Mimi Hill's Maraschino Party Cake

Okay, me following Mimi’s recipe was not the easiest thing in the world. My Mom loves this cake I think because her mom had her crack the walnuts. I cheated and bought the already shelled ones. Here you take a look at the original recipe. I would have called my Mimi up if she was still alive. I think it came out pretty good, considering what I had to work with.


1¼ cup sugar
½ cup shortening
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
½ cup cherry juice
¼ cup milk
1 tsp lemon juice
½ cup or more chopped cherries
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups flour
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp almond flavoring

Cream the sugar and shortening together. Add eggs to shortening mixture. Combine milk, cherry juice, lemon juice and almond flavoring in large measuring cup. Combine flour, baking powder and salt together in separate bowl. Alternate adding flour and milk mixture to creamed sugar until well combined. Fold in cherries and walnuts. Spread into greased and floured baking pan. Bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Use creamy white frosting and top with cherries and walnuts for garnish.


© Crackerberries 2009

Pumpkin Banana Bread

"We're not falling for the banana in the tail pipe trick" ~~ who remembers what movie?

3½ cups flour
2 mashed bananas
2 cups pumpkin
2 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp baking powder
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco
2 cups sugar
1 cup raisins



Preheat oven 350º. In small bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon; set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition; add pumpkin and banana; mix well. Add flour mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in raisins. Pour into two greased 9x5 bread pans. Bake 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

© Crackerberries 2009

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Being the week of Halloween I thought this would be a good time for some festive spook-tacular recipes. Tall Cool One likes cherry filling on his cheesecake. Believe me, when he put it on pumpkin cheesecake I thought that just sounded gross, but it actually tasted okay. I prefer a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with mine, but you go ahead and have it however you like it.



1½ cup graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 Tbsp sugar

16 oz cream cheese softened
¾ cup sugar
16 oz pumpkin
¼ tsp salt
1¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
3 eggs



Preheat oven to 350º

Combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp sugar and melted margarine and mix well. Press into 9 inch spring form pan and bake in 350º oven for 8 minutes.

In large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until well combined. Add pumpkin and spices and mix well. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Mix until smooth.

Pour into prepared crust and bake at 350º for 50-55 minutes until center is set. Turn oven off and crack oven door, let cool in oven for one hour. Using butter knife, loosen sides before opening spring. Garnish with caramel apple flavored candy corn.


© Crackerberries 2009

Jambalaya

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
24 oz chicken broth
6 oz red wine
½ cup salsa
8 oz kielbasa, halved and cut into ½ inch pieces
¾ cup long grain rice, uncooked
1 cup cubed ham
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp basil
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf

Thaw and rinse shrimp and set aside. Cook onion, celery, garlic and pepper in olive oil until tender. Add broth, wine, salsa, kielbasa, rice, thyme, basis, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add shrimp and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 5 minutes. Add ham, remove bay leaf and heat until hot. Serve with biscuits or garlic bread.

© Crackerberries 2009

Turkey on Rye Meatloaf

When using ground turkey, it is very important to use spices, otherwise the taste is kind of institutional … not that I have any experience in an institution, but it kind of reminds me of the pale yellow walls or the green color that the halls are painted with. (Okay, I get that from watching movies.) Plain ground turkey is blah.




1¼ lb ground turkey meat
3-4 slices rye bread, cubed
¼ cup salsa
1 medium onion, diced
1 large egg
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp poultry seasoning
½ tsp coriander
¼ tsp curry powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp fresh ground pepper



Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Shape into a loaf in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350º for one hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


© Crackerberries 2009