Deanna’s Recipes

Granny Gentry, my inspiration

Welcome to Deanna’s Happy Accidents, where you’ll find not only my new recipes, but also our classic family recipes. Good food should always have a good story to go with it, so be sure to check out the posts associated with the recipes, (link will be included). Get that apron on and have fun!

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Cooking Tips & Tricks

Bacon: the trick to making bacon crispy is to constantly turn it while cooking.

Cheesecake: The secret to making sure your cheesecake doesn’t crack is to stir the eggs into the batter, rather than beat them. Just blend each, one at a time, stirring on low speed to incorporate.

Greens (lettuce, spring greens, spinach, etc): Always tear your greens, rather than cutting them. Using a knife on greens will cause them to brown and wilt quickly. Also, if you’re preparing greens a day in advance, squeeze a little lemon juice on them to help preserve freshness.

Shopping for fruits and vegetables:  When shopping for vegetables, look for the most vibrant color. The more colorful the vegetable, the more nutrition it holds.

 

 

 

 *Recipes not created by me or my family will list source, including link where available.

White Chocolate Banana Cake with White Chocolate Butter Pecan Frosting

Buttered pecans:

• 2 cups pecan halves
• ¼ cup butter (NOT margarine)

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add pecans and brown 10 – 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Spread evenly over wax paper or aluminum foil and allow to cool. Chop pecans for frosting. *This recipe will yield more than you need for the frosting – store remainder in airtight container to put in your pancake mix tomorrow morning!

Cake

• 3 – 2 oz. bars Baker’s white chocolate, melted
• 1 medium banana, mashed
• 1 – 3 oz. package instant white chocolate pudding mix
• 1 box Betty Crocker golden vanilla cake mix, (and ingredients listed on box)

Frosting

• 3 – 2 oz. bars Baker’s white chocolate, melted and cooled *while cooling, stir occasionally to keep chocolate from hardening
• ½ cup butter, (NOT margarine), softened
• 1 – 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup buttered pecans

Prepare cake pans: grease and flour 3 – 8” round cake pans; set aside.

Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Divide in half and set aside to cool. Mash one medium banana with fork until smooth and creamy. *If you still have pieces of banana after using fork, you can use a wire whisk to get it creamy.

Mix cake according to package directions, adding pudding mix, melted white chocolate, and banana. Note – the chocolate for cake mix does not need to be completely cooled. Divide batter evenly among cake pans. Bake at 350° for 22 – 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges are golden brown. Set on counter to cool.

Mix frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese with mixer, occasionally scraping sides of bowl, and increasing speed until smooth. Add chocolate and continue to beat on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla. Alternately add powdered sugar and whipping cream, beating well after each addition until smooth and creamy. Stir in buttered pecans. *If frosting appears too “soft”, let sit in refrigerator approximately 10 minutes.

When cake is completely cool, carefully remove from pans, spreading frosting between each layer, on top, and on sides of cake.

Carolina Chiller

• 2 – 3 medium-sized South Carolina peaches, peeled and chopped, (just pour the juice in because if you have the right peaches they’re impossible to chop)
• 1 cup vodka (I use Absolut or Ketle One)
• ½ cup Gran Marnier (or other orange liqueur)
• ½ cup peach schnapps
• 2 cups orange juice
• Splash of Ginger ale
• Crushed ice

Blend all together in blender until texture is creamy.  Serve in chilled margarita glasses with rim of orange sugar.  Makes enough for four normal people, or one tee-totaler. *Note – served best on porch at sunset.

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December 28, 2009  Today is mine and my husband’s 13th anniversary. The traditional gift for the thirteenth year is lace. Hmmm, I couldn’t figure out what to give him that had something to do with lace but wasn’t girly, so I decided to make this cheesecake instead, which, when the raspberry sauce is swirled just right, looks like a colorful doily. This recipe does take time and patience, so make sure you have that before starting.

