The Best Pineapple Upside Cake You Will Ever Eat

Yes, you read  that correctly ...... The Best! 

And what's even more amazing about this delectable, finger licking, best Pineapple Upside Cake you'll ever eat, is how it's cooked.  Ready.... Cast iron skillet.... Really.

Most of us know a cast iron skillet for frying, searing and making up a batch of grandma's favorite cornbread.   But did you know cast iron has been around for 2500 years and if you season the pans  properly they can last for generations?

Cast Iron Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

1 can of pineapple slices

2/3 cup butter
 3/4 cup brown sugar
Yellow Cake mix
1 jar of Maraschino Cherries
1/2 cup to a cup of chopped Pecan pieces* optional

1.  Place pineapples in the butter, sugar and pecan mixture. Put
cherries in the center of the pineapple. Cut the slices of
pineapple into halves and line the sides of the cast iron skillet
with them (standing up on edge).
2. Prepare a box of yellow cake mix following the directions on
the box to mix the batter (do not bake in a separate pan;
follow instructions below).
3. Pour the batter over the pineapple and cherries.

4. Bake at 350°F degrees. When the cake is done, loosen the
edges with a butter knife. Remove from heat and allow to sit
five minutes, then turn it upside down on a serving dish.

 Yes, generations of eating a cake from a skillet that is so moist and delicious that by the time

 you get in line for your piece... it will be all gone!  

Have you ever cooked a cake in a cast iron skillet before?

PS- To read the history and how to "season" your cast iron cookware click here.

Grateful for~

The chance to be able to head to Florida this weekend to be with my sister, Ron and Heather and the rest of my family.

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Between Naps on The Porch

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How The Egg Is A Part Of Our Community

Let me tell you, my husband and I had no idea how our opinions on eggs would change when we moved to a little ole dirt road in the middle of the country.

 Really... we didn't.

Neighbors, friends and the community all having  the same goal in mind... Eggs

And plenty of them. 
As far as the eye can see. Rows and rows of chicken houses filled with thousands and thousands of loyal occupants. So loyal, that they each lay between 250-300 eggs per year and never more then one egg a day, generally in the morning before you get up for that first cup of coffee.

 What once was a staple on our weekly grocery list when we lived in the city, can now be eliminated from our weekly shopping list. Not having to buy eggs, a benefit not realized till we moved to the country. 

Something else we realized is that the color of the feathers around the chickens head generally determines the color of the eggshell.

 And along with this abundance of eggs there is a downfall of having row after row of chicken houses, depending on which way the wind is blowing.
Yup, you always know when it's cleaning day at those houses. 
I always love to invite my city friends out to the country when that happens!

And despite this little stinky obstacle,  we sure do love our chickens!

PS- The moral of my post- don't judge an egg by it's color.
PPS- Thought you should know that May is National Egg Month! Let me know if you need some eggs.

Grateful for~

Abundance of eggs 

My Version of a Healthy Trifle

Please don't laugh , but I always assume that if dessert has fruit in it, it's healthy...... right?

And it's extra good for you if you combine at least 2 of the key food groups.... in this case Dairy and Fruit.

So in reality the only "unhealthy" ingredient in this trifle are the brownies that I cut up and layered on the bottom of my dish?

 And topped with fresh strawberries that I mixed with a bit of Splenda and a little water.

And then added a ' kinda sorta I want to believe it's healthy' whipped cream that I made with heavy whipping cream ( 2 cups) and some powdered sugar ( 1 cup or to desired thickness) on top.

And to promote more good healthy eating, I added another layer on top and garnished with more strawberries.

Go ahead. Tell me that doesn't look healthy.......

I will make a believer out of you too!

PS- Tell me, do you have the same assumption about fruit?

Grateful for~

The ability to work out after I eat "healthy" desserts like this

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Savvy Southern Style

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Wake Up New Years Day To This!

I am not sharing the best mocktail, cocktail or New Years Eve appetizer recipe today. 

