Taste of the Tropics Fruit Pudding Cake

I am Grandma Loy, and you can find me over at From Grandma Loy’s Kitchen where I share both new recipes and tried and true ones from my extensive collection.  I am thrilled to be participating in this Good Old Fashioned Recipe Blog Swap hosted by Julie, Rachel and Kelly and that I am paired with Tammy here on her blog.

Since Tammy has a large family, I thought that this tried and true dessert would “fit the bill.”  It is easy, quick to make, versatile and makes a lot.  This is an old recipe I have adapted and used for many years.  It came from one of my favorite  cookbooks,  “The Thrifty Cook” by Farm Journal.  This book was practically “my cooking Bible” when I was raising my children.  The original recipe was Fruit Pudding Cake.  Over the years because of the ingredients I use, I have dubbed it Taste of the Tropics Fruit Pudding Cake.  I am not quite sure why this was called a pudding cake, except for the fact that there is a lot of fruit held together with not a whole lot of batter.

You can use fruit cocktail, other canned fruit, or fresh fruit in this recipe.  If using fresh fruit, use 1 1/2 cups fruit and 1/2 to 2/3 cup water instead of the canned fruit juice.  Although I use canned pineapple, I don’t use the pineapple juice as I am not going for a dominate pineapple taste.  If you want to use the pineapple juice, drain the liquid from the fruit cocktail, measure it and use half to all that amount of pineapple juice.  I add the extra cherries for color and because I like them.  They may be omitted.  If making this for a potluck or company, I usually spring for macadamia nuts, but any nut of choice can be used.

This cake is good by itself, better with some whipped topping or whipped cream, and really wonderful with the Buttermilk Syrup or any warm, ice cream topping poured over it.

Taste of the Tropics Fruit Pudding Cake
1 can (16 oz.) fruit cocktail or other canned fruit, chopped
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin orange slices, well drained  (I use fresh if they are in season)
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits, well drained  (If you can’t find the tidbits, use pineapple chunks and cut them into thirds.)
1/4 c. halved maraschino cherries, well drained (optional)
! egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla
! 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. chopped nuts of choice
1/2 c. sweetened, flaked coconut

Combine undrained  fruit cocktail, orange slices, pineapple tidbits and cherries in a large mixing bowl.   Beat egg in a small bowl.  Add egg and vanilla to fruit mixture.  In another bowl stir together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda until well blended.  Stir flour mixture into fruit mixture until sell mixed.  The batter will be fairly stiff.  Evenly spread batter into a greased 9x13-in baking pan.  Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top of the batter.  Follow with the chopped nuts and then the coconut.  Gently pat the topping ingredients into the batter with the palm of your hand to help them adhere.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cool in pan on rack.  Cut into squares and top with whipped topping, whipped cream or, if desired, pour a sauce over each square.  Serves 15.

Tammy, enjoy the recipe and thanks again for allowing me to share your blog.  Visit Julie at White Lights on Wednesday, Kelly at Miss Information or Rachel at i love my disorganized life to see the matchups and links to all the recipes posted today.

Basic Cake with Variations

Basic Cake with Variations is a handy recipe to use if you don’t have time to make Homemade Cake Mix and you don’t want to use a commercial mix.  With all the mixing done with an electric mixer, the cake is quick and easy to prepare.

Beside a yellow cake, a white cake, chocolate cake, spice cake and pineapple upside-down cake can be made with this recipe.  The spice cake can be personalized by using your favorite combination of spices.  I am sharing two combinations to start with.  Personally I like to use Chinese 5-Spice to make a spice cake.

Slicing the softened butter into the mixing bowl will make it easier to blend until smooth.

Basic Cake with Variations
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
1.2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 eggs

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine flour, sugar and baking powder.  Add milk, butter and vanilla.  Beat with mixer on low speed until well combined.  Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.  Add eggs and beat 2 minutes more.  Pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch baking pan.  Bake in a 375-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool thoroughly on wire rack.  Frost as desired or use as a base for other desserts.  Serves 15.

White Cake: Prepare as for the basic cake recipe except use 3 egg whites for the 2 whole eggs. Whites may be beaten separately and added for a lighter cake.

