Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Creative Cooking

We all like to eat, and many of us like to cook. I don't know about you but I have a habit of trying new recipes and even changing them whenever I am having someone over.

You would think I would try them and change them when it is just my husband and I, but not me. Church supper? Almost always an experiment. Company coming? Another experiment, or adaption of something I have already tried.

Most recipes that I adapt I start out making by using the ingredient list, not the amounts, but the list of what is in it. I am one of those cooks that usually eyeball the measurements. I start putting my ingredients in the bowl and then decide it would taste better if it had_____. So in would go some whatever.

Stews or soups are easy to start trying this out with, anything goes with them. Just take any recipe and be creative.

I will give you one of my adaptions. I was making a pineapple upside down cake for some company and decided it was a bit too plain. So I came up with the following recipe I will share with you. Amounts are approximate since I am not a measurer. I tried this out and used the measurement I have here and it worked!

Peggie's Tropical Upside Down Cake

12 T. butter
1C. dark brown sugar
1/4 C pineapple juice
1 large can of crushed pineapples
2 bananas (sliced)
1/2 C flaked coconut
maraschino cherries
1/2 C milk
1 egg
1 1/2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400. Melt 4 T of butter in an ovenproof skillet or 9" pan. Stir in brown sugar and continue to stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add pineapple juice, pineapple, banana slices, cherries and coconut. set aside.

Melt 8 T butter in small pan. Remove from heat and stir in milk and egg, beat well.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar in a bowl, add milk/egg mixture and beat well.. Pour over pineapple mixture and bake for about 35 minutes or until cake tests done Cool 10 minutes and turn unto a serving plate.

I double this to make in a 9X 13 pan.

There is my adaption of a pineapple upside down cake, now it is your turn to adapt! Works for me!

3 comments:

Jes said...

The only bad thing about having a mom who is a great cook is trying to get recipes from her! I asked her once how to make something she said "oh, I put in some flour, some sugar, a couple eggs, some baking soda...." That doesn't help me mom!!!
There are times I have figured out things though, and having a mom that liked to "experiment" has made it easier for me to say "oh, I don't have that, I'll use this, it's close enough..."
I end up with something completely different than I was starting to make, but it normally tastes good!!

My Trendy Tykes said...

That cake sounds awesome!!!

Gonna have to add it to my list.

Linda

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife said...

Mmmmm! That is making my stomach growl, and it is far too late to go in the kitchen and eat!

Thanks for sharing!