Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

It was Nathan's birthday this week. When he realized that the 100th episode of Psych (he and his brother's favorite show), he decided he wanted pineapple upside-down cake. Apparently there is something to do with pineapple on the show and the main character once made a pineapple upside-down cake in an easy bake oven!

I haven't had pineapple upside-down cake for years, and I'm not really sure I've ever made it. I did a quick internet search and Paula Dean's recipe came up. I figured you couldn't go wrong with a Paula Dean recipe. And I was right--the cake was heavenly. It was moist and delicious, and everyone devoured it. It made me wonder why we don't make it more often.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

(Recipe from Paula Dean)

3 c. flour

1 c. butter, softened, plus 1/2 c. melted

2 1/4 c. sugar

5 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 cans pineapple slices

1 jar maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 (10-inch) round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and coat with flour. (I think mine were 9-inch, which is what the recipe calls for, but they overflowed a bit in the oven and 10-inch would be so much better.)

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and set aside.

In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the brown sugar evenly into each pan. Pour the melted butter equally over the brown sugar. Arrange the pineapple slices and cherries over the brown sugar. Pour equal amounts of batter over the fruit and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes (mine took close to 50). (Also, I would put a baking sheet in the bottom of the oven to catch any drips from the brown sugar.) Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Invert one onto a cake plate, then invert the second one on top to create a 2-layer cake.

Brazilian Lemonade

I learned this from some great Brazilians, the Pachecos, that were in an Orem ward with us. It has always been a favorite drink of my kids' and I love serving it whenever we cook Mexican food. I usually make a ton of it.

2 limes
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. sweetened condensed milk
3 c. water
ice

Wash the limes thoroughly, cut off the ends and cut into wedges. Place into the blender with all the other ingredients. Blend for approximately 10 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove all the rinds and pulp. It can be made ahead and put in a pitcher, in the fridge, until ready to serve.

Kara's S'more Cookies

There are just so many things I miss about Kara McCoy. She and her adorable family moved to DC at the same time as us, and just went home to Utah a few months ago. I miss going out on date nights with them every weekend, I miss having their darling dimpled kids messing up our house on Sundays, I miss shopping with her, eating with her and I really miss just knowing she is close by. But, above all, I miss her treats that she always brought when she visited.

I made her famous S'mores cookies this past weekend for a band festival and I got so many compliments (even marriage proposals). They are fun cookies to make and taste better than a campground s'more.

Flat, square, stackable marshmallows are easily found at Target and Safeway. Double or triple the recipe, because one batch will not be enough to share with the office and neighborhood!

S'more Cookies

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. shortening
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 pkg. chocolate chips
1 box graham crackers, broken into squares
1 pkg. flat marshmallows
2 Hershey's chocolate candy bars, broken into individual pieces

Cream sugars, shortening, butter, vanilla and egg together. Add dry ingredients and mix. Stir in chocolate chips.

Line a jelly roll cookie sheet with parchment paper and layer with whole graham crackers (I left a space in between all of mine). Place a flat marshmallow on each graham square. Place a walnut size scoop of cookie dough on top of marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes (watch closely as they brown fast at the end). As soon as they come out of the oven, place a hershey chocolate square on top of each cookie. Cut into squares and allow to cool (I put mine in the fridge until the chocolate was set up).

Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is a great recipe from my friend Heather. Funny enough, I found it on my friend Lara's blog when Heather was a guest contributor. I've made it a number of times, but I'm so in love with the way Heather decorated the tops, that I always have to borrow her HUGE frosting tip. I haven't been able to find a place to purchase that big of a tip and I love the look it creates.

For Heather's guest post on my friend Lara's amazing recipe blog, go HERE.

For Heather's post on her recipe blog, go HERE.

Cupcakes:

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 t. baking soda

1 T. cocoa powder

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. buttermilk

2 T. liquid red food coloring

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. white vinegar

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

5 T. butter, at room temperature

2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

(milk if you need to thin a little)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Heather says it's important to sift to avoid clumps of cocoa in the batter. I am too lazy and whisk it instead. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners (I use my cookie scooper to get an even amount into each cupcake). Bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on med-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and gradually add the powdered sugar until totally incorporated. Increase the speed and then beat until smooth. I have to always add a few drops of milk to get the perfect consistency. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake:

2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter, chilled

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

3/4 c. sour cream

1 egg

2 t. almond extract

Grease and four a 9" or 10" springform pan. Combine flour and sugar, then cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 c. of the mixture and set aside. To remaining crumb mixture, add baking powder, soda, salt, sour cream, egg and almond extract. Spread over bottom and 2" up the side of the pan.

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 t. vanilla

1/4 t. almond extract

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend well and pour over batter.

Topping:

1/2 c. raspberry preserves, seedless

1 c. reserved crumb mixture

3/4 c. sliced almonds

Spoon preserves over cream cheese filling. Combine crumb mixture and almonds. Sprinkle over preserves Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes (do not overbake). Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

La Maison Salad

Salad:

2 heads romaine or leaf lettuce
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
2 c. cherry tomatoes
1 c. swiss cheese, grated
2/3 c. almonds, slivered & toasted
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
croutons

Combine in salad bowl and toss with dressing when ready to serve.

Dressing:

1 lemon, juiced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
3/4 c. olive oil

Combine lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in blender or food processor and mix until completely combined. While the blender or food processor is running, slowly add oil and blend until combined and creamy. You can put in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until combined.

Apricot Chicken

This recipe originally came from my sister Elaine who cooks it in the dutch oven when she's camping. Karen and I started making it in the large roasting pans to feed a crowd. When I was in charge of the menu for funeral dinners in my Cedar Hills ward, I started serving apricot chicken and it was so easy to feed up to 150. I think they are still using my menu and it's now known as "funeral chicken."

Apricot Chicken

15 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 bottle Russian salad dressing

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

1 sm. bottle apricot jam

Remove as much fat as possible from thighs. With a little oil, brown chicken thighs and then add to crock pot or roasting pan. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Serve over rice.