Ole' Fashion Moist & Delish Cake

1 1/2 c	sugar
2 c	flour
1/2 tsp	salt
2	eggs
1 tsp	baking soda
1 lg	(20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in its own juice (including juice)
1 c	brown sugar
1 c	chopped pecans
1 c	evaporated milk
1/2 c	sugar 1 stick butter 1 tsp.  Vanilla

Directions

1

 Mix the sugar, flour, salt, soda, eggs and pineapple together and pour into a 9 x 13" pan. Sprinkle the top with one cup brown sugar and one cup chopped pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

2

 Cook the following ingredients until mixture comes to a rolling boil:

1 c. evaporated milk, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 stick butter, and the tsp. of vanilla.

3

 AFTER THE CAKE HAS BAKED AND RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN, pour the cooked milk mixture over the entire cake. This is so delicious!!!

Should be kept refrigerated.

Easy Chicken Broccoli Supreme

Ingredients:

  1 – lb. fresh broccoli Break in pieces, and steam for 2 minutes.
3 cups cooked chicken breasts  – Break up in small pieces
3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese divided
2 tubes Ritz Crackers
1  stick melted butter

  SAUCE: 
1/3 cup Butter- melted
1/4 cups Cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup COLD Water
1/3 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 cups of the above Cheddar Cheese

 Directions:

In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Melt the butter.  Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

Amazing Beef Tenderloin W/ Blue Cheese Cream Sauce

Beef Tenderloin
serves 10 for dinner, or 25 canapes


5 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed & tied
4 tablespoons of butter, softened
2 tablespoons of sea salt
2 tablespoons of cracked black pepper
Blue Cheese Cream Sauce  

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

If it has not already been done by your butcher, trim the fat off of the tenderloin.  Tie the tenderloin together with twine, every 3 inches, folding in the 'tail' (the end that gets really narrow) so the beef is all the same size around.  

Spread the softened butter on the entire tenderloin, then coat in salt & pepper.  Place the tenderloin on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan.  Place in a 500 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the beef.  Watch it carefully, a little too much time can make it too done.  If the beef is much larger, it could take 30 minutes.  Check the temperature with a meat thermometer - it should read 135-145 degrees.

Remove from the oven, then cover with foil.  Let it rest for 15 minutes.  Slice in thick slices and serve With the delicious Blue Cheese Sauce...

3 cups of heavy cream
1/2 cup of blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of parsley, minced

In a heavy saucepan, heat cream on medium-high heat until it is boiling.  Boil for 15-20 minutes until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat.  Stir in blue cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper & parsley.  Serve warm.

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 package (250 g)(8 oz) cream cheese, cold, cut into cubes
• 4 cups (1 lb)(460 g) confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoons (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) cherry preserves, or to taste.

For the frosting:
1. Using electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend butter and icing sugar on medium low speed, until just combined, about 2 minutes.
2. Add cold cream cheese, all at once, and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
3. Add vanilla and salt, and beat at medium high speed for about 1 minute. Be sure to not overbeat, or the frosting will start to become too thin.
4. Add cherry jam and and mix on low speed until just incoporated.

Something Different..."Spasangna"

24 oz spaghetti
32 oz mozzarella cheese, grated (yes - 2 lb of cheese)
8 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese , divided
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 jar (26oz)spaghetti sauce
1 lb italian sausage or ground beef




Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain.

In large bowl, stir together sour cream, ricotta, half-and-half, mozzarella, oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, salt, and half the Parmesan cheese.  Add spaghetti and toss until well coated.

Pour spaghetti mixture into 9x13 pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top spaghetti with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Cover dish aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.

While pasta is baking, prepare meat sauce. Brown Italian sausage in skillet. Drain and return to skillet. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer.

Remove pasta from oven.  Cut into squares and top with meat sauce.

Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients:

1 round loaf of sourdough bread

2 C Shredded mozzarella Cheese

1 package mini-pepperoni

3 T butter, melted

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t dried oregano 

3 T shredded Parmesan Cheese  

Pizza/Marinara sauce for dipping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. With a sharp bread knife, cut slits about one inch apart horizontally, then vertically, into the bread almost to the bottom of the loaf - careful not to cut too deep (you still want the pieces to be attached to each other). 

3. Move loaf of bread to an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet.

4. Stuff (and yes, you can fit a ton in there) pepperoni and mozzarella cheese in each of the slits. 

5. Combine butter, oregano and garlic powder in a small cup. With a pastry brush, brush the seasoned butter over the entire loaf. 

6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

7. Cover with another piece of aluminum foil, bake for 15 minutes. 

8. Unwrap bread, bake another 10 minutes until slightly golden. 

9. Serve with warm marinara/pizza sauce. 

Fresh Strawberry Bundt Cale

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 Tb. lemon juice, divided
Zest of 1 lemon
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. plain or vanilla, Greek yogurt
12 oz. fresh strawberries, diced
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan (10-15 cup pan.) Sift together the 2 ¼ cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tb. lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled whisk together the remaining 2 Tb. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
6. NOTE: I've had a few questions on the texture of the batter in this cake. The consistency of the yogurt and the juiciness of the berries, greatly determined the consistency of the batter. Thick, (dryer) yogurt will produce a thicker batter, in which the berries won't sink to the bottom (top) of the cake as seen in the photos. Either way, it is a great cake--don't worry about the thickness of the batter.