Cabbie’s Cooking

RT was quite the gentleman for Valentine’s Day!  He prepared breakfast for me, and then packed my lunch to take to school.  He hand delivered a beautiful pink rose bouquet to me at school, and then when we got home that evening, he insisted that I sit down and relax while he prepared a special dinner for me.  He even insisted that I relax while he cleaned up the kitchen after dinner.  RT can grill a mean steak, and that’s what he did for Valentine’s Day.  He prepared a delicious shrimp cocktail with lemon wedges for an appetizer, opened a bottle of Charles Shaw merlot to sip throughout the meal, grilled two great ribeye steaks, had a plate of fresh watermelon slices, an original salad, and an original dessert.   Note that both the salad and the caramel volcano are completely original recipes that RT created as he prepared the meal.  They both were absolutely DELICIOUS!  Here are the recipes:

Grilled Ribeye Steaks

2 high quality ribeye steaks

garlic salt

pepper

Rub both sides of the steak with the garlic salt and pepper.  Be generous with the seasonings.  Grill 6 - 10 minutes per side - depending on the thickness of the steak and your preference for doneness.  After removing from the grill let the steaks rest for a few minutes before serving.

Mandarin Pecan Romaine Salad

Juice of one lemon wedge

1 small can Mandarin oranges

1/4 cup pecans pieces

1/4 cup crisp bacon bits

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 head shredded Romaine lettuce

Ranch dressing

Mix all the ingredients except lemon and ranch dressing.  Squeeze the lemon wedge over the salad.  Serve with ranch dressing.  DELICIOUS!

Caramel Volcano

1 small can Mandarin oranges

1/2 cup pecan pieces

1 cup vanilla yogurt

2 tsp. light brown sugar

A shot glass of Bailey’s Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur

2 Maraschino cherries with a little of the Marschino liquid

Build your volcano by placing half the Mandarin oranges in the bottom of each of two individual serving bowls.  Sprinkle the pecan pieces on top of the Mandarin oranges - half in each bowl.  Tower half the yogurt in the middle of each bowl.  Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top.  Pour the Bailey’s Caramel Irish Cream on top of it all.  Place the bowls in the freezer for approximately 15 - 20 minutes before serving.  Add a maraschino cherry on top and drizzle a little of the marschino liquid down the sides of he volcano.

This recipe is one that my mother-in-law has made for years, and it’s my daughter’s AND my son-in-law’s favorite.  As my daughter says, “It is OH SO GOOD!”  Not too difficult to make - and delicious and moist.

FRESH APPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups oil

1 cup nuts, chopped finely

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp. soda

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups apples (peeled, chopped finely)

Preheat over to 350.  Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with Crisco and flour.  (I always line the pans with waxed paper, too). 

Combine sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla.  Beat well. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar/eggs mixture.  Finally add the apples and nuts.  Mix well. 

Pour into the cake pans and cook for approx. 30 minutes.  You can also make this in a bundt pan and cook for an hour.  (My daughter’s note: “It is the icing that is so good and you get less icing if you use a bundt pan).

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 cup finely chopped nuts

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 box powdered sugar

Let the cream cheese and butter soften.  Add the vanilla.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until well mixed.  Add the nuts. 

Once the cake layers have cooled, spread the frosting on them - one layer at time.  VOILA!  Delicious! 

This will look and taste like something that was complicated and took a long time.  However, it is quick and easy.

EASY Brownie Dessert

1 box brownie mix (any kind)

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 small container whipped topping

1/2 cup crumbled toffee (You can find Heath Bar toffee crumbles next to chocolate chips in the grocery store.)

Follow the package directions to make and bake the brownies.  Cool. 

Follow the package directions to make the pudding. 

Spread the pudding on top of the brownies in the pan.  Spread the whipped topping on top of the pudding.  Sprinkle the crumbled toffee pieces on top.  Cut into squares and serve.

Variation: You can add a “kick” to this dessert by mixing a couple tablespoons of Kahlua to the pudding.

