Coconut Cake from Debbie Field's Great American Desserts

I turned 63 on the 11th of February. If I wanted a birthday cake, I have to make it myself but I want to make it so that Denny can eat as he ends up eating way more of it than I ever do so I make it from scratch. He happens to love Coconut Cake, well he also loves chocolate cake and carrot cake and cheese cake ................................... you get the picture. I found this recipe and thought I would give it a try.

1 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
4 lrg. eggs, separated
2 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 C. buttermilk, at room temp.
1 C. shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter 3 layer cake pans, I used 8" rounds and instead of flouring, I lined the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and the sugar in a large bowl, until fluffy, about 4-5 minutes using an electric mixer on medium. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the egg yokes, 1 at a time, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the bowl.
In a bowl whisk together or sift together if you prefer the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for 45 seconds after each addition and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl. Add the coconut and beat on low speed.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans and smooth the top of each.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pans onto the wire rack to completely cool.

Here is where is divert from her directions. If you are kind of feeling like you want a island theme, try draining very well a can of crushed pineapple that comes in it's own juice not syrup. Mix up a package of vanilla instant pudding and pie filling only make it with 1 and 1/2 cups of milk and then foal in the pineapple. This gets used as the filling for the cake when you assemble it. Pinacolata Cake

Frosting is as follows:
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
Mix well and this makes your frosting.
Debbie also calls for toasting 1 cup of coconut and sprinkling this all over the frosting.
This cake is rich and extremely tasty.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I was in Mt. Pleasant this past weekend visiting my mom and picking up some fabric that I needed to complete my "Daydreamer" quilt. While there I got into a cooking mood as sometimes happens. To tell you the truth, about anything to get my mom to eat more than a thimble full of food is worth getting me in the cooking mood. I had just received my latedt issue of Southern Living magazine with this glorious pound cake on the cover. I thought that I would share it with you and give you a pointer that the folks at the magazine haven't caught onto just yet. The cake in the magazine is called Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake but because I am detouring from their recipe a bit I have dropped the Strawberry Swirl part but will give you a flavorful alternative. OK.

Strawberry slim as I call it is that stuff that you purchase in the grocery store to slice your strawberries into and then put into a pastry shell for fresh strawberry pie or to doll-up one of those short cake rounds. What I am going to give you here is in this blog from a previous entry as "Fresh Strawberry Pie".
1 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 1/4 C. cold water
1 Tbsp. white corn syrup (in a pinch this weekend I used honey)
1 reg. package of Strawberry flavored Jello
Stirring constantly over medium high heat, bring to a boil and continue cooking and stirring for 1 minute. When cool this will replace that jar of "strawberry slime" that they sell in the grocery store and it tastes like strawberries.

Now for the cake part:
Preheat the oven to 350F
Grease a 14 cup tub pan or use the smaller 12 cup and use a small loaf pan for the balance of the batter.

1 1/2 C. butter softened
3 C. sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
6 lrg. eggs
3 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (I will tell you here that when I made this I didn't have the almond extract on hand at Mom's and used all real vanilla extract and it was great)
2/3 C. strawberry glaze (this would be what we made above, I would tell you that you want this at room temp.. If it too cold it won't swirl and too warm it runs)

Beat the butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty (Kitchen Aid stand works well) mixer. until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese, beating until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Gradually add flour to the butter mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to sxrape the bowl as needed. Stir in the flavoring.
Pour 1/3 of the mixture into the prepared pan. Dollop in a few teaspoons of the strawberry glaze over the batter and swirl in with a knife blade or skewer. Repeat twice more. (If you are using the smaller pan, stop filling it about 1/2 inch from the top. While there is no levening in this it does rise a bit and you don't want t mess. If you are using the smaller pan and have a small loaf pan in the oven with the tube pan, you will need to watch it for doneness. I found that the baking time on the smaller tube pan is just short of the shortest baking time below.)
Bake at 350F for 1 hour or 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a spagetti strand inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. At that point remove cake from the pan on to the wire rack and allow it to completely cool, about 1 hour.
Southern Living says this recipe is from Nancy H. Test from West Chester, Ohio.

I can tell you that my brother, his wife, my husband and my mom all raved. The cake has a wonderful texture as well as a very richness associated with pound cake. I sliced fresh strawberries into the rest of the glaze and served it on the side with the cake. What a pretty picture and it remained everyone of spring being here one of these days.

