Gluten Free Piña Colada Upside-Down Cake
Happy Mother’s Day to all nurturing women and men in our lives. This recipe takes me back to childhood and I have had a box of yellow gluten free cake mix in my pantry that just needed to become pineapple upside down cake. My mom, Irene was not a frequent baker, she made her famous Valentines Day cake and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, my Aunt Irene was. It was always a staple at all potluck throughout my career in aging. Maybe someday I will make this recipe with grilled fresh pineapple which became one of the two ways to eat fresh pineapple. Don’t use fresh pineapple as it can affect the set up of the syrup.  Again, celebrate with this treat today or soon!

Serves 8-16
Ingredients:
Syrup & Topping
¼ cup non-dairy butter-flavored spread, such as Earth Balance (dairy choice: butter)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup (or cook down the pineapple syrup or juice in can until thick)
9 slices pineapple, drained (fresh, or from 16 or 20-oz. can of pineapple in 100% juice, unsweetened.)
9 maraschino cherries, drained
 
Cake Gluten Free NonDairy version:
1 box (15 oz.) Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1/3 cup coconut oil (or 1/3 cup flavorless vegetable oil, or ½ cup softened butter)
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
 
Cake Elsa’s version of pudding cake:
1 box (15 oz.) Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 cup creamed butter or oil
8 oz creamed tofu
½ cup orange or pineapple jc or buttermilk
1 Tbs vanilla
3 eggs
Opt. add toasted coconut at serving or add coconut to the batter if not using coconut milk and oil otherwise change name.
 
Directions
Read Directions depending on ingredients used.
 
Preheat oven to 350° F. In 9-inch cake pan, melt ¼ cup non-dairy buttery spread in oven. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup; spread evenly in pan. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar mixture, place cherry in center of each pineapple slice. (To make the design pictured here, cut the pineapple slices into 6-8 arc-shaped pieces each, start with a tight ring of pineapple arcs around a central cherry, and build out with cherries and half-circles from there.)

In a large bowl, first cream coconut oil if it has hardened. Then add rest of cake ingredients, and blend. (If using a liquid oil, omit first mixing and simply blend all ingredients. If using butter, it could use the initial mixing to make sure it’s soft and fluffy.). Beat all ingredients on low speed 30 seconds until combined, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Scoop batter using a #16 or #24 carefully over pineapple and cherries, trying not to disturb the pattern; the carefully with a metal spatula join batter gaps until it is even and smooth without disturbing the topping below. The cake tends to keep the shape of the uncooked batter when it goes into the oven because of its thickness

Bake 38 to 43 minutes or until surface is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over together. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake. Carefully remove pan; cool 30 minutes.
Notes: from original author: Do not use 8-inch square pan as there will be too much batter and it will not bake all the way through. (A 10-inch round pan also works.) Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator. Best eaten in 2 days as it will absorb sauce and get soggy over time. 
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Addendum from Elsa: Use a generous pan no matter which type you use as all my square rectangle and round pans are different thicknesses. Often trying this in different pans until you find the one you like best in your collection for this recipe. If you have too much batter mini cakes or cupcakes made in 4 oz pyrex always let the baker taste it.
Adapted from https://www.hodgsonmill.com/blogs/blog/gluten-free-pina-colada-upside-down-cake by Dr. Elsa Ramirez-Brisson, RDN to celebrate Mother’s Day 2020

This recipe was requested by one of my former interns at La Cocina Bakery.....Here you are and success in baking more memories. The other favorite at the bakery were the oatmeal, cranberry and pecan cookies. This month the Pritkin Newletter recommended  eight foods to beat stress and Oats were on it. Probably not all as cookies but definitely for the once a day sweet these should hit the spot. 

Super Chocolate Chippers
 
HOMEMADE COOKIES ARE BEST .... BUILDING CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND RELEIVE ADULT STRESS!
 
This recipe is an adaptation from the Urban Legend on the internet about the Nieman Marcus Cookie and a core staple at La Cocina Rusa. What makes it different and so rich are the 3 types of chocolate included:  3 regular Hersey bars or buy milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I use mini and regular semi-sweet chips, and then alternate between milk chocolate chips or the candy bar, it depends on what I have on hand. It makes for a Wow chocolate flavor.  The nuts can be left out or varied. I use pecans and folks in California take notice as walnuts are more common here.
 
