Coconut Cake

Makes 16 servings
Prep 30 min
Bake at 350 for 40 min

Cake:
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 cup sweetened flake coconut, finely chopped

Frosting and filling:
1 package (8 oz) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 box (16 oz) confectioners' sugar
 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
1 1/2 cups sweetened flake coconut

1- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper, and spray paper.
2- Cake: in large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3- In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a tie, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and coconut extracts; beat until combined.
4- On low speed, beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with coconut milk. Beat well after each addition. Fold in chopped coconut. Divide batter equally between prepared pans.
5- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove caked layers from pans and cool completely.
6- Frosting; in large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla . on low speed, beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
7- Trim cake layers level if crowned. Place on e cake layer on a plate. Spread top with preserves. Add remaining cake layer. Spread top and sides of cake with frosting. Remove skewers. Gently press shredded coconut into sides of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour before slicing.

Per serving: 550 calories, 29 g fat, 5 g protein, 72 carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 240 mg sodium, 87 mg cholesterol

Baked Pork Chops and Stuffing

Brown 4 Chops and place in baking dish

For Stuffing:

3 c. Soft bread crumbs

2 T. chopped onion

¼ c. melted butter

¼ c. water

¼ t sage

Mix together lightly and place a mound of stuffing on each chop. 

Blend together 1 can mushroom soup and 1 1/3 cups water and pour over. 

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Pork Chops and Mushroom Gravy

6 Bone in pork chops

1 can cream of mushroom soup.

Milk

Brown pork chops and cook until done.

Add mushroom soup and enough milk to make a good gravy consistency

This was Sherry’s requested birthday dinner and still a favorite meal. Simple and fast! Serve with potatoes, noodles, or rice

Bacon Fried Rice

1 1/3 c. long grain rice

2 1/3 c. cold water

Rinse rice. Drain. Bring to boil. Lower heat cover, simmer 20 min

½ lb bacon

3 eggs

4 T vegetable oil

4 T soy sauce

4 c. cooled rice

½ tsp salt

½ c. green onions

Cut bacon in ¼ in pieces. Fry. Drain well. Beat eggs., Scramble eggs using 1 T. oil Put aside on plate. Heat 3 T oil in clean skillet . add rice. Blend in soy sauce and salt. Add eggs and green onions. Mix and Serve.

Creamed Chicken

1 chicken, cubed
3 stalks celery
1 onion

1 can mush. soup (or chicken)
1 pint cream

2 1/2 c. broth
1/2 cube butter

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sage
3 T. flour

Boil chicken and vegetables until tender, and cube chicken in small pieces. Melt butter and stir in flour. Add this to the soup and cream and then into the both. (if celery and onion are large pieces, just remove) Return the chicken to pan and 1 pkg frozen peas with carrots, if desired. You might like to add thyme or/and pimento. You may even omit the soup. You can use creamed chicken on toast or hot buns or in large cream puff shells. I like to use it in frozen puff shells or timbal cases.

Hamburger Cheese Bake

By Karen McLeod

16 oz egg noodles

2 lbs ground beef

15 oz can tomato sauce

1 ½ T sugar

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp garlic salt, or fresh chopped garlic

2 c. creamy cottage cheese

2 (8oz) cream cheese

2 bunches green onions and tops sliced

1 medium green pepper diced

½ cup parmesan cheese

Cook noodles, drain. Fry beef, add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, garlic, pepper. Remove from heat. Combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, green pepper, green onions. Spread half the noodles in 9x13 pan. Moisten with some meat sauce. Cover with cheese mixture, top with noodles and rest of sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Bake covered at 375 for 45 min.

Note: this actually makes the 9x13 pan and another 8x8 pan almost

Barbara’s Pasta Primavera

by Barbara Pfaffroth

½ c. unsalted butter

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally in ¼ in slices

1 sm carrot, halved lengthwise and cut diagonally in 1/8 inch slices

½ c. chicken broth

Salt to taste

2 c. tiny frozen peas, thawed

1 lb. linguine, cooked and drained

1 med. Onion, chopped

½ lb mushrooms, sliced

 6 oz cauliflower florets

1 med, zucchini, cut ½ rounds

1 c. whipping cream

2 tsp dried basil (or less)

Freshly ground black pepper

5 green onions, chopped

1 c. freshly grated parmesan

Heat large skillet. Add butter, onion and garlic. Saute.about 2 min. Mix in the asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, zucchini and carrot. Stir fry about 2 min. (at this point, reserve a few of the veggies for garnish) Increase heat to high. Add cream. Stock and basil and allow mixture to boil until liquid is slightly reduce, about 5 min. Stir in peas and green onion and cook 1 min. more. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta and cheese, tossing and combining until heated through. Turn onto large serving platter and garnish with vegetables.