Variation: You can make it look fancier by putting it into a clear trifle bowl.  First spread a layer of pudding on the bottom.  Then break up the brownies and use half to make a layer of brownie pieces, then a layer of half the remaining pudding, and next a layer of half the whipped topping.  Then another layer of brownie, pudding and whipped topping.  Sprinkle the toffee pieces on top.  Voila!

Variation:  You can also experiment with various types of brownie mix and pudding flavors.  However, you just can’t beat CHOCOLATE!

I love strawberry shortcake.  However, I have a special twist to mine.  I’m not bragging because it IS really delicious!  Here’s the recipe:

Strawberry Shortcake with Custard

1 small pound cake (I just buy one from the store - a frozen Sarah Lee pound cake loaf is good, but you can always make your own, if you prefer.)

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sugar (more or less depending on your taste)

Wash and slice the fresh strawberries.  Sprinkle with sugar and mix well so that the juice is drawn out of the strawberries.  Put in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Custard

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups milk

2 T corn starch

Mix the custard ingredients well in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Set aside to cool.

Putting the Strawberry Shortcake with Custard together:  Place a slice of cake in a dessert dish.  Spoon the strawberry mixture on top - using lots of juice to soak into the cake.  Spoon custard on top.  You can add a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

My mother-in-law was the first person I know who made strawberry shortcake this way.  She usually baked her own pound cake.  I usually buy the cake ready-made.  It’s the custard that makes this recipe unique.  I got this recipe for custard from my son-in-law.  This is absolutely the BEST Strawberry Shortcake imaginable.  The custard really makes it perfect!

Our church recently had our annual Fall Festival. Part of the Fall Festival is an auction. Each year one of the ladies of the church bakes a homemade blackberry cobbler that has become almost legendary in our community. At the auction it goes for $500 or more. Last year I contributed a German chocolate cake and a White Chocolate cake to the auction. I don’t recall what they brought - probably around $40 or $50. My cooking isn’t lengendary . . . yet.

This is in the oven as I type this.  It smells wonderful.  I’m taking it to our church’s potluck dinner after church tomorrow.  I know it will taste as delicious as it smells.  (Later note:  It is certifiably delicious!  RT, Lillian (my MIL) and I couldn’t resist - we each had a tiny sliver tonight.  Wow!  VERY good.

 Lemon Chess Pie

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornmeal

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon peel (lemon zest)

pinch of salt

 Mix well.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

I love bananas foster.  It’s warm and creamy and banana-y.   I’ve made it a few times for my family.  I also love bread pudding for the same reason, except typically bread pudding isn’t banana-y.  Just delicious.  Now you I present you a recipe for a bread pudding that features the best of bananas foster.  Here’s the recipe:

Bread Pudding a la Bananas Foster

5 eggs

2 cups half and half (you can use heavy cream for a richer texture)

2 1/2 cups milk

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons banana liqueur

2 Taablespoons rum (dark rum is best)

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 bananas, mashed

12 cups cubed white bread

custard sauce

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam.  In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, half and half, sugar, rum, liqueur, bananas and cinnamon.  Add bread - coating well.  Let it stand for 20 - 30 minues.  Pour into the baking dish.  Put the baking dish into a larger roasting pan.  Add about 1-inch of water to the roasting pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes 0r until the center is set.  If it starts browning too much during the last half of the baking time, you can cover lit ightly with aluminum foil.  Remove from the roasting pan.  Spoon into dessert dishes and serve with custard sauce.

Custard Sauce

2 egg yolks

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

3/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 Tablespoon corn starch

1 Tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons rum

5 Tablespoons butter

In a bowl whisk together the eggs  yolks, evaporated milk, brown sugar and milk.  In a separate bowl whisk together the corn starch and water until smooth.  Add the cornstarchmixture, rum and vanilla to the egg mixture and poour into a medium saucepan.  Simmer, whisking continuously until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add the butter and mix until melted.  Serve warm over the bread pudding.