Amy came by the register at Hillcrest Thrift Shop on Tuesday to tell me that the cake I had brought was her all-time favorite of everything I had brought! I told my husband after I got home. When he had a piece after dinner, he told me he thought Amy was right.
It is really delicious and so moist! The recipe was one from Lois Depoy or Harrisonburg, Virginia and was included in Phyllis Pellman Good and Kate Good's Mennonite Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley cookbook. I admit I was intrigued when I saw the two ingredients - dates and salad dressing (the Miracle Whip variety). Not so much the dates as I have made cakes where they soaked the dates in hot water first, but the salad dressing? That was a first.
If you like moist cake with a crunchy-like topping, this is the cake for you. I love a cake that I don't have to worry about frosting, too!
CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup salad dressing (the Miracle Whip variety)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
Combine the dates, water, and baking soda. Cool.
(I let mine set for 30 minutes.)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 - inch pan. (I used my homemade Pan Grease.)
Stir in the sugar, salad dressing, flour, and vanilla with the cooled date mixture in a large mixing bowl.
Pour into pan.
Combine the pecans, brown sugar, and chocolate chips and
sprinkle over the batter in the pan.
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.
"Moist" is almost not strong enough to describe this delicious Pineapple Banana Bread. I love the addition of the crushed pineapple and flaked coconut. It only has a hint of a banana taste, if you aren't real crazy about banana bread. I would have a hard time calling this banana bread, actually. I placed it on my cake plate stand with a glass dome cover before it completely cooled. I think this just adds to the moistness.
MOIST PINEAPPLE BANANA BREAD
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup stevia/sugar blend)
2 eggs
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup drained crushed pineapple (I used no sugar added crushed pineapple.)
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 4 - inch loaf pan. ( I think my the loaf pan I used was 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 - inches.)
Cream the butter and sugar til smooth.
Beat in eggs. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
Stir in bananas, pineapple, and coconut.
Combine the dry ingredients with a whisk in a smaller mixing bowl.
Add dry ingredients just til combined.
Spread batter in loaf pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the loaf.
Cool in pan 10 minutes.
May need to run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen. Finish cooling on wire rack.
Store under a glass dome cover or wrap in foil.
I am so excited about this recipe! I can't wait to try it with different add-ins! While it is probably meant to be served as an appetizer, I made the recipe for our dinner while we watched college football on television.
I made it using sliced pepperoni that I diced up, but I think the diced pepperoni that you can buy would work better than using the sliced pepperoni and chopping it. While we were enjoying them, I suggested to my husband that I thought I would try the recipe using crushed pineapple and diced ham (that's my favorite pizza). You could also use ground sausage or beef. If you like mushrooms on your pizza, you could chop a few of them and add to the mixture. The possibilities are limitless. If you add more ingredients, be prepared to make more than 24 "bites".
PIZZA BITES
3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 - 1 cup diced pepperoni*
1/2 - 1 cup pizza sauce (for dipping)
*Other suggestions: cooked ground sausage, ground beef, diced ham and some crushed pineapple, chopped mushrooms, chopped peppers, olives, etc. to equal a total cup.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 24 cup mini muffin pan.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and seasoning together in a mixing bowl.
Whisk in egg, and milk.
Stir in cheeses, and pepperoni.
Let stand for 10 minutes. (Batter will thicken.)
Stir the batter and divided evenly between the 24 mini cups.
Bake until done and golden about 20 - 25 minutes.
Heat pizza sauce in microwave until warm.
Serve the bites with the pizza sauce.
I first made this Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding last fall and used instant brown rice. I didn't like it but my husband did. (He doesn't remember this because he's not a rice pudding fan, but he ate the whole batch over several days. Really!)
