prune cake
Posted: August 25, 2019 Filed under: desserts | Tags: allspice, butter, buttermilk, cinnamon, clove, eggs, flour, nutmeg, pecans, prunes, salad oil, salt, soda, sour cream, sugar, vanilla Leave a comment
Thanks To Prunes, The Wait Is Over
If you’ve made it this far into the recipe then you’re obviously open to prunes. I mean hey, they have a bad rap for being associated with senior folks… and for giving the gift of, ahem, “regularity.”
Regardless of prunes’ affiliation with the trots at least 4 generations of my family have loved knocks at bathroom humor even before it was vogue. So I’m not sure why it took me 8 years after recovering Mom’s cookbook to dive into this recipe just because of the word “prune;” I should have been drawn to it!
So in 2000 even though the FDA changed the name of prunes to “dried plums” which boosted sales I say bring on the prunes! They taste great no matter what they’re called and who doesn’t like a little regularity? Plus, it seems that California may have returned to their prune-y roots, making me want to just call this “prune-plumb cake” just to ensure I have all “loose ends” covered (pun intended).
A Prune By Any Other Name…
I smiled when I saw this came from the Fredericksburg cookbook of our family friend “Lela.” Fredericksburg, Texas holds a special place in the hearts of Texans and it’s where Texas-German charm and heritage runs as thick as our state’s love for silky queso. I had a gut instinct this cake had historical origins to our European roots and I was right! Whether it goes by spice cake, election cake or muster cake, this is a delightfully decadent and dense cake that tastes like a warm slice of sweet Christmas drizzled with butter.
What’s different about this cake is the twist of incorporating Texas pecans and vanilla, and commingling them with the fruity smash-up taste of prunes in both the cake and the icing! I think you’ll agree this cake will disappear in a jiffy!
I saw in a recent McCormick video (below): “It’s the recipes we pass on to the next generation that are the reason there’s really no flavor like home.” And I hope this recipe becomes a, ahem, “regular favorite” that hails from Fredericksburg, to Lela, to my Mom, to me, and now to you!
Foodie Tips
❤ You can enjoy prune cake tabletop warm or cold from the fridge… but my favorite is when it’s just a bit warmed from the toaster oven or the microwave.
❤ 9″ x 13″ loaf pan? This threw me because I thought loaf pans were almost as tall as they were wide. A 9″ x 13″ pan is what I call a sheet cake pan. I’m wondering if I could make a couple of 5″ x 9″ loaf pan cakes out of this!
❤ Prunes’ super power? Fiber, sorbitol, and polyphenols. They act as antioxidants and help keep a clean house.
i. Time
Total prep: 1-2 hours (includes cooling the cake)
ii. Ingredients
for the cake:
3 | cage free eggs, well beaten
1 ½ cups | sugar
1 cup | salad oil
1 teaspoon | soda
1 cup | buttermilk
1 teaspoon | cinnamon
1 teaspoon | ground cloves
1 teaspoon | allspice
1 teaspoon | nutmeg
1 cup | mashed prunes, cooked
1 cup | pecans, chopped
2 cups | flour
1 teaspoon | baking power
for the icing:
2 tablespoons | butter (my Grandmother insisted on “Falfurrias” brand butter)
1 cup | sugar
2 | cage free eggs
½ cup | sour cream
1 cup | chopped prunes
1 cup | more chopped pecans
1 teaspoon | vanilla
a pinch | salt
iii. What to do
1. In a medium bowl beat the eggs and add the sugar. Beat everything together.
Now Forming: A Blowout
2. In a measuring cup add the soda into the buttermilk, making sure to leave plenty of room as the soda will cause carbon dioxide bubbles to form, so use a larger measuring cup to prevent a “blowout,” (shown).
3. Add the salad oil, the buttermilk mixture and the the rest of the cake ingredients and mix well.
4. Bake everything in your choice of a greased 9″ x 13″ cake pan or three greased 8-inch cake pans at 350°F for about 25 minutes. When done remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack, if you have one.