Deanna’s White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake 

Crust:

• 2 cups ginger snap crumbs, (about 50 cookies)
• 1 cup crushed pecans, (or you can use almonds)
• ½ cup melted butter

Raspberry Sauce:

•   2 cups Smucker’s raspberry preserves
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Karo syrup

Cheesecake:

• 4 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature (Philadelphia Brand for best results)
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 squares, (6 – 1 oz. bars), Baker’s white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, at room temperature

Prepare: Set cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out to come to room temperature, (4 – 6 hours before beginning).

Preheat oven to 350°.  Prepare pan: grease 8 or 9” springform pan with cooking spray or shortening.  [Size of pan depends on how tall you want cheesecake to be.]  Melt white chocolate in heavy saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly when melting begins.  When completely melted, immediately pour into glass bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, make raspberry sauce: in heavy saucepan, combine raspberry preserves, Karo syrup, and sugar.  Stir using wire whisk to incorporate and cook on low heat until sauce is thinned, about ten minutes.  Pour sauce into bowl through strainer, mashing with rubber spatula to get all sauce out; discard seeds.  Set sauce aside.

Make crust: Combine ginger snap crumbs, (use blender or food processor to crumb ginger snaps), crushed pecans, and melted butter in medium mixing bowl.  Stir until you have a doughy consistency.  Pour into prepared springform pan, and pat to spread on bottom and about ¼ way up sides; set aside.

Make cheesecake: Beat cream cheese on medium speed until creamy and without lumps.  [You will need to stop mixer ocassionaly to scrape sides throughout entire mixing process.]  With mixer on low speed, pour in sugar slowly.  Beat on medium speed until combined and creamy.  Pour in white chocolate and beat on medium speed until combined and creamy.  Pour in vanilla and sour cream, and beat on medium speed until combined and creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and mix on low speed until just combined; do not beat after eggs are added, (beating eggs causes cheesecake to crack).  Pour cheesecake into prepared pan.  Drizzle raspberry sauce over cheesecake mixture.  Use butter knife to swirl raspberry sauce into cheesecake mixture.  Bake for 45 – 50 minutes; done when edges just begin to brown – should be just a bit jiggly in middle.  Remove from oven and let set on counter for 30 minutes.  Unlatch pan.  Let set another 15 minutes.  Carefully run butter knife along edges between cheecake and pan to loosen; remove pan shell and set cheesecake in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.  When slicing, keep paper towel handy to wipe knife between cutting slices, or do like I do and use your fingers and mouth. Enjoy!

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December 23, 2009  I created this recipe for meatball sandwiches this evening because I wanted to do something besides plain ole’ cheeseburgers. I need a better name for them, so after you’ve made some I’d appreciate any ideas for a name. 

Deanna’s open-faced meatball sandwiches

• ½ lb bacon
• ½ small red onion, sliced
• Salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 ¼ – 1 ½ lb ground chuck
• 1 egg
• 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. garlic salt
• 1 Tbs. oregano
• 1 cup crushed Italian croutons
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 – 14-oz can of fire-roasted, diced tomatoes (Hunt’s brand is good)
• ½ cup shredded Italian parmesan cheese
• Apx 3 Tbs. butter spread
• 6 slices smoked provolone cheese
• 6 slices Italian bread

Fry bacon over medium-high heat until crispy (secret to crispy bacon is to constantly turn it); set aside on paper plate.  Turn temperature down to medium and caramelize onion in bacon grease, sprinkling with salt and fresh ground pepper; set aside with bacon.

In large mixing bowl combine ground chuck, egg, chopped garlic, garlic salt, oregano, and crushed croutons.  Use your hands to combine well.  Form into six large meatballs and transfer to deep skillet with olive oil.  Brown all sides over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.  Turn heat down to medium-low.  Pour in tomatoes and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes, or until meat is done through; turn off heat.

Turn oven on low broil.  Place bread slices on jellyroll pan.  Top bread with thin layer of butter and parmesan cheese.  Cut meatballs in half and lay on bread, flat sides down, one meatball, (two halves), per slice.  Top with provolone cheese, (one slice per slice of bread).  Place in oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  While cheese is melting, warm bacon and onion in microwave.  Remove meatball sandwiches from oven.  Plate; spoon tomato mixture on sandwiches.  Top with bacon and onion.  Enjoy!

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December 20, 2009  It’s holiday baking time! Christmas is one of the most fun times to experiment in the kitchen. This recipe for white chocolate pecan cookies is absolutely heavenly. Just be sure not to eat too much dough before the cookies are baked – trust me!  

 

White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

•      1 cup butter, at room temperature
•      1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
•      2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream
•      2 cups sugar
•      1 tsp. vanilla
•      2 cups sifted cake flour
•      1 – 12 oz. package white chocolate chips
•      1 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375°.  Cream butter, sugar and whipping cream in mixer at medium speed, beating until smooth and creamy.  Beat in sugar and vanilla until fluffy.  Add flour, a little at a time, and beat until you have doughy consistency.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop level tablespoonfuls of dough about two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit about 2 minutes before transferring to platter.  Let cool and enjoy!

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December 14, 2009 This is my mom’s recipe for pound cake, which has always been one of my all-time favorites. 

Mom’s Pound Cake

• 3 ½ cups flour
• 2 sticks soft butter
• 1/3 cup Crisco
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour Bundt pan; set aside.  Sift dry ingredients in large bowl; set aside.  Cream butter, sugar and Crisco together in large mixing bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time; beat each egg well.  Stir in dry ingredients and vanilla.  Add milk, a little at a time.  Mix well but do not overbeat. Pour in Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 min. Do not open oven until time is up.

Great served warm with caramel sauce drizzled on top.

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November 29, 2009  The holidays are a great time for SWEETS! My sister always begs me to make this cake for her at Thanksgiving, and then again at Christmas. It is fantastic with butter pecan ice cream and caramel truffle coffee. Enjoy!

Deanna’s Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Butter Pecan Frosting

Cake: 

• 1 ¼ cups butter, (NOT margarine)
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Frosting

• ½ cup butter, (NOT margarine), softened
• 1 – 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Grease and flour 3 – 9” round cake pans.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Melt ¼ cup of the butter in heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add pecans and brown 10 – 15 minutes, stirring frequently.  Set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt & cinnamon in large bowl.  Cream remaining butter (1 cup) in large mixing bowl.  Gradually add sugar; cream at high speed of mixer until light and fluffy.  At medium speed blend in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  At low speed, add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and vanilla, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Blend well after each addition.  Stir in 1 1/3 cups pecans.  Ladle batter into pans, making sure to put an even amount in each.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until cake is golden brown.

To make frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese with mixer, occasionally scraping sides of bowl, and increasing speed until smooth.  Add vanilla.  Alternately add powdered sugar and whipping cream, beating well after each addition until smooth and creamy.  Stir in remaining pecans.

When cake is completely cool, spread frosting between each layer, on top, and on sides of cake.  Great with butter pecan ice cream and caramel truffle coffee.

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September 19, 2009 Getting ready for game day – GO VOLS! Here’s a great cheese spread for snack crackers; Triscuits are best: 

Pesto Cream Cheese Spread with Triscuits   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Line a regular sized loaf pan with plastic wrap. In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese with garlic salt, blending until smooth; set aside.

• 1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, (Philadelphia brand)
•  1/8 tsp, (or a whole bunch of), garlic salt
•  1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp. softened butter
• ½ cup fresh minced Italian parsley
• 3 – 5 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried marjoram
• ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil

In a separate bowl, combine parmesan cheese, butter, parsley, garlic, basil and marjoram until blended. Stir in walnuts. Gradually stir in oil.  Spread about ¼ cup cream cheese mixture in prepared pan. Carefully spread with a third of the parmesan mixture. Repeat layers twice. [Hint: put pan in freezer for a couple of minutes between layers to keep spread in place when spreading on next layer.] Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours. Unmold & serve with Triscuits, or your favorite snack cracker.

This is much better if made a day in advance, giving the garlic time to infuse its flavor.

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August 19, 2009  Here’s another one of those happy accidents, (this started as hamburgers until I discovered I’d thawed pork instead of beef). Of course, just as with all my accidents, amounts are approximate. Adjust spices and such to your liking.

