Grandma Betty's Picnic Cake

My mom made this cake often when our family went on one of our frequent picnics in the mountains. The term picnic cake appears to refer to any cake without frosting since it can transport so easily. In this case the topping of brown sugar, walnuts, and chocolate chips makes a frosting completely unnecessary. This is a plus as far as I'm concerned.

My mom's recipe came from her gas company, Mountain Fuel Supply which along with many natural gas supply companies of the 20th century employed "home economists" to create and test recipes for their customers. When the transition was made from wood burning stoves to gas, some cooks found the change difficult so these specialists were originally hired to help them. They did much to educate the public on how to cook before the job was taken over by celebrity cooks. Of course, the point was to acquire more customers and encourage them to use more natural gas, just like a recipe on the back of an oatmeal box or a cocoa container exists to increase consumption. The original recipe even instructs cooks to bake it in a gas oven! 

 

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Grandma Betty's Picnic Cake

Source: a recipe Betty found at her local gas utility (Mountain Fuel Supply Co.), attributed to Jeanne Fenton, a home economist at the company
Makes a 9X13 pan

Changes for my altitude of nearly 5,000 feet:
baking soda with soaking dates--3/4 teas
subtract 2 T sugar
total of 1 7/8 c flour (or 1 3/4 plus 2 T)
baking soda with dry ingredients--1/2 teas
1 teas of vanilla

The following is the recipe as it appears on the dog-eared handout left in my mom's recipe box. I'm not sure if this recipe will work at sea level since I only remember it being baked at about 4500.

1 c finely chopped dates

1 1/2 c boiling water
1 teas baking soda

1 c sugar
1/2 c softened butter, softened
2 beaten large eggs
1/2 teas vanilla
1 1/2 c plus 3 T flour
1 teas cinnamon
1/2 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt

for the topping:

3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c chocolate chips, semi sweet or dark
3/4 c chopped walnuts (or whatever nuts you have)

Pour the boiling water over the dates and baking soda and stir. Allow to cool and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9X13 pan or two 8X8 pans with oil and flour. 

Cream the butter and the sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs and the vanilla mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture alternating with the dates and the soaking liquid.

Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter. You can either sprinkle each ingredient separately or you can mix them together and then sprinkle. I will choose the method that makes the fewest dishes to wash.

Place the pan into the oven and bake for around 40 minutes. Cool and serve.

Note on altitude: 

Altitudes kept me from cooking this recipe for a long time. Even though my mom's altitude was only 500 feet different than mine currently, I had to make adjustments for success. Most of the time 500 feet doesn't make much difference. I can't quite figure this out and wish I could visit several altitudes and test the cake. The fact that the original recipe has an odd addition of 3 T flour leads me to believe that test cooks used a sea level recipe and added the extra to adjust the recipe for a higher altitude. Wish I could find Jeanne Fenton and ask her. 

Uncle Sam's Cincinnati Five-way Chili (Skyline-style)

Here's a yummy and hearty recipe from my brother and Betsy's uncle.  

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Cincinnati Five-way Chili (Skyline-style)
guest post by Uncle Sam

Souce: a pamphlet from the American Heart Association years ago

Serves: About three

Ingredients:

1 lb. hamburger (lean for healthy, fatty for tasty)

2 medium onions, diced (one onion to cook, one to serve raw as a garnish)

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teas chili powder (or 1/2 teas red chile flakes) 

1/2 teas ground cumin

1/2 teas ground cinnamon

1/4 teas ground allspice 

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz. can, NOT drained)

1 can kidney beans (14 oz. can, drained and rinsed)

3 T apple cider vinegar

2 T (heaping) semisweet chocolate chips

Grated cheddar cheese (as a garnish)

1/3 lb. spaghetti 

Brown the hamburger and sweat about half of the diced onions in a large pot. Bloom the minced garlic (heat directly against a cleared portion of the inner surface of the pot) for about two minutes. Bloom the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and allspice in the pot for about one minute. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, vinegar, and chocolate chips. Simmer (the longer the better, all day if you have time, adding water if necessary). Cook the spaghetti to al dente in a separate pot about 15 minutes before serving. 

Serve in bowls, placing the chili directly on top of the spaghetti. Garnish with diced raw onions and grated cheddar cheese.

Note: the proportions of beef and bean can be  modified (if you don't have enough beef, use another can of beans). 

