Lisette's Apple Dumplings (made with Mountain Dew)

Lisette is my niece who currently teaches the children of missionaries in Kenya. She has an easy and delicious recipe for apple dumplings. Here's how she makes them:

Lisette’s Apple Dumplings

2 large apples

2 cans (10-ounce) crescent rolls

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1 12-ounce can Mountain Dew

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with Pam.

Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside (cut out the seeds, of course).

Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Then pour the Mountain Dew over them. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the oven until golden brown.

Fresh Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe is one that my mother-in-law has made for years, and it’s my daughter’s AND my son-in-law’s favorite. As my daughter says, “It is OH SO GOOD!” Not too difficult to make - and delicious and moist.

FRESH APPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups oil

1 cup nuts, chopped finely

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp. soda

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups apples (peeled, chopped finely)

Preheat over to 350. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with Crisco and flour. (I always line the pans with waxed paper, too).

Combine sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla. Beat well. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar/eggs mixture. Finally add the apples and nuts. Mix well.

Pour into the cake pans and cook for approx. 30 minutes. You can also make this in a bundt pan and cook for an hour. (My daughter’s note: “It is the icing that is so good and you get less icing if you use a bundt pan).

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 cup finely chopped nuts

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 box powdered sugar

Let the cream cheese and butter soften. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until well mixed. Add the nuts.

Once the cake layers have cooled, spread the frosting on them - one layer at time. VOILA! Delicious!

Coconut-Lemon Cake

This is a delicious cake - one of my all-time favorites. I am quite proud that I only ate the equivalent of one slice over the Thanksgiving holidays. I had a "sliver" (i.e. half a slice) immediately after Thanksgiving dinner. Then later that evening had another sliver. RT's mother asked about wrapping up some for me to take home today, but I declined. So YEA for my willpower. The lemon filling is what makes this so delicious. Here's the recipe.


Coconut-Lemon Cake

Coconut-Lemon Cake

Direction for the Cake
1 Duncan Hines Butter Recipe yellow cake mix
1/4 cup sour cream

Mix the cake according to the directions on the box. Add the sour cream to the batter and mix well. Divide the batter evening between three cake pans. Bake according to the box directions.

Lemon Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
3 egg yolks lightly beaten
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons of butter

Combine sugar and cornstarch in double boiler, stir in boiling water stirring until sugar and cornstarch dissolve , then gradually stir in beaten egg yolks stirring constantly, stir in lemon juice and zest and butter and cook til thickened. remove from heat cool stirring occasionally. When cool put between layers and on top of cake.

Coconut Frosting
1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut (divided)

In a mixing bowl, combine the Cool Whip, powdered sugar, sour cream and 1 cup of the coconut.
Cover the cake with the coconut frosting on sides and top of cake leaving small amount of lemon filling showing on top of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on the sides and top of the cake.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

This is a recipe I’ve had for almost forty years. It is the quintessential, absolutely perfect combination of chocolately deliciousness. I first got this recipe back in 1969 shortly after RT and I were married. The recipe came from his mother, Lillian, and I asked her for the recipe after tasting the pie for the first time after that Thanksgiving dinner many many years ago. It is my absolute top favorite pie. Give it a try.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons flour

4 Tablespoons cocoa

2 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cooked pie shell

Place dry ingredients, milk and eggs into a small saucepan. Mix well and cook on medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Pour into a cooked pie shell. Cool.

Meringue: Beat the two egg whies until stiff. Fold in 1/4 cup sugar and mix until dissolved. Spread the meringue on top of the cooled pie. Pop into a 350 oven for about ten minutes to brown the meringue.

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

This is another of my mother’s (Ruthlace) recipes. She got it from her mother. And maybe her mother got it from her mother. My earliest memories include making these cookies at Christmas. We’d cut out wreaths, Christmas trees and stars, and then we’d decorate them with frosting and sprinkles. However, they taste best, in my opinion, warm from the oven - with no frosting- and with a glass of cold milk. What I like most about them is that they’re not overly sweet. Here’s the recipe:

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups self-rising flour

Mix all ingredients together well. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Roll out thin and cut with cookie cutters. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned - about 5-6 minutes.

Orange-Pineapple Sorbet (no sugar, no fat)

This next recipe is delicious, too - very light and refreshing. I made it for a church ice cream supper last summer. It has no sugar AND no fat. And it is actually GOOD for you - no guilt whatsoever required!

Orange Pineapple Sorbet (no fat and no sugar)

1 cup water

1 cup Splenda

4 cups orange juice

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 (20 ounce) cans crushed pineapple (in pineapple juice)

4 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

Stir the Splenda into the water and stir until it is completely dissolved.

In a blender or food processor, puree pineapple with its juice until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl, and stir in the lemon juice, orange juice and orange zest.

Pour into an ice cream maker and follow the directions for freezing. This is a very refreshing dessert.

