Pineapple Upside Down Cake

You will need:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Glaze:

1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored 

or canned pineapple

3/4 stick butter

3/4 c packed brown sugar

Cake:

1 1/2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 stick butter, softened

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1tsp rum extract

1/2 c pineapple juice or water

Topping: 

Cut pineapple into pieces that fit into your pan. 

I made individual cake so I cut mine smaller.  

Melt butter in pot. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, four minutes. Remove from heat. 

Spoon into cake pan. Place pineapple rings or pieces ontop of brown sugar glaze.

Cake: 

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rum. Add half of flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. 

Beat in pineapple juice, then add remaining flour mixture. 

Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly. Bake about 45 minutes, until knife comes out clean. 

Let cake stand in pan for five minutes. Invert a plate over cake pan and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and pan firmly pressed together). 

Replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet. 

Serve cake just warm or at room temperature.

Homemade Perogies

You will need:

Dough:

3 c all-purpose flour plus additional for kneading

1 c water

1 large egg

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 1/2 pound potatoes (cubed and mashed)

1c Cheddar cheese (shredded)

1/2 c sauerkraut (canned)

1/4 c milk

2 tbs butter

Add water, egg, oil, and salt to well and carefully beat together with a fork. 

Continue stirring, gradually adding flour, until a soft dough forms. 

All the flour didn't incorporate in the bowl but I placed it on the table and kneaded if for a few minutes and it mixed nicely.

Place dough on a floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes.

Let dough rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile:

Cut potatoes into bite size pieces. 

Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender. 

Drain potatoes. 

Then transfer to a bowl along with milk, butter, cheese, sauerkraut and mash with a potato masher or a handheld electric mixer at low speed until smooth.

Set aside to cool.

Roll out the dough very thin and using a round cookie cutter cut the dough into circles.

When mashed potatoes are cool, spoon out a rounded teaspoon into circles.

Fold over circles and pinch together.

Drop into boiling water. The perogies will sink to the bottom then float to the top when cooked. 

You can eat them boiled or fry them in a pan with a little butter. 

Two minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

An easy casserole to make. 

Let me walk you through it.

You will need:
2 chicken breasts, shredded
1c Velveeta cheese

2c water
1c dry rice
1c milk




I cooked the chicken ahead of time.
Lay the uncooked chicken on a cookies sheet with sides so any grease of juices don't run off into the oven.
I season them with cumin, paprika and garlic powdered.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until center is done.

Shred the chicken and put into a casserole dish.
I layered raw uncooked broccoli on top of the shredded the chicken.
Cube up some cheese. I used Velveeta or shredded cheese.
Pour 1 cup of milk.

Cook rice according to bag directions.
2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice.
Cook the rice completely then scoop on top of broccoli and cheese.

Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Just enough to melt the cheese and soften the broccoli florets.

Pesto with Noodles

You will need:

3 c packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 c chopped fresh parsley 
4 cloves garlic
3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c olive oil


(I know my recipe is a little different then normal. I omitted the 1/4 c pine nuts for personal preference. Basil is more commonly used then cilantro.)

Separate the leaves from the main stem of the cilantro and parsley. Place in food processor bowl.
Mince garlic. Add to food processor bowl.
Add Parmesan Cheese to food processor bowl.
Add olive oil to food processor bowl.

Blend till smooth.

 You can store this in an air tight container.

I used mine right away!

I boiled some noodles, added the pesto with the noodes were still hot and stir. 

So easy and delicious! 

Pico de Gallo

You will need:

Fresh or dried Cilantro
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

Mix the chopped ingredients in a bowl and salt to taste.

Add half the jalapeno then taste. If you are looking for more of a kick, add the rest of the jalapeno.

The difference between Pico de Gallo and Salsa is very small.

They are made with the same ingredients but Pico de Gallo is raw coarsely chopped vegetables while Salsa's a ground or blended sauces and spices.

Monkey Chunks

You will need:

two bananas

12 ounces chocolate chips

2 cups crushed cookies, grahm crackers, toffee, nuts. Whatever you wish or happen to have onhand.



I had a few Oreo's, when I ran out of those I used crushed grahm crackers.

Cut the bananas into bite size pieces. Freeze chunked bananas for one hour.

Melted the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stopping and stiring at 15 seconds.

Drop into melted chocolate. You don't have to cover them completely. When you drop them into the cookie/candy crumbs it will take care if coating it.  Kids will love this one, you will get your fingers all messy.

set on a lined cookie sheet. chill for atleast 1 hour. Really, at least, try to stay away and stop opening the refrigerator door, you'll only make it take longer.

S'mores Bar

I found this recipe surfing around on stumbleupon.com, you type in your interestes & this handy site gives you suggestions. Really neat.It is also on back of the Betty Crocker sugar cookie bag.



1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
one bag of  milk chocolate chips
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13x9-inch pan.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust.

Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 5 to 6 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.

This dish is best served after a few hours of sitting. Cutting right away is like eating wet cooking. yuck!

Oh how I wish I had a test kitchen and a photographer, lighting and a whole team so my bars would come out perfect. They are delicious! Just please, let it sit ans set a few hours.

My bars

Their bars

Stuffed Tomatoes

Shelling these bad boys was a breeze. Easier then peppers, for sure. I used a spoon to loosen the harder membrane & the rest scooped right out.

I cooked the sausage first (drain then add) then I added:

1/4 c spinach
1/2 c bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
I didn't spice too much, I wanted the tomato & the sausage to be the dominant flavors.

I scooped the cooked sausage into the shelled tomato and sprinkled cheese on top. I placed the tomatoes into a bread pan so they would not roll.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is browned.

This was delicious, served with stuffed peppers for a flavorful and colorful bounty.

(Oh, and I cut up the tomato tops & served in a tossed salad. I served these beauty's with steamed veggie mix with a tossed salad. )