Magnolia Cream Cheese Brownies

4 (1) ounce unsweetened chocolate squares

4 (1) ounce semi-sweet chocolate squares

1/2 cup butter

2 (3 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar, divided

6 large eggs, divided

1 tsp vanilla

2 TBSP flour

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325

Microwave first 3 ingredients in a 1 quart glass bowl at high 2 minutes; stir well. Cool and set aside. Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed until creamy; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar; beat well. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, best until well combined. Stir in vanilla and 2 TBSP flour and 1/2 cup chocolate chips; set aside.

Beat remaining eggs in a large bowl at medium speed. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups sugar, beating well. Add melted chocolate mixture and 2 tsp vanilla.; mix until well blended. Combine 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into chocolate batter until blended. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Reserve 3 cups of batter; spread remaining batter evenly in a greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over the top. Top with reserved batter, and swirl mixture with a knife.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Makes 1-1/2 dozen

Peach Cobbler

About 8 cups sliced fresh peaches

2 cups sugar

4 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup butter, melted

Pie Pastry

 

Preheat oven to 450

Combine peaches, sugar, flour, and cinnamon; set aside until syrup forms. Meanwhile make pastry. Mix together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp sugar. Cut in 2/3 cup shortening with pastry blender until it resembles course meal. Sprinkle 6 Tablespoons ice water over mixture, stirring with a fork; mix with a firm stirring motion. Add more ice water if needed. Pastry is ready when it forms clumps and clings together when lightly squeezed with hands. Form into a ball; it will will be necessary to use pressure, and work quickly so as to not soften the shortening. Divide dough in half and roll out on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.

Bring peach mixture to a boil and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until fruit is tender. Cut pastry into a 10 x 8 inch rectangle. Spoon half of peach mixture into a 10 x 8 buttered baking dish; top with pastry. Bake  for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon remaining peaches over baked crust. Roll out remaining pastry and cut into 1/2 inch strips; arrange in a lattace design over fruit. Return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

 

 

Kentucky Jam Cake

This is a old Southern cake recipe. A favorite of families from Kentucky and Tennessee.

 

 

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup thick fruit jam (any flavor)

Fruit Frosting

 

Cream butter and  sugar in a large mixing bowl; add eggs and beat well. Sift dry ingredients together three times; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in jam. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks completely. Spread warm frosting between layers and on top and sides.

 

Fruit Frosting:

1 cup dried pitted dates

1 cup dried figs

1 cup raisins

1 orange, peeled

1 lemon, peeled

1/3 cup sugar

Chop dates, figs, and raisins in a blender or food processor. Cut orange and lemon in quarters; remove seeds, chop. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Spread warm on cake. Let cool before serving.

 

True Southern Fried Chicken

Image via Wikipedia

3 quarts water

2 TBSP salt

8 pieces frying chicken

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

1 cup flour

2 cups vegetable oil

1/4 cup bacon grease

 

Combine water and 2 TBSP salt in a large bowl. Add chicken; cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Drain chicken; rinse with cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. In a one gallon zip loc bag, add flour, 1 TBSP salt, 1 tsp black pepper; shake to mix well. Add 2 pieces of chicken and shake to coat. Repeat with two pieces of chicken at a time until all have been coated. Combine vegetable oil and bacon grease in a large deep skillet over medium high heat or in an electric skillet set to 360 degrees. Add chicken skin side down three pieces at a time. Cook 3 minutes then add three more pieces, cooking for 3 minutes, then add remaining pieces. Cover and cook 6 minutes; uncover and cook 9 minutes; turn chicken pieces during the last three minutes for even browning. Drain on paper towels.

 

Serves 4

 

 

Baked Apple Pancake

pancakes front and center (Photo credit: digiyesica)

1 cup pancake mix

2/3 cup milk

2 TBSP vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 medium Golden Delicious apple, peeled and sliced

 

Preheat over to 350

In a bowl, combine pancake mix, milk, oil,  and egg. In an 8 inch oven proof skillet, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, and apple slices; saute until sugar is dissolved. Pour batter over apple mixture. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until bubbles form on top of pancake.

Bake, uncovered for 12 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Invert onto serving plate.

 

Serves 1 to 2

Apple Dapple Cake

Image via Wikipedia

3 large eggs

1-1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3 cups apples, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

 

Preheat oven to 350

Grease a  9 inch Bundt pan; set aside. In a large bowl beat eggs on medium speed; add oil, vanilla, and sugar beating well. In another bowl, sift together 2-3/4 cups flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to egg mixture. Combine remaining 1/4 cup flour,  with apples, nuts, and coconut; fold into cake batter. pour into prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Remove from pan to a cooling rack.

Combine 1/3 cup butter, 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup milk, and 1 tsp vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes. Pour over warm cake.

***** This cake may be baked in a 13 x 9 x 2 pan and a 9 x 5 loaf pan. There is too much batter for a 13 x 9 pan only. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

 

Fluffy Pecan Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/4 butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 200

 

Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. In another bowl combine buttermilk, egg, and melted butter; add to dry mixture 1/3 at a time, stirring just until combined.

Heat large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto hot skillet; sprinkle pecans on top. Cook until bubbles form and edges are dry. Turn and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Place onto baking sheet and place into oven to keep warm until all pancakes are cooked.

 

Serves 4