Lisette's Apple Dumplings (made with Mountain Dew)

Lisette is my niece who currently teaches the children of missionaries in Kenya. She has an easy and delicious recipe for apple dumplings. Here's how she makes them:

Lisette’s Apple Dumplings

2 large apples

2 cans (10-ounce) crescent rolls

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1 12-ounce can Mountain Dew

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with Pam.

Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside (cut out the seeds, of course).

Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Then pour the Mountain Dew over them. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the oven until golden brown.

Apple Dumplings - Blues City Cafe Syle

I visited Memphis last week (see previous post), and when we had dinner at the Blues City Cafe, people were buying their apple dumplings like crazy. Our table was near the counter, and so I was able to watch the cook/chef put the dish together several times. This is how he did it:

Apple Dumplings - Blues City Cafe Style

(1) Take a small cast iron skillet (one-serving size), place it in the oven until it is piping hot.

(2) Toss a scoop of butter in the skillet (probably a tablespoon) - it will sizzle and melt.

(3) Take an apple dumpling (They had them pre-made and packaged individually on a small paper plate covered with plastic wrap) and heat it in the microwave. Then dump the dumpling in the skillet.

(4) Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the dumpling.

(5) Drizzle caramel syrup all over it.

(6) Enjoy

They’d bring the apple dumplings to the table in the skillet with a little potholder fitted on the handle. They had a small wooden tray under the skillet. They were selling like hotcakes.

Two of the teachers in our group of ten ordered the dumplings and passed them around for everyone to taste. I declined - don’t ask me why. Everyone raved on and on about how delicious it was! Even the next day some of them were still talking about it. I was sorry I didn’t taste it myself.

The question now is: How did they make the apple dumplings? I don’t know their recipe, but here’s how I’ve made them in the past:

Cut up some apples - very thin slices, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon or apple pie spice. Wrap a pie crust (or a flattened, uncooked canned biscuit) around about 1/4 cup of apple slices. Crimp the edges to seal it. Use a knife to make a couple vents in the top. Dot with butter. Make however many apple dumplings you want. One per serving. Bake at 350 until golden brown.

Once they’re cooked you can add ice cream, caramel sauce - whatever sounds good. I remember once I made apple dumplings with whole apples - coring them, filling the center with brown sugar and nuts, wrapping pastry around them and baking them. They were good - but much too big for a single serving.

The Best Southern Pecan Pie

I’ve had this pecan pie recipe for probably 35 years. It is so easy but so good. I’ll be making several of these tomorrow to take to my mother’s and to mother-in-law’s for Thanksgiving.

THE BEST SOUTHERN PECAN PIE

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

one unbaked pie crust

Beat the eggs. Add the other ingredients (except pie crust - duh!) Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 minutes at 300 degrees. It is done when the center is firm.

You can add a 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or some flaked coconut for a different twist. However, in my opinion, plain pecan pie is the best.

Carol's Famous Apple Pie

I don’t want to brag, but I’m famous for my apple pies. Well, famous within my family circle, anyway. I have a secret that makes my apple pies better than any others I’ve ever tasted. Not bragging - just stating a fact. Here’s the recipe and the secret:

CAROL’S FAMOUS APPLE PIE

2 unbaked pie crusts

About 3-5 pounds of apples (get a variety of red and golden delicious, granny smith, gala - whatever is on sale. Having a variety is important)

1 cup sugar (more or less depending on your taste)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons plain flour

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Apple pie spice - the more, the merrier

a few dabs of butter or margarine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Spray a deep dish pie pan with Pam and spread one of the pie crusts on the bottom. Set aside.

Peel the apples and cut them into very thin slices and place in a large microwave safe bowl. It will be a lot - but it will cook down. Add the sugar, flour, cornstarch and spices to the apples and mix thoroughly. Add about 1/2 cup water and stir again.

Place the bowl in the microwave and microwave on high for about 10-15 minutes, pausing occasionally to stir. Pre-cooking the apples is my secret step. It makes an enormous difference!

Pour the mixture into the prepared pie pan. Dot with butter. The apple mixture should reach the top of the pan.

Place the second pie crust over the top, fold the top crust under the bottom one and crimp the edges with your fingers or with a fork to seal the two crusts together Take a knife and cute a few X’s in the crust so that steam can escape. I have a cute apple cookie cutter, and I like to cut an apple shape out of extra pie crust dough to add to the top of the pie. It gives it a pretty touch.

I usually dot the top with butter and sprinkle a little sugar on top to make it look even prettier, but that’s optional

Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. You will probably want to put a cookie sheet or aluminum foil under the pie pan before baking since the pie tends to bubble over during baking.

Serve the pie warm with a little vanilla ice cream, and you’ll swear you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Fresh Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe is one that my mother-in-law has made for years, and it’s my daughter’s AND my son-in-law’s favorite. As my daughter says, “It is OH SO GOOD!” Not too difficult to make - and delicious and moist.

