Living 2 Eat |

I am always looking for a good cake recipe and this one is definitely a winner, I found it in Paula Deen’s magazine.  So moist, light and tastes like summer!

Denise S. Plunkett

Fort Myers, Florida

FRESH TANGERINE CAKE

2 1/2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 3/4 CUPS OF SUGAR

11/2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

1 CUP VEGETABLE OIL

1 TABLESPOON TANGERINE ZEST

1 CUP FRESH TANGERINE JUICE ( 6-8 TANGERINES)

3 LARGE EGGS

1 (8 OZ ) SOUR CREAM

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES

SPRAY 2 (9 INCH) ROUND PANS WITH NON-STICK COOKING SPRAY WITH FLOUR.

IN A LARGE BOWL, COMBINE FLOUR, SUGAR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER AND SALT.

BEAT IN OIL, ZEST, JUICE, AND EGGS AT MEDIUM SPEED WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER UNTIL COMBINED

ADD SOUR CREAM, BEATING UNTIL SMOOTH

POUR BATTER INTO PREPARED PANS, AND BAKE FOR 25 MINUTES OR UNTIL A WOODEN PICK INSERTED IN CENTER COMES OUT CLEAN.

LET COOL IN PANS FOR 15 MINUTES, REMOVE AND PLACE ON WIRE RACKS.

ONCE COMPLETELY COOLED, SPREAD TANGERINE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING IN BETWEEN LAYERS AND TOP AND SIDES..

TANGERINE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: MAKES 5 CUPS

1 (8OZ ) CREAM CHEESE, ROOM TEMPERATURE, SOFTENED

1/2 CUP OF BUTTER, SOFTENED

1 TABLESPOON TANGERINE ZEST

3 TABLESPOONS FRESH TANGERINE JUICE

6 CUPS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR

IN A LARGE BOWL, BEAT CREAM CHEESE AND BUTTER AT MEDIUM SPEED WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER UNTIL CREAMY.  BEAT IN ZEST AND JUICE UNTIL COMBINED.  GRADUALLY BEAT IN CONFECTIONERS SUGAR UNTIL SMOOTH.

This is a favorite holiday cookie… 

Donna Engle Godfrey

Massanutten, Virginia

Oatmeal Fancies

3 cups quick oats (uncooked)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drain and chop
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 375F.

Grease baking sheet.

Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Combine shortening, sugar, egg, milk, vanilla and almond extracts. Add in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolates, cherries and almonds.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Do not overbake.

Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.

Remove cookies to foil to cool completely.

Yield:  4 dozen

.

Makara Pumpkin-Raisin Spice Loaf

3 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cooking oil
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (fresh or canned)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Makara Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375°.

In large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and oil. Stir in pumpkin. Blend well.

Sift together all dry ingredients and add to mixture in bowl. Blend well. Add vanilla and raisins. Blend briefly.

Pour into greased 9″x5″x3″ loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until loaf is nicely browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan at least 15 minutes; then remove carefully, cool completely and wrap well. Store in cool place until ready to serve.

Makes one loaf.

Note: For an extra touch of flavor, sprinkle top of batter with finely chopped pecans and a liberal sprinkling of Makara Cinnamon just before baking.

… from one of my favorite ‘foodies’, Linda Mathieu

Midland, Michigan

Hot Roast Beef Party Sandwiches

*WINNING RECIPE

Prep: 20 min., Cook: 6 min., Bake: 30 min. Get ahead of holiday parties. Plan to stash a few batches of these casual, three-bite sandwiches in your freezer.

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 (9.25-oz.) packages dinner rolls
2/3 cup peach preserves
1/2 cup mustard-mayonnaise blend
3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef, chopped
1/2 pound thinly sliced Havarti cheese
Salt and pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Heat walnuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

3. Remove rolls from packages. (Do not separate rolls.) Cut rolls in half horizontally, creating 1 top and 1 bottom per package. Spread preserves on cut sides of top of rolls; sprinkle with walnuts. Spread mustard-mayonnaise blend on cut sides of bottom of rolls; top with roast beef and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover with top halves of rolls, preserves sides down, and wrap in aluminum foil.

4. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice into individual sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 3, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator, and bake as directed in Step 4. For testing purposes only, we used Rainbo Dinner Time Rolls, Hellmann’s Dijonnaise Creamy Dijon Mustard, and Boar’s Head Londonport Roast Beef.

