Happy Mother's Day!

Our Mother's Day tradition includes  a family dinner topped with a special dessert. Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake, topped with strawberries and vanilla ice cream is a perfect choice!


Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 8oz cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar,beating well at medium speed. Add cream cheese,beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs, beginnng and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

                                                                               
                                                                         
                                                       From our dairy farm family to you--

                                                              HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Celebrating Birthdays and Friendships

What do you give a friend for her December   birthday  who has everything and  tells you not to buy any birthday gift ?   Birthday cake seemed the perfect choice--not a purchased gift,nothing to dust but straight from the heart to celebrate a friend's special day!    Rave Reviews Coconut Cake is a great cake for any occasion and from past experience,  it's always a tasty treat for any celebration.

Rave Reviews Coconut Cake

1 package yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1 package (4 serving) Jello Brand Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 1/3 cup water
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 cups sweetened  coconut flakes
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Blend cake mix,pudding mix,water,eggs and oil in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for four minutes. Stir in coconut and nuts. Pour into three greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes,remove and cool on wire rack. Fill and top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sweetened  coconut flakes
1 package 8 oz. cream cheese
2 teaspoons milk
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet, add coconut,stirring constantly over low heat until golden brown. Spread coconut on paper towel to cool. Cream 2 tablespoons butter with cream cheese; add milk and beat in sugar gradually. Blend in vanilla. Sitr in 1 3/4 cups of the coconut. Spread frosting  on top of each layer,stack and ice top and sides. Sprinkle remaining coconut on top.

Rainy Day Dessert

With the promising prediction of rain this weekend, I think it's time to plan a rain party!  Rain dances haven't worked so maybe a rich and delicious  dessert will do the trick. 

4-Layer Dessert

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
1-cup flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1-Cool Whip
2 packages instant chocolate pudding
3 cups milk

1st Layer:
Blend butter,flour and pecans well and press into bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees and cool. (I baked about 15 minutes or until slightly brown on edges)

2nd Layer:
8 oz cream cheese(room temp) blended with  1 cup powdered sugar  and 1 cup Cool Whip.
Spread on 1st layer.

3rd Layer:
Blend 2 small packages instant chocolate pudding with 3 cups milk for 2 minutes. Spread over 2nd layer.

4th Layer:
Cover with rest of cool whip. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill for several hours. Cut into squares.

Options: you may substitute  lemon,butterscotch or coconut instant pudding

              

Double Dairy Dessert

Do you think of pumpkin pie as a dairy dessert? I'm saying yes because besides pumpkin, one of the main ingredients in the recipe I use is evaporated milk.  Evaporated milk is dehydrated milk made by removing sixty percent of the water,then homogenizing,canning and sterilizing for a shelf stable product.

Evaporated milk has been considered a staple ingredient for kitchens since developed in 1890 and was a great addition to kitchens before home refrigeration was common. Pet Milk was one of the first brands of evaporated milk in the United States and the one I remember in my own grandmother's kitchen.
Evaporated milk:

• can stand high temperatures without curdling.
• adds creaminess to thick sauces,puddings,and crockpot recipes.
• is good as a dipping liquid for breading meats,fish,or poultry.
• can be whipped but will collapse quickly.
• if using as a fresh milk substitution, you may need to reduce the sugar in the recipe.
• can be substituted in equal amounts for cream or half and half.
•  can be substituted  for 1 cup milk=1/2 cup evaporated milk+1/2 cup water.

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15oz) pure pumpkin

1 can(12fl.oz) evaporated milk

1 unbaked 9-in deep-dish pie shell

Mix sugar,salt,cinnamon,ginger and cloves in small bowl.Beat eggs in large bowl.Stir in pumpkin and sugar spice mixture. Gradually stir  in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees;bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.Serve immediately or refrigerate.

When you add that spoonful of whipped cream or ice cream to the piece of pumpkin pie, I consider that a double dairy dessert!