Hash Brown Quiche

Heat oven to 425F

3 C. frozen hashbrowns, thawed and moisture removed by patting between sheets of paper towels
3 T. melted butter
1 C. dices or you can use shaved deli ham
1 C. shredded cheddar
1 C. shredded Jack
2 eggs
1/2 C. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Press the potatoes evenly in the bottom and up the sides of a butter 9.5 in pie pan
Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes
Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 350F
Toss the ham and cheese together and pour into the potato shell
Beat the eggs, salt and milk until well incorperated and pour over the ham and cheeses.
Bake @ 350F for 30 minutes or until a clean knife inserted in the center come out clean.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This is the recipe directly from the old church cookbook that Cindy shared with me. Thank you! Cindy. She frequently makes this for breakfast when we are at their house. Cindy is a great cook and she is always finding ways to cut the fat and sugar to make things healthier. It is her training.

I can think of some options that might be good as well:

• Add 1/8 C. of finely onion in what ever type you like and 1/8 C. or red or green Bell pepper. This would give it a Potatoes O'Brian twist
• Switch out the milk for 1/2 & 1/2 if you aren't worried about the fat or calorie count
• If you like cheddar, add a 1/4 C. as a dusting over the top of the quiche.

You know me I am always trying things to see what at would add or detracked from what ever I am cooking.

Peppered Corn Salad

1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen corn
2 med. tomatoes, chopped and seeded
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 C. green pepper, chopped
2 T. Canola oil
1 T. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. dried sweet basil
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

Prepare corn according to package directions; drain and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, onions, and green pepper: stir in corn.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients: pour over salad and toss to coat.
Chill until serving.
Prep time 20 minutes
Servings 1

My sister-in-law made this for Mom's 84th birthday dinner and it was a smash it.

Thank you, Gwen Capps

Frosted Rhubarb Cookies

A camping friend shared these with the group of this past Memorial Day at our annual camp out. They were served unfrosted and to tell you the truth, that is the way I prefer them. I did take the liberty of adding 1 tsp. of vanilla and as always, the vanilla kind of takes it to the limit for me. Oh, I will give the direction here for the shortening version and the butter version. Den is allergic to any kind of bean and of course, peanuts. Shortening is a soy product so I have to convert to butter. I bet Sandy Copeland could convert it yet again for those that can't handle gluten and so must use something else for the flour.

Frosted Rhubarb Cookies (recipe received from Julie McGovern)

1 C. shortening OR (1 C. (2 sticks) butter, softened)
1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 C. all purpose flour OR (4 C all purpose flour (1/3 more flour when using butter))
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. diced fresh or frozen rhubarb (if using frozen-measure while still frozen. Thaw in colander, but do not press liquid out)
3/4 C. flaked coconut
3/4 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In large bowl, cream the shortening or butter with brown sugar and eggs. Combine flour, soda and salt (I put these in a large bowl and then use my whisk to blend. it is kind of like using a sifter.) Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Add the rhubarb, coconut and lastly the nut meats and blend well.
Drop by tablespoons full about 2 inches apart on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
Bake 350F for 10-14 minutes.

Remove to a wire rack to cook.

Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. butter softened
1 1/2 C. Powdered sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt.


The rhubarb isn't over powering and neither is the coconut. Give it a try! One more RHUBARB thing.

God Bless and hugs,

Linda

Cheesy Chicken Chowder (from Taste Of Home mag.)

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

3 C. chicken broth
2 C. potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 C. carrots, pared and diced
1/2 C. onion, diced
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt (the recipe calls for 1.5 tsp. but that is a bit to salty for my taste)
1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. flour
2 C. milk
2 C. chicken, cooked and diced (I personally like to use a roasted chicken for this type of thing)

In at least a 4 qrt. stock pot bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat; add the veggies, salt, & pepper. Simmer covered for 15 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter, add the flour (yes, you are making a rue). Gradually stir in the milk and simmer until it begins to thicken slightly. Add in the cheese and continue to simmer until the cheese is completely melted.

Pour the cheese sauce into the veggie mixture and stir well.


I think Mom and I added in 1/2 cup chopped celery from time to time and have added corn or peas.

Have fun.

I have a broken arm right now so typing is the easiest thig.

God Bless,
Linda

Cresent Apple Dumplings

1 tube refrig. crescent rolls
1 med. granny smith or I like Jonagold, pared, cored and cut in to 8 wedges
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 Tbsp. grapefruit or citrus flavored soda
1-2 tsp apple pie spice

Unroll and separate the crescent rolls into 8 triangles
Place an apple wedge in the large end of the triangle and fold the edges up over it, pinching to seal.
Place in a greased 8" baking pan.
In a bowl combine the sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Spoon this over the dumplings. Slowly pour the soda around the dumplings. Sprinkle with Apple Pie spice
Bake @ 350F for 25-30 minutes