Monday, May 28, 2012

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS
Cake Mix
2 1/4 cp Flour
1 1/2 cp Sugar
1/2 cp Butter
3/4 cp Milk
1/2 cp Crema Mexicana or Creme Fraiche 
3 Eggs
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tbls Pure Maple Syrup

Pineapple Topping
1/2 cp Butter
1 cp Brown Sugar
1 cp Crushed Pineapple
3/4 cp Sliced Almonds or Chopped Pecans (opt)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Grease a 10" spring form pan. May substitute a 9"x13" baking dish or 10" bundt pan.

Place all of the cake mix ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth with no lumps. Set aside. Mix pineapple topping ingredients in a medium sauce pan just until butter is melted. Pour half of the mixture into bottom of pan and spread evenly. Pour cake mix over pineapple mixture and bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Baking times will need to be adjusted depending on the pan size used and your own oven.

Continue to cook the rest of the pineapple mixture on stove top over medium heat until mixture bubbles and slightly thickens. Pour warm mixture over top of cake before serving.  May be served with ice cream. Make additional pineapple coating to pour over ice cream if desired.


Saturday, May 26, 2012

Bah to Basic Burgers!

Here are some ideas to liven up your next home-made burger.

BREADS
Hamburger Buns (Sesame Seed, Onion, Honey Wheat), Bagels, Sour Dough, French Roll, Ciabatta Roll, Bolillo, Jalapeño Cheddar Cheese Roll 

SPREADS 
Mayonaise, Ketchup, Mustard (yellow & brown),BBQ Sauce, Hot Sauce, Dressings (thousand Island, Bleu Cheese, Ranch, etc..), Pizza Sauce, Pickles, Relish, Salsa, Chipotle Mayo 

TOPPINGS
Sliced Tomatoes, Lettuce (Iceberg & Spinach), Avocados, Jalapeños, Pineapple Slices, Ortega Chilies, Sauteed Mushrooms, Roasted Peppers, Onion Rings, Bacon Slices, Ham, Fresh or Grilled Onion Slices (Red, White), Cole Slaw, Onion Shoe Strings, Apple Slices, Fried Egg 

CHEESE
Cheddar, Monterey or Pepper Jack, Swiss, Blue Cheese, Manchego, Brie, Provolone, Gouda, Queso Fresco 

SIDES
French or Sweet Potato Fries, Baked Beans, Chips, Onion Rings, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Fruit, Green Salad, Corn 

BEEF PATTY SUBS 
Ground Turkey, Chicken Breast, Veggie or Soy burgers, Seafood Patties (Fish, Shrimp, Crab), Portabello Mushroom & more