BAKED COCONUT CREAM PIE (AMISH)

 We needed something sweet in the house and I couldn't think of anything better than a coconut pie. The title of the pie has "cream" in it, but don't get confused with your ordinary coconut cream pie. That's not what this pie is. It tastes like a coconut pie and if you like coconut as much as Wayne and I do, that speaks volumes. I do think it tasted better the second night after being in the refrigerator over night, but we couldn't resist enjoying a piece of it while it was still a little warm. 

The recipe is Mary Esther MIller, the Manager/Restaurant Gifts at the Das Dutchman Essenaus in Middlebury, Indiana. I really hope we can get there sometime before the end of the year. It sounds like a really neat place to visit.

BAKED COCONUT CREAM PIE

2       eggs, beaten

1       cup corn syrup

1       cup milk

1       teaspoon vanilla

1/4    cup sugar

1       tablespoon flour

2       teaspoon melted butter

1       cup coconut

1       9 - inch deep pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs well.

Mix ingredients well.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 45 min to 1 hour. (I did bake mine for an hour.) (My pie shell said to bake pie on a cookie sheet so I did.)

Cool on wire rack. Store covered in refrigerator. I think it is better the second day.

ANNIE EASTON NOBLE'S CRANBERRY CAKE

 At the time Yolanda Lodi completed her third cookbook,(Yolanda's All New Cranberry Cookbook) Annie Easton Noble was in her 80's and living in Dennisport, MA where she bred cocker spaniels. Yolanda used shortening when she made the cake, but found out Annie uses margarine or whatever other shortening was available during time of war. I decided I would be a little truer to Annie's recipe and used butter.

The volunteers at Hillcrest Thrift Shop really enjoyed it. Volunteer Sue said it was such a pretty cake too. I agreed with her. I was so pleased that the cranberries didn't sink to the bottom of the cake but were spread out throughout the cake. I took a few pieces home with me to share with Friend Fran and Friend Rita. I even took another piece home to Wayne. I hope some of the volunteers who didn't make it to the Community Room until lunch weren't disappointed if they didn't get a piece.

ANNIE EASTON NOBLE'S CRANBERRY CAKE

1       cup shortening or butter (I used 2 sticks of butter)

1-1/2 cups sugar

4       large eggs

3       cups flour

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2    teaspoon salt

2/3    cup milk

2       cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed), chopped (I cut the fresh cranberries in half)

1       cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 - inch tube pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening or butter and sugar thoroughly. I allowed the butter to soften some by letting it set out at room temperature for a bit. Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture, alternately with milk, bllending after each addition.

Scrape the sides of the bowl often.

Fold in cranberries and pecans.

Spread in tube pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. (I took mine out about 7 minutes early.)

Cool cake before removing from pan. (about 10 minutes) 

Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar (as I did) or frost cake with the following recipe (I have not tried, but I'm sure it's delicious) :

CRANBERRY FROSTING

1/2       cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/4       cup water

1          tablespoon lemon juice

1/4       cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

4          cups powdered sugar, sifted

In a small saucepan combine cranberries and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries pop (about 5 minutes).

Remove from stove and cool.

Blend in lemon juice.

Cream the butter in a large bowl.

Add powdered sugar, alternately with the cranberry mixture, blending after each addition. Add onlyy enough sugar to make a spreading consistency.

WALNUT TOASTER BREAD

 

Not sure where April went, but May is here. That means warmer temperatures, green everywhere, and flowers blooming. Saturday we went to one of our favorite nurseries and bought two new hanging baskets to hang on the back porch. We even got some Ivy Geraniums to plant in the planter boxes by the front door. We still wear our masks everywhere but getting out, gathering in small groups with friends, makes it feel like pre-pandemic days. I am trying to stay firm with my decision to enjoy life but at a slower pace than before. It's hard because I loved everything I did before, but I just don't want to be as busy as I used to be. I will keep you posted. 

I made this awesome Walnut Toaster Bread Saturday morning after we got up and we ate a slice mid-morning. It tastes so good. I think we will enjoy it with our meals. We didn't toast our slices Saturday because the loaf was still warm from the oven. If you want to try a multi-grain bread with little sugar (only 1/2 cup honey), this recipe is definitely for you. It is definitely a winner!

WALNUT TOASTER BREAD

1-1/2    cups all-purpose flour

3          teaspoons baking powder

1-1/4    teaspoons salt

1          teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2    cups whole wheat flour

     *     *     *

1-1/4    cups buttermilk

1          cup walnuts, chopped

1/2       cup honey

1/4       cup oil

2          teaspoons lemon rind, grated (I use dry lemon peel)

1          large egg

Lower the bottom rack in the oven to lowest slots. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 - inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the whole wheat flour. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl combine the buttermilk, walnuts, honey, oil, lemon rind, and egg.

Whisk until egg is combined with the other ingredients.

Add to the dry ingredients,

stirring just until moistened. (Make sure you get down to the bottom of the bowl. You will think you have all of the ingredients combined and then discovered there is a lot still in the bottom of the bowl.)

Pour into the loaf pan smoothing out top.

Bake for about 55 minutes on the lowest oven rack. Test doneness with a toothpick. Let stand in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Turn out and finish cooling. 

My husband was anxious to eat a piece, so I cut us slices without waiting but a few minutes after turning it out of the pan. It tasted so good still warm and actually cut nicely.

I spread some butter on mine and

even added a little homemade strawberry jam. YUM!! YUM!!

ORANGE OATMEAL MUFFINS

 I've had a busy day today and it will be time to turn in soon, but I picked up my laptop and it was working so I decided I had better get a post or two written before it decides to be tempermental. Just about the time I think I definitely need to just buy me a new one, it works! Please bear with me. If you don't see a post from me each weekday, you know I was having computer problems.

These Orange Oatmeal Muffins were actually our special 
Saturday breakfast over a week ago. My delay in sharing the recipe with you had absolutely northing to do with the recipe wasn't very good. Just the opposite. They were delicious. They only have 1/4 cup of sugar but you would never know it because of the strusel - like topping on them. A good thing to remember when you are making especially muffins...If the recipe doesn't have much sugar in them, but you want them to be tasty...sprinkle the top with at least sugar before you bake them. Getting that little extra bit of sugar when you take a bite, gives your taste buds a little extra boost and you will think the muffin is sweeter than it really is.

ORANGE OATMEAL MUFFINS

2      tablespoons brown sugar

2      teaspoons flour

1      teaspoon butter, melted

1//4  teaspoon cinnamon

     *     *     *

1      cup flour

1      cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/2   cup pecans, chopped

1/4   cup sugar

2      teaspoons grated orange rind (I used dried orange peel)

2      teaspoons baking powder

1/2   teaspoon salt

     *     *     *

1/2    cup orange juice

1/4    cup milk

3       tablespoons oil

1       egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan for 12 muffins.

Combine the brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon, mixing until crumbly; set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, pecans, sugar, orange rind/peel, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.

Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl combine the orange juice, milk, oil, and egg. Whisk until egg is combined with the other ingredients.

Add to dry ingredients; stirring just until moistened. 

Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. The recipe was supposed to make 12 muffins, but I only got 9. Pour a little water in the unfilled cups so the muffins will bake evenly.

Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture on top and bake for 15 minutes.

My granddauther Madison had gotten a new phone watch and was busy texting me while I was making these. I told her I that I wished she and her brother were with me. She said she did too. I told her I would take a bite of one for her. This picture shows the missing bite I took for her. She told me they were having chocolate chip muffins that her daddy had made. I told her I had taught him how to cook. She thought that was funny.

Great warmed up also. Store in air-tight container.