Pecan Bars

I've been a long-time fan of pecan pie but I may come to prefer the buttery, nutty flavor of these bars, especially once I detach myself from the sentiment resulting from years of gooey, oversweet pies at holiday meals.

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Pecan Bars

Source:  Cook's Illustrated

Makes a 9X13 pan, about 24 bars

High altitude (4300-5300 ft) advice:  Check to see if bars are done at least 5 minutes before the recommended time. Mine were rather like hard butterscotch on the edges and they were baked for the lower amount of  time. 

For the crust:

8 T unsalted butter, melted

6 T granulated sugar

1/2 teas salt

1 3/4 c AP flour

For the topping:

3/4 c packed light brown sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

7 T unsalted butter, melted and hot

1 teas vanilla extract

1/2 teas salt

4 c (1 pd) pecan halves, toasted

1/2 teas flake sea salt (optional)

First toast the pecans. Recipe authors recommend you don't use pecan pieces.  If you can't find halves or can't go shopping use what you have (you could even use walnuts.) I had on hand New Mexico-grown pecans which come in rough quarter pieces and I used about half a cup less since I was afraid the butter mix wouldn't cover everything.

Make the crust:

Place the oven rack on the lowest position and preheat to 350F. Prepare a 9X13 pan by making a foil sling, generously lining your pan with foil and leaving extra over the narrow sides for removing the cooled bars. Push the foil into the corners as fully as you can without tearing it. Spray lightly with cooking oil spray. 

To save on clean up, melt the butter in a medium glass bowl in a microwave. Mix in the salt and granulated sugar; stir, and then mix in the flour and stir until a dough forms. (If you prefer to melt your butter outside of the microwave, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl of any kind and pour the butter over.) You will likely need to use your hands to get the flour to mix in completely. It is ready when you squeeze a little of the dough in your hand and it remains in place and no streaks of flour remain. Take rough walnut size pieces of the dough and place over the bottom of the prepared pan. Press them together using your fingertips and palms. Smooth the dough as well and as evenly as you can. It's best not to have holes. 

Make the topping:

Wipe out the bowl you've already used with a paper towel and add the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together for about 20 seconds; at first it will look like is won't come together but keep stirring. Fold in the pecans until nuts are all coated evenly.

Use a spatula to pour the nut mixture over the crust; it will be easier if you pour some near the corners. Spread it evenly over the crust and lightly push some nuts into each corner and to all edges. The recipe authors said there might be inconsequential bare patches but I had no problem with this. Place in the oven  and bake until the topping is even over the top and is rapidly bubbling over the entire surface, 23-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 90 minutes. This may be hard to do but let them sit at least an hour so you can get them out of the pan. More importantly, let them cool so you don't end up with what my dentist calls "pizza palate."

Lemon Dijon Green Beans

Most summers I grow more green beans than I can eat and then I don't eat them again until the next summer. Because this recipe doesn't take too long, it fits nicely into my rotation so I don't get bored dealing with the overabundance.

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Lemon Dijon Green Beans

This dish is meant to be eaten at room temperature or cool. But I'm sure you could eat it hot.
 

Source:  Food Network Canada

Serves 2-3

1/2 lb green beans, ends trimmed (or use yellow wax beans or dragon tongue beans)

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 T Dijon mustard

1/4 teas salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teas agave nectar

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

1 teas chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 T fresh parsley or dill)

Cook beans in boiling salted water for 5 minutes or so until crisp-tender. Drain the water and shock the beans with cold water.

Mix together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, agave, and garlic in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in while continuing to whisk it all together. Stir in the tarragon and toss this mixture with the beans. Serve immediately or reheat in the microwave if you prefer to eat the beans warm.

Peach and Celery Salad with Pistachios

I had hoped to sneak one more peach recipe in before it became time for pumpkin and winter squash recipes. Didn't make it. However, there is always next year. Just don't forget;  this unusual combination of ingredients works very well together. 

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Peach and Celery Salad with Pistachios

Adapted from: Cooking Light

Serves 3-4

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 teas kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 teas freshly ground black pepper

3 c diagonally sliced celery

3 c sliced peaches

3 c baby arugula

1/4 c basil, cut in chiffonade (thin slices)

1/4 c chopped salted pistachios

Whisks the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the bottom of a medium sized bowl. Add the celery and stir to make sure celery is completely coated. Gently stir in the peaches and arugula. With another gentle stir, add the basil. Top with the pistachios and serve.

Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Here's one more yummy peach recipe while it's still fall. Although very tasty, the peach butter definitely gilds the lily but it does add extra peach flavor (and will use up peaches if you have that need--how I wish I had that problem this year).

