Tuesday, August 29, 2023


 Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

12 tablespoons (168 g) butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 large fresh eggs (100 g)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups (270 g) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

3-4 medium-sized super ripe bananas (450 g)

6 tablespoons (90 g) sour cream 

Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.  Combine the eggs and the vanilla extract together and slowly add to the creaming mixture, stopping to scrape mixer and sides of bowl to ensure proper mixing.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  In another bowl, mix together mashed bananas and sour cream. Mix well and scrape sides before adding half of the mashed banana and sour cream.  Add remaining dry mixture and mix until just combined.  Then add remaining banana/sour cream mixture.  Prepare pans--line with greased parchment paper or spray with Baker's Joy.  Portion into desired pans or muffin liners and bake immediately at 350 degrees F until it's done.  Time will depend on pan size used.  About 17 minutes for muffins, 25 minutes for cake pans, or 40 minutes for Bundt cake.  

Yield: 2 x 8-inch round cake layers, 24 cupcakes, one 13x9-inch cake, or one thin half-sheet layer

Frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting if desired:  Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting





Coconut Pineapple Cake with Pineapple Curd

I recently discovered the blog "Baking with Blondie."  Usually I am more interested in making cakes from scratch, but her recipes intrigued me!  Search for site for her sheet cakes--I love the style she uses to decorate a simple sheet cake!  This is another cake recipe I brought to Dad's birthday party.  Instead of making the cake a layer cake, I baked it in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and imitated her style of sheet cake decorating.  I found a pineapple curd recipe from a different site that I used to garnish the cake--and I thought it enhanced the flavor, so I am including that link as well.  

The pictures for the lemon bar sheet cake recipe and the Biscoff sheet cake recipe inspired my sheet cake version of the coconut pineapple cake.




Click here for cake recipe:  Coconut Pineapple Cake

Click here for pineapple curd recipe: Pineapple Curd


German Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is one of the cakes I brought to Dad's birthday party this past year.  I love this version of German chocolate cake.  It is very simple to make and tastes delicious!




Click here for the recipe:  German chocolate sheet cake

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Key Lime Coconut White Chocolate Chip Cookies

The flavors in this cookie are delicious -- coconut, lime, white chocolate.  And the coconut gives the cookies a chewy texture.


1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp lime extract OR 2 tablespoons key lime juice (the extract will have stronger lime flavor)
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons freshly grated key lime zest
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 10 oz package sweetened flaked coconut

To make cookie dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, lime extract (or lime juice) and vanilla.  Cream for 2 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the lime zest.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients.  Stop and scrape the bowl as needed.  Beat until the dry ingredients are fully moistened.

Mix in the white chocolate chips and coconut by hand.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

To bake:  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or a silpat.  Divide the dough using a 2 oz cookie scoop, leaving 3-inches apart to allow for spreading.  Bake for 11 - 14 minutes until lightly browned on the edges.

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Fresh Tortellini Au Gratin

 This recipe keeps being requested and so I thought I'd better post it here so, as my children spread their wings, they will always be able to find it.  :)

1/4 pound mild Italian sausage
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese-filled tortellini
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup canned diluted chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
l/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fine, dry breadcrumbs
11/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Sliced cherry tomatoes (optional)
Fresh basil sprigs (optional)

            Remove and discard casing from sausage. (I usually use the mild Italian sausage that is not in a "casing.")  Cook sausage and onion in a small skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble meat.  Drain well; set aside.

            Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding unpeeled cloves of garlic to water.  Drain well, reserving garlic.  Set tortellini aside; peel and crush garlic.  Combine garlic and whipping cream in a medium bowl; beat with a wire whisk until blended.  Add reserved sausage mixture, tortellini, chicken broth, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup minced parsley, basil, pimiento, and pepper; stir gently to combine.

            Place tortellini mixture in a 1-quart baking dish.  Combine breadcrumbs and remaining 2 tablespoons minced parsley; stir well.  Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over tortellini; dot with butter.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.  Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over breadcrumbs; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  If desired, garnish with cherry tomato slices and fresh basil sprigs. Yield: 4 servings.


Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Almond Poppyseed Muffins

 My children always call home and ask if this recipe made it into the Yancey reunion cookbook.  Somehow, it didn't.  Since I only have it written in pencil and that paper is practically ripped out of my cookbook, I thought I'd document it here.

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
2 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon almond extract

In a medium size bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir together.  

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add the yogurt and extract, beat well.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Stir until moistened thoroughly.  Divide batter into a greased muffin tin.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done (passes the toothpick test).  Makes 12 muffins.

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Cauliflower Casserole

 I really love eating my vegetables this way.  

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup red bell pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika (if  you want)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place 1 inch of water in a saucepan; add cauliflower.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer until crisp-tender, 5-10 minutes.  Drain off the water.

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, sour cream, cheddar cheese, cornflakes, peppers and salt.  Transfer to a greased 2-qt baking dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika.

Bake, uncovered, until heated through, 30-35 minutes.