By By Lisa Tindell – news writer
I hope you're having a flavorful summer. I know that I am certainly enjoying the fresh peas and corn that I've been lucky enough to get. I realize the farmers have had a rough growing season. My only hope is that the fall planting and growing season will be more productive than what we've seen this summer.
As for the promise I made in this space last week of providing some reader-submitted recipes, I think you'll be pleased with the submissions I've chosen to share.
I don't get as many submissions as I'd like. I'd love to get a mailbox full every day just because I like recipes so much. I'd also like to get a mailbox full because I love to hear from the readers of this column.
I will share three recipes with you this week that I have gotten from readers. If you're wondering why all three recipes are for desserts, wonder no more. The next time you go to a church homecoming or family reunion, or even visit a good buffet restaurant, take notice of the dessert table. Most of the time the table set aside for the desserts is one of the fullest tables at the gathering. You'll find a lot of variety as well on the table, and there is variety in the recipes I'm sharing with you today.
The first recipe is from Christy Ates. This really sounds like a great recipe and a fairly easy one. Although it may take a little effort, it should be well worth it.
Four Fold Delight
First layer:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup butter melted
1 cup pecans
1/2 cups brown sugar
Mix well and pat in a 13X9 baking dish (greased or sprayed with Pam).
Bake at 350' for 10 minutes. Cool.
Second layer:
8oz. cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
8oz. cool whip
Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Fold in cool whip until well blended. Spread evenly over cooled first layer.
Third layer:
1 3-oz. package of instant chocolate pudding
1 3-oz. package of instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
Mix pudding and milk together and beat according to package directions. Spread evenly over second layer.
Fourth layer:
8oz. cool whip
Spread cool whip evenly over third layer and chill.
See, I told you it sounded good.
This next recipe comes to us from Myrna Monroe. I've never heard of cinnamon rolls that called for using a cake mix. This recipe is one that will give you some added flavor to a plain morning baked good. When I questioned Myrna about the amount of cinnamon and sugar for the rolls, she said she usually eyeballs it. Sounds like the makings of a good cook to me. Anyway, she recommended spreading butter along the entire length of the dough once it is rolled out. Then mix cinnamon and sugar much like you would for cinnamon toast. She did suggest using a little more cinnamon, adjusting it to your liking. Now here's the rest of the recipe for your use:
Cinnamon Rolls
1 yellow cake mix
5 cups flour
2 pkgs. dry yeast
cups hot water
Topping: 1 cup butter
4 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. dark Karo syrup
Stir dry ingredients together with cake mix. Add water. Mix. Cover and let stand to rise until double in bulk. Kneed down on floured surface. Roll out. Spread butter, sugar and cinnamon on dough. Roll up. Cut into half-inch slices. Place on greased 9 x 13 pan. Let rise. Spread with topping. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
I can't wait to try this recipe. Sounds pretty easy, even if you're afraid of yeast like I am.
This next recipe comes from one of my favorite readers. Glorae White provided this easy, and sinful sounding chocolate cake recipe. She lives way up in Ft. Payne and says she loves this column. See there, I do have a fan in a far-away place
Heavenly Chocolate Cake
1 bag Three Musketeers brand miniatures chopped
1 container chocolate or fudge frosting
1 package chocolate cake mix.
Prepare cake according to package directions, using 2 (9 inch) round cake pans and let cool. Frost the bottom layer of the cake round and sprinkle with half of the chopped Three Musketeers candy. Place second layer of cake onto the top and frost. Decorate with remaining Three Musketeers.
Glorae said she used Betty Crocker cake mix and frosting when she made this cake. She used milk chocolate cake mix and frosting and said it was delicious and the hardest part is chopping the candy.
Since I love chocolate so much, I can't wait to use this easy recipe. I love recipes like this that can be really &#8220wow” and easy at the same time.
I have a request of you now. I have a reader who has requested a recipe for chicken and rice. When I got the request, my first thought was that everyone knew how to cook chicken and rice. But this request was for an easy recipe that tastes like grandma's chicken and rice. Now that may be a hard request to fill.
If you have a recipe that is makes good, old-fashioned chicken and rice (the kind where the rice is a little sticky), then I need to hear from your. If I get enough recipes from this request, I may go ahead and publish them as well, giving proper credit to those who submit the recipes. Even if you don't have a specific recipe and just eyeball your chicken and rice, pass any tips for the dish on to me and I'll share those tips as well.
Give me a call at 867-4876 or drop by the office at 407 St. Nicholas Avenue or email me at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com. I'd love to hear from you.
Until next week, Happy Cooking!