Cabbie’s Cooking

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 year I came up with a semi-original recipe for a Snickers cake. My niece gave me a recipe for a Snickers cake, and that’s where I started with this cake, but I made many changes.  My “Snickers-licious cake” was put in the silent auction part of the Fall Festival, and it brought $50.  Not bad for a newbie.  Here’s the recipe.

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.