Chocolate Cake: Add 1/4 c cocoa powder to the  flour mixture.

Spice Add 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp. ground allspice to the flour mixture OR 1 t. ground cinnamon, 1/4 t. ground nutmeg, 1/4 t. ground cloves, and 1/4 t. ground ginger to the flour mixture OR 1 t. Chinese 5-spice powder.

Pineapple Upside down cake: Melt 1/2 butter in the bottom of a 9X13 pan. Add 2/3 cup brown sugar, stirring into the  butter. Arrange well-drained pineapple slices from a 20-oz. can on the butter/brown sugar mixture.  (Save any leftover slices and juices for another use.)  Spread batter for yellow cake over the pineapple slices.  Bake 30-35 minutes.  Invert to serve.

Linking to these great parties:
Show and Share Wednesday
Cast Party Wednesday
What's Cookin' Wednesday
What's In Your Kitchen Wednesday
Whimsy Wednesday
Create and Share
Wicked Good Wednesday

Easy, Versatile Rhubarb Sauce-Saturday Sweets

I am getting Saturday Sweets going again by sharing an Easy, Versatile Rhubarb Sauce with some suggested variations and uses.

I love spring when fresh rhubarb is available.  I have found that people are usually in two camps when it comes to rhubarb, “Love It or hate It.”   I am solidly in the “Love It” camp.  I got free rhubarb when my parents were alive as they grew a couple plants.  Now I must buy it and can get very excited when I find it at the produce stand for .89 a lb.

This sauce can be made with either fresh or frozen rhubarb or made up and frozen itself for a little spring time all winter.

Combining the rhubarb with other fruit makes for some really nice flavors.  Chopped apples, cherries and strawberries can be used in a 1/3 to 1/2 ratio to the rhubarb.  Raspberries can be measured and added without chopping.  Canned crushed pineapple may be drained and added.  Use the juice as part of the water.  A 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple has about 2 cups of pineapple in it.

The sauce has the consistency of thick applesauce.   A bit more water can be added if a thinner sauce is desired.  I sometimes add a drop or two of red food coloring to make the sauce prettier, and I did that to the sauce in the photos.

Easy and Versatile Rhubarb Sauce
6 cups of sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb (see other rhubarb/fruit combination suggested above)
2 c. sugar (if combining rhubarb with other fruit, start with 1 c. and gradually add more to desired sweetness)
1/3 c. water or combination of water and pineapple juice
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2  to 1 t. almond extract or vanilla (optional)

In a medium saucepan mix together the rhubarb or rhubarb and fruit, the sugar, water and cornstarch.  Mix well.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring often.  Boil 1 or 2 minutes, stirring until liquid clears and mixture thickens.  remove from heat  Allow to cool  and store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Makes 4 cups.  I prefer to use the sauce cold, but it can be heated.  Use sauce to top ice cream, cake or pudding.  Make rhubarb shortcake by spooning sauce into store-bought sponge shortcakes and topping with whipped topping.  Spoon a couple tablespoons sauce on hot oatmeal.

I will soon be posting Rhubarb Streusel Shortbread Bars and a coffee cake that uses this sauce.

Linking to these great parties:
Weekend Potluck
Weekend Bloggy Reading
Share Your Creativity
Strut Your Stuff
Party Junk

Hawaiian-Style Vegetables-Improv Cooking Challenge

Today is the day to post our recipes for this month’s Improv Cooking Challenge hosted by Kristen over at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.  (Note, Kristen’s is in the process of changing servers so I will be back with a link as soon as I know the blog is back up.)

The ingredients Kristen chose this month were peas and carrots, a pretty common combination.  I chose to go a somewhat traditional route with these, but used snow peas in my recipe.

Many, many years ago Birdseye made a frozen vegetable and pineapple combination called Hawaiian Vegetables.  It had carrots, green peppers, onions, water chestnuts and pineapple with little cubes of frozen sauce that melted and glazed the vegetables as they cooked.  Although I don’t really like green peppers, I did love this particular dish.

