Bacon-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

As you can see, there are two Bacon-Pineapple Upside-Down cakes on this photo; don't be fooled, on the left, is the page of the Food Network magazine, and on the right is my actual cake! I must say, I have never...well, almost never made a cake the turned out almost identical as the picture from a magazine or book...and I'm also proud to share the 'source' where the recipe comes from originally. Most food blogger...and I do say MOST are not willing to share the source of their recipes even if they adapted it from a source...which is even better because you get to take your own 'twist' on it, and share that as well.

Although in the 1970's we all just wrote down on little index cards recipes that we exchanged with one-another, and who knew where they originated from...some of them were 'hand-me-downs' and some were clippings from magazines, but virtually no one knew the actual source! In the 90's, when I got my first computer in 1995 and had the Windows 95, my neighbor, who was more advanced with computer knowledge even a few years prior, suggested that I should type up all my hand written recipes and create a file where I could easily find them. I spent hours and hours typing (good thing I took typing in high school) ...so I didn't have to peck with my index finger...lol!

Well, since then I got rid of most of my handwritten recipes...and I kind of feel bad about that!

Fast forward, here we are in 2014 with some pretty advanced cameras, and we are not only blogging about food, but taking some amazing food photos, as well! I do admit one thing, the only way we can mention that our recipes are original...and I do mean original creation, is that from memory, remembering a certain 'staple dish' with the ingredients we already kept in our memories; but than, we just have to remember the measurements...that is how our mothers and grandmothers cooked...a pinch here, and a dash, or just 'eyeballing' the liquid measurements. When it came to baking...they would pull out an old ratty cookbook, or a yellowed piece of handwritten paper when it came to baking...am I correct, or not?

All I can tell you that this is the best Pineapple-Upside-Down Cake you've ever had in your life...that is, if you LOVE bacon like most of us do. Forget about the calories, the fat, and cholesterol, just for once, and splurge a little! I got so hooked on the bacon dish and dessert creations just from that Food Network magazine; the bacon issue, that I plan to study it well, to make more recipes from it!

Especially, when you can buy a package of a very good quality bacon, and get the 2nd package for FREE...you certainly have a bargain for sure! Our local Publix Supermarket always, but always has the 'buy one'...and 'get one free' of so many different products every week, that you'd be amazed how much you can save!

Bacon-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
recipe, courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 7 fresh pineapple rings (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes; remove to paper towels. Finely chop and set aside.
Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the skillet. Add 4 tablespoons butter and melt over low heat. Pour into a 9-inch-round cake pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter mixture.
Place a pineapple ring in the middle of the pan, then arrange the remaining rings around the outside, overlapping them slightly if necessary. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the chopped bacon in the middle of the rings and between them.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the remaining 1 stick butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the batter is smooth, about 15 more seconds. Fold in the remaining chopped bacon.
Spread the batter over the pineapple in the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a platter. Let cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Always use the freshest and ripest pineapple you can find...these were already pre-cut into logs, and I sliced them about 1/2 inch slices.

Fry 6 slices of bacon in a large skillet, on medium heat, and lay them on paper towel to soak up the excess grease.

On top of the stove, add the light brow sugar, the butter, and reserved bacon fat and let the melt down. Swoosh the pan to smooth it out. ( I used a Le Creuset enameled large cast iron skillet..
('thrift find' from Goodwill) a few years ago, for $3.99...don't even try to find one in such perfect brand new condition today...and forget about the old price!

Lay the pineapple slices carefully over the brown sugar mixture...you can overlap them slightly if they don't fit right. (You can use a cast iron skillet, or a heavy duty skillet. Cake pan also works well, but you have to transfer the brown sugar mixture from the skillet that you melted the sugar in)

Chop the bacon really fine...chances are, you may have a small amount left over!

Fill the holes of the pineapple slices, and all the empty spaces around them.

With an electric hand mixer, or stand-up mixer, mix the cake ingredients according to the recipe!
With a rubber spatula, carefully spread the batter on top of the pineapple slices.

The batter should look smooth, and spread all the way to cover the pineapple pieces.

Here's the finished result...perfectly baked, golden brown. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes then with a dull knife loosen around the edges. Place a large platter over the top, and carefully turn it upside-down. Wait at least one hour before cutting it. ( my cake was done in about 50 minutes) May not need 1 hr. to bake according to your oven.