5. After the cake has cooled a bit you can jumpstart your icing! Cream the butter and sugar and add the eggs. Mix with the remaining icing ingredients, transfer into a medium pan and cook over medium-low or medium heat until thick. Spread on cooled cake.
Serves: About 20 (sheet cake style)
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Prune Cake Recipe
Who is Lela?
When I was growing up Lela Swinny lived at 3006 Northridge in San Antonio just 2 doors around the corner from my family’s home at 2927 Trailend.
The Swinny family was a delightful bunch of folks and my family spent almost as much time at their house as our own so naturally “fooding” was a part of the times our two families shared.
Mom’s dear friend “Lela” taught me many things ~ the joy of laughing, how to swim in their awesome pool, and how to cook a memorable breakfast treat called “Egg In A Nest,” which is also posted here at Betty’s Cook Nook.
True family fact: Back in the 1970s Lela was throwing out an old desk that caught my Mom’s eye. A coat of red paint later and it was a cornerstone in my brother Tim’s red white and blue bedroom (it was around the time of our Country’s Bicentennial celebration so red white and blue was hot). In the 1990s I painted the desk black and it’s the desk where I author this blog to this day, proving that Lela is still with us, heart and soul!
You’ll find a picture of Lela and me in the “old family photos” tab and you can search for her by name to connect with more of her spirited recipes.
Cheers to two great friends – Mom and Lela!
helen corbitt’s quiche lorraine
Posted: May 19, 2019 Filed under: breakfast, casseroles and one-dish meals | Tags: bacon, dry mustard, eggs, ham, light cream, nutmeg, onion, pie crust, swiss cheese Leave a comment
Champagne & Lorraine
When I first met this recipe’s name I presumed Helen Corbitt was one of my Mom’s dear friends. Like many of the old recipes that found their way into my Mom’s cookbook they were often penned with a name giving a clue linking us back to the the recipe’s origin.
A few curious clicks later I stumbled upon this Texas Monthly article from December 1999 (the turn of our century) that revealed who Helen was – her connection to Texas and to food. With culinary ties to the University of Texas, the Houston Country Club, Joske’s Department Store, the Driskill Hotel, and Neiman Marcus, Helen’s craft touched the hearts of many. While she may not have loved Texas from the start, the people of our great state eventually won her heart. So we can tip our hat to her for staying here and pioneering the way for better days. Helen earned the title “Tastemaker of the Century,” undoubtedly an honor for any foodie who loves cuisine and sharing it with others.
I know my Mom “Betty” loved quiche because I’ve found a handful of eggy recipes in her cookbook. I love how simple quiche is to prepare and share… and how changing 1 or 2 ingredients can magically transform the taste.
Let’s enjoy a slice of the good life and raise a toast to our “forefoodies”
~ Cling Cling / Cheers! 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾
Foodie Tips
❤ “Light cream” always trips me up. I look for it at the grocery store and often shake my fist at the sky when I cannot find it. Sometimes called “coffee cream” or “table cream,” light cream is a tad bit higher in fat than half-and-half. So what. Who cares?
❤ While I slightly overbaked the crust, the quiche itself turned out great! Try using a silicon pie crust shield to help prevent your dough from burning. I shudder to think what my quiche would have looked like without it. #charcoal? :)
❤ I hope to become an “aficionado” at the meat counter soon. When I read “thin sliced” ham I guessed it was a thickness of 2. On the next go of this recipe I’ll try a 1.
