Back in the Saddle

What better an occasion to bake a cake than a birthday? Yes, husband’s birthday spawned the most recent recipe testing out in my world. Not only did I make Lasy Daisy cake (is it Lasy as in LAZY or Laisy?), but I also made husband’s favorite (and Pass the Perogies tested recipe) of Nana’s Stroganoff.

Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure how the cake would work out. Halfway through mixing the batter, there was a lot of eyebrow raising going on. This is a fairly typical expression when I venture out into dessert making because it is unchartered territory for me. Like, it was quite thick during the “folding” section until you added the melted butter/milk mixture. Needless to say, I was surprisingly pleased with the result--it is a not too sweet, denser white cake balanced off with a sweet and crunchy coconut topping.

So, the recipe (b/c I think we should throw these in occasionally for our folks that read this site!) just as it came in the e-mail:

"1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup hot milk
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

Topping: 1/2 cup margarine and 1 cup coconut (type not specified but I bet sweetened would be good)
Preheat oven to 375

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together - set aside. Beat eggs until thick and nearly white. Add sugar gradually to beaten eggs. Add vanilla. Fold dry ingredients itno egg mixutre,. melt butter with milk and add to batter. Bake for 30 minutes in a greased pan... (no size shape specified in recipe). Once cooked, remove from oven and add topping mixture.

Topping mixture.... melt half a cup of margarine. Add coconut, spread on cake -= place under brpoiler untol brown"

A few notes: I cooked in a round 9” cake pan. I used sweetened coconut. I think I used about ½-1 cup of coconut with butter for the topping. Margarine worked out fine. I think a tsp. of coconut flavoring in the batter may be nice. I also think drizzling with a nice dark chocolate would be a good final dressing. Easy to make, too!

The Big Cook

If no one has heard of this cookbook before, I would seriously check it out. www.thebigcook.com ...Sandy heard about it in the summertime and proceeded to buy the cookbook (and then came out after I had Grace and made a bunch of meals for me out of it). Basically, the concept of the book is to get together with a group of friends and pre-make a lot of meals that you can then put in the freezer and just make as you need them. I have since turned Lisa on to the book and she suggested that we actually do one of these big cooks. I have a few interested parties so when it actually happens (maybe end of October, early November) I will post how it went. I would not want to do as they say and make meals for 6 entire months as I do like to cook and I think that just thawing and reheating might get annoying day in and day out, but it is great on the days that you know you just won't have time to cook (and is certainly cheaper than those commercial places that you can go to and do the same thing in a commercial kitchen). Anyway, teh authors are also going to present on October 1 at a church in the park so I am thinking of going.

Rice Pudding

I am on a roll apparently and created rice pudding from my left over rice on Friday AM. I love rice pudding. Sadly my hubby does not like it so I rarely make it anymore. Again, I have no picture, this time becuase I did not think to take one. I would be REALLY good, if one used dark raisins (i used golden - they taste great but the pudding looks "washed out"). It would be even better if one used homogenized milk instead of skim. I have thought of a "twist" on this recipe too and that would be to make an asian variation of it. Sandy, you can I can discuss further off-line.

Laisy daisy cake

Fitting name for a recipe given that I have not posted essentially all summer! The cake is pretty simple and homey..... but not sure if it is truly less involved than any other cake that I have made. But a good little dessert for people who don't like anything overly sweet.

Sandy, when you try this - some tips. First, I used a 9x9 pan - an 8 x8 would likely be better. I also baked only for 20 minutes, maybe if you used a 8 inch pan you could go to 25 but not the 30 minutes it said in the recipe. Also, I used sweetened coconut for the top. Very nice. Would post a picture, but I cannot seem to get it to work tonight.

Summer Hiatus

The reason:

Although I don’t really have an excuse, I have to admit it’s no fun to “pass the perogies” on my own. However, I will plod onward and hope the new mom (aka Big Sis) will be able to participate when she can!