I decided this was a good time to try to replicate that recipe.  The only brand I can find that makes 8-oz. cans of pineapple tidbits is Dole.  Pineapple chunks may be used, but they will need to be quartered.  They carrots need to be very thinly sliced, no thicker than the snow peas.  I like to slice them on the diagonal.  Since I didn't use them, I have listed the water chestnuts as optional.

Hawaiian-Style Vegetables
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits in their own juice
1 T. butter
2 t. brown sugar
1 c. very thinly sliced carrots
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. snow peas
1/2 to 3/4 c. very thinly sliced red pepper (I used about 1/4 of a very large pepper)
1/8 t. salt
1/3 c. thinly sliced canned water chestnuts
1 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. water

Drain pineapple, reserving juice (there should be about 1/3 c.)  Melt butter in a 1 1/2-qt. saucepan and add brown sugar.  Stir in carrots, onion,  and snow peas.  Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 4 minutes, stirring often.  Add red pepper, pineapple juice and salt.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add reserved pineapple chunks and water chestnuts, if using.  Cook about 1 minutes longer until vegetables are not quite as tender as you like.  Add cornstarch to water and mix well.  Add to vegetable mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook over medium heat until sauce is clear, thickened, and boiling.  Remove from heat, turn into a serving bowl and serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.

Teresa’s Tropical Bars

I named this recipe Teresa’s Tropical Bars to honor my friend and coworker.  She is my taste tester and cooking muse.   When I take something for her to try, she will make a comment like, “I wonder what it would be like if?”.  I am then off and running with whatever she suggested to see what would happen.

When I took the Salted Mixed Nut Bars for her to sample, she wondered what the cookie might be like with white chocolate chips and coconut.  I then began to think about a cookie with other tropical things besides coconut.

The result is this recipe which features a shortbread-like crust with a toffee topping embedded with dried pineapple and papaya, broken banana chips, coconut, chopped macadamia nuts and almonds.  A tribute to the tropics.

I give a range for the cookie mix because, if I am using the last of the mix, I usually just use the amount that I have, although I would not use less than the 2 1/2 cups.  Use of a larger amount of mix will just make the crust thicker.

I used a package of dried pineapple and papaya that I found at the Dollar Tree.  It measured about 3/4 c. chopped.

 
Teresa’s Tropical Bars
2 1/2 to 3 c. Holiday Cookie Mix
1 pkg (11 oz.) white chocolate chips
1 c. light corn syrup
1/4 c. butter
2 T. water
1/2 t. coconut extract (opt.)
3/4 c. of a combination of chopped dried pineapple and papaya
1/2 c. broken dried banana chips
1/2 c. coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1 c. flaked coconut

Measure cookie mix into a foil-lined 10x13-inch jelly roll pan.  Pat out to cover the bottom evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes or till light golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool 5 minutes.  Sprinkle pineapple, papaya, banana chips and nuts over crust evenly.  Sprinkle coconut over the top.  Set aside.  Place  white chocolate chips, corn syrup, butter and water in a medium sauce pan.  Cook and stir over medium heat, melting chips and butter and bringing to a boil.  Boil and stir 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in coconut extract if using.  Quickly pour over mixture in jelly roll pan, spreading as evenly as possible.  Return to oven and bake 10-12 minutes.  Place pan on rack to cool.  Cut into 48 bars.

Linking to these great parties:
Weekend Potluck
Strut Your Stuff
I'm Lovin' It
Weekend Bloggy Reading
Saturday Nite Special

Autumn Apple Salad/Dessert

Since, I really overwhelmed the blog with sweets this week, I thought that I would redeem myself a little and post a somewhat healthier dish for Saturday Sweets this week.

This can be either a salad or a dessert. I will admit that we eat this mostly as a salad. If you are a member of the “Fruit is Not Dessert Club”, you will probably consider it a salad, also.

The recipe has probably made its rounds around the web in one for or another, but it is my “go to” fruit salad recipe because it is so versatile. The only two ingredients that you must have are the undrained pineapple and the instant pudding. After that, anything goes. This can be made with fresh, canned and drained or thawed and drained frozen fruit. I use either lemon or vanilla flavor pudding. The lemon pudding will keep the apples white, but kids usually like this better made with vanilla pudding.  I use sugar-free.  Pineapple tidbits are smaller so I like to use them, but  chunks are OK.

