Not Unhealthy Oatmeal Cake

Still experimenting with baking. Saw this recipe in the Penzy's catalog and it reminded of a cake I frequently made when I was a teenager. I cut back on the sugar and used unsweetened coconut. You probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry and so it's a good choice when you need to bring something to a potluck or you want something sweet with no fuss. And oatmeal is a whole grain, right?

Not Unhealthy Oatmeal Cake

Cake:
1 cup quick-cooking or regular oats
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4)
1 cup brown sugar (I used 3/4)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Topping:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used 2% evaporated milk)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup shredded coconut (I used Bob's Red Mill dried unsulfured, unsweetened coconut)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or use cooking spray for a 9x13 pan - use a baking pan, not a glass casserole dish, as the topping will need to be broiled briefly.
Combine oats with the boiling water in a medium bowl and let stand for 5-10 minutes until soft and water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, cream the sugars and the butter till fluffy. Add the oats and mix. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix very well.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, soda salt and cinnamon. Gradually add to the oats/sugar mixture and mix well.
Pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Turn on the broiler. In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients and mix well. Spread evenly over the warm cake (if you like a lot of icing, you may want to double the ingredients. ) Place the cake under the broiler 2 inches from the heat and broil until lightly browned.

How to REALLY Win Friends and Influence People

I've been trying to do more baking. I haven't given up on the healthy food, but when it comes to cooking for others, it seems baked goods are always appreciated. (and eaten)
The following recipes got good feedback.

This brownie recipe is more cake-like. It's not a gooey, fudge-like brownie, but definitely rich.

Double-Chocolate Brownies

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup unsweetned cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2/3 cup chocolate morsels
a dash of salt, if you must

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended.
Add cocoa and vanilla; beat at low speed 1 minute. Gradually add flour, mixing well.
Stir in morsels and nuts (if using) into a greased 13x9 inch pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

The following recipe is from a worn church cookbook dating back 30 yrs. that features recipes from family members.

Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

1 cup shortening
3 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. baking soda
5 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. lemon extract

The secret is mixing buttermilk and soda with mixer, set aside.
Cream sugar and shortening with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. add buttermilk and flavorings. Add flour. Bake in bundt pan. Do not preheat oven. Bake at 325 degrees fro 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean.

My Favorite Bread Machine Recipe (so far)

I have left the bread making up to hubby for so long, I about forgot we had a machine. Since he has not shown in interest in over a year, I have been experimenting with different recipes. One I have used several times with tasty results:

Rosemary Bread (for a one pound loaf)

3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I use more)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (of course I use more)
2 dashes hot sauce
1 teaspoon  active dry yeast

I put wet ingredients in first, then dry. Follow the directions of your bread machine.

If It's Good Enough for the Thai Restaurant...

When we eat out, it is most often ethnic food. Hard to get the authentic taste at home, huh?
On my last visit to one of the better Thai restaurants in town, I had to make a quick trip to the Ladies before leaving and on my way I spied cases and cases of canned this and that stacked against the wall. Well, I don't believe I actually spent a lot of time thinking the cooks were slaving away in the kitchen, and I haven't visited that particular kitchen, but I guess I did think those dishes were worth the cost of going out. (The food is very good, the service, not great).
Well, if instant curry paste and whatnot is good enough for the restaurant, maybe I can try it at home. Thai curry in a jar is readily available at most supermarkets, and I have used them with satisfactory results. But I recently went to my local Asian grocery, stocking up on various items, and I did some serious searching for Thai curry pastes. From Thailand. Found two brands. Bought Aroy-D yellow curry paste at Dixie Oriental, 3900 Bardstown Rd. Ingredients: shallot, garlic, dried red chili, salt, lemongrass, lime peel, galangal (similar to ginger root), cinnamon,, mace, cumin powder, coriander seed, turmeric. Sounded like a yellow curry paste to me.
I just eyeballed about 3 tablespoons of the paste, 4 cups of water, brought to a boil. Now, a REALLY good Thai curry will have some fatty coconut milk. Alas, hubby is counting points, so I just used 1/4 cup lite coconut milk. Added diced chicken breast, diced potatoes, and some onion and cooked till done. Served over rice. Terribly high in sodium, but certainly no more than a restaurant, and much lower in fat without sacrificing taste. Only thing I had to jettison was the guilt.
A tasty Thai main dish for 4 for $3.50

How Can You Mess Up a Potato Chip?

Seriously? Two bad bags of chips in two weeks? How can you mess up a potato chip? With hubby counting his points, and sweet, not salty, being HIS downfall, he has generously passed on his bags of chips from two recent lunch and learns.
Now, you can't knock a free lunch and no lack of gratitude to the sponsors, but the chips were just inedible - and I LOVE salty snacks. What a disappointment. It had plenty of salt and plenty of fat but NO TASTE. And not stale, just didn't taste good. And no, I have not evolved into a creature who suddenly does not care for fat and salt. Please. The chips didn't even pass the dog test.
I'm always looking for a "healthy' salty snack. Right. I have tried (and will continue to try) to find a lower-salt, lower-fat snack that satisfies. Frito-Lay baked items are hit and miss - but the 110 calorie bag of mini-pretzels are good - and "only" 19% of the sodium I need for the day. Now that is what I'm talking about.
With cereals being on sale of late (what's with that?), I decided to try making my own chex party mix. Used a few mixed nuts, rice chex, wheat chex and some cheerios. Didn't use much Worcestershire. Uh, I ran out. How do you run out of that stuff? Some walnut oil for flavor instead of butter, and some southwest seasoning. Not only not bad, but good.  Got to put Worcestershire on the list.

White Bean and Red Pepper Dip

This would great for a Super Bowl party. Who doesn't love bean dip? - and this is friendly to those of us trying to eat healthier.

White Bean And Red Pepper Dip

1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup roasted red bell peppers from a jar (small jar is fine), drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
salt to taste
place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth, scraping occasionally. Serve with chips, pita chips or raw vegetables.

Apple Walnut Cake

A tried and true Betty Crocker recipe, slightly modified by me to reduce sugar and fat.

Apple Cake


1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup of vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I was out, so used cloves instead)
3 peeled, cored and chopped tart apples
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13 by 9 inch dish with cooking spray. Mix sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until blended, about one minute. Stir in remaining ingredients except for apples and nuts. Beat 2 minutes. Fold in apples and nuts. Pour into pan (batter will be thick, spread evenly in pan).
Bake until wooden pick inserted comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.