Fortunately, I didn't throw the recipe out. Lately I keep picking it up and so I bought some instant white rice the other day at the store and decided to give it a try again, but this time with white rice instead of the brown rice. (The main reason I didn't like the one I made last year with the brown rice is because the rice wasn't done even cooking the 20 minutes.) I also decided to reduce the amount of pumpkin pie spice. (I used only 1 teaspoonful this time. It gave it a hint of the pumpkin pie spice so if you really like the taste you might want to use the full 2 teaspoonfuls.)
Anyway, it is so good. Actually tastes like rice pudding. but it is so much easier and faster. I hope you will give it a try.
PUMPKIN PIE RICE PUDDING
1-1/2 cups Minute white rice, uncooked
1 can (12 fl.oz.) evaporated milk (fat free works)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used 1/4 cup brown sugar/stevia blend)
1 - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine rice, evaporated milk, pumpkin, water, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, stirring frequently. (I started stirring it more after it came to a boil.)
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Let stand 5 - 10 minutes before eating.
Serve garnished with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice, graham crackers, whipped cream, or pecans, if desired. I had some Cool Whip and topped it with a spoonful. Yummy!
Wednesday afternoon was the gathering of our quilters' canasta group at Friend Ellen's house. It was supposed to be another one of our 70 + degree fall days we have been enjoying so much this week. Instead the clouds never broke up so it didn't get out of the 60s. But that didn't keep us from having another fun afternoon of cards.
For dessert Ellen made a reduced - calorie carrot cake that was greatly enjoyed. When she gave me a copy of the recipe, I asked her if she had used "real" sugar or stevia. She said she had never cooked with stevia and so had used the real thing. I told her I cook with it all the time and also a stevia/brown sugar blend. She said that would have reduced the calories even more had she done that. You can use which ever you like.
WONDERFUL CARROT CAKE
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups finely shredded carrots
1/2 cups chopped walnuts
FROSTING:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 - in baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat the sugars, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla until well blended.
Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and baking soda; gradually beat into the sugar mixture until blended.
Stir in carrots and walnuts.
Pour into pan and bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk, and vanilla until fluffy.
Add the confectioners' sugar and salt; beat until smooth.
Spread over top of cake.
Store in the refrigerator.
On Monday I shared three different party mixes I made and took to the Sunday school's Halloween party. I also decided to make some cookies.
These Pumpkin Walnut Cookies's recipe came from a magazine. I didn't write which magazine it was on the recipe card. The first time I made the cookies were in October, 1982 according to the date written on the back of the card. That meant my younger son Patrick was 2 months old. Industrious!
I had some black walnuts and decided to use them this time when I made the cookies. They definitely give the cookies a distinctive taste.
PUMPKIN WALNUT COOKIES
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2-1/2 cups sifted all - purpose flour (sift before you measure it)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Stir in pumpkin, vanilla, lemon peel and juice.
Resift the flour with the baking powder, salt, and spices.
Blend into the butter mixture.
Stir in the walnuts.
Drop by tablespoonfuls on baking sheets 2 - inches apart.
Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. (I baked mine for 12 minutes.)
Remove immediately and cool on wire rack.
Decorate with a butter cream frosting. (I added red and yellow food coloring to make orange frosting.)
*HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
My cousin Marie sent me this recipe for making your own pumpkin pie spice. (It is so expensive in the stores and you can't always find it.) Since I was out, I decided to try her recipe. Well, it worked great!
HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice =
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (2 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon ginger (1 teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon allspice (1/2 teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon)
Sift several times these ingredients to get a good blend.
I mixed up about 4 teaspoonfuls and am storing it in the pumpkin pie spice container I had emptied. I recommend shaking it before measuring out any. Making this amount is easier to measure especially if you don't have a 1/8 teaspoon measure. Amount for 4 teaspoonfuls is in parentheses for each item.
I am very lucky that my husband doesn't get tired of leftovers! I have always said I don't like to cook, but I do love to bake! That may be why I have so many baked items that I share with you. Now that the "boys" are grown men with families of their own and it is just the two of us, it is harder for me to have meals for us to eat for dinner. Some of my friends eat out a lot. We usually eat out at least twice a week, sometimes more often. So I like to find a casserole that will feed 4 - 6, make it, and then eat leftovers for the rest of the week. In the winter I like to make soups and eat them all week.