I usually use a few maraschino cherries, quartered, for color, but if you prefer dried cranberries can be used instead.  Sliced banana may be added just before serving.

This is quick and easy and can be made ahead.

Autumn Apple Salad

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits or chunks, undrained
1 small pkg. instant lemon or vanilla pudding mix, can be sugar free.
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
1 can  (15 oz.) fruit cocktail, drained or 1 can peaches or pears, drained and chopped or 2 fresh peaches or pears, peeled and chopped
8 maraschino cherries, drained and quartered

Pour pineapple chunks into a serving bowl.  Add instant pudding mix and combine well.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Chill a few hours to combine flavors.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

 Linking to:  Strut Your Stuff
Seasonal Inspirations
Weekend Potluck
I'm Lovin' It
Saturday Night Special
Weekend Bloggy Reading

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats-Tropical Dreams

Here we are already at week four of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Brenda over at Meal Planning Magic.  I hope that your holiday goodie arsenal is being filled with all the wonderful recipes that are being posted.

As promised last week, here is a drop cookie recipe made from the Holiday Cookie Mix.  Eating this cookie will make your mind think of sunny beaches and warm breezes.  With pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts, the tropics are just a bite away.

I like the pineapple to be very well drained for this so turn it out into a sieve over a measuring cup and let it sit for 15 or so minutes before I make the cookies.  I also press to pineapple down with the back of a spoon to remove any additional excess juice.  Save the juice for another use or just drink it for a treat. 

To toast the coconut, spread it in a shallow pie pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 5 to 7 minutes, checking every minute after 3 minutes.  It should just be getting golden brown around the edges.

The macadamia nuts really enhance this cookie, but almonds can also be used.

As a variation add 1 t. rum extract to make this into a Pina Colada cookie.

These make a nice addition to any Christmas cookie tray and are always a pleasant surprise. 

Tropical Dreams

3 c. Holiday Cookie Mix

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, well drained

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. toasted coconut

1/2 c. chopped macadamia nuts or almonds

Place cookie mix in a medium mixing bow.  In a small mixing bowl combine drained pineapple, egg and vanilla.  Mix until well combined.  Add pineapple mixture to cookie mix, stirring until mix is completely moistened.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto foil-lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees 10-12 minutes until just brown around the edges.  Remove to wire rack to cool.  Makes about 4 doz.

Check out the links below to see the great recipes that other bloggers have posted today.  There is still time to join in the fun.  Just see Brenda's post here for all the information. 

Ingredient Spotlight-Cran/Ras/Pineapple Squares

Today the Ingredient Spotlight over at Eat at Home is sweetened condensed milk.

One of the things I like best about making my own sweetened condensed milk is that I can freeze it in just the amounts needed for a particular recipe and not have to figure out what to do with the leftovers from an opened can.

For this recipe, I did make the milk with half sugar and half Splenda and left out the butter.

This recipe makes a great light summer dessert with a taste of fall coming from the cranberries. Although it must be made ahead, it is very easy to put together.  If I remember to do it, I put the can of cranberry sauce in the freezer for several hours before I start to make this.  It helps make the gelatin set up faster.

You can use a graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust.  I used vanilla wafers as I had them left from making the Peanut Butter Banana Cream Squares.  The crust may be baked at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned then cooled, or it can simply be chilled for 30 minutes which is great to do when the weather is hot.

The marshmallow/milk mixture stabilizes the whipped cream so the topping will stand up for several days.  This combo could be used on other desserts calling for whipped cream topping.

I adapted this recipe from a pie recipe  I found in a Nov./Dec. 2007 issue of Simple & Delicious magazine.

