Aunt Darlene's Pineapple Upside Down Cake

There is no better dessert to serve on a day we are supposed to give thanks than this recipe. I loved my Aunt Darlene. She was a strong-willed woman. No beating around the bush, a devout Christian, sweet, loving and intelligent with a fabulous sense of humor. In addition, she was a great cook and this is one of my favorite recipes. My cousin Debra had to give this recipe to me twice (I lost the first one) but the second one she sent has a permanant home in my most prized recipes book.

This is what you will need:

1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 can pineapple, sliced (reserve the juice to replace the water in the cake mix)
Marachino cherries
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/3 cup (pineapple juice from the canned pineapple and enough water to equal)

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet and sprinkle with the brown sugar, add the pineapple and a marachino cherry in the pineapple hole. Cover with chopped pecans or walnuts (I use pecans).

Now mix the yellow cake mix according to directions. 1 pkg. Yellow cake mix, 3 eggs, 1 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup oil. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour over the top of the pineapple/nut mix and bake for 1 hour at 350 or until set.

Once done, let sit until semi-cool (about 10 minutes). Use a butter knife and go around the edge of the skillet. Invert on a serving dish.

Today, Thanksgiving Day 2011, I am giving thanks for the strong women in my life...my grandmothers, aunts, mother, and cousins.

Lois Henderson's Lentils and Rice

I love to share healthy recipes that actually taste good and leaves us asking for seconds. This is the case with Lois Henderson's Lentils and Rice. The cumin gives this dish a real flair.

1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup white rice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp red pepper

In a large pan, saute the onions in oil.
In another sauce pan, boil lentils in 4
cups water for 20 minutes. Add lentils,
rice and seasonings to the onions.
Simmer for another 20 minutes and serve.

Thanks Lois for sharing your recipe with us!

Pizza!

There is absolutely NOTHING I love more than homemade pizza. The act of making the dough, kneading, resting, kneading. Making the sauce, chopping the ingredients and placing them on the crust as if they were art. Letting the final production rest for a few minutes before serving....Without exception, every pizza I have ever served the hunky hubby he exclaims that it is the best pizza he has ever had. HA! I hope to have the same reviews tonight.
I am trying very hard to be carb-conscious. I've made this almost flourless pizza crust before and remember it to be very good or else I would not have included it in my "permanant" cookbook. I am only sorry that I don't have a name to attach the credits to. Please know that I don't take credit for this recipe but can vouch for it's yumminess.

Zucchini Crust Pizza

A normal pizza on top, and a beautiful zucchini, egg and cheese crust, with flecks of green and a slight crunch. The herbs in the crust really add an extra surprise. Who knew that pizza crust could actually be healthy as well as non-fattening?

3 1/2 cups coarsely grated zuchinni
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup flour (you can use rice flour or other gluten-free binding)
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 TBSP fresh basil, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Salt the zucchini lightly and let it sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out the water that comes off. Combine all ingredients, spread onto a sprayed pizza pan, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Spray the top with nonfat cooking spray and broil under moderate heat for 5 minutes until browned. You're going for a crispy crust.

Assemble the pizza as you normally would. (See my recipe for Flying Pie Pizza Sauce---it is the best and will freeze well). We are topping ours tonight with Turkey Pepperoni, Canadian bacon, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese and black olives. Bake your pizza for 25 minutes at 350.