I am sharing breakfast for tomorrow.

So in between putting the holiday decorations away, reading the last issue of People Magazine for the year and putting your hair in curlers for tonight's big event, go to the grocery store and buy some Nutella, so you can make this tomorrow morning.

Sitting around the table talking about your 2013 goals just won't be the same if you are not eating stuffed french toast with a spread of Nutella in the middle- really it won't!

And whether you accomplished all of your 2012 goals and projects or not, go ahead and pour yourself a mimosa and toast to a wonderful year and an even better year ahead! You deserve it!

You can work it off tomorrow! I mean, don't we all have more exercise on our resolution list anyways?

Happy New Year! My very best to you for a wonderful healthy and prosperous year ahead.

PS- Using 'Texas toast' instead of normal sandwich bread, takes your french toast to another level!

Grateful for~

The new pair of running shoes that I got so I can take a run after breakfast to work the french toast off!
Sharing at:
Funky Junk Interiors

How I faked the Boss Out with dessert!

Seriously. No joke. 
She thinks I was in the kitchen all day baking up a delicious dessert when she came for dinner the other night.

I mean look at this thing. Looks like a culinary piece of art! Gourmet style toffee cheesecake at it's finest, and I whipped it up with just a  few ingredients- but shhh, she won't have to know that!

It started with a plain cheesecake. Next I added some Marzetti Old Fashioned Caramel Dip on top

 then I sprinkled some Heath Toffee Bits on top of the cheesecake and a few on the plate

To make it look like I really knew how to bake something so decadent, I added a dollop of whipped cream to the top. At this point she probably thinks that I made the whipped cream too!

From the look of her plate, I would say it was equal parts perfection and....

maybe even a little job security for my husband!

Sharing at: Uncommon Designs Online
Savvy Southern Style

My little fruit secret

I have something to tell you today....

Something that I have never shared with you....

Something that I think you should know.... 

Something that without a doubt will change your life, your fruits life and more specifically your banana's life.

How many have bananas that after a few short days after you buy them look similar to this?

Nothing more unsightly on the fruit plate then spotted brown, ripen bananas, especially when they are sitting near the stunning red and green apples!

How many wish that after a few days of buying your bananas , they looked more like this?

Ready for the secret? Leaving your bananas connected at the stem will ripen them faster. So as soon as you bring those bananas home from the store take them apart so they will live a bit longer on the fruit plate. FYI- I am not a professional fruit tester, nor do I want to be I just happen to see this in my local paper and decided to try it.

So, if you think that I am not totally bananas at this point, and you like bananas just as much as I do, then you will love a couple of recipes that I recently came across.

source

source

Have a great Wednesday! I am off to the store to buy me some 

ice cream to make that shake!

PS- For the record- when i tried this, it saved my bananas for at least 2 extras days ( which is a lifetime for a banana), although I did not test my own  theory, I also think it has to do with room temps- I'm just sayin!

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tatertots and jello
It's Overflowing

The Best Banana Pudding Cheesecake (Ever)!

Banana Pudding Cheesecake? 

  Really?

That sounds kinda....

Well alright, I'll have a piece

Oh My- That's Delish.Can I have another! 

Click here for the Southern Living recipe for Best Banana Pudding Cheesecake you will ever have.

Have a great week!

PS- In case you need a Springform Pan to make your Banana Pudding Cheesecake, I found one here Cuisinart Chef's Classic Springform Cake Pan - 9" - Cuisinart Chef's C

It's My Sister's Birthday!

It's my sisters birthday today, and I always struggle on getting her the perfect gift. 

 She's a wonderful person who just happens to love little blue boxes

      

Boxes that symbolize love and friendship

Boxes that represent the best qualities that a person can have

Boxes that contain wishes and hope for herself and those around her

And boxes that contain chocolate and lots of it!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful twin sister!

PS. sorry it's chocolate and not Tiffany Silver