Cran/Ras/Pineapple Squares
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares)
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
OR
1 1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs (about 30-36 wafers)
1/4 c. melted butter
1 can (8 oz.) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1 small pkg. raspberry gelatin, regular or sugar-free
1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1/4 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

In a mixing bowl combine either the graham cracker crumbs or the vanilla wafer crumbs with the other crust ingredients and mix well.  Press into a foil-lined 8-in. square baking pan.  Either bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes and let cool or place in fridge and chill for 30 minutes before filling.  Meanwhile, pour pineapple into a sieve placed over a glass measuring cup.  Let drain 10 to 15 minutes.  Set pineapple aside.  Add enough water to pineapple juice to make 1 c.  Place cup in microwave and heat to boiling, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Pour juice/water mixture into a mixing bowl.  Add gelatin and stir until dissolved.  Add cranberry sauce and mix until well blended.  The mixture will be lumpy because of the cranberries.  Add pineapple. Refrigerate until partially set.  Pour into prepared crust.  Refrigerate until completely set.  When gelatin is almost set, make the topping.  Combine marshmallows and sweetened condensed milk in a heavy saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, cover and let stand until at room temperature.  Meanwhile whip the cream.  Mix a third of the whipped cream into the marshmallow/milk mixture.  (Mixture will be stringy at first.)  Fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Spread over gelatin layer.  Refrigerate until set.  Using the foil, lift dessert from pan.  Cut into squares.  Makes 9 servings.  This will keep well for several days.

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight

Pineapple Chicken

Good Monday and thank you for stopping by to read my blog.  I appreciate those who take the time out of their busy lives to do so.  Have a great week.

Recently I wanted to make a Chinese meal.  I like many Chinese dishes and try to make them at home when I can.  One dish I decided to make was Pineapple Chicken.  I found a recipe for Chinese Pineapple Chicken at Soupbelly.com.  This is a new- to-me blog with great recipes and wonderful step-by-step photos.  If you want to see great pictures of how this is made just pop on over to her blog.

I did not have the time to let the chicken marinate a whole two hours, and it was fine, but it probably would have been a bit better with a longer marinating time.

I really like her method for marinating the chicken and making the marinade into a batter for the chicken pieces.  The batter clung to the chicken very well.  There is no deep frying involved so that was a plus for me.  I used about 1/4-inch of oil in a large skillet.  I used two set of tongs to fry the chicken, one to remove the chicken pieces from the batter and put them in the hot oil, the other to turn the chicken pieces and remove them as they were done.  This worked very well.  Be sure that the chicken pieces do not touch each other while they are frying, they will stick together.

I, of course, had to change a few things so this is my adaptation of Soupbelly’s recipe.

Pineapple Chicken
adapted from Soupbelly.com

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 10 chicken tenders)
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 egg
1/4 t. pepper
3 T. flour
3 T. cornstarch
oil for frying
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. chopped red pepper
1/4 c. chopped green onion
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T.  soy sauce
1 T. water
1 T. cornstarch

Cut chicken into about 1 1/2-inch chunks.  Add soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and the egg.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.  Add flour and cornstarch to the chicken to create a thick batter.  Pour enough oil in a large skillet to make a depth of about 1/4 inch.  Heat over medium-high heat.  Add chicken pieces to hot oil using tongs and not letting them touch each other.  Cook till underside is brown, turn and cook till the second side is brown.  Remove chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.  Repeat until chicken pieces are done.  Pour off any remaining oil in the skillet and wipe clean with paper towels.  Drain pineapple into a glass measuring cup.  If there is not 1 cup of  juice, add enough water to make 1 c.  Pour juice into skillet.  Add ginger, garlic  and red pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Add green onion, brown sugar and soy sauce.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  In a small bowl combine water and cornstarch and mix well.  Stir into sauce and stir until thickened.  Add chicken pieces back to skillet and mix until thoroughly coated and reheated, stirring often.  Serve over steamed rice if desired.  Makes 4 servings.

Ingredient Spotlight-Pina Colada Macadamia Oatmeal Cookies

Recently I was looking through my mother’s handwritten recipe cards, and I came across a barely legible recipe for Pineapple Cookies.  I don’t remember eating these as a child so I believe that the recipe is something that she found after I was grown.  Mom did not handwrite recipes unless she thought they were very good so I decided to give the cookie a try.

I liked the fact that the recipe used all of a small can of crushed pineapple so there would be no leftovers to deal with.  It called for nuts but did not specify what kind.  I decided to add some additions to the recipe and made pina colada cookies.  These have all the good things from Hawaii with the added crunch from the nuts.   If the macadamia nuts seem a bit pricey, almonds can be used instead.

