Michael’s Persimmon Fruitcake

Autumn brought the ripening of glorious orange persimmon fruits that make the base of this delicious cake.  Squishy, over-ripe persimmon pulp is scooped out of the skin and frozen in 2-cup recipe-ready containers. We use a family favorite recipe for Persimmon Cookies as the batter and add LOTS of dried fruits and nuts. The chopping and mixing is a big job, so get some help, a sturdy spatula and your biggest bowl to stir this up.  After baking, the dense loaf freezes well.  We’ll enjoy slices for breakfast for many weeks to come, and it is particularly good toasted and spread with butter.

 

 

 

PERSIMMON FRUITCAKE

1 cup shortening or butter

2 cups sugar

2 cups ripe persimmon pulp, mashed (or defrosted )

2 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

¼ to ½ cup water if needed to thin the batter

6 to 7 cups mixed dried fruit and nuts, chopped. We use:

                1 cup candied pineapple

                1 cup candied or dried cherries

                1 cup dried cranberries

                1 cup golden raisins

                1/2 cup dried dates

                2 cups walnuts

Chop all the dried fruit and nuts and set aside.  Prepare 3 loaf pans by greasing and lining with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  

In large electric mixer bowl, using the paddle attachment, beat shortening and sugar together until fluffy, then add persimmon pulp and eggs and beat well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then gradually add to batter. Beat just until combined.  Transfer batter to extra-large bowl and mix in the dried fruits and nuts by hand using a sturdy spatula. 

Divide batter into loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  Cakes may need extra baking time to be cooked in the center and will be very brown.  Cool completely before storing.  We divide the loaves in half, individually wrap and freeze.

Surf and Turf Celebrations

 

Baked Shrimp Scampi

                                                                …a Family Favorite Birthday Dinner !!

2 lbs. large shrimp (31-40 size or larger) de-veined, peeled, tail off and rinsed

1 large fresh tomato, diced (appx ½ cup)

1/4 cup white wine or dry marsala

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed (abt. 3 Tbsp.)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or substitute fresh young carrot tops)

4 Tbsp. (1/4 c.)  lemon juice

Zest of 1 small or ½ large lemon, micro-planed

2 Tbsp. capers

1-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. chili powder or chili flakes (optional)

1/4 tsp. mixed Italian herbs or pizza seasoning

Put cleaned, drained shrimp in a large baking dish.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the shrimp.   Bake in 375’ oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring the dish once halfway through the cooking time.   Serve scampi with pan juice over rice.   

And with grilled T-bone steaks.

Halo Sunshine

 

Halo Sunshine

Scones are a favorite breakfast item on our ranch, and these delicious orange-cranberry ones are a bite of sunshine.  This recipe uses "Haloes",  a brand of seedless mandarins grown in the central valley of California.  Any small orange will do, but you will want to remove all seeds and white pith.  Process the fruit, including the peels, in a food processor, using some of the sugar to help it move in the processor bowl.  The chunky puree may be frozen in small containers for future baking.   

Orange-Cranberry Scones                      makes 16-18 scones

1 small seedless “Halo” mandarin, tangerine or clementine

¾ cup sugar, divided

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 Tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. soft butter

1-1/4 cups dried “Craisins” cranberries

3 large eggs

½ cup milk, half-&-half, buttermilk, or heavy cream

¼ cup raw sugar (Turbinado or large-crystal decorative sugar)

1)      Prepare fruit: Wash but do not peel.  Cut into eighths and remove any seeds or excess pith.  Process in food processor, with ½ cup of the sugar, until finely chopped.  (Note: prepared fruit may be stored in freezer for future baking.)

         Preheat oven to 400’ and lightly grease a large baking sheet.

3)      In large bowl, whisk remaining sugar and dry ingredients together.  Cut in butter using pastry blender or two knives.

4)      Stir cranberries and prepared fruit into dry mix. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.

5)      Whisk eggs and milk together in a measuring cup, then pour into well in bowl. Stir with fork until just combined. Do not over-mix.

6)      Form scones using one of several methods:

a.       Scoop balls using ice-cream scoop and place on greased sheet, spacing 2” apart.

b.       Divide dough in half, and shape on a lightly-floured board into two flattened discs, 1” x 8”.  Cut each disc into 8 wedges and transfer to greased baking sheets.

c.       Form dough on board into a long, flattened log.  Cut at alternating angles to make triangles.  Transfer to greased baking sheets.

7)      Lightly brush tops of scones with small amount of additional cream, milk, water or egg-wash and top each with a generous sprinkle of raw sugar, using about ½ tsp. per scone.

8)      Bake at 400’ for 13 – 15 minutes until edges begin to be golden-brown and centers are set.

9)      Best served warm and fresh.

Happy New Year with Carrot-Orange Soup

Homegrown carrots store a long time in root-cellar conditions.  

Here's our favorite winter soup.  Happy New Year !

