Pound Cake

Cherry Pecan Pound Cake

CAKE

2½ tsp baking powder

2½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

¾ cup butter flavored Crisco + 1½ tbsp water)

1¼ cup sugar

3 eggs

¾ cup eggnog (or milk)

1 tsp cherry extract

1 cup cherry chip morsels

TOPPING

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp cherry extract

4 tsp water

¼ cup crushed pecans

¼ cup crushed cherry chip morsels

Preheat oven 350°

Coat Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and set aside.  In large mixing bowl beat Crisco, water and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes.)  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low until well combined.  Add eggnog and cherry extract and mix well.  Add reaming flour and beat until smooth (about 3 minutes). 

Spoon into Bundt pan and bake at 350° 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Cool on wire rack in pan for ten minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  In medium bowl combine conf. sugar, water and cherry extract and whisk until smooth.  Fold in nuts and chips.  Spread over cooled cake.  Let icing dry 15 minutes before cutting.

© Crackerberries 2012

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan

with Baked Ziti

2 cups ziti

32-48 oz. tomato sauce

½ lb burger

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 medium – large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced

1 egg

¼ cup milk

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1½ cup bread crumbs

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

4 cups shredded/slice mozzarella cheese

Vegetable oil

Cook ziti in boiling water according to package instructions, drain and set aside.  In large skillet sauté garlic, onion, green pepper in 1 tbsp vegetable oil.  Add burger and cook until no longer pink; stir in 3 cups tomato sauce.  In lightly greased 8x8 baking dish layer with ziti, sauce and mozzarella cheese two times.  Top with sliced mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves.  Set aside to prepare eggplant.

Combine milk and egg in one bowl.  Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning in another bowl.  Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture then dredge through the bread crumbs.  Heat oil in large skillet (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan – the eggplant does not have to be submersed in the oil.  Fry in hot oil 3-4 minutes per side and drain on paper towels.  In lightly greased 10x10 baking dish, layer eggplant then mozzarella cheese, eggplant, then mozzarella cheese until you have used all of the eggplant.  Pour sauce over top and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake ziti and eggplant at 350° for 40-45 minutes, until bubbly.  Remove from oven and let stand ten minutes before serving.

© Crackerberries 2012