FRESH APPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups oil

1 cup nuts, chopped finely

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp. soda

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups apples (peeled, chopped finely)

Preheat over to 350. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with Crisco and flour. (I always line the pans with waxed paper, too).

Combine sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla. Beat well. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar/eggs mixture. Finally add the apples and nuts. Mix well.

Pour into the cake pans and cook for approx. 30 minutes. You can also make this in a bundt pan and cook for an hour. (My daughter’s note: “It is the icing that is so good and you get less icing if you use a bundt pan).

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 cup finely chopped nuts

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 box powdered sugar

Let the cream cheese and butter soften. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until well mixed. Add the nuts.

Once the cake layers have cooled, spread the frosting on them - one layer at time. VOILA! Delicious!

Banana Bread (moist and delicious!)

When I was preparing dinner tonight, I noticed that the bananas I’d bought last week were still in the fruit tray - and decidedly over-ripe. I immediately thought, “Yea! I’ll make some banana bread!” So tomorrow afternoon, I will use the following recipe to make the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted. I got this recipe from my niece, Naomi.

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup margarine

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp. white vinegar to fresh milk and let it stand 10 minutes)

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour

4 mashed over ripe bananas

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Cream sugar and margarine. Then add eggs, milk, soda, flour and vanilla. Mix well. Add bananas and nuts. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans and let stand 20 minutes.

Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the banana bread is done.

Options: You can use 1 1/2 cups applesauce instead of the bananas. You can also use crushed pineapple, crushed cranberries or almost any soft fruit.

Strawberry Shortcake with Custard

I love strawberry shortcake. However, I have a special twist to mine. I'm not bragging because it IS really delicious! Here’s the recipe:

Strawberry Shortcake with Custard

1 small pound cake (I just buy one from the store - a frozen Sarah Lee pound cake loaf is good, but you can always make your own, if you prefer.)

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sugar (more or less depending on your taste)

Wash and slice the fresh strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar and mix well so that the juice is drawn out of the strawberries. Put in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Custard

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups milk

2 T corn starch

Mix the custard ingredients well in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.

Putting the Strawberry Shortcake with Custard together: Place a slice of cake in a dessert dish. Spoon the strawberry mixture on top - using lots of juice to soak into the cake. Spoon custard on top. You can add a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

My mother-in-law was the first person I know who made strawberry shortcake this way. She usually baked her own pound cake. I usually buy the cake ready-made. It’s the custard that makes this recipe unique. I got this recipe for custard from my son-in-law. This is absolutely the BEST Strawberry Shortcake imaginable. The custard really makes it perfect!

Snickers-licious Cake

Our church recently had our annual Fall Festival. Part of the Fall Festival is an auction. Each year one of the ladies of the church bakes a homemade blackberry cobbler that has become almost legendary in our community. At the auction it goes for $500 or more. Last year I contributed a German chocolate cake and a White Chocolate cake to the auction. I don’t recall what they brought - probably around $40 or $50. My cooking isn’t lengendary . . . yet.
This year I came up with a semi-original recipe for a Snickers cake. My niece gave me a recipe for a Snickers cake, and that’s where I started with this cake, but I made many changes. My “Snickers-licious cake” was put in the silent auction part of the Fall Festival, and it brought $50. Not bad for a newbie. Here’s the recipe.

Snickers-licious Cake

“A taste of real Snickers candy bars in every bite”

1 box German chocolate cake mix

1 12-oz. jar hot fudge ice cream topping

1 12-oz. jar caramel ice cream topping

1 cup peanuts, chopped

1 pound package Snickers candy bars

Mix cake according to directions on box. Pour ½ of batter into a 9 x 12 cake pan that has been sprayed with Pam, and bake for approx. 10-15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Immediately spread ½ jar of hot fudge topping on top of hot cake (If the hot fudge topping is too thick, heat it in the microwave until it spreads easily). Sprinkle the peanuts evenly on top of the hot fudge topping. Then drizzle on ½ jar caramel topping. Pour remaining batter on top of it all and bake until done. Don’t overcook.

Spread the remaining ½ jar hot fudge topping on top of warm cake. Chop the Snickers candy into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over top of cake. The candy pieces should cover the top of the cake. Drizzle the remaining caramel topping on top. Pop the cake back into the still-warm oven for about 30 seconds to semi-melt the candy bar pieces into the other toppings.

Lemon Chess Pie

This is in the oven as I type this. It smells wonderful. I’m taking it to our church’s potluck dinner after church tomorrow. I know it will taste as delicious as it smells. (Later note: It is certifiably delicious! RT, Lillian (my MIL) and I couldn’t resist - we each had a tiny sliver tonight. Wow! VERY good.

Lemon Chess Pie

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornmeal

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon peel (lemon zest)

pinch of salt

Mix well. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.