Southern Classic

Some of the soon to be ex-residents of MIH are having a covered dish, aka potluck dinner, tomorrow night. Blog surfing through the posts of friends of friends I ran across a recipe for Key Lime Pie and decided that was one I had to bring. What says "Southern Summer" better? I had to adapt it a bit with my English ingredients, but I'm fairly certain I got it right. Most exciting of all is that I've never baked one from scratch before, which made it all very adventurous and fun.

Just, Margaret

Ground cinnamon on vanilla ice cream...

with fresh strawberries.  Sounds weird, I know.  Just try it.  Trust me.  That is all.

Just, Margaret

Mardi Gras!!!

After four hours of watching yeast rise, shaping it, then watching it rise again, I finished making a king cake from scratch.  Although the whole process may sound a little daunting, it was actually a lot of fun and easier than it appears.  I think I might make it a Mardi Gras tradition.  It would be a fine tribute to my love of Louisiana.  I couldn't have managed it without the help of Josephine who helped me with the first phase of making the dough.  Now I'm so ready to eat it not all by myself of course.  [smile]

Just, Margaret 

Domesticity

Sometimes I just feel the need to be "domestic," today was one of those days.  So I got in the kitchen and made a classic Southern chocolate cake.  I was using a new icing recipe, well new to me.  You see recipes in "the South" are almost what you'd call sacred, some of them are as unattainable as the Holy Grail.  So I was totally excited when earlier in the summer when I visited my home town of Colquitt a family friend gave me the recipe for the icing on the cake that she made.  Since it brought her so much joy to share it with me, I don't think she would mind if I passed it along.  It's actually pretty easy and makes a great cake.  

So here is the "secret" recipe to my success.  Hope you enjoy.  

Mix together 2 cups sugar, 3-4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa, 2/3 cup canned milk and pinch of salt.  Cook on medium heat.  Watch carefully so that it doesn't burn, but don't stir any more than necessary.  (I used a double boiler.)  Add butter about the size of an egg.  (You read that correctly.  I used about 3 tablespoons.)  

Poke small holes in hot cake layers with fork or toothpick and frost while hot.  (This allows some of the yummy icing to seep into the cake.)  I made a yellow cake and actually used a mix, but I guess you could put it on any type of cake you wish.  

The best compliment I've received so far was from my dad who said "that tastes like Ms. Pat's icing."  I'm to take the cake with me this weekend to see friends.  I'll have to make my dad one soon.  

Just, Margaret

I am not a French Chef!

Neither are tons of other people, but they seem to be able to combine eggs, milk, cheese, and vegetables to make an omelet. And I alas cannot. I've tried several times with all the best intentions (and some really great veggies, I might add) to no avail. I always end up with fancy scrambled eggs. Any advice from expert omelet makers out there would be greatly appreciated.

Just eating scrambled eggs until then, Margaret

Margaret's Ultimate Coconut Cake Recipe

I've been in the kitchen all evening preparing for an Easter covered dish meal, but I didn't want to miss posting something new. So I thought I would share a super-easy recipe with you. It's for what I like to call an "Icebox Coconut Cake." I've always loved coconut and my grandmother made this for me the last time I visited. This is the first time I've made it and I have to say that it has so few steps that I can't imagine that anyone could mess it up.

1 box white cake mix
1 can cream of coconut
1 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip
1 14 oz. bag of coconut flakes

Step 1: Prepare cake mix as directed in a 13x9" brownie pan.
Step 2: Immediately after removing cake from oven poke holes in top
with fork.
Step 3: Pour entire can of cream of coconut on to cake.
Distribute evenly.
Step 4: Allow cake to cool and then frost with Cool Whip and top
with coconut flakes. [The recipe calls for all of the coconut flakes to be used on the cake, but even a die hard coconut fan like myself thought that was a bit much. Just use your discretion.]

Serve cake refrigerated. [I'm not sure this is a necessary step, but its just how my grandmother has always served it. Refrigeration is obviously needed to prevent the Cool Whip from spoiling and I think it should also help set the cream of coconut.]

Bon Appetit! Margaret