The recipe does use shortening, and I have not yet attempted to make them with butter so don’t know how that would turn out.

These are small, cake-like cookies with bits of pineapple and  nuts in them.  They are dainty and perfect for a party.

Pina Colada Macadamia Oatmeal Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. coconut extract (opt.)
1/2 t. rum extract (opt.)
1 c. (8 oz. can) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 c. flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. quick oats
1/2 c. flaked coconut, toasted
3/4 c. chopped macadamia nuts

Beat shortening and sugar together until creamy.  Add egg, vanilla, coconut and rum extract.  Beat well.  Stir in pineapple.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to liquid ingredients and mix until well blended.  Mix in oats until well blended.  Stir in coconut and nuts.  Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown and tops are set.  Make 6 dozen small cookies.

Linking to Ingredient Spotlight

Frozen Tropical Salad

When it is sweltering outside what could be better than to have a nice frozen fruity salad in your freezer.  How about bananas, pineapple, pecans, maraschino cherries and sugar held together with some sour cream or Greek yogurt.

I sometimes add 1/3 to 1/2 c. toasted coconut to this and use chopped macadamia nuts instead of the pecans.  The original recipe called for sour cream, and I used low fat.  Now, however,  I usually use Greek yogurt.  I also sometimes use Splenda instead of sugar if the diabetics in the family will be eating this.  The maraschino cherries are included mostly for color.  If there are objections to eating them, use 1/4 c. halved raspberries.

Most of the time I spoon this into paper-lined muffing tins.  After they are frozen, I remove the salads and put them in a freezer bag for further storage.  I have used the silicone muffing liners with success also.

Now I must confess, this not a salad. It is a dessert masquerading as a salad. But who am I to hurt its feelings. So I just plop it on a lettuce leaf, and let it call itself a salad.

Frozen Tropical Salad

3 medium bananas
2 c. sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 can (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained.
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
2 T. maraschino cherries
1/2 to 3/4 c. sugar, according to your taste

Peel bananas and place in a medium sized bowl.  Mash the bananas well.  Add remaining ingredients and blend well.  Turn into an oiled 6-cup mold and freeze several hours or overnight.  Unmold salad onto a platter lined with lettuce leaves and let stand 15 minutes before serving.   Serves 10-12.  Or spoon into paper-lined muffin tins and freeze several hours or overnight.  Remove paper liners before serving.  Makes about 18 salad cups.

Linking to:
It's a Keeper Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Recipe Swap Thursday

DIY Groceries-Biscuit/All-Purpose Mix

Biscuit or All/Purpose Mix is a very handy thing to have in your kitchen.  I have so many recipes that call for this kind of mix that I have a whole file on my computer.  One can, of course, purchase Bisquick or other commercial mix.  However these are expensive and have chemical and additives many people would prefer to avoid.  The alternative is a homemade mix.

There are a couple of ways to make homemade biscuit/all-purpose mix.  One way is to combine the dry ingredients for a recipe, put that in a zippered storage bag; and add the remaining ingredients when the recipe is made.  This can be repeated as many times as you want.  The advantage of this method is that you do not have to use shortening if you object to that ingredient.  The disadvantage to this is that the mix is restricted to being used in a specific recipe.

To have the mix be truly “all-purpose”, it is usually necessary to have some fat in it.   Over the years, shortening has been the fat of choice to make all-purpose mix shelf stable.  (Although, if you look at the label on Reduced-Fat Bisquick, it says to refrigerated it after opening.)
  
Years ago, county extension services provided directions for a all-purpose mix called Missouri Mix.  The directions for  Missouri Mix can be found here.  There is a link to a PDF version in the upper left corner of the page.  Included are directions for the Missouri Mix in small and large quantities and recipes for using the mix.  Missouri Mix made with half white and half whole wheat flour was my all-purpose mix of choice for many years.  With the addition of the whole wheat flour came the necessity to keep the mix in the refrigerator or freezer.

