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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Crockpot Marinara Sauce


Crockpot Marinara Sauce

This is an adapted recipe from Giada De Laurentis' "Everyday Italian" cookbook.

2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a small pot or skillet, heat oil and add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, salt and pepper and saute until translucent.  Plug in your crockpot and turn on high.  Add the canned crushed tomatoes to the crockpot along with the bay leaves.  When your veg is translucent add to crockpot.  At this point I also add more salt and pepper.  Stir to mix well, cover and let cook on high 1 to 2 hours.  I usually stir mine once or twice during the cooking time.  Remove bay leaves when done. Freezes wonderfully!

Freezing Celery!  I generally hate celery so when I buy it for this recipe I have a lot leftover, but I have found that celery freezes very well.  Wash and finely chop, lay on a baking sheet and place in the freezer.  Wait about 15 minutes, then move the celery around on the baking sheet with a spoon or spatula.  Freeze for 20 minutes more then place in a freezer safe container.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Hummingbird Bundt Cake - last slice pictured above!
Cake:
  • 1 - package yellow or white cake mix
  • 1 cup crushed pineappel with the juice
  • 1 cup mashed banana 
  • 1/2 cup water 
  • 1/2 cup oil 
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans - toasted or not
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your bundt pan, you could do two layers if you don't have a bundt pan.

On medium speed, mix the cake mix, pinapple, bananas, water, oil, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon for 2 minutes. By hand, stir in the pecans. The batter will be thick. Pour into your bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour unitl golden and it will spring back when you touch it. Remove from oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Invert cake from pan and cool completely before frosting.

 Frosting:
  • 1 - 8 ounce package of creame cheese, room temp.
  • 1 stick of butter, room temp.
  • 3 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 to 1 cup pecans, whole or chopped
Mix the cream cheese and butter on low/med until well blended. Begin adding the powdered sugar gradually until all is added. Add vanilla and mix on med/hi for about a minute. Frost cooled cake and top with whole or chopped pecans.