❤ My Mom loved quiche. And if you’re still reading this post I’m guessing you do, too! Check out this recipe where I wax on about the origins of quiche and its relationship to my hometown, San Antonio.
i. Time
Total prep: About 40 minutes.
ii. Ingredients
8 inch | pie crust
4 slices | bacon, crisped and chopped
4 | thin slices of onion, sautéed
8 | paper thin slices of ham, shredded
8 | paper thin slices of swiss cheese, sliced
3 | cage free eggs
¼ teaspoon | dry mustard
1 cup | light cream, heated
a dash | nutmeg
iii. What to do
1. Prepare the pie crust according to the instructions. Mom wrote hers was baked at 450°F for about 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the bacon and onion over the pie crust. Add ½ of the ham then top with 4 slices of the cheese. Wait – we’re not done! This is Texas! Repeat the layering again – add the rest of the ham and the last 4 slices of cheese.
3. Beat the egg and mustard. Add the heated light cream and continue beating. Pour the egg mixture over the layers of ham and cheese. Let things “stand” for 10 minutes. Is your stomach growling yet?
4. Sprinkle a tiny bit of nutmeg on top of the quiche then bake it at 350°F until this custard is set (about 15-20 minutes).
Serves: One to a few, depending on your ability to resist deliciousness.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
In Case You Missed It…
Honored in 1999 as “Tastemaker of the Century” by Texas Monthly Magazine, Helen Corbitt may have not have loved Texas as much as those who were born here but she became enchanted with the unique blend of Texans and their love for food. If the stories I’ve read are true (and I bet they are), Helen had a lot to do with the culinary cultivation of our state introducing our fore-parents to artichokes, raspberries, soufflés, Texas Caviar, and surprising creations limited only by the stars.
I don’t know if my Mom, Betty, knew Helen. But I know they shared the love of great food… so Helen is as much a family member as one can wish for.
With the love of food, all things are possible. ###
pumpkin bread
Posted: November 11, 2018 Filed under: desserts, other stuff, sides | Tags: baking soda, cinnamon, eggs, flour, nutmeg, nuts, oil, pecans, pumpkin, raisins, salt, sugar, water Leave a comment
The Best Of Fall
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – when wearing flannel and smelling like patchouli is top of mind. Also top of mind? PUMPKINS! 🎃 There’s no better way to ring in fall’s greatness other than watching the fall favorite It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
The Peanuts gang were probably my best friends growing up. In a time before you could record TV I never missed a show. I remember sketching Snoopy on top of his doghouse… and funny, I never thought it was odd that Snoopy slept *on top* of his doghouse rather than in it. Childhood innocence.
While your pumpkin bread is baking, come back and watch the movie below – share it with your family and friends and celebrate the way we were… and the way we are with the best of fall!
Foodie Tips
❤ I halved this recipe and made 2 medium-sized loaves. If you’re gift-giving or a lover of loaves, go all the way!
❤ One small can pumpkin? I presumed it was a 15 ounce can.
❤ The recipe didn’t note it but I greased my loaf pans before adding the batter.
❤ This bread is most great served sliced and toasted with a schmear of Phildelphia Whipped Cream Cheese.
i. Time
Total prep: About 75 minutes (minus resting)
ii. Ingredients
3-⅓ cups | flour
3 cups | sugar
1 teaspoon | cinnamon
2 teaspoons | nutmeg
2 teaspoons | baking soda
1 teaspoon | salt
4 | cage free eggs, beaten
1 cup | oil
⅔ cup | water
15 ounces | canned pumpkin
¾ cup (2 small boxes) | raisins
¾ cup | chopped nuts (a.k.a. “pecans,” here in Texas)
to top | more pecans (optional)
iii. What to do
1. Measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
2. Add the eggs, oil, water, and pumpkin. Mix everything well.
3. Fold in the raisins and the pecans.
4. Pour the batter into two large or four small loaf pans at 325°F until the bread tests done.
ENJOY
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
One of my most cherished childhood items is this Peanuts cookbook. Originally printed in 1970 it still remains in my kitchen today, almost 50 years later!
This cookbook was not mine, originally… but at the magical age of 10 I was such a fanatic about The Peanuts Gang I was able to smooth talk this cookbook out of my neighborhood friend’s kitchen and into mine!
