Desserts - grace grits and gardening

Yum Yum Cake – old southern recipe!

October 9, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Keiser’s Kitchen Cookbook

Last week I decided I would begin making recipes from the Keiser’s Kitchen cookbook, a cookbook compiled in 1969 by the Keiser Elementary School PTA moms as a Halloween fundraiser. First up: the Yum Yum Cake, a recipe submitted by Cleo Woodard.

Mrs. Woodard was a friend of my Nana’s. They were both members of the Sunshine Club. Although I know zero about the Sunshine Club’s mission, I bet the ladies did selfless things for the area and took turns bringing amazing desserts (like the Yum Yum Cake) to eat while discussing issues of the day. I remember snippets about Mrs. Woodard mainly because my sister and I, along with several of our friends, took ballet lessons in her home from her daughter, Annelle.

That’s me on the far right side wearing green. My sister is on the opposite side wearing the matching outfit in orange. We always matched. Always.

My best friend, Anita, is standing beside me with the perfectly pointed toe. There’s more I could say about this picture, but I should get on to the recipe. It’s a keeper.

Yum Yum Cake

(One thing to note about this and many of the dishes in the Keiser’s Kitchen cookbook…recipes call for margarine or oleo. I never buy margarine, and I’m not sure what oleo is. I substituted unsalted butter 1:1 with no problem.)

Yum Yum Cake

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups crushed pineapple drained

Icing

1 cup sugar
1 stick margarine I used butter
1 small can Pet milk 5 oz
1 cup coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Method

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13" pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until it tests done in a 350 degree oven.
Ice while still warm.

Icing

Boil sugar, margarine and milk for two minutes (stir constantly).
Remove from heat. Add coconut, vanilla and pecans.
Pour over cake while still warm.

This cake lives up to its name. In fact, I think it should be called the Yum Yum Eat Em Up Cake. It tastes a bit like pineapple upside down cake. The icing makes it super moist and gooey. I’m pretty sure I said “yummmmmmmm” at least once while tasting it.

You will too.

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Rice Pineapple Tropical Pudding

September 11, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Before I get to my Rice Pineapple Tropical Pudding recipe, I want to tell you I spent the past few days with a group of phenomenal Arkansas Women Bloggers (and a couple of dudes) at our annual blogger conference. The entire event was outstanding and inspiring, and I’ll no doubt be blabbing about it for a while. Riceland Foods, one of the primary sponsors for our weekend conference, deserves a huge shout-out.

Riceland was sooooo generous, providing gift bags of rice, rice bran oil, recipes and on and on and on. I’m not kidding, y’all. Once I got back home I dedicated an entire pantry shelf to my Riceland goodies. See?

The fabulous ladies who planned the blogger conference asked me to provide a dish to share with the group, a dish highlighting Riceland Foods. Let me say right off, this Rice Pineapple Tropical Pudding recipe is simple, but making anything in a new (to me), poorly stocked kitchen (we are in the process of moving) was a foodie challenge.

This was my first cooking attempt in the new kitchen.

I only had one pot. Here it is.

I discovered rather quickly, three of my four burners have one flame temperature. HIGH. Still, I managed to make the rice, and it turned out perfectly.

And when you only have one pot? You wash it out repeatedly because the same pot is used to make whipping cream.

Can I just tell you how much I love my new deep sink?

I love my new deep sink!

making homemade whipped cream

I only had one bowl too. A large wooden salad bowl.

Even though I wagged my dish from home and stored it in the Embassy Suites refrigerator to be eaten TWO DAYS LATER(!), lots of folks asked for the recipe. So here it is. Simple, tasty, not too sweet and a great way to support Arkansas farmers. And we do love our Arkansas farmers, right?

Spooned into little cups so everyone could have a taste.

Rice Pineapple Pudding

This recipe will serve a crowd depending upon serving size.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

6 cups cooked white rice
4 cups chopped pineapple or 32 oz.
1 cup powdered sugar
4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups toasted coconut
1 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans

Method

Drain pineapple. Chop into smaller pieces so it isn't too chunky.
Mix pineapple, rice and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat together cream, vanilla and cinnamon to stiff peak stage.
Fold whipped cream into rice mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
Serve very cold topped with toasted coconut and almonds.

Doesn’t it look yummy?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

(Although Riceland Foods sponsored the blogger event, this recipe and opinions are all my own. I was not compensated for this post and made this recipe prior to receipt of all the rice goodies pictured above.)

Please watch this heart-warming Riceland Foods video. You will not be sorry (but have your tissues handy).

Martin Farm Story:

Molten Chocolate Cake. Oh my ganache!

April 24, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

(Eggs for this recipe were provided by Great Day Farms. All opinions are my own.)

This molten chocolate cake recipe comes with a warning: not to be shared with the chocolate lightweight. With one scoop of the spoon, the luscious chocolate center flows like Willie Wonka’s river. Serious chocolate here, people.

This recipe is courtesy of Sur la table cooking school, where I learned to make it (along with creme brûlée—BeStillMyHeart). Here’s my rule about cooking class recipes—if I can successfully repeat it at home, (and by successfully I mean it turns out the same), it’s a keeper. Plus, if the steps are easy and the ingredients basic, I consider it blog-able and too good not to share.

Chocolat-y heaven.

This one passed the test. I think you’ll agree!

Molten Chocolate Cake

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter plus melted butter for brushing
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 1 extra tablespoon all-purpose flour divided
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a silicon pastry brush, prepare the inside of four 6-ounce ramekins with melted butter.
In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon of the flour; dust the ramekins with the cocoa mixture, tapping out the excess. Transfer the ramekins to a sturdy baking sheet and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter with the chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar with the eggs and salt at medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, 3 minutes. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the melted chocolate until no streaks remain. Fold in the 1/4 cup of flour.
Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the tops are cracked but the centers are still slightly jiggly. Transfer the ramekins to a cooling rack for 5-8 minutes.
Run the tip of a small knife around each cake to loosen. Invert a small plate over each cake and, using potholders, invert again. Carefully lift off the ramekins. Dust the warm cakes with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately with optional whipped cream or ice cream.