Now, many people are concerned about the use of shortening.  Missouri Mix uses 1 1/2 cup shortening to 8 cups of flour.  King Arthur put out a Baking Mix that has a slightly smaller ratio of shortening to flour.  Their mix uses 1 cup shortening to 9 cups of flour.  There is also information in this article on making self-rising flour and corn meal and recipes for using the Baking Mix.

If you want to avoid shortening completely, this is a mix that I now make which uses vegetable oil.  It is successful in most recipes   This recipe seems to have come from Weight Watchers, but I don't know that for sure. 

WW Master Mix
5 pounds all purpose flour (about 20 cups)  I use half whole wheat flour
2 cups instant non-fat powdered milk
3/4 cup baking powder (preferably sodium free)
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup Splenda or other sugar substitute (I leave out)
1 cup oil

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil.  Mix together until very well blended, at least 2 minutes so baking powder is well incorporated.  Cut oil into flour mixture until consistency of cornmeal. Store tightly covered in refrigerator or freezer.  Stir well before using.

No matter what recipe one chooses, a homemade all-purpose mix is very handy to have in the kitchen.   

Here are a couple of quick recipes using all-purpose mix:

Canton Crispy Chicken Stir Fry
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. all-purpose mix
2 c. diced uncooked chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb.)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 red  or green pepper, cut in thin strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained (I prefer the tidbits as they are smaller)

Mix pepper and all-purpose mix in large plastic bag. Stir chicken into beaten egg, remove with slotted spoon. Shake in bag until coated, remove chicken and set aside in single layer.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry carrots 2 minutes; add red pepper and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from skillet.  Heat remaining oil. Stir-fry chicken until golden. Add vegetables. Stir-fry until heated through. Stir in pineapple.  Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 2 3 Cookies
1 cup peanut butter (I like crunchy)
1 cup sugar or 1 cup brown sugar packed
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose mix

Combine peanut butter, sugar and water blending well. Stir in all-purpose mix.  Drop by small spoon fulls on to lightly greased baking sheets. Flatten  cookies with a fork dipped in flour. Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes.
Makes  about 6 1/2 dozen.

Tomorrow-Cooking with the Journal-Potato Chip Cookies

Ingredient Spotlight-Festive Cranberry Salad

When Tiffany interviewed me over at Eat at Home, one of the questions was about my favorite meal.  This is the cranberry salad that I listed.  This salad has pretty much replaced the regular cranberry side at our Thanksgiving dinners.  I do make it throughout the year, tho.  The recipe was in a magazine ad for Jell-O back when Bill Cosby was Jell-O's spokesperson.  I have never done the molded version but am including the instructions for it.

Festive Cranberry-Pineapple Salad
1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, undrained
2 pkgs. (4-serving size each) or 1 pkg. (8-serving size) JELL-O Brand Raspberry, Cherry or Cranberry Flavor Gelatin (regular or sugar-free)
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 medium  apple, chopped
2/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

DRAIN pineapple, reserving liquid in 1-qt. liquid measuring cup.  Add enough cold water to reserved liquid to measure 3 cups; pour into large saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir until well blended. (Note: Due to the presence of whole berries in the cranberry sauce, the gelatin mixture will not be smooth.) Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites.)  Add pineapple, apple and walnuts; stir gently until well blended. Pour into medium serving bowl.  Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Store any leftover salad in refrigerator.  Makes 14 servings (1/2 c. each)

If you don't want the salad to take as long to set up as the instructions above take, you can freeze the cranberry sauce overnight.  I take it out of the can and put it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, seal it well, flatten the bag, and freeze.  Add the cranberry sauce to the warm pineapple/water mixture, breaking it up well.  This helps the Jell-O to set up faster.

You can also just go ahead and stir pineapple, apple, and walnuts into the pineapple juice/cranberry mixture right away.  This will cause the apple and the nuts to float at the top of the Jell-O.  If I am in a real hurry, I don't have a problem with that.

Variation - Molded Cranberry-Pineapple Salad
To serve as a molded salad, substitute a 6-cup mold for the serving bowl. Also, use 1 can (8-1/4 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, 1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts and add enough cold water to the reserved pineapple liquid to measure 2 cups. Makes 10 servings, 1/2 cup each

Tomorrow-Skipping through Blogland to "For the Love of Grub"

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight