Laying Around: Upside Down Pan Pineapple Pecan Cake

• MmmMmmmMmmmm. I mean fuck this thing is good. Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a big part of many people's childhood. It would normally be made in a Bundt Cake mold as well. I don't always like the donut mound cake pan. I don't always like the pineapple flavoured overload either.Which is why I always keep other flavors of cake mix in the house. This time it was Pecan cake mix. (Yes, I'm missing cherries. My kids dig em... too much.)

Here is what I had laying around:

Box of Pecan Cake Mix
- 3 Eggs
-1 1/4 cp H2O
-1/4 cp Oil
Can of Pineapple Slices
Kitchen Scissors
Cast Iron Pan (GET ONE!)
1/2 cp Brown Sugar (Light or Dark)
Stick of Butter
Cherries!
Pecan Nuts
Icing is Optional but I know people who do it.

Assembly:

1. Measure 1/4 cp of Pineapple "liquid" out of the can. Set aside.
2. Mix Eggs and Oil in a large bowl with a whisk.
3. Add in Pineapple Liquid and 1 cp Water. (If you don't want to use Pineapple syrup or Juice, make the batter as directed on the box) Whisk together.
4. Add Dry ingredient bag from Pecan Cake Mix. Set aside.
5. Heat Cast Iron Pan on Medium Heat. Melt butter and add Brown Sugar. Arrange Pineapple slices and cherries and Pecan Nuts if you have them.
6. Cut small pieces of left over Pineapple Slices into the cake batter. Use scissors so you don't lose any juice. Fold into batter.
7. Pour the cake batter into the Cast Iron pan while on heated stove. If it almost completely fills the pan, that is okay. It doesn't rise very high. Place pan onto a metal baking sheet for cautious folks. Be careful the Cast Iron Pan will stay hot!
   
8. Bake at 350*F for about 30 Mins.
   
9. Don't let the pan sit to cool. Flip onto final dish immediately with oven mits and both hands. If you let it cool, the pineapples will be glued to the pan by the cooling sugar. Add icing if you desire it.

Enjoy~

Overnight Guest: Pot Pie

• I have a long love with Pot Pies. Those found in my Irish bakeries of youth, or those frozen fatty delights in the freezer section. I just can't help myself. I've had the craving for a while now and a simple trip to buy Pie Dough was all it took. Mind you, I went looking for Filo Dough to put on top, BUT my store was completely out. I obviously wasn't up to the challenge to go some where else to find them.

Here is what I had laying around:

Chicken Breasts- 2, Cubed
Large can of Chicken Broth
Large stalks of Celery- 3, Diced
Large White Onion, Diced Chucky
Carrots- 3, Skinned and Sliced
Half of a small bag of Frozen Veggie Medley (Carrot, Pea, Corn, Green Beans)
Green Onion- 3 stalks, Diced
Potato, Diced
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
Package of two Frozen Pie Crusts
Spring Form Pan or Pie Dish (I used a pie dish)
Poultry Seasoning (or simply Sage)
Salt & Pepper
Garlic
Onion Powder
Thyme

Assembly:

1. I start overnight. By overnight I mean just before bed around midnight. I check on it twice about the same time the baby is up for food. If you have no such schedule, and you want it slow cooked, use a cock pot and NOT a stove.
   
2. Add Chicken Broth to a large pot with Celery, White Onion, Raw Carrot, and spices. Let simmer with lid for about 30 mins.
   
3. Cut Chicken and add to pot. Reduced heat to low and cook overnight.
4. Turn heat to Med-High and keep at a slow boiling point. Let reduce about 20+ mins. The contents of the pot should be jutting out of the broth. (I make mine with more vegetables and meat than sauce. if you like sauce portion out your contents and leave more broth in the pot.)
   
5. Reduce heat and add Frozen Veggies and Green Onion. Add Corn starch to thicken for 5 mins. It should look a bit like thick soup.
6. Line the pie dish with thawed Pie Crust. Bake bottom only according to the box. Mine said 400*F. for about 5 mins until it has a nice firm body to the crust.
   
