Recipes — Janets Journal

Banana Layer Cake

11 Aug posted by Janet

Banana Layer Cake
Janice Livelsberger
Los Angeles County Fair
Prep time: 30 minutes plus cooling
Baking time: 25 to 30 minutes

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut

CREAMY NUT FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup half and half cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

WHITE SNOW FROSTING
1 egg white
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In mixer bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Add bananas and beat 2 minutes more. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup coconut on each layer. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on rack, coconut side up.

CREAMY NUT FILLING: Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cream, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Stir in pecans, salt, and vanilla. Cool.

Place 1 cake layer, coconut side down, on a serving plate; spread with filling. Top with second cake layer, coconut side up. Spread 3/4 of the frosting on sides of cake. Decoratively pipe top edge of with remaining frosting. Makes 16 servings, 445 calories each.

WHITE SNOW FROSTING: In mixer bowl, cream egg white, shortening, butter, and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar; continue beating until light and fluffy.

Note: I cut this recipe out of a magazine years ago. This is my all-time favorite cake! I sometimes do not use the filling and have never used the coconut. Because I don’t use the coconut, I double the frosting to cover the entire top of the cake. This cake is scrumptious!

Chicken Pie

1 Jul posted by Janet

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Debbie. It is very easy to make and very delicious!

Chicken Pie

1 cooked chicken deboned and cut up into small pieces
1 cup chicken broth (or as much as you like)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use homemade)
1 can mixed vegetables, drained, or frozen mixed veggies
2 boiled eggs, chopped (optional)

Place chicken in bottom of casserole dish. In bowl, mix soup, both eggs, and vegetables. Pour over chicken.

Topping:

1 cup milk
1 cup self-rising flour
1 stick butter (melted)

Mix together and pour on top of pie. Make sure it is covered completely. Bake at 350° about 1 hour until crust is brown.

*You can also just use 2 already-made pie crusts. Just break apart and put on top of pie. Dot with butter.

Pear Honey

28 May posted by Janet

YIELDS 12-16 HALF-PINT JARS

One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple with syrup
8 cups (about 3 pounds) peeled, cored, and chopped pears

10 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and cook until pears are tender and mixture thickens, approximately 30 minutes. Place in sterilized jars and seal while still hot.

From The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook by Paula H. Deen

~~~***~~~

I purchased a jar of pear honey from a church friend. She suggested to eat pear honey on top of hot biscuits because this honey is very sweet. She was right- it’s SO GOOD on hot biscuits. My friend is going to show me how to make preserves, something I’ve always wanted to do, but have been so afraid of trying! She loaned me her cookbook, so I plan to spend some time copying recipes to try.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

1 Sep posted by Janet

A friend share this recipe with me years ago, and it makes the best chicken and dumplings I’ve ever had.

Chicken- can be a whole chicken, or chicken breasts, thighs, etc.

1-2 Cans of biscuits
Stick of butter
Salt
Pepper

Boil chicken until tender. Remove from broth to cool. Pinch canned biscuits into small pieces and add to broth. Add stick of butter. Remove chicken from bones and return to broth. Boil until biscuits are done, about 10-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Here is another totally from scratch recipe that my friend Terri gave me. This recipe tastes pretty close to the above recipe.

1 (3 to 4 lb.) chicken, disjointed
2 qts. plus 1/4 cup water
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup melted butter (I don’t bother melting it.)
2 tsp. black pepper

Combine the chicken and the 2 qts. water in a stockpot. Cook over medium-high heat until done, about one hour. Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth. Cool the chicken in cold water. Remove the bones, skin, and fat. Cut chicken meat into bite-sized pieces.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until mixture is coarse. Add the 1/4 cup water, and mix well with your hands. Bring the chicken broth back to a slow boil. With floured hands, pinch small quarter-size pieces of flour, and drop them into the simmering chicken broth. Gently stir after adding several pinches. Repeat until all the dumpling mix is used. Stir gently. Add the butter and black pepper. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Slowly stir in the chicken meat. Serve in soup bowls. MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS.