1 cup tequila 
2 limes, juiced 
Splash Triple Sec 
Splash simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves completely and then cooled)
  • Combine in a blender, ice, strawberry water, tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec and simple syrup. 
  • Puree until smooth. 
  • Pour into rocks glasses, garnish and serve.
CAJUN SHRIMP COCKTAIL
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Juice of 1 lemon (save your rind to make the cute serving dish)
2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Frank’s red pepper hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste
plenty of fresh medium-large shrimp, cleaned and chilled
  • I use my mini food processor to mix it all in until well blended.
  • Chill for a day or so before needed to allow flavors to meld together.

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING
6 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Champagne Vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup canola oil
Sea Salt
White Pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Minced anchovy fillets (optional – I usually leave them out)
  • Combine garlic, mustard, vinegar and two pinches of salt in a blender and mix thoroughly. 
  • Add mayonnaise and blend together to form a thick base. 
  • In a slow stream add oil. 
  • Scrape dressing with spatula into a bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. 
  • Optional – Add anchovies to dressing to create a deeper, saltier taste. 
PARMESAN CHEESE CROUTONS
6 slices thick sourdough bread
butter, melted, enough to coat bread
½ cup Fontina Cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Place bread slices on oven rack and bake until dry and golden. 
  • Melt butter in flat bowl. 
  • Combine cheeses in flat bowl. 
  • Dip first in butter and the cheese mixture. 
  • Bake on cookie sheet 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted. 
  • Cut to desired size*
*If I’m in a hurry I will sometimes cut these ahead of time and toss with the butter and cheese which coats all the sides better.

GARLIC STEAK
Steak of choice (hubby choose T-bones)
2 cloves of garlic per steak, minced fine
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar per steak
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
sea salt
white pepper
  • Pierce each steak with a marinater.
  • Whisk together the garlic, oil, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place steak side by side of a large plate.
  • Pour marinade over top.
  • Turn steak and make sure each is well coated.
  • Cover and marinate overnight.
  • Take steak out of refrigerator an hour before grilling, turn several times making sure still well coated in marinade.
  • Firmly press garlic pieces into the steak.
  • Grilled to desired doneness – mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, medium rare….
TWICE BAKED POTATOES 
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions (tops and all), sliced and divided 
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour or until done through. 
  • Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. 
  • When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; saving skins. 
  • To the potato pieces add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon. 
  • Bake for another 15 minutes. 
SOUR CREAM DUTCH APPLE PIE
PIE
3+ cups apples, cored, peeled and chopped
lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream (not light)
9 inch pastry shell, pre-baked and cooled
TOPPING
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, sliced extremely thin
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Chop the apples and combine with just enough lemon juice to coat and prevent browning in large bowl.
  • In a small bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  • Fold in the sour cream, egg, vanilla and maple extract until well blended.
  • Fold the sour cream mixture into the apples until well coated.
  • Carefully pour into the pie shell, mounding towards the center.
  • Toss together the topping ingredients until well blended.
  • Sprinkle topping evenly over the apple mound.
  • Lay the pieces of butter all over the top.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
  • Best served with ice cream or fresh whipped cream. If you want to be really decadent try it with Caramel Sauce.
HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 jumbo eggs
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
  • Warm the milk in a small pan. 
  • Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a separate bowl. 
  • Slowly add the warm milk to the egg mixture while continuously whisking the mixture. 
  • Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and heat slowly, stirring continuously until mixture thickens to loose pudding texture. DO NOT BOIL! Let it cool to room temperature. 
  • Whisk in the cream and vanilla. 
  • Follow your ice cream maker directions for freezing.

Chicken Noodle Soup


2-4 packages of Ramen Soup mix
Boneless chicken
Bag of frozen vegetables
Water or Chicken Broth

I use this recipe to clean out the fridge…
Using leftover chicken, vegetables, rice, whatever looks good to add…


Simmer on stove…


Happy Eating…

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Steak Fajitas

I had a friend in college that met her husband in a fajita line.  Silly as it may sound, it’s true.  We went to this “Around the World” party at one of the fraternities and they had this fajita line.  That’s right…a line that forms and when you reached the end (or the beginning, however you want to look at it) you were handed a fairly well prepared fajita and a shot of tequila.  While my friend stood in line, patiently awaiting her turn to receive her fajitas (and shots), the guy standing behind her asked if she knew what time it was.  That was it.  Seriously, they started talking, found out that they were both psych majors…next thing I know it’s a year later and I’m at their wedding reception talking to them about …go on, you know I’m gonna say it…FAJITAS!!

Ok, ok…so that might not have been the greatest story ever told, but it felt like the appropriate time to tell it since we’re talking fajitas today!  I love fajitas, and used to make them all the time…isn’t it funny how you can have a favorite dish that you make over and over and over and than one day something else takes it place and that one goes away for awhile and than one day you’re thinking about something simple and fast to throw together after a long day at work and all of a sudden it hits you:  FAJITAS!!  I LOVE it when that happens!

So the other day, it hit me… why not throw together some simple, yet flavorful fajitas…a perfect post for Fire Day Friday!!  I’m sure everyone has a good fajita recipe, and there is nothing unusually different about this one, but it’s simple, it’s delicious, and it’s a perfect meal to throw together during crazy week nights!  You could use chicken in place of the steak…though I would marinate the chicken in something like lime and tequila…but that can be totally up to you!

Grilled Steak Fajitas
Ingredients:
1/4 cup beer (I used Bud Light)
3 Tablespoons Country Bob’s Honey Habanero Sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lb. flank or skirt steak
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed
1 yellow bell pepper, stem and seeds removed
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into rounds
flour tortillas

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the beer, honey chipotle sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over it.  Let the meat marinate for 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees.  Place the steak directly over the fire and grill for 4-5 minutes per side.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice into thin strips.

While the steak is resting, put the peppers and onion on the grill for 5 minutes or just until the veggies start to soften.  Remove from grill and slice into thin strips.  Place thin stips of beef and veggies on the flour tortillas; top with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream if desired.  Enjoy!