This recipe for Hamburger Pie is one of those that we enjoyed probably 4 more times. Maxine called it Hamburger Pie, but it is probably more commonly called Shepherd's Pie.
HAMBURGER PIE
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon shortening
1 pound ground beef
1 16 - ounce can green beans, drained (I also cut them in half)
1 10 - ounce can tomato soup
3 cups mashed cooked potatoes*
2 eggs, beaten*
2 tablespoons margarine*
(seasoning to taste)
* I used instant potatoes and made enough following the directions on the box for 8 servings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Saute onion in shortening in skillet until brown. (I just sprinkled onion powder on the beef when I browned it.)
Add ground beef. Cook until crumbly; drain, if necessary.
Add beans and soup (and seasoning to taste); mix well.
Spoon mixture into a 2 - quart casserole. (If you aren't sure if your dish is considered a 2 - quart casserole, fill it with 2 - quarts of water. A 2 - quart one will hold it.)
Whip mashed potatoes in a bowl and spread over ground beef mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes or until light brown. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Suggestions:
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top for the last few minutes and continue cooking til it melts.
I checked several other recipes and they were very similar. My husband and I felt it would have been better with some seasonings, which we added when we warmed it up for leftovers. Next time I will add them when I cook the meat.
Source: Maxine McGuire, Clearwater, Florida Beta Sigma Phi Food in the Fast Lane
My mother was always writing down recipes on little pieces of paper. I have a plastic tub full of recipes she had cut out of places and little pieces of paper with ingredients and then usually minimal instructions. I also have her recipe box that mostly has recipes on cards, but also a little piece of paper ever so often. I wrote here on this blog a while back that I had found a pie crust that tasted so good that I couldn't see the need to try any recipe to make my own.
Well, one day recently I was making an apple pie for my friend Fran for her birthday. It used two pie crusts. The only problem was I only had one left in the package. Not wanting to go to the store, I decided I would finally try a recipe and make my own.
I'm not sure why I decided to check out my mother's recipe box (I probably remembered seeing all of those little recipes that she had for pie crust.), but I did. Surprise, surprise! I found a recipe on a card in her recipe box. It was brief on instructions, but I didn't let that stop me. Where she was lacking, I used what I remember from seeing other recipes.
When I gave Fran the pie, I told her what I had done and asked her if it was possible for her to taste the top crust by itself, I would really appreciate it. (What I ask of my friends!) Well, later she sent me a text and told me how much they loved the pie and she thought the pie crust was perfect. (Funny thing is when she returned the skillet to me, she brought her recipe for pie crust AND it was the SAME one my mother used.)
Since then I have made the pie crust at least 3 more times and haven't bought the one I really liked again.
Hope you will try and enjoy my mother's not-so- unique-but-definitely-a-winner pie crust.
PASTRY CRUST
1-1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
4 - 5 tablespoons cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
Cut in the shortening.
(I use my fingers - creature of habit)
Add 3 tablespoons cold water and mix together to make a dough.
Add the next tablespoons of water one at a time until a dough forms in a ball.
Place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes before you roll it out on a lightly floured board.
I press the ball down in a circle with my fingers before I start rolling with a rolling pin.
This seems to help roll it into a circle easier.
As a single crust....(decorate the edges how ever you wish.)
Top crust...
Fran's birthday apple pie...
Here is a picture of Mother's recipe card. It's nice to see her handwriting. I miss her so much.
Today I am sharing not one, not two, but three different party mix recipes. One from Phyllis Pellman Good and Kate Good ( Mennonite Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley ) called simply Party Mix from Helen M. Peachey of Harisonburg, VA, one from Gooseberry Patch ( 101 Homestyle Favorites ) called Party Nibblers from Linda Mills of Pasadena, MD, and one from my friend Sue called Sweet & Salty Snack Mix .
