Fresh Plum Cake

Fresh Plum Cake




1 lb. red or purple plums
1½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs


1. Preheat oven to 325° F
2. Generously butter and lightly flour a 9”square baking pan
3. Cut plums into thin wedges and set aside
4. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar.
5. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
6. Combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla and stir into the dry ingredients until moistened.
7. Pour into prepared baking pan. Push plums into batter in rows, leaving skin side exposed.
8. Bake for about one hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely in the pan. When completely cooled, cut into squares and serve with whipped cream topping.

Makes 9 squares





File#R076 D2 - C10

Scones

SCONES


2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter or margarine
½ cup heavy cream
1 egg


Preheat oven to 425° F
Grease a cookie sheet
Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or a pastry blender to work butter or margarine into dry ingredients until the butter is the size of small peas.
Add remaining ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are moist.
Turn dough onto a lightly-floured surface and gather into a ball. Pat into a circle ¾-inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle each wedge with just a pinch of sugar.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until scones are light golden brown.

Serve warm with butter or jam.






File #R081 D2 – C7

Parmesan Chicken

PARMESAN CHICKEN


1 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 broiler-fryer chicken, cup up (3 to 3 ½ pounds)



Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix salad dressing, cheese and seasonings. Place chicken in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Spread salad dressing mixture evenly over chicken.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cooked through.
Makes 4 servings.






File#R017 – D1 / C4

Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken


1 frying chicken, 3 to 3½ lbs. cut up into serving pieces
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Dash back pepper
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Orange slices and orange rind for garnish.


Preheat oven to 350° F

1. Wash chicken, pat dry.
2. Arrange chicken pieces in a baking dish with a lid. Add garlic and dot with butter. Sprinkle with Soy sauce and black pepper.
3. Cover dish with lid. Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven. Pour orange juice over chicken and add orange rind. Pour juice from pan over chicken. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover with lid.
5. Continue baking the chicken for another 15 to 20 minutes or until clear juices run when thigh of chicken is pierced.
6. Garnish with orange slices and grated orange rind.

Makes 4 servings.



Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 45 to 55 minutes at 350° F





File#R032 – D1 / C4

Easy Breakfast Casserole

EASY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE



1 box seasoned croutons (you may substitute cut-up toasted bread)
6 Eggs, well beaten
1 lb. Fried bacon or sausage (You may substitute cut-up ham)
1 cup warm water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese




1. Put croutons (or cut-up toasted bread) in a mixing bowl. Pour in warm water
and mix until soft. Spread on bottom of greased baking dish.

2. Spread fried bacon or sausage (or ham) on top of bread mixture.

3. Pour beaten eggs on top. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and shredded cheese.

4. Bake at 400° F for 15 to 20 minutes.



File #RR051 – D/1 – C/8

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Chocolate Éclair Cake




1 Box Graham Crackers

2 small boxes of French Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

1 8oz. container of Cool Whip

1 Can Dark Chocolate Frosting



Prepare pudding mix according to package directions. Add Cool Whip.
Layer bottom of 9 x 13 pan with whole graham crackers.
Spread half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers.
Place another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture.
Spread remaining pudding mixture over the graham crackers.
Place another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture.
Carefully spread chocolate frosting on top of the graham crackers.
Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Refrigerate any left-overs.

NOTE: The chocolate frosting should be warm for easy spreading. Room temperature or above.

HINT: Place the can of frosting in a pan of very hot water to soften the frosting. Stir the frosting. This will make it easier to spread on the graham crackers.


File#R201 – D4 – C6

Melech's Red Velvet Cake

Melech’s Red Velvet Cake


Cake:

1 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons dark cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 ounces red food colouring
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Frosting:

2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup unsalted butter (no substitutes)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frosting:


Cook the flour and milk over medium heat, until thickened. Let cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture.

Frost the top of the first layer and set the second layer on top. Frost entire cake the remaining frosting.



File #R209 D4 – C10

Spiced Apples

SPICED APPLES


½ Cup butter or margarine
8 Large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced.
(or any very tart, firm apples)
1½ Cups sugar
½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 4oz. pkg. Chopped Walnuts


Melt butter in a large skillet on med-high heat. Add Apples and all remaining ingredients. Stir. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are tender, but not soggy.


Makes 8 servings.


File #R207 – D4 – C5

Shortbread Cookies

SHORTBREAD COOKIES


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temp.)
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk flour with salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Stir in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350o Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into rounds or whatever shapes you wish, using lightly floured cookie cutters.
Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and place in refrigerator for at least 15 to 20 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes about 20 shortbread cookies.

File #R203/D4/C9