A Scan Of Mom’s Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Sous Chef Note: While acquainting myself with this recipe I noticed a credit to “Barbara Harris” and took to the internet to see if I could find out who she was. Turns out Barbara was a San Antonio restauranteur who ran some popular food establishments in San Antonio and Dallas.
I found reference to Barbara’s Pecan Pie Muffins in Karen Haram’s 50 Favorite “Good Taste” Recipes – these muffins are surely a culinary cousin to the Pumpkin Bread recipe above. Karen was a food author for the San Antonio Express-News for more than 30 years so you know these recipes have gotta be tasty… I have Karen’s Good Taste cookbook printed out for my culinary archives and you can score a digital copy of her fifty favorites here > Karen Haram’s 50 Favorite Recipes.
quiche lorraine
Posted: December 4, 2016 Filed under: appetizers, breakfast, casseroles and one-dish meals, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: bacon, cayenne pepper, cheddar cheese, cream, eggs, evaporated milk, gruyere cheese, half and half, ham, nutmeg, pie crust, salt, white pepper Leave a comment
Quiche Masterpiece
I love when I get a little history lesson along with a recipe. It’s like two treats in one! Found along with this recipe my Mom clipped from The San Antonio Express-News in 1970 the article tells an interesting story about this recipe’s creator, Ester MacMillan.
Ester helped introduce quiche to foodies near and far after it arrived at the 1968 World’s Fair dubbed “HemisFair” that was held in San Antonio. What a sight that must have been when the Tower of the Americas – an observation tower more than 600 feet tall complete with a spinning 360° top – debuted at the expo! You can read more about Ester and her story about the origin of quiche via the original recipe scan I scored from my Mom’s cookbook below. 
As a child I remember my Mom, “Betty,” talking about Quiche Lorraine and a few decades later (ahem, just a few) this was the first time I made it. I absolutely loved it! I found the recipe extremely forgiving, meaning you can adapt it to your liking by adjusting the ingredients you introduce into the custard.
Perfect for a brunch-time gathering or a couch-side treat this recipe scored a well-deserved spot in “The Best Of The Best Recipes” category (at right) … as well as my heart.
I’ve discovered more than one quiche recipe in Mom’s cookbook so I’ll be trying other versions soon and will share them here at Betty’s Cook Nook.
foodie tips
❤ “Blind baking.” I had never heard of it before until my friend and colleague Suzanne told me about it when I commented that I longed for a crispier quiche crust. Essentially all you do is pre-bake the crust a few minutes before filling it; doing so will help give it more “fluff.” I’ll give blind baking a try on the next making of this dish. And there will be a next time.
❤ I may have “accidentally” used a teeny bit more meat than the recipe suggests. In fact, Ester called for bacon or ham. A lover of both, I used bacon and ham. #Carnivore. This recipe presumes you will follow suit and use both. I scored some peppered ham at my local HEB and I loved the extra peppery kick.
❤ After reading the recipe below if you want to learn more about NIOSA and score some of the festival’s recipes, click this link and enjoy!
i. ingredients
9 inch | pie crust
¼ pound | bacon or ham (or both)
1 ½ cup | gruyere or aged cheddar, grated (I used gruyere)
5 | cage free eggs
1 cup | cream, half and half or undiluted evaporated milk
½ teaspoon | salt
dash | white pepper
dash | nutmeg, grated
1 teaspoon | dried onion
dash | cayenne pepper
ii. what to do
0. Preheat your oven to 400°F. That was easy, right?
1. Line a 9-inch pie pan or fluted quiche pan with pie crust. If you choose, blind bake the doughy crust (per above) and set aside.
2. Cook until crisp the bacon – and or – lightly brown the ham. Set the dynamic duo aside to cool off a bit.
3. Place your grated cheese (yum, cheese!) in the bottom of your pastry-lined pie pan. Over that, sprinkle your meats.
4. In a medium-sized bowl beat the eggs. Add the cream and the four seasonings and beat a little longer until everything is well-mingled. Pour this egg mixture over the cheese-meat medley.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden and custard is set. Remove from oven and cool a bit to lukewarm and serve.
