Cupcake week continues....
I discovered this recipe in my grandmother’s recipe box after offering to bake a birthday cake for a close friend. The request was for a yellow cake; at the time my repertoire did not include a favorite yellow cake recipe. Finding this recipe was a happy accident; it is now one of my favorites.
The first time I baked this cake brought back memories of birthday parties at my grandmother’s house. Lots of kids from the neighborhood sitting around the table for the ‘kid’ party, and aunts, uncles, and cousins for the family party. A favorite tradition was baking foil wrapped coins in the cake. This lasted for a time, until family members started fighting for pieces with dimes instead of nickels or pennies….
I made this recipe as cupcakes this past weekend. Bill and I were going to a birthday party and he has given up chocolate for Lent. It makes a great cupcake; nice texture and good with or without frosting.
Makes approximately 20 cupcakes.
½ cup shortening (I use butter)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs unbeaten
2 cups flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Cream butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in mixer.
3. Add eggs, beat until well mixed in.
4. Add flour, baking powder, and milk; mix well.
5. Fill muffin cups with scant ¼ cup batter.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.
8. Frost with favorite frosting.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Red Velvet Cupcakes
February brings Valentine’s Day and birthdays, and often Mardi Gras. This past Valentine’s Day Bill and I had the honor of watching the Pass Christian, Mississippi Mardi Gras parade with family and our new friend Sandra, whose home was on the parade route. It was also Sandra’s birthday, and one of her friends sent the most delicious Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting.
Last night, Bill and I celebrated the birthdays of three friends who are more like family to me. To honor their special days I made red velvet cupcakes and Queen cake cupcakes. Check this blog later in the week for the Queen cake recipe.
Makes: 24
Active: 40 minutes/Total: 2 ½ hr includes cooling
Batter
1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
2 Tbsp (1 oz) liquid red food coloring
2 tsp white vinegar
2 ½ cups flour (not self-rising)
* to make sour milk, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup; fill with milk and stir. Let set 5 minutes before using.
Frosting
2 8 oz bricks cream cheese, softened
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish: colored sugar or heart or flower shaped decors
Cupcakes
1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Place 24 regular size (2 ½” diameter) muffin cups in cupcake pans.
3. In large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla 2 minutes until creamy.
4. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
5. Stir buttermilk, food coloring, and vinegar in a 2 cup measure until well blended.
6. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture in 2 additions, beating until just blended.
7. Spoon a scant ¼ cup batter in each cup.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes until a wood pick in the center of cupcakes comes out clean.
9. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan to rack.
10. Cool completely.
Frosting**
1. Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
2. On low speed, add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with decorations.
4. Refrigerate until serving
** Short on time? Use your favorite store bought frosting.
Last night, Bill and I celebrated the birthdays of three friends who are more like family to me. To honor their special days I made red velvet cupcakes and Queen cake cupcakes. Check this blog later in the week for the Queen cake recipe.
Makes: 24
Active: 40 minutes/Total: 2 ½ hr includes cooling
Batter
1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
2 Tbsp (1 oz) liquid red food coloring
2 tsp white vinegar
2 ½ cups flour (not self-rising)
* to make sour milk, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup; fill with milk and stir. Let set 5 minutes before using.
Frosting
2 8 oz bricks cream cheese, softened
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish: colored sugar or heart or flower shaped decors
Cupcakes
1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Place 24 regular size (2 ½” diameter) muffin cups in cupcake pans.
3. In large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla 2 minutes until creamy.
4. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
5. Stir buttermilk, food coloring, and vinegar in a 2 cup measure until well blended.
6. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture in 2 additions, beating until just blended.
7. Spoon a scant ¼ cup batter in each cup.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes until a wood pick in the center of cupcakes comes out clean.
9. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan to rack.
10. Cool completely.
Frosting**
1. Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
2. On low speed, add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with decorations.
4. Refrigerate until serving
** Short on time? Use your favorite store bought frosting.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Vegetarian Chili
This is my favorite fall/winter ‘party’ recipe. Whether it is our annual Thanksgiving Turkey Lope* or a Christmas or Super Bowl party, this easy recipe is on the menu. Sometimes I make it the day of the party; othertimes I'll make it the day before. I usually serve it with cornbread and a green salad flavored with citrus fruit, dried cranberries, and nuts.
