Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting

Well I went to the gym this morning, and worked hard, too! So I felt making a cake would be a good way to pat myself on the back... I now understand the problem. It has fruit, therefore it is healthy, right?
So here is my family pleasing Mandarin Orange Cake, found via Betty Crocker online.

Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting

Serves 20

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Yellow Cake mix

1/2 c. Canola or Vegetable Oil

11 oz. can Mandarin Oranges, NOT drained

4 eggs

1/2 c. chopped Walnuts, optional

20 oz. can Crushed Pineapple, NOT drained

3.4 oz. pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding, Sugar Free

1 1/2 c. Light Whipped Topping

1 t. Orange Zest (shredded orange peel)

Pre-heat oven to 350 for a glass dish and 325 for a dark dish.

On low speed mix cake mix, oil, mandarin oranges (including juice), eggs (and walnuts if you must...) for 30 seconds. Mix on med speed for 2 minutes. 

Grease or spray 9x13 pan. Pour cake mixture into pan and bake 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

In med bowl, stir together pineapple (including juice), pudding mix and orange zest. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on cake. Store in refrigerator. 

As you can see I used some extra oranges as a cute decoration to the cake. This cake is really good and very moist. I personally think the cake itself could use an extra kick or orange, but it is great the way it is! Let me know how you like it!

Mandarin

Hash-Brown Egg Cups with Ham

Breakfast Time!!!!  

(not really, I just finished dinner :)

I found this is my Pillsbury's Favorite Casseroles cookbook, under recipes for two. These breakfast cups take a bit more time than a bowl of cereal, and more effort than pancakes, but are quite delicious and worth the work. Have this on a slower morning where you have about an hour to dedicate to breakfast, like a family breakfast day.

Make sure you have ramekins for these tasty cups.

Hash-Brown Egg Cups with Ham
serves 2


3/4 c. shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 c. Refrigerated shredded Hash Browns (or dry hash-browns, soaked as label says)
1/4 c. chopped Green Onions
1/2 t. Seasoning Salt (Johnny's)
1/8 t. Pepper
2 Eggs
1/4 c. chopped Ham
1/8 t. Italian Seasoning

Heat oven to 400º F. Spray 2 (2-cup) ramekins with cooking spray. Reserve 2 T. of the cheese for topping. In medium bowl, mix remaining cheese, potatoes, onions, 1/4 t. of the seasoning salt, and pepper. Press mixture in bottom and up side of each bowl, and the bottom.


Bake 25-30 mins until golden brown. Remove from oven and divide ham into the two hash-brown cups. Break Egg over ham. Sprinkle with seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, and cheese.


Bake 8-12 minutes longer. 8 minutes for soft set and 12 for hard cooked.

Nutritional Info: (not including ham)
430 cal
20g fat
43g carb
21g prot

This is a great alternative to a fried egg. Chelle doesn't like fried eggs, but she was willing to try this baked egg dish. If you know someone who will only eat their eggs scrambled, scramble the egg before you put it in the hash-brown cup.

Also, this is so easy to double and kids can have fun helping shape the hash-browns in the ramekins.

Egg

Warm Caramel Apple Cake

It has been a while since I've added anything, but here is your first February recipe. Also, it is 'Fast Sunday', so I am hungry and practically drooling over my keyboard. For those of you who don't know what Fast Sunday is, in the LDS church, on the first Sunday of each month people fast (or don't eat) for 24 hours, or two meals. Most people add up the amount of money that they could have spent on the meals and donate it to a church fund as a 'Fast Offering'. Also, instead of having 2-3 speakers in the Sacrament Meeting, all the congregation has the chance, and is invited to go up to the pulpit and bear their testimony of the church and Gospel related things. It's a great experience for everyone.

So today's recipe is one I made a few months ago, but would like to make again soon. This is a variation of Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. It was featured in the 2010 Betty Crocker Recipe Calendar (best. calendar. ever.)

About every other Sunday, Dad, Boo, Chelle and I head up to Grandma and Grandpa's for dessert after dinner, after church. Sunday is a great day for spending time with family. Every so often I volunteer and this is what I made.

Warm Caramel Apple Cake
serves 15


1/2 c. Butter
1/4 c. Whipping Cream
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. chopped Pecans
2 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Yellow Cake
1 1/4c. Water
1/3 c. Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1/4 t. Apple Pie Spice (if you don't feel like buying it you can use cinnamon for a different flavor)

I served this with Vanilla Ice Cream but the nutritional info includes this topping:

Mix 2/3 c. Betty Crocker Whipped Fluffy White Frosting and 1/2 c. Whipped Topping. Fold together to keep fluffy.W

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350. In small saucepan, over low, stir butter, whipping cream, and brown sugar until butter is just melted. Pour into 13x9 baking dish, evenly distributed, and sprinkle pecans and apples evenly.

In large mixing bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and spice on low until moistened, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Carefully pour or spoon over apple mixture.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick inserted near middle comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the dish to loosen. Place serving platter inverted on top of baking dish, and invert (flip). Let dish sit over platter for 1 minute so the caramel drizzles down on to the cake. Remove baking dish and cut the cake 3 slices x 5 slices. Serve warm out of the oven with ice cream or whipped frosting topping.

Nutritional Info (cake with whipped frosting topping):
410 cal
21g fat
52 carb
3g prot

It is really delicious and easy. Let me know what you thought about it, and if you used cinnamon or apple pie spice.

Caramel

Aunt Sue's Pumpkin Bread

It's December!!!! That means cold weather and Christmas! Well, here is a Christmas tradition recipe for you.

Every year, Aunt Sue makes/gifts all the family a homemade calendar filled with pictures of her latest adventures abroad, and a loaf or two of Pumpkin Bread. A couple years ago I decided that since I love this stuff so darn much I should probably learn how to make it, so we made the Christmas loaves together. Now, every Christmas season I make it all the time, and often bring it to work. I recently brought it to a Kent FHE (Family Home Evening) and it was a huge hit, with a few recipe requests.

Let's get cooking!!

First, depending on what you are making this for, pick a pan.

Standard Loaf Pan -- 4-6 Loaves -- Bake 55 mins to 1:05 

Mini Loaf Pan -- 6-9 Loaves -- Bake 40 mins

Standard Muffin Pan -- 3+ dozen Cupcakes -- Bake 25-30 mins

Mini Muffin Pan -- ~6 dozen Cupcakes -- Bake 15-20 mins

Ok, are you ready for this? It's SOOO difficult... not. 

Aunt Sue's Pumpkin Bread

3 c. Sugar

4 Eggs

1 c. Vegetable or Canola Oil

1 1/2 t. Salt

2 t. Baking Soda

1 t. Cinnamon

1 t. Nutmeg

1/3 c. Water

2 c. canned Pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

3 1/3 c. Flour

12 oz/2 c. Chocolate Chips (optional, but really? Who wouldn't want this?)

1 - 1 1/2 c. chopped Walnuts (optional)

Mix all ingredients together, ending with flour, then stir in Chocolate Chips and/or Walnuts.

Put in sprayed/greased pans and Bake at 350 according to time/pan chart above.

Standard Loaves are good for keeping at home, slicing for events, or gifting to larger families.

Mini Loaves are good for slicing for events, or gifting to smaller families or individuals.

Standard Muffins are good for potluck events, or munching on at home.

Mini Muffins are good for parties, or goodie bags.

Also, one time I made a checker board cake using this recipe and my mom's Wacky Chocolate Cake recipe and it bakes up like a cake just a tad bit more dense, but the WCC batter is thicker than normal cakes, too. If you want me to post further instruction on that, ask me.

This is how it turned out.