At least...

No one has asked for this at my house (from crankyprof)

Welcome to summer

Yes, today is Memorial Day and the official start of summer. Here in our neck of the woods, it's been rainy and cloudy. Nevertheless, the lines have formed down the street at Jefferson Barracks and since it's so close to the police station, they're actually out directing traffic.

At my house, I've officially got the bike out for the first time this year. I'm going to use it as transportation tomorrow while the Swedish silver bullet goes in for maintenance. (I'm just hoping it doesn't rain while I'm out!)

I even baked a couple of these cheesecakes. I decorated them with blueberries and strawberries and one tub of Light Cool Whip.

Here are a few items to ponder on this holiday from my meanderings on the web today.

History.com has lots of information on this holiday.

See lots of information on today's holiday at usmemorialday.org

Barefoot in the park? Watch your step (from http://www.nytimes.com/)

It's not holiday related, but happycatholic's always good for an off-the-wall joke (this one with Forrest Gump).

A quick batch of pot luck cakes

Here's the scenario:

I get home from the grocery store, put everything away, and at 1800, Hubby tells me he needs something for the pot luck dinner at work. Another important thing...make sure it doesn't have to be refrigerated, since that will probably be full of other important stuff.

Hmm...I ask him about what to bring, and thankfully, this site does not assign dishes by last name or anything, so I head to the cookbook and cabinet to see what happens. Since I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to make an upside down cake.

The recipe below for yellow cake comes from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 2000. I use this cookbook frequently because it has a nice form factor (is small and fits on the shelf I want it on in the kitchen) and it has a lot of fairly basic recipes you can build on easily.

Note: there is a pineapple upside down recipe in this book on page 137, but I use the Yellow Cake one instead for a couple of reasons--it makes two cakes from one batch.

Yellow cake pineapple upside down

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (optional)

Note: this cake above will produce enough batter for two cakes (9 inch round cake pans)

Topping

NOTE: items below are per cake--double ingredients below (by type) if making two upside down cakes!

pineapple upside down
1 can pineapple slices
8-10 maraschino cherries (I use 8 --one whole one in the center of each pineapple ring)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar

or variation--
apricot upside down
2-15 oz. cans apricot halves
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease 2-9 inch round pans with shortening or cooking spray (i.e. Pam).
Place pineapples and cherries in bottom of pan.
Add chopped nuts atop the cherries and pineapples to cover.
Add brown sugar to cover. Pat down if needed.
Set aside.

Combine flour, salt and baking powder in separate bowl.
In large mixing bowl, beat butter or margarine on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add lemon peel here (optional).
Add eggs one at a time, beating for one minute each.
Add dry mixture and milk, on low speed, slowly until just combined.

Pour batter carefully to cover fruit in each pan. You should have enough batter to cover two cakes.

Bake at 375 degrees F, or until golden and tested with wooden toothpick (comes out clean when poked near center of cake).

Loosen cake around edges of pan and let sit on cooling rack for five minutes. Invert cake onto heat-safe plate and cooling rack and let sit another five minutes. Cake should come out of pan easily.

NOTE: some pineapple or topping may stick to pan. Remove pineapple and/or topping promptly and place back on cake very carefully!

Serve warm or when cooled. Makes approximately 8 servings per cake.

Our results: one pineapple and one apricot upside down cake.