Zucchini Pineapple Cake

I had to use up my frozen zucchini from last fall and a pineapple I had purchased. What better way to utilize both than my favorite cake. Just cut up pineapple and puree in a food processor.

I use walnuts sometimes instead of pecans which I did here. I also keep the icing separate and just dob it in the cake because it usually comes out too thin. I also make it in a 9×12 pan because that refrigerates better for me.

Zucchini Pineapple Cake

– for cake
2 cups zucchini — grated
3 large egg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins
15 ounces crushed pineapple — drained
– for frosting
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter — softened
8 ounces crushed pineapple — drained
16 ounces powdered sugar

Drain shredded zucchini. Beat eggs with sugar vanilla and oil.

Stir in grated zucchini.

Combine flour,baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Gradually add flour mixture to zucchini mixture mixing well.

Add nuts and raisins and pineapple.

Flour 3- 8 inch pans and pour in batter. Bake at 325 for 35 minutes

Cool to ice.
For icing mix all frosting ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour while cake bakes and cools.

Ice cake and keep refrigerated until served.

Source:
“Southern Living magazine June 1995 issue”

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Wordless In Virginia

A Pie?

Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and file’ gumbo
‘Cause tonight i’m gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun, well have big fun on the bayou

We had flooding last night in our area. The rain came down in buckets here.

I awoke to see our ponds filled to overflowing, and the creeks rushing like they were late for an appointment.

The dogs were carrying on in our driveway like a pack of wild animals. I am used to having the dogs act like that over a mud turtle that might have strayed from the ponds, or a poor rabbit that got in their way.

I was not prepared for what I saw when I checked out the commotion.

One of the biggest crawfish I had ever seen in these parts! It was snapping and trying to ward off the wild pack of enemies.

I ran to the house and got my old garden gloves to rescue the critter.How in the world the thing got so misplaced is a puzzle. I am sure the creeks could not flow into our driveway.

I placed it in a bucket to show hubby and take this picture. I am going to release it later into one of the creeks. It got me to thinking that I have never tasted crawfish, and didn’t even have a clue as to what that song was written about…Crawfish pie.

It would take a pound of these misplaced critters for one of those pies. Honestly I am glad I only have one.

I am sure I would try someone else’s “pie”, and here is someone elses recipe taken from About.com.

Crawfish Pie

* 1 med. to large onion
* 3 stalks of celery
* 6 to 8 cloves of garlic
* 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
* 1 can light or regular evaporated milk
* 1 pound of crawfish tails
* 5 tablespoons of cornstarch
* pie crust for 2-crust pie

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Sauté onions, celery and garlic in butter or olive oil. Add milk and soup; bring to medium boil. Add crawfish, bring to medium boil again then add corn starch. Lower heat and cook for another 10 minutes or until thick.
Grease pie shell w/butter and place pie shell in bottom of pan then add thickened mixture. Put on top shell and bake at 350°
for 20 minutes.

Chateau Morrisette Bike Ride

I hope everyone is enjoying the Memorial Day today!

Yesterday we and friends took a trip to this wonderful nearby winery for a tasting and lunch.
Chateau Morrisette

Several Bikers were also enjoying the trip. That is hubby on the right.

The winery

The Chateau is just off the Blueridge Parkway.

glass

inside winery

Waiting to start tasting

We had the chance to taste 10 of their wines, but I wish to highlight the ones I liked best.

2006 Merlot- Rich plum and cherry flavors
2007 Pinot Noir- Strawberry and cherry aromas with earthy tones
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon- Berry and dark cherry, also earthy
The Black Dog- Blend of Cabernet, Chambourcin, and Merlot -very smooth semi dry!
Our Dog Blue- The best selling white in the states of VA and NC right now. A semi sweet Riesling Blend.

After the wonderful tasting we enjoyed the buffet. They featured many items, but I chose the Prime Rib with green beans and potatoes.

Not a great pic. I tend to pile a buffet plate too high!

The food was wonderful as well as the tasting and we hope to return soon since it is a hop, skip, and jump from home for us.

I recommend you try if you ever get the chance.

Birthday Party

For my twin grandson’s Birthday Party this Memorial Day Weekend, I have been asked to bring my chocolate dipped strawberries, pineapple, and peanut butter crackers!

Mine are never perfect to look at..but boy do they taste good!

Of course the secret to great tasting dipped fruit is to have good ripe fruit. Even a wonderful chocolate can’t make hard unripe pinapple or strawberry taste good!

Happy Birthday Kingston and Xavier! Grandma loves you boys!

Ukrainian Radish Salad

I personally think there is nothing better in the world than taking and transforming garden vegetables from the dirt to the table.

I wanted to try something different with our radishes.

I found this radish salad that used some of our seasonal garden items. Spring onion, dill, and radish grace this salad. It makes a substitute for coleslaw.

I found this somewhere years ago on the net. Can’t remember where or I would give credit and I failed to note it. It had been adapted from Madhur Jaffreys World Vegetarian. I believe a dab of mustard might go well in there, although I haven’t tried to add it yet.

UKRAINIAN RADISH SALAD

2 c. thinly sliced radishes
2 scallions — cut into very fine
rounds
— (use both white &
green parts)
1 clove garlic — finely minced
3 T. fresh dill — finely chopped
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt (be generous)
1/4 t. cayenne
1 c. lite sour cream
1/4 t. paprika

Adapted from Madhur Jaffreys World Vegetarian.

In a bowl, toss the radishes, scallions, garlic, dill, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and cayenne. Mix well and then add the sour cream and paprika. Mix well again. Chill at least three hours before serving to let the flavors marry. The final outcome makes a nice alternative to coleslaw.

(makes 3-4 side dish servings)

Grilled Minted Salmon

Grilled Minted Salmon

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 Alaska salmon fillets (4 to 6
ounce each)

Blend together all ingredients, except salmon, in gallon size zip-lock plastic bag. Add salmon to marinade; turn several times to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour, turning salmon over after 30 minutes.

Grill salmon on oiled hot grill, turning once during cooking, about 6 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness. Do not overcook.

Garnish with fresh chopped mint to serve.

Spring on the Pond- derosa

So glad that spring has sprung here!

We have been harvesting lettuce, chive, onion, mint, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, arugula and radish.

lettuce mixture

lemon balm

chives

thyme

We planted new asparagus but it looks pretty pitiful the first year.

Imagine a 20 foot row of that! Ground needs working!

I so look forward to the growing season and hanging out at our old backyard fishing hole!

Fishing hole painting done with Photoscape! Cool free program!

Come back as the season progresses. We hope to have a lot more wonderful vegetables to show off.