Happy Halloween!

This photo was taken in front of the Ox Yoke Inn in the Amana Colonies on a beautiful fall day.
Happy Birthday, Dave.

Baking with Dates

It's easy to look through old cookbooks and notice the large number of recipes using dates.   I have seen ads for Dromedary dates from as early as 1910 – and many quick breads, steamed puddings, cake and cookie recipes used dates. I think this may be because perishable fresh fruit was not as available in the winter all over the country in those days, and dates, which were easy to ship and store, were used in many festive holiday recipes.
Sadly, dates seem to have fallen from favor in recent years, and products like date bread mix and date bar mix are no longer available.  Over coffee, Myrna, Bettie and I all fondly remembered those mixes from our early married days.  In fact, my favorite fruit cake recipe that I used for years used date bread mix - I can no longer find the mix.
Next week, we’re going to share a few of our favorite recipes using dates – the recipes I like best are all old and time tested, and I can see some of them in this 1962 ad for dates. 

Creamy Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine meatballs were popular in the 50’s. I remember it being served for company at the home of school friends, and really liked it. A lot of recipes call for a pressure cooker, which I usually use, but many of you may not have one. There are many recipes for it made with purchased tomato soup, but my husband likes cream soup better.
This recipe using cream soup is from a Mennonite cookbook Our Daily Bread. We really liked this recipe – the timing was perfect – plenty of time to do something else while it bakes unattended – Bake potatoes on the side?  Sunday dinner?  My covered pink pyrex casserole was made for recipes like this. We even enjoyed the leftovers the next day.

Porcupine Meatballs

Meatballs
1 Pound Ground Beef -- lean
1/2 Cup Rice -- uncooked long grain
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Onion – finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
Sauce
1 can Cream of Celery or Mushroom Soup or Tomato Soup
½ cup water
Heat oven to 375°. In medium bowl, lightly mix together all meatball ingredients. Form mixture into 12 meatballs. I used my muffin scoop, a size 24.
Place in 11 x 7" baking dish.
In medium bowl, stir together all sauce ingredients; pour over meatballs. Cover; bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until rice is tender.
4 -6 servings. $ 3.40 or 85¢ per serving.
Per Serving: 461 Calories; 30g Fat (59.9% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 96mg Cholesterol; 728mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 4 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
*I might use 3/4 cup of water in the sauce next time for more gravy.

Texas Hash

We seem to be channeling the Fifties this week. This recipe is from the 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook – I even had just the right covered casserole dish for this - a Flamingo pink one from the late Forties. This is one of the dishes I remember my mother making…my dad wasn’t fond of most casseroles but he liked this one. I served it with Country Cornbread and a green vegetable.
Texas Hash

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook in 3 tbsp. fat until onions are yellow…
3 large onions, sliced
1 large green pepper, minced
Add and fry until mixture falls apart…
1 pound ground beef
Stir in…
2 cups cooked tomatoes (15 ounce can or pint home-canned)
1/2 cup uncooked rice (or 2 cups uncooked dry noodles)
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Pour into greased 2 quart casserole (8”).
Cover and bake…350° for 1 hour. .. removing cover last 15 minutes. Serve hot.
8 servings
I’ve written the recipe as it appeared in 1950; today many cooks would like something like Rotel for the tomatoes, or would add chilies for more spice. I would sprinkle on a little grated cheese the last few minutes next time, which is also not called for in the original recipe.
I used less fat and just 2 onions – chopping this much onion is what a food processor is for!

 A 1971 copy of the recipe

Chicken Rice Soup

One of our go-to meals when the weather is cooler is Chicken Rice Soup.

I really don’t have a recipe as I have made it for so many years. I will try to give the directions, and this is one of those recipes that can be varied by your family's tastes.

We like it quite simple so that is what I usually do.

