Southern Vanilla Butternut Pound Cake

A few months ago, I was in the grocery store with my husband, and I was looking for vanilla flavoring. (As always, checking prices and trying to get the best deal.) :) I don't know if there was a gust of wind or what happened, but suddenly I was overwhelmed with the aroma of the almond, orange, and lemon extracts. Immediately, it was if I was transported back to my childhood, in my mother's kitchen as she baked a pound cake to take to someone. I LOVED that pound cake, but I never realized how much I have missed it since moving away from home--until I was caught off guard with the scent of extracts in the spice aisle of the grocery store. It was all I could do to hold back tears. That night, I called my mom and cried as I told her how much I missed her (2,000 miles away on the east coast) and loved her. When I told her what had sparked this emotional flood, she promised to make me a pound cake when I go home to visit at Christmas this year. Still, I was shocked with how powerful an impact a simple scent in the grocery store (of all places!) had on me.

The following recipe is originally from my grandmother (Mamaw Lucille). It is the same recipe that my mother used, though she would often experiment with different flavorings. Remembering how my mother used to make pound cakes to show her love for others, last night, I made a pound cake so my husband could take some on his business trip this week. He loved it and had to eat two pieces before bed. (He doesn't normally eat desserts at night.) This morning, he took a mini loaf of the cake to share with his co-worker on their trip. I hope when eating this cake he feels as loved as I did eating my mother's cake as a child. It's not necessarily healthy for the body--but it is absolutely healthy for the soul.

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2 sticks Blue Bonnet margarine (softened)

1 dash salt

1 tbs vanilla-butternut flavoring

1 cup milk

3 cup plain, all purpose flour

5 eggs

Mix the first ingredients well with a mixer (sugar-flavoring). Then add milk and flour. Beat well. Add 5 eggs one at a time. Mix well. Pour 2/3 batter into a tube pan that has been greased and floured. Pour the rest into a loaf pan that has also been greased and floured. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes at 325 degrees F. Here's the trick: do not preheat the oven. Put the cakes into a cold oven and then turn it on. Do not open the oven until the cake is done. Check the smaller cake after about 1 hour. If it is golden brown and passes the toothpick test, it is done. I've tried pouring all of the batter into the tube pan, but it just doesn't work. It doesn't get done all the way through. There are patches of "goo" even when it passes the toothpick test.

Stuffed Eggplant Paremesan

I tried out this new recipe last night. As I was cooking, I made a few changes which are included below. My husband came home from work and commented on how good it smelled. When he started eating he said that this was like an amazing dish from a fine Italian restaurant. He couldn't believe that there was no meat in the dish. It was hearty enough with just the veggies. Needless to say, there were no leftovers.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and hollowed out to 1/4 inch flesh rim (reserve centers)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings

1/8 tsp Herbs de Provence

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Coarse Kosher Salt to taste

1 cup of chopped mushrooms (or one can "Stems and Pieces" drained)

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Roughly chop eggplant centers. To the skillet add chopped eggplant, onion, garlic, Italian seasonings, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Place hollowed out eggplant shells into a shallow baking dish.

Spoon mixture back into eggplant, and sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and parsley. Cover with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until eggplant is fork-tender and cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Beef Supreme

This is a lasagna-like casserole that my grandmother would make and take to the family reunion each year. I always looked forward to it. I cooked this for my husband when we were still dating, and he was very impressed. Portion control is key to eating this yummy casserole. It's so good--sometimes you just can't stop!

Sauce:

1.5 lbs ground beef

10.5 oz of tomato/spaghetti sauce

14.5 oz of diced tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Noodle Mixture:

8 oz egg noodles, cooked and drained

8 oz sour cream

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup onion

Shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese

Combine ingredients for sauce in a pot on the stove. Bring to a low boil, then simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine ingredients for the noodle mixture in a bowl. If the noodles are warm and the cream cheese is softened, the mixture is a lot smoother.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Begin by spreading a small amount of sauce across the bottom of the pan. Then, spread about a third of the noodle mixture. Top with 1/3 of sauce, and shredded cheese. Repeat layers until you have used all of the ingredients. End with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes (until cheese is melted and bubbly).