Just to refresh your memory, after one hour of resting the cake...can't wait to cut into it...and share!
Moist, delicious, sweet and savory...hope you will try this! xo

Spiced Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

Of all the recipes I would call my favorites...I still prefer, and love Cooking Light magazines, books, which now I only have only two books from 2007, and 2008 left. With all my collection from a decade of Cooking Light books that I collect from my 'thrift finds'...of course, they were practically all new, and purchased from Goodwill @ $2.49; like I mentioned, end of the book bargains. I re-donated so many books back to them, just don't want to pile them up to my collections. I have down-sized so much over the few years on just about everything.

When death occurs in the family, you have no other choice, but to give away things that you cannot keep...i.e. lack of storage, painful memories, and outdated items, so you donate, sell, or simply give it away. I can always tell someone passed away, when I walk into Goodwill...see beautiful furniture, dishes, glassware, matching coordinating sets, and think; wow! their children did not want any of these things and feel a bit of sadness...knowing we did the same things, and just keep certain items for 'rememberance' ...and ending up the same way!...now, I totally got off the subject of my most amazing, and ooey-goeey, light Cinnamon Rolls!


The best part of these yummy rolls are the addition of the (roasted, or cooked) squash. I used acorn squash. Simply bake it for 45 minutes...split in half, clean seeds out, cover with aluminum foil and bake on 400 degrees F. until soft when you prick, and test with a fork. Roasting the squash intensifies the sweet natural flavor.

In my opinion, its so much easier to get ideas from magazines...even if they are not your own...you simply copy the name of the recipe; the source, and date, and you can google it online. That's what I've been doing lately. While sitting in the waiting room at doctors' office, instead of tearing pages out...sneaking it in your purse, lol...or even worse; snagging it, knowing they have at least three more other issues...and even worse; taking it from your daughter, 'hint-hint'...who gets every cooking issue of SAVEUR (gift from me)...Bon Appetit (also a gift from me)...Cooking Light, and various other magazine, which she cannot part with...again, google online, and chances are you will find everything that you are searching for, and more!

 Spiced Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze
from: Cooking Light, Nov. 2011

Ingredients

Ingredients

• Rolls:
• 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 11.9 ounces bread flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 6.47 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1 cup mashed cooked delicata squash-(acorn squash works great)
•  (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons water
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• Glaze:
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup maple sugar or light brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar to intensify the deep dark color)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. To prepare rolls, combine the first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, and let stand for 10 minutes.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon bread flour and 5.63 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine bread flour, 5.63 ounces all-purpose flour, salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add yeast mixture, squash, and oil, and stir just until moist. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes), adding enough of the remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

3. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.










 (Gently press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll dough into a 20 x 12-inch rectangle. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl; spread mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Sprinkle evenly with nuts.
(I actually measured with a ruler, and cut the edges to leave just the 1/4 in. border. You can re-roll the scraps and leave it for kids to practice rolling)

 Roll the dough, jelly-roll fashion, starting with long side.

 Cut roll crosswise into 16 equal slices. Arrange rolls, cut sides up, in a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

4. Preheat oven to 375°.
5. Bake at 375° for 33 minutes or until brown. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack.


6. To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup water and maple sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter, half-and-half, and vanilla. Cool 5 minutes; drizzle over rolls.

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Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Focaccia

When it comes to baking breads, rolls, and other baked goods with yeast...I don't do much of that. I've been spoiled, growing up as a child with all the amazing homemade breads and and sweet pastries made by my mother, grandmother, and aunts. When my children were little, we still had my sweet Hungarian (aunt) Mariska néni who made all the wonderful treats for us, not just for the holidays, but every week something different. She is no longer with us but we still have the fond memories of all the yeasted treats she baked with so much 'pride and joy'...but seriously, we are the ones that was given so much joy and happiness. That's what home baking does; honest!

 

This is my favorite topping; paper thin sliced zucchini, and sweet-crunchy caramelized sliced onions. Focaccia and pizza dough is so easy to make, just pop the ingredients in the standing mixer with the dough hook and the machine does all the work for you. The only dry yeast I trust is RED STAR. It is fail-proof rapid-rising dry yeast...never have to worry about the dough not rising.