Makes 3 dozen
 
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 ½ cups blended oatmeal*
12 oz. chocolate chips (1 cup each of mini and regular chips)
½ tsp salt
4 oz. grated or chopped Hershey Bar (approximately 3 regular bars)
1 ½ cups chopped nuts (pecans drive folk’s nuts)
1 tsp vanilla extract (I use a TB)
1 cup butter
 
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Try 350?)
 
In a blender pulse the oatmeal 1 ¼ cups at a time to make a coarse flour.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars, until creamy; then add eggs one at a time and vanilla.  In another bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt; then add oatmeal*, nuts and chocolate; and add to the butter mixture, stirring to combine.
 
Form cookies using a commercial portioning scoop, red #24 or a rounded tablespoon. Slightly flatten the balls. Different type pans use different preparation: commercial baking sheet with baking paper or a stone baking sheet. (All of these recommend different treatments for greasing the pan). Bake cookies for 10 -14 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and cool on the pan until they can be moved to a wire rack.
 
Completely cooled cookies can be frozen or kept for one week in a tightly sealed container.  

...... the distance from home is shrinking to staying home because of the Spring 2020 viral out break, and I could use some continuous at home time to finish sorting my unfinished projects, years of print and digital photos and maybe some good old fashion creating and crafting time! Let me not forget refreshing my music repertoire. This blog is about recipes and cooking and today I attended a community nutrition meeting and I was blown away by all the new cooking groups that have popped up. There is nothing like involving all the senses, I think computer recipes and classes leave a lot to be desired. The human race has never had so much variety with so little individual labor, and as we are noting, our waistlines have never been wider as well. 
I am proposing slow cooking vs fast cooking although maybe not, I may prefer to work in the garden or lose myself in a good book. I opened all my rice containers in the pantry and picked out Red Rice from Northeastern Thailand. Raw, it is a beautiful maroon red color almost like used bricks and cooked it is a rich auburn brown. The nutrition facts label indicates 5 g of Dietary Fiber, no sugars, 34 g Carbohydrate (CHO) and 4 g protein. I am pairing it today with yams, green onions and bell pepper strips with yogurt on the side. This profile may not fit everyone's CHO distribution. Although, during times of stress and emergencies we do crave and eat more CHO therefore these two choices low in fat, high in vitamins and minerals maybe the ingredients of choice. 
 
The power is not expected to be out unless we all start baking bread day and night and have a brown out or an earthquake. A quick rule of thumb is 4-5 oz of produce x (times) 5 portions x 5days then X the individuals in the house. I do plan to go and get produce weekly, why I did not use 7 because sometimes I chose to eat out or I get carried away shopping. For one person this calculates to 6-8 pounds (#) reminder if you eat most of your vegetables as greens you will not need as much weight. I do appreciate the value- added lettuce and greens we can purchase.  I always have on hand, 1-5# of potatoes (various kinds especially sweet & yams), 1-2 # broccoli, 1-4 # carrots, 8 oz -1 #mushrooms, and various kinds of onions at least 1-3#. The freezer always has peas and roasted corn kernels.  My base is approximately 5.5-14#. If I don't eat it all before it starts looking a bit tired or I get more, SOUP STOCK! In our household sodium is the first criteria when buying foods and the reason 99% of all our stocks ae made ahead and frozen in 8 oz, 16 oz and 32 oz portions. 

Let’s get started!
Step one, make a list of all the food you have in the house; then categorize it as food groups, Proteins, Fruits/Vegetables, etc. then combine them into meals you generally make. Then there will be a pile that needs some ingredients added to round out using up your stores. I use an inventory practice from food service and date my canned, boxed, frozen, and dry ingredients….so I can be realistic with myself and not have heirlooms in my pantry or freezer. Remember in the United States we waste more than 50% of the foods we buy because we don’t use it before it expires, or we cook too much and toss the leftovers. As a two person household, my secret is using pans that can only make 3-4 portions. I break this rule for soups and beans.
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This has gone very long, I hope you don’t get “cabin fever” and thanks for reading my thread, I hope this will keep me connected to you and others. 

