Kee's Rum Cake

If you know us - you know our rum cake.  A staple in our house both at Christmas time and pretty much anytime we go anywhere where we want to contribute!  You can't beat this.

Cake:
1 package yellow cake mix - Duncan Hines Classic Yellow
1 small package instant vanilla pudding (or french vanilla)
4 eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup white rum
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rum

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease bundt pan well with Pam.  Sprinkle in nuts.  Mix cake mix, vanilla pudding, oil water and rum in bowl just until blended.  Add eggs and mix until blended.  Pour over nuts in pan.  Cook for almost 45 minutes until top is golden-brown and puffed up.

While the cake is cooking for the last five minutes, put butter, sugar, rum, and water in small saucepan with lid.  Heat just until boiling.  When cake comes out of oven, spoon it over the hot cake, careful to avoid dripping down the sides.  The cake will absorb all of the liquid.  Let cool completely.  Freezes well.

Goat Cheese Crostini with Minted Grapes

Ok - so I've gotten onto Mom for doing this post-before-you've-tried-to-make-it thing, but as I was perusing old magazines this lazy Sunday I found this recipe.  And since mint is my new cilantro (but let's be honest, nothing can ever top cilantro), this will be next in my grocery cart!!! Reminds me of an appetizer with goat cheese and figs I had at my friend's house last year.  From November 2010 Traditional Home, here you have it.

Broiled Goat Cheese Crostini with Minted Grapes
. 12 (1/4 inch thick) diagonally sliced whole grain baguette
. 2 tablespoons olive oil
. 2 teaspoons minced garlic
. Salt and ground black pepper
. 4 ounces goat cheese (chevre) or other soft, spreadable goat cheese
. 1 teaspoon olive oil
. 2 teaspoons minced shallot
. 1-1/2 cups red seedless grapes, quartered
. 3 tablespoons green onion, minced
. 1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
. 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic; brush on bread. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake 12 minutes or until bread is lightly golden.

Remove toasted bread slices from oven and change oven setting to broil. Spread goat cheese evenly over each crostini and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until goat cheese is melted.

In small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over low heat. Add minced shallot and cook until golden brown. Transfer shallot to medium mixing bowl. Add grapes, green onion, mint, and balsamic vinegar. Toss to combine.

Spoon heaping tablespoon of grape mixture over each crostini and serve. Makes 6 servings (12 crostini).

Bourbon Popsicles

Faster than you can say “cupcake fatigue,” gourmet popsicles have become the latest fully saturated food trend. Now you don’t even have to leave your house to have them. here’s a DIY home brew popsicle recipe with an adult twist.

Don’t be fooled by the Lolita-esque styling of these pops. The crushed peaches in these popsicles were soaked in a bourbon bath to cool you down and chill you out. Mix it with a little simple syrup and some plain yogurt and you’ll have cocktail popsicles in just a few freezing hours.

. . . And of course, lick responsibly.

Bourbon Peaches and Cream Popsicles

 


Makes 18-22 popsicles

· 1 cup ripe peaches, crushed

· ¼ cup bourbon

· ½ cup simple syrup, cooled (recipe follows)

· 2 cups plain yogurt

Instructions:

1. Peel and slice peaches. Use a potato masher to crush the peaches. Combine crushed peaches and bourbon in a bowl, mix to combine. Add the simple syrup in slowly and taste to preference. Add yogurt to bourbon peach mixture and combine.

2. Score top edge of Dixie cup with scissors for easy peeling. Pour mixture into Dixie cups. Freeze for two hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Continue to freeze until mixture is completely frozen into a popsicle, about 5-6 hours. Peel off Dixie cups. Serve.

 

Simple Syrup

· ¼ cup water

· ¼ sugar

Instructions:

1. Place water and sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves.

 

A few notes:

· Use the simple syrup sparingly. Taste the mixture as you mix to make sure it’s to your liking. Use more for a sweeter tasting popsicle and less for a popsicle that will have a stronger bourbon flavor.

· If you do not have ripe peaches on hand, use canned peaches in light syrup (make sure to drain before use). If you use canned peaches, bypass the simple syrup.

· To shave some time, use vanilla yogurt instead of plain yogurt to skip the simple syrup portion. Keep in mind this version will be much sweeter as vanilla flavored yogurt is sweetened. If you are using this in combination with canned peaches, rinse the peaches and add 2-3 tablespoons bourbon in addition to the ¼ cup in the recipe. The added tablespoons will offset any sweetness that may overpower the bourbon.

· Of course you can omit the bourbon completely for a simple Peaches and Cream Popsicle~ But How Boring is That !!!

Spoon Bread

Oh so good!  Reminds me of potroast in the winter at Mema and Pop-Pop's house!  This is a souffle, southern-style!

2 pints milk (2% or whole)

1 ½ c corn meal (yellow or white)

2 T butter

2 T sugar

2 t salt

6 egg yolks, beaten

6 egg whites, beaten stiff

At 150 degrees, scald milk (right before boiling); gradually add corn meal and cook slowly until thick and smooth, about five minutes, stirring constantly until thick.  Cool slightly and add butter, sugar and salt. Add egg yolks then fold in whites.  Bake in greased baking dish in 325-350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Serve immediately with plenty of butter. Serves 8.  Great leftover too with that leftover potroast...

Ethlyn's Green Bean Casserole

MMMMMmmmm.  Not your B-rate generic housewife version.

Italian breadcrumbs
garlic powder
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
2 cans whole green beans
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
4 oz swiss cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
2-3 green onions, chopped

Butter 9 x 13 dish. Sprinkle with Italian breadcrumbs and garlic powder. Add artichoke hearts to dish. Add both cans whole green beans, drained.

Layer next 1 can diced tomatoes, drained. Then add Swiss cheese and Parmesan. Mix together: ½ c mayo, 1 c sour cream, and small chopped onion. Spread on top and sprinkle with more breadcrumbs. Cook 350° for 30 to 40 minutes.

Kee's Onion Rice

Oh this is so indulgent and heavenly smelling while it cooks!

1 can onion soup

1 c long grain white rice

1 can water

1 small drained can mushrooms

1 stick butter, cut into “pats”

Grease a casserole dish. Mix, cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350°.

Simple Asparagus

Jimmy used to despise asparagus until he realized how good and crunchy it can be!

1 bunch of green thin asparagus

kosher salt

extra virgin olive oil

Cut tough ends off asparagus.

Place asparagus into 9x13" dish. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt. Toss the asparagus around until fully covered. Place in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until tender but not soft.