Modified from a recipe in Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook, I add or subtract vegetables based on what I have on hand. I often cook it in my grandmother’s cast iron dutch oven or, if I want to be less hands on, I dump all the ingredients in my 1970s crockpot.
6-8 Servings (This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.)
2 ½ cups kidney beans
1 cup raw bulgher
1 cup tomato juice
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup each, chopped:
Celery
Carrots
Green peppers
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. chili powder (more, to taste)
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 Tbsp. dry red wine
Dash of cayenne (more, to taste)
Olive oil for sauté (about 3 Tbsp.)
Heat tomato juice to a boil. Pour over raw bulgher. Cover and let stand for at least 15 minutes. (It will be crunchy, so it can absorb more later.)
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and spices. When vegetables are almost done, add peppers. Cook until tender.
Combine all ingredients and heat together gently – either in pan on stove top or covered, in a moderate oven.
Serve topped with cheese, parsley, and sour cream.
*What's a Turkey Lope? It’s the Davidge’s annual three to five mile run with Bill or a two mile walk with Nancy to enjoy the beauty of Marblehead before a casual dinner with family and friends.
Modified from a recipe in Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook, I add or subtract vegetables based on what I have on hand. I often cook it in my grandmother’s cast iron dutch oven or, if I want to be less hands on, I dump all the ingredients in my 1970s crockpot.
6-8 Servings (This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.)
2 ½ cups kidney beans
1 cup raw bulgher
1 cup tomato juice
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup each, chopped:
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. chili powder (more, to taste)
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 Tbsp. dry red wine
Dash of cayenne (more, to taste)
Olive oil for sauté (about 3 Tbsp.)
Heat tomato juice to a boil. Pour over raw bulgher. Cover and let stand for at least 15 minutes. (It will be crunchy, so it can absorb more later.)
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and spices. When vegetables are almost done, add peppers. Cook until tender.
Combine all ingredients and heat together gently – either in pan on stove top or covered, in a moderate oven.
Serve topped with cheese, parsley, and sour cream.
*What's a Turkey Lope? It’s the Davidge’s annual three to five mile run with Bill or a two mile walk with Nancy to enjoy the beauty of Marblehead before a casual dinner with family and friends.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
SpaghettiOs and other food from the 60s & 70s...
Listening to NPR while driving to work last week I learned that Donald Goerke, the Campbell Soup executive who created SpaghettiOs (and Campbell's Chunky Soup line) had died. I flashed back to Girl Scout camping trips, when SpaghettiOs offered an easy way to 'cook' dinner over a campfire. Add some ground beef, serve with a salad and garlic bread: Dinner.
SpaghettiOs, Instant Breakfast, Pop-tarts, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Tang, Jiffy Pop: none of these have been in my consciousness for years. Since my mother didn't buy these foods, of course we wanted them. Growing up, we ate fresh or frozen food prepared by my mother. TV dinners, bakery cakes, deli meat, processed food, and white bread were not on our table. Nor was anything that would have been considered ethnic food, except for spaghetti: Prince from the box and homemade meat sauce. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that my mother finally had enough of preparing hot breakfasts and offered us Instant Breakfast and Pop-tarts. My sisters and I were thrilled.
After college, when I had the choice to eat whatever I wanted, I found that aside from the occasional Dinty Moore Beef Stew, I continued to eat fresh, rather than processed food. I still do.
In honor of Donald Goerke and all the other executives who created the processed food from the last half of the 20th century, here is my favorite SpaghettiO recipe:
Girl Scout Camp SpaghettiOs with Garlic Bread
Serves 2
Can of SpaghettiOs
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic pressed or mashed garlic in a tube
butter
2 Italian rolls
SpaghettiOs
In large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil, add onions and saute.
Add ground beef, cook until browned.
