Shelley's Cinnamon Cake

This Cake.........this cake........Oh my goodness it is just the best! It really is amazing!  Shelley Palmere made this often for work events and celebrations. It was sooooo good! 

Love you Shell, miss you!

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup of milk

1/4 lb. of Butter

2 teaspoons of good vanilla

3/4 cup of Ground cinnamon

1/4lb. of butter

Cream together in a bowl, 4 eggs with 2 cups of sugar then add 2 cups flour, 2 tsp of baking powder and pinch of salt. In a pot add milk, butter and vanilla and bring to a slow boil until butter is melted, then add this to the mixture.  Grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan and add mixture. Bake at 350 for for approximately 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. While cake si still very hot, cut up 1/4 lb butter into slabs and place all over cake and let melt. Once al butter is melted, sprinkle 1/4 cup of cinnamon and 3/4 cup sugar on top. 

 

Shrimp Scampi

 4 Tablespoons oil

3 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons crushed fresh garlic

20 jumbo shrimp ( I use extra jumbo from Giant)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sherry or dry white wine

juice of 1/4th lemon

3/4 cup chicken broth

In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter; add garlic and saut''e until slightly brown. Add shrimp and cook until firm. Add spices , flour, stirring well. Add sherry and lemon juice then chicken broth. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Place 5 shrimp on each plate and

cover with sauce. Makes 4 servings.  

Marinara Sauce

 While I know how easy it is to just open a jar of sauce, some how it is so much better fresh, home made....you can use canned tomatoes, or process your garden tomatoes for this. Oh how I love sauce and pasta!

2 teaspoons of crushed fresh garlic

4 Tablespoons of olive oil

4 cups of whole peeled tomatoes

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 oz of Spaghetti, or pasta of choice

In a large pot, or heavy skillet, fry garlic in oil until golden brown. Add tomatoes and spices and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Serve over pasta of choice, zoodles, low carb pasta, what ever you like. Enjoy! This serves 4.

   

Jack Schneider's Mother's " Poor Man's Fruit Cake"

 1 lb Raisins

4 cups of water

1/2 lb butter

3 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 t salt

2 t Cinnamon

2t ground nutmeg

1 t allspice

1t ground cloves

2t baking soda

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 Cup walnut pieces finely chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350 degres

Grease and flour a tube pan

Boil raisins in water for 30 minutes. Set aside and add butter, allowing butter to melt. Mix dry ingredients until evenly mixed together. add the raisin mixture and blend together. Add eggs, vanilla and nuts and mix until thoroughly blended. 

Add batter to the greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour.

This is a gently spiced, very moist cake that was enjoyed every Christmas. Dorothy thinks it is from the Depression days.

  

Pecan Pie

 Non-stick vegetable oil spray

No-Roll pie crust ( recipe in blog)

10 Tablespoons of un-salted butter ( 1 1/4 sticks)

1 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces

2 cups pecan halves

Spray 10-inch diameter fluted ceramic tart dish with 1-inch sides, or glass pie dish with nonstick vegetable oil spray.

Press dough to thickness of 1/4 inch into bottom and up the sides of prepared dish. Trim and crimp edges. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes ahead.

Melt butter with corn syrup and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let stand at room temp. for 15 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Using and electric mixer beat eggs in large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add corn syrup mixture and beat 1 minute. Add vanilla and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of pecan pieces. Pour mixture into the shell. arrange Pecan halves on top of filling in concentric circles, covering filling.( nuts will not sink)

Bake until filling is just set, covering nuts if browning too quickly, about 50 minutes. 

Transfer pie to rack and cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Let stand 2 hours at room temp before serving. 

Pecan pie is Harry's most favorite! 

Sausage Wraps

 These little yummy bites will be a big hit, so easy and make extra, because they will be gone in a flash! The bacon will crisp up and the brown sugar will create a candy like coating. 

3 10oz packages of mini smoked sausages or weiners

1 lb bacon

1 heaping half cup brown sugar 

Wrap each sausage in a piece of bacon. ( not the whole piece of bacon, you will need to cut the bacon in thirds or even fourths depending on the length of the bacon)

Secure with a tooth pick

Arrange on an ungreased shallow pan, or cookie sheet. 

Sprinkle generously with the brown sugar. Bake at 350 until bacon is done, may take an hour.

Transfer to serving platter.  

  

Crockpot Apple Butter

 Well, it's the middle of August here in Maryland. And I am finding glimmers of Fall. The stores are starting to carry Pumpkin spice everything. Apples are on my mind. Just thinking of the wonderful scents of Fall, cinnamon, cloves, allspice.............Ahh my favorite time of year. In just a little over a month I will be starting my Pumpkin Bread marathon it truly is amazing. My sweet Mother in law could eat an entire bread all by herself. Well here is another sweet recipe to get you in the mood for Fall. 

7 Cups of unsweetened good quality applesauce. I have always trusted Musselmans for great quality. 

2 Cups of good apple cider. ( Its off to Weber's for some liquid gold)  

1 1/2 Cups of Local honey ( it's important to support our local bee keepers)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

In your crockpot, mix all ingredients and cook on low for 14-15 hours or until mixture is a deep brown. Pack while hot into 4 hot pint jars. Process in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes, counting the time after the jars have been immersed and the water comes again to a rolling boil. Remember once you remove, listen for that "pop" that insures you it's processed and sealed correctly.