Chicken Rice Soup

2 quarts homemade chicken stock (Store bought works also, keep in mind it is saltier)
 Sauté in small pan until translucent, not browned:
 three stalks of celery diced

1/2 medium onion diced

I put a clove of garlic in my stock if you want it could be added here, minced fine or leave whole and remove before serving.

Put in the chicken stock which is heating with:
 About 4 to 5 carrots sliced 

About 2 cups diced up cooked chicken
 I usually have some in the freezer from making stock. I have in a pinch used store bought canned chicken. If you have home canned chicken this is even better. Here is where you may want to vary the spices. I usually use - to taste - salt, pepper a bay leaf and about 2 teaspoons sweet basil. Dried works fine in soup. Let this simmer on low for about a hour. The stock is already cooked so you are just cooking the carrots and other veggie's and letting the flavors mingle. 

About one half hour to 45 minutes before you plan on eating, add 2/3 cup uncooked rice. Bring to a slow boil and turn the heat down and let simmer till you are ready to eat. 

This will serve 3 to 4 with generous sized bowls. I will do homemade bread, or muffins with this to add to the meal.

Sausage with Peppers, Onions and Rice

This favorite rice dish needs no other seasoning as the sausages are well-seasoned already. It takes only 20 minutes to the table.
We like chicken sausages we buy at Sam’s or Costco, or Amy’s brand, any flavor you like. They average about 110 calories per sausage. I think this would also be good with Italian Sausages or Bratwurst.
To make this dish simpler, as well as any other weeknight dishes, prepare your peppers when you bring them home by seeding and cutting in half and storing is a plastic bag in the fridge or freezer. You may also want to store your onion, peeled, the same way.
This reduces the time needed to prep vegetables right before the meal to just cutting to the right size for your recipe. At the end of the week, grill or roast any leftover vegetables before going to the market to buy more.
Sausage with Peppers, Onions, and Rice

1 cup Rice -- we like Uncle Ben's instant long grain brown rice or white rice
1 teaspoon Chicken Base or Bouillon
6 each Chicken Sausages -- fully cooked
2 each Red and Green Bell Pepper
1 each Onion
1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Serves 4.
• Prepare rice according to package directions, adding chicken base or bouillon. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, cut peppers into 1-1/2" squares, chunk onion into similar size pieces, cut sausages to 1-1 1/2" lengths.
• Preheat wok or chef's pan with 1-2 tablespoon olive oil.
• Stir fry vegetables and sausages 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in rice and serve.
Per Serving: 177 Calories; 7g Fat (34.9% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 141mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.

Add a little browned hamburger and canned tomatoes or tomato juice to any leftovers and have Pepper Soup.

Rice Pudding

This is a recipe from The Southern Living Recipes Volume 2 1979.

This is good to make on a warm day, as you do not need to heat the oven. It comes out creamy and good. We all like it cold best, but it is good warm also.

There are endless things you could add to this. I will add cinnamon to mine. Some of it I am going to stir drained pineapple into. You could add about any fruit, raisins if you like them. Dried cherries or cranberries would be good also. If using raisins or other dried fruit, I would plump them in Cream Sherry for a half hour before using. My Grandson had his with Apricot Preserves on top. We decided ice cream topping would work also.

Do not use Instant or Minute rice in this recipe. It can not take the longer cooking time. Also it is more expensive and rice is so easy to cook. Fluff it with a fork before using in the recipe.

Rice Pudding

3 cups cooked rice;  one cup raw rice and 2 cups water will make 3 cups cooked.

3 cups milk

1/2 cup of sugar
3 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine rice, milk, sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat until thickened, * about 30 minutes. stirring often. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into serving bowl and serve warm or cold.

*I did this in my double boiler, which doubled the cooking time, but I did not have to stir it often, just occasionally. We will eat it cold. 