 

 

To make a single focaccia, you need at least 3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour. I highly recommend bread flour. Some recipes do not use olive oil in the dough, but I prefer to add olive oil in the dough, and brush some on the top...as well!

 

Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Focaccia

recipe by; Elisabeth

 

3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup of warm water

2 teaspoon RED STAR or your favorite rapid

rising yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

corn meal for dusting

 

Topping:

 

2 medium zucchini, sliced thin with mandolin slicer

1 medium onion, sliced into thin circles

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

 

In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand for 3 minutes until foam appears. Turn the mixer on low, and slowly add the flour to the bowl. Dissolve the salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture. Pour in the 1/4 cup olive oil. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine from time-to-time to scrape dough off the hook. Mix the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary. (I added another 1/2 cup more.)

 

Turn the dough onto a work surface and form into a round. Place in a large oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise on a draft-free place, until doubled in size, for about 45 minutes.

 

You could coat a baking sheet pan with olive oil, or just use a large parchment paper, and directly coat the parchment paper with corn meal. When dough is doubled in size, punch down the dough and turn directly onto the cornmeal lined parchment paper. Pat the dough into an oblong shape but do not force dough to make it thin. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for about 20 minutes so you can stretch it and shape it again. (In the meantime you could make the topping)

 

With your thumb, make indentations in the dough and brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. and pre-bake for about 10 minutes without the topping. Spoon topping over the pre-baked focaccia; don't worry about having neat slices if zucchini is paper thin. Finish baking for an additional 10 more minutes, until focaccia is light brown, and vegetables are caramelized.

 

For the topping: Use remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and in a large skillet sauté onion and garlic first... adding salt, pepper, and brown sugar. When onion mixture gets nice and caramelized add the thin zucchini slices and just mix all together...no need to cook zucchini; it will finish cooking in the last baking process. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Fresh Peach and Apple Crisp

Buying the most beautiful and perfect peaches deserves a photo 'prop'...don't you agree?
The reason that I'm featuring these gorgeous peaches is...we are in the midst of being able to get Georgia peaches here, in S. Florida and they are quite affordable at this time of the year, and also...organic as well.

Fruit crisps, are the easiest things are to make when you just want a quick dessert to serve with a scoop of ice cream, or just by itself...even, cold!

It looks like a 'ray of sunshine' all around the dish, made in my vintage pink Pyrex that used to belong to my mother from the sixties. I also have the matching bowl with it. Taking photos of it in the natural light with a 'ray of sunshine' also helps to feature this easy and yummy quick homemade dessert! The recipe is so very simple and easy, you just have to remember the basic equivalent measurement of everything ...except the butter.

I served this right out of the oven and the aroma with the apple, peach, cinnamon and brown sugar was totally incredible and intoxicating. Actually you have to wait at least 15 minutes for the fruit crisp to settle and the juices thicken as it cools, otherwise it gets so juicy...which is not a bad thing as long as the topping stays crunchy!

Topping it with your favorite ice cream really is scrumptious and heavenly!

After a few minutes, the ice cream starts to melt over the warm crisp and you'll also need a spoon with your for...better yet, just scoop up all the yummy goodness with your spoon!

Fresh Peach and Apple Crisp

recipe by; Elisabeth

1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
dash of salt
1/3 cup butter
zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 medium peaches peeled and sliced
3 medium apples peeled and sliced thin

In mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar (leave 1 Tbsp. sugar for mixing into the fruit.) Cut the butter into small pieces and crumble them into the flour and oats mixture. Set aside

In a large bowl, add the peeled, sliced peaches, the peeled slice apples, the grated lemon zest, the juice of the 1 lemon, and the 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Place fruit in a 10x6x2 inch baking dish, Sprinkle the flour mixture over the fruit, Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for about 45 minutes or until fruit liquid starts to bubble.
Serve warm over ice cream.

Here are some photos to share with you from this past weekend...

Linking to:Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner

sail boat on the beach...

view from our private beach...

view of the moon in the background...

at sunset, across the street on the Intracoastal water...

just down the street from me...

well manicured public lawn, and well kept trees...Palm Beach

Gabby taking photos...as well!