Sweet & Savory Wednesday ~~ Cool Cake For A Crowd

Try this recipe the next time you need to bake a cake. It's a guaranteed winner since it's so flavorful, moist, and the frosting is a real surprise!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cake mix, any flavor ~~ I used white cake mix
• 1 small pkg. Jello, any flavor ~~ I used strawberry
• 2 small pkgs. instant Jello pudding, any flavor ~~ I used vanilla
• 1 - 8 oz. container Cool Whip
• 1 1/2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

• Bake cake according to package directions.
• 2 minutes before cake is finished baking, dissolve jello using 3/4 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cold water.
• Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack.
• Using a large fork, poke holes all over the cake while it is hot.
• Pour jello over complete surface of cake.
• Put in refrigerator to cool.
• Mix two small packages pudding and Cool Whip with the milk until pudding mixture is serving consistency.
• Spread over cake.
• Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

This recipe is one of our family favorites.  We have also dubbed it "The Earthquake Cake."  When our son was five years old, we planned a surprise birthday party for our friend, Tom.  When it came time to sing Happy Birthday and serve the cake, Matty David offered to carry the cake from the refrigerator in the garage to the dining area.  When doing so, he became so excited and distracted that he ran smack dab into the wall causing the cake pan to flip with the contents landing on the floor!  Yes, it sort of looked like the cake had barely survived a very small earthquake.  :-)

Some of my fellow bakers have used chocolate pudding instead of the vanilla and other flavors of Jello.  This is a great recipe to experiment with different flavors to determine which ones you prefer.

I prepared this cake for our family reunion this past weekend.  It received its normal raving reviews! 

When baking a cake for a crowd, what is your go to recipe?  

Please let me know if you enjoy this one.  Try it.  You'll like it!

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Sweet & Savory Monday ~~ El Quicko Crustless Crab Quiche

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 ounces flaked crab meat
• 4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 4 eggs
• 1 - 4 oz. can diced mild green chilies
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt, optional
• 1/2 tsp. powdered mustard
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Dash Hot Hungarian Paprika

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.
• In medium bowl combine the crab meat, cheese, and onions.
• Press the mixture over the bottom and up sides of sprayed pie plate.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, diced green chilies, salt, mustard, and cayenne pepper.
• Pour over crab mixture.
• Sprinkle with Hot Hungarian Paprika.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS &/OR SUBSTITUTES:

• You can use either fresh crab meat or imitation crab.
• Egg whites can be substituted for regular eggs.
• Any variety of cheese can be added.
• Shelled and deveined shrimp may be substituted for the crab.
• Evaporated skimmed milk can be used instead of the regular canned milk.
• This is a meal that can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
• You could use a bottom crust for the recipe if you so desired. Baking time would be increased to approximately one hour at 350 degrees. Insert a knife into center of quiche.  If it comes out clean, the quiche is thoroughly cooked.
• A variety of condiments, garnishes and/or veggies could be served with it.

Here's to healthy eating and happy dining!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ "Sour Cream Coffee Cake"

This is one of the best coffee cake recipes of all time! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt, optional

DIRECTIONS:

• Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl for 2 minutes on medium speed.
• Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.
• Fold in sour cream and vanilla.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to above mixture, and beat until well blended.  Mixture should be satiny and smooth at this point.
• Pour 1/2 mixture into well greased and floured bundt pan.

Mix together the following ingredients and spread evenly in bundt pan.

• 4 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Spoon remaining 1/2 of batter into pan and spread evenly across top.

Cook 1 hour @ 350 degrees. Insert toothpick into center of cake to make certain it is fully cooked throughout.

After removing from oven, cool on rack for 20 minutes.

Remove from pan, invert onto rack, and allow to cool to room temperature.  

Store in air tight container.  

Happy Reading & Eating!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ Poppy Seed Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 eggs - beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 tsp. almond flavoring
• 3 cups flour
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. poppy seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Mix all liquid ingredients in mixing bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in dry ingredients and mix well until smooth.
• Pour into greased muffin tins or paper baking cups.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Makes 12 large or 30 small muffins (cupcake size).

HELPFUL HINTS & SUGGESTIONS:

• The real secret to this recipe is the butter flavoring.
• I prefer to use canola oil rather than vegetable oil in this recipe.
• The muffins are very moist and tasty!
• These are my grandchildren's favorites.
• They freeze well, so if it works out better for you to use just a portion of the muffins initially, you will have some for later for guests who drop in unexpectedly.
• The butter flavoring can be a bit of a challenge to locate, but I have been able to score a bottle when needed at Fred Meyer stores.

Happy Reading & Enjoy these muffins!  

Please leave a comment if you try this recipe and like it!

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Sweet & Savory Tuesday: What's The Secret Recipe In Sheila's Soup?

   

Do you believe there’s a lot of psychology with respect to the color, texture, and appearance of food?  About a decade ago, I was asked to help with a large wedding reception in another state.  My job was to stand behind the buffet table heavily laden with brimming serving trays and refill the containers when they were near empty.  Since most caterers have an artistic and creative flair, the one preparing this spread was no exception. SCC had cooked up a couple of scrumptious sauces to go along with the two meat entrees and a colorful salad.  When it came time to clean up after the bride, groom, and their guests had departed, the two sauces and salad were virtually untouched, despite the fact that they were delicious.  Why, you might ask?  It was probably because of the overall appearance of the ingredients. So, before you reject this hearty winter soup due to its color ~~ read on!

Sheila’s Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried green split peas
• Approximately 8  - 10 cups of water
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 cup cubed ham, optional
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper, optional

• Directions: 
• Carefully sort through the peas to remove small rocks or other debris.
• Rinse peas in a colander.
• In a large saucepan or stockpot combine the peas, water, carrots, celery, onions, ham, bay and thyme leaves.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, skim the top surface if it becomes “frothy”, cover, and summer until peas are tender (which is approximately 3 hours).

• 
  
•     Sheila’s suggestions:
•          I usually double this recipe as it freezes well.
•          I cook the soup in a crock pot for approximately 4 hours on the high setting as opposed to cooking it in a stockpot on the stove top.
•      Using the food processor, I blend the carrots, celery, and onions together to where they are almost to the puree stage before adding them to either my crockpot or stockpot.  This seems to help the overall consistency of the soup once it is finished.
•      Since I don’t always have a bone-in ham, what I have found to be the easiest and fastest is to purchase an 8 ounce package of the already diced up ham.  Some grocery stores carry these handy dandy containers wherein the ham has been cut into about ½ inch cubes or some are about ¼ inch cubes.  If you can score the small cubes, they cook up quite nicely in the soup.

The Secret Ingredient:

·        The dried thyme leaves really enhance this recipe!  Years ago I made a large container of this soup and took to a family engaged in the middle of fall harvest.  The husband, who originally could not stand that “gaggy green soup”, could not get enough of it!

Suggested Condiments:  (I would suggest experimenting with these to see which ones you might like.  I would not use all of them at the same time!!!)

•     Diced tomatoes or salsa
•      Large dollop of sour cream
•        Fresh cilantro
•        Coriander
•        Seasoned croutons
•        Parsley

Achieving the consistency that you might like in this soup might be a fun exercise.  My husband likes thick soup, you know, the kind that you could throw against the wall and it would stick.  I like it just about the consistency of water.  So my goal is the Happy Medium.  Works every time!

If you have a variation to this hearty winter soup, please leave a comment below.

Happy Reading & Cooking!

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