Yield: About 8 servings. Enjoy!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of Mom’s recipe for Quiche Lorraine. Click to read the interesting story!
Watch this interesting video series about HemisFair 1968! I learned much about my hometown city!
baked swiss cauliflower
Posted: August 28, 2014 Filed under: sides | Tags: bread crumbs, butter, cauliflower, egg yolks, half and half, nutmeg, pepper, salt, swiss cheese Leave a comment
Move Over, Green Bean Casserole…
…there’s a hot, new dish in town and it’s this Baked Swiss Cauliflower recipe!
Before reading the ingredients for this dish I had serious self doubt about how many spoonfuls of this stuff would make it past my proverbial piehole. One plate later and I was ready for a refill.
And s t r e t c h pants!
Beth Calkins of Nashville, Tennessee – I don’t know anything about your life outside this recipe but it must have been a kinder, gentler place where sweet, sweet swiss cauliflower rained from the heavens!
Lucky for me my Mom could read between the lines; she knew that anything with cheese and butter becomes a fast, fond feeding moment destined to be recreated.
Ding! Ding! Ding! This just in – come Thanksgiving 2014 this Baked Swiss Cauliflower recipe has secured a guaranteed place at our Thanksgiving table.
Foodie Tips ~
♥ New to Betty’s Cook Nook? “Butter” is shorthand for “Falfurrias Brand Butter.” It’s what my Grandmother “Nanny” loved near and dear, so it’s naturally the only butter allowed past the threshold.
♥ Don’t discard the 3 egg whites (below)! I made an egg white omelette the morning after I made this dish and I became a better person because of it. Whoops. Did I say better? I meant butter … and cheese! They both made my egg white omelette their new BFF, along with some chopped green onions. Just sayin’.
i. ingredients
1 | large head of cauliflower
½ cup | bread crumbs
2 ¾ cups | swiss cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups | half and half
3 | egg yolks, beaten
¼ teaspoon | ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon | salt
¼ teaspoon | fresh cracked pepper
¼ cup | melted falfurrias brand butter
ii. what to do
0. Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Wash the cauliflower and discard the green leaves. Break cauliflower into flowerets and place in a medium-sized pot.
2. Cook, covered, 10 minutes in a small amount of boiling salted water. Drain.
3. Place the cooked cauliflower in a buttered 1 ½-quart shallow baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients – except the butter – and pour over the cauliflower. Drizzle the melter butter over top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Yields about 6 servings.
Here’s a scan of Mom’s original recipe!
pecan rolls
Posted: November 20, 2013 Filed under: desserts | Tags: butter, flour, nutmeg, pecans, powdered sugar, vanilla Leave a comment
10 Out Of 10 Elves Agree . . .
These Pecan Rolls rock! Actually they roll, too, because they are, er, pecan rolls.
Rock and roll aside, these have a similar taste of Keebler Pecan Sandies which made regular appearances in our family’s pantry.
Growing up at 2927 Trailend we had a pecan tree in the back yard. It was a big tree and oddly I don’t remember picking up its pecans – probably because it was surrounded by bushes and a large bed of ivy that kinda creeped me out.
What I do remember are the mesquite trees we had – one in the front yard and one in the back yard. The front mesquite tree was precisely decorated with white lights each Christmas and our house was known for its white light signature tree every year at holidaytime.
The mesquite trees. I love to tell the story about how I was “ripped off” by my parents as I was paid a mere 25 cents PER BOX for picking up the mesquite tree beans that would fall off into the grass. The lawn mower couldn’t pick the beans up very well but small children who didn’t know better could!
Beans aside, pecans were a family treat growing up so I hope you enjoy this recipe featuring our nutty fall nut favorite partnered with vanilla and nutmeg – perfect for the holidays!
foodie tips ~
♥ If you like consistency, form the dough into balls using a cookie scoop. Scoop the dough onto a flat surface and cut it in half, then roll by hand.