Open can of SpaghettiOs, add to onion and ground beef mixture; heat thoroughly.
Garlic Bread
Cut Italian rolls in half as if for sandwich, separate halves.
In small cast iron skillet, melt butter and garlic over low heat.
With small brush, spread garlic and butter mixture on rolls.
Toast rolls in toaster oven until browned to desired crispness.
Serving suggestion
Add a simple green salad (lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes) and you have recreated the simple supper made on many camping trips in my youth.
SpaghettiOs, Instant Breakfast, Pop-tarts, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Tang, Jiffy Pop: none of these have been in my consciousness for years. Since my mother didn't buy these foods, of course we wanted them. Growing up, we ate fresh or frozen food prepared by my mother. TV dinners, bakery cakes, deli meat, processed food, and white bread were not on our table. Nor was anything that would have been considered ethnic food, except for spaghetti: Prince from the box and homemade meat sauce. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that my mother finally had enough of preparing hot breakfasts and offered us Instant Breakfast and Pop-tarts. My sisters and I were thrilled.
After college, when I had the choice to eat whatever I wanted, I found that aside from the occasional Dinty Moore Beef Stew, I continued to eat fresh, rather than processed food. I still do.
In honor of Donald Goerke and all the other executives who created the processed food from the last half of the 20th century, here is my favorite SpaghettiO recipe:
Girl Scout Camp SpaghettiOs with Garlic Bread
Serves 2
Can of SpaghettiOs
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic pressed or mashed garlic in a tube
butter
2 Italian rolls
SpaghettiOs
In large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil, add onions and saute.
Add ground beef, cook until browned.
Open can of SpaghettiOs, add to onion and ground beef mixture; heat thoroughly.
Garlic Bread
Cut Italian rolls in half as if for sandwich, separate halves.
In small cast iron skillet, melt butter and garlic over low heat.
With small brush, spread garlic and butter mixture on rolls.
Toast rolls in toaster oven until browned to desired crispness.
Serving suggestion
Add a simple green salad (lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes) and you have recreated the simple supper made on many camping trips in my youth.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sweet Potato Pie
Today's recipe is from this blog's first guest blogger. Lynn Heinmuller Fisher, one of my Davidge relatives, is an East Coast native who relocated with her family to Midland, Texas earlier this year. She's been busy with her holiday cooking and last night sent me this message to share with all of you:
Here is what is in the oven right now. I highly recommend this EASY and excellent recipe. Can be frozen too! A note about volume, this calls for a 9 inch pie shell, I have 2 9 inch deep dish pie shells and have extra filling - perhaps a 10 or 12 inch pie shell would work better.
1 9 in pie shell
2 Cups cooked and cooled sweet potatoes
1/4 lb butter softened
2 eggs separated
1 Cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg
1/2 Cup evaporated milk
1/4 Cup white sugar
_________________________________
BEAT all ingredients except egg whites and sugar
WHIP egg whites and sugar to Stiff Peaks
FOLD egg whites into sweet potato mixture
BAKE @ 400 for 10 minutes then 350 for 30 min.
YUM!
Here is what is in the oven right now. I highly recommend this EASY and excellent recipe. Can be frozen too! A note about volume, this calls for a 9 inch pie shell, I have 2 9 inch deep dish pie shells and have extra filling - perhaps a 10 or 12 inch pie shell would work better.
1 9 in pie shell
2 Cups cooked and cooled sweet potatoes
1/4 lb butter softened
2 eggs separated
1 Cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg
1/2 Cup evaporated milk
1/4 Cup white sugar
_________________________________
BEAT all ingredients except egg whites and sugar
WHIP egg whites and sugar to Stiff Peaks
FOLD egg whites into sweet potato mixture
BAKE @ 400 for 10 minutes then 350 for 30 min.
YUM!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Banana Bread
This recipe is from Shirley Murray, who worked at Camp Rice Moody in Reading, Mass., the Girl Scout day camp my grandmother Norma Cox (Coxie) ran for many years. I spent many summers at that camp beginning when I was too young to be a Brownie Scout; one summer while in college I worked as a swimming instructor/lifeguard at Rice Moody.