Note: if you are not willing to go the canning method, this will freeze well. Just be sure it is frozen in a good quality freezing vessel. 

Serve on biscuits, bread, or a nice big dollop on cottage cheese is so good!

Hope you enjoy! Sending love! Happy Fall Y'all 

 

Baked German Potato Salad

1 Cup diced bacon

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

3 T all-purpose flour

1 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 t celery seed

2 quarts red potatoes, boiled, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick ( I used a 3 lb bag )

Fry the bacon until crisp in a medium skillet, or air fry , or as I do, I place it on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven.

Reserve bacon grease as you remove the cooked bacon.

You will need 1/4 cup of the bacon grease, if not enough add more if you have it or add vegetable oil to make up the 1/4 cup needed.

In to a skillet add bacon grease, celery, onion and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add flour salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Then add the sugar, vinegar and water all at once and , stirring with a whisk bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Add parsley, celery seed and reserved bacon and combine. Remove from heat.

Pre-heat the oven to 375. Place potatoes in a greased 13x8x2 inch casserole and pour the dressing over all. Mix very gently so potatoes are not broken up. Bake for 45 minutes or until the middle of the casserole bubbles.

This is perfect for family gatherings, especially because it can remain at room temp since there is no mayonnaise or ingredients that will spoil.

I was given this recipe from a fellow secretary who lived in Pennsylvania near the Amish Market. She gave it to me when we were having a conversation about how my Son tried German potato salad for the first time, then came home with" canned" German Potato salad. That's when she said oh, no! That stuff is horrible! She since has passed away, but this recipe reminds me of her kindness in sharing. 

    

  

Sausage Gravy

1 pound sage bulk sausage ( as lean as possible)

2 Tablespoons finely minced onion

6 Tablespoons all -purpose flour

1 quart of whole milk

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning ( rounded)

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

18 large biscuits

Crumble the sausage into a large sauce-pan and sauté over medium to low heat, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Do not brown, or crisp just before it's done add the onion and cook until transparent. Drain off all but 2 Tablespoons of meat drippings. Stir in flour with a whisk and cook over medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes or until flour turns a golden and bubbles up. Pour all of the milk in at once and add the seasonings. Cook and whisk util the gravy thickens up.

Serve on top of biscuits. Yum!

Lasagna * Low Carb, Low fat version

 We are always looking for ways to eat healthy, but have meals that are delicious. It helps when you are dieting and can have something yummy AND stay withing your macros.

I stumbled across this recipe the other day and thought I would give it a try. I am learning an entirely new way to cook with these low carb low fat, high protein options. It can be hit or miss. Well this one is a hit for sure! I give credit to Katrina Christine on Tik Tok. She created this dish and it's really a winner for sure! So here goes.

You will need a 13x9 lasagna dish and a Loaf Pan 

NOODLES:

2 eggs

1 cup low fat cottage cheese ( "Good Culture" has lowest carb count) 

1/3 cup of water

1 scoop of Devotion Buttery Blend Protein Powder ( optional ) by adding this we've upped the protein

1/4 cup fat free shredded mozzarella

Italian Seasoning

Place all of the above in a blender mixing well.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, place the mixture and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning of your choice. She uses Tastefully Simple Italian garlic seasoning. I use Son of Italy brand. 

Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

When done it should feel slightly firm, and as it cools it will flatten and firm up more. Allow to cool completely. 

Once cooled and you are ready to assemble the lasagna you will cut it in 3 equal " noodles". They will be the perfect size for the Loaf pan you will make it in.( you are not cutting length wise, but by width.)

CHEESE FILLING:

1 cup of low fat cottage cheese

2 teaspoons of grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1teaspoon of Italian seasoning

Place in you blender and blend well, and sit aside.

MEAT AND SAUCE:

1 pound of ground meat ( lean beef, or lean turkey, I used turkey 93% lean)

2 Cups of Marinara ( I use Rao's because it has less sugars)

1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and a sprinkle of garlic powder

Brown the ground beef, drain any fat and add sauce, let it simmer a while. 

You will need 1 cup of fat free Mozzarella Cheese( rinsed) and 2 teaspoons of grated Parmesan cheese.

NOTE: Rinse the fat free Mozzarella in cold water. Pat dry or just let it drain as pictured. The reason is that there is an additive sprinkled in the fat free cheese that prevents it from melting, and it will also remove added carbs from the additive.( often a cornstarch type powder)

Next we build our Lasagna. Using a loaf pan, spray with cooking spray.

1st layer is meat sauce

then place one of the 3 noodles on top

1/3 of the cheese filling goes on the noodle, then meat sauce, then 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Noodle,1/3cheese filling, meat sauce, 1/4mozzarella

Then add your last layer, noodle remaining cheese filling, meat sauce and remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.

Bake uncovered at 375 for 45 minutes.

This makes 4 servings, cutting 4 equal slices the width of the loaf pan. 

633 calories, 11.1 Net Carbs 73.3g protein per serving

The next time I make this I will experiment by using Egg Beaters instead of whole eggs. This will reduce the fat and calories.