White Jewelled Fruitcake

I have been searching for a white fruitcake for many years and think that I may have found the recipe. This recipe was one my mom had made on the farm, shared it with others, but when she lost this recipe, she could never get a copy back from her friends! 

I knew from her what went into the cake; whole red and green cherries, crushed pineapple, golden raisins. almond flavour and coconut and that it came from a small recipe booklet by Red Rose Flour. 

Margaret Ullrich posted a recipe for 

 Light Fruitcake after I had written to find out if she had a recipe for a white fruitcake recipe with crushed pineapple.  I also found a similar recipe in a cookbook but out by Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Holy Family in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I have modified the two recipe and the only glazed fruit I used were the Red and Green cherries, the rest is dried fruit; apricots, cranberries, golden raisins, crystallized ginger.  

White Fruitcake

Prepare two loaf pans. 

Line with two layers of parchment/wax paper

         

Preheat oven to 365°F 
Bake 2 3/4 to 3 hours, with a bowl of hot water in the oven. 

Drain over a large measuring cup (you want to save the juice)

• 1 can crushed pineapple

If necessary, add enough water to make 1/2 cup (125 mL) of liquid.

Mix together in a large bowl

• 3 c golden raisins 
• 1 c chopped mixed peel or citron
• 1/2 c candied red cherries, halved
• 1/2 c candied green cherries, halved
• 1  c coconut(Opt)
• 1 c dried apricot, chopped into slivers
• 1c dried apples
• 1 c brazil nuts, left whole 

Marinade in 1/3 c of liquor for a couple of days! 




Sprinkle with 

• 1/2 Cup (125 mL) flour 

Toss until all the fruit is well dusted. 

Sift together in a medium bowl the flour mixture

• 2 1/2 c flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

In large bowl cream

• 1 c butter, room temperature

While creaming the butter gradually add

• 1 c sugar

Mix until light and fluffy.

Add, one at a time, beating well after each addition

• 5 medium eggs

Then add

• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• lemon rind
• the reserved pineapple and 1/2 cup pineapple juice

Stir well.

Add 1/4 of the flour mixture and stir just until mixed.  

Make 3 more flour mixture additions, stirring just until mixed after each one.

Stir in dusted fruit.

Turn batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. 

Bake at 365°F for 2 3/4 to 3 hours.

A skewer inserted in centre should come out clean. 
Poke holes in the cake and pour favourite liquor over the top.
Cool cake in pan on a rack for 30 minutes. 

Turn out onto rack to cool completely. 

Wrap in Parchment paper and then aluminium foil 
Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

A total of 7 cups of dried fruit was prepared and marinated in 1/3 cup of rum for a couple of days.

Apple Coffee Cake with Caramel topping

Coffee Cake for a Birthday Cake? Why Not?  This is a cake I have wanted to try as the placement of apples on the cake top is decorative.  Another recipe I saw, used whole apples that were pushed into the batter, but this looked great.   I use to make a coffee cake in our previous home as we had an apple tree in our backyard that filled our crisper with tons of fruit.  Bavarian Apple Cake and a coffee cake filled with chopped apples and a Streusel topping were my favourite to make.

For this dessert, the apples are quartered and then sliced.  Use a chopstick, placed along the side of the apple so you do not cut through the apples.  

A quick caramel sauce was made from melting caramel squares with 1/2 c of cream in the microwave. 

Since my son's birthday was on a Wednesday night, we picked up our grandchild from school, so that she could practice for her piano lesson. 

The first thing she asked when walking through the door was if she could decorate the cake! Somethings are so predictable!  

Manicotti made from scratch

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

This year, my grandchild has started piano lesson and since she is within walking distance from her school, she come for her piano practices during the week.  Since her mom works most evenings, I also plan for suppers.   I am always looking for a recipe that came be done in the oven and still be able to spend time with the grandchild.  

A recipe video I came across was called "Cheeseburger Meatloaf" was not much different from my meatloaf recipe.  The difference is how it is put together. 

Ingredients

• Ground beef 
• Ground lean pork*
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg
• Spices, such as Italian seasoning
• Rolled Oats, bread crumbs 
• 
  
• Slices of cheese*
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

Topping

• 1/2 c of Ketchup or BBQ sauce
• 1-2 T of Brown sugar or Honey
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

*I always mix pork with ground beef for extra flavour
* Thin slices of cheese worked perfectly

Method:

• Caramelized the onions.
• Saute mushroom, green pepper in Olive oil

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix all the ingredients. 
• Line a cookie/baking sheet with foil.
• Press the meat mixture into the pan
• Layer slices of cheese.  Leave a space at one edge and the edges to help seal the meat roll.
• Layer the vegetables over the cheese

• Using the foil to form the pinwheel, roll the meat tightly. 
• Lift the meat careful and place in a cast iron pan.
• Bake for 20 - 30 minutes covered
• Uncover 
• Mix Ketchup, Brown sugar and nutmeg
• Add to topping to the meatloaf
• Bake for 30 minutes, until meat is cooked.

Gravy was made from the dippings for the meat loaf and oven baked rustic red potatoes!

This recipe is a keeper as the grandkids loved it. The thin slices of cheese worked perfectly as added just enough fat to the dish. 

Korean Sweet Pancakes, Hotteok, Hoddeok

 I find different cuisines fascinating and love been introduced to them through different bloggers.   I especially like when I can make some dish with the granddaughter when I babysit them.   I came across a recipe on Korean Sweet pancake and in reading the article found that this sweet pancake was a version of Cinnamon rolls.  Sweet dough that is stuffed with Cinnamon, Brown sugar and Walnuts.  

This Korean Street food originated from the Chinese living in Korea. This is a delightful video of different styles and ways of preparing this pancake which I found after make the Cinnamon and sugar filled pancake.  I was interested to find that you can cook them differently using little or a lot of oil and all so baking them.  The fillings varied also and the savoury pancake with dipping sauce looks delicious! 

Fried dough was something that my Mom would do when we out of bread and  her bread was not baked yet.  She would pan fry stretched out dough on a hot pan.  This was day before Pizza was part of everyone's diet!  I loved this bread with cheese whiz and the last one with home made jelly. 

Since I had refrigerator dough, I thought I would use this to maker this fried bread for a snack after school.   My grandchild informed me that her Korean grandmother had made them and that she "didn't like them".   And yes, they were filled with fruit and sugar!   But this grandmother knows that food is so much better and tastier if you make it yourself! 

Using the dough from the refrigerator, I let it come to room temperature. 

Roll out or stretch the dough so you can place a filling of cinnamon, walnuts and lots of brown sugar.   Currants were added to one of the pancakes as the youngest loves currants.

The filling is carefully sealed and added to a hot cast iron pan to fry in a bit of oil.  Don't worry if the seal is not perfect.  Using a spatula, press down on the bun shaped roll to form a flattened  pancake.   A circle tool much like the press for frying hamburgers is used.  I found the spatula worked fine, just make sure it is oiled and heated to press down the bread dough.  Fry the pancake until a golden brown and the kitchen is filled with the smell of cinnamon and sugar!

Since my oven was on, I finished the pancakes in the oven as I am not a fan of frying things. 

Serve warm and slice for the kids to enjoy!