Shirley Murray had two daughters and what I remember about all three of them is that they always wore their hair in braids: Mrs. Murray wrapped hers around her head and the two girls each had two long braids.
I've made this banana bread for years, as has my mother, and when she was alive, my grandmother. It is quick, easy, and delicious.
Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3 or 4 very ripe bananas mashed with fork
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted shortening (I use butter)
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
1 egg
Mash bananas, add shortening and sugar, mix with fork.
Sift dry ingredients onto banana mix.
Add vanilla and nuts if using.
Drop in unbeaten egg.
Bake in standard loaf pan for 45-50 minutes.
May also be made in 3-4 miniloaf pans; bake 30-35 minutes.
When done, remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on wire rack.
Run knife around edge of loaf to loosen; invert pan and remove loaf, leave on wire rack until cooled completely.
Wrap; may be frozen.
Shirley Murray had two daughters and what I remember about all three of them is that they always wore their hair in braids: Mrs. Murray wrapped hers around her head and the two girls each had two long braids.
I've made this banana bread for years, as has my mother, and when she was alive, my grandmother. It is quick, easy, and delicious.
Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3 or 4 very ripe bananas mashed with fork
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted shortening (I use butter)
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
1 egg
Mash bananas, add shortening and sugar, mix with fork.
Sift dry ingredients onto banana mix.
Add vanilla and nuts if using.
Drop in unbeaten egg.
Bake in standard loaf pan for 45-50 minutes.
May also be made in 3-4 miniloaf pans; bake 30-35 minutes.
When done, remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on wire rack.
Run knife around edge of loaf to loosen; invert pan and remove loaf, leave on wire rack until cooled completely.
Wrap; may be frozen.
Cranberry Orange Bread
For many years I made and gave Christmas cookies to co-workers: several different kinds. The past two years the cookies haven't happened until after I start my Christmas vacation; what do I give my co-workers?
When giving gifts, I try to give only things that are consumed; things that get'used up' rather than taking up space. Last year I decided to give miniloaves of quick breads: cranberry orange (a favorite since childhood - my mother's is still the best..), banana bread (quick, easy, and tasty), and pumpkin bread.
Today's recipe: Cranberry orange bread. A childhood favorite of mine. Moist, flavorful, and tasty. A Thanksgiving and Christmas staple in our house.
Cranberry orange bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 orange
2 tablespoons melted butter
boiling water
1 egg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped raw cranberries
Sift first five ingredients together.
To juice and grated rind of orange, add 2 tablespoons melted shortening, and boiling water to make 3/4 cup liquid.
Add with beaten egg to dry ingredients, mix well.
Add nuts and cranberries, mix well.
Bake in standard loaf pan for 1 hour or in three or four mini loaf pans for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into center of loaf should come out clean when done.
Cool for 10 minutes, in pan, on wire rack. Run knife around edge of pan, turn breads out of pan(s) onto rack and cool completely. Wrap well. May be frozen.
When giving gifts, I try to give only things that are consumed; things that get'used up' rather than taking up space. Last year I decided to give miniloaves of quick breads: cranberry orange (a favorite since childhood - my mother's is still the best..), banana bread (quick, easy, and tasty), and pumpkin bread.
Today's recipe: Cranberry orange bread. A childhood favorite of mine. Moist, flavorful, and tasty. A Thanksgiving and Christmas staple in our house.
Cranberry orange bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 orange
2 tablespoons melted butter
boiling water
1 egg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped raw cranberries
Sift first five ingredients together.
To juice and grated rind of orange, add 2 tablespoons melted shortening, and boiling water to make 3/4 cup liquid.
Add with beaten egg to dry ingredients, mix well.
Add nuts and cranberries, mix well.
Bake in standard loaf pan for 1 hour or in three or four mini loaf pans for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into center of loaf should come out clean when done.
Cool for 10 minutes, in pan, on wire rack. Run knife around edge of pan, turn breads out of pan(s) onto rack and cool completely. Wrap well. May be frozen.
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