Cranberry Relish

1-12 oz package raw cranberries
1 seedless orange
6 T sugar

If you froze the cranberries, do not thaw! Rinse the cranberries and drain. Put one-third of the cranberries in the bowl of a food processor. Rinse the orange, but DO NOT peel it. Cut the orange in half, and remove the pith running through the center of the orange. Cut each half into three or four slices. Put about one-third of the orange slices in the processor. Process until the mixture is chopped, but not pureed. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl.

Process the remaining cranberries and orange slices in two batches and add to the mixture in the mixing bowl. Add the sugar. The relish should be tart, but not too mouth-puckering. If necessary add sugar to taste.

Store the relish in a covered dish. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. This relish tastes best when made a day ahead.

Apple Sour Cream Cake

This recipe is adapted from Fantastic Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake on Food.com. A Wahoo to Kittencalskitchen.

15 servings

Cake:

1/2 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c sour cream
2 c sliced apples (2 large apples, peeled, quartered, and sliced)

Topping:

1 c chopped walnuts
1 c packed brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 c butter

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13" x 9" pan, or a large bundt pan, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Add the eggs, and continue to cream the mixture for another 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the remaining cake dry ingredients. In two additions mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream into the butter mixture. Carefully fold in the apples.

Mix together all of the topping ingredients in a bowl until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is incorporated.

If you are using a bundt pan, sprinkle 1/2 of the topping mixture in the bottom of the pan. Spread one-half of the cake batter in the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the topping mixture, and spread with the remaining cake batter.

If you are using a 13" x 9" pan, spread 1/2 of the cake batter in the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the topping mixture. Spread the rest of the cake batter over the topping, and sprinkle the rest of the topping over the cake.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes for the 13" x 9" pan or 45 - 50 minutes for the bundt pan. Test the cake with a toothpick.

If you are using the bundt pan, let the cake cool for 5 - 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan, and finish cooling on a rack or plate.

The cake is best served warm with vanilla ice cream and warm toffee-caramel sauce.

Fried Mashed Plantains

Serves 2

2 ripe plantains
4 T butter
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 t cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut off the ends of the plantains. Steam the plantains for 30 minutes (or until the plantain's skin splits). Peel the steamed plantains and mash with a fork.

Melt the butter in a large (iron) skillet over low-medium heat. Add the garlic to the butter and fry for 30 seconds or so. Add the mashed plantains to the skillet, and stir them with a spoon or spatula to coat them with the butter. Sprinkle the plantains with the salt (start with 1/4 t), pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Every couple of minutes or so, turn the plantains with a spatula or wooden spoon. Break up the plantains into small pieces as they brown. Continue frying for about 15 minutes until the plantains are well browned.

Taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Peach Cobbler

Fruit

2 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
juice of 1 small lime
1/4 t almond extract
2 T butter, melted
3 T brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

Cake

1/4 c butter
1/3 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/3 c milk

Melt 2 T butter in an 8 x 8 baking dish. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter. Toss the peach slices with the lime juice and almond extract, then arrange the peaches on the brown sugar.

Cream together the 1/4 c butter and granulated sugar. Whisk in the egg.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine half of the flour mixture with the creamed mixture. Then add half of the milk and mix until smooth. Repeat adding the remaining flour and milk.

Pour the cake batter over the peaches. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or cream.

Peach-Apricot Cobbler

This recipe was modified using a similar recipe from the Washington Post Food Section, March 18, 2009, Page F8. From David Hagedorn.

2-12 oz packages frozen peaches, defrosted
4 oz dried apricots, diced (about 1/2 c)
2 oz crystallized ginger, diced (about 1/3 c)
1 stick unsalted butter
1-1/4 c flour
1-1/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 T baking powder
1-1/4 c whole or low-fat milk
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract

Mix together well the fruits, ginger, and sugar. Set aside at room temperature for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cut the butter into pieces, and place in a 10" cast-iron skillet, then place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter. It should turn brown, but not burn.

Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the milk and extracts until the batter is smooth.

Remove the skillet from the other. Pour the batter into the skillet; a crust will begin to form around the edge. Use a slotted spoon, and arrange the fruit on top of the batter, taking care not break the crust around the edge.

Bake in the oven for an hour until the crust has a deep golden brown. Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Note: I fixed this dessert in too small a skillet (the original recipe says "medium" but does not define medium. I used a 9-inch skillet which was much too small. Happily, the dessert tastes so wonderful that it really doesn't matter what the dessert looks like coming out of the oven!

Francis Records Fresh Apple Cake

This probably came from Alura Dodd, with her suggested changes to the recipe.

Mix liquids:
1-1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
2 t vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Mix dry ingredients:
2 c flour
2 t soda
2 t cinnamon
4 c diced apples
1 c nuts

Mix wet and dry ingredients. Mix will be lumpy and dry looking. Bake 1 hour 325 - 350° in a buttered glass baking dish.

Alura's changes included: use raw sugar instead of white sugar. Add 1/2 c water to the liquids. Use whole wheat instead of regular flour. Substitute 1 T baking powder for the soda. Add 1/2 c powdered milk to the dry ingredients.

Spicy Applesauce Cake

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
2 well beaten eggs
2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 c raisins
1/2 t soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1/2 t cloves
1 c thick, unsweetened applesauce
1 T grated orange peel
1 t baking powder
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar. Gradually add corn syrup. Beat thoroughly. Add eggs. Beat well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients alternately with applesauce. Mix just until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake in greased 8 x 12 inch pan in moderate over 350° about 60 minutes.

Punch

Make syrup by boiling together 10 minutes
4 c sugar
2 c water

Add:
2 c strong black tea
juice of 10 lemons (2 c)
juice of 10 oranges (2-1/2 c)
2 #2 cans pineapple juice (5 c.)

Chill 2 to 3 hours. Strain if desired. Add:
12 oz maraschino cherries with juice
3 gal water
2 qt dry ginger ale

75 servings

Maraschino Cherries

4-1/2 lb royal ann or bing cherries. Soak over night in solution of 1 T salt, 1 t alum to one qt water. In morning drain & wash. Pit. Make syrup of 4-1/2 lb sugar, 3 c. water, 1 oz red coloring, add cherries & bring slowly to boil. Remove & cover over night. Bring to boil next morning & cover again. Third morning add juice 1 lemon & 1 oz almond extract. Bring to boil & seal.

Apples a la Creole

6 large apples
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c cream
1/4 c chopped nutes
1 t butter
1 c water
1 c granulated sugar
1 c whipping cream

Boil granulated sugar & water for 10 min. Peel & core apples & cook until tender in this syrup, keeping them whole. Remove apples, add pk. gelatine to syrup. Cook br. sugar, burtter & cream together to soft ball stage; add nuts. Place apples in serving dish, fill centers & top with nut mixture. Pour syrup around and set to cool. Garnish with whipped cream & nuts.