N is for Nuts...

   This recipe for cake was given to my mother by one of her relatives, I'm not sure which one. But as you can tell it is a very rich cake. So of course it is also very good. You can make this as a loaf cake without the icing. Or go all out and make a layer cake with the rich gooey icing. Either way I think it would be really good with a cup of coffee. But then I think anything would be good with a cup of coffee.

Artwork by Pamela Jo

Nut and Jam Cake

Ingredients:

6 eggs, separated yokes from whites
2 sticks butter
2 ½ cups sugar
3 cups  flour
2 cups seedless blackberry jam
1 cup  buttermilk
1 tsp  baking soda
1 tsp each : cloves, cinnamon, all-spice
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecans

Directions:

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Grease and flour loaf pan and set aside.
   Beat egg yokes well in a large bowl. Mix in all ingredients, but egg whites. Blend well. In seperate bowl, beat egg whites till they form stiff peaks. Carefully fold into batter. Pour batter into greased loaf pan and cook in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cake can be made in round cake pans and frosted with following icing as well.

Icing for Nut and Jam Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
2 ½ sticks buttermilk1 large can milk
1 cup nuts
1 cup raisins

Directions:

   Cook sugar and milk over low heat until it forms soft ball when dropped into water.
   Remove from heat and add butter, nuts and raisins. Beat until thick.
   Frost cake and serve.



   These would make great gifts or bake sale items. You could cook them right in the paper loaf pans from Sur La Table and cut down on the mess.  If you haven't seen there paper baking goods check them out the are awesome. You can purchase them by clicking here.

I is for Ice Cream....

   I is for Ice Cream. What else could it be for. This is a family recipe that has been handed around. I have many fond memories of taking my turn to hand crank the ice cream maker at family gatherings. Boy were we glad when they bought an electric one.
    I just have to warn you though, it is made from raw eggs. If you have any health concerns, you might want to heat the eggs and milk slowly to 160 degrees then cool them down.

Artwork by Pamela Jo

Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 c  sugar
6     eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 can Eagle Brand sweeten condensed milk
2 Tbs  vanilla
Milk

Directions:

   Beat eggs and sugar together.  Add evaporated milk, Eagle brand and vanilla stir to mix.  Pour into ice cream freezer.  Add milk to fill.  Place on lid on freezer and freeze according to manufactures directions.
( This is a recipe that pasted down to my mother. It does not call for cooking.  But be aware it does have raw eggs in it.)

F is for Figs and Frosting...

   Today is the letter Fs turn. The recipe I pulled out was for the fig preserves, but the frosting recipe was stuck to it. So I figured why not 2 today. Besides my Mother use to make us a cake everyday for an after school snack and used this frosting. It brings back a lot of happy memories.


Fig Preserves

Ingredients:

3 c  cut-up figs
2 c  sugar (if figs are very sweet reduce to 1 c or less)
1 (6oz.)  package any flavor gelatin

Directions:

   Mix figs, sugar and gelatin in saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring very often for 20 to 25 minutes.  The flavor gelatin you pick to add to your figs is a matter of personal preference.  Momma used strawberry, but raspberry would be good too. 
  Pour mixture into sterilized jars.  Wipe rim of jar clean and process in hot water bath.



And now for the Frosting....


Confectioners Frosting

Ingredients:

½ c  shortening
2 -2 ¼ c confectioners sugar
4 Tbs  milk
¾ tsp  salt
1 tsp  vanilla


Directions:

   In bowl cream shortening until soft and fluffy.  Add confectioners sugar,  milk, salt and vanilla to creamed shortening.  Beat until soft and creamy.

This will frost one sheet cake.

B is for Bread Pudding...

   Today's letter is B and one of my favorite deserts....

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

10 slices  day old bread, broken into pieces
1 cup       scalded milk *
1 cup       cream
4              eggs, beaten
1 cup       sugar
1 tsp        Vanilla
1 tsp        cinnamon
½ tsp       nutmeg
¼ cup      butter, melted
½ cup      raisins

Directions:

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   In a large mixing bowl, combine bread pieces, scalded milk and cream. Sit aside.
   In small mixing bowl add eggs and sugar. Mix together well and stir into bread mixture. Add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg to bowl and mix well.  Stir in melted butter and raisins.
   Pour into well buttered baking 2 quart dish.  Set baking dish into larger dish with 1 inch warm water. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until knife inserted into pudding comes out clean.
Remove from oven set aside to cool.

to scald milk heat slowly over low heat till hot, do not boil.

Whiskey Sauce

Ingredients:

3               egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup        sugar
1 tsp         vanilla
1 ½ cups  milk
1 Tbsp      cornstarch
¼ cup       water
1 ½ oz      whiskey

Directions:

   Place beaten eggs in saucepan.  Add sugar, vanilla and milk to pan mix well.   Stir and cook over low heat to a boil.
   Add cornstarch to water and mix well. Pour slowly into pan stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in whiskey.
   Serve sauce over cooled bread pudding.