Pineapple Cake

Posted by Donna:

I first ate this cake about three or four years ago, and it's on my "favorite desserts" list now. One observation I've noticed about pineapple: men love it---or at least the men I know do. In my immediate family, desserts become somewhat of a concern for me at meals. It goes from liking everything, or only certain things. When you're cooking for family, you want everyone to have something they enjoy. Believe it or not, I consider my sons-in-law first. (That statement will make my daughters really happy!!!! tee hee) I was so thrilled the first time I fixed this cake because they both liked it. It also passed with flying colors when my husband and older brother ate it. That's when I realized I could never go wrong with this Pineapple Cake on the dessert menu.

Pineapple Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. soda
1 large can crushed pineapple (undrained)
1/2 cup pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together and beat for 3 minutes.

Pour into a greased/floured sheet cake pan. ( mine is 10 x 15 )
Bake for about 25 minutes. I don't know about you; but, I've learned to touch the top of my cakes and know when they're ready. I like my cakes done, but moist. Let the cake cool down before adding frosting.

Frosting:

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature (8 oz.)
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cups pecans
1/2 cup margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the margarine. Pour into a mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth. After the frosting is smooth, stir in the pecans.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

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Oatmeal Caramelitas

Posted by Kimberly:

A few years ago, my family was visiting our best friends who lived in McKinney, TX at the time. She had made oatmeal caramelitas for dessert, and I couldn't quit eating them. They quickly became one of my favorite desserts, and anytime that I make them, women always want the recipe. What woman doesn't love chocolate and caramel, right?! Case in point: My kids' school has a cookie cook-off every year during its Fall Festival. This year my daughter entered them for her grade level and won first place. The moms and teachers who were around during the judging kept stopping me to tell me how wonderful they were and requested the recipe.

Oatmeal Caramelitas

1 (14 oz.) package caramels, unwrapped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 cups flour
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the caramels with the evaporated milk stirring frequently until smooth. Set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Stir in the melted butter. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes. (Do not overbake.) Remove from the oven, and pour caramel mixture over top. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel. Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top, and pat down lightly. (I actually get a handful of the remaining mixture and squeeze it together and then break it apart so that it is in various-sized chunks.) Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden. Cool before cutting into bars. *I prefer to eat these warm, so I will nuke them in the microwave before eating.


Now just a little funny on my sister: She quickly became a big fan of these, too, so when she and her kids came to my house for a visit, I made them. I always bake mine in a glass 9x13 casserole dish. Well, on Sunday morning, we were in a dash to get out the door for church, so I hollered at her and asked her to put the chicken in the oven. When we walked in the door after church, I didn't smell barbecued chicken cooking in the oven, so I opened the oven door and found the caramelitas in there instead! I'm sure you can only imagine our disappointment when we realized that there was nothing to eat for lunch, and, more importantly, that our dessert was ruined!!!

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Calzone

Although nothing beats homemade bread like Mom posted yesterday (here), these frozen bread rolls are easy to use and very versatile. One way I use them is for calzone. At Thanksgiving I make mini calzones as appetizers for our annual night-before-Thanksgiving event on my husband's side of the family.

Calzone - serves 6 - 10
1 pkg. 24 count frozen rolls, wheat or regular (dough balls - I get Rhodes brand, but any brand will work)
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
Salt
Pepper
3 cups mozzarella cheese

Allow frozen dough balls to thaw on cookie sheet or microwave them to thaw per package directions. Brown hamburger with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Drain to remove grease.

Using desired number of rolls per calzone (I use one roll for appetizers - used four for these calzones), roll out dough into rectangle shape (just do a circle with one).
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese down the middle of dough, topped with hamburger meat. Of course, you might rather use pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, and some pizza-style veggies, too. We just prefer them plain.
Seal edges and place seam side down on a greased baking sheet.

Brush lightly with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until browned. The small ones will take 12 - 15 minutes; larger ones about 25 minutes. I brush the appetizers with garlic butter before baking them instead of the olive oil.
Serve with spaghetti sauce and/or garlic butter (my favorite) or do half and half . These calzones were made with the whole wheat dough. We probably prefer the regular dough more, but did this in the quest to eat healthier! Also, these made with four rolls each were really big and no one ate a whole one...three rolls would be better. Our calzones were served with a salad. And, the leftovers were heated up and enjoyed a few days later!
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Refrigerator Rolls

Posted by Donna:

I love homemade bread. It took me two or three years to learn how to make homemade rolls. I always watched Mother make them and it looked simple to me---that is until I started making them myself. Some things, like bread, take lots of practice---learning what consistency the dough should feel like, how long to knead it, and the right amount of time for it to rise. It takes more than just following the recipe at times. This is my mother's recipe, and they're definitely a real "comfort" food. Hope you enjoy them as well.