Barbecued Hotdogs

As a kid, this was one of my favorite foods that my mom would cook. I still remember the white crockery dish that she would bake it in. My great-grandmother was actually the first person to cook this for me (though I was too young to remember). My mom says that we went to visit my great-grandparents at their campsite in Raccoon Holler, a campground in Jefferson, NC. When we got there, my great grandmother (Mamaw Getsy) had cooked a cake of cornbread and was cooking these hot dogs in a cast iron pot over the fire. Apparently, I loved the barbecued hot dogs so much that my mom got the recipe from Mamaw Getsy. Later, my mom published the recipe in my preschool cookbook. Since getting married, I have made it for my husband a few times. He gets just as excited about it as I did when I was young.

1 pkg hot dogs

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp dill pickle relish

1/4 c. chopped onion

1 can tomato soup

Cut hot dogs into bite-size pieces. Mix remaining ingredients. Add hot dogs. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or cook on stove top for 10 minutes.

I think they are best when cooked in the oven, but the stove top is also delicious if you are in a hurry. This is one of my "go-to" meals when I am in a pinch after getting home late from work. It's so quick and easy--and I almost always have all of the ingredients on-hand.

Baked French Toast Casserole

The first time that my husband came to meet my family in North Carolina, my mom made this for breakfast. He loved it. He continued to talk about it for months afterward. Now, it is one of his favorite treats for me to make. In an effort to be A LITTLE bit healthy, I leave off the Praline topping (also cheaper). I just serve this with maple syrup and fruit.

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 oz)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
Praline topping follows, optional

Directions:
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1 inch each. Arrange slices in generously greasted 9x13 baking dish in two rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until blended. Pour mixture over bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Next morning, preheat over to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping (if using) over the bread and bake for 40 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Maple Syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a medium bown and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Grilled Paninis

After my mother-in-law shared her love for grilled sandwiches that she makes, I decided to try it on my George Foreman Grill (since I don't have a gas/charcoal grill). I made this recipe up on the spot--and my husband loved it! It's a quick, delicious meal--perfect for a busy summer afternoon.

Loaf of Italian Bread (sliced into 1 or 2 inch pieces)

Deli Ham

Deli Turkey

Pepperoni

White American Cheese (slices)

Shredded Lettuce

Mayo

Brown Mustard (optional)

Roma Tomatoes

Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Butter/Margarine Spread

Assemble each sandwich as follows:

Spread a small amount of mayo on one side of two slices of bread. On one slice, pile on shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle withe salt and fresh ground pepper. On the other slice of bread, layer cheese, ham, turkey, and pepperonis. Put sandwich halves together. On outside of each side of sandwich, spread with a small amount of butter/margarine. Place on grill or sandwich press. Cook until both sides are toasted and golden brown and the cheese is melted.

I served these sandwiches with chips and lots of fresh fruit.

Cinnamon Rolls

Before making these rolls, I had always relied on the refrigerated cans of cinnamon rolls that you buy at the grocery store and bake at home. Then, my husband gave me a red Kitchen Aid mixer for Valentine's day. I went on a baking FRENZY! One night, my husband was coming in late from a business trip. I knew he would be hungry, and I decided to surprise him with the scent of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls when he arrived home. These cinnamon rolls turned out to be so delicious. The recipe makes between 15 and 20 rolls. I took some of the extras to our neighbors upstairs. Later, the lady who lives above us said that her sons loved them. Even though these require a little extra work, I'll never go back to the store-bought ones!

1 cup scalded lukewarm milk (On the stove, cook the milk on low heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the saucepan.)

1 pkg. yeast

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar (white or a mixture of white and light brown)

1 tsp salt

1 egg

3 1/2 cups flour

chopped nuts (optional)

Combine milk and yeast and let stand to soften. Add the rest of the ingredients. Knead until smooth and satiny. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Roll out dough, spread with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (and nuts if desired). Roll up jelly roll fashion and cut into 1-inch rolls. Cover and let rise again until double in size. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until done. Frost while warm.

Frosting:

1 stick softened butter (or margarine)

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp milk

1 box of confectioners sugar (about 2 cups)

With an electric mixer, mix ingredients together until smooth.