Cinnamon Explosion

We found the basic cake recipe on the GardenFork.tv video podcast. The basic recipe starts with 1 stick of butter to melt in the bottom of the pan as it bakes and 1 can of drained fruit of any kind. In a bowl, stir together 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar and then mix in 1 cup of milk. Pour the batter over the butter and fruit. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mel added about 1 teaspoon of all spice, cinnamon, and vanilla to the recipe the first time. It was delicious. We found out that the spices work better added to the flour mixture, instead of the fruit. Adding it to the fruit weakened the spice flavors.

Also we used a can of lite apricots and it was better the second day.

Fresh fruit can also be used. Mel prepared it with apples that we needed to use up.

Recently I decided to try my hand at this very basic recipe. What could go wrong? Well, let me tell you that there is a reason why I titled this Cinnamon Explosion.

I decided to added a couple of splashes of vanilla. It went pretty smoothly. I only put in about 3 teaspoons of it. No problem so far. Then I decided to sprinkle in the cinnamon. Well, I accidently opened up the side with the big hole, instead of the little holes. I ended up with several tablespoons to 1/4 cup of cinnamon in the batter. Well, it ended looking like a shade lighter than chocolate after I stirred it all together. Not knowing what else to do, I baked it anyway, hoping it would turn out.

Thankfully it did. Instead of tasting bitter, it had a wonderful cinnamon flavor.

Next time I want to try to make it with brown sugar, instead of the white sugar. I wonder how that will change the flavor.

Your Cooking Goddess,
Ellen Tevault

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is based on the basic tuna noodle casserole. I found canned chicken on sale cheaper than tuna, so I used that instead. You could use leftover chicken or turkey (especially at Thanksgiving). I didn't have enough egg noodles, so I used whole wheat rotini instead. I didn't have peas, carrots, or mixed vegetables in a can or frozen, so I used some frozen stir fry vegetables. I tossed them in with the pasta to cook. When they were finished, I strained the veggies and pasta, before assembling the casserole.

I preheated the oven at 350.

I mixed the chicken, pasta, and vegetables in my stone casserole dish, before I poured the cream of mushroom soup over them. I baked it for 20-30 minutes.

Mel loved the stir fry vegetables in the casserole. This recipe was deemed a keeper.

Your Cooking Goddess,
Ellen Tevault

Thanksgiving Manhattan

This is a turkey manhattan with a Thanksgiving twist. Manhattans are comfort food for me from my childhood. School lunch served beef manhattan or turkey manhattan about once a month. It consisted of 1-2 slices of white bread, deli meat of either roast beef or turkey, mash potatoes, and gravy. Chicken gravy for turkey and beef gravy for the beef. It was either made as an open faced sandwich with only a slice of bread on the bottom, the meat on top of it, then a scoop of mash potatoes before the gravy or make a sandwich, then cover it with mash potatoes and gravy. That's a basic manhattan.

Here's my Thanksgiving manhattan.
1) place one slice of bread on the plate.
2) place shredded or cubed turkey from Thanksgiving on the bread.
3) add a scoop of stuffing on top of the turkey.
4) pour some chicken or turkey gravy over the stuffing.

Some of you may have already had this before, but called it a different name, such as leftovers. :-D

This is another way to use those leftovers. Happy Cooking.

Your Cooking Goddess,
Ellen Tevault