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Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Source: Washington Post 

Yield: about 20

4-5 fresh peaches, preferably ripe

4 c flour, you can use some wheat flour if you like

2/3 c packed dark brown sugar

1 teas kosher salt

2 T baking powder

1 teas baking soda

1/4 teas ground allspice

2 large eggs

2 c regular or low-fat sour cream (no nonfat sour cream here)

1/2 c vegetable oil

sugar for sprinkling--Swedish pearl sugar, or demerara, something that won't melt while baking is best

Peach Butter

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 teas kosher salt

1/2 teas ground cinnamon

1/4 teas ground cardamom

1/4 teas vanilla extract

1 teas maple syrup (optional)

Set your oven to 400F and preheat. Place paper baking cups in standard size muffin pans. If you have only one pan, you can bake the extra batter after the first batch comes out of the oven.

Remove pits from the peaches. You may peel them if you like but it isn't necessary. Cut the peaches into half inch chunks, or chop to that size, although you'll likely have less uniform bits. Save one generous cup of chopped peaches for the butter, if you are going to make it. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and allspice. Move mixture to the sides of the bowl to make a well.

Mix together the eggs, sour cream and oil in a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl, and pour into the well. Stir until just moistened, forming a lumpy, rather firm batter. 

Use a large ice cream scoop or a measuring cup to fill the paper baking cups, filling them to the top or mounding the batter slightly. Sprinkle with the sugar of your choice and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

In the meantime make the peach butter, if desired:

Place all ingredients except maple syrup in a mini food processor, or use a stick blender in a bowl. Puree all together until mostly smooth. Taste the butter and if you want it a bit sweeter, add some of the maple syrup.

When the muffins are finished (use a toothpick to test that there is no wet batter) place them on a cooling rack using tongs. If you used only one muffin tin, divide the remaining batter among paper cups, sprinkle with sugar, and bake the rest.

Serve the muffins while warm with the butter if you made it.

Peach Poundcake

I know it's October, but it is still firmly harvest season for me, and I'm nursing a few more peach desserts out of the quarter bushel of peaches slowly going bad in my fridge. Here was a decadent one I tried recently. The simple peach glaze on this cake is out of this world. Judging from the picture on the original recipe, I need to make more of it next time. 

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Peach Poundcake

Source: New York Times Cooking 

Yield: one 9X5 cake

The recipe specifies red-hued peaches. The bolder the color of the peaches you use, the more blush will color the glaze will have. However, if you are bothered by tiny flecks of skin you can peel the peaches. Don't let current shopping difficulties keep you from trying this cake. You can even use frozen peaches.

To bake at altitudes around 5000 feet, make these changes:

add 2 1/2 T flour

remove 1 1/2 T granulated sugar

1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled to room temperature, plus more for the pan

2 1/2 c all purpose flour, plus more for the pan

3 medium, ripe, red-hued peaches (about a pound)

1 T fresh lemon juice

3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, beaten

1 1/2 teas vanilla extract

1 c unsifted confectioners' sugar, plus more as needed

1 1/2 c granulated sugar

2 1/2 teas baking powder

3/4 teas kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare a 9X5 loaf pan by lightly buttering and flouring it.

Dice 1 peach into 1/3-inch pieces. Use a paper towel to pat them dry and set them aside. 

Place the remaining 2 peaches and the lemon juice in a food processor or blender and purée them by running on high. Place 1 level cup of the purée into a mixing bowl followed by the butter, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Combine with a whisk.

Scrape down the sides of the processor or blender and make the icing with the remaining peach purée. Add  1 c confectioners' sugar to the purée and blend on high until well mixed. The glaze should be thick but a consistency that can be drizzled. To adjust add more sugar or water. Set aside, covered, until time to glaze the cake.

Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the peach mixture to the flour mixture and whisk or stir well until well combined. Fold in the diced peaches. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use the spatula to even out the top of the cake. Move to the oven and bake until the cake is crusty and golden brown about 75-80 minutes. Text by inserting a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven. After 10 minutes cooling in the pan invert the cake and carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack . 

While the cake is still warm, stir the icing one more time and spread or drizzle it over the top of the cake. Allow the extra to drizzle down the sides. 

Completely cool the cake and slice and serve. You can gild the lily by serving with peaches and cream.

Tightly wrap the leftovers and store on the counter for no more than 3 days if it makes it that long.