West Branch

Last week we visited West Branch, Iowa, east of Iowa City.  West Branch is home of the Herbert Hoover birthplace and presidential library.  Yes, Hoover was the only president from Iowa.  There is, of course, the library, and a block or so of restored homes between the birthplace house and the downtown area.   But what I really enjoyed was the little 2 room home where Hoover was born.  The family of 5 shared the bedroom, including a double bed with a double trundle, and a cradle.  In the living area, the stove was removed for the summer, and installed in the “summer kitchen” which opened onto the back porch.  I tried to visualize cooking in the living area for the winter, as well as spending most of your time in that small room with 3 small children, and it sure was hard.  Imagine no refrigeration, no indoor plumbing , no electricity, no washing machine – no built-in cabinets, no closets, no privacy. 

The whole building could fit in our living room, but it was not an unusual size for families in the time period, 1871.  The furniture in the living area was not original to the building, according to the guide.  Across the street was the blacksmith shop that belonged to Hoover’s father.

Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

This is a recipe I’ve made for a number of years. This time I made it in an 8” square pan and cut them into bars to get smaller portions. These freeze well, after cooling thoroughly overnight in the refrigerator. I also make it in a 9” spring form pan or in a 9” pie plate.  I have made it successfully substituting Splenda for Baking for the sugar in both the crust and filling.
Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake Bars

Crust
2 Cups Pecans -- finely chopped
1/4 Cup Butter -- melted
1/4 Cup Sugar
Filling
16 Ounces Cream Cheese -- softened
3/4 Cup Sugar, divided
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs
1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
3/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
CRUST: Combine pecans, sugar and butter, press onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of 9" pie pan or spring form pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350°.
FILLING: Combine cream chese, 2/3 of total sugar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one is added. Reserve 1 cup of batter in another bowl. Add remaining sugar and pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg to remaining batter, mix well.
Spoon pumpkin and cream cheese batters alternately over crust, zigzag through batter with a table knife for marble effect.
Bake at 325° for 55 minutes, check 10 minutes before time to see if it’s done.  Don't overbake.   Chill and serve. 
This makes 8 servings of cheesecake, I cut 16 bars from a square pan.
**You can line an 8" square pan with parchment paper with handles and make this recipe. After it cools, carefully remove the cake with the handles and cut into squares or bars suitable for coffee time.

Pumpkin Bars

My daughter and grandson came over today and moved most of my 400 and some cookbooks and sorted out them out for me. I made these pumpkin bars as a bribe.

It makes such a large recipe that she rarely makes them as do I.  They are the best pumpkin bars I make, and the recipe I go to, but you really need to share them or have a large crowd over.

They are from a 1980 paperback from Pillsbury, Harvest Time Cook Book.

Do try them and be sure that your cream cheese is at room temp. so it will beat in well for the frosting.

Pumpkin Bars      Pillsbury Harvest Time Cookbook 1980

Bars

2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup oil

15 ounce can pumpkin

4 eggs

Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter softened

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 15x19 inch pan. In large bowl, blend all bar ingreaients at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. In small bowl, combine frosting ingredients; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Refrigerate leftovers. 36 bars.

Self-rising flour Not recommended.

Pumpkin Butter

We enjoyed pumpkin butter in the Amanas and at some of the area orchards in the fall, but for a high price – so I wanted to try making it myself. I liked the looks of this recipe, and it was only a small amount, so I got out my little crockpot to try it. It’s so easy, there is no reason to can it, which is not recommended by the USDA. It should stay in the refrigerator for 3 months or more, or can be frozen.

Clearfield is a town of about 350 people in Southwest Iowa; the recipe was in an Iowa cookbook in the 80’s.

Clearfield Centennial Pumpkin Butter

1 Pound Canned Pumpkin

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon Allspice -- optional
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Molasses – optional ( used 2 tablespoons)
Combine all ingredients in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Allow to cool. Pour into containers to store in refrigerator.
Or cook in small crock pot on high 2 ½- 3 hours, until thick.
Yield: "2 Cups"

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

We tasted and enjoyed these at an Amish booth at the Farmer’s Market held in Downtown Des Moines on Saturday mornings, and had to try them at least once.
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Cookies:
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin

2 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Filling:
1 cup shortening
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Small amount of milk
1 small jar (13 oz.) marshmallow crème
1 (1 lb.) box confectioner’s (10x) sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs and brown sugar. Mix well. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely before filling.
To make the filling, cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add marshmallow crème and cream the mixture again. Add milk as necessary a teaspoon or so at a time – be careful, as it can make the filling too runny.

