Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Margaret Curry shares this recipe for Peggy Owens.
"Based on her description of it being a quick and easy scratch cake, I think the recipe I have used most of my adult life may be the one she is looking for. It comes from the Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book, dating to around 1959," Curry writes.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1/3 cup butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 (20-ounce) can sliced pineapple, well drained
Pecan halves, optional
Maraschino cherries, optional
1 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour OR 1 ½ cups cake flour such as Softasilk
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon flavoring, optional
1 egg
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in heavy 10-inch skillet or 9-inch square pan. (Curry uses a cast-iron skillet.)
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple in attractive pattern on top of the butter and sugar. Decorate with pecan halves and maraschino cherries, if desired. (Curry places cherries in the centers of the pineapple slices, and the pecan halves in the spaces between the slices.)
Measure flour; stir flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixer bowl. Add shortening, milk, flavorings. Beat 2 minutes medium speed on mixer, or 300 vigorous strokes by hand. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl constantly. Add egg, beat 2 more minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Pour batter over fruit in baking pan, and place in oven. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, and test for done with toothpick or cake tester. When done, remove from oven and immediately turn upside down on serving plate, leaving the baking pan over the cake a few minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream if desired.
Also for Owens is this beans and rice recipe I found on simplyrecipes.com. The recipe stood out because of one of the comments:
"Very happy I stumbled upon this chili bean recipe. Used to make [something] years ago close to this recipe. ... [I] added small amount if ketchup to it like I used to when I worked in a school cafeteria. Tasted delicious."
Chili Beans and Rice
2 cups (1 pound) dry pinto beans OR 4 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons salt, divided use
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons chile powder
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 (14-ounce) can crushed or whole peeled tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (fresh or canned)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup of fresh cilantro leaves
If using dry beans, cook the beans (after soaking for several hours) on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.
To cook on the stove, place beans in a pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, until beans are tender and the skins are just beginning to split open, about 2 ½ hours.
To cook in a pressure cooker, place the soaked beans in 6-quart or larger pressure cooker. Add 4 cups cold water.
Lock lid onto pot.
Bring cooker to high pressure over high heat. Once pressure is achieved, reduce heat as much as possible while still maintaining pressure and cook for 8 minutes depending in a stove-top cooker or 10 minutes in an electric cooker. (Unsoaked beans will take 20 to 30 minutes.)
Remove from heat and let pressure return to normal naturally.
Strain the beans from the cooking water.
In a medium pot, combine the uncooked rice and 3 cups of water, butter and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15 to 20 minutes. Do not remove lid during cooking. Remove from heat, keep covered.
In a large skillet, saute onions in olive oil until translucent on medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chile powder and cook for a minute more. Remove the onions to a bowl.
In the same skillet over high heat, add the meat; cook for a minute or two without moving so that the meat gets browned, then turn to brown on the other sides. Return the onions and garlic to the pan. Taste for spiciness and add more chile powder if desired. Add the tomatoes, the sliced jalapeno pepper, the chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the sugar. Stir to combine. Add the cooked beans and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, tasting and adding more salt if needed to taste.
Stir in cilantro leaves right before serving, or sprinkle on top. Serve over rice.
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Food on 05/13/2020