Apricot Bundt Cake

APRICOTBUNDT CAKE – recipe from Grandma Edith Munroe

2cups sugar (try 1 white and 1 brown for a change)

1-cupvegetable oil

3eggs

1tsp. Vanilla

14oz. Pureed apricots

2cups flour

2tsp. Baking soda

1tsp. Cinnamon

Optional:½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Mixthe ingredients in the order given. Pour into a greased andfloured Bundt cake pan. (You can spray with Baker’s Joy if youhave it.)

Bakeat 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester (bambooskewers work well to test) comes out clean.

Coolfor 10 minutes andthen turn out of the pan onto a cake plate.

Sometimes,I sprinkle powdered sugar over the top before serving. Other times,I have made a powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over it. Either isgood.

EATand ENJOY!

Thisis a recipe that I’ve used many times over the years and it hasalways been well liked. Originally (30 years ago!), it called for 2jars of Gerber Junior Food Pureed Apricots but those are no longeravailable. Through the years, I have pureed home canned apricots andstore bought ones as well. All seem to work as long as you drainmost of the juice from the canned apricots before pureeing them. Thebaby food used to come in 7 oz. Jars, so it was easy to use. Afterpureeing canned apricots, measure out 14 ounces for the cake andenjoy eating the rest! Sometimes, I have substituted applesauce forthe apricots; so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Oven-Fried Chicken

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

This is the way that I cooked chicken when you children were growing up, instead of cooking it on the stove-top.  I'm sure you must have healthier recipes now but, after all, one request was that I post family recipes that we used.  Perhaps, you can modify them if you're interested in doing so.

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter or margarine (1/2 stick)

1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix  (this is a Bisquick recipe)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 1/2 - to 3-lb. broiler-fryer chicken, cut up

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Melt shortening and butter in oven in oblong pan, 13x9x2 inches.  Blend 1/2 cup baking mix, the salt, paprika and pepper; coat chicken pieces.  Place chicken skin side down in shortening mixture.  (For an easy way to coat chicken, shake several pieces at a time with the Bisquick mixture in a plastic or paper bag.)
2. Bake uncovered 35 minutes.  Turn chicken and bake 15 minutes longer or until it's done.  (After cooking, I usually drained the chicken pieces on paper towel to absorb some of the oil.  Sometimes, I used pan drippings to make gravy for mashed potatoes.)

  

Sweet-Potato Wedges

Dad and I did these for dinner this evening and they were really good.  He tossed everything in a bowl to make sure the wedges were well coated and then put them on the rimmed baking sheet.  We didn't have (or couldn't find) the crushed red pepper so he used some chipotle powder instead.  I'm sure we'll try various seasonings in the future just to see what we like in addition to the ones listed here.  For us, this recipe is definitely a keeper.

Crock-Pot Chicken

"Chicken In A Pot"

 

 

Joannarequested a recipe for the Crock-Pot chicken that Dad and I used tomake as you children were growing up, so here it is.

2 carrots, sliced

2 onions sliced

2 celery stalks with leaves, cut in 1-inch pieces

3 pound broiler/fryer chicken

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon course black pepper

½ cup water or chicken broth

½teaspoon basil

Putcarrots, onion and celery in bottom of Crock-Pot. Add whole chicken. Top with salt, pepper, liquid. Sprinkle basil over top. Cover,cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 3 ½ to 5 hours, using 1 cup water). Remove chicken and vegetables with spatula. 4 servings

Cal:252 Fat: 13 g. Carb: 8 g.

I'msure the “4 servings” refers to adult portions. This recipe wasin the little booklet that came with our first Crock-Pot, a 2 or 3quart one that we bought while living in Yakima. Therefore, in ourfamily, it dates back to Joanna's early childhood. As you mayremember, we served it with rice, putting the broth from cooking overthe rice and sometimes even thickening the broth to make it more likea gravy, thereby feeding the entire family with this one recipe.

• Over the years, we bought a larger Crock-Pot and added more vegetables to feed our growing family. We experimented with various herbs and seasonings, usually paired up with our home-canned tomatoes. After moving to Maryland, I no longer home-canned tomatoes because case-lot goods (Costco was in business by then.) were so readily available and less expensive. Also, Dad no longer grew a big garden. With a smaller back yard, we grew kids instead!
• We replaced the home-canned tomatoes with store-bought stewed tomatoes. Nowadays, we can buy canned tomatoes that are seasoned in a variety of ways and enjoy using those. Since we have a plentiful supply of rosemary growing in our back yard, Dad often uses that in cooking.
• Another variation that Dad does is pouring a bottle of sweet barbeque sauce over the chicken for the cooking liquid.

Thereyou have it! The name of the game is “Experiment to suit your owntaste and family size.”