Coca-Cola Cake

Keeping with recipes from stand alone products such as the Jell-o mold below, I wanted to use another favorite product from my childhood, and even now. The only difference is that I drink Diet Coke, instead of the traditional Coke. This name is known around the world, and why someone felt the need to add it to a recipe, I will never know….but it is really good. Southern Cooks are always adding a "little of this" and a " little of that". Someone decide to add the Coke to the Cake recipe. This recipe came about in the 1970"s as best I can remember….at least it is in a 1976 .

There are several different versions on the Coca-Cola Cake, but I believe this to be the authentic. If any of you know different, let me know.

Try this recipe, maybe for Easter. It is a really good cake.

Coca-Cola Cake

1 sticks of butter or margarine

½ cup Wesson oil

3Tbsp cocoa

1 cup of coca-cola

¼ tsp of salt 1½ cups miniature marshmallows

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil, and then add marshmallows. Set and let cool.

1 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 well beaten eggs

½ cup buttermilk

Sift flour and sugar together, and set aside. When the above has cooled, mix with flour and sugar. Add eggs, buttermilk, and soda. Pour in greased and floured 9 x13 pan bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until done.

Icing

¾ stick butter

2 ¼ Tbsp. cocoa

4 to t Tbsp coca-cola

3 cups powdered sugar

Let first 3 ingredients come to a boil in saucepan and pour over powdered sugar. Beat well and frost cake immediately. Add one cup of pecans if desired to frosting.

Cajun Spicy Eggplant Casserole

For those of you who are not fond of eggplant, which by the way is really good for you, I suggest this recipe, since the eggplant is disguised. It is a hardy dish that my Mother served with her "pecan onion green beans," I will blog that recipe later").

This is a fairly easy recipe to make, just a little preparation time. I usually cook my eggplant one day, and put the casserole together the next day. This really makes it a quick dish. It is a good dish to take to covered dinners and I assure you (except if you live in Louisiana) no one else will bring it. It is something different, and very tasty. I do at times top the casserole with cheddar cheese, instead of the Parmesan cheese, add a few more calories.....and if I am really into comfort food, I will use Velveeta. Try it both ways and see which one you prefer. Let me know how you feel about eggplant once you have tried the recipe.

Cajun Spicy Eggplant Casserole

4 medium size eggplants
1 can tomato paste
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp.basil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 Tbsp
1lb ground beef
1 can tomato paste
Seasoned Bread crumbs
Salt & cayenne pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Paprika

Cut eggplants into large cubes, boil until tender. Drain extremely well, preferably overnight. Meanwhile, saute tomato, onion, pepper and garlic in hot oil. cook ground meat separately and drain off extra grease. Add tomato paste to meat in pan and cook on low heat until paste begins to darken and thicken. Add all vegetables and basil to meat mixture and drained eggplant cubes. Mix thoroughly, add salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and add bread crumbs until mixture is not mushy but has some texture. Spoon into large baking dish, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until well done and the top is browned. You can use a cheddar, american, or velveeta cheese if you like. Experiment.

In the future I will be posting:
Cajun Style Macaroni & Cheese,(real comfort food),
Crawfish Etouffee,
Dirty Rice,
Shrimp Creole

Buttermilk Pie

Before you gag, I will tell you it doesn't taste a thing like buttermilk. You know years ago buttermilk was a staple in most kitchens. Of course country people made the milk themselves. It was the liquid left over after the cream was churned into butter. I am including a link for more detail description of Buttermilk. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttermilk

My mother grew up in the country in Louisiana. Buttermilk was a constant in her house. Most of the folks in the 1930's and before drank buttermilk. To distinguish between the milks, regular milk was called "sweet milk." My father would send me to get him a glass of milk and would either ask for"buttermilk"sweet milk"There was never just milk in my house. I can still remember the carton that buttermilk came in...it was Borden's brand and in a green carton.

Besides being a popular drink in the South, Buttermilk is used in Southern Cooking quite a bit, from a buttermilk chocolate cake( which I will be adding later) to a milk wash for breading chicken, onion rings, etc.

This is an old recipe that is written on stained paper, you can see the drops of vanilla on the paper. Keep in mind that whether you like buttermilk or not...this is a great pie, that taste like a very rich custard.

I am also including the recipe for the pie crust which is excellent. What makes this crust different is it is made from oil, instead of shortening such as Crisco. Years ago most pie crust were made with shortening, or Lard.
If you don't have time to make your own crust, you can cheat and buy a good commercial pie crust. I prefer Marie Callendars brand of pie crust when I cheat. Mrs. Smith is also good.

Pie Crust Made with Oil.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cups of corn oil
1 tsp of salt
3 tbsp of cold milk

Mix flour salt pour oil and milk in to flour mixture all at once.
Stir until mixed(use hands if needed) Pat into a smooth ball, flatten slightly and place between 2 12" squares of wax paper.
Dampen table top to keep paper from slipping roll out gently to edges of paper. Peel off top paper and ease crust into pie tin. The paper side will be up, remove and flute edges. Prick the bottom of the crust thoroughly with a fork, Bake 8 to10 minutes , cool and add filling.

Butter Milk filling

3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup of butter (real butter) or 1 1/2 of oleo melted
6 TBSP of flour
5 eggs
2 tsp of vanilla

Mix and Assemble

Mix flour sugar, 1/2 of milk to beaten eggs. Add rest of milk and fold in melted butter. Add vanilla. Pour into crust. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then turn oven to 350 and bake until knife comes out clean.
Make 2 pies.

Let cool and enjoy. I look forward to any feedback.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

I am sure that most everyone has seen the movie "Steel Magnolias" it was shot on location in Natchitoches Louisiana. I have included a link to "Steel Magnolia House" which is a B&B in Natchitoches, and was originally built in the 1830's, which some of of location filming of the movie was done. Check out the site you will find it interesting I am sure. http://www.steelmagnoliahouse.com/

But the other thing that Natchitoches is famous for, Southern Cooking, and especially, Natchitoches Meat Pies. These are pies like turnovers, that are filled with a flavorful meat filling and then deep fried. For many years the recipe was not available. But lucky for you that have stopped by this site, because today I am publishing the recipe.

They take some time and preparation, but well worth the effort. Here goes.

2 cups of self rising flour

1 egg beaten

1/3 heaping cup of Crisco(see you will understand if you have read my other blogs.) do not melt

3/4 cup milk

Sift flour and cut in shortening. Add beaten egg and milk. Work dough into a ball.

Filling:

1 1/2 lbs. ground meat

1 1/2 lbs. ground pork

1 cup chopped green onions

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. coarse ground red pepper(red pepper flakes)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Combine all ingredients, except flour, in a large heavy pot. (Southern Cooks prefer a cast iron Dutch oven) Cook over medium heat, stirring often until the meat loses its red color. Do not over cook the meat. Sift flour over the meat until the mixture is well coated. Stir while sifting so all the mixture receives an even coat. Remove from heat and pour into metal colander to drain. Let cool to room temperature.

To assemble:

Roll about 1/3 of dough at a time on lightly floured board. Cut into about 5 circles. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling mixture on one side of the pastry round. Dampen edges of pastry circle with fingertips. Fold over mean and crimp with fork to seal. Prick with a fork twice on top. These pies may be fried or baked to a golden brown. In Natchitoches they fry them. May be frozen for later use. Makes about 25 pies. Call your friends over to eat.

These are so good. They are a true fried pie, unless you want to watch your calories and bake. Best fried. This is Louisiana Southern Cooking to die for. Let me know how you like them.