Month: May 2023

Sara Jane’s Oatmeal Cake
This is the BEST CAKE I have ever eaten! A moist cake made with oats, and lightly spiced with nutmeg is topped with a broiled coconut icing. Not too sweet, not too dry, just amazing.

In a small bowl stir oats into boiling water.

Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl cream together the white sugar 1 cup brown sugar and shortening until smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Sift in the flour baking soda salt and nutmeg; stir just until moistened.

Mix in the soaked oats.

Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Turn the oven to the broil setting and let it heat up.

Orange-Cranberry Muffins
These simple, family-friendly muffins have a sweet and tangy flavor thanks to fresh cranberries and orange juice.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Line 6 large muffin cups with paper liners.

Beat sugar and eggs together with a fork or electric mixer until blended.

Mix in vegetable oil.

Stir in vanilla extract and baking soda.

Add flour cranberries orange juice and orange zest and mix up nicely.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups filling each to the top.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean 20 to 25 minutes.

Tangy Honey-Glazed Ham
Ham with a honey glaze is ideal for celebratory meals or other special occasions. Your guests will adore the caramelized coating created by a simple homemade glaze.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Place ham in a roasting pan.

Bake ham uncovered in the preheated oven for 2 hours.

While the ham is baking combine brown sugar pineapple juice and 1/3 cup honey in a saucepan.

Zest orange into the saucepan then squeeze in the juice.

Add Dijon mustard and ground cloves; whisk mixture over medium-high heat as it comes to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until glaze thickens slightly 5 to 10 minutes.

Taste glaze and adjust seasonings.

Add lemon juice for more tang or honey to make it sweeter.

Set aside.

Vegan Enchilada Bake
This vegan enchilada casserole is a quick, hearty dinner of seitan, vegan cheese, refried beans, rice, and tortillas slathered in tomatoes and green enchilada sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Pour crushed tomatoes into the bottom of a casserole dish.

Layer 1/3 of the rice 1/3 of the beans 1/3 of the diced tomatoes 1/3 of the seitan 1/3 of the vegan cheese 1/3 of the tortillas and 1/3 of the enchilada sauce into the dish in that order.

Repeat with 2 more layers.

Bake in the preheated oven until vegan cheese melts and casserole is heated through about 45 minutes.

My Mother’s Swiss Steak
When pounded with seasoned flour and gently simmered in a tomato sauce with green bell peppers, chewy but flavorful beef round steak becomes tender.

Stir flour 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl.

Sprinkle pieces of steak with flour mixture and pound the flour mixture into the meat with a meat mallet or the edge of a sturdy plate.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the floured beef in the hot oil until browned on both sides about 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low pour in water cover skillet and simmer beef until tender about 1 hour.

Add more water to the skillet if needed to prevent burning.

Heath Bar Pie
A rich filling made of vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and chopped candy bar pieces is placed on top of the caramel topping in a 9-inch pie shell. The delicious pie is then served from frozen to adoring crowds.

Pie crust with caramel topping on top.

For 2 minutes, combine milk and pudding mix; let stand for 5 minutes.

Add chopped candy bars and whipped topping after stirring.

Slice into the crust.

Set in the freezer for four hours minimum.

Allow pie to stand for 15 minutes before serving so it can be cut easily.

Any leftovers should be kept in the fridge.

Loaded Egg Salad
There is a ton of bacon, celery, onion, and relish in this egg salad. A splash of chile-garlic sauce adds some heat.

Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat turning occasionally until crispy about 10 minutes.

Drain the bacon slices on paper towels and crumble once cooled.

Mix bacon celery mayonnaise onion relish mustard chile-garlic sauce dill Worcestershire black pepper paprika and salt together in a large bowl; add eggs.

Break egg whites and yolks with a potato masher into the bacon mixture.

Stir broken egg pieces into the salad.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Homemade Fresh Pumpkin Pie
Delicious homemade pumpkin pie made with mashed, cooked pumpkin. Skip the canned stuff and make this classic rustic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie from scratch.

Set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees C).

Create the pie crust: Salt and flour should be combined in a bowl.

Using a pastry blender, blend in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3 tablespoons of water should be incorporated one at a time until the dough is sufficiently moist to hold together.

If more water is required, add up to 1 tablespoon.

Making a ball out of the dough requires lightly dusted hands.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch on a lightly dusted surface.

When cutting a circle of dough 1 1/2 inches larger than the pie pan, place an 8- or 9-inch pie pan on the dough.

Discard the leftover dough scraps and reserve the pie pan.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
This is a delicious treat. It reminds of the cinnamon ice cream I used to get at Ray’s Ice Cream in Detroit!

In a saucepan over medium-low heat stir together the sugar and half-and-half.

When the mixture begins to simmer remove from heat and whisk half of the mixture into the eggs.

Whisk quickly so that the eggs do not scramble.

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream.

Continue cooking over medium-low heat stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and cinnamon.

Set aside to cool.

Pour cooled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Made extra moist with sour cream, this cinnamon-spiced chocolate chip coffee cake is lovely for a weekend brunch or afternoon snack.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan.

Stir flour baking powder and baking soda together in a medium bowl.

Combine chocolate chips 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Cream remaining 1 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer.

Mix in eggs sour cream and vanilla until well combined.

Mix in flour mixture until incorporated; batter will be thick.

Spread 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle 1/2 of the chocolate chip mixture over top.

Repeat layers once more.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean 25 to 30 minutes.