We have come so quickly to the middle of January, 1/24th of the way through 2020. And to begin today we will call on "N" - as he or she chooses to be Nameless. "I have a question. I bake cakes and pies for anyone. My special is coconut cakes with Seven Minute Icing, and I bake buttermilk pies too. But sometimes my crust comes to the top. Can you tell me why? I baked two pecan pies for Christmas, and they were terrible. Do I need to prick my crust with a fork before I put my filling in?"
It's a shopping question that got A.S. to the mailbox. "Has anybody had any luck with mail-order groceries or local pickup of groceries? I would like to try these methods as I tend to go in a store with a list and then I buy too many things that I see that weren't on my list."
You will note in the first recipe below, from Lynne Kyle, a recipe for a monkey bread made with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend. That brings the question, "What sugar substitutes are interchangeable in making baked goods?" Please answer, you experts - though in this one a specific brown sugar blend may not have a substitute.
And finally, a Dinner Table Companion wants a menu for taking easily to someone else's house to share - a whole meal.
MONKEY BREAD
Thank you to Lynne Kyle for sending an assortment of Splenda recipes from "Breads and Breakfast." This recipe uses Splenda's Brown Sugar Blend.
Cinnamon-Pecan Monkey Bread
Topping:
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans in bottom of pan; set aside.
Combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar blend and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until blended. Pour mixture over pecans. Set aside.
Bread:
1/3 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 (3-pound) package frozen roll dough, thawed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar blend and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
Cut each roll into half; dip tops of balls into melted butter and then into brown sugar blend mixture. Place in prepared pan. (At this point Monkey Bread may be covered and stored in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, or proceed as directed.) Cover, and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 50 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Heat oven to 350 degrees about 10 minutes before baking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack. Serve warm. Makes 18 servings.
PRIZED CASSEROLES
Rosemary Dunbar found the following Mount Vernon treasures in her recipe file. "I have enjoyed these for many years. I'm certain that I got the squash recipe from Mount Vernon Restaurant. Notice the cooking directions and the lack of mention of salt, pepper and sugar in the list of ingredients. I'm not positive about the broccoli one, but my recipe card says 'Mount Vernon.'
"These directions fit a 7- by 11-inch casserole dish."
(And here I assume that the chopped onion should be chopped pretty fine, since it is not cooked in advance of adding to the squash. - JH)
Baked Yellow Squash
3 pounds (6 cups) squash
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
A little sugar to taste
Melted butter
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
Wash, but don't peel squash. Cut into small pieces. Cook in salted water until tender. Don't overcook. Drain well. Pour into baking dish. Add butter, salt, pepper and onion to squash.
In a bowl combine milk, eggs and cheese. Mix well with squash. Sweeten to taste. Top with melted butter and cracker crumbs. Bake 20 minutes at 450 degrees.
Broccoli Casserole
1 (10-ounce) package frozen broccoli (don't add salt)
1/2 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup grated sharp cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellmann's)
1 tablespoon grated onion
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup cheese cracker crumbs
Cook broccoli according to directions on package. Drain well. Combine all ingredients except cracker crumbs. Blend well with broccoli. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Can be made day before, but do not add cracker crumbs until time to bake.
BUTTERSCOTCH PIE
Clifford Burdette answered in short order the request for butterscotch pie.
No-Bake Butterscotch Pie
1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 (3.4-ounce) boxes instant butterscotch pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
12 ounces Cool Whip
Butterscotch sundae topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until well combined.
Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate using the bottom of a measuring cup.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mixes and milk for 2 minutes until thick.
Pour half of the pudding into the crust, and spread to evenly cover the bottom.
Fold half of the Cool Whip into the remaining pudding, and pour over crust.
Spread remaining Cool Whip over the crust evenly. Top with Butterscotch sundae topping or sauce and pecans if desired.
Chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days before serving.
INTERGENERATIONAL KITCHENS
Company is coming to our house tomorrow night. What to serve? Something easy and filling, I thought. And there in the supermarket with me was an 18-year-old granddaughter, who happens to have a fine pasta recipe that includes lemon zest, canned tomatoes, fresh torn spinach and cooked broccoli. Would she prepare it for the guests?
Why, yes, she would.
How good it is to pass the responsibility onto the next generation and to the youthful next. It's going to be tasty; I just know it.
What has your family passed down to you? What are you passing on from your family?
Come back next week and tell us about it, please.
REQUESTS
* Solutions to floating pie crusts
* Grocery delivery options
* Sugar substitutes for baking
* Totable meals
Jane HenegarTO REACH US
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.
Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Email: chattfare@gmail.com