Sweet Potato Pie

When I asked for suggestions for the Thanksgiving meal, both Mom and hubby declared "sweet potato pie". Now, I have made pumpkin pie on many occasions, but not sweet potato. And no, I am not one to assume that you just switch out the ingredients. 
At first we looked in basic recipe books such as Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens. Then, of course! Southern Living! I own every book except for one, from 1979 on till today. Now, the first ten years or so of their annual recipes collection was documented in a master book, so off so we go to find a gazillion recipes listed. After looking over a few, I chose Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie. It turned out fine. Not too sweet. I splurged on an on-sale organic, no trans-fat pie shell found in the healthy foods selection at Kroger. This made two pies as the pie shells were rather small.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie
January 1979 Southern Living

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened (make sure very soft)
2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 deep dish pie shell or two smaller ones

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, egg yolks, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. (I beat by hand.)
Beat egg whites in mixer or with hand mixer until foamy, gradually adding white sugar. Beat until stiff, then fold into the sweet potato mixture. Pour filling into pie shell(s).
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45-50 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Healthier Layered Holiday Salad

I so enjoyed the all-church Thanksgiving potluck yesterday evening - lots of yummy dishes. One that hubby enjoyed was the traditional layered salad in a trifle bowl. It was tasty but rather salty, and I never make it for good reason - tons of fat and salt and even sugar, added to the mayonnaise dressing!

Here is my version of a layered salad that would be pretty and appropriate for the holidays:

Made Healthier Holiday Layered Salad

1 bag of baby spinach

1 bag of romaine
1 16oz. Can of garbanzos, drained
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small purple onion, chopped or 1 bunch of chopped green onions
1 small can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
nuts – optional – sliced almonds work well
4 oz. Shredded reduced-fat cheese of choice, Italian blend works well

favorite salad dressing – oil and vinegar balsamic vinaigrette or lower fat versions of ranch

Layer in this order in a pretty glass bowl:

From bottom to top

romaine
½ package of cheese
garbanzos
green peppers or yellow peppers
olives
spinach
red peppers
onions
rest of cheese
mandarin oranges
nuts, if using

You can further reduce the fat by leaving out the nuts and cutting the cheese portions, but heck, you do need a little fat.

 

Southern Belle Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Butter. Need I say more?

Modified from Craig Claiborne's New York Times Cookbook

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake


1 stick plus 3 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
fresh or canned pineapple slices 4 to 5
1/4 cup pecans
maraschino cherries (optional)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet or other round baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and arrange pineapple slices to fit. add maraschino cherries if desired and add pecans around the pineapple slices.
To prepare cake - Cream remaining butter and white sugar in mixing bowl. add eggs and vanilla, beating well. In separate bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternatively with the milk.
Spoon batter carefully (batter will be very thick) over the pineapple slices. Bake for about 35 minutes or until done. Let cake cool for 5-10 minutes. While still warm, invert onto a serving platter.

Peeled and sliced pears or peaches, 3-4, can be substituted for pineapple.

Gingerbread is a Good Source of Iron and Calcium, Potassium and B-6

Oh, how we can rationalize things! Anyway, I love gingerbread and had poor results with some recipes I tried last year. So, I returned to good ole Craig Claiborne, who I always think of for entrees but not desserts.

I really like the texture of this cake. Maybe a tad too sweet.


1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt (I added a bit more to the batter)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (I like a strong ginger flavor. I used two teaspoons and will probably bump that up next time)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (don't mess with this.  trust me)
1/3 cup vegetable shortening (yes, I know. but you can get 0 trans fat Crisco at the grocery, and you need a neutral product for a good gingerbread. It's better for your arteries than butter)
1/2 cup white sugar (a tad too sweet for me, I may decrease by a couple of tablespoons next time. but you can't fiddle around too much because you need the heft of the sugar)
1 egg
3/4 cup dark molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8x8 inch baking pan. (my oven burned the bottom and edges slightly, so I will try 325 next time)
Add vinegar to the milk and set aside. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices
Cream the shortening, adding sugar gradually. Add egg and beat well. Add the molasses and mix.
Add dry ingredients alternatively with the milk. Stir only until mixed. Turn into pan and 45 to 50 minutes or until gingerbread springs back when touched in the middles. Cool in pan on cake rack.

The Elvis Cake

The Elvis Cake (also known as Peanut Butter Banana Cake)

adapted from a Taste of Home cookbook

Bananas and peanut butter, Elvis was on to something. This is easy to put together, a great snacking cake.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2-3 bananas, mashed (2 is a little drier, 3 more moist)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
optional - 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup milk ( I used skim, use what you have)

Frosting:

1/3 -1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy for texture, smooth is okay too)
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 cups confectioners sugar (you have to play with it to get the consistency you want)

In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda, and nutmeg if using. Mix alternately with milk, beating well.
Bake in a greased 13 by 9 baking pan at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, beat peanut butter, milk and vanilla in a bowl until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and consistency you want. Spread over cooled cake.

Still Baking - Fudgy Brownies

I've tried a few brownie recipes, and this is one is worth mentioning to all the chewy, fudgy brownie lovers.

Steve's Brownies

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cocoa (I used 1/4 regular and 1/4 Special Dark Hershey's)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan.
Melt butter in microwave. Add all other ingredients, mixing well. Batter will be very thick. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack and then cut into squares.

Enough recipes for a bake sale

Cakes and bread recipes made of late:

For Valentine's Day, I prepared the following:

Red Velvet Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (to sour sweet milk use 1 tablespoon vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup)
2 tablespoons (1-ounce bottle) red food color
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 inch pan.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl. beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together buttermilk and food color. Stir together flour, cocoa, and salt. add alternately to butter mixture with buttermilk mixture, mixing well. Stir in baking soda and vinegar. Pour into pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with white or cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 1/14 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Icing:
1/2 cup butter, softenened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 13 pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in nuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in oven for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. When cooled, frost.
Frosting: in medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla. beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cake.

Spiced Applesauce Bread

1 1/4 cups applesauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine applesauce, sugar, oil, eggs and milk. Beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Stir until smooth. Fold in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. cool on wire rack.

Pumpkin Cake

2cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin (or use 1 can)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp.soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine sugar, eggs, oil and pumpkin. Mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add too pumpkin mixture, beating well with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour batter into greased and floured 13 by 9 pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until cake tests done with toothpick or butter knife. Cool completely before frosting. Use cream cheese frosting or the following coconut frosting:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut
1tsp. vanilla extract

Combine flour, sugar, and milk in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (225 degrees on candy thermometer ). Add butter, stir until melted. Stir in nuts, coconut and vanilla.