7. Pour in pie filling. Cover with the other thawed pie crust. Pinch, fork, or manipulate the crusts to lock together however you like. Bake for 30 mins at 400*F. If your edges start to brown faster than your pie top, cover the crust's edge around the pie with aluminium foil.
   

Enjoy~

Laying Around: Turkey Maque Choux Pitas

(I apologize, I didn't steal the soul out of this one yet. I will update. Until then enjoy this guy's Pita!)

• Maque Choux is a traditional Louisiana dish. My husband is Cajun "CoonAss" from South Central LA. Not quite the Hood, but more like the wilderness. He wasn't so sure about this dish when I first approached him with it. But guess what? Even the kids ate it and loved it!

Here is what I had laying around:

| LeftOver| 1 pound of Ground Lean Turkey
Small bag of Frozen Corn
Small Onion, Diced
2 tsp Sugar
One handful Washed Baby Spinach
Pita Pocket Bread (Recipe see Digg below)
1/2 pound Bacon
2 tabs Butter
{Optional}(1 tsp Corn Starch)
Tony Chachere's Spice
Garlic Salt
Lemon Pepper

Assembly:

1. Cook Bacon in a large pan on Med-High heat. Put aside on paper towels and leave grease in the pan.
   
2. Add Ground Turkey and cook it completely cutting it into crumbles or crumbs. Spice heavily with all three. Drain the grease into a measuring cup. Keep 1/4 cup.
3. Put meat aside into a large mixing bowl.
4. Return 1/4 cp grease and 2 tabs of Butter to the pan on Medium Heat. Add Corn, Onion, and Sugar. Stir until Corn and Onion are slightly crisp and caramel.
   
5. Turn off the heat and return the meat and crumbled Bacon to the pan. Mix to warm meat and return it all to the bowl.
6. Fill Pita with Spinach and Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow spreadable cheese. Spoon in the Turkey Maque Choux.

Enjoy~

Laying Around: Stuffed Peppers

• I'll be the first to tell you I'm a grocery store Wandering Nomad. I hunt and I gather whatever it is on sale, catches my eye, or looks good. I don't plan meals (even though I'm home most of the day) and I sure don't make lists.

Here is what I had laying around:

A couple pounds of Ground Lean Turkey
A can of Campbell's Tomato Soup
Green Bell Peppers -3
A bit of Italian shredded cheese- 1/3 cp
Shack can of Parmesan cheese
White Rice- 2/3 cp
Fresh Basil, Chopped
Onions- 1 med, Diced
A handful of Grape Tomatoes, Diced/Sliced/Cubed
A handful of Mushrooms, Sliced
Lemon- Juice of 1
Spices: Sea Salt, Lemon Pepper, Oregano, Garlic

Assembly:

1. (Like Stuffing, all ingredients that need cooking like meats, must be cooked before baked.) In a large pan, brown turkey meat spiced with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic. Add half the onions and cook until soft. Add basil and the small can of tomato soup. Do not add water to the soup. Simmer on medium. The tomato soup will cook down slightly.
   
2. Start your rice in cooker or stove top. Cut tomatoes by preference and slice mushrooms. Add both to remaining onion.
3. Cut the tops off the green peppers and clean out its guts. Assembly in the middle of a baking dish. Juice the lemon and pour on the outside of the peppers in the dish.
4. I add a tablespoon of the onion/mushroom/tomato mix to the bottom of each pepper.
   Add the rest of the mixture to the cooking meat sauce.
5. The sauce should thicken by evaporation within 10-15 mins. Add rice to the sauce. (Like I said you need a large pan.)
6. Turn off the heat under the pan. Spoon mixture high into the peppers and cover with pepper lid. Spoon the rest of the rice and sauce around the peppers.
7. Sprinkle sugar and Parmesan cheese to the tops of the peppers. Cover loosely with tent Aluminum foil. Bake at 350*F for 25 minutes. The peppers should look less dark green. Take off the foil and let bake for an extra 5 mins to caramelize the pepper lids.
8. Let sit 5 mins. Add Italian Blend cheese to eat pepper lid and over rice on plate.

Enjoy~