Yield:  Makes 12 to 16 servings

From Southern Living, 12/2008

This recipe is for the Martha Stewart types that believe in creating homemade Halloween goodies.  Although I am not a big fan of candy corn, I am told this is an incredible recipe…   if you attempt this, be sure and take a few pictures and send so that I can post as a follow up.   Ben

Candy Corn

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup white corn syrup

1/3 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup powdered milk

food coloring (optional)

Combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup in pan and bring to a boil stirring CONSTANTLY.

Turn heat low and boil 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

In a separate dish, combine powdered sugar, salt, and powdered milk.  Add all at once to the mixture in the pan.

Add food coloring if desired.

Stir until cool enough to handle.

Shape into creative pieces.

Ben,

This is GREAT!!!!

A friend made it for us…she is from England and this is a recipe from there….some make a shortbread crust but this one was perfect for me.

Donna E. Godfrey

Massanutten, Virginia

Banoffee Pie

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
10 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cans sweetened condensed milk
3 bananas

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 oz square semisweet chocolate

1. Graham cracker crust

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place graham cracker crumbs in a bowl, then add cinnamon and sugar, stirring to mix. Melt butter. Pour melted butter over crumb mixture, stirring with fork to combine. Use hands to finish mixing, until crumb mixture is thoroughly combined. Press evenly into 9″ pie plate, then bake on center rack for about 10 minutes, until crust appears dry.

Set aside to cool.

2. Bananas

Peel and slice bananas - not paper thin, but on the thinner side - and layer in cooled graham cracker crust. Press lightly with a spatula to flatten bananas together.

3. Dulce de leche (the “Toffee” in “Banoffee”)

There are several ways to make homemade dulce de leche - for the patient, ***traditional way - cooking the unopened can in a water bath. I went with a more impatient method, a bit dicier but certainly quicker:

Scrape approximately 1 1/2 cans sweetened condensed milk (a bit more or less won’t hurt) into a medium-sized saucepan, preferably enameled or nonstick.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and steadily, for about 20 minutes, or until it deepens to a golden-brown color. Use a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula to stir and watch carefully, as mixture can burn quickly.

Have banana-filled pie crust ready nearby. When the condensed milk becomes thickened and golden-brown, remove it from the heat. Use the wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to scrape mixture out of pan, and pour over bananas while still warm. Spread dulce de leche around with a spoon or metal offset spatula to cover bananas completely, touching edge of crust.

Refrigerate pie until filling is completely cool.

4. Whipped cream and serving

When filling is completely cool, make whipped cream. Using electric mixer, whip heavy cream with brown sugar, starting on medium and increasing in speed, whipping until beaters leave strong peaks in cream.

Using spatula, spread whipped cream over top of pie, creating swirls and peaks.

Grate semisweet chocolate in a light, even sprinkle over top and refrigerate until set.

Serve and enjoy!

GHOST CUPCAKES

• 24 baked cupcakes
• 24 Nutter-Butter cookies
• Chocolate frosting
• Vanilla frosting
• Tube of chocolate decorator’s icing

SPIDER CUPCAKES

• 2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or crispy rice cereal
• 3/4 cup dry chow mein noodles
• 24 baked cupcakes
• White frosting  

Coat each baked cupcake with chocolate frosting and partially insert a Nutter-Butter cookie into the top. Frost the remaining cookie with vanilla frosting. Draw a spooky expression on each ghost with the decorator’s icing. Makes 24.

Make the spiders by combining the chocolate chips and milk in a glass bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth. Stir in the peanuts or cereal and chow mein noodles.

Drop by teaspoons onto waxed paper. Stick on extra noodles for spider legs and chill. Frost the cupcakes white. Then top each cupcake with a spider. Makes 24.

Special thanks to Disney’s Family Fun Magazine.

One of my favorite cookies in the entire world is a snickerdoodle… let me know what you think of this recipe.    Be sure and save a few for me!  Special thanks to Cinnabon for this incredible recipe.

Grandmother’s Snickerdoodles

2 T. Makara Cinnamon
2 T. sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix Makara Cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl and reserve for topping.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine butter, margarine and sugar; cream well. Add the eggs and beat again until light and fluffy.

Sift dry ingredients together; add them to the egg/butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Chill dough one hour.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Form the chilled dough into 1″ balls and roll them in reserved Makara Cinnamon and sugar. Place them on greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies will puff during baking, then fall, leaving a crackly sugar top.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.