♥ If you like round bally things coated in powdered sugar, you have to give these rum balls a whirl. They’re outstanding. And they’re made *with rum*, yum rum yum.
i. ingredients
9 tablespoons | powdered sugar
½ pound | falfurrias brand butter (per my grandmother Nanny)
2 cups | flour, sifted
2 ½ cups | ground pecans
1 ½ teaspoons | vanilla
½ teaspoon | nutmeg
1 teaspoon | salt
ii. what to do
0. Preheat oven to 325°F.
1. Mix sugar and butter. Gradually add sifted flour. Stir in pecans, vanilla, nutmeg and salt.
2. Shape dough into the size of pecans in the palm of your hands.
3. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 20 minutes and do not brown.
4. Remove from oven and cool. Then roll in powdered sugar.
Yields: 60 pecan balls. Yee Haw!
swedish meatballs
Posted: October 3, 2012 Filed under: meats poultry and fish, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: allspice, beef broth, bread crumbs, butter, cardamom, cream, dill weed, eggs, flour, ground chuck, ground pork, milk, nutmeg, onion Leave a comment
A Swedish Dish
“A piece of bread in your pocket is better than a feather in your hat.”
~ Swedish proverb
I’ll need larger pockets, as I’m a foodie through and through. And I do love my bread! Feathers aside, this dish is one of my Top 10 “mom favorites.”
One of my earliest experiences with international food came in the form of these meatballs and the Swedish Chef making special appearances on The Muppet Show (no kidding).
Thanks goodness mom was able to bring a bit of international tastebud travel to our tummies, compliments of this recipe and some of the Tex Mex favorites you’ll find here on “The Nook.” I can remember well mom’s electric skillet bursting with steam carrying the sensational and savory smells of swedish meatballs; where hearty meets happy. No wonder I wore Husky jeans growing up!
Yeah, I know… “more to love.”
Let’s Make a’ Meatballs
(said with an Italian-Swedish accent)
i. ingredients
2 | cage free eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup | milk
½ cup | dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons | falfurrias brand butter (per Nanny)
½ cup | finely chopped onion
1 pound | ground chuck
¼ pound | ground pork
1-¾ teaspoons | salt
¾ teaspoon | dill weed
¼ teaspoon | allspice
⅛ teaspoon | nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon | cardamom
3 tablespoons | flour
⅛ teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper
10-½ ounce can | beef broth
½ cup | light cream
ii. what to do
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk and dry bread crumbs.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Lift the onions out of the skillet with a slotted spoon; add to the bread crumb mixture, the ground chuck, ground pork, 1-½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon dill weed, the allspice, nutmeg, and cardamom.
3. With a wooden spoon or your hands, mix well to combine.
4. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 325°F.
6. Take the meat mixture from the fridge and shape it into meatballs, each about 1″ in diameter.
7. In remaining hot butter, divide the meatballs into groups of 2 or 3 and sauté them until they are browned all over.
8. Transfer the meatballs into a 2-quart casserole, after they are browned.
9. Remove the skillet from heat. Pour off the drippings, reserving 2 tablespoons (add more butter if necessary).
10. Pour the dripping back into the skillet and add flour, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper, stirring together to make a smooth slurry over medium heat.
11. Gradually stir-in the beef broth, bringing the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the cream and remaining ½ teaspoon dill weed. Pour sauce over meatballs in casserole dish.
12. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Garnish top of meatballs with fresh dill sprigs, if desired.
Makes: 6 servings.
Foodie Tips ~
♥ Serve the meatballs atop some wide, wavy egg noodles.
♥ I love the sauce and will double it on my next “go” of this recipe.
♥ While a salt lover, I found this recipe a little salty for me so I’ll decrease the sodium shakes on my next Swedish adventure.