Todays Recipe
Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
 1lb. dried red beans soaked
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 ½ tsp. dried thyme
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 hot chile peppers diced
4 cups of water, approximately
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 smoked turkey wing
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
 
Rinse the beans, cover with cold water and soak overnight.  Rinse again and set aside.  Chop the fresh thyme or crumble the dried thyme.  In a large heavy pot heat oil and add the onion, garlic, pepper, and thyme.  Sauté over low heat for 4 or 5 minutes.  Add the water, black pepper, bay leaf, and turkey wing.  I like to chop the turkey wing into several pieces before adding to the pot.  Reduce the heat, cover, and cook over low heat for 40 minutes.  Add the soaked beans to the pot and bring to a boil again.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to very low and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and if beans become dry add some more water.  When the beans are tender, remove a cup or so from the pot and mash with a fork.  Stir the mashed beans back into the pot.  Simmer for another 15 minutes.  Serve over hot white rice.  Serves 8.
 
Family Wedding Recipe collection--This is a favorite of the bride’s father who picked up this recipe while traveling in New Orleans.  

Sorry no pictures! We gobbled it up to fast...or the women embroidery group loved it although it had had a tough trip, I had to take the pan with raw dough to the office for a couple of hours, so I put it in a cooler with ice blocks. It rose anyway, then finding an oven at the meeting was fun. I finally served it with Desserts, I did let it rest 10 minutes but it really needs a 20-30 minute rest. The texture was much better on the piece I saved for Jerry. Don't be tempted to add more pepperoni, I do add about 1 TBS of cheese finely shredded but more again is a problem, the loaf sinks in the middle. This is made with white flour and I have added white chia seeds approximately 1 TBS-- it worked. If using white whole wheat, I would do 1:1 and add the whole wheat in the second half of the flour addition. 

It does take 3 hours from start to finish, remember that 2.75 of those hours are rising, cooking and waiting times not actual hands on prep. Baking bread is a great job for students, sewers, quilters, knitters, musicians or like me folks that must get up and walk around at least once an hour or more often.  I make big batches of lentil soup and freeze it in pt and qt containers and fresh bread and soup make delicious fast food. 
Pizza Bread 
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 pack dry yeast
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp garlic salt (or crushed fresh garlic)
1 ¼ cup water
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ cup pepperoni, finely chopped
optional: ¼ or slightly more shredded cheeses

Directions:
In an electric mixer bowl, mix half the flour with the yeast, oregano and garlic salt.  In a saucepan, heat the water, butter, sugar and salt slowly until warm (about 115ºF) and the butter is melted. (100-115 but not higher)
 
Add the liquid to the flour mixture and beat for half a minute on Slow in the mixer, scraping the bowl continuously.  Then beat on High for 3 minutes.  Mix in the pepperoni and the rest of the flour by hand.
 
Cover the batter and let it double (45-60 minutes).  Stir the batter down.  Put it in a well-greased pan and let it double again (30 minutes).
 
Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 375ºF oven.  Take the bread out of the pan.
 
Source unknown, most likely a magazine part of family file and adapted by Dr.Ramirez-Brisson, RDN, Food FUNdamentals

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Giant! ooops! The title on my last blog post is wrong! This is it not Bread.....all year long! I will try to fix but in the mean time go to Dec 5 and you will see a great recipe for Quinoa Tabbouleh, Buen Provecho, Elsa

I am sure you have heard that it is not safe to cook your stuffing in the turkey. I always made both and I will confess to sometime living dangerously and stuffing my turkey but I like stuffing so much, I always made enough to fill two, 9"x 13" casseroles. If you are going to stuff the bird safely you must put the dressing in hot, but it isn't a good idea if you want moist cooked just right turkey and dressing at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. the stuffing actually acts as an insulator and does not easily get hot. This year I am making my dressing after Thanksgiving, hopefully with leftovers, because we are sharing the day with friends. This recipe also was devekoped over many years and was also inspired by my time with the American Heart Association. what this recipe's strong point is including fruits and vegitables into the meal. I like the crunch from the apples, celery and nuts. 

HOLIDAY FRUIT STUFFING
 Ingredients: 
2/3 cup           green onions, chopped
1 cup              onion, finely chopped
1 cup              celery, chopped
¼ cup             parsley, chopped
2 cups                        apple, finely diced
½ cup             dried apricots, chopped
1 cup              raisins
10 cups          bread, cut in cubes (a loaf)
½ tsp               sage
¼ tsp               ginger
¼ tsp               nutmeg
1 tsp                pepper
1-2 cups         chicken broth
2 Tbsp            butter melted

 Directions
 Put all the dry ingredients in a baking pan sprayed with “Pam” or a small amount of oil.  Then add broth and margarine and stir to moisten
 
Bake at 350°F for one hour.