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter flavored crisco
2 cups milk
1 cup water

Bring these four ingredients to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Cool to lukewarm. After the mixture has cooled down, dissolve 2 pkg. of yeast in 1/2 cup cool water. Make sure the yeast is completely dissolved. Do this in a large bowl. Then, pour the lukewarm mixture ino the bowl with the yeast. Mix very well. Add 3 cups sifted self-rising flour and mix well. Cover with a paper towel and let rise until it has doubled in size. I have a particular bowl I use for this. I have put marks on the bowl with a magic marker, just so I'll know when it has doubled. This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours or a little longer at my house. It may vary at your home. Just make sure it has doubled in size. After it has doubled in size, stir down the dough with a spoon. Sift together 5 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/8 tsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. baking powder. Add this dry mixture to the dough and mix well. Again, cover with a paper towel. This time, you just have to let it rise 45 minutes. Then, put the dough on a floured board or wax paper sprinkled with flour. Knead for 2 minutes; then roll out for rolls. I probably roll mine to about a 1/2 inch thick. One word of caution---- you know how bread shrinks back up when you roll it out. You can divide your dough into two balls and that helps that problem some. With practice, you learn how thick you want your dough to be. Cut your rolls out with a biscuit cutter. Place in greased pans. Let rise until they have doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees until brown---around 10 minutes.

I always make my rolls several days before I need them. After I put them in greased pans, I don't let them rise, but cover them with foil--several layers----and freeze them. On the day I want to bake them, I take them out and let them rise for 5 or 6 hours. This recipe makes anywhere from 32 - 40 rolls. It all depends on how thick you make your dough when rolling it out.

I realize rolls take a lot of work; but, they are definitely worth it. There are just those things that are worth doing for your family. Remember, you're making memories with these rolls!!!!! Sweet, sweet, memories!!!!

By the way, don't ask me why Mother named these refrigerator rolls because I don't know. They're just homemade rolls; but, when she passed this recipe on to me, she called them refrigerator rolls. I've just stuck with that name. It's just another one of those special things you do just because your mother did.

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Brownie Pizza

***NOTE ABOUT the COUNTRY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE recipe: The number of eggs was left off the ingredient list and is now corrected!! (It's 6 eggs)

Posted by Lori:
We just picked up our two oldest children from camp at QMCC (Quartz Mountain Christian Camp). Another son also attended the week before. Each year, on the Wednesday night of camp, we go visit them and worship with the group. Also on that night, I take whatever homemade treat they have requested. This year Jacob requested "Cake Mix Cookies" (I'll post them sometime). Zachary requested "Chocolate Globs". You'll find that recipe here (click link). Lauren wanted "Brownie Pizza" for her treat, and actually, so did the counselors because that was what she had last year and they remembered it!

BROWNIE PIZZA

1 boxed brownie mix, prepared as directed
1 medium sized bag M & M's
1 pkg. small marshmallows
Chocolate syrup
Caramel sauce (if desired)

Bake brownie mix in greased 15-inch pizza pan or you could use a small sheet cake or jelly roll sized pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Drizzle chocolate syrup over brownie OR spread caramel sauce all over the top. Sprinkle package of marshmallows over the top and place back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Take out and scatter M & M's over top. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and caramel syrup.

It's fun to put the brownie pizza in a pizza box. This is a big hit with kids and teens....and their counselors :).
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Country Breakfast Casserole

Posted by Donna:

This recipe was given to me by my younger daughter; but, because I've fixed this several times lately the past few months, I decided to beat her in sharing it. Not really. It is true that I have been fixing it quite a bit here lately, but I didn't try to beat her. I called her and got permission to go ahead and share it. There are lots of breakfast casseroles out there; but, what makes this different is the gravy mix that is added. It is really good and it is my favorite now.

Country Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. sausage
6 eggs
1 chopped green onion
frozen hash browns
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 (2.64 oz.) pkg. McCormick country gravy mix

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Brown the sausage. Drain on a paper towel. Mix the sausage and green onion together and spread across a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Add the thawed hash browns on top of the sausage/onion mixture. I don't measure the amount of hash browns I use---I just make sure the top is covered---probably 2-3 cups. Salt and pepper the hash browns. Next, add the cheese on top of the hash browns. Whisk together the eggs, water, milk, and gravy mix. Pour this on top of the other layered ingredients. Bake 40 minutes-or until a knife comes out clean. In my oven, 40 minutes is all it takes. Let the casserole set for ten minutes before serving. The leftovers heat up very well.

I've been taking this to families who have lost a loved one. They've really enjoyed it. I think everyone enjoys breakfast goodies anytime of the day.

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Squash Soup

Posted by Lori:
Sunday night after worship a little boy came up and asked if I would like some squash. His family has a big garden this summer and they were sharing the bounty. The back of their van was filled with HUGE squash like these. I took one of each, since my family only likes fried squash and I'm trying to keep us eating healthier. I know that the yellow squash is regular summer squash and the green one is zucchini, but WHAT IS THE WHITE SQUASH? The little boy told me it was "hand" squash, but the site I read says that's not in America. I looked at squash pictures, but found nothing that looked like this.
I decided to make a squash soup. It was really good! I tallied up the whole pot and it's only 5 Weight Watcher points, so one serving isn't even one point.

SQUASH SOUP
10 cups squash, cut in chunks
2 cans (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 carton (32 oz.) chicken broth
1 T. Italian seasoning (you may prefer less)
1 T. onion powder
1 T. garlic powder
1 t. salt
pepper, to taste

Place ingredients in large pot. Simmer until vegetables are tender - about 45 minutes.

I don't make soup too often in the summer time, but it's a proven fact that soups are more filling, so that's always a good thing. My youngest son probably would have tried it, but he had already eaten when it was ready. My oldest would have tried it, but she's at camp this week. The two middle boys and my husband - not a chance!

I didn't use the white squash, just the yellow summer squash and zucchini. Do you know what it is? I think it's so pretty! It looks like a flower :). I'll think I'll just save it until fall and put it out with our pumpkins.

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