Mom's Pumpkin Pie

Baked a pumpkin pie today as the weather has cooled down a little. I always use my Mother’s recipe. I think she got it from a Carnation Milk recipe booklet, but it is not the same one they use now, My family really likes this one and so do I. It has more spice in it then the current Carnation and Libby recipes and that is what we like about it. So for old times sake, here is my Mom’s Pumpkin Pie. You really need to make your own whipped cream with this, not Cool Whip.

Pumpkin Pie

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon each of Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves and Allspice

1 1/2 cups pumpkin (a 15 ounce can pumpkin puree not pie filling)

Large can Carnation Evaporated Milk

2 large eggs

Mix the sugar and spices well so they don’t all go in one place

Add the pumpkin, milk and eggs. Mix till blended. Do not over beat just blend

Pour into a 10 inch deep pie plate. If using smaller pie plate bake 2 pies

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, lower temp and bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cold table knife inserted just off center comes out clean. Cool, top with whipped cream and enjoy.

Gardens without Pumpkins

We grew up in a family of Gardeners. Our Dad was a major gardener. He worked long hours and I think working in the garden was his way to relax, but he was also an over achiever. Our Grandmother also gardened in a large way. Three kids to help weed and pick things help, you know. However in all of this gardening, I do not remember either of them ever raising Pumpkins, not even for Jack-O-Lanterns. I am not sure why, we always raised squash, and cucumbers and even gourds some years, just not Pumpkins.

I grew up buying pumpkin in the can from the store. Even if I had the room and could I would not raise them or cook them for pie.  Canned works well for me and it is consistent in texture and taste. It is a versatile vegetable that is most often used as a dessert. I am sure some of you make and even like pumpkin soup, but for me Pumpkin Pie is the ultimate way to eat it. I can remember making Pumpkin Pie when I was 10 for Thanksgiving. This is certainly a vegetable that is associated with the Fall and the cool weather and baking time.

This coming week we are going to feature our favorite recipes using pumpkin. Hope you enjoy some of them and use this good-for-you Vegetable often.

It's not Easter - is it?

When we visited Don and Bonnie 2 weeks ago on their homestead, where they are making good progress on their new house- it seems like they have it enclosed overnight- Don was telling us that he was wishing that he would get a BLUE egg from their Aracuna chickens.  And voila, he was out gathering eggs and there it was!  They get green eggs pretty regularly; the pink and blue are more rare.  Of course, I love the really nice brown eggs too.

You can’t tell it as well from my photography with the tiny digital camera I had with me, but one of the eggs is pink.  Just think – Easter eggs without coloring them.  What I really, really like is getting these very fresh eggs to cook with – thick shells and nice, high yolks that are dark golden yellow, almost orange.  Of course, we had to show a picture of the ‘girls’ as well, along with the cock of the walk and the new chicks in their protective pen.

Nutty Orange Wheat Bread

This recipe is one I have wanted to try since I saw it in the Fleischmann’s Yeast booklet “Best-Ever Breads” from 1993. It was their 125th anniversary effort. I finally made it for this “orange” week, and wonder why I didn’t do it sooner. I looked at the recipe on Fleischmann’s website, and the proportions are not the same. I like the recipe from the book better.   The recipe directions are mine, not Fleischmann's. This would also make nice small loaves for gifts. My husband gave it a big “thumbs up”, and thought it would be perfect for chicken sandwiches for supper.
Do cover the loaves with foil the last 15 minutes; the amount of honey in the loaf makes it brown too fast otherwise. I added the wheat germ and wheat bran, as I do to almost every yeast bread recipe I make. I buy them in bulk at the Amish groceries, although my local Fareway carries them too. After I grated the orange peel, I sectioned the orange and used it for ambrosia – a real two-for-one that would please the frugal housewives of the past. 
 This treasured bread board that was our Grandmother's says 'Gib Uns Heute Unser Taegliches Brot" or "Give us today our daily bread" in German.
Nutty Orange Wheat Bread

