Culinary CoBLOGorations

1 white cake mix
1 (3-oz.) package strawberry Jell-O
3 T. flour
1/3 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (10-oz.) package sweetened strawberries, thawed (drain and reserve ½ cup of syrup for frosting)
½ c. cold water
½ c. butter
5-6c. confectioner’s sugar
fresh strawberries, optional for decoration

Cake
Mix white cake mix, package of Jell-O, and flour. Beat in oil and eggs. Drain berries and reserve ½ cup of syrup for frosting. Add berries and water to batter and mix well. Divide the batter between two 8” pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosting
Mix butter and reserved strawberry syrup. Add confectioners sugar gradually and beat until smooth, at least 2 minutes. Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 stick butter
1 c. nuts, chopped (I used pecans)
2-8oz. pkgs cream cheese
2 c. sugar
12 oz. Cool Whip
2 cans blueberry pie filling (you probably won’t use the whole 2 cans, but 1 isn’t quite enough)

Mix the flour, pecans, and butter (softened) until crumbly and pat into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes then cool. Cream together cream cheese and sugar (beat hard at least five minutes). Stir in Cool Whip. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust and chill. Just before serving top with blueberry pie filling. (You can actually put the blueberry pie filling on top right away and just refrigerate the whole thing.)

3 c. mashed sweet potatoes
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. butter

Topping:
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped nuts
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter, softened

Mix above ingredients until smooth.
Place in souffle dish and sprinkle with topping.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

(courtesy of Paula Dean)

1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple chunks, drained, and 6 tablespoons pineapple juice reserved
1 cup cracker crumbs (recommended: Ritz)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a medium-size casserole dish with butter.

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Gradually stir in the cheese. Add the drained pineapple chunks, and stir until ingredients are well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

In another medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, melted butter, and reserved pineapple juice, stirring with a rubber spatula until evenly blended. Spread crumb mixture on top of pineapple mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

one 10 oz package of chopped spinach, drained.
one can of cream of mushroom
one stick of butter
one cup of stuffing mix (or bread crumbs)
one and a half cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
one half of an onion, chopped and sauteed.

Mix the spinach and onions.

In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter and stuffing crumbs so that the crumbs are saturated. Spoon this into the spinach and onions mixture.

Mix in the cream of mushroom and grated cheese. Spread into a casserole dish and top with more stuffing crumbs.

Heat at 325 degrees until top is browned.

1 stick butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together all ingredients. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour. (Check w/ toothpick for doneness starting at 45 minutes.)

3 c. plain flour
2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. oil
2 eggs
3 t. vanilla
1 can cooked pumpkin (15oz.)
1 c. pecans (optional)
1 c. raisins (optional)

Mix all dry ingredients.
Gradually add wet ingredients.
Bake at 350 in a well-greased pan for 45 minutes.

(or, I made 4 shallow mini-loaves + 12 muffins…
and drizzled them with thin cream cheese icing.)

Pair with Apple Muffins for a plate full of fall amazingness:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1-ounce squares unsweetened
chocolate, melted and cooled
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts

In medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate.
Remove from heat; stir in sugar.
Blend in eggs one at a time.
Add vanilla.
Stir in flour and nuts, mix well.
Spread in greased 8x8x2 pan.
Bake 350 for 30 minutes
(Be careful not to over bake)
Cool
Cut into squares.

I saw Ina Garten make this on Barefoot Contessa…and it’s delicious! Definitely a new favorite…

Ingredients
For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.

The best part of Thanksgiving at Gran’s was the dessert collection. I couldn’t ever decide, so I had small pieces of English Apple Pie, this, and this. Bliss, I tell you.

English Apple Pie

4 large apples (I use half Granny Smith, half Fuji.)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Butter a baking dish. Peel and thinly slice apples, place in dish. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples.

Cover with crust:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup self-rise flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 T. water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar. Add other ingredients. Mix and spread over apples.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Delicious served warm with high-quality vanilla ice cream.