The Sticky Pig Sandwich

*        4 thick, center-cut, boneless, skinless pork chops

*        ½ lb bacon

*        ½ red onion, sliced

*        1 Tbs. olive oil

*        2 – 3 Tbs. Emeril’s seasoning

*        1 Tsp. Fresh ground pepp

*        1 Tsp. Garlic sat

Cook bacon: Fry bacon in deep skillet over medium-high heat until well done, (the key to crispy bacon is to constantly turn it); set aside on paper plate, leaving grease in skillet.

Caramelize onions: Turn heat down to medium-low (cover and remove skillet from heat while stove eye cools to medium-low).  After apx 5 minutes, return skillet to stove eye.  Pour sliced onion into the bacon grease, slowly, (and stand back because grease will pop).  Sprinkle pepper and garlic salt in; stir continuously until the onion reaches a caramel color and is tender-crisp.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Cook pork chops: Wash pork chops in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.  Place in dry skillet, and poke several holes in both sides with fork.  Sprinkle both sides of meat with Emeril’s seasoning.  Fry over medium-high heat, about 7 minutes each side.  When pork chops begin to turn golden brown, slowly pour in 1 Tbs olive oil.  Using two long, serrated knives, shred pork chops in pan while continuing to fry.  Stir meat until done, about 10 minutes.  Pour in ½ cup Jack Daniel’s honey smokehouse barbeque sauce, stir, and immediately remove from heat.  Crumble in bacon and stir.  Cover and let sit about 5 minutes.

Build: Place pork mixture on bottom hamburger bun; top w/ caramelized onions & extra barbeque sauce if desired.  Cover with top hamburger bun.

Great with: Bush’s smokehouse barbecue baked beans, and corn on the cob

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August 6, 2009 Yesterday I posted a whining blog, The Perfectionism Syndrome, ending with the declaration of obtaining chocolate, and none too soon. Here’s a great cookie recipe for those who crave chocolate. Go ahead and whip a batch up, (they can be stored for 4 – 5 days), so you’ll have something ready to relieve that next hissy fit.

Double Chocolate Treasures

• 1 – 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup butter, softened (not margarine)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups quick oatmeal
• 1 ½ cups cake flour
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. In saucepan over low heat, melt 1 cup chocolate pieces, stirring until smooth.  Set aside.  In mixing bowl, beat sugar & butter until fluffy.  [Do not melt butter]  Add eggs, vanilla, and melted chocolate.   Add dry ingredients except powdered sugar.  Stir in remaining chocolate pieces.  Shape into small balls.  Roll in powdered sugar.  Bake on cookie sheet 10 – 12 minutes.

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Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars 

• 1 ½ cups vanilla wafers, crushed (about 50 cookies)
• 1 cup chopped pecans, divided evenly
• ½ cup melted butter
• 4 – 8 oz packages cream cheese (only Philadelphia brand will do)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
•  3 Tbsp. cake flour
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
•  4 eggs
• ½ cup butterscotch sauce, recipe below, (or try caramel ice cream topping for a caramel flavor)

Set all ingredients out to come to room temperature, (this usually takes about 6 hours).  Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pan: Line 13×9” baking pan with foil, leaving 3 inches of foil (per side) extending over short sides of pan; create “handles” by crunching up extended foil; grease foil lining.  Make crust: Mix wafer crumbs, ½ cup of the pecans, and butter, folding until you have a doughy consistency. Press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan; set aside. Make cheesecake: Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream, flour, and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended, (beating will cause cake to crack). Pour over crust. Bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Let cool on countertop about 20 minutes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Lift out of pan onto cutting board, using foil handles. Pour butterscotch sauce over cheesecake, gently spreading to edges. Cut into bars. Butterscotch Sauce

• 6 oz, (1/2 bag) butterscotch chips
• 3 Tbs. brown sugar
• 1 ½ Tbs. butter (not margarine)
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Cook all except pecans in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring with wire whisk until smooth and creamy, about 7 – 8 minutes. Stir in pecans. Let cool about 10 minutes before spreading on cheesecake bars.