4 1/2 Cups Bread Flour -- 18-20 ounces
3 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour -- 16 ounces
4 Teaspoons Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Wheat Bran -- optional
2 Tablespoons Wheat Germ -- optional
1 Tablespoon Orange Peel -- grated
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Cups Milk -- (or water and add 2/3 cup dry milk to flour)
1/2 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Butter
1 1/2 Cups Pecans or Walnuts-- chopped, toasted (6 ounces)

• In a large bowl, combine all but 1 cup of bread flour, whole wheat flour, undissolved yeast, orange peel, and salt. Heat milk, water, honey, and butter until very warm (120-125°). Gradually add to flour mixture. Using paddle attachment, beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Change to dough hook and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes more. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• Divide half of the dough (about 1# 14 ounces) into 3 equal pieces (about 10 ounces each); form each into smooth ball. Place in greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1/2 hour.
• Bake at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Cover with foil during last 15 minutes to prevent excess browning. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

**(If you use active dry yeast instead of rapid rise or instant yeast, you must let it rise 30-45 minutes instead of just letting it rest.
Cost in 2010: $ 4.17 or $2.08 per loaf. Yield: "2 Loaves"
Per Serving: 183 Calories; 6g Fat (28.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 123mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Orange Custard

We like custard, and we also like orange. This recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Old Fashioned Home Baking 1990 gives us a delicious way to enjoy both. It makes a quick, simple dessert that was luxuriously creamy and tasty.
Orange Custard Cups

4 Large Eggs
2 Cups Half and Half -- or whole milk
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Orange Extract -- or 2 tbsp. orange liqueur (divided)
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons Powdered Sugar -- or white sugar

• Preheat oven to 325°. Combine eggs, half and half, sugar, salt and 1/4 TEASPOON of the orange extract (or 1 tbsp. of orange liqueur), just until mixed.
• Place 6 ungreased 6 ounce custard cups in a 13 x 9" pan, pour egg mixture evenly into the custard cups. Pour boiling water into the pan around the cups to a depth of 1". You can line the pan with a cloth (I used a clean cotton dish cloth) to keep the custards from moving around and to keep them from cooking too quickly on the bottom.
• Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes until done. Cool on wire rack, cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Beat 1/2 cup whipping cream, 1/4 TEASPOON of the orange extract (or 1 tbsp. orange liqueur) and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar. Top custards and serve.

Cost: $1.10 or 19¢ per serving about 2/3 cup each.
Yield: "3 3/4 Cups" 6 custard cups
Per Serving: 291 Calories; 20g Fat (60.9% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 198mg Cholesterol; 132mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Orange Quick Bread

This recipe is from the Farm Journal Thrifty Cook. It is one of my favorite cookbooks, and I use it frequently. Do wait overnight before slicing quick breads; they slice much easier. This quick bread is delicious; I slice it and freeze the slices, 2 at a time, in sandwich bags, then store the slices in a box in the freezer. If I take them out to thaw, they are ready to serve by the time the coffee is made.
Orange Quick Bread

1 Tablespoon Finely Shredded Orange Peel

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

Milk

2 Cups Flour, All-purpose -- sifted

1/2 Cup Sugar

3 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Large Egg -- beaten

1 Tablespoon Butter -- melted

1/2 Cup Pecans -- chopped , 2 oz. (not in original recipe)

Glaze Frosting

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Tablespoon Orange Juice

(Buy 1 large orange -- for peel and juice)

• Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan on the bottom and 1" up the sides, line with parchment paper if desired, greasing the parchment paper on the bottom and 1" up the sides too.
• In a small saucepan, simmer orange peel with ½ cup sugar and water until peel is tender and translucent. Pour into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup. Let cool in measure.
• Sift together flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Combine egg, cooled milk mixture, and melted butter. Add all at once to flour mixture; stir just until mixture is blended, stir in nuts, if used. DO NOT OVERMIX.
• Turn into prepared 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½" loaf pan. Bake in 350° oven 40 to 50 minutes until pick comes out clean. Let cool on rack 10 minutes. Spoon orange glaze on loaf if desired. Cool and then refrigerate before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.

ORANGE GLAZE: Combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 1 tbsp. orange juice and blend until smooth.
Cost 2010: $2.64 per loaf with nuts, $2.02 without nuts.
Yield: "1 Loaf" About 16 slices
Per Serving: 165 Calories; 3g Fat (18.6% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 15mg Cholesterol; 170mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

For my second Orange Recipe, I am making a Cranberry Orange Pound Cake.

A yellow cake mix, Instant pudding mix, orange peel and Cranberries, what could be easier. 5 Minutes to put together and a hour to bake and you have a versatile cake that can be used for a coffee hour or a dessert when you use the sauce that comes with the recipe. We like the sauce, but seldom use it as it is so good on its own. The Orange Peel adds just the right taste touch to this cake. It is moist and keeps well, even though it never lasts long at our house.

I generally have frozen cranberries on hand. I buy several bags when they are in season. Nothing to freezing them, just put them in the bag they come in, in your freezer and you are ready to go. Strangely enough, I don’t like Cranberry Sauce or Relish but do like them in desserts, muffins and cookies. I have even eaten Cranberry Pie that was quite good.
Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

Makes:16 serving

Cake

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® golden vanilla or yellow cake mix

1 box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped (do not thaw frozen cranberries)

Powdered sugar, if desired

Orange Sauce, if desired

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup butter

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour, or spray with baking spray with flour, 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.

2. In large bowl, beat dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, melted butter, orange peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Fold in cranberries. Spread in pan.

3. Bake 57 to 63 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

4. In 1-quart saucepan, cook all sauce ingredients over medium heat about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Serve warm or cool sauce with cake.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 63 to 69 minutes.

Do-Ahead Tip

This moist and fruity cake can be frozen up to 2 months.

Orange Pecan Wafers

These are a good refrigerator cookie with orange peel in them. There is enough for a nice citrus flavor, but not enough to over power. The good thing with refrigerator cookies is that you can slice and bake them when you want to, thus you can have warm cookies to go with your coffee or milk.  The directions call for dipping in chocolate if desired, but we think they are good with out. The recipe is from Gold Medal Cookies & Bars  2005,  one of the small paper back books you could buy at any grocery store. 

Sue and I have been going through some of our cookbooks and I have found several I haven’t made for awhile. It’s always fun to read through older cookbooks and see how recipes have evolved. 

Orange-Pecan Wafers

About 4 Dozen

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 to 1 1/2 tsp grated orange peel

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

1. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients except pecans, chocolate chips and shortening 

with electric mixer until well blended. Stir in pecans.

2. Place dough on 14 inch length of plastic wrap. Use wrap to shape dough into a roll, 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.  This will be quite sticky, but do not add flour. It sets up just right. Anymore flour will make them too dry. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

3. Heat oven to 375°. Cut dough into 1/4 inch slices with sharp knife. On ungreased cookie sheet, place slices 1 inch apart.

4. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Any Shortbread type cookie is always better if it sets for at least a day to mellow. If you can keep from eating these do try letting them set.

5. In small microwaveable dish melt chocolate chips and shortening uncovered about 1 minute or until softened stir until smooth. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into dish. Place on waxed paper; let stand about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.