Remembering...

A Christmas Gift from my friend who lives in Hawaii arrived December 2012. In 2016 this new plant, cut from the top of the original, grew its own fruit, with the help of another friend who lives in SC. It took 3 1/3 years for "Pacifica's Offspring" to arrive on the mainland. A 5 minute photo story.

Click link below

Watch it grow! 

Granny's Cobbler

A jar of pineapple chunks sitting on the shelf was begging to be used today. It has been waiting there to top a dish that I had never made before, so today was the day. It wasn't quite a quart as was called for in the recipe but covered the top very well. Of course I saved the juice!

Granny's Cobbler

1 stick butter
1 C. milk
1 C. sugar...
1 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Dash of salt
1 qt. (4 cups) fruit, sweetened (peaches, cherries, blackberries, etc.)

Melt butter in baking pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk. Pour batter in pan on top of butter; cover with fruit. Do not stir; batter will rise to top as it bakes and absorb the flavor of the fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. So easy!

Note: A 9" by 13" baking dish can be used.
If using canned fruit, drain fruit. If using fresh fruit, sweeten with a bit of sugar to desired sweetness. (I use 1/8 cup)
              Source: Granny's Kitchen p.364
              www.grannyskitchencookbooks.com 

I admit to adding a sprinkle of both nutmeg and cinnamon over the top before baking. WOW! Sooooooo Good!

 Please click on image to enjoy the cobbler from afar

Sunshine Cake

Spring! THE DUCK HAS RETURNED. Every year this single duck returns and stays for a while then leaves.

Last year almost to the day, I baked this cake. It seems as if I forget about how delicious it is until I see my first daffodil! Yes! Today one daffodil opened and it was cause for celebration after awful pouring rains and winds throughout last night into this morning.

please click on image to view larger

For  complete recipe & better pictures click on link of April 17, 2018.
 Sunshine Cake Link

Choice

Remember that I was growing a pineapple from one that was sent as a gift for me from Hawaii at Christmas three years ago? You don't? Well anyway, it is growing at a friend's home in South Carolina and is now producing! I gave it up for adoption (it was named Pacifica) to be raised in an area where there would be a better chance of its survival.  Soon I'll make a video slide show of the entire story but for now - look!

Of course I still get to play with her

No matter where I am.












Click on image to enlarge

The Pineapple From Hawaii Video #2

This plant was rooted by me in December 2012. The top I saved came from a gift sent to us from a treasured friend who lives in Hawaii. The plant has a name. We call her "Pacifica." She lives in South Carolina and is lovingly cared for by another dear friend. 

It takes almost 3 years for a single pineapple to reach maturation.

Pineapple plants have really pretty flowers. 

The pineapple plant's flowers — which can vary from lavender to bright red — produce berries that actually coalesce together around the fruit's core. So the pineapple fruit itself is actually a bunch of "fruitlets" fused together. 

Click on the gear icon to view in HD

We are hoping to have a fruit that will look like this one! 

Have a Piece of Easy Cake!

No, it isn't very pretty. Pretty doesn't matter. I didn't use pineapple rings nor maraschino cherries but it has all the rest and is as large as my cookie sheet. My top priority is to make a tasty and flavorful treat. Now to top off a piece (or two) with whipped cream. The real stuff. Tricky to make and messy, but ...

Click on image to view larger

As you can see, I used crushed pineapple. It's what I had on hand. I also used a white cake mix and whole eggs and all the juice without water. It works. Sometimes I don't follow directions!

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Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved

1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ yellow cake mix

Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
2. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3. Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

SuperMoist® butter recipe yellow or white cake mix can also be used to make this popular cake. Make batter as directed on box, using 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice and 1/2 cup water instead of water called for on box. For white cake, bake dark or nonstick pan 42 to 48 minutes.

I Knew You Were Coming So I.....

...baked a cake!  Not just any cake - a POKE cake.  A friend shared her recipe and it is plain and simple and basic. That's the kind of recipe I like! OH! I forgot sweet! SWEET!

There are many recipes "out there" for poke cakes, but this is what we like best!

click on image to enlarge

 The cake has been baked and poked and covered with sweet mixture.

I covered it with pineapple that was processed very finely and drained.

It has been tasted and shared. In fact, we had an unexpected surprise visitor drive up at lunchtime today. Alvin, age 87, used to be my employer at a personal care boarding home, and he was THE cook for over thirty three residents. I ate many delicious meals when I worked there. I was so happy to see him and serve this cake while talking over old times.   

     Here is the recipe:

One yellow cake mix 

One vanilla instant pudding mix 

Mix the cake mix as instructed and add the dry pudding mix. 

Mix together: 

One can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk. 14 oz

One can cream of coconut. 15 oz

After the cake is baked, immediately, while hot,  punch holes in top and pour mix into holes. 

Let set until cool. Cover top with drained crushed pineapple (optional)

Put in refrigerator overnight. 

Then add cool whip and coconut flakes or pineapple chunks (optional) on top to serve.

Keep refrigerated.