Carrot Orange Soup   

2-2.5 lbs. large carrots, peeled and cubed

1.5  large sweet onions, chopped

6 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder, with 8 cups water,  or use canned broth

1.5 cups orange juice

Optional:  Zest of ½ orange (micro-planed is best)

Approx. 2 tsp. seasoned salt with chili, or salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1)      Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot.  Add onions and cook over very low heat until tender, about 25 minutes.

2)      Add carrots with water and bouillon, or broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.

3)      Pour soup through a strainer and transfer solids to a food processor, blender or food mill.  Working in batches, and adding liquid stock as needed, process until smooth.

4)      Return the puree to the pot and add orange juice and zest.  Add additional stock until soup is of desired consistency.

5)      Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer until heated through and serve.

6)      Garnish as desired: delicious with a swirl of sour cream, tajin seasoning or parsley.

November 16, 2020

Sharing a family birthday cake favorite today:

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 c. evaporated milk

1 c . sugar 

3 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 c. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 c. flaked coconut, toasted

1 c. chopped pecans

Combine first 5 ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk, about 12 minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir in coconut & pecans.  Cool, beating occasionally, until spreading consistency. Refrigerate any leftovers.  Makes about 2-1/2 cups. 

Pirate's Grogg

Ahoy matey!  Speakin' o' birthdays, an since bloggin' bein' the finest way I be knowin' to capture my best recipes for posterity, I be offerin' up my recipe for Pirate's Grogg.  It be a fine punch for drinkin' on most of yer fancy-type occasions.  Add a bit o' dry ice for makin' a mystic roiling-boiling brew...and some plastic spiders to the punch bowl if you're a scurvy dog.  Aaaaargh!

 

 

We stirred up two vats of this brew down in the galley for our Pirate Murder Mystery Birthday Party last February when we celebrated Vincent and Kayleigh's birthdays.

 

 

Pirate's Grogg

 

2 large cans or 2 half-gallon cartons of Pineapple Juice

2 two-liter bottles of Ginger Ale

2/3 bottle of "La Paz" Lime Juice cocktail mixer

(or a large frozen limeade concentrate)

more or less

 

Mix ingredients in a 3 gallon dispenser.  Add ice.

 

Aaaaarrrrgh!

Double Digits

Carolina turned 10 years old recently and it was a fabulous 2-day celebration.  She thought about it for months and planned it down to a "T".

The 10th Birthday Party Plan

We had a her first ever "friends" party and rollerskating extravaganza which included a plethora of skaters with ages ranging from 50 (me) down to 4!

Kayleigh decorated the cake using our "double batch" recipe for Decorating Buttercream Icing.  This recipe originated in the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating classes I took over 20 years ago, after which I became a Wilton instructor at a local craft store.   More recently, I taught our older kids and their friends the skills of cake decorating and candy-making through our 4-H club.  Kayleigh practiced extensively and has become our family's official celebration cake baker and decorator.

Decorating Buttercream Frosting - "Double Batch"
(Makes 6 cups of medium consistency frosting - - -
Usually enough for both icing and decorating a family-sized cake)
2 lbs. powdered sugar (approx. 8 cups)
1 Tbsp. meringue powder
2 cups Crisco shortening
1 Tbsp. butter flavoring
1 Tbsp. clear vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp. salt
Sift powdered sugar and meringue powder together and set aside.  In a mixer bowl with flat paddle attachment, cream shortening with the flavorings.  Add salt to water then gradually add water to shortening, beating until all is well-creamed.  Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat well until smooth and well-mixed.  Remove half of batch to be used for decorating.  More powdered sugar may be added to a small portion if stiff frosting is required for roses and other stand-up decorations.  A bit more water may be added to a portion of the icing to make a thin consistency for writing.   Use the remaining half of frosting for icing the cake by beating in 1-3 tsp. more water (and food coloring, if desired) to make a thinner consistency for icing the cake.  Leftover frosting may be refrigerated or frozen and will keep a long time.

The next day, on Carolina's real birthday, we had a dinner party at home.  She requested that I make the casserole we call "Aubrey's Chicken Divan", which her cousin Aubrey prepared when we visited the Virginia family in 2009.  This creamy chicken and broccoli casserole has a mildly delightful curry spice twist.  A nice company entree' or meal ministry gift, this dish can be made ahead and refrigerated (but do not freeze) and keeps a good consistency when hot-holding.

Aubrey's Chicken Divan
(serves 6)
2 cups cooked diced chicken (boneless thighs or breast)
2 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed or briefly boiled (3-5 minutes) and drained
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, or shredded cheese blend
1 cup bread crumbs mixed with 3 Tbsp melted butter, or 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp. curry powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry and lemon juice to make a smooth sauce.  Grease a 2-quart deep baking dish and layer half of the chicken and broccoli in the bottom. Cover with half of the sauce and half of the cheese.  Repeat the layering.  Top with the breadcrumbs.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until heated through. 

Happy Birthday Carolina!