Monthly Archives: September 2008

Apricot Delight Baby Food Cake


Another good reason to have to buy baby food!!!

1 packet yellow cake mix
1 small vanilla instant pudding
2 strained apricots with tapioca baby food (jars) 4.4 ounce size
2/3 cup milk
8 ounces crushed pineapple; drained
1/2 pint whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Bake cake according to package directions. Cool. Slice tube cake into three layers. Combine pudding, apricots, milk and pineapple. Spread between the layers and on top of cake. Beat whipping cream until stiff, gradually adding sugar. Ice sides and center hole of cake with whipped cream.

Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup


1/4 cup sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup sliced green onion
3 tablespoons butter
1 can (14-1/2 ounce) chicken broth
1/4 cup wild rice, uncooked
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 cup water
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Thin carrot strips, for garnish

Cook mushrooms, carrot, celery, and onion in butter 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After removing several shiitake slices for garnish, blend mushrooms and half the chicken broth until almost smooth. Return to saucepan. Add remaining chicken broth, wild rice, marjoram and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 45-50 minutes, until rice is tender. Slowly stir half-and-half into flour until it is smooth. Add to saucepan along with milk. Cook until thickened and bubbly cook, stirring 1 more minute. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with reserved mushroom slices and carrot strips.

Quick Supper Casserole


We’ve all had to rely on something like this, at least once!

1 package macaroni and cheese dinner
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup tuna
1 package frozen peas
1 cup celery soup
1/2 cup milk
Buttered bread crumbs

Cook macaroni and cheese; toss well with butter. Add tuna, peas, soup and milk. Place in buttered casserole dish; cover with buttered crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Candy Squares


I know, I seem to follow a recurring theme. Chocolate and coconut!! Those are my most favorite sweet combinations ever! So anytime I run across recipes containing one or both of those fabulous ingredients, I post it here to share with you all!

1/2 cup margarine (melted)
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup chopped walnuts
6 ounces pkg.
Chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup flaked coconut
2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
Pour melted butter in bottom of 13×9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle vanilla wafer crumbs evenly over butter. Sprinkle walnuts over crumbs, chocolate chips over walnuts and coconut over chocolate. Combine evaporated milk with brown sugar. Stir until smooth. Pour evenly over layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into squares.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Ring


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 /4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter; softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 6 1/2 cup capacity ring mold. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt; set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop mixer and add pumpkin, syrup and vanilla. Mix in on low speed. Add dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes then carefully loosen from sides of pan with a small knife invert onto a wire rack placed over a sheet of waxed paper. Meanwhile, prepare glaze. Sift confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Spoon over warm cake, letting glaze drip down sides. Cool completely.

Ham and Noodle Casserole


1/4 cup skim milk
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon margarine, melted, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
5 ounces boiled ham cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup cooked noodles (medium width)
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small mixing bowl combine milk, egg yolk, 2 1/2 teaspoon margarine, and the pepper, mixing thoroughly; add ham and noodles and stir well to thoroughly combine. In separate bowl beat egg white with salt until stiff but not dry; gently fold into noodle mixture.

Grease 2 cup casserole with remaining margarine and spoon noodle mixture into casserole. Bake until browned on top, 45 to 50 minutes.

Ham Stuffed French Rolls


2.00 cups cooked ham – finely chopped
2.00 hard-boiled eggs – finely chopped
2.00 tablespoons green onion – minced
2.00 tablespoons ripe olives – optional – chopped
1.00 teaspoon mustard
1.00 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
0.50 cup cheddar cheese – small cubes
0.33 cup mayonnaise
7.00 french rolls

Combine ham with eggs, onion, olives, mustard, relish, cheese, and mayonnaise. Cut off tops or one end of rolls, scoop out most of soft center. Fill with ham mixture. Replace top or end of roll. Place filled rolls in slow-cooking pot. Cover and heat on low for 2 to 3 hours. Rolls may be kept hot and served from the pot.

Basic Chocolate Cake


4 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place chocolate in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts. Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate, mixing well. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix after each addition. Add water, mixing well. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Frost as desired.

Chocolate cupcakes: Spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin pans, filling each cup half full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool on wire racks. Frost as desired.

Almond Bars


1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (unsifted)
1/2 cup all purpose flour (unsifted)
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 eggs
1 cup whole blanched almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits

Cream butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar until soft; beat in oats, flours, wheat germ and orange rind. Pat into 8-inch square pan. Then mix eggs, almonds, raisins, coconut, chocolate bits and 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed). Pour over base and spread out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until almonds are golden brown. Cool and cut into a dozen bars. Wrap in aluminum foil.

Easy Cream Coconut Cake


1 package white cake mix (2-layer)
1 can cream of coconut (8-ounce)
1 cup shredded coconut
16 ounces whipped topping

Prepare and hake cake mix using package directions for 9xl3-inch cake. Poke holes in warm cake. Drizzle cream of coconut over cake. Let stand until cool. Mix 1 cup coconut with whipped topping in bowl. Spread over cake. Garnish with sprinkle of additional coconut.