Last Monday when the Farkle group met at Sue's house for a fun afternoon, she served two things that she was willing to share the recipe with me to share with you ... a marvelous apple cake and a party mix. I will be sharing the cake later this week. The party mix was so good. It was hard not to eat a lot of it, but I saw the apple cake and knew I had to save room for it.
Originally I planned to just share Sue's recipe with you, but our Sunday school class, The Bible Boomers, had a Halloween party at Friends Karen and Brian's house Friday night and everyone was asked to bring an appetizer or a dessert. When I was trying to decide what to take, I remembered how good Sue's party mix was. Knowing everyone at the party would be watching the third game of the World Series, I decided a party mix would be good to have on hand to enjoy during the game.
I tired the Gooseberry Patch recipe first and then decided to try a different recipe (since my husband told me I needed to make more) that was very similar but a little different. After I finished the second one, I decided to make Sue's mix and take all three to the party.
PARTY NIBBLERS (Linda Mills)
1 cup cashews
1 cup peanuts
1 cup bite-size cheese crackers
1 cup bite-size Wheat Chex cereal (I used corn)
1 cup bite-size Rice Chex cereal
1 cup mini pretzels
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine nuts, crackers, cereals, and pretzels in a large bowl; mix well and set aside.
Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl; pour over mix, tossing to coat.
Spread in an ungreased 15 x 10 - inch jelly-roll pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring often. (I stirred every 4 minutes and did bake for the full 20 minutes.)
Cool completely; store in an airtight container.
* * * * * * *
PARTY MIX (Helen M. Peachey)
1/3 cup margarine
2 drops Tabasco sauce (I used Habanero Hot Sauce)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder (I used the latter.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 cups Wheat Chex
2 cups Corn Chex
1/2 cup nuts - peanuts, cashews, or pecans
Variation: Mix together your choice of cereals, pretzels, crackers, and nuts to make 5 cups. (I used 1 cup each: Corn Chex, Rice Chex, pretzels, cheese crackers, and nuts)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Melt margarine in roasting pan. Stir in sauces and salt.
Add cereals and nuts. (I mixed these together in a big bowl first.) Mix until all pieces are coated.
Bake for 30 minutes stirring every 7 - 8 minutes.
Let cool before packaging in airtight containers.
* * * * * * *
SUE'S SWEET & SALTY SNACK MIX
4 cups corn Bugles snacks
4 cups Corn or Rice Chex cereal
1 cup pretzel twists
1 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 14 - oz bag of candy coated chocolate pieces
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large roasitng pan with non-stick spray.
Combine the Bugles, cereals, pretzels, and nuts in prepared pan; set aside. (I used 4 cups of the corn Chex cereal and 4 cups of Rice Chex cereal since I didn't have the Bugles.)
In a 2 quart saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda.
Pour syrup mixture over the cereal mixture in pan; toss to coat evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until coating is set.
Remove from the oven, stir.
Spread mixture onto waxed paper covered cookie sheet. Cool 5 minutes.
Stir in chocolate candies. Cool completely; break into pieces.
Store in air-tight container for up to 1 week.
Sue suggested using different colored candy coated chocolate pieces for different events and holidays. (I used a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Pieces since they were orange, yellow, and brown - fall colors.)
Here is a picture I took of Sue's mix:
All three mixes were well received at the Halloween party. Several people told me they liked the Amish Party Mix the best and it was the most eaten. Now you can have fun deciding which one you like the best.
Combine the dates, water, and baking soda. Cool. 
(I let mine set for 30 minutes.)
Stir in the sugar, salad dressing, flour, and vanilla with the cooled date mixture in a large mixing bowl.
Pour into pan.
Combine the pecans, brown sugar, and chocolate chips and 
sprinkle over the batter in the pan.
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.
